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Middle East and North Africa
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By Michael Allen on February 11, 2010
The rationale for promoting democracy in the Middle East as a component of a broader anti-jihadist strategy remains both relevant and urgent, argue Shadi Hamid and Steven Brooke.
Some commentators deny the relationship between radical Islamist terrorism and regional authoritarianism. But, they contend, “no compelling evidence debunks the tyranny-terror link and, instead, the evidence seems to [read full story]
Posted in Middle East and North Africa, democracy promotion | Tagged Democracy in the Middle East, democracy promotion, Middle East and North Africa |
By Michael Allen on March 23, 2009
A remodeled reform strategy for the Middle East must find the right balance between democracy assistance and diplomatic considerations, writes Dima M. Toukan formerly a specialist with the Middle East Partnership Initiative. She contends that small grants programs better reflect local needs, build organizational capacity and empower indigenous activists “so that in time they can [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Egypt, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, promoting democracy | Tagged Arab democrats, authoritarianism, Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, Egypt, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on March 16, 2009
A letter calling for the Obama administration to maintain a commitment to Arab democracy has sparked an energetic and informative debate on promoting democracy in the Arab world. The letter, signed by 140 analysts, practitioners, bloggers, and activists, is discussed on the Middle East Strategy at Harvard blog.
It is possible for the new Obama administration [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Egypt, Human rights, Iran, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, dissidents | Tagged authoritarianism, Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, dissidents, Egypt, Human rights, iran, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa |
By Michael Allen on March 2, 2009
The appointment of Charles Freeman as chairman of the National Intelligence Council has disturbed democracy and human rights activists. Freeman is closely associated with the regime in Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s most repressive states, and had strong business links with the Bin Laden construction group.
His organization, the Middle East Policy Council, is funded [read full story]
Posted in China, Human rights, Middle East and North Africa, authoritarianism, foreign policy, promoting democracy, protests | Tagged authoritarianism, Middle East and North Africa, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on February 27, 2009
Democracy assistance is a critical factor in overcoming jihadist ideology but should be explicitly de-linked from counter-terrorism and national security policy, according to a new report out today. Substantial investment in counter-radicalization, “helping mainstream Muslims provide hopeful and practical alternatives” to jihadism should be a critical part of the Obama administration’s counterterrorism strategy, a task force [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, National Endowment for Democracy, democracy promotion, promoting democracy | Tagged Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, National Endowment for Democracy |
By Michael Allen on February 26, 2009
There remain “serious challenges” to the promotion of democracy and human rights in the Middle East, despite “some notable steps forward,” according to the U.S. State Department. Egypt, Iran, Tunisia, Jordan and Syria present particular cause for concern, notes the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor’s 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
Egypt has [read full story]
Posted in Human rights, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society | Tagged Human rights, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society |
By Michael Allen on February 25, 2009
An unholy trinity of formidable obstacles impedes the emergence of democracy in the Middle East, argues Michael Mandelbaum: the region’s prevailing version of Islam; the ethnic, religious, and national sectarianism; and anti-Western sentiment. A credible approach to cultivating Arab democracy must distinguish between two of democracy’s principal elements – popular sovereignty and liberty:
Liberty is, however, [read full story]
Posted in Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, democracy promotion | Tagged democracy promotion, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa |
By Michael Allen on February 20, 2009
Five years on from the United Nations Arab Human Development Report, the region has registered progress in education, science, industry, and economic reform, even if a stark democratic deficit remains. The bad news, according to a Brookings Institution study is that, despite recent gains, …
Other regions are progressing even faster, leaving the Arab world behind. [read full story]
Posted in Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, authoritarianism | Tagged authoritarianism, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa |
By Michael Allen on February 19, 2009
Observers breathed a sigh of relief when Iraq’s provincial elections passed by with relatively little violence and gains by non-sectarian secular parties. The final tallies were confirmed today, but as results are assessed, and the political horse-trading and coalition-building begins, complaints of electoral fraud may yet spill over into violence.
The election was marred by low [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Elections, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society | Tagged Democracy assistance, Elections, Iraq, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa |
By Michael Allen on February 18, 2009
Ayman Nour, one of Egypt’s leading dissidents, was unexpectedly freed today. The liberal democrat was imprisoned on trumped-up charges of forging signatures after challenging President Hosni Mubarak in the 2005 elections. His release is being interpreted as a gesture to President Barack Obama’s new administration.
“Why they did this is unknown. … I am coming out [read full story]
Posted in Elections, Middle East and North Africa, dissidents | Tagged ayman nour, dissidents, Elections, Middle East and North Africa |
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