On Wednesday (11/4), Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) introduced H.Res.888, "expressing the continued support and call for a renewed focus on the 'Green Movement' within Iran, which embraces the yearning of the Iranian people in seeking freedom, human rights, and fundamental elements of democracy."  The bill expresses support for the Iran's Green Movement, condemns the "brutal suppression" of this movement and the Iranian people, and calls for "a more robust form of communication from the international community to the people of Iran" using the internet and communications technology. 

On Thursday (11/5), Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) introduced H.Con.Res.209, "Recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis, during which 52 United States citizens were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981."  In addition to recognizing and honoring "the sacrifice and service of the United States diplomats and military personnel held hostage and servicemen who lost their lives and were wounded in a valiant attempt to free the United States hostages," the bill also notes the street protests in Iran on this anniversary and "expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law."

Also on Thursday (11/5), Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) introduced S.Res.341, "Supporting peace, security, and innocent civilians affected by conflict in Yemen."  The bill notes the increasing security threats and challenges in Yemen, and urges President Obama and the international community "to use all appropriate measures to assist the people of Yemen to prevent Yemen from becoming a failed state."  It also specifically urges President Obama "to promote economic and political reforms necessary to advance economic development and good governance in Yemen."

Congressional Hearings

There were no relevant hearings last week.         

From Washington

Crafting an Afghan Strategy: American policymakers downplayed the implications of Hamid Karzai's victory in the fraud-riddled Afghan presidential election. Some said a power-sharing agreement is unlikely as President Obama formulates a new strategy for the violence- and corruption-plagued nation. Others argued over the extent to which revelations that Afghan drug lords are already on the C.I.A.'s payroll. Hamid Karzai's diminished legitimacy left many wondering if he could still be used as a partner at all. While some criticized Obama for his delay in making a decision, others urged patience and caution. Complete or partial withdrawal is also gaining in popularity as some questioned the purpose of the mission.

Ignoring Iranians? As negotiations continued over Iran's nuclear program, some wondered whether President Obama has ignored human rights in order to achieve his goals and urged him to end dialogue with the Iranian regime. Some protestors chanted slogans imploring Obama to support the reform movement. Some reform leaders even went so far as to apologize for the embassy takeover. The White House released a statement urging the Iranian government to live up to its obligations. The speaker of Iran's parliament said Obama has not changed American policy toward Iran.

Clinton in North Africa: Secretary Clinton, in Morocco for a "Forum on the Future" with Arab leaders, introduced a new initiative called "Civil Society 2.0" that aims to empower non-government actors to promote democracy abroad. Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, also spoke about the importance of civil society, though some criticized Clinton for not adequately addressing the state of human rights in Morocco. Clinton added a stop in Cairo on the end of her trip to discuss the peace process, after recent statements about Israeli settlements had angered some Arab leaders.

Also Worth Reading

Writing in The Independent, Robert Fisk claims that Western journalists working in Middle East bureaus often avoid criticizing their host governments. Worried that foreign governments might shut down their expensive overseas bureaus, media outlets neglect reporting the news for which the bureaus were built, Fisk writes.

From the Middle East

Karzai Named President: Hamid Karzai was named president of Afghanistan for a second term after opponent Abdullah Abdullah dropped out of the run-off election, saying it would not have been fairly conducted. Some questioned whether Karzai's appointment was the proper resolution of the crisis, as many observers denounced Karzai's election as illegitimate and criticized the Obama administration's claims to the contrary. Still, many argued that Karzai is the only option to lead Afghanistan, and that its fate depends on his efforts to reform the government. Afghans themselves have mixed feelings about their country's prospects against a strong insurgency.

Protests in Iran: Iranians marked the 30^th anniversary of the storming of the U.S. embassy in Tehran on Wednesday. Despite government warnings, students and other dissidents took the opportunity to protest their own government. Even before the anniversary, student protests continued across the country, with students warning the government of the consequences of silencing dissidents. One journalist was released from prison, but the Green Movement is still forced to find ways around government censorship and repression. Speculation abounded over Iran's delay in deciding on a nuclear deal as well as the government's decision to reduce subsidies.

NDP Conference Held in Cairo: Last week's conference of the ruling National Democratic Party did not address the question of Hosny Mubarak's successor, which party leaders said would be decided at a later conference. Still, many worried Gamal Mubarak's speech and the convention's focus on "young members" and their solutions to Egypt's problems suggested the NDP's plans for the future. Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Mahdi Akef said the Brotherhood would not try to challenge the NDP in the 2011 presidential election, as some suggested this contentious time in Egyptian politics has left opposition parties divided and weak - though others argue Egypt's democracy is a sham. Opposition figure Ayman Nour was prevented from traveling to the U.S. for a conference on Egypt's future, and three young political prisoners were released. A conference in Egypt focused on women's role in economic development.

Iraq Approves Election Law: The Iraqi parliament established a long-awaited election law Sunday. The law had been postponed earlier in the week. Iraq's election authority said last week that the January elections might have to be delayed if an election law is not finalized soon. Despite the recent bombing in Baghdad and concerns over foreign meddling, some observers claimed that sectarianism is waning in Iraq.

Abbas Steps Down? Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said he would not seek re-election in the January poll, citing a stalemate on the peace process. Israeli leaders said they regret his decision, and some said his departure will have to change U.S. attitudes on Palestine. Israel released seven Hamas MPs held since the June 2006 kidnapping of Gilad Shalit. Palestinian youth seem to be disenchanted with their politicians, according to some experts. Hamas, Israel and Fatah reportedly worked together on an effort to vaccinate hajj pilgrims against swine flu.

Tensions in Lebanon: Hezbollah denied any involvement with an Iranian cargo ship carrying weapons that was intercepted by Israel. Conflicting reports emerged from Lebanon's cabinet negotiations, where disagreements between the coalitions make some people think a resolution is impossible. Minority sects complained of a lack of representation, while others hoped for a new multi-sectarian bloc. One Lebanese politician was charged with impugning the reputation of the army and judiciary in a recent book, and lawyers in Tripoli went on strike in response to security forces' assault on one lawyer. The UN put pressure on Lebanon to meet its development goals.

Rare Labor Activism in Bahrain: Employees of Bahrain's Gulf Air staged a sit-in to protest job cuts and a lack of influence in the struggling airline's restructuring.

Dubai to Appoint Female Muftis: Dubai plans to appoint female muftis in accordance with a fatwa issued in February. The UAE's Supreme Federal Council elected Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan president for a second term.

Call for Funding Nominations: The U.N. Democracy Fund is looking for nominations for its fourth round of funding on November 16th. UNDEF seeks to "strengthen the voice of civil society and help ensure the participation of all groups in democratic process." Typical grants range from U.S. $50,000 to $500,000.

NDI Launches Arabic Website: The National Democratic Institute's iKnow Politics website launched its Arabic version, aimed at educating women about political engagement. NDI also released a statement on its efforts to observe elections in Tunisia.

UNDP Report Shows Lack of Knowledge Culture: The United Nations Development Programme released its 2009 Arab Knowledge Report, which some said shows how security spending has undermined education in much of the Arab world.

Also Worth Reading

Marc Lynch writes in The National that moderate Islamist movements' attempts to participate in democratic processes throughout the Arab world have been stymied by secular authoritarian regimes. Despite such setbacks, moderate Islamists remain "committed to democratic participation even in the face of massive electoral fraud and harsh campaigns of repression." However, Lynch worries that "the toll of repression is beginning to show" as the Islamist leadership have begun to disagree about how to proceed.

In Case You Missed It

On Wednesday (11/4), the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) to offer his views on how the U.S. should approach Iran on the issues of human rights and democracy.  Kirk is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and serves on its Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, which is responsible for determining annual U.S. foreign assistance funding.  Serving his fifth term in the House of Representatives, Kirk is the co-chair of the bipartisan Iran Working Group, sponsor of bipartisan legislation condemning Iran's human rights violations and chief architect of the plan to restrict gasoline to Iran in response to its violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.  The meeting was opened with an introduction from Richard Solomon, President of USIP.  For a PDF of POMED's notes, click here.

Also on Wednesday (11/4), the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) hosted two panel discussions concerning the internal battle for human rights in Iran and American foreign policy towards Iran's nuclear program in light of that struggle. The first panel, entitled "Internal Dynamics: Human Rights and the Battle for Iran," included Professor Mehrzad Boroujerdi of Syracuse University, Dr. Hadi Ghaemi of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, and Geneive Abdo of the Century Foundation. The second panel, "Assessing Obama's Diplomacy," was comprised of Ambassador Thomas Pickering, Greg Thielmann of the Arms Control Association, and Ambassador John Limbert. The president of NIAC, Dr. Trita Parsi, moderated the event.  To read POMED's notes from the event, click here.