Legislation

There was no relevant legislation last week.

Committee Hearings

There were also no relevant committee hearings.

From Washington

Reacting to Ben Ali's Exit from Tunisia: On the day that Ben Ali was forced out of Tunisia, President Obama issued a statement declaring "I condemn and deplore the use of violence against citizens peacefully voicing their opinion in Tunisia, and I applaud the courage and dignity of the Tunisian people." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Tunisia's foreign minister last week in support of the Tunisian people and offering US support in working with the new interim government. Daniel Brumberg warned against unrealistic beliefs that Tunisia will bring about a "democratic tsunami" in the Middle East, but remained hopeful for progressive reform in the region if a functioning, pluralistic democracy can be established in Tunisia. Thomas Carothers asserted that although the United States did very little to press Tunisia on democracy and human rights issues there is now a great potential for the United States to ensure a true democratic transition. J. Scott Carpenter and David Schenker said the events will resonate throughout the Arab world as an example of the ability of citizens to confront a repressive regime and achieve their goals. Prior to Ben Ali's fall, the U.S. State Department had summoned the Tunisian Ambassador to Washington, and had released a statement reaffirming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's concerns about the ongoing violence. Blake Hounshell argued the riots exposed Tunisia as an extremely repressive police state, and attributed the muted reaction from the U.S. to the lack of real influence or interests in the country.  French President Sarkozy previously warned (French) of the risk of Islamic extremists seizing the country in a power vacuum.  Analyst Marc Lynch noted the lack of interest in reform and a stronger U.S. role in Tunisia, as compared to more forceful calls for action in Egypt. Lynch argues that the absence of major U.S. interests in Tunisia should give the Obama administration more freedom to take a principled stand on democratic reform in the country. Ethan Zuckerman also pointed to the lack of media coverage of Tunisia. An editorial in the The Washington Post analyzed the impact of the Tunisian "Jasmine Revolution" and noted the important opportunity the US has to proactively engage Egypt on democracy: "It is not too late for Egypt to open its political system and offer more freedom to its own frustrated youth. If it does not do so, the Middle East could experience an upheaval far more shattering than that of Tunisia."

Clinton Calls for Major Reform in Middle East: Last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Arab leaders to enact political and economic reform in a major speech at the Forum for the Future in Doha, Qatar. Clinton warned that without reform, "the region's foundations are sinking into the sand," and that Arab governments must react accordingly rather than clinging to the status quo: "Those who cling to the status quo may be able to hold back the full impact of their countries' problems for a little while, but not forever. If leaders don't offer a positive vision and give young people meaningful ways to contribute, others will fill the vacuum."  She called on Arab leaders to "make the political reforms that will create the space young people are demanding, to participate in public affairs and have a meaningful role in the decisions that shape their lives."  Clinton pledged U.S. support for countries which make strides toward reform and called for greater cooperation between businesses, government and civil society to address the region's problems. Blake Hounshell lauded Clinton's speech as an instance of strong US support for human rights and democracy assistance in the Middle East. James Traub discussed previous critiques of the Forum of the Future and potential shifts in US policy to promote reform in the region.

Clinton Visits Oman, UAE, Qatar and Yemen: During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to the Middle East she visited the UAE, Qatar and Oman. With the focus of her trip centering largely on civil society, Clinton held a town hall meeting with Omani civil society. She also discussed her concerns for the lack of political reform and economic opportunities in the region. Secretary Clinton made a surprise visit to Yemen to meet with President Ali Abdullah Saleh and affirmed support for political reforms, with a rebalanced aid package so as not to disproportionately prioritize counter-terrorism funding over internal reform. Clinton also met with opposition leaders, nongovernmental organizations and students in Yemen to draw focus to women's and children's rights.

U.S. Leaders React to Sudan Referendum: President Barack Obama stated the U.S. could remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism if it meets international obligations.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed the importance of development aid to Sudan, especially as a reward for the north if hey respect the referendum and maintain peace.  Senator John Kerry reiterated the need to remain engaged in Sudan and help the parties negotiate unresolved issues. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, cautioned the US should keep pressure on the regime of President Omar al-Bashir until the referendum's result was assured and peace was achieved in Darfur and throughout Sudan. Secretary Clinton issued a statement commending the successful completion of peaceful polling in South Sudan.

Addressing the Foreign Aid Debate: Rich Tafel called for bipartisan support to sharpen USAID's focus, and establish public-private sector relationships to make the agency more innovative and effective.  In contrast, Appropriations Chairs Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Harold Rogers (R-KY) have recently called for cuts and increased scrutiny on the foreign aid budget.  At a recent event, former Congressman Dan Glickman focused on the importance of a strong State of the Union address to shape future policy, while former Congressman Vin Weber called fears of an isolationist Congress overstated and labeled Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) a dedicated internationalist.

U.S. Leaders React to Lebanese Government Collapse: The White House remarked that Hezbollah's efforts to collapse the government in Lebanon demonstrated, "fear and determination to block the government's ability to conduct its business." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the collapse was a deliberate effort by Hezbollah to "subvert justice" in Lebanon. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley called for a new government to form peacefully. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, blamed the "Iran-Syria-Hezbollah axis" for the crisis and reiterated the need for U.S. support to pro-democracy forces in the country.  With the release of the tribunal indictments, Clinton reiterated US support for the tribunal: "Those who oppose the Tribunal seek to create a false choice between justice and stability in Lebanon; we reject this."

 From the Middle East

Tunisian People Overthrow Ben Ali: At the beginning of last week, the ongoing riots spread to Tunis, the Tunisian government closed schools and universities indefinitely, imposed a nightly curfew, and released detained protesters.  In an effort to reestablish order, President Zine al-Abadine Ben Ali dismissed his government, fired Interior Minister Rafik Belhaj Kacem, replaced his top military general, and declared a state of emergency.  He announced that he would not seek a new term in office in 2014, vowed to cut food prices, allow for freedom of the press, ordered police not to use live ammunition against protesters, and formed committees to investigate reports of violence, bribery, and corruption. Opposition leader Maya Jreibi demanded an end to the firing on protesters and fight against corruption and Radwan Masmoudi, called for major changes in government policy.  At the end of the week, Ben Ali fled the country and Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi temporarily assumed power. Over the weekend, amid continued unrest, a prison fire killed dozens.  Mohamed Ghannouchi announced on Monday the creation of an interim government and new reforms. The effects of the Tunisian uprising seem to be present in recent copy-cat self-immolations in Egypt and Algeria in response to grievances with the government.

Lebanese Government Collapses: As Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri met with President Barack Obama in Washington, Hezbollah resigned from the government in protest of the U.N. tribunal investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri.  Elliott Abrams claimed that the resignation is another way for Hezbollah to hold the nation hostage with support from Syria and Iran, and Juan Cole suggested that a new Lebanese government could be dominated by the March 8^th movement and Hezbollah. Elias Muhanna posted that Lebanese President Michel Suleiman will begin consultations on Monday to select a new PM.Muhanna called Hezbollah's walkout "uncharacteristically shortsighted" while Emile Hokayem argued that they have emerged stronger. Nicholas Noe asserted that the situation was avoidable and points blame at past and present U.S. administrations who failed to construct an effective policy toward Lebanon. The U.N. prosecutor issued the controversial sealed indictments of the tribunal.

Sotoudeh Sentenced: Last week, Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was sentenced to 11 years in jail for anti-regime propaganda, acting against national security and failing to wear Islamic cover in a film. Sotoudeh has also been banned from practicing law and leaving the country for 20 years.  The US State Department condemned the verdict and called for her immediate release.

Arab Leaders Uneasy Over Sudan Referendum: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit stated that Egypt would respect the results of the referendum despite fears that a vote for independence could spark the disintegration of Sudan and threaten Egypt's economic and security interests. Nasr Farid, Egypt's former grand mufti joined other prominent Islamic scholars to state that independence for southern Sudan "contravenes Islamic law." Emile Hokayem elaborated on regional fears of disintegration in Kurdish Iraq and Western Sahara. 

Internal Dialogue Needed for Reform in Egypt: Analyst Amr Hamzawy argued that President Hosni Mubarak has not acknowledged election violations that have hurt the legitimacy of the regime.  Egyptian officials have dismissed international calls for political reform as outside interference, and asserted that Egypt cannot allow other nations to dictate reforms.

Algerian Protests: On the protests in Algeria, Hugh Roberts asserts that although the current riots in Algeria have been linked to steep increases in food prices, the riots reflect a broader sense of Algerian society morally revolting against the regime. Algerians have long given up hope on the country's official institutions, the parliament in particular.

Will Riots in the Middle East Lead to Political Reform?: Analyst Mark Lynch discussed the lasting impact of recent riots across the Middle East. Despite government crackdowns on the media and the internet, Arab regimes have been unable to control the narrative.  Lynch argues that while these protests may not lead to regime change or bring about major policy changes, they point to the underlying political problems that enable economic mismanagement and corruption. Simon Tisdall noted the lack of political will on the part of Arab regimes for reform and points to reports highlighting their failure to address political, economic, and social concerns.

In Case You Missed It

On Monday (1/10), the Center for Strategic and International Studies hosted a discussion on the future of Sudan after day one of referendum elections entitled "Sudan: Post-Referendum Scenarios and the Way Forward." Richard Downie, Deputy Director and Fellow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Africa Program moderated the event which included discussions by Comfort Ero, Africa Program Director at the International Crisis Group, and Fouad Hikmat, African Union and Sudan Special Advisor at the International Crisis Group.

Freedom House hosted a panel discussion on Thursday (1/13) marking the release of their annual survey of political rights and civil liberties throughout the world.  Executive Director of Freedom House, David J. Kramer, made brief opening remarks and introduced the panel: Moderator Susan Glasser, editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine, Director of Research at Freedom House Arch Puddington, Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Elliott Abrams, Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Tom Malinowski, Washington Director of Human Rights Watch.

On Thursday (1/13), the Brookings Institute and NBC's Meet the Press hosted a panel discussion focusing on the top foreign policy issues of 2011. David Gregory, host of NBC's Meet the Press, moderated the session. Panelists included Brookings Senior Fellows Michael O'Hanlon, Kenneth Lieberthal, Robert Kagan and Stephen Cohen. Martin Indyk, Vice President and Director of Foreign Policy introduced the panelists.