The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) is dedicated to examining how genuine democracies can develop in the Middle East and how the United States can best support that process. While there are numerous advocacy groups influencing American policy toward the Middle East, few have consistently and credibly called for the U.S. to support genuine, authentic democratic reform in the region. Support for democracy is both a moral imperative that deserves to be considered on its own merits and a fundamental concern for American national security.

Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been a growing realization that our national security cannot be bought from friendly autocrats; it must be earned by supporting human rights, civil liberties, and democratic aspirations. Despite the rhetorical shift towards a “forward strategy of freedom,” the administration has continued to turn a blind eye to the repressive acts of friendly autocrats while using “democracy” as a weapon to threaten our enemies. The Iraq war has sapped enthusiasm for “democracy promotion” among Americans and Middle Easterners alike. The U.S. must act now to regain its credibility on democracy by consistently and peacefully supporting democratic reform.

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