On Thursday, Project on Middle East Democracy, in coordination with the National Security Network and the Foreign Policy Initiative, held a panel event titled The Unfinished February 14 Uprising: What Next for Bahrain? The event began with opening remarks from Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) then moved onto a panel discussion. Panelists included Joost Hiltermann, deputy program director at the International Crisis Group, Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies ...

On Tuesday, The National Press Club hosted a discussion featuring Chief Executive Officer of Control Risks Richard Fenning, highlighting how the civil unrest of the Arab Spring has affected the way people do business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Kimberly Mikec moderated the event. For full event notes, continue reading below. Or, click here for the PDF Fenning began his talk by citing the emerging geopolitical struggle, making comparisons ...

On Monday, The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) hosted a discussion concerning the Syrian Crisis in light of the recent failure of the draft resolution by U.N. Security Council (UNSC). The panel featured Senior Fellow for Regional Security at IISS Emile Hokayem, Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy Dana Allen, and Senior Fellow for Land Warfare Brigadier Ben Barry. The discussion was chaired by Adam Ward, Director of Studies ...

On Friday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted an event discussing the implications of the Arab Uprisings for Lebanon’s future. The event hosted speaker Mohamad Chatah, foreign policy advisor to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Hosting the event was Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Marwan Muasher. For full event notes, continue reading below. Or, click here for the  PDF The event began with a lecture ...

On Thursday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a panel on the transitional steps that Libya needs to take towards democracy. The speakers were Azza Kamel Maghur, a Libyan lawyer and democracy advocate, and Fadel Lamen, president of the American Libyan Council. The event was moderated by Marina Ottaway, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.   For full event notes, continue reading below. Or, click here for ...

On Thursday, The Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted a panel discussing the ongoing crises in Syria and Iran, the potential for escalation, and America’s role in the situation. Panelists included Saban Senior Fellows Robert Moran and Suzanne Maloney, and next generation fellow from The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Syria Expert Andrew Tabler. Brookings Senior Fellow and Director of the Saban Center Kenneth Pollack ...

On Wednesday, The Center for National Policy hosted a panel discussing the future of U.S.-Egyptian Relations in light of important internal developments in Egypt that have put stress on bilateral relations. The panel featured Professor of Political Science and International affairs at George Washington University Nathan Brown, Director of the Rafik Hariri Center at the Atlantic Council Michele Dunne, and Professor of Economics at the National Defense University Paul Sullivan. The ...

On Tuesday, the Berkley Center for Religious Peace & World Affairs at Georgetown University hosted a discussion on the book Silenced: How Apostasy & Blasphemy Codes are Choking Freedom Worldwide. The speakers were the authors Paul Marshall, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom, and Nina Shea, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and director of the Center for Religious Freedom. The discussion was moderated ...

On Tuesday, the Center for National Policy hosted a panel on U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and if the peace talks with the Taliban will be successful. The speakers were the Honorable Paul McHale, former assistant Secretary of Defense and member of Congress, Michael O'Hanlon, director of research and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Joshua Foust, a fellow at the American Security Project and correspondent for The ...

On Thursday, the Center for National Policy hosted a panel on the recent dispute between the U.S. and Iranian government, and whether Tehran's desire to develop a nuclear program will end diplomatically or militarily. The speakers were Dr. Afshon Ostovar, a Middle East analyst for the Center for Naval Analyses Strategic Studies, Mattew Kroenig, a Stanton Nuclear Security fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Alireza Nader, a senior ...

On Tuesday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a panel event highlighting the recent publication of Laurent Bonnefoy’s book, Salafism in Yemen: Transnationalism and Religious Identity, and discussing the role the Salafis have had in the Yemeni revolution. Bonnefoy holds a Ph.D. in international relations from Sciences Po, Paris. He is a researcher in political science at the Institut Français du Proche-Orient (IFPO). Ginny Hill, who offered commentary on ...

On Thursday, The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies hosted a panel event discussing the ability of liberals to compete in the newly formed governments of the Arab Spring. The panel featured Khairi Abaza Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, an expert on democratic reform in the Arab world. Joining him was the Director of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Michele Dunne, ...

On Wednesday, the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted an event highlighting the success of “Salam Shabab,” an Iraqi TV show that just premiered its first season. A screening of the final episode of the show was then followed by a brief lecture by Marsha Williams, President at Harvest Research Group and then a panel discussion with Brett Pierce, Co-Executive Producer and former Sesame Workshop Producer, Hussam Hadi, Producer of Salam Shabab, and ...

On Wednesday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a panel on encouraging Arab innovation across the Middle Eastand North Africa (MENA).  As political freedoms continue to grow, can that innovation translate into economic growth and a true knowledge economy? The speakers were Inger Anderson, vice president of Middle East and North Africa for the World Bank and Rami Khouri, director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and ...

On Wednesday, the Institute for Middle East Studies of George Washington University hosted a panel discussion on political dynamics in Yemen. The panel included Sheila Carapico, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, University of Richmond; Stacey Philbrick Yadav, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Laurent Bonnefoy, Research Institute on Muslim and Arab Countries in France and French Center of Social and Archeological Sciences in Sanaa. ...

On Monday, the Stimson center hosted a panel event to launch a new joint initiative with the George C. Marshall Foundation: "Pathways to Progress:  Peace, Prosperity and Change in the Middle East." This initiative seeks to address the multiple challenges facing the Arab world at a time of significant change. The event began with comments from Mona Yacoubian, Director of Pathways to Progress: Peace, Prosperity and Change in the Middle ...

On Thursday, Freedom House held an event discussing the release of their annual Freedom in the World report. Presenting his research and findings was Arch Puddington, vice president for research at Freedom House. Additionally present on the panel was Robert Kagan, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, Suzanne Nossel, executive director of Amnesty International USA, Daniel Brumberg, professor of government at Georgetown University and senior advisor at the U.S. Institute ...

On Wednesday, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a lecture offering an analysis of the impact of the Arab Spring on the international community, focusing on the U.N. Security Council response to the events in the Arab world in 2011. The lecturer was His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Peter Wittig, permanent representative of Germany to the United Nations since 2009. The moderator was Michael Van Dusen, vice president of ...

On Wednesday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a panel on Egypt's military custodianship and their upcoming role in the civilian governmental transition to power. The speaker was Yezid Sayigh, a senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. The panel was moderated by Marina Ottaway, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.   For full event notes, continue reading below. Or, click here for the ...

On Thursday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a panel event highlighting Thomas Carothers’ recent paper: “Democracy Promotion Under Obama: Finding a Way Forward.” The panel asked, “Has the Obama administration succeeded in crafting a line that effectively balances U.S. interests and ideals? Or have they – as some critics charge – pulled back too far in supporting democracy abroad?” The main speaker was Carothers, vice president for studies ...