Stay Informed

Sign up to receive the Middle East Bulletin!

Support Middle East Progress

In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

08/20/10
Center for American Progress Welcomes Resumption of Direct Talks  —
08/10/10
A View from the Ground  —Darbaz Kosrat Rasul, chair, Rebaz Foundation. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
08/03/10
U.S.-Turkish Relations  —Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr., recently returned deputy ambassador in Afghanistan; former ambassador to Egypt (2005-2008); and deputy chief of mission and charge d'affaires in U.S. embassy in Turkey (1995-1999). Congressional Testimony.

Setting the Record Straight

Eye Still on the Ball

“Adverse developments in Iraq will be (and will look to be) increasingly a function of the Obama Team taking their eye off of the ball and rushing to declare mission accomplished. Yes, in such a scenario the Iraqis should bear most of the blame, but the part that is due to U.S. action or inaction will be Obama's responsibility. And it will matter. Iraq is at the center of a region that every president since Jimmy Carter has identified as vital to our national security. Iraq is next door to, and the playground for mischief from, the most thorny national security challenge the United States faces: a nuclear-weapons-seeking Iranian regime. These inconvenient facts mean that if the Iraqi situation demands more focused and costly U.S. attention, it will likely get it. At that point, what sort of domestic coalition will be available for President Obama's Iraq policy?”
—Peter Feaver, director, Triangle Institute for Security Studies; former director for defense policy and arms control, National Security Council, “Obama’s Iraq Speech: Another Missed Opportunity,” Foreign Policy, August 3, 2010versus
  • “Iraq is a strategically important place in the Middle East, just by its geographic location, by its population, by the influence it's had in the Middle East for a long time. So neighboring countries from around the Middle East have an interest inside of Iraq.

    “But I will tell you that I think Iraqis themselves are nationalistic in nature, and that's why it's important. A strong Iraq will defend itself against interference from outside countries, and I think as we build a strong Iraq and as we continue to build a strong security mechanism and as we continue to help them economically and diplomatically, that will make it less likely of others from the outside being able to interfere.

    “Now, for the vacuum as we see today, again, I remind everyone is that we still have a significant presence here, and we are not going to—we will not allow undue maligned influence on the Iraqi government as they attempt to form their government. What we're trying to do is provide them the space and time for them to do that, and we will continue to do that post 1 September. We'll still have a significant civilian presence, and again, we'll still have 50,000 troops on the ground here to ensure that this government can be formed by the Iraqis. And that all the other nations respect their sovereignty as they go about forming their government.”
    —General Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, interview, “This Week” with Christiane Amanpour, August 8, 2010

    • Middle East Analysis

    Upcoming Events

    The Road Forward on Middle East Peace

    Event: October 1, 2009 - 12:00pm-1:00pm

    Introduction:
    Winnie Stachelberg, Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Center for American Progress

    Featured speaker:
    Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL)

    Moderated by:
    Moran Banai, U.S. Editor of Middle East Bulletin

    WATCH HERE

    Mission

    Middle East Progress highlights practical approaches to make Americans safer by improving U.S., Israeli and regional security and strengthening America’s global standing.

    • Publishing the Middle East Bulletin — Importing the robust debate that occurs in the region to the United States and the world. The Middle East Bulletin, produced twice a week, includes a news digest from journalists covering the region, analyses from Middle East experts and organizations, original commentary and a rapid response to misleading or incomplete statements about U.S. interests;
    • Promoting Public-Private Partnerships — Developing and strengthening those invested in achieving stable and sustainable political outcomes throughout the Middle East, through bolstering the efforts of individuals, organizations and activities involved in practical, innovative, economic private-public partnerships. Our efforts include working with:
      • Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) task force we lead, to create Palestinian Political Risk Insurance (PPRI), a political risk insurance product to meet the needs of the Palestinian business community, encourage investment, and sustain and create jobs;
      • Middle East Investment Initiative, (MEII), formed to help revitalize the economy in the Palestinian territories and elsewhere in the region by developing specialized financial products to stimulate economic activity, create jobs and expand home ownership.
    • Encouraging New Ideas and Strategies — Bringing together, from around the world and across the country, those who can most effectively shape the policy dynamic on security and economic issues, by hosting meetings, panels and conferences, to discuss ideas, create new approaches and strategize on how best to implement them within and across borders. Read more >>