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NSN Middle East Update
Diplomacy Arab Spring Egypt Libya Syria Yemen
The uprisings in the Middle East, now in their seventh month, continue to produce major news: U.S. recognition of the Libyan opposition; Egyptian steps toward elections and civilian-military disagreements; heightened violence in Syria; and a wobbly opposition coalition facing an absent leader in Yemen who refuses to depart.
Egypt
Protestors remain camped in Tahrir Square despite a series of concessions made by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, who has appointed 12 new officials in recent days, including new foreign and finance ministers. Meanwhile, an interim committee appointed by the military to draft guidelines for a new constitution has reportedly declined to include any provision about the role of the military in a future government. The military commissioned a top judge to form an electoral commission, starting the process of organizing the country's first post-Mubarak elections.
News
Egypt's Military Seeks Future Political Role
AP, 7/18/11
Tahrir Square Protesters Not Appeased by Ministerial Reshuffle
Los Angeles Times, 7/19/11
New York Times, 7/16/11
Commentary and Analysis
Will Egypt's Military Hijack its Revolution?
Tony Karon, TIME Magazine, 7/19/2011
Steven Cook, CFR.org, 7/13/11
Libya
Following American recognition of the Libyan rebels as the legitimate governing authority of Libya over the weekend - a move that allows for more than $30 billion in frozen assets to go to the transitional government - the Obama administration announced that U.S. officials had met with representatives of Muammar Qaddafi's government. The purpose of the meeting, according to U.S. officials, was to send a "stern message" that Qaddafi had to go. On the ground, rebel forces have encircled the eastern oil hub of Brega but are taking heavy casualties.
News
U.S. Delivers ‘Stern Message' to Libya
Washington Post, 7/18/11
Libya Rebels Suffer Heavy Casualties at Brega
Reuters, 7/20/11
United States Recognizes Libyan Rebels as Legitimate Government
Washington Post, 7/15/11
Commentary and Analysis
Scant Planning for Post-Qaddafi Libya
James Joyner, The Atlantic, 7/20/11
U.S. Recognition of New Libyan Government Raises Tough Legal Questions
Jason Ukman, Checkpoint Washington, 7/19/11
Syria
The scope of protests and violence of regime response both continue to increase in Syria, with reports today of "death squads" roaming the city of Homs. The unrest has had damaging economic effects with business and trade cut in half, unemployment doubled and shortages on food and electricity. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said this weekend that, "The brutality has to stop," and that Assad "has lost his legitimacy in the eyes of his own people because of the brutality of their crackdown." She stopped short of calling for President Assad's ouster, as many analysts were expecting.
News
'Death Squads' on Streets of Homs
Al Jazeera, 7/19/11
In Scarred Syria City, a Vision of a Life Free From Dictators
New York Times, 7/19/2011
Syria Faces Tougher Sanctions from EU
Al Jazeera, 7/19/11
Clinton Says Syria Must Decide Own Fate
AFP, 7/16/11
Syria Security Forces Attack Protesters Across the Country
Los Angeles Times, 7/16/11
Commentary and Analysis
Marc Lynch, Foreign Policy, 7/14/11
Paul Salem, National Interest, 7/20/11
Yemen
As opposition forces formed a shaky transitional government over the weekend, protesters took to the street in a "day of rage" marking the 33rd anniversary of President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rule. President Saleh, still in Saudi Arabia recovering from injuries, refuses to step down.
News
Yemenis Organize Shadow Government
New York Times, 7/17/11
Voice of America, 7/19/2011
Commentary and Analysis
In Yemen, Will President Saleh Return To Power?
Gregory Johnsen, NPR, 7/18/11
Secretary Clinton Should Go to Yemen
Ken Gude, Center for American Progress, 7/12/11
Bahrain
Human Rights Watch reports that Bahraini security forces attacked doctors and nurses, laid siege to hospitals and clinics, detained protesters who sought treatment, and arrested and prosecuted dozens of medical personnel after unrest hit the island kingdom in February. A weekend dialogue saw a Bahraini official accusing Iran of scuttling a potential deal between the government and opposition groups.
News
Report: Doctors Targeted in Bahrain
Al Jazeera, 7/18/11
Iran's Khamenei Sabotaged Dialogue Talks, Official Claims
Los Angeles Times, 7/18/2011
Commentary and Analysis
Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 7/18/11
Citizens, Not Subjects: Debunking the Sectarian Narrative of Bahrain's Pro-Democracy Movement
Sahar Aziz and Abdullah Musalem, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, 7/11
Bahrain: Stranded on the Island
Roula Khalaf and Simeon Kerr, Financial Times, 7/13/11
Regional Commentary and Analysis
Diminishing Goodwill for U.S. Middle East Policy
James Zogby, Foreign Policy, 7/15/11
Ten Lessons From the Arab Uprisings
Ghaffar Hussain, Huffington Post, 7/19/11