Iran: Blogging the Revolution in the Aftermath of Sham Elections

Updates and additional resources for June 17, 2009

I’ve added some additional news and opinion resources from Germany (Deutsche Welle, Atlantic Community Initiative in Berlin) along with blog posts and reports from the Middle East Institute in Washington DC. Veteran foreign correspondent/editor Lindsey Hilsum from ITN CH4 News (UK) has been doing a good job of covering the Iranian elections so I have added her reports to the reading list. Last but not least I am including the Iranian-American powered website Tehran Bureau along with Iran’s new online global news channel in English, Press TV. Like many people worldwide I am anxiously waiting for the big showdown tomorrow in the streets of Tehran by opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi’s supporters. Let’s hope that the rally goes off peacefully and achieves its objective of forcing a repeat of the election in a fair and transparent manner___ if that is at all possible under the present regime.

Original post from June 16, 2009

The minute-by-minute news following the disputed Iranian elections of June 12th is breaking so fast it is very difficult to follow let alone compose a blog post. As of this writing a number of international news teams in Iran are reporting that the Iranian government has ordered a lockdown on foreign journalists from reporting about the (illegal) protest rallies of the opposition. However, the foreign press and media in the country are free to report about the ongoing pro-government rallies in support of the incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

It has been clear for several days now that the Iranian Internet Police and security forces have not been very successful in preventing supporters of the opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi from using the Internet and mobile communications to communicate with one another and the outside world. This is understandable when one realizes that young Iranians have been some of the most avid contributors over the past few years to social media technologies and the practice of free speech on blogs and social networking platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. The Iranian sector of the blogosphere is one of the largest and most sophisticated online communities in the world so the Iranian internal security forces are up against some of the most tech-savvy young people online. These dynamic young people have lots of friends and supporters right around the globe that are eager to help them outmaneuver the Iranian regime’s cyber-police. Therefore the use of Internet filters and blocking software by the security forces in Iran is of no use forcing them to resort to the old-fashioned way of shutting down opposition voices___ guns and batons and torture and intimidation.

What has also been interesting to watch is the cooperation between mainstream news media and blog authors during the run up to the elections and the days since the announcement of the disputed election results (see CNN iReport/Iran). Where in the past these two groups regularly exchanged insults and harsh criticisms of each other’s performance in covering and reporting relevant news stories, today bloggers and authors on social networks, professional journalists and news editors/producers are relying heavily upon one another to report fast-breaking news events from inside Iran in the face of increasing repression of free speech and free press coverage by the Tehran regime.

I do sincerely hope that in this unprecedented online collaboration of citizen and professional journalists and news commentators that the ‘pros’ continually remind the amateurs about the dangers of reporting from within a crisis zone. The threat of a ‘new revolution’ from inside Iran is a very dangerous business and the use of online communications and publication tools that may help fuel such a revolution is a journey into uncharted waters__ so be damn careful.

Of course I have been discussing these exciting events with Iranian friends here in Germany on an almost daily basis. Germany is one of Iran’s most coveted trading partners (largest) and despite decades of business dealings and diplomatic ties with Iran the present coalition government in Berlin claims to have little sway over Tehran (see Germany’s Spiegel Online and Israeli newspaper articles below). The ruling administration in Berlin and Brussels, like their counterparts in Washington D.C. and Paris, have been rather mute in the face of the unfolding crisis on the ground in Iran for fear of screwing up negotiations over the nuclear arms/energy issues and Iran’s role in a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians and Arab countries in the region. There are more than 1900 German firms doing business in Iran so the claim by the German government to have little influence over internal politics in the country is sheer bullshit.

Anyway, my two closest Iranian buddies have both witnessed life in Iran during the time of the Shah as well as the period following the Iranian Revolution of 1979 (see Al Jazeera’s special coverage of the 30th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution). Although we have often discussed what it may be like when the day of true independence finally arrives in Iran, I seem to be the one who is most nervous about the unfolding events in the aftermath of these sham elections. I dread the coming brutal crackdown by a regime that will hold onto power at any cost which is kind of ironic when I also remember for the past 30 years much of what many people in the West saw on the news was 10’s-of- thousands of Iranians marching in the streets chanting “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” My older friend Reza explains the prospects of increased violence against the protestors on the street with the expression, “In order to make this omelette you must break a few eggs…” while my younger friend Asgar has repeatedly warned for many months that America must stay out of this fight so as not to undermine the opposition to extremist leaders like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the group of conservative Islamic clerics who pull his strings.

Therefore my views and emotions are mixed about the possibility of real change in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign policies toward the U.S. and other western countries under any leadership that must answer to the regime of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni. I shall reserve my opinions about the hope for change in Iran until this developing story unravels a bit more over the next days and weeks. However, the 2009 Iranian presidential election is covered thoroughly in the news articles, think-tank analysis, and blog posts listed below. So please have a look at my suggested reading list for a better understanding of what the hell is going on over in Iran.


The ‘Jewels in the Jungle’ 2009 Iran Election Recommended Reading List
Week of June 14-21, 2009

Foreign Policy Magazine - The Blogs
FP Passport
Iran Election Special (full coverage by FP’s editors and contributors)
The latest from Iran by Blake Hounshell 06/16/09
Morning Brief: Khamenei steps in 06/15/09
Iran: What now? a must-read roundup 06/13/09

The Cable (editor: Laura Rozen)
Obama on Iran: diplomacy without illusions 06/15/09

Shadow Government (editors: experienced policy makers from the loyal opposition)
What Obama needs to say and do about Iran by Christian Brose 06/15/09

Stephen M. Walt (professor of international relations @ Harvard)
What does Iran's "election" mean? 06/15/09

Mark Lynch (Abu Aardvark’s Middle East blog)
Could there be a Mousavi Effect? 06/10/09

Foreign Policy Magazine – May/June 2009 issues
Iran's New Revolution by Cameron Abadi
Iran's Potato Revolution (a profile of candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi) by Mehrzad Boroujerdi

Informed Comment (Middle East scholar Juan Cole)
Ahmadinejad reelected under a cloud of fraud (Salon.com) 06/13/09
Stealing the Iranian Election 06/13/09

The New York Times - global edition
The Lede Blog (editor: Robert Mackey)
Latest Updates on Iran’s Disputed Election 06/16/09
Updates on Iran’s Disputed Election 06/15/09
Landslide or Fraud? The Debate Online Over Iran’s Election Results 06/13/09

Spiegel Online – international edition
After the Election: Iran's Growing Societal Chasm 06/15/09
The Election in Iran: 'Extraordinary Amount of Wishful Thinking' by US 06/15/09
The World from Berlin: 'Iran Was Never a True Democracy' 06/15/09
The Afghanistan Debate: Germany Mulls Future as Attacks Surge 06/12/09

Articles about German trade with Iran
Haaretz News Online (Israel)
In spite of German talk, trade with Iran growing Feb 2008
The Jerusalem Post
Germany's special relationship - with Iran Aug 2008

TIME.com
Iran's Lesson: Even in a Tainted Election, Voting Still Matters 06/16/09
Ayatullah vs. Ayatullah: Could Khamenei Be Vulnerable? 06/15/09
Why the White House Views Iran's Election as a Diplomatic Coup 06/15/09
Was Ahmadinejad's Win Rigged? - Five Reasons to Suspect Iran's Election Results

Al Jazeera News – English edition
Government supporters rally in Iran 06/16/09
Iran bans pro-Mousavi rally 06/15/09
Iranian writer (Azar Nafisi on poll result) 06/14/09
Al Jazeera English - IRAN: AFTER THE REVOLUTION February 2009

Global Voices Online
(providing one of the best daily roundups of bloggers inside Iran and around the globe)
Iran: Protest and Repression 06/15/09
Iran: Storm of protest after election 06/13/09
Mapping Iran’s Blogosphere on Election Eve 06/11/09
Global Voices Online » Iranian Election 2009 special coverage

The Internet and Democracy Project @ Harvard University
Cracking Down on Digital Communication and Political Organizing in Iran 06/15/09
Mapping Iran’s Blogosphere on Election Eve 06/11/09

The Council on Foreign Relations
U.S. Should React Cautiously to Iran’s ‘Stolen Election’ 06/14/09
Guardians of the Revolution: Iran and the World in the Age of the Ayatollahs
A CFR book by Iran scholar Ray Takeh – Oxford University Press, May 2009
Obama's Message to Muslims Resonates, But Challenges Await 06/04/09
An interview with CFR senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies Steven A. Cook
Beyond Cairo: Translating 'Important' Obama Message into Policies 06/04/09
An interview with former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Edward Djerejian

VOA News Online
US Bloggers Take On Iran's Elections 06/15/09

BBC News
'Mass opposition rally' in Tehran 06/16/09
Shots fired at huge Iran protest 06/15/09
Iran clamps down on foreign media: Bypassing Iran's firewalls 06/15/09

CNN - international edition
Rival demonstrations fill Tehran streets 06/16/09
Hatred, chaos and savage beatings in Tehran 06/15/09
Moussavi vows to 'pay any cost' to fight Iran election results 06/15/09
CNN iReport/IRAN


Updates and additional reading for June 17, 2009

DW World (Germany’s Deutsche Welle online news in English)
German foreign ministry notes irregularities in Iran election 06/17/09
EU deplores recent events in Iran 06/16/09

Atlantic-Community.org (a Berlin-based think tank specializing in transatlantic affairs)
Iran's Fabricated Elections: The US and EU Must React 06/16/09
How to Respond to the Iranian Elections? (an online poll) 06/15/09
Iran's Tactical Foreign Policy Rhetoric 03/03/09

Middle East Institute (Washington DC)
The MEI Editor’s Blog by Michael Collins Dunn, editor of The Middle East Journal
The "Ahmadinejad Won" Interpretation: Why I Think it's Suspect 06/15/09
Gary Sick and Karim Sadjadpour on PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer 06/15/09
The Mess in Iran: Praetorian Coup or Clumsy Overreach? 06/13/09

MEI Publications and Reports
Policy Brief: Prospects for Iran’s 2009 Presidential Elections by Dr. Walter Posch

MEI Viewpoints magazine special report: “The Iranian Revolution at 30” (PDF download)
Provocative essays from 53 leading academics and policy experts discuss the revolution’s effects on many different facets of life in Iran, including gender issues, education, the media, the environment, and foreign policy.

ITN CH4 News (UK)
New protests held in Iran 06/17/09
CH4 News Snowblog – Iran elections 2009 (World News Blog)
A day in Iran I will never forget by Lindsey Hilsum 06/16/09
Telephone update report from Iran 06/16/09
(HT: to ‘The Lede Blog’ at the New York Times)
Tehran's clash of ideals by Lindsey Hilsum 06/10/09

Tehran Bureau (a U.S.-based news website from the Iranian-American community)
Iran’s Power Struggle by Gareth Smyth (Beirut) 06/16/09
Stolen Election by Muhammad Sahimi (Los Angeles) 06/13/09
Headlines June 12, 2009 (Iran elections)
Nieman Reports Iran 06/01/09
A Q&A with Melissa Ludtke, editor of ‘Nieman Reports’ at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism (Harvard University) Also see the Nieman Reports Summer 2009 issue ‘Iran: Can its stories be told?”

Press TV (a new global online news service based in Tehran, Iran)
Mousavi calls for truth commission 06/17/09
Iran warns foreign media over coverage 06/17/09
(Presidential candidate Mohsen) Rezaei's ultimatum to Interior Ministry 06/17/09


Technorati tags:Iran USA politics Middle East Europe elections Ahmadinejad Mousavi global voices

Obama in Cairo: Mission Impossible or Mission Accomplished?

Update June 4, 2009

I had intended to publish the following post about President Obama’s visit to Egypt yesterday but unfortunately I could not complete it in time. The President has delivered his major address to the people of Egypt at Cairo University five hours ago (starting at approximately 12:10 CET) and I was fortunate to be able to watch the speech LIVE here in Europe on both Al Jazeera and CNN International cable news networks.

In a word President Obama’s speech was ‘magnificent’ and neither I nor the news anchors, correspondents, and Middle East experts at Al Jazeera and CNNI can remember such a rousing response, repeated applause, and standing ovations for a U.S. president before an audience of Muslim students and scholars and other invited guests in our lifetimes. The impact of President Obama’s speech on the audience was just amazing albeit it is still too early to measure the reactions from ordinary citizens in the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world. Granted, in short time the world’s foreign policy experts, Middle East critics and pundits will have run the speech through their Veg-o-matics (…”you can slice it, and dice it, until it is totally unrecognizable!”). But for now, for those of us around the world who have just witnessed this important and historic speech at Cairo University, well we can savor the moment for as long as it lasts and say “job well done, Mr. President”.

The Al Jazeera English cable network coverage was outstanding and I have provided links to their news stories and videos below along with those from CNN International. In addition I have included key Egyptian news sites and bloggers and other important Middle Eastern news sources that are doing a great job of in-depth coverage of the president’s visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt. I shall be updating this developing story with follow-on posts over the next few days as new information and opinions emerge from a world in ‘shock and awe’ over The Cairo Speech (PDF).


Original post from June 3, 2009

It is less than 24 hours before U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his long awaited speech to the ‘Arab and Muslim world’ at Cairo University. Already the White House staff is attempting to play down the importance of the speech in the wake of international media frenzy and hype surrounding the president’s visit to the Middle East. Obama’s Cairo speech, ‘A New Beginning’, has been heralded as an attempt to reset the mood and open new dialogues between the public in the United States and Arab and Muslim countries in order to make progress in the settlement of a wide range of long-outstanding problems and issues. But what should we really expect from President Obama’s visit to Egypt?

This morning I discussed that question with a good friend from the Middle East and we were in agreement on a number of points.

One, it is great that the new U.S. president is making a visit to Egypt so early in his administration and delivering a speech aimed at the citizens of the Middle East and the Muslim World. The fact that he has chosen Cairo, Egypt as the venue of his speech is an extra bonus due to its historical importance to the world-at-large, not only the Muslim world.

Two, an open dialogue between people from different nations is always a good thing, especially when that dialogue is conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and a desire for understanding. That the majority population of the Middle East is so young and outspoken should make for some dynamic and interesting debates and editorials in the international press and news media following this historic event.

Three, my friend and I agree that it is time that the new Obama administration and select key members of the U.S. government put significant pressure on the Israeli government to halt the construction of new settlements and outposts on disputed territories (this is about the only thing my friend and I can agree on when it comes to Arab-Israeli relations, but it is a good start). I personally do not see this demand as an abandonment of the long-standing alliance between the United States and Israel but as one necessary pre-requisite to a sustainable and just peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. It is also equally important that militant groups and political organizations in the Palestinian territories once and for all abandon the path of violent confrontation with the Israelis as well as the violent clashes between one another. In the end it is the innocent civilians who suffer the most from such behavior, innocent men, women, and children on all sides.

Four, the new U.S. administration (as many U.S. administrations before it) is attempting to maneuver through a political/religious/cultural mine field of contrasting views and opinions which too often has lead to loss and tragedy for the people of the region. How can the people of the Middle East move forward on governance and democracy and human rights in the 21st Century? Whatever the outcome of these struggles and negotiations between the Arab public and their respective governments and civic and religious leaders, the final decisions must belong to the people of the Middle East. This is something that President Obama must make clear at the beginning of his speech before the audience in Cairo (and the worldwide audience who will be watching and listening very closely to every word he says).

America can no longer afford to manipulate and interfere with the legitimate, sovereign governments of the region while at the same time preaching transparency, human rights, and democracy founded on the will of the people. Promoting universal principals and values and good governance to our friends and allies is one thing, supporting autocratic, repressive regimes and dictators that serve our so-called ‘national interest’ is quite another. America needs true friends and allies in the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world, not puppet regimes who simply do our bidding for a few billion dollars of aid and trade.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was right in her address to the Arab public at the American University in Cairo on June 20, 2005:

Excerpt from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s Cairo speech:
Source: The Arabist

Throughout its history, Egypt has always led this region through its moments of greatest decision.

In the early 19th century, it was the reform-minded dynasty of Muhammad Ali that distinguished Egypt from the Ottoman Empire and began to transform it into the region’s first modern nation.

In the early 20th century, it was the forward-looking Wafd Party that rose in the aftermath of the First World War and established Cairo as the liberal heart of the “Arab Awakening.”

And just three decades ago, it was Anwar Sadat who showed the way forward for the entire Middle East — beginning difficult economic reforms and making peace with Israel.

In these periods of historic decision, Egypt’s leadership was as visionary as it was essential for progress. In our own time, we are faced with equally momentous choices — choices that will echo for generations to come.

In this time of great decision, I have come to Cairo not to talk about the past, but to look to the future — a future that Egyptians can lead and define.

Ladies and Gentlemen: In our world today, a growing number of men and women are securing their liberty.

And as these people gain the power to choose, they create democratic governments to protect their natural rights.

We should all look to a future when every government respects the will of its citizens — because the ideal of democracy is universal.

For 60 years, the United States pursued stability at the expense of democracy in the Middle East — and we achieved neither.

Now, we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people.

As President Bush said in his Second Inaugural Address: “America will not impose our style of government on the unwilling. Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.”

We know these advances will not come easily, or all at once.

We know that different societies will find forms of democracy that work for them.Our goals are idealistic. But our policies must be practical. And progress must be evident.

When we talk about democracy, we are referring to governments that protect certain basic rights for all their citizens — among these, the right to speak freely. The right to associate. The right to worship as you wish. The freedom to educate your children — boys and girls. And freedom from the midnight knock of the secret police.

Securing these rights is the hope of every citizen, and the duty of every government.

In my own country, the progress of democracy has been long and difficult. And given our history, the United States has no cause for false pride and every reason for humility.

America was founded by individuals who knew that all human beings — and the governments they create — are inherently imperfect. After all, the United States was born half free and half slave. And it was only in my lifetime that my government guaranteed the right to vote for all of its people.

Nevertheless, the principles enshrined in our Constitution enable citizens of conviction to move us ever closer to the ideal of democracy.

Here in the Middle East, the long hopeful process of democratic change is now beginning to unfold.

Millions of people are demanding freedom for themselves and democracy for their countries.

To these courageous men and women, I say today: All free nations will stand with you as you secure the blessings of your own liberty.

End excerpt from former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s 2005 Cairo speech___

For sixty years we (the U.S. taxpayers) have allowed our government to invest billions of dollars into Egypt, Israel, and other Middle Eastern countries to promote our national interests___ only to come to the realization later that “this shit ain’t working!”. In other words, after 60 years of a failed foreign policy in the Middle East we (Americans) must wakeup to the fact that it is time to try something else, something new, something radically different.

Five, whatever happens after President Obama delivers his speech in Cairo to the ‘Arab and Muslim worlds’ it will take time before any significant results can be measured and a victory over seemingly never-ending conflict, misery, and mutual mistrust can be declared. It has been more than sixty years since the founding of the State of Israel and the struggles for Arab independence from their former European colonial masters___ and a lasting peace, equality, opportunity and prosperity is nowhere in sight for a majority of the peoples in the region. But peace and prosperity in the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world may at long last be within our grasp, if we have the courage to reach out and take hold of it, working together to support one another, striving to understand and respect one another, and helping to solve the various problems and challenges that we face on our small, blue planet.

If President Obama’s highly anticipated speech in Cairo can help to put the people of the world on such a path then he will have really accomplished something great in the ancient Land of the Pharaohs. Let’s wait and see what he has to say____ and how it comes across to everyone who has a stake in Peace in the Middle East.

Here is my recommended ‘pre-speech reading list’ from some of the best minds, scholars, journalists, and popular bloggers in the Middle East and beyond. I shall add more news articles, editorials, and blog posts from the Arab and international news media and bloggers over the next days following President Obama’s speech.

Thank you for visiting Jewels in the Jungle today. Tchuss bis später.


Related articles and resources
Middle East and North Africa

Al Jazeera News Network – English edition
Obama seeks new start with Muslims 06/04/09
Note: see related news articles and videos for Al Jazeera’s full coverage of the visit
Obama in Cairo for landmark speech 06/04/09
Obama begins Middle East tour 06/03/09
Obama offers change to Muslim world 06/03/09
Bin Laden attacks Obama policies 06/03/09

The Arabist (Cairo, Egypt)
Mubarak is a force for stability and good, says Obama at 3arabawy 06/02/09
Obama’s visit is dividing Egyptians - The National Newspaper 06/01/09
Dina Guirguis (chairman of Voices for a Democratic Egypt) - Obama’s Message in Egypt at washingtonpost.com 05/24/09
(Al-Jazeera) Fault Lines on the torture debate, Obama’s relationship with Mubarak, Saudis 06/01/09
Condoleezza Rice’s Remarks from her Cairo Speech at AUC (American University in Cairo) June 20, 2005

3arabawy by journalist Hossam al-Hamalawy (Cairo, Egypt)
NYT Op-Ed: Our allies not in the White House 06/03/09
National Public Radio Interview: Is there freedom of expression in Egypt? 06/03/09
You are NOT welcome! 06/03/09

The Egyptian Chronicles by Zeinobia (Cairo, Egypt)
We Won’t Kill Him For God’s Sake !! 06/03/09
Obama Will Visit These Places in Cairo and Giza 06/03/09
Four Presidents and Four messages 06/01/09

Voices for a Democratic Egypt (VDE)
VDE Blog - Voices for a Democratic Egypt (VDE)
Two Public Opinion Polls on Perceptions of the Arab World

Global Voices Online (U.S. based international network of blog authors and editors)
Egypt: Is Obama not Welcome? 06/03/09
Egyptian blogger roundup on the Obama visit to Cairo

Al-Ahram Weekly (Cairo, Egypt) – Issue Nr. 949, May 28-June 3, 2009
One of Egypt’s oldest and most prestigious newspapers
Front Page: Cairo counts down to Obama
Opinion: Muslim expectations (of Obama's visit to Cairo)
Obama on campus (at Cairo University)

The National Newspaper (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
Obama launches Middle East trip 06/03/09
Obama faces challenge in Cairo 06/02/09
Cairo university (American University in Cairo) in US ‘spy’ furore 04/08/09

Daily News Egypt (an independent English-language newspaper)
Obama Outlines Mideast Policy Ahead of Cairo Speech 06/02/09
Interview with Reza Aslan: "Muslims are all ears but Obama must send the right message." 06/01/09


Europe

BBC News (U.K.)
Middle East: Barack Obama launches key Mid-East mission 06/03/09
Obama hopeful on Mid-East peace 06/02/09
Justin Webb’s America: An Interview with President Obama
The Obama interview exclusive before the Middle East trip 06/01/09

Spiegel Online – international edition ( ‘Der Spiegel’ Magazine, Germany)
'Aspirin for Us Muslims': Arab World Skeptical about Obama Overture 06/03/09
Middle East Peace: Obama's Mission Impossible 05/19/09
Obama and Merkel: The Trans-Atlantic Frenemies 06/03/09


U.S.A. and North America

CNN.com (international edition)
Obama address extends hand to Islam 06/04/09
Obama in Egypt - Radicals ‘worst nightmare’: Obama draws questions, praise from Muslims 06/04/09
Text of President Obama’s Cairo speech ‘A New Beginning’ (PDF)
CNNI video of the President’s Cairo University speech (Part 1)

TIME.com (international edition)
Can Obama Win Muslim Hearts and Minds? - TIME
Meeting High Expectations in the Middle East - TIME
Obama and the Arab World: Can He Meet Expectations? 06/02/09

Newsweek.com (international edition)
Newsweek Voices Series
Robert J. Samuelson: The Media’s Obama Infatuation - Is the press giving the president a free pass? 06/01/09
Christopher Dickey: Will Obama Apologize to the Arab World? 06/01/09

The Peace Maker: Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s Mideast Mission 05/23/09
American and Iranian Diplomats Resume Their Talk___ 30 Years Later (Brzezinski and Yazdi interview) 05/25/09

The Los Angeles Times (L.A. Times)
In Egypt, dissident Ayman Nour is pessimistic on eve of Obama’s visit 05/31/09

The Washington Post
Obama faces a chasm in the Mideast: Legacy of distrust complicates speech 06/03/09
King Abdullah Greets Obama in Saudi Arabia 06/03/09
Clinton says rights a `core pillar' of US policy 05/28/09
Will Mr. Obama in Egypt Engage Autocrats or a New Generation? 05/27/09
What Will Unconditional Aid Buy From Egypt's Hosni Mubarak? 05/06/09

The New York Times
Obama Realism May Not Play Well in Cairo Streets 05/30/09
Cleaning Cairo, but Taking a Livelihood 05/25/09
Memo From Cairo - Egypt to Be Center Stage in Obama’s Address to Arabs 05/12/09

Foreign Policy Magazine (May/June 2009 online issue)
Why Obama Can't Sell America by Ramez Maluf
Until the Israel-Palestine issue is solved, there is only so much rhetoric can do
What Muslim World? By Scott Carpenter and Soner Capatgay
There is one big problem with addressing the Muslim world – it doesn’t exist
Cairo University's Moment in the Sun by Liam Stack
Don't Give up on Egypt by Andrew Albertson and Stephen McInerney
Bush’s push for democracy in the Arab world’s most populous country showed glimmers of success. So why does Obama seem ready to give up on it now?
Today in the World (Global News) by Joshua Keating

Foreign Policy Magazine Blogs – a world class lineup
Mark Lynch (Professor Mark Lynch’s Abu Aardvark Middle East blog)
Obama's subtle shift on Islamism 06/03/09
I won't be pre-gaming The Speech (Obama's Cairo speech) 06/03/09
Why Arab public opinion polls matter 05/29/09
Why did Obama add Saudi Arabia to his itinerary? 05/28/09
Ayman Nour's release - symbol and substance 02/19/09

FP Passport (a great blog by the editors at Foreign Policy Magazine)
Morning Brief: Obama kicks off Middle East visit 06/03/09
Egyptians (poll): Obama much better than Bush, still not great 06/03/09
Morning Brief: U.S. and Israel face off over settlements 05/28/09

David J. Rothkopf (blog at FP)
What happens when the reset button doesn't work? Think Cairo, Gitmo, GM, and more U.S. problems 06/02/09

End FP blogs____

Professor Juan Cole’s Informed Comment blog
Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion
Obama's Speech in Cairo (4 video segments plus commentaries) 06/04/09
Obama Addresses the Muslim World (Juan Cole writes at Salon.com) 06/04/09
Obama and Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 06/02/09

The Council on Foreign Relations
Daily Analysis: The Reset Button On U.S.-Muslim Dialogue 06/04/09
Obama in Mideast: A Focus on Arab Peace Plan and Reform 06/02/09
Obama Needs a 'Big Idea' for Muslims 06/02/09

The Brookings Institution
Saban Center for Middle East Policy
Obama's Egypt Speech: What He Should Say to the Muslim World 06/02/09
President Obama in the Middle East 02/09/09
A Time for Diplomatic Renewal: Toward a New U.S. Strategy in the Middle East December 2008

Technorati tags:ObamaBarack Obama America USA Egypt Cairo Mubarak Middle East Israel Palestine democracy human rights politics foreign policy war religion Islam peace global voices

US President Obama and the Al Arabiya interview: the Muslim world talks back

The new US administration under President Barack H. Obama has certainly gotten off to a fast start since the inauguration on January 20th. One of the most interesting news stories to develop over the past weeks is the exclusive interview granted by the White House to the Arab news network Al Arabiya. The Al Arabiya TV network is ranked (a distant) Nr. 2 behind the Al Jazeera network amongst Arab and Muslim viewers worldwide.

The Nr. 1 foreign policy challenge that has frustrated many diplomats and world leaders over the past half a century is Der Ewige Krieg (the Forever War) between the Israelis and Palestinians & Co. Many people have watched for decades how presidents, kings, prime ministers and foreign ministers, special envoys and UN bosses, a long and growing list of people that includes some of the best foreign policy minds and diplomats the world has to offer____ all fail in helping these two eternal enemies find a sustainable resolution to their many problems. When US Vice-President Joe Biden made the remark “They’re gonna test this guy…” during the 2008 election campaign, I and many others understood who he meant with ‘they’ and what the greatest foreign policy challenge for the new US administration would be ___ achieving a just and sustainable peace the Middle East. In my opinion it was a very good move that President Barack Obama chose to reach out to the Arab and Muslim world by granting his first TV interview to Al Aribiya.


Extending a hand in peace and pulling back a stub?
A roundup of reactions to President Barack Obama’s words for the Arab and Muslim people of the world

There are a number of good editorials and blog posts commenting on the Al Aribiya interview with President Obama. I’ll start with a blogger roundup of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) opinions at Global Voices Online (the Berkman Center @ Harvard Law School). In the post titled ‘MENA: Reflections on Obama’s Al Arabiya Interview’ Lasto Adri offers a sample of what bloggers who write about Middle East affairs are saying about the interview:

…But The Arabist [based in Cairo], in his “Obama’s TV appearance” post answered Zeinobia’s and Rob’s concerns pointing [out]:

Very good on the Obama team to have made this move, which was necessary, so quickly.

It repairs some, but only some, of the damage caused by his silence on Gaza.

The choice of Arabiya was most probably a decision to appeal to the Saudis, have Obama underline the importance of their Arab Initiative which has been snubbed by Israel and the US under Bush.

Nonetheless Arabiya is problematic - this is the channel dubbed Hibriya (The Hebrew One) because of its coverage of the Gaza crisis and that generally defends the views of Riyadh, Cairo and other problematic US allies. This confirms that Obama will not, like Bush since 2006, go against Egypt and Saudi on domestic issues and there won’t be a rethink of the US relationship with these. But if you thought that would happen, [then] you’re stupid.

Should Obama have gone to Jazeera instead? Perhaps not, for both domestic reasons (the criticism he would expose himself to, even if unwarranted) and because there are genuine US complaints about Jazeera. But at some later point, he should go to Jazeera - especially if it is to pitch a major conflict resolution initiative in the region. At the end of the day, despite its bias, Arabiya is the number two pan-Arab stations. (In many countries, like the rest of the world, Arabs actually watch their national TV stations most.)

Obama’s next move should be to disband al-Hurra. It’s a useless waste of money.

End excerpt________

These are very interesting viewpoints and of course the feedback from the crew of Cairo-based journalists and other contributors at The Arabist is invaluable. Please read the entire post ‘Obama’s TV Appearance’ at The Arabist.


During the jubilation and excitement described in my previous post about the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America it was evident to me that several Arabs and Muslims in my community did not share in the world’s excitement. Only a select few Muslims that I know personally have expressed to me an understanding of what this change in political leadership means for citizens of the US, The Middle East, Africa and Europe. Of course my personal observation may not mean very much since there are 10’s of thousands of Arabs and Muslims that live in this German city. Conversations amongst Muslims here about the Obama presidency are taking place in private homes, in the workplace, in the shops and Männervereins (men’s social clubs) and on college and university campuses. Like people everywhere the Muslim world is wondering if this dramatic change in American leadership will help bring about a much-needed change in relations between the West and the East.

Not surprisingly most of my older Arab and Muslim friends (guys over 50 years of age) do understand the significance of Obama’s election victory. They have told me how deeply moved they were while watching the inauguration of America’s first African American president on television, and how hopeful they are about the chance for new opportunities and promises of change offered by the new US administration. I am especially proud of this small, tight circle of friends from the Middle East and Europe (I am the only American member). We may fight and argue over geo-politics and global issues and crisis, but at the end of the day we always remain friends and courteous to one another. I reckon that this is quite an accomplishment for a group of old war hawks and former enemies.

I do believe that a majority of Muslims in my community remain very skeptical of President Obama being able to bring about any significant change in the Middle East and I would also say that their views represent the views of average citizens across the Arab/Persian region and throughout the Muslim world. Of course there are some people who will never believe that “Americans are not your enemy.” To accept this statement from a US president as truth would be too much of a shock to their system of values and beliefs. Fortunately (I presume) there are only a few people in my own community who or so lost in their beliefs as to think in this way.

President Obama’s appearance on Al Aribiya surely was one of the most significant interviews of a US political leader directed at the Arab and Muslim world in years. Let’s hope that he and other members of his administration make a regular practice of granting access to journalists working for the press and news media worldwide.


One of the better summaries about the Obama - Al Aribiya interview that I have read was written by Marc Lynch, an associate professor of political science at George Washington University and author of the popular Middle East blog, Abu Aardvark. Marc Lynch wrote the following in his post titled ‘Obama to Arabs: “what you’ll see is someone who is listening”’ published to his new column/blog at ForeignPolicy.com:

It's impossible to exaggerate the symbolic importance of Barack Obama choosing an Arabic satellite television station for his first formal interview as President -- and of taking that opportunity to talk frankly about a new relationship with the Muslim world based on mutual respect and emphasizing listening rather than dictating. His interview promises a genuinely fresh start in the way the United States interacts with the Arab world and a new dedication to public diplomacy.

In his conversation with the estimable Hisham Milhem (a good choice for an interlocutor), Obama reached out directly to the Arab public via the Saudi TV station al-Arabiya (which shrewdly posted the transcript immediately). It signals the importance of the Middle East to the new President, his commitment to engaging on Arab-Israeli peace, his genuinely fresh thinking and new start with the Muslim world, and his recognition of the importance of genuine public diplomacy.

I admit that I'm a little biased here. How can I not be thrilled that Obama has adopted the policy advice I've been offering since the publication of "Taking Arabs Seriously" in Foreign Affairs back in 2003? And in his first interview anywhere, less than a week into job, no less. I have to admit it feels a bit odd to see an administration doing things right after all these years. But that said, credit should go where credit is due. I do think that this is an extremely significant gambit which signals his commitment to real public diplomacy, his engagement with Middle East issues (repudiating all the pundits expecting him to neglect foreign policy), and his ability to speak in a genuinely new way to the Muslim world.

His remarks hit the sweet spot again and again. He repeatedly emphasized his intention of moving past the iron walls of the 'war on terror' and 'clash of civilizations' which so dominated the Bush era. "My job is to communicate to the Muslim world that the United States is not your enemy," Obama said, emphasizing as in his inaugural address that he is "ready to initiate a new partnership [with the Muslim world] based on mutual respect and mutual interest." And where so much of the Bush administration's 'public diplomacy' was about manipulating and lecturing, Obama begins -- as he should -- with listening: "what I told [Mitchell] is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating..so let's listen."

He clearly understands that this won't be easy, that there are real conflicts and obstacles and enemies. He obviously recognizes that the Gaza crisis and eight years of the Bush administration have left a heavy toll on America's reputation and credibility. He stressed the importance of engaging on Israeli-Arab issues right away, the need for new ideas and approaches, and the interrelationships among the region's issues that I've always seen as the key to his Middle East policy ("I do think that it is impossible for us to think only in terms of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and not think in terms of what's happening with Syria or Iran or Lebanon or Afghanistan and Pakistan. These things are interrelated.")

And above all, he understands that words are only the beginning, and that ultimately deeds and policy will determine Arab views of the United States. Public diplomacy is not about marketing a lousy policy -- it's about engaging honestly, publicly, and directly with foreign publics about those policies, explaining and listening and adjusting where appropriate. Obama gets it...

End Excerpt. Read more at ForeignPolicy.com:
Barack Obama's interview on Al Arabiya by Marc Lynch, 01/27/09


TIME magazine’s veteran Middle East and Africa correspondent Scott Macleod has two very interesting posts up at The Middle East Blog since the Al Arabiya interview. Here is an excerpt from the latest on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s reaction to President Obama’s outstretched hand:

Ahmadinejad to Obama: Get Lost!
TIME - The Middle East Blog - Jan 29, 2009

Has Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slapped the outreached palm of President Barack Obama, who offered a cautious hand of cooperation to the Islamic Republic?

In his inauguration speech on Jan. 20, Obama said:

“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”

In his al-Arabiya interview Monday, broadcast throughout the Middle East Tuesday, Obama said:

“I do think that it is important for us to be willing to talk to Iran, to express very clearly where our differences are, but where there are potential avenues for progress. And we will over the next several months be laying out our general framework and approach. And as I said during my inauguration speech, if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us.”

In a speech in Kermanshah on Wednesday, Iranian President Ahmadinejad gave Obama his reply:

“We welcome change provided the change is fundamental and in the right direction. If you talk of change in policies, withdraw your forces from Afghanistan. If you say change in policies, then halt your support to the uncultivated and rootless, forged, phony, killers of women and children Zionists and allow the Palestinian nation to determine its own destiny.”

Ahmadinejad went on to demand that Americans "apologize” to Iranians and compensate them for the “murderous crimes” the U.S. has committed against Iran. He specifically referred to the CIA-backed overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953, U.S. support of Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war between 1980-1988 and the downing of an Iranian civilian plane and killing of 290 passengers by a U.S. warship in 1988.

Ahmadinejad's aggressive tone was markedly different from the friendly letter of congratulations that Ahmadinejad sent immediately after Obama's election Nov. 4:

“I would like to offer my congratulations on your election by the majority of the American electorate. I hope you will be able to take fullest advantage of the opportunity to serve and leave behind a positive legacy by putting the real interest of people as well as equity and justice ahead and above the insatiable demands of a selfish and unworthy minority.”

What's going on with Ahmadinejad? Three things.
Read more at TIME.com – The Middle East Blog


Factoid: President Obama’s debut was not the first time a US president or high-ranking US government official was interviewed by Al Arabiya News, so don’t get too excited back home. I believe that former US President George W. Bush appeared several times on the Al Arabiya network, and so did other key members of his administration over the past 8 years.

The Al Arabiya Washington Bureau Chief, Hisham Melham, interviewed former US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice on May 7, 2007 and this was just one of several appearances by Condoleeza Rice on the news channel. Whether the interview was broadcast/cablecast to US audiences is another thing altogether. Here is a link to the full transcript of the Condoleeza Rice interview: ‘US Secretary of State Rice Interview with Hisham Melham of Al Arabiya. It would be interesting to compare what Dr. Rice said vs. the recent interview with President Obama.

Special Note: I was surprised (shocked) to learn from an article I read at the New York Times last month that the Al Jazeera-English news channel is NOT available to American broadcast and cable TV audiences. According to the NY Times article it is because cable TV networks and programming distributors are either afraid or are unwilling to offer the popular Arab TV network’s programming to their customers.

“My fellow Americans,” to not be able to view the leading Arab 24 hour news channel is bordering on an infringement of your rights to free speech and unfettered access to information. After all, the broadcast headquarters of the network is based in the capital city of one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East (Qatar), so where is the problem? Throughout most of Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa millions of people can zap between CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera (English) in order to get a better ‘world view’ of international TV news and special in-depth reports and features. I would hope that this situation changes for American TV markets and audiences sometime soon, the sooner the better.

Below is a list of articles and editorials that I think may be helpful to my readers in gaining a better understanding of where US policies for the Middle East may be headed under the leadership of President Obama and his new foreign policy and national security team.


Related articles, op-eds and resources

Al Arabiya News Network – English version (Dubai)
Obama reaches Arabs, Muslims via Al Arabiya
Note: article describes how the Arab satellite news network landed the interview and its impact upon Al Aribiya’s international viewing audience
Obama tells Al Arabiya peace talks should resume
Note: article includes a link to the full text transcript of the interview

TIME.com
The Middle East Blog - Ahmadinejad to Obama: Get Lost!
The Middle East Blog - Aaron David Miller: A Reality Check
Mitchell is Ready to Listen, But is Israel?
Obama Mideast Watch: The Al-Arabiya Interview by Scott Macleod
How Al-Arabiya Got the Obama Interview by Scott Macleod
Tearing Down The Walls by Scott Macleod
Note: a good backgrounder about the emergence of independent news media in the Arab world with a focus on the Arab news network al-Jazeera (see Aljazeera.com)

The New York Times
Obama Tells Arab World U.S. Will ‘Start by Listening’ - The Lede Blog
On Arab TV Network, Obama Urges Dialogue
Few in U.S. See Jazeera’s Coverage of Gaza War - NYTimes.com
Al Jazeera News - The New York Times Topics

Beet.TV – The root to the media revolution
Al Jazeera Finds Growing Audience for Online Video Clips with Conflict in Gaza, AP Reports

CNN International
'Americans are not your enemy,' Obama tells Muslims - CNN.com
Dateline Davos: Obama’s World with host Christiane Amanpour
Note: guests include Raila Odinga (Kenyan Prime Minister), Bernard Kouchner (French Foreign Minister), Hoshyar Zebari (Iraqi Foreign Minister), Mohammed Elbaradei (IEAE Director-General), Manouchehr Mottaki (Iranian Foreign Minister), Abdul Rahim Wardak (Afghanistan Defense Minister)
Inside the Middle East with Hala Gorani - “The Middle East Challenge”

Washington Post/Newsweek - PostGlobal: A Conversation about Global Issues with David Ignatius and Fareed Zakaria
Articles by Hisham Melham at PostGlobal

Spiegel Online International (English website of Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine)
The World from Berlin: Obama's Open Hand to Muslims
Note: above article includes a roundup of how the German press responded to the US president’s interview on Al Arabiya

Foreign Policy Magazine and FP Passport blog
Obama to Arabs: “what you’ll see is someone who is listening”
Barack Obama's interview on Al Arabiya by Marc Lynch
Note: Mark Lynch is an associate professor of political science at George Washington University and author of the popular Abu Aardvark blog
Obama's al-Arabiya interview by Joshua Keating
Note: above post at FP Passport features the Al Arabiya interview video on YouTube
Morning Brief: Obama begins Middle East outreach FP Passport
Barack Obama's secret dinner with Samantha Power, Lee Hamilton, and Indra Nooyi by Laura Rozen

The Council on Foreign Relations
Mitchell's Prospects for Lasting Israeli-Palestinian Accord 'Slim to None' by Bernard Gwertzman - Interview with former top US Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller
From CFR and Saban Center at Brookings - A Mideast Policy for the Obama Administration, 12/02/08
Crisis Guide: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (an extensive background guide)
Foreign Affairs magazine - Taking Arabs Seriously by Marc Lynch (Sep/Oct 2003)

The Heritage Foundation
Al-Hurrah Television and Lessons for U.S. Public Diplomacy by Helle C. Dale, 11/18/05

The Daily Kos
Reaction to Obama’s al-Aribiya Interview by John Campanelli

Real Clear Politics
Dancing Among Landmines--The Obama Al-Arabiya Interview by Victor Davis Hanson

Global Voices Online
MENA: Reflections on Obama’s Al Arabiya Interview by Lasto Adri
Note: an excellent roundup of opinions about the Al Aribiya interview from bloggers in the Middle East and North Africa and the USA

Kabobfest (a popular blog on Middle East affairs authored by an Arab-American)
President Obama's first formal interview - with Al Arabiya?

The Palestine Center (an independent Washington DC-based think tank)
Al-Arabiya: President Obama Interview & Highlights
From Gaza to Obama: What Next for the Middle East? by Ali Abunimah
Al-Jazeera interview with leading Arab-American scholars and activists on the eve of the US Presidential Inauguration, 01/16/09
The Palestine Center official blog

Aljazeera-English @ YouTube
Arab Americans Look to Obama, 01/15/09Note: the above video features former CNN International anchor Shihab Rattansi speaking with Dr. James J. Zogby (Arab American Institute), Maya M. Berry (The MidAmr Group), and Amjad Attallah (New America Foundation)

Technorati tags: USA Middle East Palestine Israel Gaza Hamas Iran Barack Obama Obama politics global voices

The ICC vs Sudanese President Omar al Bashir: the beginning of the beginning of the end to what?

As I bring my work at Jewels in the Jungle to a close this year, I never thought that I would be writing about the crisis in Darfur again. Ashamedly I belong to the millions of people around the world that have practically given up on a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Sudan’s western province. When I first started this blog back in 2004, peace in Sudan and the atrocities against innocent civilians in Darfur were themes that I tried to address again and again. But Darfur was too complex for many of us bloggers who at that time had little knowledge of the background to the long-running wars and atrocities that have plagued this African country since its independence in 1956. It was a subject better left to the experts, scholars, diplomats, and foreign correspondents of the world, many who have devoted their professional careers and lives to the study and resolution of such conflicts.

Two things happened last week that compelled me to want to speak out once again.

First, the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo submitted his long-awaited criminal indictment against the President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, requesting a warrant from the court’s judges for Bashir’s arrest. Of course such a request caused all Hell to break loose from the UN headquarters in New York City to the African Union and Arab League headquarters on the other side of the globe, as world leaders responded publicly in (feigned) shock to an indictment that they all knew was coming.

When the ICC Prosecutor’s indictment was read in public carried by news networks around the world, the people in the IDP camps of Darfur and Chad sent up cheers and hoots of joy that perhaps finally something was being done on their behalf to relieve the misery and suffering they have endured for over 5 years now. I certainly cheered while watching Mr. Moreno-Ocampo read the indictment summary at his press conference, backed by a black African female member of his very competent legal staff. The symbolism of that black & white duo in the press conference was very powerful and not lost on those of us who are even somewhat familiar with the complex ethnic and racial background to this abominable crisis.

I can imagine that the ICC prosecutor’s office is seeking international support for his move against al-Bashir and I want to say hear and now that I support this move by the honorable Mr. Moreno-Ocampo 150%. As a matter of fact I consider his action to be heroic in a world that has become increasingly cynical and downright despondent over the situation in Darfur and Abyei and all of the Sudan.

A second thing that occurred last week to help motivate me to write once again about this important subject is that my friend the editor-in-chief of the African Loft asked me to contribute to an online debate about the ICC indictment against the Sudanese president. The debate has only a dozen or so comments to date but it is quite civil and hopefully informative for all participants, and we have been joined by the Sudanese blogger Kizzie (I Have No Tribe, I’m Sudanese), a colleague and friend of the very popular blogger Drima of The Sudanese Thinker and editor for Sudan news at Global Voices Online. The debate at African Loft includes an interesting and civil exchange of opposing views on the ICC indictment between the honorable Mr. Oscar Blayton (a Washington DC area attorney) and “moi” (BRE).

So as I have stated the crisis in Darfur and the ICC indictment against Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir is very serious business, indeed. As I have always wished that this blog be a place of learning and sharing of ideas and opinions I shall waste no more of your valuable time with my own words. Below is a roundup of select news articles and reports about the ICC charges, the fallout over these charges against a standing head of state, and where all of this may be heading not only for the people of Darfur and all of Sudan, but for the whole damn(ed) world.


Jewels in the Jungle Global News Roundup for July 21, 2008
The International Criminal Court vs. Africa’s Top Dictator and Mass Murderer: Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir

The Sudan Tribune
The Accused One’s Profile by Ahmed Elzobier – 07/21/08
Note: this is one of the best ever editorials I have read at this independent Sudan-in-exile (Paris, I think) news site. Here is an excerpt from the witty Mr. Elzobier:

The accused one’s profile: “He is kind and generous, a true Sudanese coming from a poor family”, says one of his government officials. However, we also know that human nature is not innately cruel and only rare sociopaths can participate in atrocities without suffering lasting emotional harm as psychiatrist Robert Lifton noted.

The rhetoric: The media in Sudan is all about representing one opinion and one voice. A Cold War era propaganda machine, not really concerned about objectivity or neutrality, or finding the truth. It is only about serving the ruling political party’s objectives, and dissenting voices are anathema. Since the news was leaked last Thursday it has unleashed its propaganda strategy in its fullest form and everything seems to be at stake:

“We are targeted, our sovereignty has been violated. The president is a symbol of the country and this is a conspiracy against Sudan. This is similar to what happened in Iraq. Our judicial system is fair and just and this is a political and not a legal accusation. This has never happened before. This happens to us because we believe in Islam. Because they know the National Congress Party (NCP) is going to win the election. Because of our successes and economic progress.”


The International Criminal Court – press releases
ICC Prosecutor presents case against Sudanese President, Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir, for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur – 07/14/08
Note: article with downloads of the summary of the case and the prosecutor’s statement are available in Arabic, English, and French languages
Office of the Prosecutor – bio of Luis Moreno-Ocampo


The New York Times and the NY Times blog ‘On the Ground’
Prosecuting Genocide by Nicholas Kristof – 07/17/08
Your comments on my Darfur column of July 17th
China, Muslims, and the Genocide by Nicholas Kristof – 07/14/08

Memo from Africa: The Pursuit of Justice vs. the Pursuit of Peace by Lydia Polgreen and Marlise Simons – 07/11/08
Arrest is Sought of Sudan Leader in Genocide Case by Lydia Polgreen, Malise Simons, and Jeffrey Gettleman – 07/15/08

International Herald Tribune
Letter from China: Hands-off foreign policy a collapse of creativity by Howard French – 07/17/08
Note: veteran New York Times foreign correspondent for Africa and Asia Howard French comments on Beijing’s flawed policies toward despotic African states

The Economist
The International Criminal Court: Justice or expediency in Sudan? – 07/17/08
Political Immunity: Pulling back the blanket of immunity – 07/10/08

Jurist – Paper Chase (University of Pittsburgh School of Law)
ICC Prosecutor applies for warrant to arrest Sudan president – 07/14/08
Indicting Sudan’s President for War Crimes: Could George Bush be Next? – 07/15/08
The US and the International Criminal Court: Then and Now by David Scheffer - 07/16/08
Note: David Scheffer is a former US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues and a professor at Northwestern University School of Law


The role of China and Russia in the Darfur crisis AND the bloody twenty year long civil war that ravaged southern Sudan is no state secret. As a result of their staunch economic, military, and diplomatic support for the Khartoum regime the governments of China and Russia have come into even sharper focus this month. On the heals of the ICC Prosecutor’s charges against President Omar al-Bashir the million dollar question at the United Nations Security Council over the next weeks will be: “What will China and Russia do if the ICC indictment and warrant for arrest gets kicked back to us?”

World Defense Review – Strategic Interests by Dr. J. Peter Pham
Sudan: The Beginning of the End – 07/15/08
Khartoum’s Partners in Beijing – 01/31/08
Note: Dr. Pham is a noted conservative Asian-American scholar on defense and strategic policy affairs. He is the Director of the Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs at James Madison University.

BBC News and the BBC One Panorama
China’s Secret War (Panorama) with host Hilary Andersson – 07/15/08
China is ‘fueling war in Darfur’ by Hilary Andersson – 07/13/08
China rejects BBC Darfur claims – 07/15/08
Note: It’s great to see the veteran foreign correspondent Hilary Andersson back at the BBC after such a long absence. She’s one of the best investigative journalists to ever set foot on African soil. She has unfortunately NOT been invited to cover the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing next month. The reason: “She’s a dirty liar!” according to the Chinese Special Envoy for Darfur. Xhinua News Agency

Voice of America News (VOA)
Former Charles Taylor Prosecutor Praises ICC Action against Sudanese President by Joe De Capua – 07/14/08
Note: download the MP3 audio file of the interview with former Chief Prosecutor David M. Crane. Dr. Crane was the founding Chief Prosecutor for the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone and instrumental in bringing former Liberian President Charles Taylor to The Hague. More about Professor Crane can be found in this bio at Syracuse University School of Law and at the Jurist website ‘An Empty Chair at The Hague: Trying Charles Taylor’ (June 8, 2007).

That’s enough for today. I will add more to this post as the plot against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir thickens over the next days and weeks. Look for updates to this post on a regular basis.


Technorati tags:Africa Sudan Darfur genocide war crimes International Law United Nations governanceglobal voices