[ LETTERS ]

To L egal ize, or illegitimate. The trade cannot be quickly reversed or controlled with Not to L egaliz e? available resources, even with the sus - tained and combined will of the inter - Ethan Nadelmann (“Think Again: national community. Moisés Naím EDITOR IN CHIEF Drugs,” September/October 2007) When it comes to drugs, we must succumbs to the intoxicating allure accept an uncomfortable paradox: William J. Dobson MANAGING EDITOR of the legalization argument. It’s hard There will always be a drug trade in to blame him; legalization does some form that will exist alongside Michael C. Boyer, Christine Y. Chen SENIOR EDITORS appear to offer an escape from prob - continued prohibition on the sale of lems such as “corruption, violence, drugs or restrictions on their con - Kate G. Palmer DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR and organized crime.” But legaliza - sumption. But if legalization occurs tion only offers an illusory fix. The in the way Nadelmann envisages, the Preeti Aroon, Carolyn O’Hara ASSISTANT EDITORS problems Nadelmann links to the war world would simply become a night - Prerna Mankad on drugs would linger well after any marish illusion—one to which we EDITORIAL ASSISTANT end to it. wished we’d never succumbed. Caroline Nobert Although Nadelmann is quite satis - —Paul Rexton Kan ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR fied with “removing coca from inter - Assistant Professor of National Security Studies David Francis , Joshua Keating, national antidrug conventions,” he is U.S. Army War College Deniz Z. Ozdemir silent about his feelings toward Carlisle, Pa. RESEARCHERS cocaine, the more powerful product Travis C. Daub derived from coca. Imagine a world Nadelmann has an easy target when ART DIRECTOR where all drugs were legal. Vials of he attacks the rhetoric of the interna - Sarah N. Schumacher cocaine would be produced by multi - tional drug control regime. There’s DESIGNER national corporations and sold along - no doubt that a “drug-free world” is Elizabeth Glassanos side packets of cigarettes and bottles nonsense, and even those who utter ART & PRODUCTION ASSISTANT of alcohol at local stores. Instead of the phrase know that. The idea can - Katherine Yester needle-exchange programs, coupons not be a serious basis for drug control PRODUCTION ASSISTANT for free needles would be distributed in policies, and even its value as a rhetor - Blake Hounshell periodicals, perhaps even in For eign ical device is debatable. Moreover, it WEB EDITOR Policy . The needles themselves has also been used to justify the rejec - Thomas R. Stec would be made available near vending tion of “harm reduction” policies WEBMASTER machines that dispense a drug, say such as needle-exchange programs methamphetamine, just as matches and safe injecting facilities. Even CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jacques Attali, Paris; Jorge I. Domínguez, are sold near some tobacco machines. though evidence of their effectiveness Cambridge, Mass.; Yoichi Funabashi, Tokyo; Does Nadelmann not consider that is weaker than advocates are willing Yegor T. Gaidar, Moscow; Andrés Ortega, Madrid; an alarming prospect? to admit, these programs have sug - Gianni Riotta, Rome Moreover, even if certain drugs were gestive evidence of benefit, no seri ous CONTRIBUTING WRITER legal and commercial, it is likely that evidence of any harm, and a com pelling David L. Bosco governments, in the name of civil logic and humanity. EDITORIAL BOARD order and public health, would still The first half of Nadelmann’s essay Morton Abramowitz, John Deutch, Lawrence Freedman, Diego Hidalgo, Stanley Hoffmann, Robert D. Hormats, feel compelled to restrict levels of argues for harm reduction, but the last Thomas L. Hughes, Karl Kaiser, Jessica T. Mathews, intoxicating and addictive chemicals section shifts smoothly to legal ization. Donald F. McHenry, Cesare Merlini, Thierry de Montbrial, Joseph S. Nye Jr., Soli Özel, Moeen Qureshi, John E. Rielly, present in drugs. A black market for As we argued in Drug War Heresies Klaus Schwab, Helmut Sonnenfeldt, Lawrence Summers, Strobe Talbott, Richard H. Ullman, Stephen M. Walt drugs with higher concentrations of (Cambridge University Press, 2001), intoxicating compounds would spring there is little doubt that legalizing PUBLISHED BY up and be operated by criminal cocaine and heroin would reduce groups, just as they are today. And many of the harms that most concern just as the end of Prohibition in the us now. Crime would fall dramatical ly, United States did not eliminate or the drug-market disorder that is the reduce organized crime and violence— bane of so many inner-city communi ties Foreign Policy or lessen the use and abuse of alco - would disappear, and, with careful 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 hol—legalizing drugs is unlikely to Publishing Office: (202) 939-2230 produce any significant improvement. Subscriptions: (800) 535-6343 For More Online ForeignPolicy.com The ways in which drugs are

©2007 by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. entrenched in a vast array of interna - Watch the drug debate continue as All rights reserved. Foreign Policy and its logo are trademarks of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which tional economic, political, and securi ty Ethan Nadelmann squares off against bears no responsibility for the editorial content; the views expressed in the articles are those of the authors. No part of this issues did not occur suddenly; they Craig Murray of the Office of National publication may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. evolved over time through the inten - Drug Control Policy, at NATIONAL MAGAZINE tional and unintentional efforts of 2007 AWARD WINNER ForeignPolicy.com/ FPTV . numerous actors, both legitimate and [ ] GENERAL EXCELLENCE ozzie

4 Foreign Policy [ Letters ]

planning, the connection between hiv pre vention and treatment, drug use and injecting drugs could be broken. and addiction can also be reduced. But What is less clear, however, is how federal support for demand reduction much drug use and drug dependence is now about one third of the total drug would increase. Even if heroin use budget, and treatment is available for Lynn E. Newhouse increased by 50 percent, society would only one in three of those who need ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & GENERAL MANAGER probably be better off without the ill help. Many prominent groups, includ - Annette Munroe effects of prohibition. But if it ing the American Medical Association CIRCULATION DIRECTOR increased by 500 percent (still well and the American Bar Association, pro - Gina Falzarano below the levels of alcohol or tobacco mote essentially a public-health CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE dependence), society would probably approach to drug problems, which Jonathan W. McCloskey be worse off. The average dose of an greatly increases education, early inter - BUSINESS ASSISTANT illegal drug would surely cause less vention, and access to treatment. The Amy Russell harm in a regulated regime, but if the best way to cut drug consumption is DIRECTOR OF SALES number of those doses were to through demand-side programs, not Maria San Jose increase markedly, the total harm to legalization or prohibition. ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE society could rise rather than fall. —Mathea Falco Legalization might be a good policy President Alexia Sagemüller option. But its advocates must accept Drug Strategies CORPORATE PROGRAMS DIRECTOR the uncertainty of predicting any Washington, D.C. Cristina Hernández Droulers potential consequences and acknowl - CORPORATE PROGRAMS ASSISTANT edge the transformation—rather than Ethan Nadelmann replies: Jeff Marn complete elimination—of the drug Mathea Falco is mistaken when she MEDIA RELATIONS MANAGER problem that would remain. argues that the current drug policy —Robert MacCoun debate in the United States is intensely Randolph F. Manderstam polarized. In fact, it barely exists. The SYNDICATION COORDINATOR Professor of Public Policy Goldman School of Public Policy debates that are happening focus on University of California, Berkeley issues such as drug treatment, criminal SUBSCRIPTIONS & SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Berkeley, Calif. sen tencing, needle exchange, medical FOREIGN POLICY , P.O. Box 474, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-8499 ; ForeignPolicy.com; e-mail: mar ijuana, and government funding. frnp@ kable.com; (800) 535-6343 in U.S.; (815) Few people advocate either wholesale 734-1235 outside U.S.; Publications mail agree - —Peter Reuter ment no. 40778561. Rates (in U.S. funds): Professor prohibition or legalization—myself $24.95 for one year; $44 for two years. Canada School of Public Policy included. I explicitly support a range of add $9/yr. for postage and handling; other University of Maryland options between those two extremes. countries add $15/yr. For academic rates, go to ForeignPolicy.com/education. College Park, Md. Indeed, the organization that I found - ed and direct, the Drug Policy Alliance, ADVERTISING & FP Nadelmann’s article reflects the intense is probably the leading organization in CORPORATE PROGRAMS Call (202) 939-2243. polarization of the current U.S. drug the United States doing exactly that. policy debate. One side advocates “pro - Falco and I agree, however, that drug NEWSSTAND AND BOOKSTORE DISTRIBUTION hibition only,” which relies on law abuse problems are best addressed by Curtis Circulation Company, 730 River Road, New enforcement, incarceration, and eradi - public-health approaches that emphasize Milford, NJ 07646-3048; (201) 634-7400. cation of drug crops in foreign coun - early intervention and access to treat - tries. The other side favors legalization ment. It’s a shame that zero-tolerance BACK ISSUES $10.95 per copy. International airmail add $3.00 per of drugs that are currently outlawed, policies and drug-free ideologies so often copy; online: ForeignPolicy.com; e-mail: such as heroin, cocaine, methampheta - stand in the way of embracing evidence- [email protected]. mine, and marijuana. Nadelmann, who based interventions that have proven supports legalization, ignores a range of successful elsewhere. MEDIA INQUIRIES effective approaches that lie between Paul Rexton Kan is right that a black Contact Jeff Marn (202) 939-2242; these two policy extremes. market for drugs will always exist in [email protected]. Contrary to Nadelmann’s view, some form. But that trade would be

SYNDICATION REQUESTS demand reduction can be effective even far less destructive if the market for Contact Randolph F. Manderstam (202) 939-2241; if drug abuse will never be entirely elim - drugs were legally regulated rather than [email protected]. inated. Antismoking campaigns, which kept in the hands of criminals. Kan’s have cut smoking rates by almost half facile caricatures of a post-prohibition OTHER PERMISSION REQUESTS in the United States since 1965, are world are a poor excuse for refusing to Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (978) 750-8400; www.copyright.com. not intended to reduce harm, as think seriously about how best to Nadelmann believes, but rather to get reverse the extraordinary costs and PUBLISHED BY smokers to quit or prevent them from harms of persisting with punitive pro - starting in the first place. Like smok ing, hibitionist policies. drug addiction is a chronic, relapsing Robert MacCoun and Peter Reuter disease. With similar investments in note that “legalization might be a good

6 Foreign Policy [ Letters ]

policy option,” but we must be wary of its potential impact on drug use and New York is dependence rates, which cannot be reli - INTERNATIONAL ably predicted. Their well-considered comment gets it just right. THE NEW SCHOOL I do not argue that legalization is the answer to the drug problem, but rather that it is the question that needs to be is New York amply and honestly considered. The global drug prohibition regime has EARN A MASTER’S DEGREE IN become the devil we know—its harms and failings tolerated and ignored INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS beyond all reason. It demands critical assessment, but too often it is insulat - ed by the power of vested interests, by Join a community of students from 62 countries— simple inertia, and by dogmatic rejec - from NGO activists, executives of international tion of legalization as a sort of secular organizations, and experts in technology, media, heresy. It’s time to open the debate. and finance, to returned Peace Corps volunteers and recent college graduates—each desiring to The Promise of effect real change in the world. Here, you’ll combine interdisciplinary study with practical problem-solving American skills, and gain new perspectives that can only be Intelligence found in the world’s most international city. By virtue of his long experience on the I Work directly with international practitioners intelligence beat, Tim Weiner is well and scholars qualified to critique the successes and failures of the cia (“How to Make a I Explore issues in global economics, poverty Spy,” September/October 2007). His and development, cities and urbanization, proposal to invest $20 billion in schol - arships during the next five years to international institutions, NGOs, human rights, train a new generation of national secu - conflict and security, and media and culture rity officers is right on target. Sub - stan tially increasing the funding for I Learn from summer fieldwork experiences scholarships targeting new recruits is around the world vital if the United States hopes to nur - ture the development of intelligence GRAD EXPO: officers who understand the language, Saturday, November 17 at 10:00 a.m. history, and culture of foreign lands. Weiner’s analysis is deeply flawed, RSVP at www.newschool.edu/gradexpo however, in three ways. First, he claims that the United States has failed to INFORMATION SESSION: create “a first-rate secret intelligence Monday, December 3 at 6:00 p.m. service.” Despite its failures, the U.S. 66 West 12th Street, NYC intelligence community has been more successful than any other espionage To RSVP and for more about the program, contact service in history—in both its record of admissions at 212.229.5630 or visit us online. accomplishments and its ability to speak truth to power. During the Cold War, every important weapons system www.ia.newschool.edu fielded by the Soviets, from the H- bomb to missiles, was heralded in advance by American intelligence analysts. The cia ’s development of the U-2 spy plane was also a breakthrough in espi o- nage. Moreover, one of the agency’s several useful officers in the Soviet Union, Oleg Penkovsky, provided invaluable information about Soviet [ Letters ] ? K H Q I > E = 3FBE CPPL FYDFSQUT BU XXXDPMVNCJBFEVDVDVQ military capabilities. The list of solid achievements goes on. Weiner also has an unrealistic yard - &OFNJFT PG *SBO BOE stick for measuring intelligence success. *OUFMMJHFODF UIF #PNC He seems to believe that the cia ought to be able to forecast the future with ,OPXMFEHF 5IF "CEJDBUJPO perfect clairvoyance. That is simply not BOE 1PXFS JO "NFSJDBO PG *OUFSOBUJPOBM possible. Information is usually scarce /BUJPOBM 4FDVSJUZ 3FTQPOTJCJMJUZ or ambiguous, and situations are often 3JDIBSE , #FUUT 5InSoTF %FMQFDI fluid. Clearly, the cia should have done better from time to time, but predicting ®3JDIBSE , #FUUT±T OFX 5SBOTMBUFE CZ 3PT 4DIXBSU[ the future as history unfolds in its capri - CPPL TIPXT B EFFQ ®5InSoTF %FMQFDI  cious way is difficult, to say the least. BOE TPQIJTUJDBUFE VODMPBLT UIF OFUXPSL PG Not a single journalist, politician, or scholar anticipated the sudden collapse VOEFSTUBOEJOH PG IPX DPMMBCPSBUJPO UIBU IBT of the Soviet Union in 1991, for exam - "NFSJDBO JOUFMMJHFODF FOBCMFE 5FISBO UP SFBDI ple. The best that intelligence agencies SFBMMZ XPSLT¯­ +PIO UIF UISFTIPME PG can do is present policy officials with .D-BVHIMJO GPSNFS IBWJOH OVDMFBS XFBQPOT¯ reliable data and a sense of possible EFQVUZ EJSFDUPS PG $FOUSBM ­ -F .POEF outcomes, and, only rarely, precise pre - *OUFMMJHFODF ,)2* & %2/01 dictions. We can and must improve intelligence, but we will never banish ,PSBO 1MBZJOH 1PMJUJDT mistakes altogether. XJUI 5FSSPSJTN ,BMBTIOJLPW Finally, although Weiner’s focus on " 6TFS±T (VJEF the training of intelligence officers is BOE -BQUPQ important, it is only one of many &EJUFE CZ reforms that must be adopted to protect 5IF /FP5BMJCBO (FPSHF ,BTTJNFSJT *OTVSHFODZ the United States. Basic organizational $0-6.#*")6345 reforms are vital, including providing JO "GHIBOJTUBO 5IF 5FNQUBUJPOT the new director of national intelligence "OUPOJP (JVTUP[[J PG 5ZSBOOZ with real authority to determine spy ®<5IF CPPL> QSPWJEFT B JO $FOUSBM "TJB budgets and personnel. If the director continues to lack authority, intelligence CBMBODFE PCKFDUJWF BOE %BWJE -FXJT will remain “stovepiped” within the 16 VOTFOTBUJPOBMJ[FE $0-6.#*")6345 secret agencies. The end result will not DPOTJEFSBUJPO PG UIF FNFS 0JM BOE 1PMJUJDT be information sharing but bureaucrat - HFODF PG UIF OFP5BMJCBO¯ JO UIF (VMG PG (VJOFB ic turf protection—the very malady that ­ 1FUFS .BSTEFO BVUIPS contributed so strongly to the tragic 3JDBSEP 0MJWFJSB PG 5IF 5BMJCBO 8BS intelligence failure in September 2001. $0-6.#*")6345 3FMJHJPO BOE UIF /FX —Loch K. Johnson 5IF &OJHNB PG Regents Professor of Political Science 0SEFS JO "GHIBOJTUBO School of Public and International Affairs ,)2* & %2/01 *TMBNJTU 7JPMFODF University of Georgia &EJUFE CZ "NFMJF #MPN Athens, Ga. 6OJUFE 4UBUFT -BFUJUJB #VDBJMMF 4QFDJBM  -VJT .BSUJOF[ Weiner would have us believe that the 0QFSBUJPOT 'PSDFT $0-6.#*")6345 cia never gets anything right. He is mistaken in that conclusion, but he %BWJE 5VDLFS  5IF -JCZBO 1BSBEPY is correct that recruiting and retaining $ISJTUPQIFS + -BNC -VJT .BSUJOF[ first-class people is the key to building *O UIJT FOHBHJOH CPPL $0-6.#*")6345 a great intelligence service. He is also UXP OBUJPOBM TFDVSJUZ "O *SBR PG *UT right to point out how hard it is to find people who, as he puts it, “can FYQFSUT BOE %FQBSUNFOU 3FHJPOT haggle in a foreign bazaar.” Unfortu - PG %FGFOTF JOTJEFST QVU $PSOFSTUPOFT PG nately, he seems to believe that if we UIF FYQMPJUT PG "NFSJDB±T B 'FEFSBM %FNPDSBDZ simply spend enough money training TQFDJBM PQFSBUJPO GPSDFT &EJUFE CZ Americans to speak difficult languages ($20 billion on training 100,000 indi - JO IJTUPSJDBM BOE TUSBUFHJD 3FJEBS 7JTTFS DPOUFYU viduals), and pay them enough  (BSFUI 4UBOTGJFME ($100,000 per year as a starting $0-6.#*")6345 salary), the problem would be solved, [ Letters ] NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION CONFERENCE: POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF MANAGING “A bridge betweenbetween the OR PREVENTING PROLIFERATION and the would finally get it right. worldwoorld of ideas and the cia worldworld of action.” If only it were so simple. First, the U.S. Congress would never James A. Baker,Baker, III agree to spend that much money on Senior Policymakers Convene at the Baker Institute November 9-11 Honorary Chair such an endeavor. Weiner surely knows Yevgeny Primakov to Deliver Keynote Address that and is probably overstating his Former Prime Minister of the Russian Federation case for the sake of drama. Regret - tably, suggesting such an improbable solution undermines the impact of his CivicCCiiivvicSScientistcienttiiisst very important point. lecture series Second, Weiner ignores the gains that JAMESJAMES AA.. BBAKERAKER IIIIII the cia has already made in doing pre - INSTITUTEINSTITUTE FOR cisely what he recommends. In the past NovemberNovember 13 PPUPUBLICBLIC POLPOLICYICY few years, vast numbers of Americans Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson have applied to work at the agency. In President, Rensselaer PolytechnicPolytechnic THE PRICE OF GASOLINE: InstitutInstitutee and fformerormer Chair, U.S. U.S. gasoline markets and just the first six months of 2007, the cia Nuclear Regulatory Commission oil import dependence received approximately 103,000 appli - cations, giving it a rich pool from which to recruit. Of the agency’s new hires, 40 percent have advanced degrees and 60 percent have overseas experience. During the past three years, the cia has increased ForFor more: its overall language capability by almost www.bakerinstitute.orgwww.bakerinstitute.orrg 50 percent, and it has boosted its profi - ciency in such critical languages as Ara - bic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, and Pashto by more than 60 percent. Finally, Weiner does not address the two questions that I believe are even more important than language proficiency and cultural understanding. How can we assure integrity in the system and empower intelligence officers to speak truth to power? Even more important: Will presidents listen? -AASTRICHT 'RADUATE —Jeffrey H. Smith Partner, Arnold & Porter LLP 3CHOOL OF 'OVERNANCE Former General Counsel, CIA Washington, D.C.

The personnel situation at the cia is both troubling and hopeful. As Wein er asserts, the inexperience of much of the agency’s workforce is a major prob - lem. But it also demonstrates that 4HE WATCH DOG ROLE OF THE MEDIA THE IMPACT OF many Americans have responded to IMMIGRATION POLICIES HEALTH CARE ACCESS IN DEVELOPING the call for service after 9/11, despite COUNTRIES MITIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF 'LOBAL 7ARMING the cia ’s low morale and its technical and organizational problems. The question is whether all those newbies 4HE ISSUES ABOVE ARE TYPICAL CONCERNS FOR TODAY´S GLOBAL LEADERS will stick around to become experi - 'IVEN THE COMPLEX NATURE OF THESE ISSUES THERE IS A GROWING NEED enced officers. Since at least the 1990s, FOR SPECIALISTS IN POLICY ANALYSIS 4HE -AASTRICHT 'RADUATE 3CHOOL there has been a glass ceiling of sorts at OF 'OVERNANCE -AASTRICHT 5NIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE ½RST %UROPEAN the five-year point in service at the INSTITUTES THAT PREPARES STUDENTS TO PAVE THE ROAD FOR INNOVATIVE cia ; many officers leave as they near POLICY DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED IN %UROPE AND THE WORLD TODAY that threshold. Earlier this year, Gen. Michael Hayden instituted a reform 4O GUARANTEE HIGH QUALITY IN AN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT program that, among other things, WE COOPERATE WITH THE FACULTIES OF -AASTRICHT 5NIVERSITY PARTNER sought to break that barrier. UNIVERSITIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ),/ 7ORLD "ANK The jury is still out on whether Hay den 5.)#%& )-&  /UR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMES CONCENTRATE ON can claim success, and there is clearly PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS AND GOVERNANCE AND ARE ALL IN %NGLISH much work that remains to be done. Weiner is right to propose major invest - -!34%2 ment to create a far greater pool of 0UBLIC 0OLICY AND (UMAN $EVELOPMENT qualified linguists, but linguists are only 0H$ one aspect of the solution. The cia %UROPEAN 0H$ 0ROGRAMME IN 3OCIAL 0ROTECTION 0OLICY needs an entirely new operational for - 0H$ 0ROGRAMME IN 'OVERNANCE AND 0OLICY !NALYSIS mula—one that moves away from an $UAL #AREER 0H$ 0ROGRAMME IN 'OVERNANCE AND 0OLICY !NALYSIS excessive reliance on technical capa - 42!).).' bility. Technological mechanisms have 2%3%!2#( been seductive because they pull in vast amounts of data and can be planned for 7HAT TO EXPECT and budgeted. But they are indiscrim - „ CONCENTRATED ONE YEAR MASTER´S PROGRAMME inate and generate more raw intelli - „ CHALLENGING 0H$ PROGRAMMES WITHIN A WELCOMING RESEARCH gence than we can process, even as they COMMUNITY fail to provide the key intelligence from „ TOP NOTCH SHORT MODULES FOR PROFESSIONALS AND RESEARCHERS inside the enemy camp. „ TRAINING IN SMALL GROUPS There must be a fresh approach „ SKILLS TRAININGS WORKSHOPS PRESENTATIONS DEBATES purely on the human intelligence „ INTERNATIONAL CLASS ROOM CALLENGING BUT FUN
plane. We must adjust U.S. informa - tion policy, psychological warfare, and !PPLICATIONS FOR JANUARY AND SEPTEMBER  ARE OPEN our approach to the war of ideas to FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR SEND US AN EMAIL encourage the recruitment of sources VIA INFO GOV GOVERNANCEUNIMAASNL who spy for conviction, not cash. Dur - ing the Cold War, such people were called ideological spies. Recruiting and maintaining these sources would itself contribute to the morale of cia case WWWGOVERNANCEUNIMAASNL officers and the agency as a whole. We need foreign-language-speaking officers to talk to these people, but [ Letters ]

we also need them to be working to a Engaging the Dialogue between moderate Islamists formula that validates their dedica tion and the rest of the world would threat - and offers the best potential intelli - Brotherhood en the very existence of the authoritar - gence for the United States. ian Egyptian regime. The regime seeks —John Prados I read with great interest Marc Lynch’s international support for its oppression Senior Fellow memo to the Muslim Brotherhood’s by portraying us as radicals, terrorists, National Security Archive Chairman Mohammed Mahdi Akef or theocrats. It is only through dialogue George Washington University (“Brothers in Arms,” September/Octo ber that such claims can be proven ground - Washington, D.C. 2007). I believe that this memo should less. Therefore, the regime has tried have been written not only to the chair - to prevent such communication from Tim Weiner replies: man but to all Brotherhood members, as taking place by keeping the moderate Loch Johnson, Jeffrey Smith, and John the Muslim Brotherhood is a democratic leaders of the Brotherhood, such as Prados are three of the United States’ body whose decisions are always made Deputy Chairman Khayrat El Shater, best analysts of the strengths and after proper consultations within its behind bars, by resorting to illegal weaknesses of U.S. intelligence. Like elected institutions. measures, and by engaging in a decep - them, I want the cia to succeed in its In his memo, Lynch urges Akef to tive smear campaign against the move - most vital missions—to know the “use your political capital” and ment and its leadership. enemy, to guard against surprise remain committed to democratic Lynch’s memo lays the foundation attack, and to provide the president processes. But I feel that our com mit - for healthy dialogue between moder - with the information he or she needs to ment to democracy should not be ate Islamists and the United States. It create a strategy for the conduct of the real concern of Western intellec - seeks answers for questions shared by U.S. foreign policy and the projection tuals and policymakers; our belief in many Americans, intellectuals and pol - of U.S. power abroad. democratic processes is ideological, icymakers alike. However, it is impor - I do not expect the cia to have a not tactical. The real concern should tant to understand that Islamists, just magic crystal ball. I do believe, how - be the negative impact of govern - like other opposition groups in Egypt, ever, that the cia broke its word with ment crackdowns on moderates and are skeptical about the sincerity of the its false reporting on the Iraqi arsenal the entire democratic process in the U.S. government in promoting democ - in 2002 and 2003. That work called Middle East. The Muslim Brother - racy in the Middle East. Americans, into question every aspect of the hood is a moderate, mainstream just like Islamists, are therefore agency’s conduct of espionage and movement that is capable of over - required to clarify their stances on intelligence analysis. To quote Judge shadowing radical ideologies, yet we some issues to achieve mutual under - Laurence Silberman, who led the pres i- are only able to do so effectively in standing and boost the potential for a dential commission that investigated an atmosphere of freedom. healthy dialogue. This should include the weapons of mass destruction fias - Lynch advises Akef to “watch what a stronger position toward the ongo - co, “If the American Army had made you say.” I may have to partially agree ing violations of human rights in a mistake anywhere near as bad as with him on that. Although Akef’s aim Egypt—whether it is toward Islamists our intelligence community, we would is winning the hearts of many Muslims or other Egyptians. expect generals to be cashiered.” with a war of words, diverting them —A. Fahmy Instead, we got a new directorate of from radicalism, I believe that winning Leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood national intelligence—another layer peace in the world is a higher moral Chief Executive Officer of bureaucracy—when what was objective. The Brotherhood is playing IkhwanWeb, the voice of needed was a new generation of mul ti - a unique role in the world today. It the Muslim Brotherhood in English talented spies and analysts. acts as a safety valve—and sometimes Cairo, Egypt Smith is encouraging when he reports the valve needs to release excess pres - that the cia ’s Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, sure to avoid explosion. Lynch does an excellent job of cap tur - Korean, and Pashto language skills The Muslim Brotherhood is a large ing the U.S. political establishment’s have increased sharply. They were organization representing a reformist skewed debate about the Muslim shockingly low not long ago. Given school of thought. During its histori - Brotherhood—a debate premised on the parlous state of White House- cia cal journey, different lines of thought outdated assumptions. Empirical evi - relations since 2001, he is right to won - have influenced the organization, dence demonstrates that the Brother - der if future intelligence officers will enriching it by adding diverse ideas hood is just as committed—if not more speak truth to power—and whether and opinions. It is therefore natural committed—to civil nonviolence than presidents will listen. And Prados is on that some of the group’s leaders and other democracy movements that the the money when he notes that U.S. for - members are more moderate and tol - United States has belatedly supported eign policy must change for the cia to erant than others. Some are more in places such as the Philippines, South have a chance to win the loyalties of pragmatic and more willing to engage Africa, and Indonesia. Yes, the Broth er - foreign agents. The lower the public in dialogue than others. But it has hood is socially conservative. But the image of the United States abroad, the become increasingly clear over the group is also politically pragmatic, harder it will be to recruit foreign spies past couple of years that the Egyptian believes in institutional development, who will divulge secrets out of a shared regime has taken a ruthless stance and responsibly opposes authoritari - respect for American values. against those moderate leaders. an government.

14 Foreign Policy The question for Americans should be: Why are we questioning the Brotherhood’s commitment to nonvi - olence, and not the Egyptian govern - ment’s appetite for repression? The United States provides billions of dol - lars in military aid to Cairo, yet the State Department remains silent when Brotherhood members are detained without charge, tortured, and referred to military tribunals. The debate would be far more constructive if it focused on U.S. complicity in sup - pressing civil demonstrators and non - violent local opposition groups in Egypt. One step toward curbing vio - lence in the country would be to stop participating in it. Until that happens, the Muslim Brotherhood’s leaders and supporters have little incentive to court the approval of American politicians and academics. Until the U.S. government repudiates Hosni Mubarak’s repres - sive state, it would be imprudent, to say the least, for the Muslim Brother - hood to try to win hearts and minds in Washington. —Joshua A. Stacher Postdoctoral Fellow Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Syracuse University Syracuse, N.Y.

“I never thought you were a bad con - sigliere , Tom. I thought Santino was a bad don.” Like the consigliere to the Corleone crime family in The Godfather , Lynch gives sound advice to the supreme guide of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. But what good is sound advice to a bad don? Mohammed Mahdi Akef is an old-guard Muslim Brother who has left behind a trail of anti-American incitement as long as the Nile. He has proclaimed, “We have no relations with the U.S. It is a Satan that abuses the region, lacking all morality and law.” The prospect of his becoming America-friendly is nil. Lynch urges Akef to “demonstrate that, despite many policy differences, you share two fundamental goals with the United States: democracy in Arab countries and curtailing the influence of al Qaeda.” But promoting democracy and defeating al Qaeda isn’t what Akef sells to his followers—they wouldn’t fol - low him if he did. The Muslim Broth er - hood sells Muslim empowerment. It [ Letters ]

MASTER OF ARTS IN wants the Jews out of “Palestine” (that International Commerce includes Israel) and the United States out and Policy of Egypt, Iraq, and everywhere else. Those “fundamental goals” have kept Earn a degree that provides you this movement going for almost 80 years and through trying times. Why should with the practical skills to operate the Brotherhood adopt American goals? effectively in today’s global economy. And why now? Akef has even stated that he “expect[s] America to collapse Our unique program explores the soon.” Unfortunately, he hears plenty of intersection of international trade, Amer ican “experts” announcing that they expect something similar. politics, economics, commerce and Lynch himself slips into double talk when he downgrades the divide to technology. “policy differences.” Importantly, Akef doesn’t have “ambivalence” toward N Small classes taught by world Hamas terror; he supports it. Lynch renowned faculty also misleads Akef by claiming that there is a debate about engaging the N Conveniently located in the metro Muslim Brotherhood raging in Wash - Washington, D.C. area ington. There isn’t. Because as tough as Hosni Mubarak can be, he shares sev - N Full-time or part-time study eral “fundamental goals” with the Unit - N Affordable costs ed States: stopping Islamist terror and keeping the Pax Americana. To learn more, visit —Martin Kramer policy.gmu.edu or call 703-993-8099 Wexler-Fromer Fellow Washington Institute for Near East Policy Washington, D.C.

in Foreign Policy A MESSAGE FROM AMBASSADOR JOHN BRUTON I HEAD OF DELEGATION EU Focus In-depth treatment of European Commission Delegation to the United States important European issues Just what does it mean to be European in the 21st century? Who are and the transatlantic today’s Europeans? How are they changing the EU and how is it relationship.

changing them? In this EU Focus, we tackle some of those questions I This Issue and a few tangible (and intangible) results flowing from our grand The emerging identity of “European Project.“ Europe and Europeans in the And grand it is. Imagine the U.S., Mexico, and Canada (and others) dropping their borders 21st century and the EU’s and allowing free internal movement of goods and people, developing a single currency, role in helping shape it. converging national laws across diverse sectors such as finance/banking and environmental I Comments protection, and increasingly functioning on the world stage as a unified entity. E-mail to Delegation-USA- [email protected] Difficult to visualize? It’s exactly what we’re doing in Europe today—and for the last 50 years. Complex and exciting, our undertaking both provokes and requires far-reaching change on the part of individuals and society alike. And perhaps most important for everyone in Europe, the EU has brought unprecedented peace and stability to our formerly war-torn continent. www.eurunion.org [ Letters ]

Marc Lynch replies: Joshua Stacher and A. Fahmy both argue The Latest that the repressiveness of Egyptian Pres ident Hosni Mubarak, not the Muslim Brotherhood’s commitment to democracy, should be the core issue Federal of discussion on Egypt. I agree whole - heartedly with condemning the illiber al practices of a close American ally, but Mandate the Egyptian government cannot be the sole focus of critical scrutiny. The Brotherhood thus far has demonstrated considerable commit - ment to the democratic game in spite of the regime’s crackdown, which has earned it the backing of a wide range of human rights and democracy advo - cacy groups. But, ultimately, both Egyptians and Americans want to know what the Brotherhood would do if it were actually to come to power— and it is simply wrong to claim that no doubts about its intentions remain. The political party platform that it released to a small number of Egyptian intellectuals a few weeks ago, with its references to a religious council with power over legislation, shocked many people and has only exacerbated those doubts. I agree with Fahmy’s suggestion that The “Federal Drive” with Mike Causey and Jane Norris, the real focus should be the rank and file of the Brotherhood—the activists weekday mornings from 6 - 10 who form the base of the organiza - tion. But Mohammed Mahdi Akef is, Keep up to date on the ever-changing demands of the business of government! in fact, the leader of the organization, leaving the Brotherhood open to cri - tiques like that of Martin Kramer. Perhaps Akef’s inflammatory state - e Live, interactive, immediate ments are simply “red meat” to his base. But does that not tell us some - thing about the views of that base? e Access to federal newsmakers Kramer is right that the Brotherhood supports Hamas and generally oppos - e Federal news and information es U.S. foreign policy. He does a dis - service, however, by reducing our you need to do your job better vision to those issues at the expense of a wider view of the value of democra cy and the need to combat extremism— Federal News Radio is Washington’s ONLY all news two goals that many Americans share, radio station for and about the federal government. and to which the Brotherhood might meaningfully contribute. Finally, Kramer succumbs to his own wishful thinking when he claims there is no debate in Washington about engaging the Brotherhood. My own participa tion in those debates aside, the evidence against his view can be found in the Federal News Radio AM 1050 and FederalNewsRadio.com – Your Source For Federal News…Now. recent publication of articles exploring this question in the two leading for eign- policy periodicals in the United States: Foreign Affairs , with Robert S. Leiken and Steven Brooke’s “The Moderate Muslim Brotherhood,” and … Foreign Policy .

Foreign Policy welcomes letters to the editor. Readers should address their comments to [email protected]. Letters should not exceed 300 words and may be edited for length and clarity. Letters sent by e-mail should include a postal address.

William D. Rogers , a former U.S. under secretary of state and member of Foreign Policy ’s editorial board, passed away on Sept. 22, 2007, at the age of 80. Rogers, a highly respected foreign-policy advisor and friend of FP , will be missed.

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