The Biden Administration and the Middle East: Policy Recommendations for a Sustainable Way Forward
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Offensive Against the Syrian City of Manbij May Be the Beginning of a Campaign to Liberate the Area Near the Syrian-Turkish Border from ISIS
June 23, 2016 Offensive against the Syrian City of Manbij May Be the Beginning of a Campaign to Liberate the Area near the Syrian-Turkish Border from ISIS Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters at the western entrance to the city of Manbij (Fars, June 18, 2016). Overview 1. On May 31, 2016, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-dominated military alliance supported by the United States, initiated a campaign to liberate the northern Syrian city of Manbij from ISIS. Manbij lies west of the Euphrates, about 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) south of the Syrian-Turkish border. In the three weeks since the offensive began, the SDF forces, which number several thousand, captured the rural regions around Manbij, encircled the city and invaded it. According to reports, on June 19, 2016, an SDF force entered Manbij and occupied one of the key squares at the western entrance to the city. 2. The declared objective of the ground offensive is to occupy Manbij. However, the objective of the entire campaign may be to liberate the cities of Manbij, Jarabulus, Al-Bab and Al-Rai, which lie to the west of the Euphrates and are ISIS strongholds near the Turkish border. For ISIS, the loss of the area is liable to be a severe blow to its logistic links between the outside world and the centers of its control in eastern Syria (Al-Raqqah), Iraq (Mosul). Moreover, the loss of the region will further 112-16 112-16 2 2 weaken ISIS's standing in northern Syria and strengthen the military-political position and image of the Kurdish forces leading the anti-ISIS ground offensive. -
The-Legal-Status-Of-East-Jerusalem.Pdf
December 2013 Written by: Adv. Yotam Ben-Hillel Cover photo: Bab al-Asbat (The Lion’s Gate) and the Old City of Jerusalem. (Photo by: JC Tordai, 2010) This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position or the official opinion of the European Union. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent, international humanitarian non- governmental organisation that provides assistance, protection and durable solutions to refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide. The author wishes to thank Adv. Emily Schaeffer for her insightful comments during the preparation of this study. 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 3 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5 2. Background ............................................................................................................................ 6 3. Israeli Legislation Following the 1967 Occupation ............................................................ 8 3.1 Applying the Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration to East Jerusalem .................... 8 3.2 The Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel ................................................................... 10 4. The Status -
Protest and State–Society Relations in the Middle East and North Africa
SIPRI Policy Paper PROTEST AND STATE– 56 SOCIETY RELATIONS IN October 2020 THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA dylan o’driscoll, amal bourhrous, meray maddah and shivan fazil STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Established in 1966, SIPRI provides data, analysis and recommendations, based on open sources, to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public. The Governing Board is not responsible for the views expressed in the publications of the Institute. GOVERNING BOARD Ambassador Jan Eliasson, Chair (Sweden) Dr Vladimir Baranovsky (Russia) Espen Barth Eide (Norway) Jean-Marie Guéhenno (France) Dr Radha Kumar (India) Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra (Algeria) Dr Patricia Lewis (Ireland/United Kingdom) Dr Jessica Tuchman Mathews (United States) DIRECTOR Dan Smith (United Kingdom) Signalistgatan 9 SE-169 72 Solna, Sweden Telephone: + 46 8 655 9700 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.sipri.org Protest and State– Society Relations in the Middle East and North Africa SIPRI Policy Paper No. 56 dylan o’driscoll, amal bourhrous, meray maddah and shivan fazil October 2020 © SIPRI 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of SIPRI or as expressly permitted by law. Contents Preface v Acknowledgements vi Summary vii Abbreviations ix 1. Introduction 1 Figure 1.1. Classification of countries in the Middle East and North Africa by 2 protest intensity 2. State–society relations in the Middle East and North Africa 5 Mass protests 5 Sporadic protests 16 Scarce protests 31 Highly suppressed protests 37 Figure 2.1. -
Afghanistan State Structure and Security Forces
European Asylum Support Office Afghanistan State Structure and Security Forces Country of Origin Information Report August 2020 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION European Asylum Support Office Afghanistan State Structure and Security Forces Country of Origin Information Report August 2020 More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). ISBN: 978-92-9485-650-0 doi: 10.2847/115002 BZ-02-20-565-EN-N © European Asylum Support Office (EASO) 2020 Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged, unless otherwise stated. For third-party materials reproduced in this publication, reference is made to the copyrights statements of the respective third parties. Cover photo: © Al Jazeera English, Helmand, Afghanistan 3 November 2012, url CC BY-SA 2.0 Taliban On the Doorstep: Afghan soldiers from 215 Corps take aim at Taliban insurgents. 4 — AFGHANISTAN: STATE STRUCTURE AND SECURITY FORCES - EASO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT Acknowledgements This report was drafted by the European Asylum Support Office COI Sector. The following national asylum and migration department contributed by reviewing this report: The Netherlands, Office for Country Information and Language Analysis, Ministry of Justice It must be noted that the review carried out by the mentioned departments, experts or organisations contributes to the overall quality of the report, it but does not necessarily imply their formal endorsement of the final report, which is the full responsibility of EASO. AFGHANISTAN: STATE STRUCTURE AND SECURITY -
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Nisan / The Levantine Review Volume 4 Number 2 (Winter 2015) Identity and Peoples in History Speculating on Ancient Mediterranean Mysteries Mordechai Nisan* We are familiar with a philo-Semitic disposition characterizing a number of communities, including Phoenicians/Lebanese, Kabyles/Berbers, and Ismailis/Druze, raising the question of a historical foundation binding them all together. The ethnic threads began in the Galilee and Mount Lebanon and later conceivably wound themselves back there in the persona of Al-Muwahiddun [Unitarian] Druze. While DNA testing is a fascinating methodology to verify the similarity or identity of a shared gene pool among ostensibly disparate peoples, we will primarily pursue our inquiry using conventional historical materials, without however—at the end—avoiding the clues offered by modern science. Our thesis seeks to substantiate an intuition, a reading of the contours of tales emanating from the eastern Mediterranean basin, the Levantine area, to Africa and Egypt, and returning to Israel and Lebanon. The story unfolds with ancient biblical tribes of Israel in the north of their country mixing with, or becoming Lebanese Phoenicians, travelling to North Africa—Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya in particular— assimilating among Kabyle Berbers, later fusing with Shi’a Ismailis in the Maghreb, who would then migrate to Egypt, and during the Fatimid period evolve as the Druze. The latter would later flee Egypt and return to Lebanon—the place where their (biological) ancestors had once dwelt. The original core group was composed of Hebrews/Jews, toward whom various communities evince affinity and identity today with the Jewish people and the state of Israel. -
The Walking Dead Chop Shop Jay Chiat Awards Category: National Strategy
HYUNDAI: THE WALKING DEAD CHOP SHOP JAY CHIAT AWARDS CATEGORY: NATIONAL STRATEGY BACKGROUND Hyundai has been on the rise with sales increasing by 89% from 2009–2012.1 The brand had built a solid reputation as a rational choice among average car shoppers. But among the highly desirable youth audience driven more by their interests and passions, reason alone wasn’t enough to get them excited about the Hyundai brand. 1Source: Experian Retail Registration 2009 – 2013; 2Source: GfK Quarterly Brand Tracking Studies 2013 Involve the Fans vs. Interrupting Them In the fall of 2013, Hyundai had product placement in the second season of The Walking Dead TV show as a way to build relevance among the show’s Gen Y audience. As the popularity of zombie culture grew, we decided to elevate the partnership with The Walking Dead to increase our relevance with this growing and passionate millennial fan base. However, this highly engaged and passionate Walking Dead youth fanbase didn’t want a brand to interrupt and commercialize their beloved show. So how do you make a rational car brand appealing to an emotionally driven fan audience? Our challenge was to involve the fans with the Hyundai brand and its cars in an authentic way that added value to their experience of The Walking Dead, and not interrupt them. OBJECTIVES & SUCCESS METRICS If we were going to involve the fans, we knew we had to motivate them to participate with us and eventually inspire them to help spread the word on behalf of the brand. OBJECTIVE #1: Engage the Fans to BUILD Demonstrate that the audience is spending more time participating with the Hyundai brand through the number of vehicles configured and built. -
John Calabrese Cal [email protected] [email protected]
John Calabrese [email protected] [email protected] American University The Middle East Institute Tel: (202) 895-4913 Tel: (202) 785-1141 ext. 208 EDUCATION B.A., Government/English 1975 Georgetown University Diploma [Distinction] 1987 The London School of Economics Compar./Int’l. Politics Ph.D., International Relations 1991 The London School of Economics PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 1978-86 Secondary School Teacher Emerson Preparatory School, Washington, DC 1988-89 Graduate Teaching Assistant, International Relations Department The London School of Economics, London, UK 1989-90 Lecturer, Department of Politics Richmond College, Richmond, Surrey, UK 1990-91 Visiting Assistant Professor, Political Science Department University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 1991-94 Visiting Assistant Professor, Government Department Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 1994-96 Associate Dean of Students; Lecturer, Government Department Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME 1996- Scholar-in-Residence The Middle East Institute, Washington, DC Assistant Professor, School of International Service (WSP) The American University, Washington, DC 1999- Book Review Editor The Middle East Journal PUBLICATIONS 1990. “Japan in the Middle East: Paradox of Power,” The Pacific Review, 3:100-14. 1990. “From Flyswatters to Silkworms: The Evolution of China’s Role in West Asia,” Asian Survey, 30: 862-76. 1990. “The Syrian-Iranian Axis: What Basis and What Future?” The World Today, 46: 188-90. 1991. China’s Changing Relations with the Middle East. London: Pinter, 1991. 1992. “China and the Gulf: Peaceful or Dangerous Collaborators?” Pacific Affairs, 65: 471-85. 1994. Revolutionary Horizons: Regional Foreign Policy in Post-Khomeini Iran. London: Macmillan. 1994. “Iran and Her Northern Neighbors: At the Crossroads,” Central Asia Monitor, 5/6: 1-11, 13- 18. -
The Jihadi Threat: ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Beyond
THE JIHADI THREAT ISIS, AL QAEDA, AND BEYOND The Jihadi Threat ISIS, al- Qaeda, and Beyond Robin Wright William McCants United States Institute of Peace Brookings Institution Woodrow Wilson Center Garrett Nada J. M. Berger United States Institute of Peace International Centre for Counter- Terrorism Jacob Olidort The Hague Washington Institute for Near East Policy William Braniff Alexander Thurston START Consortium, University of Mary land Georgetown University Cole Bunzel Clinton Watts Prince ton University Foreign Policy Research Institute Daniel Byman Frederic Wehrey Brookings Institution and Georgetown University Car ne gie Endowment for International Peace Jennifer Cafarella Craig Whiteside Institute for the Study of War Naval War College Harleen Gambhir Graeme Wood Institute for the Study of War Yale University Daveed Gartenstein- Ross Aaron Y. Zelin Foundation for the Defense of Democracies Washington Institute for Near East Policy Hassan Hassan Katherine Zimmerman Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy American Enterprise Institute Charles Lister Middle East Institute Making Peace Possible December 2016/January 2017 CONTENTS Source: Image by Peter Hermes Furian, www . iStockphoto. com. The West failed to predict the emergence of al- Qaeda in new forms across the Middle East and North Africa. It was blindsided by the ISIS sweep across Syria and Iraq, which at least temporarily changed the map of the Middle East. Both movements have skillfully continued to evolve and proliferate— and surprise. What’s next? Twenty experts from think tanks and universities across the United States explore the world’s deadliest movements, their strate- gies, the future scenarios, and policy considerations. This report reflects their analy sis and diverse views. -
Afghanistan's Unending Wars
AFGHANISTAN’S UNENDING WARS MARVIN G. WEINBAUM AND AHMAD KHALID MAJIDYAR FEBRUARY 2019 POLICY PAPER 2019-3 CONTENTS * SUMMARY * 1 INTRODUCTION * 3 PHASES OF CONFLICT * 3 HISTORICAL CONTEXT * 6 PRESENT DAY CONFLICT * 7 DIMENSIONS OF THE CONFLICT * 10 EFFORTS FOR PEACE * 13 ALTERNATIVE SCENARIOS * 15 CONCLUSION © The Middle East Institute The Middle East Institute 1319 18th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20036 SUMMARY The current conflict in Afghanistan, the latest in a series of perpetual wars and episodes of civil strife over the past 40 years, is strategically stalemated. With the Taliban and other militant groups gradually gaining a grip on large areas of the countryside, the Kabul government and its international allies have recently redoubled their efforts to seek a negotiated peace agreement with insurgents to end the protracted conflict. While the Taliban are willing to negotiate with the U.S. about the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country, they continue to reject direct talks with the Afghan government for a political settlement. Even with inclusive peace talks, there is reason to question whether the Taliban’s vision of a future Afghan state and society can be reconciled with a liberal, democratic constitutional order. An alternative political pathway to a peaceful outcome is through executing better security and governance reforms. With continued support of the international community, the Afghan government may be able to provide the incentives needed to reintegrate insurgent commanders and combatants back into the sociopolitical system. All other scenarios for Afghanistan are dark, especially the prospect of a disintegration of the existing political system that could trigger a wider, more bloody civil war. -
U.S. - North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity
U.S. - North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity Executive Summary During the 2010 U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference, the U.S. Department of State announced the launch of the U.S.-North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO), a new public-private partnership that exists to better link entrepreneurs and business leaders in the United States and North Africa (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). NAPEO is the regional component of Partners for a New Beginning (PNB), a collection of public-private partnerships committed to broadening and deepening engagement between the United States and local communities abroad. These initiatives were founded in support of President Obama's vision for a New Beginning based on mutual interest and respect through efforts to advance economic opportunity, science & technology, education, and exchange. The essence of NAPEO is to be a network for entrepreneurs and business leaders from the United States and North Africa. This network will be the supporting backbone for both communities to identify, initiate and sustain projects at the Maghreb regional and local level that will foster entrepreneurship and job creation, especially for the youth. It is a meaningful, substantive and regionally-focused response to the vision laid out by President Obama at Cairo University where he called for “broader and deeper engagement” between the U.S. and Muslim communities worldwide. This partnership will focus on three overarching goals: 1) developing stronger people-to-people relationships between the U.S. and the Maghreb, 2) promoting start-ups and entrepreneurship in the Maghreb and 3) promoting inter-regional cooperation among entrepreneurs in the Maghreb. -
Us Priorities in the Middle East
US PRIORITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST GENERAL (RET.) JOSEPH VOTEL DECEMBER 2019 POLICY PAPER 2019-23 CONTENTS * SUMMARY III * INTRODUCTION 1 * US INTERESTS 1 * STRATEGIC APPROACH 4 * AFGHANISTAN, SYRIA, IRAQ, LEBANON, 5 THE GULF & IRAN * CONCLUSION 8 SUMMARY Today the Middle East is as complex as it has ever been. All of the underlying issues that have undermined progress remain present: sectarianism, corruption, disenfranchisement, economic disparity, terrorism, and extraordinary human suffering. But these long-standing issues are now being exacerbated by super-modern communication capabilities and a more youthful and anxious population that serve to amplify the challenges of the region. The region is on edge — and it is in fact a tinder box with few clear paths to stability or de-escalation. The best way forward is to relentlessly pursue clarity in our interests and objectives. This is the best thing we can do to de-escalate tensions, pursue our interests in the region, and support our overall global national security strategy. Cover photo: US military vehicles, part of a joint convoy with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), patrol near the town of Al-Muabbadah in Hasakeh Province in northeastern Syria on the border with Turkey, on Nov. 9, 2019. (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images) Above photo: A US military Chinook helicopter lands on a field outside the governor’s palace during a visit by the commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Scott Mill- er, and Asadullah Khalid, acting minister of defense of Afghanistan, in Maidan Shar, capital of Wardak Province. -
Leveraging the Taliban's Quest for International Recognition
Leveraging the Taliban’s Quest for International Recognition Afghan Peace Process Issues Paper March 2021 By Barnett R. Rubin Summary: As the United States tries to orchestrate a political settlement in conjunction with its eventual military withdrawal from Afghanistan, it has overestimated the role of military pressure or presence and underestimated the leverage that the Taliban’s quest for sanctions relief, recognition and international assistance provides. As the U.S. government decides on how and when to withdraw its troops, it and other international powers retain control over some of the Taliban’s main objectives — the removal of both bilateral and United Nations Security Council sanctions and, eventually, recognition of and assistance to an Afghan government that includes the Taliban. Making the most of this leverage will require coordination with the Security Council and with Afghanistan’s key neighbors, including Security Council members China, Russia and India, as well as Pakistan and Iran. In April 2017, in a meeting with an interagency team on board a military aircraft en route to Afghanistan, U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s new national security advisor, retired Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, dismissed the ongoing effort to negotiate a settlement with the Taliban: “The first step, the national security adviser said, was to turn around the trajectory of the conflict. The United States had to stop the Taliban’s advance on the battlefield and force them to agree to concessions in the process .... US talks with the Taliban would only succeed when the United States returned to a position of strength on the battlefield and was ‘winning’ against the insurgency.”1 1 Donati, Jessica.