POMED Notes: U.S. Foreign Assistance to Pakistan

Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing entitled “U.S. Foreign Assistance to Pakistan.” Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) made opening remarks. Attendees included Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) and Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA).

The hearing featured testimony from Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher, USAID’s James Kunder, Teresita Schaffer of CSIS, CAP’s Lawrence Korb, and Robert Hathaway of the Wilson Center.

For POMED’s notes on the hearing, including Q & A sessions, click here.

Islam, Democracy, and Moderates

Looking at the possibility of democracy in Muslim countries, Tom Plate, writing in the Daily Star, argues that secular democracy is compatible with a religious Muslim society. Secularism advocates should not make the mistake of equating a religiously neutral governance philosophy with an anti-religious movement: “A secular state can be religion-friendly and acceptable to Muslim populations. Building a pious society is necessary – even as the state remains religiously neutral.”

Most people who argue that democracy is possible in the Muslim world say that it is because there are moderate Muslims who can accept it. In the New York Times, Ayaan Hirsi Ali asks “where are the moderates? Where are the Muslim voices raised over the terrible injustice of incidents like these?” – the Saudi girl who was gang-raped and found guilty of mingling, the British teacher in Sudan guilty of unintentional disrespect, and a persecuted women’s rights activist from Bangladesh. She argues that there will only be “moderate” Muslims when they start showing more compassion.

Spinning our Wheels in Iraq

Looking at the lack of progress in training the Iraqi army, Eric Martin, at American Footprints, argues that “the Iraqis don’t necessarily need training as much as motivation and loyalty.” Unfortunately there is not much we can do to fix that, and “two years from now, we will likely be spinning our tires in neutral still.”

The National Security Network looked at progress in Iraq one year after the Iraq Study Group Report and concludes, “While there has been a recent reduction in violence, a year later the political situation in Iraq is little changed, and the United States continue to struggle with many of the same difficulties.”

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State and Foreign Ops to Become the ‘Bus’ in Omnibus

The State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008, H.R.2764, is set to become the vehicle for a omnibus appropriations package to be considered by Congress next week, according to Congressional Quarterly (subscription required). Presumably, all appropriations other than the defense appropriation, which has already been signed into law, will be included.

As for the content of State and Foreign Ops bill itself, it contains much of interest to U.S. democracy promotion in both the House and Senate versions passed in September, though a consensus version has not yet emerged. While the bill provides funding to a wide array of Middle Eastern countries, assistance to Pakistan has especially come under increased scrutiny in recent days, as has funding for the Palestinian Authority.

The NYT reported yesterday on possible funding cuts for the Millenium Challenge Corporation, whose programs have included grants to Jordan and Morocco.

More Reactions to the NIE

In the International Herald Tribune, Valerie Lincy and Gary Milhollin react to the NIE and describe it as “misleading and dangerous” because its definition of ‘weapons program’ is too narrow and ignores the fact that Iran continues uranium enrichment.

Farideh Farhi, at Informed Comment, looks at Iranian reactions to the NIE, from the IRGC to Ali Larijani to two former foreign ministers.

Reforming the PA Over and Over Again

Keir Prince, in the Daily Star, compares reforming the Palestinian Authority to building a house when the the architect keeps demolishing parts of the house because he feels you did not follow the blueprints, used sub-standard materials, or he just does not like the way it turned out. The PA is the builder and the international community is the architect. He argues that the main problem is the “inconsistencies in its engagement” and give many examples of the problem.

Saudi Arabia Undermines Democracy and GWOT

A blog post on the Daily Kos argues that Saudi Arabia is undermining the Global War On Terror (GWOT) and pushing for focus on one enemy—Iran. It argues: “Saudi Arabia is quietly and persistently working to replace the secular regimes we have installed or supported in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, whose values, rhetoric, and alliances can’t take down Iran but pose a genuine threat to non-democratic, Islam-based autocracies…like Saudi Arabia. Ironically, the Islamist forces that we abhor and fear so much are dressed in the garb of our allies and are pushing us from the center of the Middle East stage…and we don’t even realize it yet.”

Talking About An Islamic Reformation

At new blog PoliGazette, POMED’s Shadi Hamid comments yesterday on the debate over a potential ‘Islamic reformation’, focusing on the relationship between authoritarian secular regimes and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East as it impacts the development of jihadist thought in the region. Also posting on the subject, Ali Eteraz discusses the roots of Islamic reform.

Iraq and Afghan War Funding; Update on Congressional Authorizations

Congressional Quarterly reports today (subscription required) that a controversial hate-crimes provision has been dropped from H.R.1585, authorizing FY 2008 appropriations for the Department of Defense, leading to likely floor action next week.

Also today, an omnibus appropriations package slated for consideration next week is expected to provide appropriations for emergency supplemental funding of the war in Afghanistan, but not for the war in Iraq. This morning, in an interview with US News and World Report, Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) stated in regards to supplemental war funding that “at best, I suspect we’re going to get a temporary reprise with funding that will run out maybe in the spring.”

The conference committee on the intelligence authorization bill for fiscal year 2008, H.R.2082, has agreed to apply limits to interrogation techniques found in the 2006 Army Field Manual to all government agencies, including the CIA. The move sets up a possible veto confrontation with the administration.