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- The Imperfect Election was the Easy Part,
Brian Katulis and Hardin Lang
- Turkey: Strong Relations Built on Shared
Interests, Robert Wexler
- Holder's Decision to Re-Investigate
Torture is Correct, Ken Gude
- Two Years to Self Destruct in Sudan, John
Norris
- Darfur: A Way of Life is
Lost, Natalie Ondiak and Omer Ismail
- Financial Assistance to Former Guantanamo
Detainees Unlikely, Ken Gude
- Fraud Claims Threaten Afghan Poll
Legitimacy, Brian Katulis
- Sudan Policy Headed in Wrong Direction,
John Prendergast
- More Precise Afghan Debate Needed, Brian
Katulis
- Afghan Vote Process Still Ongoing, Brian
Katulis
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Brian Katulis and Hardin Lang,
"The Imperfect Election was the Easy Part," Foreign Policy, September 8, 2009
Holding an imperfect election
was the easy part. Yet, no matter who emerges as the ballot's victor,
the vote
did not magically transform the country. Like Iraq's
2005 elections, the voting process in Afghanistan merely provided some
indication of the internal balance of power between those who chose to
participate, as well as those who did not, including affiliates of the
Taliban. Unfortunately, that balance appears to increasingly favor
the
latter.
Click here to
read the full article.
Robert Wexler,
"Turkey: Strong Relations Built on Shared Interests," Middle East Bulletin interview, September 8, 2009
In the past, Turkey had very
chaotic and difficult relations with several of its neighbors,
particularly Syria. ... So what Turkey has done is change the dynamic
in the region and it desires to have strong and good relations with all
of its neighbors, even while it may fundamentally disagree with some of
the practices and policies of its neighbors. Sometimes that is a
controversial policy to pursue. ... However we very much should respect
both the effort and the integrity of the policy, because ultimately it
advances Turkey’s interests, and in almost all of the cases, it
advances America’s strategic interests in the region as well.
… By and large, the influence and the persuasive ability of
Turkey in the region is enhanced when it pursues policies of engagement
and warm relations with its neighbors and I think we should view that
kind of development in a very positive light for our own interests.
Click here to
read the full interview.
Ken Gude, "Holder's
Decision to Re-Investigate Torture is Correct," Center for American
Progress Action Fund Wonk Room blog, September 1, 2009
In an op-ed
in Saturday’s New York Times, novelist Joseph Finder charged that
Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to appoint career
prosecutor
John Durham to begin a preliminary investigation into allegations of
homicide and torture made by the CIA Inspector General “serves to
delegitimize our government.”
Finder claims Holder recklessly overturned the conclusion of the
Alberto Gonzales-led Justice Department to close the criminal inquiry
in a move that “doesn’t look much like justice; it looks
like
politics.” ... Far from any effort by the attorney general to
enforce the law, the
failure to investigate those crimes is what would cause further
grievous harm to our country.
Click here to
read the full article.
John Norris,
"Two Years to Self Destruct in Sudan," Foreign Policy, September 1, 2009
Imagine if we had enjoyed the
luxury of knowing, two years before it happened, that Yugoslavia would
disintegrate in 1991. Or just think if U.S. diplomats had been able to
predict years earlier exactly when the Soviet Union
was going to collapse. One certainly hopes the United States would have
been better
positioned to deal with these momentous events. But a current case
gives one
pause. Sudan might very well split in half in precisely two years, and
policymakers
have taken far too little notice.
Click here to
read the full article.
Natalie Ondiak and
Omer Ismail, "Darfur: A Way of Life is Lost," Forced Migration Review,
September 2009
The impact of displacement on Darfuris
is especially severe because of the genocidal nature of the violence.
It not only affects those millions who are currently displaced but will
continue to shape the lives of Darfuris for generations to come.
Compared to other protracted displacement situations, the duration of
Darfur’s forced migration has been short. However, the fact that
Darfuris have ended up in camps means that they are not able to
practise the livelihoods that they have been pursuing for generations.
Click here to read the full article.
The American Prospect
- Ken Gude notes Congressional opposition to resettling Guantanamo
detainees in the U.S. makes providing financial assistance to former
detainees now living abroad would be challenging: "The process up till
now has to provide no support to the detainees
themselves but perhaps provide some small assistance to the government
taking them in."
KCRW -
Brian Katulis analyzes reports of fraud in the Afghan presidential
election and their impact on the legitimacy of the government: "I think
it's looking sharply more pessimistic, the longer this goes on, and the
more stories come out and the more that complaints aren't really dealt
with or adjudicated. I think we're reaching a pretty tenuous phase in
this election."
Ask the Expert
- Enough Project's John Prendergast argues that the Obama
administration's Sudan policy is "going in the wrong direction": "We
have in Darfur a peace process that has stumbled along
for the last few years resulting in no substantial progress toward
peace, and the Obama administration just wants to provide more support
to that failed process. ... We need to see consequences for
nonimplementation."
The Star - Brian Katulis
cautions that "if anyone hoped this election would re-legitimize
Afghanistan's leaders, the probability has decreased substantially":
"What we need is a much more precise debate about the end goals, the
challenges and the resources necessary to achieve it. And with American
patience appearing to wane, it is necessary sooner, not later."
The Takeaway
- Brian Katulis assesses corruption allegations in the Afghan
elections: "We don't know yet the magnitude or how large those alleged
vote fraud instances are, but it looks pretty serious. ... I think it
was way too early the day of the election or the day after the election
for the president or anyone else to call this process a success,
because it still is a process."
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Haiti's
Changing Tide
September 14, 2009, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Haiti has been plagued by variety of intractable
problems throughout
its history. External shocks such as the rise in food prices and four
hurricanes in 2008 led to widespread devastation. In 2009, the
international community has once again started to pay attention to
Haiti.
A rare "dual opportunity" exists in Haiti right
now. Haiti's
physical security is better than it has been in a long time and the
United States can rethink its U.S.-Haiti policy. CAP researchers
traveled to Haiti in June 2009 to examine Haiti as a sustainable
security case study, looking at security and development challenges.
The Center for American Progress is pleased to
host Haitian Prime
Minister Michèle Pierre-Louis for a discussion about Haiti's
future
prospects and the release of the report "Haiti's Changing Tide: A
Sustainable Security Case Study."
Introductions by:
John Podesta,
President and Chief Executive Officer, Center for American Progress
Reuben Brigety,
Director, Sustainable Security Program, Center for American Progress
Featured Speaker:
Prime
Minister Michèle Pierre-Louis
For more information and to RSVP, please click here.
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