VOL. V NO. 27, December 18-December 31, 2009
US Public Diplomacy in the Middle East on a New Course
US public diplomacy underwent significant changes in 2009. More than ever, experts recommend a comprehensive interagency strategy that integrates specific foreign policy objectives with overall communications with foreign publics while consolidating and elevating government leadership for public diplomacy and strategic communication.
Great Strides for Social Media
If the hallmark of the closing decade is the expansion of the internet to nearly all corners of the world and sectors of society, 2009 will be remembered as the year social media came into its own. Users in the Middle East from the Palestinian Territories to Tehran were able to access information, voice their opinions and communicate to a greater extent than ever before.
Congress Satellite Law May Affect Al-Hurra and Other Channels
A bill by the House of Representatives that blames owners of communications satellites, not just TV networks, for spreading world terror and acting against the United States, has provoked anger in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Congress hopes the new legislation, which requires the President to issue an annual report on anti-American sentiments in broadcasting, will create more equitable television viewing.
Obama and the Middle East: A Year of Ebb and Flows
2009 has been a year of highs and lows for President Obama in the Arab world, from his first interview with Al-Arabiya to an unprecedented overture in Cairo that brought a rapprochement between America and the region, followed by a series of missed opportunities and less popular decision toward the end of the year.
A New Dawn for US-Muslim Relations
Following the electoral victory of Barack Obama, one of the primary concerns for many observers was the restoration of America's image, particularly in the Arab and Muslim worlds. Yet, at the end of 2009, a series of what are perceived as missed opportunities have further entrenched a rift between the US and the Arab world.
Conservative Wing Takes Lead of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
The conservatives won the recent elections within the main Egyptian opposition party, the Muslim Brotherhood, which could possibly sideline the reformists within the party, revealing a battle between two competing poles in the party: the younger reformists and more moderate ones against the more conservative older generation.
Pakistan: A Sore Point of American Diplomacy in 2009
2009 has been a difficult year in US-Pakistani relations between the rejection of the Kerry-Lugar bill and to rid the country of Al-Qaeda. Eventually both countries are heading towards a common ground despite differences.
Goldstone: Two Narratives
The 22 day Israeli operation on Gaza that started on December 27, 2008, led to the establishment of the Goldstone commission, a United Nations fact-finding mission investigating the three-week war in Gaza, which created a rift in the international community and further complicated US-Arab relations.
Hassan and the Issue of Radicalism in the US
The recent failed terrorist attack by a Nigerian man and the massacre at Fort Hood in November launched new debates on the real threat that terrorism in the US poses, while prompting discussion on anti-Muslim backlashes.
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