The Project on Middle East Democracy

About Us

Our Mission

The Project on Middle East Democracy is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to examining how genuine democracies can develop in the Middle East and how the U.S. can best support that process.  Through dialogue, research, and advocacy, we aim to strengthen the constituency for US policies that peacefully support democratic reform in the Middle East.

Our Vision

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, promoting democracy abroad became a fundamental principle of American foreign policy.  But in the Middle East, short-term economic and security concerns have often crowded out America’s long-term interest in political reform, leading the U.S. to strengthen friendly dictatorships rather than support democratization.  In practice, American economic aid, military assistance and diplomatic support have helped these authoritarian governments repress demands for political participation from their own citizens. This, in turn, has strengthened the appeal of radical Islamic organizations.

Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been a growing recognition that democratic reform in the Middle East should be viewed not merely as a development objective, but as a strategic priority. However, despite the Bush administration’s dramatic rhetorical shift towards a “forward strategy of freedom,” U.S. policy on democracy in the Middle East has changed only incrementally over the past seven years.  New aid programs have been relatively small, and too frequently paired with mixed diplomatic signals, undermining their impact.  Much worse, by linking military-led regime change to democracy, the administration has undermined support for “democracy promotion” in the Middle East and the US alike.

Today, the challenge of encouraging democratic reform in the Middle East remains as pressing as ever.  And yet the US lacks the strong base of support, rooted in principle and consensus, required to sustain an effective new strategy over time.  There is a clear need to rigorously examine America’s actual and potential impact on political reform in the region; to bring together for constructive dialogue academics and activists, policymakers and regional experts, Americans and Middle Easterners; to identify clearly the parameters of legitimate, constructive support for democracy in the Middle East; and to empower the coalition of actors supporting policies consistent with those principles.

Contacts:

To contact The Project on Middle East Democracy for information, or on how to get involved, please email our Executive Director, Andrew Albertson. He can also be reached at (202) 422-6804.

To RSVP to an event, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Project on Middle East Democracy
P.O. Box 25533
Washington, DC 20027-8533

http://pomed.org/