U.S. Academics, Experts Urge Obama to Press Saudi Officials on Egypt Repression
U.S. Thinkers, Experts Urge Obama to Press Saudi Officials on Egypt Repression; Noam Chomsky and others call on President to keep his promise to support democracy and human rights
Washington, DC, March 29, 2014 --(PR.com)-- A group of prominent American academics and Middle East experts today published an open letter to President Obama urging him use the opportunity presented by his upcoming visit to Riyadh to challenge Saudi Arabian officials on their support for political repression in Egypt.
In the open letter, published in the Huffington Post, academics such as MIT's Noam Chomsky and Douglas Bandow, former Special Assistant to President Ronald Regan, wrote in part:
"As you embark this week on your visit to Saudi Arabia, we write to you out of deep concern with regard to the policy of the United States and its allies in the region.
"Despite your assurances to the Muslim world in 2009 in Ankara and Cairo that your administration would support the promotion and spread of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, your administration's record in the last year shows that such pronouncements were not backed by concrete policies and actions. No less than the future of the Middle East and the credibility of the United States are at stake.
"Millions of people - especially youth- were inspired by the hope of the Arab Spring, but the military coup in Egypt last July dashed their aspirations for freedom and human dignity. You have always reminded the world that responsible leaders must be on the right side of history. This is just such a moment; one that should not be wasted.
"Support for freedom and democracy in Egypt and the Arab world must trump any false notion of maintaining temporary stability promised by an iron-fisted regime. If the United States does not take an unambiguous position and demonstrate unmistaken resolve against Egypt's current undemocratic path, and if your administration decides to resume suspended aid programs in the face of growing repression and brutality, your words on democracy and human rights will ring hollow. Furthermore, we urge you to instruct Secretary of State John Kerry not to certify that Egypt has met congressionally-mandated conditions on democracy under current conditions.
"Moreover, several long-term allies in the region led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have unfortunately been strong supporters of the military-backed regime in Egypt and of the forces of authoritarianism in the region.
"We urge you to take this opportunity to make it clear to all the regimes that democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, and the application of the highest standards of human rights are the cornerstone of U.S. policy in the region.
"The United States must also condemn the brutal tactics of the army-backed regime in Egypt as well as its security and propaganda campaigns, which are being used to suppress dissent and reconstitute a police state."
Full text to the open letter: Dear President Obama: Freedom and Democracy must come first in Egypt:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emad-shahin/dear-president-obama_4_b_5048664.html
Other signatories to the open letter include,
* Jonathan Brown, Georgetown University
* Larry Diamond, Stanford University
* Michael C. Desch, University of Notre Dame
* Mohamed Fadel, University of Toronto
* Richard Falk, Princeton University
* Norman Finkelstein
* Nader Hashemi, University of Denver
* Ricardo R. Laremont, SUNY Binghamton, Atlantic Council
* Marina Ottaway, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
* Emad Shahin, American University in Cairo
* Robert Springborg, Naval Postgraduate School
Contact: Ahmad Latif, +1-717-746-6197, latifindc@gmail.com or Samar Dahmash, +1-941-456-2750, samarjar7@gmail.com
In the open letter, published in the Huffington Post, academics such as MIT's Noam Chomsky and Douglas Bandow, former Special Assistant to President Ronald Regan, wrote in part:
"As you embark this week on your visit to Saudi Arabia, we write to you out of deep concern with regard to the policy of the United States and its allies in the region.
"Despite your assurances to the Muslim world in 2009 in Ankara and Cairo that your administration would support the promotion and spread of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, your administration's record in the last year shows that such pronouncements were not backed by concrete policies and actions. No less than the future of the Middle East and the credibility of the United States are at stake.
"Millions of people - especially youth- were inspired by the hope of the Arab Spring, but the military coup in Egypt last July dashed their aspirations for freedom and human dignity. You have always reminded the world that responsible leaders must be on the right side of history. This is just such a moment; one that should not be wasted.
"Support for freedom and democracy in Egypt and the Arab world must trump any false notion of maintaining temporary stability promised by an iron-fisted regime. If the United States does not take an unambiguous position and demonstrate unmistaken resolve against Egypt's current undemocratic path, and if your administration decides to resume suspended aid programs in the face of growing repression and brutality, your words on democracy and human rights will ring hollow. Furthermore, we urge you to instruct Secretary of State John Kerry not to certify that Egypt has met congressionally-mandated conditions on democracy under current conditions.
"Moreover, several long-term allies in the region led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have unfortunately been strong supporters of the military-backed regime in Egypt and of the forces of authoritarianism in the region.
"We urge you to take this opportunity to make it clear to all the regimes that democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, and the application of the highest standards of human rights are the cornerstone of U.S. policy in the region.
"The United States must also condemn the brutal tactics of the army-backed regime in Egypt as well as its security and propaganda campaigns, which are being used to suppress dissent and reconstitute a police state."
Full text to the open letter: Dear President Obama: Freedom and Democracy must come first in Egypt:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emad-shahin/dear-president-obama_4_b_5048664.html
Other signatories to the open letter include,
* Jonathan Brown, Georgetown University
* Larry Diamond, Stanford University
* Michael C. Desch, University of Notre Dame
* Mohamed Fadel, University of Toronto
* Richard Falk, Princeton University
* Norman Finkelstein
* Nader Hashemi, University of Denver
* Ricardo R. Laremont, SUNY Binghamton, Atlantic Council
* Marina Ottaway, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
* Emad Shahin, American University in Cairo
* Robert Springborg, Naval Postgraduate School
Contact: Ahmad Latif, +1-717-746-6197, latifindc@gmail.com or Samar Dahmash, +1-941-456-2750, samarjar7@gmail.com
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