Oxford University's Middle East Centre is/was home to some of the world's leading experts in Middle Eastern Affairs (Thomas Friedman, Albert Hourani, Avi Shlaim, Roger Owen and many others). Today, the Centre's students and faculty have come together to express their opinions (via a letter to undeclared superdelegates) about Barack Obama's foreign policy plans in the Middle East.
I am a student at Oxford and I spent the last two weeks trying to get signatures from as many people in the Middle Eastern Studies Department as possible. Tomorrow morning I'm mailing this letter to 47 undeclared superdelegates. I'm amazed by how many people agreed with this letter considering the many contraversial conflicts and issues of the M.E.. Of the 25 people I contacted in our department, only two refused to sign the letter.
Also, if you're wondering what Obama's policy on the Middle East looks like, please read our letter below.
- enviropres's diary :: ::
Dear Democratic Party Superdelegate,
We are writing to you as students, fellows and professors currently affiliated with the Middle East Centre at Oxford University. We do not represent the official views of the Centre or the University, but we do wish to express our opinions about Barack Obama's foreign policy plans in the Middle East.
For many years, the United States' political and military involvement in the Middle East has, in many ways, been harmful to the region's social, political and economic development. Many of us who live, work, or conduct research in the Middle East have long been frustrated with American policy toward the region. We believe that this year's U.S. presidential election is an extraordinary opportunity for the United States to vote for a president who can bring important and necessary change to the way the US interacts with the Middle East. Although we are by no means in agreement with ALL of Senator Obama's policy plans, we do think that he is the most capable candidate to lead future US foreign policy initiatives in the Middle East.
There are four primary reasons why we support Senator Obama. The first relates to Senator Obama's plans to communicate and negotiate with Arab and Iranian leaders. Since President Bush was elected in 2000, the frequency of negotiations and communication between American and Arab leaders has declined dramatically. Senator Obama is the only candidate who has publicly stated that he will hold open discussions with the leaders of Iran, the Palestinian territories and Syria. We feel this is extremely important, because no leader can reduce regional tensions in the complete absence of dialogue.
Second, Senator Obama's candidacy will represent an obvious and positive shift in the world-wide perception of U.S. foreign policy leadership, which will allow him to reach out to European, Asian and African allies. A more international effort is crucial to facilitating America's military withdrawal from Iraq, restarting peace efforts between Israel and Palestine, and halting the genocide in Darfur.
Third, relates to Senator Obama's life experience. As you likely know, Senator Obama's family includes Muslims, Christians, Africans, Asians, and Americans (to name a few). We believe that Senator Obama's family diversity and unusual upbringing gives him a unique understanding of the world's cultural and ethnic differences. This, we believe, is particularly important given the extraordinary gap of understanding between the U.S. and the Middle East.
Lastly, Senator Obama has demonstrated bold and admirable judgment by opposing the Iraq War from the outset. As you probably know, Senator Obama is the only candidate who opposed the war in Iraq before the invasion. In October of 2002, Senator Obama said:
"I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda."
Senator Obama's plan for the future of Iraq also demonstrates strong and thoughtful judgment. Here are the highlights of his plan:
- U.S. military assistance to sectarian actors will be discontinued. Since the U.S. invasion, weapons have been distributed by the US to militia groups around Iraq for the purpose of gaining control of Iraqi regions. This has become a problem, as two recent studies have demonstrated. The first concluded that the United States cannot account for 190,000 weapons provided to Iraqi Security Forces, while the second found weapons issued by the United States to Iraqi Security Forces had been diverted to Kurdish militants in Turkey. Due to shifting alliances, a lack of an established government and the potential for further civil conflict, the distribution of U.S. weapons in Iraq is doing more harm than good. Statistics here: http://www.barackobama.com/...
- Barack Obama will conduct a diplomatic surge, bringing neighboring states and the United Nations together for the purpose of controlling sectarian violence in Iraq. Details of his proposed "UN-led Constitutional Convention" and the "Cooperative Security Framework in the Gulf" are available here: http://www.barackobama.com/...
- The drawdown of American troops in Iraq will begin immediately with one to two combat brigades redeploying each month. All troops engaged in combat operations would be out by the end of 2009.
- Senator Obama has proposed a comprehensive plan to avoid a humanitarian crisis in Iraq. This plan includes three important objectives: 1) he will make a $2 billion dollar investment in housing for Iraqi refugees in Iraq and in neighboring countries; 2) he will sponsor an independent war crimes commission conducted by the UN to monitor sectarian violence and genocide; and 3) he will grant permission for 7,000 Iraqi refugees to enter the United States (as opposed to the 190 that have been allowed in so far).
Barack Obama has provided the most comprehensive and promising plan of any of the three major candidates running for president. We feel his proposed efforts represent a major step in the right direction.
In light of these observations, and in regards to Middle Eastern policy decisions, we believe that Senator Obama's judgment, vision and personal experience qualify him as being the candidate best prepared to be the next President of the United States. On behalf of everyone listed below, please consider endorsing Barack Obama's candidacy for President.
Sincerely,
Dr. Avi Shlaim (Professor of International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies)
Marc Gustafson (PHD Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Spencer Witte (MPhil Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Karim Al-Awar Smither (PHD Candidate: IR – Focus: Middle East)
Adam Berry (MSt. Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Laura El-Katiri (MPhil Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Tom Isherwood (MPhil Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Penny Julian (MPhil Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Seth Anziska (MPhil Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Olivia Sohns (MPhil Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Laurence Fischer (MPhil Candidate: Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Majdal Singh (PHD Candidate: IR – Focus: Middle East)
Dr. Sune Haugbolle, (Research Fellow: Middle Eastern Studies)
Abdel Razzaq Takriti (PHD Candidate- Modern History of the Middle East)
Magda Meliti (MPhil Candidate – Modern Middle Eastern Studies)
Dr. Ahmed Abed Hamzi (Professor - Global Governance of the Middle East)