Five experts on Middle Eastern politics discussed a range of topics from the conflict in Libya to the rise of democratic government in Egypt to reform prospects in Islamic Gulf states in Friday's roundtable discussion in honor of history professor Gene Garthwaite, who will retire at the end of Spring term. The event was part of a conference this weekend focusing on current social, cultural and political issues in the Middle East to celebrate Garthwaite's career and accomplishments.
Greg Aftandilian '79, former U.S. foreign policy advisor and Middle East analyst, discussed the role that identity politics play in Middle Eastern revolutions and the transition to democracy. He cited the recent uprising in Egypt as an example of how a national struggle can help bring disparate factions together.
Young, educated Christians and Muslims in Egypt, who are passionate about the need for democracy in their country, exhibit much less prejudice toward each other than members of other demographics, Aftandilian said. Social media such as Twitter and Facebook helped young Egyptians overcome their differences and mobilize politically.
Revolutions and identity politics, however, do not always interact so positively, Aftandilian said.
Aftandilian cited Shiite Muslims in Bahrain, who often face political and social discrimination even though they make up 70 percent of the population, since Sunni Muslims constitute society's "elite," he said. The recent revolution in Bahrain consequently had sectarian overtones that divided the country and weakened the nascent democracy, Aftandilian said.
"The democratic movement in Bahrain is now really on the sidelines," he said.
The decorations and medals on the military uniform of panelist Rich Outzen '89 glinted in the light as his frequent jokes drew laughter from the audience during an otherwise serious address regarding the repercussions of American ignorance of other languages and cultures. Outzen, a U.S. military officer and liaison to Turkey and the North American Treaty Organization, recounted his experiences in Kabul, Afghanistan, where he tried to "build a state that would reduce arms trafficking, reduce human rights abuses and that wouldn't collapse on itself."
He emphasized that in order to achieve these goals, he had to work with a diverse population of Afghans, Turks and Americans, and discussed the importance of having personnel on the ground able to understand the language, culture and history of any region that the U.S. seeks to influence.
Regardless of the morality or prudence associated with the decision to invade Iraq, the U.S. had an obligation to bring some measure of stability to the region before withdrawing, Outzen said.
"The big question is not that we'll be involved the concern is that we'll break things and go away without fixing them," he said.
Reni Rieger, a specialist on foreign and security policy in the Persian Gulf, highlighted misconceptions of American foreign policy in the Middle East. He urged American foreign policy makers against pushing Saudi Arabia too strongly in the direction of democratization or social and political liberalization. Such efforts would contradict American security interests in the region, Rieger said.
Rieger also addressed the importance of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for American security interests in the Middle East. "Overly pro-Israeli" policies by the United States could jeopardize relations with other Gulf states, Rieger said.
Government professor Dirk Vandewalle explained the difficulties of state-building in Libya difficulties that will likely continue once Libyan ruler Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi is no longer in power.
Established after World War II, Libya was an "accidental state," Vandewalle said. The nation is divided into a series of tribes and lacks a singular, homogenous national identity, according to Vandewalle.
Qaddafi needs the support of the tribes now more than ever, but his attempt to create a sole national identity has alienated them, according to Vandewalle.
"Qaddafi had systematically eviscerated through the 1990s," he said. "Now he needs the tribes to survive, but they are sitting on the fence."
Francis Ricciardone '73, the American Ambassador to Turkey, also delivered a speech to audience members via videoconference.
The discussion, "Reform or Revolution: A Roundtable on the U.S. and the Middle East," took place in Filene Auditorium.
Saturday's day-long conference, "Crossing at the Green: A Symposium in Honor of Professor Gene R. Garthwaite," took place in Kemeny Hall.
Garthwaite joined the Dartmouth faculty in 1968 and has become one of the country's leading experts on Middle Eastern studies, history department chair Margaret Darrow said in a previous interview with The Dartmouth.
