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The latest pieces from MENASource:

Through our Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, the Atlantic Council works with allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

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MENASource

Jan 16, 2014

Lebanon: Mohamad Bahaa Chatah, 1951-2013

By Frederic C. Hof

Mohamad Bahaa Chatah, former finance minister and Lebanese Ambassador to the United States, was assassinated in Beirut on December 27, 2013. It has taken me this long to write something about the passing of a friend and a paragon of human decency. When I think back about the Lebanon-related disasters that have occurred during the […]

Middle East

In the News

Jan 15, 2014

Mezran Quoted on Benghazi Report

Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Senior Fellow Karim Mezran is quoted by MSNBC News on the political implications of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi:

Libya
Libyan Recruits

NATOSource

Jan 15, 2014

Two Thousand Libyan Troops to Receive Training in Italy

By Libya Herald

The 340 Libyan soldiers currently being trained in Italy are the first to benefit from a bilateral agreement that will see up to 2,000 troops trained in 2014.

Italy Libya

In the News

Jan 15, 2014

Hof Talks Syria Donor Conference

By Frederic C. Hof

Hariri Center for the Middle East Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof joins NPR’s Morning Edition to discuss the donors conference in Kuwait aimed at raising humanitarian aid for Syria:

Syria

New Atlanticist

Jan 15, 2014

Keep Onus on Iran to Implement Nuclear Accord

By Barbara Slavin

This week’s announcement that the nuclear deal reached with Iran in late November is going to be implemented starting January 20 is welcome news on a number of fronts. It marks the first time in a decade that Iran will pause its progress toward a nuclear weapons capability. In return for modest sanctions relief, the Islamic […]

Iran
NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow in Tel Aviv

NATOSource

Jan 15, 2014

Turkey Reassured that NATO Missile Shield Not Designed for Israel

By Dan Williams, Reuters

Turkey has accepted assurances a planned NATO missile defense system in which it is playing a part is not designed to protect Israel as well, the alliance’s deputy secretary-general said on Wednesday.

Israel Missile Defense

MENASource

Jan 15, 2014

Egypt’s Constitutional Referendum [Liveblog January 15]

By EgyptSource

With polling stations opening across Egypt and voting underway for the second day in the constitutional referendum, keep up with live updates on EgyptSource here

North Africa Political Reform
Italian Defense Minister Mario Mauro

NATOSource

Jan 14, 2014

Libya Unrest Worries Italy

By AFP

Italy is seriously concerned over unrest in Libya and the government’s ability to rein in local militias, Defence Minister Mario Mauro said Monday during a visit to Washington.

Italy Libya

MENASource

Jan 14, 2014

Dispatch from Cairo: Day One of the Constitutional Referendum

By Tom Dale

In the first day of voting in a constitutional referendum, Egyptians queuing outside polling stations seemed to endorse, as much as the constitutional document itself, the leadership of army chief General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, who is now widely expected to stand for the presidency in the coming months.

North Africa Political Reform

In the News

Jan 14, 2014

Slavin Talks Iranian Nuclear Deal

By Barbara Slavin

South Asia Center Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin joins CCTV America to discuss the recent nuclear deal struck with Iran, which finalizes technical details from the interim nuclear deal reached in November:

Iran

Experts