This afternoon, POMED and the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies hosted James Traub, contributing writer of the New York Times Magazine; and Michele Dunne, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment, to discuss Traub’s new book, The Freedom Agenda: Why America Must Spread Democracy (Just Not the Way George Bush Did). The event was moderated by David DeBartolo, POMED’s Director of Dialogue Programs.
Jim Traub lamented the Bush Administration’s contamination of democracy promotion by linking it indelibly with the Iraq war. He called for continuing support for Middle East reformers and for recognizing the legitimacy of the region’s moderate Islamist parties.
Michele Dunne said that though U.S. credibility has suffered, support for democracy is still very high in the Middle East.
For notes on this POMED event, click here.