“ Most of the arguments that Iran is a threat to Israel center around Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s anti-Semitism and holocaust denial. But he does not make Iranian foreign policy, Khameini does.”

Azeem Ibrahim, a research fellow with the Belfer Center’s International Security Program, wrote “Why Israel is Safer (from Iran) Than it Might Seem,” which the Huffington Post published on November 20, 2009.

For the full oped, go to: http://www.belfercenter.org/publication/19735/

“Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process, reconciliation has come to stand for more than ‘Mandela magic’ and the ‘Rainbow Nation.’ During the TRC process it became a useful way to defend the controversial amnesty given to those who committed human rights violations. Amnesty, coated in the language of reconciliation, was hugely beneficial to perpetrators of human rights violations.”

Yvonne Malan, a research fellow with the Belfer Center’s Program on Intrastate Conflict, wrote “Reconciliation Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry,” which the Huffington Post published on November 20, 2009.

For the full oped, go to: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19734/

Arena Digest: Copenhagen
Politico.com
November 17
Quoted: Stephen Walt, Belfer Center
Topic: Upcoming climate talks in Copenhagen

POLITICO’s Arena contributors discuss how big a deal it is that there will be no big deal at Copenhagen. …

Stephen M. Walt, professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

“The failure to achieve a ‘big deal’ at Copenhagen is not a big deal in itself because this outcome was recognized a while ago, and expectations had been suitably lowered. Addressing climate change remains a compelling priority, however, and Obama’s main goal now should be to maintain momentum for a ‘big deal’ in the not too distant future. Remember: The longer we wait, the harder the adjustments will be.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29576.html

“I think that if we have a situation where the Taliban comes into power in Afghanistan, it’s going to be very difficult to deter them from somehow hosting Al Qaida elements….”

-Thomas Hegghammer, associate of the Belfer Center’s Initiative on Religion in International Affairs and International Security Program

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0911/15/ampr.01.html

Pakistanis worry about US nuclear intentions
Associated Press
November 12
Quoted: Hassan Abbas, Belfer Center
Topic: Nuclear security

In Washington, the ultimate Pakistani nightmare is that the country’s nuclear arsenal could fall into the hands of Taliban militants or rogue soldiers.

In Islamabad, though, talk of nuclear weapons taps into a very different fear: Washington. …

“Nuclear status is an extremely important issue for Pakistan,” Hassan Abbas, a former top government official now at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, said in an e-mail. “Especially at a time when it is faced with multiple life-threatening challenges.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jpxLKt53bisnwt1fpWtjOS6It-_QD9BU72J80

“In fact, a significantly smaller U.S. presence in Afghanistan may paradoxically generate more anti-Americanism outside Afghanistan and ultimately more anti-Western terrorism than a more conventional military approach. This is because jihadi propaganda today relies on visually powerful symbols to mobilize people, and intermittent “surgical” strikes, and the casualties they cause, may create more such symbols than continuous conventional warfare.”

Thomas Hegghammer, an associate of the Belfer Center’s Initiative on Religion in International Affairs, wrote “The Big Impact of Small Footprints,” which Foreign Policy published in the November 11, 2009 issue.

For the full oped, go to: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19691/

“Development’s means and ends are jumbled. In part, development is trapped by its own chequered history. Yet, this past is not necessarily a liability, it could even provide an opening to improve the development process.”

David Ekbladh, a research fellow with the Belfer Center’s International Security Program, wrote “Muddling Through: How Development’s Past Shapes Its Future,” which the Belfer Center published on November 4, 2009.

For the full oped, go to: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19674/

“There is grim news from Baghdad: A twin suicide truck bombing of two Iraqi ministries has left over 130 dead and wounded more than 500. It is the largest such attack in all of 2009 and a reminder, unfortunately, that the oft-heralded “surge” was not the success that its architects and advocates like to claim.”

Stephen Walt, a member of the Belfer Center’s board of directors and faculty chair of the Center’s International Security Program, wrote “Grim News From Baghdad,” which he published on his Foreign Policy blog on October 26, 2009.

For the full opinion article, go to: http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/10/26/grim_news_from_baghdad

“The bottom line: staying in Afghanistan will cost many more dead American soldiers–and, inevitably, Afghan civilians–and hundreds of billions of additional dollars.”

Stephen Walt, a member of the Belfer Center’s board of directors, wrote “High Cost, Low Odds,” which the Nation published on October 21, 2009.

For the full oped, go to: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091109/walt

Arena Digest: Is Obama punting on human rights?

Politico.com

October 21

Quoted: Stephen Walt, Belfer Center

Topic: President Obama’s approach to human rights issues

Stephen Walt, professor, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government

“Of course he is. No U.S. president — not even Jimmy Carter — was ever willing to spend a lot of blood or treasure solely to advance human rights, and Obama isn’t going to be the first. And given that the U.S. record on this issue has been tarnished by Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, forced rendition, “enhanced interrogation” (aka torture), extrajudicial killings (aka “targeted assassinations”), our reaction to the Goldstone Report and the thousands dead as a result of the invasion of Iraq, I’d say a bit of humility on this front was probably in order.”

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