US must pursue a more coherent and comprehensive policy in the Middle East to address the challenge of Islamic extremism, says former Ambassador Djerejian

David Ruth
713-348-6327
david@rice.edu

Jeff Falk
713-348-6775
jfalk@rice.edu

US must pursue a more coherent and comprehensive policy in the Middle East to address the challenge of Islamic extremism, says former Ambassador Djerejian

HOUSTON – (Feb. 20, 2015) – The United States needs a more coherent and comprehensive policy in the broader Middle East, according to a new policy paper by Edward Djerejian, founding director of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The policy should pursue not only important tactical approaches to counter Islamic extremism and terrorism but also shape the larger strategic landscape to secure and promote U.S. interests.

The report, “The Middle East Cauldron and United States Policy,” defines the challenges in the region for the U.S. and the international community, provides a brief narrative on the rise of the Islamic State and presents key policy recommendations for a more strategic approach.

“As the remaining pre-eminent power in the world and to serve our own national security interests, there is a compelling need for the United States to formulate a coherent and multinational near-term and long-term strategy to address the challenge of Islamic radicalism,” said Djerejian, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel and Syria.

“Fundamental to the elaboration of U.S. policy toward the Middle East is the realization that the threat of Islamic radicalism is, above all, a challenge for the people and countries of the region. This is primarily their struggle,” Djerejian said. However, what the U.S. can do, given its global role, is to try to influence the outcome, according to the U.S.’ capabilities, in favor of the forces of moderation.

Djerejian traveled to Oman, Qatar and Turkey this month and met with policymakers and scholars to discuss Middle East issues.

“Most urgently, a robust and internationally coordinated counterterrorism program is required to contain and destroy ISIS, as well as al-Qaida-affiliated groups and other terrorist organizations,” Djerejian said. “Military operations involving air power and ground support have to be combined effectively so that territorial advances and political gains by ISIS and any other terrorist group can be reversed, especially in Iraq and Syria.”

EDWARD DJEREJIAN

Djerejian said U.S. policy toward Iraq should focus on restoring inclusive politics and political stability in the country as a whole and on working with the Iraqis to establish an appropriate federal system of government that has a chance of maintaining Iraq’s territorial integrity. “If Iraq splinters into Sunni, Shia and/or Kurdish entities, there would be destabilizing consequences for all of Iraq’s neighbors,” he said.

On Syria, U.S. policy lacks coherence, Djerejian said. “Much valuable time has been lost. Accommodating the Assad regime will not solve the ISIS problem. While confronting ISIS in Syria, a major effort should be made to provide meaningful political, economic and military support to the nonradical political opposition in Syria in order to level the playing field between the regime of Bashar al-Assad and the opposition forces so that a political transition process leading to a post-Assad era can have some hope of success in the longer term.”

Djerejian provided additional recommendations related to the critical task of state-building and political stability, public diplomacy, Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Policymakers need to be able to both meet the current crises and challenges and step back and strategize long-term policies to address the root causes of the problems in the broader Middle East region,” Djerejian said.

Djerejian is a leading expert on the complex political, security, economic, religious and ethnic issues of the Middle East and South Asia. He served in the U.S. Foreign Service under eight presidents, from John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton. Prior to his nomination by Clinton as U.S. ambassador to Israel, he was assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs in both the George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations and U.S. ambassador to Syria. He also led the Baker Institute’s U.S.-Syria academic and policy dialogue from 2002 to 2005.

Djerejian is the author of the book “Danger and Opportunity: An American Ambassador’s Journey Through the Middle East.”

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To schedule an interview with Djerejian, contact Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

Related materials:

Paper: http://bakerinstitute.org/media/files/files/c09e6e84/CME-pub-MECauldron-020415.pdf.

Djerejian  bio: http://bakerinstitute.org/experts/edward-p-djerejian.

Follow Djerejian via Twitter @EdwardDjerejian.

Follow the Baker Institute via Twitter @BakerInsitute.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

Founded in 1993, Rice University’s Baker Institute ranks among the top 10 university-affiliated think tanks in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows, Rice University faculty scholars and staff, coupled with its outreach to the Rice student body through fellow-taught classes — including a public policy course — and student leadership and internship programs. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog, http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog.