Transforming U.S. Policy for a New Middle East

The Shirazi Foundation attended an event Hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, titled Transforming U.S. Policy for a New Middle East. Experts addressed policy implications for the United States’ and the many recent militaries and diplomatic trials in the Middle East. An expert panel took an in-depth look at the complex consequences of U.S. policy in light of the Arab Spring. There was a high importance placed on the various aspects of  working with partners in the region and the best way forward. Experts quoted an excerpt from the Holy Quran Chapter 2, titled Baqarah , Verse: 256, where it states “Let there be no compulsion in religion:”, and added  that the Takfiris and terror groups have gone against this exact excerpt of the Holy Quran. Experts went on to note that the Middle East has been in turmoil and crisis for the last fifty years and that the security council has the responsibility to accurately define terrorism and  criminalize it. Experts expressed that congress’s hands are tied due to the gridlock in the nature of U.S. politics. Experts went  further to examine when ISIS is finally defeated how do you fill the political vacuum that’s created, does the U.S. step up and help rebuild the countries while they are  currently  invested in multiple countries in the Middle East or not.