Senior Program Officer on the Middle East and Africa, National Endowment for Democracy
Iraqi from Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, who left the country during the unsuccessful 1991uprisings after the Gulf War; Senior Program Officer on the Middle East and Africa at the National Endowment for Democracy, a private nonprofit think-tank funded by Congress
Iraq: That 'Other' War As the US prepares to send 30,000 or more troops to Afghanistan, Iraq has seen a dramatic decrease in violence. But politics is another matter. Today, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi was given a few more days to approve or veto a new election law that is crucial to the benchmarks established for US withdrawal.
No end in sight More than 800,000 federal employees continue to go without pay in what could soon be the longest government shutdown yet.
Throw caution to the wind Zocalo commentator Joe Mathews has some advice for incoming California Gavin Newsom: don’t follow in the footsteps of Jerry Brown.
Could agave become Santa Barbara’s next major crop? In many ways, growing agave in Santa Barbara makes a lot of sense. Not only does it use very little water and thrive on generally inhospitable land, but it can act as a fuel break for wildfires. Now, local farmers and distillers are experimenting with the crop.