As reported in the Boston Globe, a bipartisan task force established by the Council on Foreign Relations has concluded the Bush administration?s efforts to promote democracy in the Middle East are being undermined by America?s poor image in the region. Specifically, our efforts to provide financial support to pro-democracy groups, through the Middle East Partnership Initiative, are foundering because these groups are reluctant to be seen to be taking money from the US government. The solution touted by this task force is to give the bulk of this federal funding to a private foundation to administer and disburse.

Whilst this solution would make it easier for a small number of groups to accept US money, it does not address the core issue of the poor US image abroad that must be improved if our efforts to achieve sustainable democracy in the Middle East are to be realized. Moving the money around Washington is unlikely to be any more successful than moving the chairs around the deck of the Titanic ? our efforts to promote democracy in the Middle East are still likely to founder unless we can improve radically the image of our country globally.