FOKUS AMERIKA Büro Washington Dr. Almut Wieland-Karimi 1023 15 th Street NW,# 801 Washington, DC 20005 USA Tel.:+1 202 408 5444 Fax:+1 202 408 5537 fesdc@fesdc.org www.fesdc.org US Interests in the Arab World: Democracy Promotion by American NGOs Zoé Nautré 1 Nr. 4/ 2008  Following September 11, 2001, democracy promotion in the Arab world became a top priority in U.S. national security. American non-governmental organizations working on this topic began to receive considerably more funds for programs targeting the Middle East.  American enthusiasm for democracy promotion waned after the electoral victories of Hamas in the Palestinian territories and of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. It was further influenced by increased emphasis on U.S.- Arab coalition building to contain Iran.  The hesitancy to support the ´wrong´ election results and the association with the war on terror, raised serious doubts with regards to the entire concept of democracy promotion.  While many observers expect the U.S. to return to stability-oriented realpolitik vis-à-vis the Arab world, this approach is out of the question for the 2008 presidential candidates. The sheer necessity of economic and social reforms in the Arab world makes it impossible to offer limitless support to authoritarian regimes, as was the case in the past.  Despite an expected change of regional focus by the next elected U.S. government, due to a lack of alternatives, the concept of democratization will remain on the agenda. Subsequently, the work of U.S. NGOs in the Arab world will continue to be relevant. U.S. Interests in the Arab World – a Paradigm Shift? U.S. foreign policy regarding the Arab world has changed noticeably since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Until that date, the U.S. government had no significant national interest in shaping the political and social landscapes of Arab countries. It was not until the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that the Middle East became an area of increased focus for the U.S., due to national security reasons. By spreading freedom and demo­cracy, the goal was to neutralize potential havens for terrorism. The export of democratic principles and ideals to foreign countries is not a new phenomenon. U.S. NGOs – which are often largely financed with U.S. taxpayers’ money – have been operating in foreign countries for decades in order to draw attention to a lack of human rights and rule of law, and a democratic deficit in many countries around the world. For a number of years – and barely noticeable to the public – there have been efforts underway in Arab countries that were