Colleagues,
We’re making important progress —all thanks to your tenacity, resilience, and hard work.
On Tuesday, the House passed bills to end the government shutdown. The federal government faces another shutdown in ten days unless Democrats and Republicans can strike a deal on ICE.
But MBN has passed a hurdle. House and Senate, both sides of the aisle, have registered a vote of confidence in your valuable work. MBN is funded and at a reasonable level. We’re very grateful.
We’re still awaiting a new grant agreement (promised by USAGM since early December). We expect it to arrive this week or next.
Meanwhile, we keep pushing forward. With heavy and painful restructure and reduction behind us, MBN transformation continues. We’re getting close to a decision on new space. With a leaner, agile, new entrepreneurial model, 70,000 square feet in Springfield are no longer necessary. Let’s save the American taxpayer an additional million dollars a year in rent. Let’s continue to show value as good stewards of resources.
We’ll have relocation updates at next week’s town hall. That’s next Wednesday, February 11 at 11 am. Afterwards, I look forward to the customary Wednesday potluck lunch. I’ll see what I can bring (without offending team standards and culinary sensibilities!).
That’s not all for next Wednesday. With the prospect of stable funding, our current budget exercise has just become more interesting. We’ll provide the board with a strategic plan later this month. Let’s discuss.
Otherwise: There’s loads of marketing in the works, a new website in the offing, and updates from Leila, Abed, and Matt on editorial progress. We’ll also want to hear from Matt on his most recent trip to our region.
Editorial
This week has been a strong week. Thanks Joe, Houda, Ghassan, and Yousef for Tuesday’s splendid newsletter, the MBN Agenda.
As the U.S. ponders military action against Iran, eyes turn to Istanbul, where senior American and Iranian officials are scheduled to meet tomorrow. Representatives from Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar will participate in the talks.
Our team is on the case: on the targeting debate inside Washington, on Gulf state concerns, Israeli ruminations, and counterterrorism considerations. Iran has threatened strikes against U.S. interests in the region should America hit nuclear facilities and other regime assets again.
Andres has an Istanbul curtain raiser for today’s Iran Briefing. He’s invited Randa to offer comment on the propaganda machine Iran directs at the Arab world in Arabic language. Look for this to become a regular feature.
Keep encouraging people to sign up for our suite of first-rate newsletters.
For a talk to members of our senior leadership team, we hosted Frank Ricciardone on Monday. Frank is an MBN friend and fan. Iran was part of the discussion. Frank served as U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Egypt, as president of the American University in Cairo, and taught at a boarding school in Tehran early in his career.
Iran and China
I was scheduled to moderate a discussion with Navid Kermani for the Goethe Institute and Thomas Mann House this coming Monday. The program is being rescheduled due to a change in Navid’s travel plans.
The son of Iranian parents, Navid is an influential, prize-winning German author and essayist. I recommend his most recent book.“Wenn sich unsere Herzen gleich öffnen” (“When Our Hearts Open Alike”) deals with the role of literature in an increasingly polarized world. I’ll let you know once a new date is set.
On Tuesday February 10, we’ll be at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) to discuss the MBN editorial strategy. FDD plays a prominent role in Washington’s Iran debates. FDD’s CEO Mark Dubowitz is kindly hosting us.
Ken Pollack knows the effect of Iranian foreign policy and influence operations across our region. On Wednesday February 11, MBN hosts Ken for a breakfast roundtable at the National Press Club. Ken built an impressive Middle East program at the Brookings Institution and has worked as a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He’s now vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute.
There’s more.
On February 18, Leila, Matt, and I will join Min as she briefs the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC). The USCC is a bipartisan legislative branch commission whose primary mission is to monitor national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic.
The Commission is chaired by former State Department official Randall Schriver. Chairman Shriver and his Commission members are interested in MBN’s work tracking China’s soft power projection in the Middle East and North Africa.
On February 24, I’ll be in Nashville for the Alexander Hamilton Society speaking to students and faculty at Belmont University.
On March 4, we’ll host a DC salon featuring former State Department official Elliott Abrams and Iranian-American author, poet, and human rights advocate Roya Hakakian. Iran has just launched a new campaign targeting non-governmental organizations and individuals involved in documenting recent human rights abuses. In January, the regime’s security forces killed and detained thousands of protesters.
You’re all doing important, purposeful work. I see integrity, service, striving for excellence — and nothing but opportunity and vast potential ahead. Keep at it. You have my respect and gratitude.
Best, Jeff
