Investing In Diplomacy:

An Association of US Middle Eastern Studies

Nazir Harb, Princeton University

Investing in diplomacy means investing in language training. The establishmentof a National Association of U.S. Middle Eastern Studies would facilitate en-hanced Middle Eastern language training and area expertise, and would dem-onstrate the U.S.’s commitment to approaching the region in a culturally appro-priate manner.

The NSA—in charge o Signals Inelligence—is overwhelmed wih inormaion ha needso be sied hrough by speakers o Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Pasho, Kurdish, and ohers. Thebar has been raised rom he Cold War sandard o a minimum o level 2 uency (ou o 5,where 5 is believed o be atainable only by naive speakers) o 4 and 5 by mos agenciesand deparmens under he Bush adminisraion. However, here is a signican discrep-ancy beween wha is now required and wha is being done o culivae such levels oprociency among Americans. There is only one governmen-backed ile VI LanguageResource Cener in he enire counry ocused on Middle Easern languages, which hasonly been around since 2002.In he aermah o he Cuban MissileCrisis and amids Cold War ensions,Presiden Kennedy, in 1961, enacedhe Alliance or Progress, a programha alloted unds o address illi-eracy and poor educaion, as well aspromoe and aid economic inegra-ion, growh o he marke economy,echnical raining, and Peace Corpsprograms. Pos 9/11, we have ye osee developmens ha even begino approximae hese eors. Whilecurren inernaional educaion undsexceed hose o he 1960s in number,1960s unds surpass curren appro-priaions by ar in real dollar value.

Analysis

The U.S. governmen, in accordance wih Tile VI o he Higher Educaion Ac o 1958,needs o esablish a Naional Associaion o U.S. Middle Easern Sudies Programs(NAUMESP). This ederally and inernaionally unded NAUMESP will: 1) represen heserious domesic and oreign policy reorms required o improve he U.S. image abroad,2) enhance cross-culural undersanding, 3) creae more and higher-qualiy criical lan-guage specialiss, 4) provide a raining insiue or U.S. educaors seeking o creae Mid-dle Easern and Islamic sudies programs a heir schools, and 5) serve as a consulaivebody ha advises he Sae Deparmen upon reques.

Key Facts

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rabic language educaion is up 25% incolleges and universiies since 9/11—re-ecing he dierence beween 3500 and4200 sudens.Since 9/11, less han 40 U.S. undergradu-

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ae degrees in Arabic language on aver-age are graned per year.The U.S. Sae Deparmen has 54 em-

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ployees who demonsrae some level oskill in Arabic—eigh are willing o parici-pae in media debaes or discussions inArabic on Arab elevision or radio.