The Foreign Service Journal, January 2009

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 45 both the timeline for genuine democratic change and how much influence the U.S. has on the process. First, if we look back over the past five years, we can say that our efforts to promote reform in the region have had some notable successes. Still, no one could claim that democracy has firmly taken hold in any country. On the other hand, viewing the same period as the first stage of a decades-long process, there have been important develop- ments that could form the foundation for democratic soci- eties in the Middle East. Second, our assistance cannot single-handedly bring democracy to this region. What we can do is support those who strive to spark democratic change in their own coun- tries and urge the governments to listen to their people. In this regard, one should not undervalue the impact that U.S. political support for democratic reform, backed up by con- crete support for the courageous people trying to achieve it, can have on changing the dynamic in these countries. We have already seen proof of that on many occasions. We must accept, however, that this outside role will never be decisive. For democracy to succeed, it must come from within. That is not a linear process, however: there is no magic formula for getting there, and the U.S. government doesn’t (and shouldn’t) have its hands on the controls. After five years of the MEPI experience, the United States is now better positioned to play its role promoting democratic reform in the Arab world. We have established a relationship of trust with a network of reformers in the re- gion, instilled an understanding of the policy/programnexus within the StateDepartment and embassies, and created an effective mechanism for identifying reform opportunities and responding with programs and political support. One can always question whether all the priorities are on target or all the cogs are meshing, which I fully expect the next administration will do. After all, promoting re- form in the Arab world will remain a U.S. priority, so the next administration will need all the appropriate instru- ments for advancing this very real interest. In MEPI, we have added a unique, if still imperfect, tool to the diplo- matic toolbox. F O C U S