Past Debates: Series 2
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Tuesday, May 30 2006This House believes the family is a major obstacle to reform in the Arab worldHayfa Matar, Bahrain Foreign Ministry official FORMOTION PASSED by 51% to 49%
Ibrahim Al-Khulaifi, Psychologist and expert in family psychology AGAINST
Mohammad Al Rumaihi, Professor of political sociology, Kuwait University FOR
Islah Jad, Lecturer on gender issues and politics, BirZeit AGAINST
Broadcast: 10-11 June, 2006
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Tuesday, April 25 2006This House believes it is time for the Arab League to disbandShafeeq Ghabra, Prof. of Political Science, American University of Kuwait FORMOTION PASSED by 60% to 40%
Hesham Youssef, Chief of the Cabinet, Arab League AGAINST
Chibli Mallat, Presidential candidate in Lebanon, academic and lawyer FOR
Azmi Bishara, Israeli-Arab politician AGAINST
Broadcast: 13-14 May, 2006
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Thursday, March 30 2006Doha Debates Special Event: Dr. ElBaradei
During the third Doha Debates Special in March 2006, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, told the world to 'calm down' in the face of mounting international pressure on Iran.
In response to questions from Doha's students, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assured the public there is no imminent threat from Tehran. However, he did say that Iran had a 'confidence deficit' and needed to be more transparent and cooperative with the IAEA.
Broadcast: 15-16 April, 2006
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Tuesday, March 28 2006This House believes that Iran poses the greatest threat to security in the regionNazenin Ansari, Diplomatic Editor of Kayhan (London) FORMOTION REJECTED by 36% to 64%
Michael Axworthy, Former Iran specialist, British Foreign Office AGAINST
Mustafa Alani, Senior Advisor, Gulf Research Center in Dubai FOR
Sadegh Zibakalam, Professor of political science, Tehran University AGAINST
Broadcast: 1-2 April, 2006
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Tuesday, February 28 2006Doha Debates Special Event: Extremism
The issue of how to combat extremism and improve relations between the West and Muslim world was the topic of the second Doha Debates Special in February 2006.
The Special was part of the Doha meeting of the United Nations' Alliance of Civilizations. Four guest speakers, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Professor John Esposito and Diana Buttu, answered questions from the student audience.
Broadcast: 18-19 March 2006
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Sunday, February 26 2006This House believes that the international community must accept Hamas as a political partnerStanley L. Cohen, American lawyer who defended a senior Hamas official FORMOTION PASSED by 88% to 12%
Salim Mansur, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Western Ontario AGAINST
Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research FOR
David Frum, Former special assistant to President George W. Bush AGAINST
Broadcast: 4-5 March, 2006
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Tuesday, January 31 2006This House believes that Arab media needs no lessons in journalism from the WestKhaled Hroub, Host of a weekly program on Al-Jazeera TV FORMOTION REJECTED by 32% to 68%
Abdallah Schleifer, Washington bureau chief, Al Arabiya AGAINST
Marc Lynch, Author, Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, Al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today FOR
Mona Eltahawy, Egyptian-born journalist and columnist AGAINST
Broadcast: 4-5 February, 2006
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Wednesday, December 14 2005This House believes that all foreign troops should leave Iraq immediatelyJames Zogby, President, Arab American Institute FORMOTION PASSED by 70% to 30%
Ali Al-Bayati, Consular general, Iraqi Embassy in London AGAINST
Reg Keys, Father of a British soldier killed in Iraq FOR
Raymond Tanter, Fmr senior staff member, US National Security Council AGAINST
Broadcast: 31 December, 2005 -1 January, 2006
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Wednesday, November 16 2005Doha Debates Special Event: Bill Clinton
Former US President Bill Clinton was the guest for the first Doha Debate Special, which was held in November 2005. The theme of the event was 'the demands of leadership' where President Clinton spoke with the students about his time in the White House.
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Tuesday, November 15 2005This House believes that oil has been more of a curse than a blessing for the Middle EastHossein Askari, Iran Professor, George Washington University. FORMOTION PASSED by 63% to 37%
Nawaf Obaid, Saudi national security consultant AGAINST
Carole Nakhle, Independent petroleum analyst FOR
Ramzi Salman, Advisor to Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry AGAINST
Broadcast: 19-20 November, 2005
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Wednesday, September 28 2005This House believes that Arab governments have failed the PalestiniansHussein Ibish, Senior Fellow, American Task Force on Palestine FORMOTION PASSED by 72% to 28%
Ahmed Maher Al Sayed, Egyptian Foreign Minister 2001-2004 AGAINST
Ghada Karmi, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter FOR
Michael Tarazi, Legal advisor to the Palestinian Authority AGAINST
Broadcast: 1-2 October, 2005
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