Middle East expert speaks in Hub City - WDAM-TV 7-News, Weather, Sports-Hattiesburg, MS

HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) - An expert on the Middle East spoke to a Hattiesburg audience Thursday night about the war in Libya and other ongoing events in that region. David Schenker is a senior fellow for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Speaking at Temple B'Nai Israel, Schenker said that we're witnessing the most profound developments in the Middle East since the 1979 Iranian revolution. He says however, that no one can predict whether the events will lead to true democratic reforms.

"What we're seeing (is) people power essentially removing or toppling, or trying to topple, some of the more repressive governments in the region," Schenker said. "You have now the people rising up in Libya with the U.S. commitment that we see, as well as the international community taking a humanitarian role that may, or will likely result in the end with Khadaffi leaving or being killed," said Schenker. 

Schenker is director of the Program on Arab Politics for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 

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