There’s an important development today in the battle to reform federal subsidies to programs of Middle East Studies (and other “area studies”). For some years now, Martin Kramer and I have argued that Title VI has turned into a giveaway of millions of dollars to Juan Cole and his friends, for little or nothing in return. We’ve called for federal oversight. The professors and their Democrat defenders have created a one-time commission to investigate Title VI as a way of trying to hold off serious oversight. That commission is holding hearings today. Martin Kramer has the latest. And for more developments in our battle with the Middle East Studies establishment, see my new piece, “Language@War.”