Argentina

Russian war crimes in Aleppo and Syria: Civilized nations must impose sectorial sanctions now

Given the gravity of Russian violations of international humanitarian law, by a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, civilized nations should undertake two specific…

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What difference does it make if John Brennan is confirmed?



REPRISE: “The League of Authoritarian States”—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #65 (July 19)

REPRISE: “The League of Authoritarian States”—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #50 (June 9) First published June 9, 2012 … Responses to events in Syria…


If Russia vetoes a Security Council resolution on Syria, then what? — Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update # 64 (July 17)

We are at a potential decision point on Syria. A draft resolution presented by France, the U.K., the United States and Germany, extending the UNSMIS…



Update: Torture, The STL in Lebanon, and Obama’s “Way Forward” in Afghanistan

Today we introduce a new feature in The Trenchant Observer, an occasional column commenting on some of the more important events of the previous weeks…




Garzon’s Accusers are Accused: Abuse of Judicial Power in Garzón Case is Stain on Spanish Judiciary

Judge Luciano Varela and the President of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court, Juan Saavedra, have themselves been accused in a private criminal complaint…



In Spain, Judge Baltazar Garzón, Champion of Human Rights, is Prosecuted

The great champion of international human rights and of the exercise of universal jurisdiction in human rights cases, Judge Baltazar Garzón, has been criminally charged by a judge’s order, in a private criminal action (querella) brought by right-wing groups, for alleged abuse of power and violation of an amnesty by investigating matters related the the civil war in Spain.

In an editorial on March 8, 2010, the New York Times condemned this action, saying,

Mr. Garzón should be allowed to resume that work at the earliest possible date. Spain needs an honest accounting of its troubled past, not prosecution of those who have the courage to demand it.