Syria: Aleppo and the shame of the world
For background, see (1) Roger Cohen, “America’s Syrian Shame,” The New York Times, February 8, 2016. (2) David E. Sanger, “Russian Intervention in Syrian War…
Middle East
2016: Fateful time for a conversation about international law
Does any of this matter? Do we care any more about whether one country invades another by military force? Does it matter how we respond?…
REPRISE: Crumbling world order: Power politics and international law
First published on September 10, 2015 See Stefan Kornelius, “Putins Machtspiele; Ruhe in der Ukraine, Druck in Syrien. Russlands Präsident sendet rätselhafte Signale. Sucht er…
Obama-Putin meeting at UN: The resurgence of pacifism and appeasement toward Putin and Russia in Europe and the U.S.
See Julia Smirnova, “Die wundersame Rückkehr des Wladimir Putin In der New Yorker UN-Woche drängt Putin ins Zentrum der Weltbühne. Durch die aktive Rolle im…
David Petraeus offers clear policy suggestions on Syria and Iraq in testimony before Senate Armed Services Committee (video and transcript)
“U.S. Policy in the Middle East, C-Span, September 22, 2015. Former CIA Director and General David Petraeus (Ret.) testified at a hearing on U.S. policy…
Kerry and Obama’s strategy on Syria: Work through the Russians and thow a “Hail Mary” pass on negotiations
See MICHAEL R. GORDON and ERIC SCHMITT, “Russian Buildup in Syria Raises Questions on Role,” New York Times, September 19, 2015. Stefan Braun, Berlin, und…
Russia and the U.S. flying missions in Syrian airspace — Failed U.S. Policies lead to dangerous situation as Russia makes strategic military move into Syria
Developing See Louis Imbert (avec Reuters), “Etats-Unis et Russie évoquent la présence de leurs avions respectifs dans le ciel Syrien,” Le Monde le 19 Septembre…
Crumbling world order: Power politics and international law—the way forward
See Stefan Kornelius, “Putins Machtspiele; Ruhe in der Ukraine, Druck in Syrien. Russlands Präsident sendet rätselhafte Signale. Sucht er einen Weg aus der Isolation? Oder…
REPRISE–Syria: Russia and Iran complicit under International Law in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity
Late News—- See MICHAEL R. GORDON and ERIC SCHMITT, “U.S. Moves to Block Russian Military Buildup in Syria,” New York Times, September 8, 2015. Vladimir…
Abdel al-Sisi visits Vladimir Putin in Russia: Egypt as a new member of the League of Authoritarian States
Developing Egyptian President Abdel al-Sisi has visited Vladimir Putin in Russia, seeking to build closer relations with the Russian dictator and his authoritarian state. As…
The cold-blooded REALPOLITIK of the American president: Obama’s intellectual calculations in foreign policy, and his heart as cold as stone
Developing Obama seems to have opposed stronger action in Syria and in opposing Russian aggression in the Ukraine out of some demented belief that he…
The missing elements in the war against ISIS — Taking down their websites and engaging in robust public diplomacy
UPDATE June 23, 2015 Europe is setting up a special police unit to monitor jihadist sites and content, andd to remove it. See Richard Spencer,…
U.S. strategy and leadership needed: The Middle East and other countries hurtle into the Vortex
On some days, the news is so disturbing that you want to take a broader view of what is going on in a region, or…
Strategy beyond the Ukraine: It’s time to start thinking about the risks of nuclear war with Russia, and of appeasement
The world stands at a perilous point where the risks of an accidental (or other) nuclear war with Russia are greater than they have been…
Civilization falters, as Russian aggression stands and Islamic terrorism explodes
The Charlie Hebdo massacre by Islamic extremists on January 7 underlines the failure of the West and other civilized countries to win the struggle in…
The Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, and the torture trail leading to Abu Gharib
See ANDREW HIGGINS and MAÏA de la BAUME, “Two Brothers Suspected in Killings Were Known to French Intelligence Services,” New York Times, January 8, 2015….
Three imperious challenges for U.S. foreign policy: Ukraine, ISIS and Ebola
While the United States has finally, and belatedly, begun military actions in Iraq and Syria to slow the advance of ISIS forces, the country is…
A rudderless U.S. foreign policy: Obama flounders in dealing with the Ukraine, ISIS, and Ebola
Draft While the United States has finally, and belatedly, begun military actions in Iraq and Syria to slow the advance of ISIS forces, the country…
Order in the World: Things fall apart
One of the wisest and most-experieced journalists reporting on foreign policy, Roger Cohen, who writes an Op-Ed column for the New York Times, has published…
The Russia-Ukraine War: Putin, cunning judo master, versus Obama, NATO, and EU, conflicted and confused; Protagonists continue battle for Ukraine and vision of world order
Developing Russian President Vladimir Putin, a cunning and brilliant tactician who has now taken on the entire international legal and political order through his invasions…