Personal Takes: Russian war crimes in Syria, appeasement, and disgust
Developing PERSONAL TAKES Once in a while, The Observer reflects on his own personal involvement in world events. Today’s news triggered such a reflection. The…
U.S. Congress
Cherif Bassiouni, top expert on war crimes, confirms Russians and Iranians, including Putin, responsible for war crimes in Syria if they were aware of operations
Developing See Josh Rogin, “Putin and Assad could face justice for war crimes in Syria, Washington Post, October 9, 2016 (7:53 p.m. EDT). Julian Borger,…
REPRISE — Civilization falters: Aleppo Burns; Obama looks the other way; Putin threatens, Petraeus underlines feasability of military options; U.S. government paralyzed by Obama’s obstinancy (Updated October 8, 2016)
Check back for further updates UPDATE: October 8, 2016 Russia has this afternoon vetoed a French-sponsored Security Council resolution aimed at halting the war crimes…
Vice-Presidential debate: Pence pushes Kaine and Clinton on military action in Syria
Developing In VP Debate, Pence Reveals Thrust of Foreign Policy Attack Against Clinton During the Vice-Presidential debate between Tim Kaine and Mike Spence, Spence revealed…
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…
Reasoning from conclusions: Blind hope as the basis for U.S. foreign policy in Syria
Developing See Karen DeYoung, “U.S. calls on Russia and Syria to ground all aircraft in northwest Syria,” Washington Post, September 21, 2016 (8:28 PM). Karen…
Eid e shoma mobarak, Nowruz mobarak: President Obama’s Nowruz (Persian New Year) greeting to Persians throughout the world
President Obama’s annual Persian New Year’s Greeting comes at at perhaps the most hopeful moment in U.S.-Iranian relations in the last 35 years, following the…
International Law and the Descent toward Barbarism: MSF —“Wars are being fought as in ‘barbarian times’
International Law constitutes the structure and the fabric which helps to hold international society back from a descent into barbarism. But, as is the case…
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…
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…