Veterans’ Day, 2020: REPRISE–“Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?”
On November 11, 2020, we celebrate Veterans Day. Writing on November 16, after Joe Biden has won the 2020 Presidential election and as President Donald…
Read MoreU.S. Intervention
Limitations on Trump’s abuse of the pardon power
The Elephant in the Room: Russia’s Role in the Demonstrations
Trump undercuts U.N. democratic efforts in Libya, siding with authoritarian dictatorships
Trump Steers Dangerous Course in Venezuela
Opinion: Lying Republican Senators confirm lying Supreme Court nominee (Kavanaugh) nominated by lying president (Trump)
50 Years Ago: The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, and its enduring significance
REPRISE: Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.
North Korea crisis: The risks of accidental nuclear war
After Tillerson’s trip to Moscow, will Trump lift sanctions against Russia, or ever criticize Putin?
Rex Tillerson met Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin for two hours, in addition to his over three hours of meetings with foreign minister Sergey…
Europe’s shame: EU response to Russian war crimes in Aleppo and Syria
Developing The leaders of the EU have reached their decision on how to respond to Russian war crimes in Aleppo and northern Syria. They are…
War news from Syria
While President Obama and other Western leaders look away from the horror, the terror of Russian and Syrian war crimes in Syria contnues, every day….
Watch the ball move: Obama moves attention to Mosul, distracting from abject appeasement by Merkel, EU, and U.S. in response to ongoing Russian war crimes in Aleppo and Syria
Developing Appeasement has many colors and takes many forms. In the last few days, it has taken the form in Europe of shifting the focus…
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…
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…
Aleppo: Srebrenice on a massive scale
Developing See Liz Sly and Louisa Loveluck, “Darkness and fear in Aleppo as the bombs rain down,” Washington Post, September 28, 2016 (6:12 p.m.). Srebrenice,…
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…
Aleppo and Syria: Obama’s legacy of ashes
Never, it seems, have the United States and its Secretary of State groveled before the Russians to such an extent in begging for their cooperation…
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…