article 51 of the U.N. Charter

No Picture

Barack Obama, China, Crimea, Deutschland, Dictatorship, European Union, France, Germany, History, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin February 9, 2015

February 11 Minsk Summit on the Ukraine: Latest update and analysis (Updated February 10, 2015)

Updated February 10, 2015 BACKGROUND The following articles, by some of the most experienced and incisive commentators writing on international affairs, provide the context and…

No Picture

Barack Obama, Crimea, Crimes Against Humanity, extrajudicial execution, International Law, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, targeted assassinations, targeted killings, Turkey, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, United States, use of force, war crimes October 7, 2014

International law and the use of military force against groups in Syria

There is considerable confusion over the legality under international law of taking military action against groups and targets in Syria. This has led some governments…

No Picture

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, International Law, Justice Department, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin September 8, 2014

Finland blocks entry into force of EU sanctions, gravely threatening prospects for peace in Ukraine

UPDATE (September 10, 2014) “Trotz Beschluss gegen Russland: EU drückt sich vor Sanktionen; Die Europäische Union zögert die angekündigten Strafmaßnahmen gegen Russland im Ukraine-Konflikt weiter…

No Picture

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, International Law, Justice Department, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin September 8, 2014

Pacifists and appeasers in EU delay entry into force of new sanctions, undermining hard actions which produced Minsk ceasefire and peace process agreement

Latest News and Opinion See (1) “Sanktionen in der Ukraine-Krise: EU lässt Moskau noch einige Tage,” Der Spiegel, 8. September 2014 (2153 Uhr). Sie sind…

No Picture

Barack Obama, Deutschland, European Union, Germany, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, U.N. Charter, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin September 5, 2014

Terms of Minsk ceasefire agreement described; NATO decisions and new U.S. and EU sactions—if not sidelined at last moment—suggest toughening stance toward Putin

Developing Neil MacFarquhar of the New York times has provided an excellent summary of the terms of the ceasefire agreement reached in Minsk today, in…

No Picture

Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, Germany, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department Human Rights Country Reports, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 26, 2014

Julia Smirnova of Die Welt lays out proof that Russian regular troops are fighting in the eastern Ukraine

Despite Vladimir Putin’s blatant lies asserting that Russian troops have not entered the Ukraine, seasoned reporter Julia Mirnova of Die Welt lays out irrefutable evidence…

No Picture

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, History, International Law, Justice Department, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.S. Congress, U.S. Intervention, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 26, 2014

REPRISE: Overt Russian military invasion of the Ukraine underway; West must impose harsh stage 3 sanctions immediately

Putin has challenged directly the existing international political and legal order, upon which, incidentally, the world’s economic order rests.

Either Putin and Russia win, or the West and the other civilized countries of the world win.

It is that stark and simple.

No Picture

Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, History, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, NATO, Russia, self-defense, State Department, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes August 25, 2014

Putin redraws the map of Europe with Russian troops, as Western leaders slumber through the summer of appeasement of 2014

Western leaders, caught in the incapacitating net of their own illusions about Russia, and their own deep-seated pacifism and appeasement, are in effect slumbering through…

No Picture

Barack Obama, China, Crimea, Czechoslovakia, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Congress, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 22, 2014

Overt Russian military invasion of the Ukraine underway; West must impose harsh stage 3 sanctions immediately

Developing Putin has challenged directly the existing international political and legal order, upon which, incidentally, the world’s economic order rests. Either Putin and Russia win,…

No Picture

Barack Obama, Crimea, Czechoslovakia, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 21, 2014

FEAR OF THE AGGRESSOR: Merkel reported planning to push for ceasefire in Ukraine at Minsk meeting with Poroshenko, Putin

Draft (developing) Richard Balmforth of Reuters reports tonight that President Petro Petroshenko plans to ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his fighters from the…

No Picture

Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 21, 2014

Ukraine reports capture of two Russian tanks — providing further proof of ongoing Russian military intervention

Further evidence of the ongoing military intervention by Russia in the Ukraine was made public today when the Ukrainian government announced it had captured two…

No Picture

Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, Justice Department, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 19, 2014

Why should the West help Putin “save face” in the Ukraine?

Developing The diplomats are thinking of ways to stop the fighting in the Donbass, and a way to help Vladimir Putin to “save face” in…