Chapter VII

Barack Obama, Chemical weapons, China, Crimes Against Humanity, France, History, human rights, NATO, Russia, State Department, syria, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Congress, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, use of force, war crimes September 10, 2013

Syria’s two problems, and Russia’s “iffy” solution to only one of them

President Obama’s speech to the nation tonight, September 10, was a weak speech, reflecting the confusion in his head and in the administration about what…

Barack Obama, Bosnia-Herzegovina, China, CIA, Crimes Against Humanity, History, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Lebanon, Libya, NATO, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, war crimes August 25, 2013

New strategy and accompanying military action needed in Syria; Justification under International Law

President Barack Obama’s strategy for dealing with Syria has demonstrably failed. That strategy consisted mainly in looking the other way, providing fitful and ineffectual covert…

Barack Obama, China, History, International Law, North Korea, Nuclear Proliferation, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, United States, use of force April 12, 2013

U.N. Security Council should meet urgently to deal with North Korea’s nuclear threats

The United Nations Charter is the only constitution we have for governance of the planet. It is not likely that it is going to be…

Africa, Barack Obama, International Law, Mali, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.S Foreign Relations, use of force December 21, 2012

U.N. Security Council adopts Resolution 2085 authorizing political, training and military action to restore control over North in Mali; confused resolution launches international bureaucratic and decision-making monstrosity

For those that have been following or are only dimly aware of recent events in Mali, where Tuareg revolutionaries and al-Queda linked terrorists have taken…

Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Colombia, Crimes Against Humanity, extrajudicial execution, France, Germany, Guatemala, human rights, human rights reports, India, International Law, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, Morocco, NATO, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, sanctions, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, Togo, Torture, Turkey, U.N. Security Council, U.N. Torture Convention, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, united arab emirates, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, war crimes July 19, 2012

Draft Security Council Resolution S/2012/538 vetoed by Russia and China (text of resolution and video link)—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #66 (July 19)

Draft Resolution S/2012/538 on Syria, sponsored by France, Germany, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States, was put to a vote this morning in…

CIA, Crimes Against Humanity, extrajudicial execution, France, Germany, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, NATO, Qatar, religious belief, Russia, Saudi Arabia, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, Torture, Turkey, U.N. Charter, U.N. Convention Against Torture, U.N. Security Council, U.N. Torture Convention, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, united arab emirates, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, war crimes, Yemen July 11, 2012

REPRISE: Goals to guide the international community in Syria—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #62 (July 11)

Originally published May 29, 2012 With talk of orchestrating a Yemen-style transition in Syria through agreement between Russia and the United States, it may be…

Barack Obama, China, CIA, corruption, Crimes Against Humanity, extrajudicial execution, France, Germany, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Middle East, NATO, Qatar, religious belief, Russia, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, targeted assassinations, targeted killings, Torture, Turkey, U.N. Charter, U.N. Convention Against Torture, U.N. Security Council, U.N. Torture Convention, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, united arab emirates, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, war crimes, Yemen May 29, 2012

Goals to guide the international community in Syria—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #47 (May 29)

With talk of orchestrating a Yemen-style transition in Syria through agreement between Russia and the United States, it may be useful to address the question…

U.S Foreign Relations October 28, 2009

COULD U.N. TAKE CONTROL OF AFGHAN ELECTIONS TO STOP SECOND ROUND FRAUD?

U.N. SHOULD IMMEDIATELY ASSUME CONTROL OVER ELECTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, POSTPONE SECOND ROUND IF NECESSARY (developing)

LAST EXIT ON THE ROAD TO DEFEAT IN AFGHANISTAN

Suggestions for U.N. Security Council Resolution under Chapter VII

The Trenchant Observer

International Law, Politics, and Security