Trump undercuts U.N. democratic efforts in Libya, siding with authoritarian dictatorships
President Trump, in a surprise reversal of U.S. policy, has acted to undercut United Nations efforts to build and support a democratic government in Libya….
Libya
REPRISE — The fruits of pacifist foreign policies: Aggression in Ukraine, atrocities in Syria
Viewing the developing Russian-Ukrainian war from the vantage point of March 3, 2014, it is striking to note how much of what has happened since…
The fruits of pacifist foreign policies: Aggression in Ukraine, atrocities in Syria; Merkel’s fact-finding mission—a last chance to avert disaster?
The new hybrid pacifism The new, hybrid pacifism of Barack Obama and NATO countries has been obscured by Obama’s use of drones, and military operations…
European court of human rights condemns Macedonia for “extraordinary rendition” to cooperating CIA officials, in Khaled el-Masri case
News to Note See Nicholas Kulish, “Court Finds Rights Violation in C.I.A. Rendition Case,” New York Times, December 13, 2012. Amrit Singh, “European court of…
Hillary Clinton and “The Benghazi Triangle”—where careers and reputations vanish without a trace
The Bermuda Triangle is a well-known area where ships have been known to vanish without a trace, and without any cogent explanation. It seems that…
International law and foreign policy questions for third presidential debate
Developing Questions for Romney and Obama at the third presidential debate on foreign policy, to be held on October 22 1. Will you push for Senate…
Obama’s Achilles’ Heel: Hubris and the Arrogance of Power
For the next three weeks it will be very hard to say anything critical about President Obama without it being interpreted as providing fuel for…
New details on Benghazi attack on consulate, American response
New details about the attack on the American consulate and annex in Benghazi and the American response on the ground on the evening of September…
Mitt Romney delivers important speech on foreign policy
Governor Mitt Romney has delivered an important speech on his vision of U.S. foreign policy. Pundits and Obama supporters have already criticized and rebutted the…
Muslim rage and the West: The expression of regret for the protected speech of others
“Muslim Rage”, Riots, and Criminal Attacks in Response to the Film Entitled “The Innocence of Muslims” The publication on the Internet of a “trailer” for…
Will France take the lead on Syria?—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #85 (September 7)
In March, 2011, as the Obama administration dragged its heels and made clear it had no intention of intervening in Libya, we wrote: For days,…
U.S. State Department Releases “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011” (with video)
Today, May 24, 2012, three months after the statutory deadline of February 25, the State Department finally released its annual report on the human rights…
Republican Senator John McCain Urges U.S. Military Attacks to Halt Atrocities in Syria—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #3 (March 5)
For earlier articles on Syria by The Trenchant Observer, see the Articles on Syria page. *** “Therefore, at the request of the Syrian National Council,…
Diplomats founder: Military action, not “mediation”, required to halt crimes against humanity—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #1 (February 29, revised March 1)
Revised March 1, 2012 For earlier articles on Syria by The Trenchant Observer, see the Articles on Syria page. Syrian tank firing in Homs “So,…
U.N. Commission Report on Crimes Against Humanity in Syria; Military Action; Unilateral Humanitarian Intervention in Syria and International Law
Terror That Cannot Be Stopped By Logic or Reason Bashar al-Assad’s assault on civilians with tanks, snipers, and all the instruments of terror of a modern state is…
Obama’s debacle in Syria
President Obama and his foreign policy team made a huge effort not to get involved in Libya, but in the end they were dragged into…
Obama’s foreign policy juggernaut, including Tom Donilon, and the risks of hubris (updated)
jug[ger[naut n. (altered < Hindi Jagannath < Sans Jagannatha, lord of the world < jagat, world + natha, lord) 1 an incarnation of the Hindu…
Syria: The Human Cost of Delay
An editorial today in The Daily Star (Beirut) reviewed the major developments and factors at play in Syria, including 1) the report of the Arab…
REPRISE: Syria and the Shame of the World
Originally published August 20, 2011 Bashar Al-Assad is pursuing the Libyan solution to civilian demonstrations–turn your tanks and your weapons on the demonstrators, and kill…
Ratko Mladic to join Radovan Karadic in The Hague; Moammar Qaddafi and Bashar al-Assad await similar fates
The capture and imminent extradition of Ratko Mladic, the butcher of Srebrenice, to The Hague where he will join his partner in genocide, crimes against…