Munich Pact

Crimea, Czechoslovakia, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, Russia, Soviet Union, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 24, 2015

REPRISE: August 20, 1968 — “Dubček, Svoboda!”

From August 20, 2011 On this date, 43 years ago, the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies invaded Czechoslovakia, putting down with its tanks…

coverage of foreign events, Crimea, Dictatorship, Dimming Vision of World Affairs, electronic curtain, extrajudicial execution, foreign correspondents, foreign news coverage, freedom of speech, Google, Google filtering, Google indexing, History, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Russia, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes March 19, 2015

REPRISE: After disappearing act, Vladimir Putin remains prime suspect in Nemtsov assassination

After disappearing act, Vladimir Putin remains prime suspect in Nemtsov assassination Originally published on March 17, 2015 See (1) Nemtsov assassination represents a stark warning…

coverage of foreign events, Crimea, Dictatorship, foreign correspondents, foreign news coverage, freedom of speech, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, Russia, sanctions, targeted assassinations, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin March 17, 2015

After disappearing act, Vladimir Putin remains prime suspect in Nemtsov assassination

Developing See (1) “Ukraine Update: Overview and signficance of the continuing Russan invasion »Nemtsov assassination represents a stark warning to the opposition: ‘Criticize Putin, especially…

Dictatorship, extrajudicial execution, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Russia, sanctions, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin February 28, 2015

Nemtsov assassination represents a stark warning to the opposition: “Criticize Putin, especially on the Ukraine, and you may die” (Updated March 6, 2015)

UPDATE (March 6, 2004) See Steffen Dobbert “Interview: ‘Putin hat Nemzow exekutieren lassen.’ Was Putin mit Hitler verbindet, und weshalb nur Russlands Präsident hinter dem…

Barack Obama, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, Spain, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United Nations Secretary General, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes February 7, 2015

REPRISE: Kiev caves in to Russian military threats, offering far-reaching concessions in eastern Ukraine; Pacifism and appeasement grip Wasington and Europe; First signs of Russian military intervention appear, as troops on border are poised to strike

Originally published April 12, 2014 The Atmosphere in Washington On Saturday, April 12, The New York Times did not have a story (or even a…

U.S Foreign Relations September 2, 2014

Western leaders, claiming there is no military solution in the Ukraine, prepare weak sanctions that will give Putin a military victory by Russian tanks (Updated September 4, 2014)

Updated September 4, 2014 Western leaders who say there is no military solution in the Ukraine are wrong: A miltary solution is in the making,…

Crimea, Czechoslovakia, Deutschland, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, Russia, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin August 19, 2014

REPRISE: August 20, 1968 — “Dubček, Svoboda!”

From August 20, 2011 On this date, 43 years ago, the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies invaded Czechoslovakia, putting down with its tanks…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Czechoslovakia, Deutschland, France, Germany, History, International Law, Justice Department, NATO, Russia, U.N. Charter, U.S. Congress, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force July 3, 2014

Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine continues; Europe refuses serious sanctions; Only serious sanctions can stop Russia

Developing For background, see The Trenchant Observer, “The virus of nationalism and military aggression: Adolf Hitler in Vienna, March, 1938; Vladimir Putin in Sevastopol, May…

Barack Obama, Czechoslovakia, Deutschland, Dictatorship, France, Germany, History, International Law, Russia, sanctions, U.S. Congress, Ukraine, United States, use of force June 30, 2014

The virus of nationalism and military aggression: Adolf Hitler in Vienna, March, 1938; Vladimir Putin in Sevastopol, May 9, 2014

The virus of unbounded nationalism and military aggression ravaged Europe, Germany and the world in the 1930’s and 1940’s, leading to World War II and…

Crimea, International Law, Russia, sanctions, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, use of force June 25, 2014

New EU Regulation prohibits Importation or financing of imports of goods from the Crimea

The EU has imposed a real sanction on Russia which prohibits the importation to the EU or by any EU national or company of goods…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, Dictatorship, elections, freedom of speech, Germany, History, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.S Foreign Relations, United States, use of force May 13, 2014

The West at a crossroads in the Ukraine: “Rechtstaat” or “Machtpolitik”?

Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, and other leaders from the West seem lost in the flow of events in the Ukraine, responding only to immediate pressures….

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, Germany, History, International Law, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, syria, U.N. Charter, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force April 12, 2014

Kiev caves in to Russian military threats, offering far-reaching concessions in eastern Ukraine; Pacifism and appeasement grip Wasington and Europe; First signs of Russian military intervention appear, as troops on border are poised to strike

The Atmosphere in Washington On Saturday, April 12, The New York Times did not have a story (or even a reference) on its front page…

Barack Obama, France, History, International Law, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, U.N. Charter, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force April 8, 2014

Russia threatens further aggression against the Ukraine: The response of the West has been a bad joke; Putin must be stopped

Updated and revised Let me say quite frankly that it pains our hearts to see what is happening in Ukraine at the moment, see the…

Crimea, Crimes Against Humanity, Deutschland, freedom of speech, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, Russia, syria, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, Ukraine, use of force, Venezuela April 4, 2014

Is Putin like Hitler?

For a strong opinion on why Russian annexation of the Crimea cannot be accepted, see Jana Puglierin, “Wir dürfen die Annexion nicht hinnehmen,” Der Spiegel,…

Barack Obama, Chemical weapons, China, Crimes Against Humanity, Dictatorship, International Law, Iran, Middle East, Russia, State Department, syria, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Congress, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, United States, use of force, war crimes September 19, 2013

Obama, Putin and Syria: Commentary on the fallout from Obama’s backdown

(1) Jacques Schuster, “Meinung: Russland Garantiemacht aller Schurken in Nahost,” Die Welt, 19 September 2013. Im Syrien-Konflikt halten sich sieben Parteien für den Gewinner. Kann…

Barack Obama, Chemical weapons, China, Crimes Against Humanity, human rights, International Law, Russia, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, United States, use of force, war crimes September 18, 2013

Details in U.N. inspectors’ report on chemical weapons massacre at Ghouta point ineluctably to al-Assad (with link to report); more commentary

Developing–check back for updates The text of the UN Chemical Weapons Inspectors’ Report is found below (with link). United Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of…

Barack Obama, China, CIA, Crimes Against Humanity, History, human rights, International Law, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Russia, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.S Foreign Relations, U.S. Congress, U.S. Intervention, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, war crimes, Yemen May 7, 2013

REPRISE: “Looney Toons” at the White House: New York Times article details Obama’s thinking on Syria—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #45 (May 27, 2012)

Introduction to the REPRISE (May 7, 2013) So, Obama’s “red line” on the use of chemical weapons in Syria turns out to be a red…

Barack Obama, China, CIA, Crimes Against Humanity, dubai, extrajudicial execution, foreign news coverage, France, Germany, History, human rights, Intelligence, International Law, Iran, Middle East, NATO, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, State Department, State Department Human Rights Country Reports, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, targeted assassinations, targeted killings, Torture, Turkey, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, U.S. news coverage, United Kingdom, United States, use of force, war crimes May 27, 2012

“Looney Toons” at the White House: New York Times article details Obama’s thinking on Syria—Obama’s Debacle in Syria — Update #45 (May 27)

looney-tunes adj. [after Looney Tunes, trademark for a series of animated cartoons] [Slang] crazy; demented: also loon’ y-tunes *** loony [Slang] adj. loon’i-er, looní-est [LUNATIC]…

Czechoslovakia, Deutschland, Dictatorship, France, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, religious belief, Torture, U.N. Charter, use of force August 20, 2011

August 20, 1968 — “Dubček, Svoboda!”

On this date, 43 years ago, the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies invaded Czechoslovakia, putting down with its tanks what its own broken…

Czechoslovakia, Deutschland, France, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, religious belief, Torture, U.N. Charter, use of force August 20, 2010

August 20, 1968 — “Dubček, Svoboda!”

Personal Takes I had a picture of Alexander Dubček on my wall when I was a student studying international law. He represented the hope of…