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"that spark of the divine", Africa, CIA, Dictatorship, elections, extrajudicial execution, extraordinary rendering, extraordinary rendition, human rights, Intelligence, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Latin America, Nobel Peace Prize, religious belief, Rule of Law, Torture, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Intervention January 15, 2018

REPRISE: Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

Originally Posted By: The Observer January 18, 2016 Today is Martin Luther King day in the United States, a national holiday. It is a good…

2016 U.S. Presidential election, Donald Trump, elections, State Department, Trump and Putin, Vladimir Putin August 15, 2017

Russia as the great white power: Behind Trump’s and the Alt-right’s love of Putin

“REPRISE: Russia as the great white power: Behind Trump’s affinity to Vladimir Putin,” first published January 12, 2017. *** See Alan Feuer and Andrew Higgins,…

2016 U.S. Presidential election, Crimea, Crimes Against Humanity, Dictatorship, Donald Trump, elections, European Union, History, human rights, NATO, Russia, sanctions, Soviet Union, syria, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes January 12, 2017

Russia as the great white power: Behind Trump’s affinity to Vladimir Putin

See Alan Feuer and Andrew Higgins, “Extremists Turn to a Leader to Protect Western Values: Vladimir Putin,” New York Times, December 3, 2016. Tom Hamburger,…

2016 U.S. Presidential election, Donald Trump, elections, Hillary Clinton, History, Intelligence, International Law, Russia, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.S. Congress, United States, Vladimir Putin December 18, 2016

The emoluments clause and potential collusion with the Russians: Two Reasons and 37 Profiles in Courage needed to Stop Trump

Developing We owe an obligation to ourselves and to history to not meekly acquiesce in the what might be termed the normalization of outrage regarding…

Crimea, Donald Trump, elections, History, Intelligence, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, State Department, U.N. Charter, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes December 11, 2016

Seven days in December: Seven days left to stop Trump, before the Electoral College vote on December 19

Developing The Electoral College vote to elect the next president of the U.S. will be held on December 19, 2016. That means there are seven…

2016 U.S. Presidential election, Deutschland, Donald Trump, elections, European Union, Germany, History, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, NATO, U.N. Charter, United States November 11, 2016

The full catastrophe — The election of Donald Trump: Hopes, illusions and reality

Donald Trump has won an electoral victory in the November 8 , 2016 presidential elections, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton won a majority of…

Crimea, Donald Trump, elections, Hillary Clinton, History, Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, Nuclear Proliferation, nuclear war, Russia, Soviet Union, syria, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin November 5, 2016

Trump, Clinton, and the risk of nuclear war

Voter Guide See Sam Nunn, “Only Hillary Clinton Is Prepared for the Nuclear Threat; Donald Trump is an apprentice in the nuclear world. Worse, he…

U.S Foreign Relations September 15, 2016

“Working through the Russians” in Syria; Generals and Defense Department oppose Obama’s proposed military cooperation

For over four years, President Barack Obama has been pursuing a policy of “working through the Russians” in Syria. One might ask, “How has it…

History, human rights, Mitt Romney, State Department, Torture, U.N. Convention Against Torture, United States March 6, 2016

The ugly face of America: Donald Trump and his supporters

Finally, a leading political figure in the United States, Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for the presidency in 2012, stood up and denounced Donald…

Crimes Against Humanity, human rights, NATO, Russia, State Department, syria, U.S. Military, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes February 17, 2016

Chessmaster Putin allows humanitarian convoys to distract attention from air attacks and battle for Aleppo

Russia seems to be complying with part of the sketchy “Cessation of Hostilities agreement in Munich on February 12, 2016, by allowing humanitarian aid convoys…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Dictatorship, European Union, human rights, International Law, NATO, nuclear war, Russia, sanctions, Saudi Arabia, syria, targeted assassinations, U.N. Charter, U.S. Military, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin February 8, 2016

Syria: Russian victory, American defeat

See Stefan Kornelius, “Syrien: Wo bleiben die USA?,” Sueddeutsche Zeitung, 7. Februar 2016 (22:05 Uhr). “Ein offener Staaten-Krieg mit Syrien im Zentrum steht kurz bevor….

"that spark of the divine", CIA, elections, History, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, South Africa, U.N. Charter, U.S. Constitution, United States, use of force, vision of peace January 18, 2016

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today is Martin Luther King day in the United States, a national holiday. It is a good moment to remember the man, his message, and…

Barack Obama, CIA, Crimea, Crimes Against Humanity, European Union, extrajudicial execution, extraordinary rendering, extraordinary rendition, International Law, Iraq, NATO, Nicaragua, Russia, Serbia, Soviet Union, syria, U.N. Charter, U.N. Torture Convention, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes January 17, 2016

2016: Fateful time for a conversation about international law

Does any of this matter? Do we care any more about whether one country invades another by military force? Does it matter how we respond?…

U.S Foreign Relations December 31, 2015

REPRISE: The last international lawyer, or so it seemed

A fitting commentary on 2015 follows: Originally published on September 27, 2015 THE LAST INTERNATIONAL LAWYER, OR SO IT SEEMED It was a curious time,…

Crimea, extrajudicial execution, human rights, Intelligence, Russia, sanctions, State Department, syria, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin December 14, 2015

As Kerry travels to Moscow, Putin thwarts investigation into assassination of Boris Nemtsov on February 27, 2015

As John Kerry travels to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin to discuss Syria and the Ukraine, Putin’s cover-up “investigation” into those responsible for Boris…

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Ecuador, elections, History, human rights, International Law, Nicaragua, Venezuela November 25, 2015

President-elect Maurício Macri: Democracy in Latin America gets a boost from Argentina

With the election of Marício Macri in Argentina, defeating the candidate of the ruling party of Cristina Kirchner, a strong new voice for democracy throughout…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Google filtering, History, International Law, NATO, nuclear war, Russia, sanctions, Saudi Arabia, syria, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Military, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes November 25, 2015

Update on Putin and Syria

Update: Cut-off of provision of electricity to the Crimea, and the downing of a Russian plane by Turkey on November 24, 2015 Two events have…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Crimes Against Humanity, Deutschland, European Union, France, freedom of speech, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, NATO, nuclear war, Russia, sanctions, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, Turkey, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes November 24, 2015

The Trenchant Observer

International Law, Politics, and Security