United States

Deutschland, France, Germany, History, self-defense, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, United States, use of force, vision of peace, war crimes November 16, 2020

Veterans’ Day, 2020: REPRISE–“Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?”

On November 11, 2020, we celebrate Veterans Day. Writing on November 16, after Joe Biden has won the 2020 Presidential election and as President Donald…

Barack Obama, extraordinary rendition, Germany, History, International Law, Nobel Lecture, Nobel Peace Prize, Oslo, self-defense, State Department Legal Adviser, targeted assassinations, targeted killings, U.N. Charter, U.S. Military, United States, use of force, vision of peace November 11, 2019

REPRISE (2019) — Veterans’ Day, 2011: “Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?”

Originally published on November 11, 2011 My uncle died in a field in northern France with a German bullet in his head. To him, and…

U.S Foreign Relations September 26, 2016

REPRISE–Syria: Russia and Iran complicit under International Law in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity (updated September 26, 2016)

Update: See “Syria: Russia’s military assault on Western civilization; Questions for the Clinton-Trump “smackdown” tonight,” The Trenchant Observer, September 26, 2016. “At last they speak…

U.S Foreign Relations September 20, 2016

Russian / Syrian attack on Red Crescent convoy in Syria is a Russian and Syrian war crime

Russian or Syrian aircraft have bombed a Red Crescent humanitarian aid convoy and warehouse in Syria. Despite calls to Russian and Syrian forces from UN…

"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?…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Crimes Against Humanity, Deutschland, extrajudicial execution, extraordinary rendering, extraordinary rendition, France, Germany, History, human rights, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, NATO, Nobel Lecture, Nobel Peace Prize, Nuclear Proliferation, nuclear war, OSCE, Oslo, Russia, sanctions, Saudi Arabia, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, syria, Taliban, targeted assassinations, targeted killings, Torture, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, Ukraine, United States, use of force, vision of peace, Vladimir Putin, war crimes November 11, 2015

REPRISE: Veterans’ Day, 2011: “Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?”

First published, November 11, 2011 My uncle died in a field in northern France with a German bullet in his head. To him, and all…

Barack Obama, History, human rights, International Law, Iran, Middle East, Russia, Soviet Union, syria, Turkey, U.N. Charter, U.S. Congress, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes September 8, 2015

REPRISE–Syria: Russia and Iran complicit under International Law in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity

Late News—- See MICHAEL R. GORDON and ERIC SCHMITT, “U.S. Moves to Block Russian Military Buildup in Syria,” New York Times, September 8, 2015. Vladimir…

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…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, human rights, International Law, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, State Department, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes January 28, 2015

Leftist victory in Greece threatens continuation of EU sanctions against Russia

Developing See (1) Julia Smirnova und Boris Kalnóky, “Mit Tspiras hat Russland einen neuen Verbündeten; Die neue griechische Regierung verfügt über bemerkenswert enge Kontakte nach…

Crimea, Deutschland, Dictatorship, European Union, France, Germany, History, human rights, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, U.N. Charter, U.N. Security Council, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes January 24, 2015

Putin attacks Mariupol, may seek land corridor to Crimea

Developing See (1) Julia Smirnova, “Mariupol wäre für die Separatisten wertvollster Ort; Die Angriffe auf Mariupol markieren eine neue Eskalation des Kriegs in der Ostukraine….

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, human rights, International Law, NATO, Russia, sanctions, State Department Legal Adviser, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin January 23, 2015

Negotiating with terrorists: Merkel’s proposal for a broad economic zone with Russia and its friends

See “Ukraine-Krise: Bundesregierung lockt Russland mit Handelszone; Zur Belohnung gäbe es eine Wirtschaftskooperation: Die Bundesregierung hat laut Medienbericht dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin eine Handelszone…

Barack Obama, Crimea, Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, human rights, International Law, NATO, OSCE, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes January 21, 2015

Poroshenko interview in NZZ; agreement to withdraw heavy weapons from Minsk September 19 demarcation line

Developing Vladimir Putin acting, through his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, reached an agreement in Berlin this week under which Russian “separatists” in eastern Ukraine would…

Crimea, European Union, internal supporters of human rights, International Law, Russia, sanctions, U.N. Charter, U.N. Convention Against Torture, Ukraine, United States, use of force, Vladimir Putin January 20, 2015

REPRISE: If Putin invades Mariupol and seizes a land corridor to the Crimea, what will NATO, the U.S. and the EU do?

Originally published October 3, 2014 See Update (October 31, 2014), here. Russia’s continuing aggression in the Ukraine, and continuing appeasement in the West The ceasefire…

Crimea, human rights, International Law, OSCE, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, war crimes January 13, 2015

Fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies, as implementation of Minsk Protocol stalls; future of EU sanctions regime in doubt

Revised January 14, 2014 See Frontline, “Putin’s Way”, PBS, January 13, 2015 (on Putin’s rise to power and the nature of the Russian dictatorship he…

Deutschland, European Union, France, Germany, International Law, OSCE, Russia, sanctions, self-defense, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes January 9, 2015

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier convenes four-party talks in Berlin on Minsk Protocol, as Russia intensifies invasion of the Donbas

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier plans to meet with the foreign ministers of Russia, France and Ukraine in Berlin on Monday to see if progress…

Crimea, France, International Law, NATO, sanctions, self-defense, U.N. Charter, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes November 25, 2014

Hollande states Mistral delivery suspended until further notice

President Francois Hollande has now publicly reaffirmed that the delivery of the first of two Mistral-class warships to Russia is suspended until a new order…

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