“He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient…” Last week President Obama fulfilled his constitutional obligation and gave what some have come to refer …
UNITED NATIONS – On the final day of a three month deadline set by the Quartet – Brussels, Washington, Moscow and the UN – for Israelis and Palestinians to resume bilateral peace talks, Israeli attorney Daniel Seidemann convened an exclusive briefing with the …
On New Year’s Eve, President Barack Obama signed into law the post-9/11 practice of detaining terrorist suspects indefinitely without charge. Shock and awe waves rippled through the blogosphere in response to the move, not least because Obama had threatened to veto an earlier version of the bill. Other grumbles included …
The stockings were hung, the FPA bloggers had written their last posts with care and just settled down for a long winters nap (by DC standards). When out on the 38th parallel there arose such a clatter and what to our wondering eyes appear? North Korea’s little old driver, who …
Months after South Sudan emerged as the world’s newest country, celebrations have died down and the government in Juba must address the numerous challenges that face the fledgling nation. Apart from addressing unresolved issues with the north and …
“Human Security Is The Primary Purpose Of Organizing A State In The Beginning.”
– Surin Pitsuwan, ASEAN
In the wake of the Arab Spring, and in light of the ongoing global economic disorder, world leaders would be well advised to examine their understanding of national security. Recent events paint a picture of …
If a country’s government is democratic and classically liberal, men and women are generally treated as equals. However, if men and women are treated equally, does this mean a government is democratic? No. Example: Tunisia.
Under Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, women were, broadly speaking, given equal treatment. They …
In October, the War in Afghanistan reached its 10-year anniversary. Our invasion of Afghanistan was launched as a direct result of the events of 9/11, with a goal to eradicate Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and the various terrorist factions based there. Rushing headlong into …
It is still too early to determine which Arab Spring countries will eventually become successes in their government reforms and transitions and which stagnate or descend into chaos.
Tunisia. With a homogeneous and well-educated citizenry, distaste for Islamist extremism, and recent free and fair elections, Tunisia stands the most to gain …
Vladimir Putin, the once and future Russian president, made waves recently in an article he published in Izvestia about the desirability of a “Eurasian Union”, which would deepen and build upon the existing customs union involving Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and potentially expanding to include Tajikistan and Kyrgyz …
When Nazi troops occupied Prague in March 1939, they destroyed the city’s tribute to former United States President Woodrow Wilson. Erected in 1928, the statue commemorated U.S. support and President Wilson’s leadership in shaping the first free Czechoslovakia. After WWII, a plaque served as a placeholder in the statue’s former …
It’s no secret that representing the U.S. abroad entails both risks and rewards. Ambassadors though are rarely in the news and rightly so- they are sent to represent their country, not make a name for themselves. I’m sure most people would be hard-pressed to name any …
A lot of really strange analysis has been coming out on the subject of Obama Administration foreign policy following the apparant toppling of the Ghaddafi regime in Libya. Broadly criticized by opinion leaders of the left and right on his Libya policy until recently, it seems that many decided …
While the world’s focus was turned on America’s debt fiasco, over the past few weeks the sun has begun to shine from behind the clouds that have hovered over the Korean peninsula for the last year. On July 29, Special Representative for North Korean Policy, Stephen …
Earlier this week, NATO’s Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, warned that European countries’ cuts in defense budgets risk the “gradual decline” of Europe. NATO’s engagement in Libya has exposed weaknesses in the alliance, particularly regarding who contributes to operations and how much. As Europe …
