President Obama's Department of Justice will uphold the states secret defense used by Bush to prevent a lawsuit by five individuals who claim to have been tortured abroad under the controversial “extraordinary rendition” program. The states secret privilege, developed by the Supreme Court in 1953, entitles the US government to block all evidence from ever […]
Do you know someone who has truly been the change in children’s lives in your community, or around the globe? Now is the time to see that their hard work and dedication is honored by nominating them for a World of Children Award. Nomination categories include an award especially for youth under the age of […]
The Better World Campaignm which is the sister organization of the United Nations Foundation, is looking for your input. For ten years now the UN Foundation, has worked to support the United Nations, by connecting people, ideas and resources in an effort to solve some of the most difficult global issues. Under the UN Foundation, a […]
The Children’s blog is looking for kids views on today’s issues and human rights, such as; peace, war, poverty, education, etc. If you are a teacher or parent, or even a child or teen, and would like to share your children’s views on current events then please e-mail Cassandra at [email protected] Sample questions and topics […]
In a recent post on terrorism and extremism in Pakistan, I noted a Pakistani diplomat had claimed India's evidence of Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai attack was fabricated, and the Pakistani government had issued a report concluding the government was not involved in planning the attack, nor was the attack planned on Pakistani territory. Perhaps […]
The Jerusalem Post describes the Center for Security & International Studies’ report, drafted by Anthony Cordesman, here. The report concludes Israel used lawful force in pursuit of legitimate military ends, but expresses skepticism that Israel will achieve any lasting strategic benefit.
Xenophobe and racist Dutch MP Geert Wilders is at it again. Wilders leads the right-wing Freedom Party. Last year he released a controversial film that slams the Koran. At the time, Ernst Hirsch Ballin, the Dutch Minister of Justice, said Wilders had the right to make the film. Today, the story changes. His tirades against […]
On the 6th of February 2009, the Alexander Bodini Charitable Foundation paid tribute to three child-based organizations for their work in advocating for children’s rights and to UNICEF for its humanitarian initiatives on behalf of children. The three winning organizations were the Tamilnadu-Pondicherry State Parliament of Children in India, Young African Stars Nigeria and Kids […]
One of the ironies of Pax Americana is that it rests upon the nuclear bombing of Japan at the end of the Second World War. Yet this searing and incontrovertible statement of technological superiority, power and the will to use it has not been the final word on global security for some time. Nuclear weapons […]
“Children are like a pot of flowers. If you’ll give them proper attention, they’ll grow up properly; but if you’ll give them lack of attention or extreme care, they’ll be destroyed.” – Munir Moosa Sewani (Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan) Children are truly seeds for peace and prosperity, if they are nurtured and given the light of […]
Laura Milligan posts this list of top foreign policy blogs. Though there are a couple very good ones she leaves out (Long War Journal, Jeffrey Goldberg, ThreatsWatch, and the Georgetown Security Law Brief spring to mind), it's an excellent list – not a bad choice among them. See especially #41.
It's the ticking bomb scenario. The bad guy is tied to a chair. A bomb is about to explode. The good guy shoots him in the leg. 20 seconds later, the information is disclosed and the world is saved. It's Hollywood and TV magic at its best/worst and it's become primetime viewing throughout the US. […]
The New York Times reports that a list of terrorism suspects released today by the Saudi government includes eleven former Guantanamo detainees who passed through a Saudi rehabilitation program after their release. There’ve been a number of similar articles throughout the last month, and, indeed, starting in 2004. The struggles of the Saudi rehabilitation program […]
It's no secret that various terrorist groups have gotten significant support from Pakistan – either from elements of InterServices Intelligence or from private actors in the country. In the last year, ISI has been implicated in aiding an attack on the Indian consulate in Kabul, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, the alleged perpetrators of the Mumbai attack, allegedly […]
Chavez Beats Back His Student Opposition Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is taking no chances in the runup to a Feb. 15 referendum on term limits, quashing the only effectively mobilized opposition group in Venezuelan — students. Student leaders have called Chavez’s campaign against them an act of desperation but admit it appears to be effective. […]