The horrors of the DR Congo. The rapes, the pillages, the disregard for life, a conflict steeped in vengeance, power over precious resources, and the blood bath of Rwanda's genocide. And as the reports begin to filter through the newspapers and the televisions we become awed by the sheer numbers. Five million dead since 1998. […]
At Foreign Policy magazine's Passport blog, Elizabeth Dickinson has this moving and incisive piece on the causes and effects of the long-running conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which flared up again. It's a compelling read. As for the conflict, the EU is sending aid for some of the displaced civilians, of whom there […]
The AP reports that a substantial number of voters remain undecided as we count down to the election. If you are one of those undecided voters and have an interest in foreign policy please see the Foreign Policy Association's Election Guide 2008, it features candidate profiles by issue area, video of the candidates discussing the […]
"The world ought to be treated like a playful child; whose smiles should delight, whose gambols should amuse, whose tears should soften, whose anger should alarm, whose vices should be corrected" – Unknown If only we did look upon the world as a child, as our global child for which we are all caring parents […]
This map Religions and Ethnicities in Iraq was published yesterday as part of an article titled, “Christians on the Run in Iraq.” It discusses the contradiction of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's “promise of security for everyone” with the continued persecution of Christians. In July, Maliki assured German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Christians were safe […]
The 2008 Election isn't child's play, but children are sure taking their voices to the streets and event the polls. The countdown has begun and soon American's will find themselves under new leadership, so who will it be, McCain or Obama? The votes are still out, but the heat is still on! So what do […]
The FPA's Pakistan blog notes that conditions are dire in Pakistan's quake zone. Given the fragility of the U.S. alliance with Pakistan (due in part to recent drone attacks), there is an opportunity here to work on relationship building. An immediate and substantial offer of humanitarian assistance by the U.S. would go a long […]
Former UN High Representative in Bosnia Paddy Ashdown and American diplomat Richard Holbrooke wrote this column last week warning of an impending crisis in the region and asserting that the Dayton Agreement, which has crafted an uneasy and separate peace which has lasted more than a decade now in Bosnia, is on the rocks. Niheer […]
You are president and confronted with a situation which tests your basic philosophy about diplomatic negotiation, your philosophy can be described as: A. Talk with friends and ignore enemies. B. Talk to friends and enemies. This is the simplistic depiction of how diplomatic negotiation has been presented during the election and we can all […]
I’ll let this article, published by Indian news wire Sify, speak for itself: “Kathmandu: They made predictions – some with success and some without – about the end of the country's royal dynasty and the end of the Maoist insurgency. Now Nepal's cosmopolitan astrologers are predicting a victory for Barack Obama. According to Nepal's leading […]
Adobe Fireworks CS3 + Wave Arts Power Suite + Adobe Creative Suite 3 Nicholas Burns, former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs (effectively the #3 position in the Department), penned an opinion piece for Newsweek this week titled “We Should Talk to Our Enemies.” In it, he defends Senator Barack Obama's stance on talking with […]
Hawaii – One aspect of these paradise islands that takes away some of the glimmer is their reliance on fossil fuels, all of which is imported. The Hawaiians have resolved to not only shift this state of affairs by transitioning to renewables, but they’re going for all the gusto: They’re shooting for 70% of their energy […]
In October, GulfNews published in five parts various excerpts from John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed's analysis of the recent Gallup survey of the world's Muslims. The title of the book is "Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think." In fact, the book is based on the largest ever survey conducted of Muslims. […]
Kevin Heller at Opinio Juris points to an announcement by the ICC's Chief Prosecutor that he will bring war crimes charges against Darfuri rebels. As Heller ably lays out, it's not easy to decide what to think of the charges; the offense in question, an armed attack on African Union peacekeepers, seems appropriate for the […]
This WSJ post regarding a December meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in Hong Kong caught my attention. While I’m keen on the idea of promoting philanthropic actions around the world, I’m also sensitive to the fact that these actions may not be one-size fits all. A main goal of the Asia-based meeting is to raise awareness among […]