On this anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks I’d like to call your attention to the website of the History Channel where they showcase their programming dedicated to remembering 9/11. They feature an interactive map representing eyewitness accounts, a timeline of the events of that day, and an archive of radio broadcasts. They also highlight […]
Iran has reportedly replied to Security Council requests with a new package of proposals designed to avoid a new round of sanctions over its nuclear program even as the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded that the U.N. has reached a stalemate with Iran and in the absence of a breakthrough it’s […]
As I try to wrap things up before departing on my holiday weekend I wanted to note one of the more interesting things that caught my eye in a week dominated by news of California wildfires and celebrity burials. As the U.S. military continues a top-level assessment of the war in Afghanistan the public debate […]
Oberlin College will screen a film series next week examining the relationship between the U.S. and Iran. From the press release: “Iran and the West” is the title of the three-part film series by producer Norma Percy ’63 and her colleagues at Brook Lapping that explores how all previous attempts to open a dialogue between […]
Last week I was thrilled to host a dinner for a delegation from Uganda in the US on a State Department International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) visit. The conversation over dinner was an amazing mix of informal chat and high politics. The members of the delegation came to Albany, NY on the final leg of their multi-city tour […]
As we wait for Gen. McChrystal’s report on the war in Afghanistan I thought I would call your attention to this YouTube video in which the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen invites questions from the public on national security and military personnel issues for an online discussion billed as a […]
Fellow-blogger Ted Lipien makes some valid points about seemingly basic mistakes that the State Department has made in public diplomacy in the new Administration. In particular, he notes, a chance was missed earlier this month to express solidarity with the victims of terrorist attacks in Ingushetia. Eventually the Department did comment, but it took longer […]
The U.S. Role blog generally examines U.S. actions in the international context and only rarely is our focus on domestic politics. The passing of Senator Edward Kennedy provides an opportunity to note how this important domestic event is reverberating in the world at large. This report from the Associated Press offers some insight into how […]
Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations has released an excellent report on “Political Instability in Egypt,” through the Center for Preventive Action. The report begins by noting US policymakers’ bias toward assuming that Egypt “will muddle through its myriad challenges and endure indefinitely.” As anyone who has ever tried to study revolutions knows, it […]
This report in The New York Times notes that Attorney General Eric Holder has named a federal prosecutor to examine alleged abuse of prisoners held by the C.I.A., as officials released a 2004 report detailing abuses inside C.I.A.-run prisons overseas: Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. named a veteran federal prosecutor on Monday to examine […]
The election is Afghanistan is over and in an interesting twist, both candidates are claiming victory amid charges of ballot fraud. Before departing for his vacation, President Obama praised the election as a sign of progress while noting the important work yet to be done: President Obama hailed Afghanistan’s election as an “important step forward” […]
Here is an interesting roundup of critical commentary on the Mideast peace process from former U.S. statesmen by the Voice of America news service. The report was inspired by President Obama’s meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Oval Office last Tuesday and contains excerpts of interviews showcased in a 20-minute film titled New […]
Public opinion is often hard to measure, but it’s a safe bet that assaults on a country’s sovereignty — real or perceived — can quickly inflame that nation’s public opinion. We see it in a whole range of issues this summer, from the health reform debate in the United States, where opponents raise the […]
I think the U.S. role in the coordinated bombing attacks in Iraq is noteworthy. As this report in The New York Times notes, the U.S. role was remarkable not because the U.S. did too much, but because U.S. troops did nothing, as per our agreement with the Iraqi government: Insurgents struck at the heart of […]
This report in The New York Times offers details on President Obama’s visit with Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt, today at the White House: Mr. Obama welcomed the 81-year-old Egyptian president for his first White House visit in five years, continuing a concerted effort to improve bilateral relations that had been damaged not only by […]