All Commentaries
France Down With Same-Sex Marriage and Adoption
This once religiously conservative country has set an example for progressive social reform and the struggle for human equality.
In Guatemala, A Mass Grave for the Truth
In a week of remarkable events and reversals in Guatemala, the genocide trial of former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt came to an abrupt halt on April 18 as a judge ruled all proceedings to date invalid. The witnesses who testified for the prosecution—dozens of survivors of mass rape and massacres—would have to testify again if the trial were to proceed. Meanwhile, death squads are again operating in Guatemala, eliminating indigenous leaders, union leaders, women’s rights activists, and others challenging the status quo and asserting their rights.
Deposed Central African Republic President Bozize’s Loyalists Not Going Quietly
Because of the instability, scores of Central Africans have fled to surrounding countries for safety.
Chemical Weapon Use in Syria Could Trigger Intervention
Syria is believed by Western intelligence agencies to possess one of the largest undeclared stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons in the world.
Tunisia and the IMF: Ennahda’s Mana From Washington (Part Two)
News reports suggest that Tunisia and the IMF are close to coming to terms over a $1.78 billion loan.
The Real North Korea
Only North Koreans can change North Korea. Attempting to impose a solution from outside – whether from Beijing, Seoul, or Washington – will just not work. North Koreans are a proud people, even more so after several decades of austerity and government-sponsored nationalism. Like Afghans and Iraqis, they will not take kindly, to say the least, to military invaders. And they know the limitations and leverage points of their society better than any outside political missionary bent on a softer version of regime change.
Boston Marathon Bombing: What Do Chechens Have Against the U.S.?
Chechen separatists — often Muslim — have fought side by side with Islamic extremists against the United States.
Postcard from Mumbai
Even if you have not been to steamy Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat, Mumbai’s well-known outdoor laundry facility, there is a chance that your clothing has. Densely packed against Mumbai’s central rail system, this iconic complex is the largest of many sites that collect, hand wash, dry, and deliver much of the city’s laundry. It’s also one of many reminders that the modern economy has not transcended the realities of undercompensated manual toil.
Emphasis Added: The Foreign Policy Week in Pieces (4/18)
Emphasis, as always, added.
A Post-Castro Era Looms for Cuba
With a post-Castro Era looming on the horizon, the Obama administration should muster the political will to prepare the United States for February 2018, when neither Fidel nor Raul Castro will remain at the helm of the Cuban state.