Russia and China’s Dirty Partnership
When the world’s largest consumer of fossil fuels teams up with one of the world’s largest suppliers, the planet is the biggest loser.
A Wounded But Still Dangerous Burmese Python
Corporations want what Myanmar has, and NGOs are going after those corporations.
Working with North Korean Defectors
Nam Bada discusses the challenge of North Korean human rights and the experiences of North Korean refugees in South Korea.
Islam Wasn’t the Threat — Islamophobia Was
While peaceful American Muslims were hounded and harassed after 9/11, far more dangerous right-wing extremists got a pass.
Why Iran Will Compromise
As we inch closer to the crucial nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers, the so-called P5+1, the big question is whether this time will be different. Is Tehran willing to make the necessary compromises – from greater nuclear transparency to more stringent restrictions on its enrichment activities – to reverse the economic siege that’s pushing the country to the brink? And is it going to use the talks as a delaying tactic, or will it finally strike a mutually acceptable deal with the West?
Debating Syria
Diplomats are currently scrambling to find a solution to the problem that is Syria. The country is already in a civil war. The dictator Bashar al-Assad doesn’t look like he’s packing his bags any time soon, though plenty of pundits are quick to label him a “dead dictator walking.” Russia and China are reluctant to support measures that would precipitate regime change. Talk about a diplomatic nightmare.
The Capital of Colombia Says, “Farewell to Arms”
Hanging from City Hall in the center of downtown Bogota is an enormous banner that reads: “To arm or to love?” [Armar or amar], advertising an initiative being carried out by the new administration of democratic leftist mayor Gustavo Petro Urrego. The initiative bans legal firearms from public places in an effort to reduce the number of homicides. The measure is also intended to strengthen the ability of the police to dismantle criminal bands and decommission illegal firearms and other weapons.
Syria Seeks to Turn Annan Peace Proposal Into Surrender Document
Syria expects the armed opposition to take a leap of faith and turn in its weapons.
Empathy, Thy Name Is Anders Behring Breivik
Anders Behring Breivik understands.
Review: The Dissent Papers
A love letter to the process of writing, Hannah Gurman’s exhaustively researched book The Dissent Papers focuses on what Gurman calls “the writerly diplomat,” highlighting how diplomatic dissenters present themselves politically in their attempts to move foreign policy away from the status quo.
Leaving Afghanistan Doesn’t Have to Mean Abandoning It
Boosters for the current U.S. war strategy in Afghanistan are predominantly found in Washington, DC.
The West Negotiates with Iran
The first round of nuclear talks between Iran and the P5+1 countries – the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany – concluded in Istanbul with a rare expression of optimism and satisfaction by both sides. The two sides agreed to resume their negotiations next month in Baghdad.
Argentina’s President Takes It on the Chin for Placing Her People’s Needs Over the Markets
The Financial Times’s characterization of Argentina’s president as shrill and shabby is a case of a kettle trying to find a pot to call black.
The Militarization of the Syrian Uprising
The uprising in Syria has been an inspiring demonstration of the desire for freedom, justice, and human dignity, as well as a heartbreaking reminder that such aspirations are often not achieved.