Commentaries Archives - Page 344 of 837

U.S. Ambivalence Undermining Historic Uganda Peace Talks

by Michael Poffenberger, Peter J. Quaranto, Emira Woods | Aug 10, 2006

Historic peace talks currently underway between the Government of Uganda and rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) are the best opportunity in over a decade to end Africa’s longest running war. Yet the Bush administration and State Department–distracted by unrest in the Middle East and priorities that lie outside of Africa–have been ambiguous about the U.S. position on the talks, undermining opportunities to help end one of the world’s worst humanitarian nightmares.

Why the Dems Have Failed Lebanon

by John Feffer, Stephen Zunes | Aug 9, 2006

The Bush administration’s unconditional support for Israel’s attacks on Lebanon is emblematic of the profound tragedy of U.S. policy in the region over the past five years. The administration has relied largely on force rather than diplomacy. It has shown a willingness to violate international legal norms, a callousness regarding massive civilian casualties, a dismissive attitude toward our closest allies whose security interests we share, and blatant double standards on UN Security Council resolutions, non-proliferation issues, and human rights. A broad consensus of moderate Arabs, Middle East scholars, independent security analysts, European leaders, and others have recognized howÂeven putting important moral and legal issues asideÂsuch policies have been a disaster for the national security interests of the United States and other Western nations. These policies have only further radicalized the region and increased support for Hezbollah and other extremists and supporters of terrorism.

At War with Syria and Iran: The Neo-Cons May Get Their Wish

by Bonnie Bricker, Erik Leaver, Adil E. Shamoo | Aug 9, 2006

With no shame in drawing the U.S. into the Iraq quagmire three-and-a-half years ago, the same group of neo-conservatives including William Kristol, Richard Perle and Charles Krauthhammer are pushing for Israel/U.S. go to war with Syria and Iran. What is amazing is that despite the deep mess they got us into in Iraq, President Bush and his foreign policy team is actually listening to them.

Withdrawal Wins New Political Support

by Erik Leaver, Emily Schwartz Greco | Aug 9, 2006

Over the past three and a half years, few members of Congress have challenged President George W. Bush over his “stay the course” mentality in Iraq. Indeed, just over a month ago nearly 300 Representatives endorsed the Bush Iraq policy of remaining in Iraq until a “free and stable Iraq” has been achieved. And while 39 Senators voted to support withdrawal in the same month, only 13 brave Senators supported a deadline of 2007.

Nobel Women’s Initiative

by John Feffer, Sorosh Roshan, Jody Williams, Emira Woods | Aug 9, 2006

The Nobel Women’s Initiative is trying to reduce the risk of war with Iran. Read excerpts from the press conference organized by the Institute for Policy Studies.

How the Irish Can Save the Middle East

by John Feffer, Conn Hallinan | Aug 8, 2006

History is the story we tell ourselves in the present about the past. But how we punctuate the storyÂwhere we put the periods, the commas, and the ellipsesÂdepends not on everything that happened, but on who is telling the story, where we stand in the narrative, and what outcome we want.

Reform or Counterrevolution at the UN?

by John Feffer, Ian Williams | Aug 7, 2006

Although the American media generally depicted Kofi Annan’s end-of-term reform package for the United Nations as a failure, its achievements are by no means negligible. The cup is certainly more than half full. Frankly some of the Âfailures,Â such as reform of the Security Council, were not only entirely predictable but relatively benign as well. Above all, the successful adoption of the ÂResponsibility to ProtectÂ at last year’s summit far outweighs any perceived or alleged failures in mere administrative reform. Such a framework of principles to protect human rights goes directly to what many of the world’s people expect of the organization.

Jihad Against Hezbollah

by John Feffer, Stephen Zunes | Aug 4, 2006

The Bush administration and an overwhelming bipartisan majority of Congress have gone on record defending Israel’s assault on Lebanon’s civilian infrastructure as a means of attacking Hezbollah Âterrorists.Â However, unlike the major Palestinian Islamist groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah forces haven’t killed any Israeli civilians for more than a decade. Indeed, a 2002 Congressional Research Service report noted, in its analysis of Hezbollah, that Âno major terrorist attacks have been attributed to it since 1994.Â The most recent State Department report on international terrorism also fails to note any acts of terrorism by Hezbollah since that time except for unsubstantiated claims that a Hezbollah member was a participant in a June 1996 attack on the U.S. Air Force dormitory at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia.

No Standards, No Accountability

by John Feffer, Col. Daniel Smith (Ret.) | Aug 1, 2006

Ten years ago, Representative Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced The War Crimes Act of 1996. This statute was one of many in the mid-1990s devoted to the principle of extraterritoriality: the extension of U.S. laws to other countries. When applied, such laws subject foreign nationals to prosecution if they treat a U.S. citizen or U.S. property in a way that violates U.S. laws.

Congress Approves Flawed Oman Trade Pact

by Emily Schwartz Greco, Stephen Zunes | Jul 27, 2006

One of the sub-plots in last year’s critically acclaimed film Syriana tells the story of two young Pakistani Âguest workersÂ in an unnamed Persian Gulf nation who, after years of resentment over miserable living conditions, are taken in by a radical cleric and recruited to be suicide bombers. The film is an all too accurate portrayal of the exploitation of Âguest workersÂ in many Gulf countries, and how these conditions can cause instability.