United Nations Archives - Page 12 of 30

‘Going Local’ in Afghanistan

by Robert Naiman | Feb 17, 2010

I’m in overall agreement with the “going local” spirit of David Castonguay’s piece. If the overriding objective of U.S. policy is to end the war in Afghanistan as quickly as possible — as it should be — then the United States can’t wait on the central government for permission to promote local reconciliation. A key component of local reconciliation is giving locals greater responsibility for local security, regardless of their relationship with the central government, and regardless of what their relationship to U.S. forces has been in the past.

‘Decoding the New Taliban: Insights from the Afghan Field’

by Gabriela Campos | Feb 12, 2010

In early February, President Obama submitted his defense budget, asking for an additional $33 billion for the expansion of the war in Afghanistan on top of a record-breaking $744 billion for the Department of Defense. His request follows the decision to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, in the belief that greater military might is needed to defeat the Taliban and win the war. However, understanding the strength of the Taliban and its supporters could provide needed insight on how to overcome the Taliban using other tools than just the military.

War Crimes in Sri Lanka

by Arthur Dewey | Jan 26, 2010

This week, Sri Lankan voters go to the polls to elect a new president. No matter the victor, neither of the two main candidates is likely to provide the justice and closure that Sri Lanka’s thousands of war victims deserve.

UN Report Misleading on Afghanistan

by Erik Leaver, Julien Mercille | Nov 5, 2009

As President Obama and his advisors debate future troop levels for Afghanistan, a new report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) muddies the water on one of the most important issues in the debate — the effects of Afghanistan’s drug production.

60-Second Expert: Ban Ki Moon and R2P

by Noor Iqbal, Ian Williams | Aug 3, 2009

Under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, the United Nations General Assembly addresses the international community’s failure to prevent and stop genocides, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing. Adopted at the World Summit in 2005, R2P expands the definition of such crimes against humanity to include those committed by a state within its own borders.

Ban Ki Moon and R2P

by John Feffer, Ian Williams | Aug 3, 2009

Kofi Annan’s greatest achievement as UN secretary general was his deft steering of the UN General Assembly to accept the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine at the 2005 World Summit.

60-Second Expert: The U.S. and the UN Disability Treaty

by Michael Ashley Stein, Noor Iqbal, Janet E. Lord | Jul 14, 2009

In December 2006, 139 states signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It was the first human rights treaty of the 21st century and also the first of its kind geared towards protecting the rights of people with disabilities. The United States was and remains conspicuously absent from among the signatories, despite being a leader in domestic disability law and policy.

Ratify the UN Disability Treaty

by Michael Ashley Stein, John Feffer, Janet E. Lord | Jul 9, 2009

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, or the Convention) is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century. The CRPD is also the first legally binding international instrument with the power specifically to protect the rights of the world’s largest minority, some 650 million persons with disabilities.

Overhauling Global Finance

by Emily Schwartz Greco, Alex Wilks | May 28, 2009

The global financial crisis has discredited the financial institutions that played a part in causing it. Discussions of radical alternatives are beginning to flourish, with the world’s governments rushing to consult experts who previously found themselves out in the cold.

The UN Racism Conference: Halls of Shame and Fame

by Clive Baldwin, John Feffer | May 1, 2009

Now that the recent UN conference on racism is over, it’s time to look at what really happened behind the bluster. Some countries that engaged in serious and constructive negotiation came out with their reputations enhanced. Those that postured at the expense of racism’s victims, however, emerged looking foolish or worse.