U.S.officials and friends of Chen Guangcheng were stunned by reports Wednesday morning that the blind Chinese human rights activist said he was coerced into leaving the protection of the U.S. embassy in Beijing and is seeking …
Foreign Policy
The Politicization of bin Laden’s Killing: A Sad Anniversary Celebration
It’s sad that what should be a day of quiet satisfaction – the anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden, the killer of nearly 3,000 innocents – has degenerated into a political spitball fight.
We well remember Jimmy Carter’s failed mission to rescue the U.S. hostages held by Iran’s government in Tehran 30 years aqo. It …
On Unannounced Visit, Obama Outlines ‘New Chapter’ for U.S. Role in Afghanistan
President Barack Obama on Tuesday made his third unannounced trip to Afghanistan – the first in more than two years — this time to sign a strategic pact that will guide U.S. relations with the country for the next decade. The …
Iran Progress=Bad News for Neocons
We should be very careful about predicting good news when it comes to negotiations with the Iranians. We’ve come close to making deals in the past–remember Ronald Reagan sending his national security adviser to Tehran with a cake and a Bible–and the Supreme Leader has always skittered away. And so I’m suspicious that the current …
Hillary Clinton Makes Light of 2016 Speculation
In her keynote address at the TIME 100 gala Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton gave a sliver of hope to the folks who hope to see her run for President again. In introducing the Secretary of State, TIME managing editor Rick Stengel joked that she’s now so popular that she could be elected president in any country she visits.
“Thank …
Obama Announces New Tech Sanctions, But Effect May Be Limited
In marking Holocaust Remembrance Day , President Obama on Monday announced new sanctions targeting governments that use new technologies, such as cell phone and internet tracking, to carry out human rights abuses. The sanctions were aimed mostly at Iran and Syria, who have used new technologies to track dissidents.
“We need to be …
Obama About as Popular Abroad as He Is at Home
Less than half the world – 46% — would want to see President Barack Obama reelected, according to a new poll out Thursday of 150 nations done by the U.S. Global Leadership Project, a collaboration between the Meridian International Center and Gallup. That’s exactly the percentage of Americans who approve of the job Obama’s doing …
Good News on Iran Nukes
The body language coming out of the first round of talks about Iran’s nuclear program is excellent. As David Ignatius writes today, we seem to be moving down a path toward a well-calibrated and sensible deal. And that should make everybody happy. But, of course, it won’t. The neoconservatives won’t like it, no matter what. They’ll say, …
U.S.-Israel Tension a Liability in Iran Talks
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his annual pilgrimage to Washington last year it was an unmitigated disaster. President Obama felt Netanyahu was lecturing him during the press appearance at the end of their …
The Hillary 2016 Virus
There’s surely a limit to what a couple of viral photos can tell you about political realities. But it does feel like a lot of people — not least pro-Obama Democrats — find Hillary Clinton more likable and appealing than ever. And it’s worth pausing a moment to consider how far the woman has come. Remember the end of her 2008 …
The Afghanistan Attacks
I think Max Boot is on the right track, dismissing the coordinated Haqqani Taliban attacks in Kabul and elsewhere as no big deal–and while I’m sure Max sees this as a reason for staying the course in Afghanistan, I see it as the exact opposite: another good argument for speeding our withdrawal. Why? Three reasons:
First Round of Iran Nuclear Talks Highlights Obama’s Tough Spot in an Election Year
Tehran emerged from the latest round of talks on its nuclear program fairly upbeat. Iran’s foreign minister said Monday that all of the disputes over his country’s nuclear program – which Iranian officials say is peaceful …
The Menu of Options in the Iranian Nuclear Talks
For the first time in more than a year and a half, negotiators from Iran and the so-called P5+1 countries – the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the U.S., Russia, China, France and England, plus …