February 21, 2008

Angry Serbs Assault U.S. Embassy In Belgrade

Hundreds of protesters are attacking the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia's capital. Video footage captured one protester scaling the building to rip down the American flag, and fires can be seen in and around the compound.

"As long as we live, Kosovo is Serbia," Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said at another rally in front of the former parliament building. That gathering was peaceful, and drew around 200,000 people.

At the embassy, Serbs were throwing rocks and other objects at riot police and attempting to break through the police presence to raid the building. Serbs angry over Kosovo's declaration of independence -- a decision supported by the White House and much of the EU -- chanted "Kosovo is ours! Kosovo is Serbia!" and "We'll never give up Kosovo, never!" according to various media reports. (See accounts from AP, Reuters, BBC News and the London Guardian.)

The State Department tried to downplay the situation, emphasizing that the embassy was probably closed at the time. According to CNN, U.S. officials are denying that protesters actually penetrated the building.

"It has been up and running. It's been functioning. They've been carrying out their diplomatic functions and activities," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack at the afternoon briefing. "The question is whether or not it was open to the public."

McCormack stressed that the White House is sympathetic to the concerns of Serbs, angry because they consider Kosovo part of their religious and cultural heritage. NATO forced an end to ethnic cleansing of mostly Muslim Albanians in the former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. Since then, the mostly Albanian province of Kosovo and the mostly Orthodox Christian Serbia have existed in an uneasy peace.

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Posted to: Bush Administration, EU, Europe, Russia, U.N.
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February 20, 2008

Kosovo's Break From Serbia Splinters World Community

Russia's foreign minister has declared an EU mission to Kosovo illegal days after the Balkan state declared its independence from Serbia.

"To put it mildly, it is a bitter irony that this mission to ensure the supremacy of the law in Kosovo is being sent in breach of the highest international law," Sergei Lavrov said in a press briefing.

Russia and Serbia are in disagreement with the West's interpretation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244, adopted in 1999 at the end of the Balkan conflict. The resolution reaffirms "the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," but it also reaffirms "the call in previous resolutions for substantial autonomy and meaningful self-administration for Kosovo."

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Posted to: Bush Administration, Chechnya, EU, Europe, Russia
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February 07, 2008

More Warnings Delivered On Afghanistan

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice denied that her surprise visit to Kandahar today was Washington's way of sticking it to NATO allies not doing their fair share in Afghanistan.

"It's just the rationale of being able to get outside of Kabul and see one of the areas that's been very active," Rice said before touching down, according to Reuters. "I don't think there's any message there to anyone."

Poignantly -- or not, if Rice's statement is taken at face value -- she and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband were touring Kandahar, a former Taliban stronghold in the country's south. Most trips by top foreign dignitaries are confined to the much safer capital city of Kabul. Kandahar remains dangerous, but it is also a prime example of the effectiveness of NATO forces in the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida.

And in what has over the years become a ritual, Afghan President Hamid Karzai denied there were tensions between his government and its Western allies.

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Posted to: Afghanistan, Al-Qaida, Asia, Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, Europe, Germany, Robert Gates, Terrorism, U.K.
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February 06, 2008

What's The Point Of NATO, Anyway?

The U.S. and Britain have been fighting an uphill battle to win deeper commitments from NATO allies in Afghanistan. With recent independent reports warning that Afghanistan may be tipping back into failed statehood, and a critical upcoming vote in Canada that could determine that country's ongoing security contributions, NATO member nations are facing a kind of do-or-die moment.

The question at hand is: What is NATO's mission in the 21st century?

NATO was formed during the Cold War to fend off the Soviet threat. It was a mutual security pact, in which an attack on one was to be perceived as an attack on all.

After the 9/11 attacks, it became clear that al-Qaida was now the biggest threat facing the West. With little debate, NATO's mission was updated for the 21st century, and forces were sent to Afghanistan.

More than six years later, the success of NATO's fight against the Taliban and al-Qaida is in dispute. The war in Iraq sapped resources from Afghanistan, and more importantly sapped confidence in the United States' and Britain's leadership roles there. Nations have withdrawn forces over the last several years, and now the fighting -- and dying -- falls disproportionately on the U.S., Britain, the Netherlands and Canada.

Member nations privately blame the U.S. and Britain for being so preoccupied with the war in Iraq -- overwhelmingly unpopular among member nations -- that they delivered a seemingly half-hearted effort in Afghanistan. Washington and 10 Downing Street vehemently deny this is the case.

Without positing it directly, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is challenging member nations to remember the point of NATO and step up their contributions. "I do think the alliance is facing a real test here. And it is a test of the alliance's strength," she said at a press conference with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband today.

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Posted to: Afghanistan, Al-Qaida, Bush Administration, Europe, Germany, Iraq, Middle East, Military, Pakistan, President Bush, Robert Gates, Terrorism, U.K.
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February 01, 2008

Poland OKs U.S. Missile Defense System

UPDATED.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski confirmed this afternoon "an agreement in principle" to host a U.S. missile defense shield, AP reports. He was in Washington today to discuss the matter with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"We understand that there is a desire for defense modernization in Poland, and particularly for air defense modernization in Poland," Rice said at a joint press appearance following their meeting. "This is something that we support because it will make our ally, Poland, more capable, it will make Poland, as the foreign minister has said, more able to operate with us."

The offer to help Poland bolster its air force apparently helped secure the tentative deal. But there were more details to be ironed out, Sikorski said.

"We are not at the end of the road as regards negotiations. We are in the middle of the road," he said. "We have an agreement in principle."

The deal is sure to provoke strong reaction from Russia, which in May threatened to train its long-range weapons on Europe if Washington went ahead with plans to build a new anti-ballistic missile shield in that neighborhood.

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Posted to: Bush Administration, Europe, Russia
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January 24, 2008

Freedom Falters Worldwide

If 2007 seemed like a bad year for democracy, that's because it was, according to new data from Freedom House, a U.S.-based organization that monitors and promotes freedom around the world. The group recently released its report on 2007, citing a "notable setback for global freedom" for the second consecutive year.

Freedom House uses its own set of criteria to divide nations into three categories: "free," "partly free" and "not free." In 2007, one-fifth of the world's nations experienced a decline in freedom, the group says. Although the number of countries in the "not free" category did not grow over the last year, "there were many changes within these broad categories" that demonstrate an alarming trend, a press release announcing the report claims. These reversals were seen in countries across the globe -- from sub-Saharan Africa to the former Soviet Union.

Nearly four times as many countries saw declines in levels of freedom as showed improvement. Dishearteningly, several countries that had been experiencing progress toward democracy in recent years, such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Kenya, took steps backward in 2007. Two former Soviet countries that underwent "color revolutions" fairly recently -- Kyrgyzstan and Georgia -- also reversed track last year, Freedom House reports.

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Posted to: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Iran, Kenya, Middle East, Pakistan
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January 22, 2008

Econ Watch: The 'Uh-Oh' Heard 'Round The World

UPDATED.

President Bush sought to assure investors and consumers that a relief package was on the way, though he made no promises about when.

"I believe we can find common ground to get something done," he said, flanked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. They were joined by Bush's economic team at the White House for a briefing on Bush's recent trip to the Middle East as well as a discussion of the $150 billion stimulus package the president proposed on Friday.

"The economy is inherently strong, but it needs to get a boost. We need to make sure this uncertainty doesn't translate into more economic woes for our workers and businesspeople," Bush said.

Bush was discussing the nation's economy with opposition leaders in Congress on a day of dizzying volatility in the U.S. and global markets. This morning, the Federal Reserve Board made its first emergency rate cut since shortly after the 9/11 attacks, voting to slash its benchmark interest rate by 75 basis points to 3.5 percent. The move was meant to provide immediate relief for debtors in an economy seized by a two-fer liquidity and credit drought.

The surprise announcement came one week before the Fed's regularly scheduled meeting, at which it was expected to further nick at rates by 50 basis points. The move did nothing, initially, to mitigate fears that the U.S. economic slowdown is having a tsunami effect on global markets. The Dow plummeted more than 460 points soon after the opening bell.

But the emergency cut was also a signal that the Fed stands at the ready to react aggressively to the economy's downturn. By noon the sell-off had slowed, and the Dow mostly recovered to close down 128 points, or 1.1 percent.

Continue reading "Econ Watch: The 'Uh-Oh' Heard 'Round The World"

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Posted to: Asia, Ben Bernanke, Bush Administration, Congress, Economy, Europe, Federal Reserve, President Bush
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January 03, 2008

Kenya's Kibaki Breaks Silence As Post-Election Crisis Continues

Amid continuing violent protests in the capital today over his contested re-election last week, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki extended an olive branch to his political opponent, Raila Odinga. The results of last week's election, in which Kenya's electoral commission named Kibaki the winner by a slim margin, has sent the country spiraling into violence and chaos.

With more than 300 people killed and tens of thousands displaced, according to BBC News, Kibaki bowed to intense political and diplomatic pressure and made a televised appeal for peace today.

"I am ready to have dialogue with the concerned parties once the nation is calm and the political temperatures are lowered enough for constructive and productive engagement," Kibaki said, breaking his silence on the election results, which the opposition claims were rigged.

Meanwhile, the attorney general has called for an independent inquiry into the election, as Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement continues to demand a revote. The opposition party canceled a planned rally for today but has rescheduled it for Jan. 8 if an agreement is not reached by then.

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Posted to: Africa, Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, EU, Europe, Kenya
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December 19, 2007

Time Gets It Right With Person Of The Year

After being mocked and ridiculed for its gimmicky 2006 pick, Time magazine reverted to heft with this year's choice: Russian President (for Life) Vladimir Putin.

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Posted to: Bush Administration, Campaigns, Europe, Iran, Iraq, Middle East, President Bush, Russia, U.K., WH 2008
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December 10, 2007

Kosovo Moves Closer To Independence

After months of U.N. talks about the future of Kosovo yielded few results, leaders of the region today said that they will begin the process of declaring independence from Serbia without an official agreement. A U.N. deadline to settle the issue expired today with no agreement in sight.

The U.S., EU and Russia had tried to mediate talks between Serbia and Kosovo, but most people expected Kosovo to announce its independence in May regardless; now, it looks as though the announcement could come sooner. EU leaders now say they are close to having a unified position to recognize Kosovo's independence.

"From today, Kosovo is starting intense consultations with its international partners with the aim of coordinating steps for declaring independence, and the official demands for recognising independence," Skender Hyseni of the Kosovo Albanian negotiating team told reporters.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanians have long chafed under Serbia's control. The U.N. has controlled the tiny province since 1999, when a NATO force stepped in to end a bloody campaign against the Albanians led by former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in 2006 during his trial for war crimes.

The Detroit Free Press has a useful Q&A about the history of Kosovo, and Bloomberg News has more on Europe's reaction.

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Posted to: EU, Europe, U.N.
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December 04, 2007

May U.K. Hostage-Taking In Iraq Revealed

Al-Arabiya television has broadcast video of five Britons missing since May 29 in Iraq, BBC News reports. In the tape, dated Nov. 18, gunmen threaten to kill one of the hostages if British troops do not begin pulling out in 10 days.

The kidnapping is just coming to light because the U.K. Foreign Office had asked the media to back off on coverage while it negotiated the men's release, according to BBC News. The gunmen say they are from a group called the Islamic Shia Resistance in Iraq. The hostages are four guards and a computer expert.

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Posted to: Europe, Iraq, Middle East, U.K.
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November 12, 2007

Blaze Hits London's Olympic Park

Plumes of smoke rising into the London sky set the city on high alert today. The fire turned out to be located in an empty warehouse being demolished to make way for the site of the 2012 Summer Games.

Firefighters are still battling the blaze; no injuries have been reported. An Olympic official said an investigation will be launched, but "initial indications would suggest that this was an accident rather than arson." London police added that there was no indication the fire was an act of terrorism.

The Olympic Delivery Authority released a statement confirming that the east London fire was at the Olympic Park site. The main stadium was set for construction near the site of the fire.

London will become the first city to host the modern Olympics three times, and its potentially seizure-inducing logo has already stirred up some controversy.

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Posted to: Europe, Olympics, U.K.
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November 09, 2007

Iran On Tap For Merkel's First Visit To The Ranch

Completing this week's U.S.-Old Europe bonding experience, German Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Texas today to discuss a host of global issues in the rustic setting of the Bush family ranch.

Like President Bush's meeting with new French President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier this week, the Bush-Merkel talks will hinge primarily on Iran, as the president seeks to shore up U.S. allies against Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, told Reuters that "strategically," Merkel and the Bush administration "see eye-to-eye" in opposing Iran's plans to develop nuclear technology. "Tactically, there are some slight differences," he said, adding that the discussions this weekend are part of an ongoing effort and aren't likely to yield any major developments.

Merkel is no softie on Iran, but Bush is seeking stronger commitments from allies to take a hard line against Tehran if it continues to defy orders to stop its nuclear program. In its preview of her visit this weekend, Germany's Der Spiegel notes that Germans are concerned about the Bush administration's perceived "saber-rattling" on Iran. Calling Merkel "the queen of the backroom deal," the magazine writes that "German politicians at both ends of the political spectrum will expect her to voice clear opposition to further military escapades" when she meets with Bush.

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Posted to: Afghanistan, Bush Administration, Europe, Germany, Iran, Middle East, President Bush
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November 06, 2007

From Freedom Fries To Freedom Friends!

President Bush hosts French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy at the White House later today, in an evening that is being characterized as a lovefest by the media on both continents. Hyperbolic, probably, but a sure sign of the dramatic turn in U.S.-Franco relations since Sarkozy won election in May.

The Los Angeles Times may have scored the lede of the week with its preview of the visit:

Laurent Mellier remembers the dark days of 2003, when drivers would spot the French-flag sticker on his Honda and yell at him. Alain de Chalvron's low point came when a movie audience erupted after a character mentioned France and people around him began shouting insults. For one French diplomat in Los Angeles, it was watching children dump bottles of French wine into the street outside the consulate.

How far we've come. These days, some Americans might suspect that those "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" were right about invading Iraq. Rep. Walter "Freedom Fries" Jones, R-N.C., certainly does. Likewise, some of Sarkozy's countrymen may wonder what all those years of vitriolic U.S.A.-bashing has gotten them, besides a backwards labor structure and economy.

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Posted to: Bush Administration, Europe, France, Germany, President Bush
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November 05, 2007

Progress On The PKK-Turkish Front

UPDATED.

In a sign that tensions may be lessening between Turkey and Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, today freed eight Turkish soldiers who were captured last month.

Diplomatic talks have been going on for weeks to try to avert a conflict, but a massive Turkish force was still amassing on the border and PKK rebels continued to partake in skirmishes with Turkish troops in the region. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice traveled to Turkey last week to reassure the government that the PKK rebels were a "common threat."

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in Washington today to meet with President Bush. Erdogan was seeking American support for action against the PKK, while Bush sought to convince the prime minister to hold off on a full-scale incursion.

Following the meeting, Bush and Erdogan exuded a united front before the press.

Continue reading "Progress On The PKK-Turkish Front"

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Posted to: Europe, Iraq, Kurds, Middle East, Turkey
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October 31, 2007

Aid Workers Charged In Alleged Rescue Attempt In Chad

Associates of the French charity Zoe's Ark who tried to fly more than 100 African children out of Chad last week are facing charges of kidnapping and child trafficking, sparking international conflict over the case and concerns about the future of humanitarian efforts in the region.

Nine French citizens and six Spanish nationals have been accused of abduction and fraud, and some of them face up to 20 years of hard labor in a Chadian prison, according to Chad's interior minister.

U.N. officials claim many of the children were actually from Chad, not refugees from Darfur, and there is no clear evidence they are actually orphans. Zoe's Ark counters that tribal leaders told them the children were from Darfur and that the children were to be placed in the French foster care system, which would qualify the airlift as a medical rescue operation rather than an adoption effort.

The French government is backing up the U.N. "According to initial information... there seem to be many Chadian children and even many who are not orphans," a government spokeswoman told reporters yesterday.

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Posted to: Africa, Europe, France
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October 24, 2007

Reports: Eight Turkish Soldiers Captured, Iran Seizes Opportunity

U.S. and Iraqi officials are working quickly to appease an angry Turkish government after tensions on its southern border boiled over this week. Efforts to negotiate an end to the fighting, however, are further complicated by reports that Kurdish separatists have captured eight Turkish soldiers and that Tehran is leveraging resentment toward Washington and Baghdad to its advantage.

Photos of the alleged captives have been published by several news outlets. The Turkish government has not confirmed the claims by a group of Kurdish fighters that the soldiers, missing since an ambush on Sunday, were captured. Turkey authorized a cross-border incursion earlier this week against militants with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, who have been launching discrete attacks on Turkey for years. Forty-two Turkish civilians and soldiers have been killed by PKK fighters this month alone, Bloomberg News reports.

Turkey has been warning its allies in the U.S. and Iraq that if they did not clamp down on the PKK's attacks, the Turkish military would be sent to do the job. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have sought to persuade Ankara to approach the problem diplomatically, but in Turkey's view neither ally has acted forcefully enough. In August, the Pentagon admitted that American weapons issued to Iraqis had been used by PKK rebels in cross-border attacks against Turks.

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Posted to: Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, Europe, Iran, Iraq, Kurds, Middle East, Turkey
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October 22, 2007

Muslim Live 8 Concert Raises Money For Darfur

London's Wembley Arena has played host to many high-profile concerts, including this summer's tribute to Princess Diana. But on Sunday, Wembley was the scene of a different kind of concert, one many are calling the first of its kind.

Ten thousand Muslims gathered at the arena for what is being dubbed Muslim Live 8, a concert to raise money for and awareness of the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.

The sold-out crowd heard music from Outlandish, an MTV award-winning hip-hop band, and Muslim-American country singer, Kareem Salama. But Sami Yusuf, labeled by Time as "Islam's biggest rock star," drew the most fervent cheers from fans.

Continue reading "Muslim Live 8 Concert Raises Money For Darfur"

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Posted to: Africa, Europe, Gordon Brown, Sudan, U.K.
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Turkey Forestalls Iraq Invasion

In what could be a tipping point in the conflict between Turkey's government and Kurds in northern Iraq, Kurdish forces ambushed a Turkish convoy on Sunday just three miles from the border. Twelve Turkish soldiers were killed and eight more are still missing.

Turkish forces responded by shelling an area near Kurdish towns and destroying a bridge, and AP reports that dozens of military vehicles were headed toward the border to join the tens of thousands of troops already gathered there. The Turkish government believes thousands of PKK rebels are also massed at the border.

But today, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said his government would try to seek a political solution to the conflict before an invasion. Tension has been mounting for months, and last week, Turkey's parliament authorized incursions into Iraqi Kurdistan to hunt down rebels in the area.

"We will continue these diplomatic efforts with all good intentions to solve this problem caused by a terrorist organization," Babacan told reporters. "But in the end, if we do not reach any results, there are other means we might have to use."

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Posted to: Europe, Turkey
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October 18, 2007

SCHIP: Democrats Lose The Battle, Stand To Win The War

UPDATED.

The House Democratic leadership failed to wrangle the 12 to 15 additional votes it needed to push an expansion of a health care program for poor children past a presidential veto.

Lawmakers voted to override President Bush's veto 265 to 159, just under the two-thirds majority required. Squabbling over the bill, popular in spirit but contentious in practice, culminated in lawmakers using and attacking real live children volunteered by their parents as props in the debate.

Today's vote was originally scheduled for around noon, but had to be delayed because of still more ugliness. During floor debate preceding the vote, California Democrat Pete Stark accused Republican fiscal conservatives of "telling lies" about the breadth of the expansion. He continued: "You don't have money to fund the war or children. But you're going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president's amusement."

The National Republican Congressional Committee fired off video of Stark's remarks so fast that it misidentified the loose-cannon lawmaker as a fellow Republican. Protesting GOP lawmakers called for a reprimand vote on the remarks, which failed.

Continue reading "SCHIP: Democrats Lose The Battle, Stand To Win The War"

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Posted to: Bush Administration, Campaigns, Congress, Europe, Health, House, President Bush, Turkey
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October 16, 2007

Superpower Watch: Picking Sides, Choosing Teams

Once again, the Bush administration is reminded that while it would be preferable to have the world at its back as it attempts to stabilize the Middle East, it simply does not. Iran and Russia have sealed an agreement among the Caspian Sea nations that "under no circumstances will they allow [the use of their] territories by third countries to launch aggression or other military action against any of the member states." Doesn't take a genius to figure out which third country might top that list.

This declaration accomplishes several things, none of which bode well for Washington's push for Iran to come clean on its nuclear program.

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Posted to: Asia, Bush Administration, China, Europe, IAEA, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, Military, Nuclear Weapons, President Bush, Robert Gates, Russia, Terrorism, U.N., Vladimir Putin
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Iraqi Crisis Envoy Dispatched To Turkey

In an effort to stave off a looming incursion of Turkish forces into his country, Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi crossed the border today to meet with Turkey's prime minister and new president.

Turkey has been threatening to stage assaults on separatists operating in Iraqi Kurdistan. According to the Turkish government, those separatists (called the Kurdistan Workers Party or the PKK, which the EU and the U.S. have classified as a terrorist group) operate in northern Iraq without interference. Iraq had promised to address the group in a late September resolution; Turkey claims nothing has been done and that the PKK is becoming emboldened.

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Posted to: Europe, Iraq, Kurds, Turkey
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October 15, 2007

U.K. Watch: The Perils Of National Health Care

A survey of British dental patients has found that some are resorting to pulling out their own teeth as the number of dentists participating in the National Health Service drops, AFP reports.

Nearly half of dentists surveyed said they had stopped treating NHS patients. As a result, nearly 80 percent of Britons on private insurance said they were pushed there because they couldn't find an NHS dentist. Only 15 percent of those privately insured said their choice was based on quality of treatment.

"When you've got a severe toothache, you don't want to wait two or three weeks -- you need treatment straightaway," DIY patient Don Wilson told BBC News.

"It is a very foolish thing to do," scolded Liz Kay, dean of the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth. BBC News has a report on the "pros and cons" of at-home dentistry.

Posted at 2:23 PM
Posted to: Europe, Health, U.K.
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October 11, 2007

Two Journos Convicted Of 'Insulting Turkishness'

A Turkish court has convicted two journalists for publishing content that mentions the Armenian genocide, following a vote by a U.S. congressional panel officially declaring the Ottoman Empire massacres to be genocide.

Arat Dink and Serkis Seropyan, editors at a Turkish-Armenian weekly, were given one-year suspended sentences under a law that makes it a crime to "insult" Turkish culture. The government of Turkey officially denies that the early 20th-century genocide took place, despite the widespread consensus of historians.

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Posted to: Europe, Turkey
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October 10, 2007

The Armenian Genocide: When Purity Meets Pragmatism

Let's get this detail out of the way: The United States does not brook genocide. Maybe this country does not always go far enough to stop genocide where it occurs (Rwanda, Sudan), but it has not ignored, let alone denied, the mass extermination of an ethnic group since World War II. What the U.S. always does do in reaction to genocide is condemn the killing wherever it occurs.

So why the opposition to a nonbinding House resolution that compels the U.S. government to formally recognize the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide -- something George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush did not do as commander in chief?

The answer, of course, is Turkey's resistance to the resolution. Almost anywhere else in the world, official government condemnation of genocide is an easy position for Washington to take. Not so with the Armenian genocide, because Turkey holds many cards, and the U.S. is in no position to strong-arm anyone it might still count as an ally in the war on terror.

Continue reading "The Armenian Genocide: When Purity Meets Pragmatism"

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Posted to: Bill Clinton, Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, Congress, EU, Europe, France, George H.W. Bush, House, Iraq, Israel, Kurds, Middle East, President Bush, Robert Gates, Senate, Turkey
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September 28, 2007

New Vote On Iran Sanctions Delayed

UPDATED.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did not go out of her way to hide her disappointment at the latest setback in U.S. efforts to clamp down further on Iran.

"The international community has to have a greater sense of urgency about some of these issues," she said, speaking to reporters at the U.N. this afternoon. "We have two unanimous Security Council resolutions in place on Iran. We're working on a third, and using that track to try to invigorate the negotiations track." Rice conceded that there was already a "certain level of cooperation in Iran."

Continue reading "New Vote On Iran Sanctions Delayed"

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Posted to: Asia, Bush Administration, China, Condoleezza Rice, EU, Europe, France, Germany, IAEA, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, Nuclear Weapons, Russia, Terrorism, U.K., U.N.
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September 18, 2007

In Case You Missed It...

... we're going to war with Iran. France is on board, too. (With us, not Iran.)

What?

The surreality of global relations this week is enough to make us wonder if we're trapped inside one of John Bolton's fevered dreams. Let's untangle this web of crazy carefully, lest all our heads collectively explode.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner is now seeking to assure allies that his country will "negotiate, negotiate, negotiate" before resorting to the option of war with Iran. On Sunday, the socialist ignited a firestorm when he told an interviewer, "We must prepare for the worst," adding, "The worst, sir, is war."

Kouchner said that France was "preparing" itself for the prospect of war in the event efforts to dismantle Iran's nuclear program were unsuccessful.

En route to a meeting with his counterpart in Moscow today, Kouchner sought to dial back his earlier remarks. "I do not want it said that I'm a warmonger. My message was one of peace, serious and determined," he told traveling reporters. Later, he blamed the media for running wild with what he'd said on Sunday. "As usual with journalists, they take one phrase and you don't know what came after," he said on a Russian radio talk show.

That's fair. Then again, maybe France picked a really bad time to propose Germany dump its historical baggage and dive into the nukes business.

Continue reading "In Case You Missed It..."

Posted at 6:30 PM
Posted to: Asia, Bush Administration, China, Europe, France, Germany, Iran, Middle East, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, Russia, Syria, Terrorism, U.K., U.N.
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Petraeus & Crocker Take Report To U.K.

After a grueling week of testimony, interviews and close public scrutiny in their home country, the top U.S. military and diplomatic officials in Iraq flew to the United Kingdom to face an even tougher crowd.

Even though Britain's contribution in manpower and money to the war in Iraq has been far less than America's, resentment over the war and its costs arguably runs deeper across the pond. Tensions have grown worse since the departure of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, a staunch supporter of President Bush's foreign policies, and the pullout of nearly all British troops from Basra, their last stronghold in Iraq.

But in talks with new Prime Minister Gordon Brown today, U.S. Gen. David Petraeus had nothing but praise for the British armed services and their dedication to the fight in Iraq.

Continue reading "Petraeus & Crocker Take Report To U.K."

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Posted to: David Petraeus, Europe, Gordon Brown, Iraq, Military, U.K.
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September 17, 2007

Iran Fumes Over France's Nuke Warning

Iran is set to be the focus of discussions at both a Moscow meeting and the annual IAEA summit today, but a flare-up from French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner already has Iran on the defensive.

Kouchner commented that if Tehran possessed a nuclear weapon, it would pose a "real danger for the whole world," and the EU should prepare sanctions aimed at Iran's nuclear program even if the U.N. isn't ready to do so. Sanctions against Iran will be discussed among the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council in talks set for Friday.

Iran's official media responded angrily to Kouchner's comments, accusing the French government of wanting to "copy the White House" and French President Nicolas Sarkozy of taking on "an American skin."

Agence France-Presse has more on today's story, and The Gate has recent coverage of the international community's evolving attitudes toward sanctions against Iran.

Posted at 8:18 AM
Posted to: Europe, France, Iran, Middle East
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September 14, 2007

Report: Germany Wavers, U.S. Revives Iran Planning

About a month ago, we wondered why White House officials were leaking word that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps was to be designated a terrorist organization. Looks like we may have an answer.

Reuters reports that the leak may have been a hawkish attempt to goad the State Department into taking a tougher line on Tehran. The White House alleges Iran is arming and funding Shiite insurgents in Iraq, compounding existing frustration over Iran's nuclear ambitions. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has mostly laughed off U.N. economic sanctions aimed at his uranium enrichment program.

Now, there are indications the sanctions process may have hit a roadblock.

Continue reading "Report: Germany Wavers, U.S. Revives Iran Planning"

Posted at 11:41 AM
Posted to: Asia, Bush Administration, China, EU, Europe, France, Germany, IAEA, Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, President Bush, Russia, Terrorism, U.N.
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September 06, 2007

Foiled Plot Raises Questions About Germany's Role In Afghanistan

After yesterday's announcement of three arrests in an alleged plot to bomb the Frankfurt International Airport and a U.S. air base near Ramstein-Miesenbach, German authorities are now searching for as many as 10 more suspects in the thwarted attacks.

According to the Washington Post, German officials are seeking Germans, Turks and suspects of other nationalities, several of whom are Muslim converts, who are "believed to be part of a support group helping with plans for a massive bombing to kill Americans." German Deputy Interior Minister August Hanning told public television network ARD that the al-Qaida affiliated group was not believed to be planning other attacks and no longer posed a security risk. Yesterday, Lebanese officials announced they had arrested a fourth man in connection with the case.

The thwarted attacks have raised concerns in Germany over whether the country's involvement in the Afghan peacekeeping mission in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. has made it a prime target for terrorists. Germany's mandate for that mission is currently up for renewal, and some lawmakers wanted to scale it back even before the recent plot was revealed.

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Posted at 12:00 PM
Posted to: Afghanistan, Al-Qaida, Europe, Germany, Terrorism
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August 28, 2007

Foreign Firefighters Head To Greece

Several days of wildfires have destroyed nearly half a million acres of land in Greece, and firefighters from Israel, Austria, Italy and other countries arrived today to assist in efforts to extinguish the blazes. The European Union said it's offering unprecedented assistance to its member state.

More than 60 people have been killed since the fires first broke out all over the country, threatening populated areas and ancient sites such as Marathon and Olympia.

Greek President Karolos Papoulias declared states of emergency and deemed the fires a "national catastrophe." Elections are set for mid-September, and the government is facing widespread criticism over its handling of the spate of fires that has been plaguing the country all summer.

Posted at 3:02 PM
Posted to: EU, Europe
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Turkey Gets First Ex-Islamist President

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul received the simple majority of votes he needed to finalize his election, making him the first Turkish president with an Islamist background.

Gul, of the ruling AKP party, won 339 of 550 votes in a third round of parliamentary balloting. His win brings to a close a tension-filled election, in which Turkey's military threatened a coup in order to uphold the overwhelmingly Muslim country's secularist constitution.

Strains between Turkey's secularists and those who backed Gul's candidacy remain. With Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan still in office, AKP now controls Turkey's highest offices as well as Parliament. Gul, a devout Muslim, has promised that his associations with political Islam are in the past, and AKP remains popular for shepherding an unprecedented economic boom.

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Posted to: EU, Europe, Turkey
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August 20, 2007

Turkey's Vote: Ready Or Not, Here Gul Comes

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is pressing forward with his bid for the presidency today, despite losing an initial round of voting. If he fails to win a two-thirds majority in Parliament in Friday's second round, he will need to muster only a simple majority in the third round. The controversial politician's eventual election is a certainty, since his AK Party holds a majority in Parliament.

Gul's campaign for the presidency is controversial because of his past involvement with an Islamist party. He has said that he no longer has ties to political Islam, and is vowing to uphold Turkey's secular constitution. But suspicions linger because Gul remains a committed Muslim, and his wife wears a headscarf -- despite a ban on headscarves in Turkey's public institutions.

Continue reading "Turkey's Vote: Ready Or Not, Here Gul Comes"

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Posted to: Europe, Turkey
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August 13, 2007

Turkish Political Crisis In Works Yet Again

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again nominated Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to be president, in a direct challenge to millions of his countrymen and the military, AP reports. Gul is a member of the ruling AK party, which is viewed by critics as advocating political Islam.

Erdogan's decision will likely reignite a tense confrontation between his government and Turkey's fiercely secularist military. In the spring, when Erdogan first announced he wanted outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a secularist, to be succeeded by Gul, more than a million Turks took to the streets and the military threatened a coup.

Parliamentary elections were moved up to last month to help resolve the crisis. To most observers' surprise, voters decisively sided with the AK party in that vote.

Continue reading "Turkish Political Crisis In Works Yet Again"

Posted at 6:13 PM
Posted to: Bush Administration, Congress, EU, Europe, Turkey
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August 09, 2007

Bush Stays Course On Iraq, Taxes & Torture

President Bush today addressed a varied list of topics -- ranging from the nation's bridges to corporate tax cuts to Iran -- ahead of a retreat to his family's compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.

The deeply unpopular leader kicked off the news conference, broadcast by all the networks along with cable, with one of the few bright spots of his administration: education. His initiatives in this arena have managed to receive bipartisan support, including the America Competes Act, which he will sign today. The bill boosts and expands science, technology, engineering and math education, as well as research and development.

"The American economy is the envy of the world and we need to keep it that way," Bush said in his opening remarks. "The bill I will sign today will help ensure we do remain the most competitive and innovative nation in the world."

As Bush was speaking, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was slip-siding after three days of record gains. French bank BNP Paribas announced this morning that it froze three funds because of concerns about the U.S. subprime lending market, reviving American investors' panic about volatility there.

Protesting that he was not an economist, Bush refused to detail what he thought should be done about the subprime lending problem, but did seem to draw the line at a federal bailout. He also said that because many of the defaulting homeowners "didn't understand what they were signing up for," it would be a "proper role for government to enhance education initiatives," and again pointed to the America Competes Act.

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Posted at 1:48 PM
Posted to: Alberto Gonzales, Bush Administration, CIA, Campaigns, Congress, Detainees, Europe, France, Iran, Iraq, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Middle East, Military, President Bush, Taxes, Terrorism, WH 2008
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July 30, 2007

Bush & Blair Brown: Still 'Special'

UPDATED.

Anyone looking for signs British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is distancing himself from Washington on the Iraq war will be gravely disappointed.

In a joint press conference at Camp David today, Brown and his host, President Bush, delivered a harmonious assessment of their relationship and the way forward in Iraq. Brown also seemed to take pains to step closer to Bush on the war.

"We strongly support a bold initiative to make early progress in the Mideast," Brown said, summing up the two leaders' Sunday night and Monday morning talks. "Afghanistan continues to be the front line in the war on terrorism. On Iran, we are in agreement that the sanctions are working."

Minutes later, as Bush and Brown took questions from reporters, Brown was asked whether he disagreed with Bush's assertion that Iraq is the new front line in the war on terror. Brown seemed to backtrack on his earlier response.

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Posted to: Bush Administration, Europe, Gordon Brown, Iraq, Middle East, President Bush, Tony Blair, U.K.
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Bush & Brown Get Down To Business

Newly minted British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrived at Camp David last night, ready for his first official stateside visit with President Bush.

Eyes on both sides of the Atlantic are focused on the relationship between the two leaders. Some analysts predict British public opinion on Iraq will ensure that Brown will never draw as close to the president as former Prime Minister Tony Blair did; others point to Brown's statements calling the U.S.-U.K. alliance the country's “single most important bilateral relationship" and suggest they will enjoy a positive relationship.

Topics on tap for the rest of the two-day meeting: Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, Iran and Kosovo.

Posted at 7:47 AM
Posted to: Bush Administration, Europe, Gordon Brown, President Bush, Tony Blair, U.K.
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July 25, 2007

Gadhafi: Still A Menace?

Libya's release of six Bulgarian medics who had been sentenced to die has earned that country loads of goodwill from Europe and the U.S. France's pledge of $400 million in compensation for the families who allege the group infected their children with HIV helped secure the deal; meanwhile, the EU is now preparing a substantial aid package for the northern African nation. President Bush recently named the first U.S. ambassador to Libya in more than three decades, and today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she looked forward to paying Tripoli a visit soon.

It's an odd reversal for a nation once considered to be a sponsor of terrorism. In the 1980s, Moammar Gadhafi was right up there with the late Ayatollah Khomeini on America's enemies list. An alliance of conservatives and human rights groups whose memories stretch back to the 1980s aren't happy with the turnabout.

Gadhafi's decision to give up his nuclear weapons logically precipitated warmer relations with the West, but the Wall Street Journal balks: "The blackmail habit is hard to shake, and rewarding a dictator for hostage-taking is fraught with moral hazards." A director of U.S.-based Physicians for Human Rights complained, "This is really an outrageous case, in which the lives of these nurses and medic were literally ransomed for $400 million.... There is nothing to prevent the future scapegoating of foreign health workers and holding them hostage in exchange for foreign aid."

Indeed, the West's embrace of Gadhafi comes as Taliban militants hold a South Korean church group hostage in Afghanistan. One was killed earlier today.

Continue reading "Gadhafi: Still A Menace?"

Posted at 7:23 PM
Posted to: Africa, Bush Administration, Condoleezza Rice, Europe, France, Libya, Nuclear Weapons, Terrorism, Tony Blair, U.K.
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July 17, 2007

Libyan Court Commutes Death Sentences For Foreign Medics

Under intense international pressure, Libya's supreme court has decided to spare six foreign medical workers from execution. The five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor are accused of infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV in the 1990s.

Bulgaria, in concert with the EU, has been campaigning heavily to bring the nurses home. The case has attracted international attention. Pop singer George Michael held a concert in the nurses' honor in May, and France's first lady visited the prisoners last week.

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Posted at 4:36 PM
Posted to: Africa, EU, Europe, Libya, Middle East, Palestinians
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July 16, 2007

Four Russian Diplomats Expelled From U.K.

Angry with Moscow's lack of cooperation in a transcontinental murder probe, the British government plans to boot four yet-to-be-named Russian diplomats. BBC News reports that the targeted Russians may be intelligence officers.

Moscow has refused to hand over ex-KGB spy Andrei Lugovoi, who is suspected in the radiation poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko last November. Litvinenko is also a former spy. After becoming a vocal critic of the Russian government, he fled to Britain and was granted asylum.

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Posted to: Europe, Russia, U.K.
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July 10, 2007

Al-Zawahiri Threatens U.K. Over Rushdie

Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaida's No. 2, has promised a "very precise response" for the British knighthood conferred on novelist Salman Rushdie.

"The policy of your predecessor has brought tragedy and defeat upon you, not only in Afghanistan and Iraq but also in the center of London," al-Zawahiri says in a 20-minute audio message released today, according to a translation by the SITE Institute. "And if you did not understand, listen, we are ready to repeat it for you, with the permission of Allah. We are sure that you have quite understood it."

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Posted at 2:02 PM
Posted to: Al-Qaida, Europe, U.K.
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July 06, 2007

Report: U.K. Bomb Plot Suspects Eyed U.S.

An Iraqi doctor is the first suspect to be charged in attempting bombings in London and Glasgow, AP reports.

Bilal Abdullah, 27, is believed to have been riding in a Jeep Cherokee that was loaded with gasoline canisters and driven into Glasgow's airport last Saturday. "I have now made the decision that there is sufficient evidence and authorized the charging of Bilal Abdullah with conspiracy to cause explosions following incidents in London and Glasgow," said British prosecutor Susan Hemming.

BBC News has just obtained new video of the Glasgow crash; it contains graphic images.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that two of the doctors being held in the attacks may have attempted to come to the United States. Sources said Mohammed Jamil Asha, 26, and a suspect who hasn't been identified inquired about enrolling in graduate medical programs with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, a national organization based in Philadelphia.

Posted at 4:02 PM
Posted to: Europe, Terrorism, U.K.
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July 03, 2007

U.K. Terror Scare Puts U.S. Cities On Alert

As has been the case on every Fourth of July since the 9/11 attacks, many Americans will be chomping on hot dogs and waving tiny American flags as heavily armed police and security forces stand by.

CNN reports that the Transportation Security Administration is dispatching special counterterrorism teams to subway and commuter systems in eight major cities: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

The extra precautions are being taken as British officials seek to unravel what looks to have been an unsophisticated but coordinated car bomb attack in that country. The relative ease of assembling a crude car bomb in a major metropolitan area has security officials on both sides of the pond re-evaluating their anti-terrorism strategies.

BBC News, the Guardian and the Telegraph have the latest on the British investigation.

Posted at 1:05 PM
Posted to: Europe, Terrorism, U.K.
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July 02, 2007

U.K. To Rethink Detainee Policies Following Terror Plot

Britain is on its highest-level terror alert as officials scramble to head off what The Economist is calling that nation's "dreadful summer ritual" -- coordinated homegrown plots by Islamic radicals.

Officials believe the failed car bombings in London and Glasgow may have been part of a coordinated plot. Seven people, all of whom are believed to be foreigners, have been arrested.

This is the second consecutive year Britain has thwarted a potentially massive terror plot since the 7/7 London transit attacks in 2005. In a statement to the British Commons today, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the government might rethink its detention policies for suspected terrorists.

"There may well be a case for looking very carefully at the amount of time that we are able to detain people pre-charge in order to ensure the very best opportunity to bring convictions," she said.

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Posted at 10:39 AM
Posted to: Europe, Terrorism, Tony Blair, U.K.
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June 29, 2007

Thwarted Car Bomb Attack Tests Brown's Government

UPDATED.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's still-forming government is being put to the test on just his second full day on the job. A foiled car bomb attack in central London has Britain on high alert.

Scotland Yard reported this afternoon that the plot was more extensive than it may have initially feared, when authorities found a second car with explosives linked to the car near Piccadilly Circus found this morning. The second device -- found in a Mercedes, like the first -- was apparently left in a car parked illegally underground near Trafalgar Square. After it was towed to an area near Buckingham Palace, workers smelled gasoline, and because gas containers had been found in the first car, they investigated and uncovered bomb parts.

Three suspects were being sought in connection to the thwarted bombings. U.S. officials told NBC News that the three men have been identified and are said to be from near Birmingham, a heavily Muslim area of the country. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Posted to: Europe, Gordon Brown, U.K.
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June 27, 2007

Members-Only Sentiment Overtaking EU

As American lawmakers debate the cultural impact of immigrants in this country, some of their counterparts across the globe are also trying to pull a curtain around themselves. In the case of the European Union, nations that are already members seem to want to prevent others from joining their ranks.

The EU's explosive growth in 2004, when it added 10 nations, was of dubious wisdom, many members now believe. The body's failure to agree on a constitution has resulted in a disjointed entity, with conflicting and confusing trade and finance rules nearly nullifying the EU's raison d'etre.

Another common complaint is that some politically immature nations were permitted entry too soon. Two cases in point are Romania and Bulgaria, both of which joined this year. The former Eastern bloc countries narrowly escaped suspension of their EU membership today after coming under criticism for not bringing legal reforms up to snuff. Both countries are sapling democracies in which high-level corruption scandals are unfolding.

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Posted at 6:16 PM
Posted to: EU, Europe, Turkey
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June 26, 2007

Blair To Be Named Envoy

Tony Blair won't be available for tea after he leaves 10 Downing Street.

Instead, he'll be shuttling between the Palestinians and Israelis as the special envoy for the Mideast Quartet. The outgoing British prime minister wouldn't confirm the appointment, but AP quotes Blair as saying from London, "I think that anybody who cares about greater peace and stability in the world knows that a lasting and enduring resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue is essential.... As I have said on many occasions, I would do whatever I could to help such a resolution come about."

AP also reports that the members of the international diplomatic Quartet -- the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia -- plan to make simultaneous announcements from Washington, New York, Brussels and Moscow tomorrow.

Posted at 1:30 PM
Posted to: Europe, Middle East, Tony Blair, U.K.
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May 29, 2007

Traveler Quarantined After TB Scare

A man afflicted with tuberculosis may have exposed fellow passengers on flights to and from the United States, and he has been quarantined by U.S. health officials in an effort to control the spread of the disease.

Reuters reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are notifying passengers from two flights -- Air France 385 from Atlanta to Paris on May 13 and Czech Air Flight 0104 from Prague to Montreal on May 24 -- about possible infections. Tuberculosis bacteria can be spread through coughing and sneezing.

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Posted at 4:51 PM
Posted to: Europe, Health
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May 17, 2007

Bush And Blair's Long Kiss Goodnight

The sight of President Bush and Tony Blair defiantly defending their relationship at the White House today will probably inspire snickers from the "Daily Show" set, but the palpable solidarity the two men share will be one of the most defining legacies of the Iraq war.

In his final visit to Washington as Britain's prime minister, Blair gave a joint press conference with Bush in the Rose Garden following private briefings on Iraq. Blair will step down after 10 years in office next month, and he leaves under heavy criticism back home. More specifically, he leaves under the widespread British taunt that he'd become Bush's "poodle," following the American leader blindly into a war that seems to many unwinnable.

But both men disputed that characterization today, and Bush quickly lost patience with some particularly pointed questions from members of the British press.

"You're tap dancing on his political grave, aren't you?" Bush retorted, after a reporter repeated earlier questions about whether Washington should even be speaking with Blair considering his departure date and the coronation of his successor, Gordon Brown, by the British press.

"He happens to be your prime minister," Bush pointedly told the reporter. "And more importantly, he is a respected man in the international community. People admire him, even if they don't agree with him 100 percent. He's effective."

Continue reading "Bush And Blair's Long Kiss Goodnight"

Posted at 2:15 PM
Posted to: Bush Administration, Europe, Iraq, Middle East, President Bush, Tony Blair, U.K.
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May 11, 2007

Taliban Frees French Hostage

Eric Damfreville, a French aid worker kidnapped by Taliban fighters over a month ago, was released today to tribal elders in Kandahar. The Red Cross confirmed Damfreville's release and said its workers have him in their custody.

The Taliban credited the action to recent comments from France's new president-elect, Nicolas Sarkozy, who said on April 26 -- before his election -- that he would consider pulling his country's troops out of the NATO force in Afghanistan and that France could not remain in Afghanistan indefinitely.

Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf told Reuters that the Taliban's leadership council "decided to free him for the newly elected French president" who "had said in his utterances that France will deliberate over withdrawing French troops from Afghanistan."

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Posted at 12:24 PM
Posted to: Afghanistan, Asia, Europe, France, Terrorism
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May 10, 2007

Bye-Bye, Blair

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will leave office June 27, leaving President Bush bereft of his most steadfast foreign ally. His resignation announcement today may have offered a preview of what Americans will be in for when Bush's departure in early 2009 nears.

Blair cast his lot with Bush following 9/11 and the decision to go to war with Iraq. It was the biggest gamble of the Labour Party leader's career, and, perhaps, his costliest. Blair's sinking approval ratings have dovetailed with Bush's.

And yet, as Blair noted in his farewell speech, it could have been otherwise.

Continue reading "Bye-Bye, Blair"

Posted at 3:15 PM
Posted to: Europe, Iraq, President Bush, Tony Blair, U.K.
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May 08, 2007

Historic Moment In Northern Ireland

Today's swearing-in of Northern Ireland's newly elected first minister, Ian Paisley, marks the first shared Catholic-Protestant government in Belfast. Paisley's deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, belongs to the Sinn Fein party; Paisley had once boycotted the party for its links to the Irish Republican Army.

"It is a special day because we're making a new beginning," Paisley said. "I believe we're starting on a road which will bring us back to peace and to prosperity."

Posted at 8:02 AM
Posted to: Europe, U.K.
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May 07, 2007

Sarkozy Seeks To Modernize French Economy

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's characterization of France as "Old Europe" four years ago stung the traditional U.S. ally, possibly in part because the dig may have carried a seed of truth.

That nation's economic malaise may be one reason why 85 percent of the electorate -- a staggering number by American standards -- turned out yesterday to elect as its new president Nicolas Sarkozy, the conservative candidate who promised the more aggressive cure.

France has yet to step headlong into the free-market capitalism that many believe has turned Germany -- the other target of Rumsfeld's remarks -- into a runaway economic success. Many observers, both in France and abroad, see France's ills as the result of lax unemployment policies, a lopsided tax system and overly powerful unions, among other symptoms.

Continue reading "Sarkozy Seeks To Modernize French Economy"

Posted at 5:50 PM
Posted to: Europe, France
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White House Hails The Queen

UPDATED.

President Bush welcomed Queen Elizabeth II with a formal 21-gun salute on the White House South Lawn today and a speech that could be distilled thusly: "The terrorists are out to get us," and "My, you're old."

After praising the two nations they represent as sharing a "deep and abiding love of liberty," Bush said the allies were staying on the offense against "those who murder the innocent to advance a hateful ideology."

Not exactly the usual tea-time fare.

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Posted at 12:56 PM
Posted to: Europe, President Bush, U.K.
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May 01, 2007

The Trouble In Turkey

UPDATED.

Regular cable news viewers are probably familiar with an ad sponsored by Turkey's tourism ministry promoting the history-rich Eurasian country as a place where the past meets the present. This week, that juxtaposition is playing out in a very alarming way.

Turkey faces the prospect of a moved-up presidential election -- under threat of military coup, no less -- in a clash between forces that equate the country's fiercely secular political system with modernity, and those who want the leadership to be a more accurate representation of the almost wholly Muslim populace. Not only is the nation's short-term stablity at risk -- its long-term wish of joining the European Union is more in danger than ever.

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Posted to: EU, Europe, Turkey
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April 12, 2007

Tony Blair Touches Off Imus-Like Flap

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has come under fire for advising community leaders to do away with "political correctness" and acknowledge that London's rising gang violence mostly involves young blacks.

"When are we going to start saying this is a problem amongst a section of the black community and not, for reasons of political correctness, pretend that this is nothing to do with it?" Blair said, in an address delivered yesterday to the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce. "The black community -- the vast majority of whom in these communities are decent, law-abiding people horrified at what is happening -- need to be mobilised in denunciation of this gang culture that is killing innocent young black kids. But we won't stop this by pretending it isn't young black kids doing it."

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Posted at 12:47 PM
Posted to: Europe, Race, Tony Blair, U.K.
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April 09, 2007

U.K.: No More Paid Interviews With Military

After a lashing from critics over allowing some of the 15 sailors and marines kidnapped in Iran to give tabloid and TV interviews for pay, the British Ministry of Defense has announced that all military personnel are from now on prohibited from doing so.

Defense Minister Des Brown said the ministry allowed the 14 men and one woman -- who were returned to Britain late last week -- to accept money in exchange for media interviews because of the "exceptional circumstances, but later concluded that the decision had "not reached a satisfactory outcome."

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Posted at 1:52 PM
Posted to: Europe, Iran, U.K.
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April 06, 2007

U.K. Sailors: Capture Was 'Complete Media Stunt'

Seven of the 15 British sailors and marines held prisoner in Iran for nearly two weeks denounced their capture as a "media stunt" and denied that they had violated Iranian waters or that they surrendered to the Revolutionary Guard prematurely and willingly.

"Let me make it absolutely clear: Irrespective of what was said in the past when we were detained, we were inside internationally recognized waters" that belonged to Iraq, Royal Marine Capt. Chris Air said at a press conference today, where the seven sailors and marines spoke to the media.

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Posted at 10:33 AM
Posted to: Europe, Iran, U.K.
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April 05, 2007

U.K. Sailors Back Home; Bomb Suspects Charged

With Congress in recess and President Bush clearing brush in Crawford, it's very quiet today in Washington. Not so for America's allies across the pond.

First, the latest news: Police have charged three more suspects in the 2005 London transit bombings that killed 52 and injured nearly a thousand, the London Guardian reports. "Sadeer Saleem, 26, Mohammed Shakil, 30, and Waheed Ali, 23," are accused of conspiring with the suicide bombers who carried out the rush-hour attacks on three crowded subways and one double-decker bus on July 7, 2005.

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Posted at 12:55 PM
Posted to: Europe, Iran, Terrorism, Tony Blair, U.K.
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March 08, 2007

Shared Gov't Likely For Northern Ireland

Remember when violence between Catholic and Protestant extremists in Northern Ireland dominated the headlines? Northern Ireland has enjoyed an overall peace for at least five years, and in today's Assembly elections, nearly 250 candidates are "standing in 18 constituencies in the proportional representation election," BBC News reports. Among the winners is Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams, who early results indicate will remain in his post in West Belfast.

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Posted at 2:01 PM
Posted to: Europe, U.K.
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