Jim Lobe

Jim Lobe writes for Inter Press Service.

Armenian Genocide Vote Threatens US-Turkish Ties at Key Moment

Thursday’s vote by a Congressional committee condemning the deaths of up to 1.5 million Armenians during World War I as "genocide" is almost certain to complicate U.S. ties with Turkey, a long-time strategic ally and increasingly influential player in the Middle East and central and southwest Asia.The 23-22 vote by the Foreign Affairs Committee of … Continue reading “Armenian Genocide Vote Threatens US-Turkish Ties at Key Moment”

Debate Over Military Action Against Iran Gains Steam

While the ongoing U.S. military "surge" in Afghanistan continues to capture the headlines, Iran’s nuclear program – and how best to deal with it – is rapidly emerging here as this year’s biggest foreign policy challenge. Although the administration of President Barack Obama remains hopeful that a combination of diplomacy and increasingly tougher sanctions will … Continue reading “Debate Over Military Action Against Iran Gains Steam”

Clinton Hails Yemen Ceasefire, but Aid Concerns Remain

The ceasefire announced late last week between Yemen’s government and Houthi rebels in the northern part of the country is being greeted here as an important initial step toward stabilizing the Arab world’s poorest country and reversing advances by al-Qaeda’s affiliate there. Washington wants the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to make the battle … Continue reading “Clinton Hails Yemen Ceasefire, but Aid Concerns Remain”

Iran Sanctions, ‘Regime Change,’ Take Center Stage

With the Senate set to take up major sanctions legislation against Iran by mid-February, neo-conservative and other hawks are calling on the administration of President Barack Obama to pursue a more aggressive course of "regime change" in Tehran. In recent days, their call was unexpectedly bolstered by a Newsweek column authored by the president of … Continue reading “Iran Sanctions, ‘Regime Change,’ Take Center Stage”

Rights Groups Under Sustained Attack Worldwide

Abusive governments around the world escalated their attacks against local human rights defenders and other independent monitors during 2009, according to the 2010 edition of Human Rights Watch’s annual ‘World Report’ released here Wednesday. Their attacks have also become increasingly sophisticated, relying in some cases less on brute force than on regulations and other non-violent … Continue reading “Rights Groups Under Sustained Attack Worldwide”

US Voices Growing Concern Over Sudan Accord

U.S. and other Western officials expressed growing concern Friday over the fate of the peace accord signed five years ago this week by Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). "[T]ime is limited, the stakes are high, and there is much work yet to be done to secure a lasting peace and prevent the … Continue reading “US Voices Growing Concern Over Sudan Accord”

Afghanistan Dominated TV Foreign News in 2009

Afghanistan and the U.S. military escalation in the civil war there dominated foreign-related news coverage by the three major U.S. television networks in 2009, according to the latest annual review by the authoritative Tyndall Report. Despite the continued presence of well over 100,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan received more than four times the amount … Continue reading “Afghanistan Dominated TV Foreign News in 2009”

Is Obama Digging Out or Digging Deeper?

As 2009 draws to a close, the big question here is whether President Barack Obama is succeeding in digging out of the hole – international as well as financial — that he inherited from George W. Bush or digging deeper into it. The answers to that question are both varied and decidedly mixed. One school … Continue reading “Is Obama Digging Out or Digging Deeper?”

Aborted Bombing Puts Yemen in the Limelight

The attempted Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. airliner by a Nigerian allegedly associated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has propelled long-neglected Yemen into the media spotlight. The attempt, which was foiled by alert passengers who subdued the alleged bomber, 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, as he tried to set off explosives, could result … Continue reading “Aborted Bombing Puts Yemen in the Limelight”

Civilian Surge Expected in New Pakistan Aid Plans

U.S. plans to substantially increase non-military aid to Pakistan to help curb Islamist extremism there will initially require a marked rise in the number of U.S.-based experts working in the country, according to a State Department "Strategy Report" released to Congress earlier this week. The 20-page strategy, which earmarks half of the seven billion dollars … Continue reading “Civilian Surge Expected in New Pakistan Aid Plans”