Jim Lobe

Besides improving Washington’s image in South and Southeast Asia, the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush is hoping to achieve something more concrete from its aid efforts in the aftermath of the Dec. 26 tsunami that killed over 175,000 people along the coasts of the Indian Ocean. In particular, it is reviving its hopes … Continue reading “Bush Uses Tsunami Aid to Regain Foothold in Indonesia”

Jubilant over President George W. Bush’s re-election victory just two months ago, neoconservatives who played a leading role in shaping the radical trajectory of U.S. foreign policy after the Sep. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks appear increasingly divided on key issues and uncertain of their position in Bush’s second term. All are on board for the … Continue reading “Neoconservatives at Sea”

Three dozen of the nation’s most prominent Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious leaders Wednesday issued a special appeal to U.S. President George W. Bush to appoint a high-level special envoy to work full time on promoting peace talks between the governments of Israel and the Palestine Authority (PA). The leaders, who together represent 25 national … Continue reading “Religious Leaders Urge Bush Seize the Moment on Mideast Peace”

Human rights groups and other observers remain worried about the continuing violence in the western region of Darfur, despite the signing yesterday of a final peace accord between the government of Sudan and southern rebels. They are also concerned that both major parties to the accord, the National Islamic Front (NIF) government and the Sudan … Continue reading “Roots of Sudan Bloodshed Run Deep, Experts Warn”

For the second time in as many months, a report by a key Pentagon advisory group has implicitly taken the administration of President George W. Bush to task for major failures in pre-war planning, particularly with respect to Iraq. A 220-page report [.pdf], quietly released late last month by the Defense Science Board (DSB), concludes … Continue reading “More Dissent in Pentagon Ranks Over Iraq War”

Expressing concerns about attorney general-designate Alberto Gonzales’ commitment to due process and the rule of law, a coalition of some 50 civil rights and labor groups called Wednesday for the Senate Judiciary Committee to conduct a "searching and thorough review" of the nominee’s record and positions in confirmation hearings that begin Thursday. In a three-page … Continue reading “Civil Rights Groups Voice Concerns About Gonzales”

Ending weeks of sometimes fevered speculation, Bush administration officials confirmed Thursday that secretary of state-designate Condoleezza Rice’s deputy at the State Department will be a confirmed Atlanticist and arch-realist, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick. The decision was surprising to foreign-policy analysts here not only because Zoellick, by agreeing to take the post, will lose … Continue reading “In Surprise Move, Realist Gets Nod for Rice’s Deputy”

While the world’s attention has been focused for the past 10 days on the catastrophic tsunamis in South Asia and the subsequent relief efforts, the situation for the United States and its dwindling number of allies in Iraq appears to have worsened. The administration of President George W. Bush and its supporters continue to insist … Continue reading “Meanwhile, Back in Iraq…”

Led by a dozen retired generals and admirals, including a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, human rights groups are urging the U.S. Senate to carefully scrutinize the role of White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales in devising detention and interrogation policies for the Bush administration’s “war against terrorism” before confirming him as attorney … Continue reading “Gonzales Faces Stormy Hearing”

The Bush administration’s foreign policy may be costing U.S. corporations business overseas, according to a new survey of 8,000 international consumers released this week by the Seattle-based Global Market Insite (GMI) Inc. Brands closely identified with the U.S., such as Marlboro cigarettes, America Online (AOL), McDonald’s, American Airlines, and Exxon-Mobil, are particularly at risk. GMI, … Continue reading “Poll: War Bad for Business”