In 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin complained, "What happened to the assurances our western partners made after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact? Where are those declarations today? No one even remembers them. But I will allow myself to remind this...
Is ‘Autocracy’ America’s Mortal Enemy?
In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden declared to the nation and world: "We are engaged anew in a great battle for freedom. A battle between democracy and autocracy." On her trip to Taiwan, Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed Biden:...
The Solomon Islands and the Perils of ‘Great Power Competition’
Bob Wright identifies a recent article as an example of Blobbish self-parody:Spencer-Churchill argues that “Invade that sovereign state!” can be a good answer – so long as the sovereign state is the Solomon Islands and the invader is the United States or Australia....
US Hypocrisy and Israeli Crimes
Many people were surprised and outraged when US President Biden recently fist bumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. After all, as a candidate, Biden pledged to make the Saudi kingdom a pariah since the Crown Prince had been directly linked to the murder of...
Iraq Daily Roundup: Ten Killed
Iraq Daily Roundup: Five Killed
Israel’s Premature ‘Victory’ Celebration: The Defining War in Gaza Is Yet To Be Fought
For years, Palestinians, as well as Israelis, have labored to redraw the battle lines. The three-day Israeli war on Gaza, starting on August 5, clearly manifested this reality. Throughout its military operation, Israel has repeatedly underscored the point that the war...
The Continuing Isolation of Russia? But Wait…
In his State of the Union address, President Biden announced that Russia was "isolated from the world more than [it] ever has been." He said that "We are choking off Russia’s access to technology that will sap its economic strength and weaken its...
Why Is Amnesty Apologizing for Telling the Truth About Ukrainian War Crimes?
Should a human rights organization apologize for publishing important evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses? If it does apologize, what does that suggest about its commitment to dispassionately uncovering the truth about the actions of both parties to war?...
Saudi Arabia’s Enablers Condemned as Woman Sentenced to 34 Years for Tweets
Human rights defenders this week accused U.S. President Joe Biden of empowering Saudi oppression after an activist was sentenced to 34 years in prison for tweeting about the fundamentalist monarchy's repression of women. Salma al-Shehab, a 34-year-old Saudi mother of...


