Washington Post (March 6, 2012)
“In our view, Mr. Obama’s arguments against an early attack on Iran…were persuasive.” While Iran has not decided to work toward a diplomatic settlement, there is still time. As President Obama pointed out, there will still be considerable lead time before Tehran is “in a position to obtain a nuclear weapon” and the U.S. will know when Iran first attempts this.
Tags: Diplomacy, Iran, Nuclear weapon, Obama, War
New York Times (January 19, 2012)
“The death toll from the brutal 10-month war by President Bashar al-Assad of Syria against his own people is now more than 5,400…. The international community needs to exert whatever diplomatic and economic pressure it can to make clear to Mr. Assad and his cronies that their time has run out.”
Tags: Assad, Diplomacy, Economic pressure, Syria
The Economist (October 29)
Technology is improving to the point where it may one day be able to read minds. While this could be a boon in many ways, especially to those who are physically impaired, this sort of complete honesty “would lead to disaster, for lying is at the heart of civilisation…. Call it diplomacy, public relations or simple good manners: lying is one of the things that makes the world go round.”
Tags: Diplomacy, Honesty, Lying, Manners, Technology
Washington Post (February 28)
Will the Jasmine revolution spread to all of the Arab States? Who should the U.S. and other countries back, existing leaders or the protestors? The Post believes, the “direction of events means that, more than ever, the American interest lies in encouraging more rather than less freedom and in reaching out to those Arabs who seek genuine democracy. If that means straining ties with autocratic allies, that is preferable to appearing to back the wrong side.”
Tags: Democracy, Diplomacy, Middle East, Revolution
Washington Post (September 28)
“Why on earth are the Chinese playing military games with Japan, threatening Southeast Asia or entering politics at all?” Columnist Anne Applebaum notes that China has avoided international conflict during most of the last decade. Doing so, has brought great benefits. China has landed major concessions in both Afghanistan and Iraq, while American troops are caught up in fighting. China has cornered the market on rare-earth metals and boasts 3 of the top 10 producers of wind turbines. It’s not in China’s interest to provoke fights with its neighbors. China’s diplomats and military are scary, but Applebaum points out “the scariest thing is the power China has already accumulated.”
