New York Times (July 10)
“The new American sanctions on North Korea are hardly surprising, since the regime brutally controls 25 million people, has an aggressive nuclear program and is improving its ability to launch missiles that could one day hit the United States.” Whether the sanctions can “make North Korea budge” remains to be seen.
Tags: Aggressive, Brutal, Launch, Missiles, North Korea, Nuclear program, Regime, Sanctions, U.S.
Bloomberg (November 25, 2013)
“Critics of a deal on Iran’s nuclear program, both in the U.S Congress and the Israeli government, need to answer a question: Is there a better alternative?” The Geneva deal is hardly perfect, but seen from another perspective it may provide the best opportunity. This “imperfect Iran deal may be U.S.’s least-bad option.”
Tags: Congress, Deal, Geneva, Imperfect, Iran, Israeli, Nuclear program, Opportunity, Option, U.S.
New York Times (August 26)
In a series of tweets, Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, “has given reason to hope that he is serious about resolving disputes with the United States and other major powers, most urgently about Iran’s nuclear program.” One such tweet reads, “We don’t want further tension. Both nations need 2 think more abt future & try 2 sit down & find solutions to past issues & rectify things.” While promising, “it would be naïve to assume that the path to ending Iran’s isolation is now clear.”
Tags: Disputes, Hassan Rouhani, Hope, Iran, Isolation, Nuclear program, Solutions, Tension, United States
New York Times (June 4)
The U.S. has eased sanctions on Iran to allow the export of mobile phones, laptops, encryption software and related technology to individual Iranians. “This should improve the ability of Iranians to circumvent their government’s unrelenting crackdown on dissenting opinion and communicate with each other and the outside world without reprisal.” The move is overdue. “Tensions between Iran and the United States—over Syria and terrorism, as well as the nuclear program—will almost certainly get worse, barring some unexpected new policies in Tehran. But America will be in a stronger position if it is seen as standing with the Iranian people.”
Tags: Crackdown, Export, Iran, Nuclear program, Sanctions, Syria, Technology, Terrorism, U.S.
