archive

Global issues, the Middle East and American politics

Oona Hathaway (Yale): International Delegation and State Sovereignty. As Undiplomatic Activities by Richard Woolcott reveals, the world of international diplomacy is full of bizarre pratfalls.  Here are the worst countries in the world, according to the Failed States Index — all 10 are violent, miserable, corrupt and poor, with the traits that vault them ahead of other notorious shitholes. Deaths by numbers: Is it all right for humanitarian aid workers to tell lies and mislead people in a "good cause"? Forced labour: 200 years since it was abolished, slavery is not only still happening, it’s actually increasing all over the world. A review of Enslaved: True Stories of Modern Day Slavery by Jesse Sage and Liora Kasten and After Abolition. Britain and the Slave Trade since 1807 by Marika Sherwood. A review of International Prosecution of Human Rights Crimes

From Democratiya, an excerpt from The Truth About Syria by Barry Rubin. Policing religion: There are signs that Saudi society may finally have had enough of the country's draconian religious police. A review of Rethinking Global Sisterhood: Western Feminism and Iran by Nima Naghibi. Molding the Ideal Islamic Citizen: Enjoy sex (in marriage), and abstain from dissent. Iran shapes a national identity. From Asia Times, Spengler on the discreet charm of US diplomacy. The US appears to be relying on imported friendliness. Does this mean it is running out of "nice"? Wars That Defy Categorization: The war in Iraq, 9/11 attacks and the Iranian Revolution pose challenges for Western imagination. From Slate, The House Tosses Softballs to Gen. Petraeus. That's More Like It! The Senate grills Petraeus and Crocker. A top general's dilemma: Gen. David Howell Petraeus is the wrong man fighting the wrong enemy in the wrong country. 

A Legacy Bush Can Control: Every president issues “midnight regulations” in the twilight of the term. In the waning days of the Bush administration expect a wave of them. A look at why Bush's architect is a perfect match for his presidency. John Dean on understanding the contemporary Republican Party: Authoritarians have taken control. What's Not The Matter With Kansas: A fratricidal GOP and a rapidly expanding Democratic electorate have made the one-time red state politically competitive. Is "Voter Purging" a legal way for Republicans to swing elections? Now the Department of Justice, like the Republican Party, wants fewer registered voters in 2008. Who’s Your Daddy Now? Lost, stubborn, and surly, the GOP is rapidly rebranding itself as the bad-dad party. But can the Dems finally ditch their soft-mommy rep? Linda Hirshman on why Democrats should embrace the philosophy of Liberalism