If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
Nikolić's and Jeremić's promotion of historical revisionism that denies genocide and accentuates ethnic chauvinism negates what many in Washington and Brussels may wishfully want to see as a more politically progressive Serbia.
The president of the U.N. General Assembly decided to hold an all day debate on whether international justice promoted reconciliation. But his real purpose was to undermine a war crimes tribunal on the former Yugoslavia because of a perceived bias towards Serbs.
It was on nuclear policy that Hagel's fellow Republicans have been most contradictory and incoherent. Not one of the senators who were so insistent on brandishing the military option against Tehran demanded that Hagel threaten a military attack on North Korea's nuclear facilities.
This moment of change cries out to be seized. The goal is clear and attainable. No more vigils for peace, in Boston or anywhere else. Instead, simply peace.
The world spoke, but the U.S. proved itself incapable not only of acting in concert with the world, but of admitting the reasons why it could not. The U.S. remains the critical player, but because of the constraints our deformed politics has imposed on this and past Administrations, Washington appears incapable of fulfilling that role.
Regardless of the General Assembly vote, the Palestinians would remain stateless and remain under occupation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. For Israel, the continued barrage of rockets is unacceptable not just to the government but to the public at large.
A major diplomatic negotiation aiming to regulate the trade in weapons and ammunition is at risk of failing due to member states' insistence on giving every state the right to veto a future treaty.
As the spectacle of UN Week commenced against the backdrop of Syrian bloodshed, a discussion of structural UN reform could not be more timely.
Given the level of intensity escalating around the East China Sea island dispute between China and Japan, it is worth the United States getting more involved.
President Obama's speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2012, will be a powerful inspiration to civil society activists across the world who are fighting for democracy, an end to human rights abuse, for press freedom, for justice and against corruption.
This week, as anti-American protests continued in Pakistan and across the Middle East, President Obama, speaking to the U.N. General Assembly, condemned as "crude and disgusting" the video being blamed for sparking the outrage throughout the Muslim world. As well he should. But he had nothing to say about something else "crude and disgusting": the drone attacks Pakistan's Foreign Minister fingered as the primary reason her country has become one of the most virulent anti-American countries in the world -- and which a new study, "Living Under Drones," labeled "damaging and counterproductive." Indeed, the Obama administration has defended its drone policy and argued that there is no "credible evidence" drone strikes have led to any civilian deaths -- a claim the study strongly refutes (putting the actual number between 474 and 881). Now, we may not have control over crazies making inflammatory videos, but we do have control over a misguided policy that is killing innocent people -- and fanning the flames of hatred.
Global leaders now face the choice of reverting back to trench warfare over insults to religion, or moving together in unison. The approach they take could determine whether the violent outbreaks of recent weeks become a thing of the past, or a part of our collective future.
Israel Tells the White House What to Do on Iran; Palestinians See Last Chance for Two-State Solution
Since everything and anything gets into the American election campaign, a General Assembly vote before November is not on the agenda. After that the to-ing and fro-ing begins.
We can continue the fight for justice by using our voices, whether it be through a march in Cambodia or through the megaphone of social media.
A committed core of teachers, parents and community leaders with the courage to lay down their lives for these students has, in many cases, meant the difference between building a stronger community or surrendering to violent intimidators.
Children have an incredible capacity to care, to give and to empathize from a very young age. It has nothing to do with pity. An instinct for justice comes naturally to a young child, who is free from skepticism, prejudice and doubt.
