U.S. Politics
Why the Sudden Criticisms of Susan Rice?
There’s been some recent criticism of Ambassador Rice suggesting that she is somehow neglecting her duties at the UN.
Roundup: SOTU Foreign Policy Reacts
Though many, including me, have said that Obama didn’t say much in terms of foreign policy (and related policies) last night in his State of the Union, there has been a lot said about the little he did say. Find a sample of those reactions below.
President Buys Congress a Newspaper Subscription
Those of you who aren’t plugged into the matrix might have missed the fact that President Obama delivered his first State of the Union address to Congress last night, as U.S. presidents are, sort of, required to do (also, Apple released its tablet computer).
The Obama Administration’s First Year in International Development Policy
One year in, what has President Obama accomplished in US foreign assistance? So far, we’ve seen a lot of delays and a handful of promises. They’re good promises, but it’s going to take at least another year before we see how well those promises are kept.
The Delays
Obama Year One Shows Constructive Global Engagement Has Won the Foreign Policy Debate
As President Obama heads to Capitol Hill tonight to deliver the State of the Union address, one thing is clear: in both rhetoric and deed, President Obama has fundamentally shifted the direction of American foreign policy. He has summoned bedrock progressive principals to re-calibrate America’s role in the world. Through a policy of engagement with international institutions and cooperation abroad, the administration has racked up an impressive set of foreign policy achievements after just one year.
Please Stop Saying That
Frankly, I’m sick of hearing “it’s the economy, stupid,” both the medium and the message. Yes, it was a catchy Carville phrase 18 years ago, but, in the meantime, it’s lost its luster being uttered by every talking head and tucked into every blog post each time any elected official shows any sign of being politically confused. I get it. It’s no longer a fresh idea; it’s a crutch used to embody a stale philosophy when one’s got nothing new to say.
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The SC; HRC; DPRK; South Sudan
The SC: The Security Council today held its last consultations under the Council Presidency of ROK. Tomorrow, Russia will take over the rotating Presidency of the Security Council for March under Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
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The SG; Mali; Middle East; Palestine
The SG: At the Fifth Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Vienna, Austria today, the SG emphasized the role of youth in ensuring a “prosperous, equitable and peaceful future.”
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The SG; DRC; HRC; Palestinian Prisoner
The SG: In Ethiopia over the weekend, the SG is now in the United Arab Emirates. Today he met with Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, where the two discussed developments in the region, including Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, and in the Middle East Peace Process.
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