US Places New Sanctions on Sudan

After weeks of threats the US has followed through with new economic sanctions on Sudan. The targets are mainly state-owned businesses. President Bush said that diplomacy was not working and that more pressure was needed to stop the genocide.

Meanwhile, Sudanese officials have stated the new sanctions are "not justified."

"Use of Force" Against Iran?

John Bolton, Former US Ambassador to the UN, stated today that if Iran continues to enrich uranium the US and other nations need to join together to effect a "regime change by bolstering opposition groups" in Iran. We went on to say that if that failed the US "need[s] to look at the use of force."

This kind of talk is rather disturbing to me. I think the last thing we need at this point is to take the lead in interfering with another sovereign nation's internal politics and government. While the Iranian nuclear problem is a serious issue, all is not lost diplomatically yet. Further, the US cannot afford yet another war at this point in time. The military is also stretched thin with the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

No wonder Bolton was essentially forced to resign. Keep in mind, he was never actually voted in, but rather was appointed by President Bush as a recess appointment. Bolton has repeatedly shown himself to possess almost no diplomatic skills. His latest comments show just how out of touch he is with the world.

For more on why Bolton is wrong, read on here.

Nepal's Maoists Still Hold Child Soldiers

An estimated 6,000-9,000 child soldiers are believed to be kept in cantonment sites in Nepal by the Maoist forces despite a November 2006 peace agreement between the Nepalese government and the Maoists which specifically prohibits the enlistment or use of children under the age of 18. Under this agreement children were to be immediately "rescued" and given rehabilitation. The use of child soldiers also violates many international treaties, a discussion of which can be found here.

For more on the use of child soldiers in Nepal check out Human Rights Watch here.

Venezuela Nationalizes Oil

Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez declared today that the country's oil fields have returned to state control. All of the Big Oil companies have ceded power, except for ConocoPhillips. Chavez has warned Conoco's assets may be expropriated if they do not give in. The oil companies will likely continue to operate in Venezuela however and have about six weeks to negotiate new deals.