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.

Five Convicted in London Bomb Plot

Five British men have been convicted in connection with a plot to bomb targets in London. The men were arrested following a lengthy covert investigation by British police in 2004. The men had planned to bomb several targets including a nightclub, power plants, and a shopping mall. The plot had connections to al-Qaeda and not surprisingly,the men had ties to the suicide bombers which carried out the July 7, 2005 attacks in London which killed 52 people.

Somali Fighting Rages On

The Somalia capital of Mogadishu entered a sixth day of fighting today as Islamic insurgents launched more attacks against Ethiopian and Somalian forces. As many as 300 are believed dead as a result, with many of those thought to be civilians caught by the shelling and tank fire. Sadly, the same situation took place just a month ago, and also last December. The fight for Somalia has many historical facets, including religious beliefs and a long standing hatred and distrust between Ethiopia and Somalia.

The presence of Ethiopian forces supporting the Somali government has led to increased support for the opposition group, Council of Islamic Courts. African Union troops are expected to take over for the Ethiopian forces, but have been slow to mobilize.

The nation of Eritrea to the north is also involved, having gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and then fighting a bitter territorial war with them from 1998-2000.

China Still Struggling with Corruption

China is still struggling with corruption among government officials. The Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, said last month the problem is "more and more serious." Plans for a Corruption Prevention Bureau are in the works to help with the problem and to meet its obligations under the 2003 United Nations Convention against Corruption. Also in work is the Law of Honest and Clean Government, currently in the research phase.

While more has been done in recent months to address the problem, there is still concern of widespread corruption. Many believe that the current reforms are not enough and that the party needs to take a stronger stance in identifying and punishing corrupt officials. As with most things in China, I think that the rapid social and economic progress in China will take care of this problem in time.

Jose Padilla Trial Begins

Five years after being apprehended for allegedly planning to use a dirty bomb, Jose Padilla will get a chance to defend himself in court. Padilla is not, however, being tried on charges related to the bomb. Rather, he faces conspiracy charges of trying to support al-Qaeda in the US. His efforts to get a trial reached the US Supreme Court twice. The first time the case was thrown out on a technicality and the second time was not ruled on because the government decided to allow him to stand trial.

If you are unaware of Padilla's situation, do yourself a favor and Google his name. Many have spoken out against his treatment by the Bush administration. His detention has also been criticized. Some have even cited violations of the US Constitution. Either way, it is nice to see that he is finally getting a trial. After all, in the US we are all presumed innocent until proven guilty.

More Bombings in North Africa

There have been more bombings in North Africa, this time in the Moroccan city of Casablanca. Two brothers with explosives strapped to their bodies blew themselves up near an American cultural center today. Police arrested three men later, including one with explosives strapped to himself.

These latest bombings follow the deaths of three suspected militants who blew themselves up after being surrounded by police in Casablanca. Also, in nearby Algiers 33 were killed days ago in bombings claimed by al-Qaeda. Both Morocco and Algeria have joined with the United States in the war on terror. No connection has been found between the Casablanca and Algiers bombings, but officials are not ruling it out.

Algiers and Recent North African Bombings: The Work of al-Qaeda?

The Economist has a really interesting article discussing this week's bombings in Algeria which left 33 dead at last count. It talks about the rise of terrorism in North Africa and the possible ties to al-Qaeda. The article seems to be spot on now that an organization linked to al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the Algerian bombings. Is it only a matter of time before al-Qaeda goes worldwide?

Bombs in Algiers Leave At Least 30 Dead

A series of bombs in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, have claimed at least 30 victims. The explosions were aimed at the Prime Minister's headquarters, leaving a large hole in the six-story building. Thus far no one has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack. There are many articles out now, with most of them mentioning the group Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), now called the al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb as possibly being involved.

Darfur Conflict Spills Over to Chad Again

The conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan has carried over into neighboring Chad yet again. A Chadian government official stated that "more than 200 vehicles with armed elements attacked a defence and security forces position" this morning. The attackers allegedly came from Sudan, but there has been no independent confirmation of this yet. In light of the ongoing conflict, a force of 11,000 has been approved by the UN to protect the border, but Chad wants the soldiers to perform police duties only.

Iran Pushes Forward with Nuclear Program

Despite the latest round of UN sanctions, Iran has decided to continue its quest for nuclear energy. President Ahmadinejad announced today that the uranium enrichment program has reached "industrial level." Ahmadinejad also stated that their "progress" is "irreversible," despite the recent condemnation of the program in Resolution 1747. The UN contends that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, but Iran insists that it is solely seeking the goal of nuclear energy.

In light of this latest announcement, I am left to wonder what UN sanctions really accomplish. Ian Bremmer argues that, at least in regards to North Korea and Iran, they accomplish nothing. He concludes that what is really needed is a country with leverage to force their hand. In the case of North Korea, it is China. With Iran though, there is no country with enough domestic influence to force change. Can the US apply enough pressure? It looks unlikely at this time...

Iran to Release British Captives

The 15 British soldiers captured by Iran back on March 23 will be freed today according to
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (picture). In a press conference earlier today Ahmadinejad said, "I declare that the people of Iran and the government of Iran -- in full power to place on trial the military people -- to give amnesty and pardon to these 15 people and I announce their freedom and their return to the people of Britain." Ahmadinejad also said that the Britons were being released as a goodwill gesture in connection with the Iranian new year. We may never know if that is the real reason, but I really doubt it is. There is some speculation that the release is connected to Iran's attempt to recover five Iranians being held by the US in Iraq. I would not be surprised to see those Iranians released in the near future. The fear of course is that releasing the Iranians right after the release of the Britons could encourage future hostage taking.

Zimbabwe Opposition Taken From Hospital

Members of the Zimbabwe opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change, have been seized from their hospital beds and sent back to prison. The opposition members are part of a group injured by police last week because of their efforts to replace longtime President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe, who is 83 years-old, meanwhile has decided he will run for President again in 2008. He has already been in power for 27 years, the entire time Zimbabwe has been an independent nations. With unemployment at 80%, inflation at 1700% (!!!), and the life expectancy at 36 years, it is time for a change. Hopefully the opposition can overcome the current oppression and defeat Mugabe in the next election. Thousands of lives may be depending on it.

UK Still Calling for Release of Sailors

I cannot believe that Iran has not yet released the UK sailors seized back on March 23, but here we are over a week later and there is no telling when those captured will be turned over to the UK. British officials are still hoping for a diplomatic resolution, but appear to be getting fed up with the Iranians. Meanwhile, Iran has been parading the sailors on Iranian television in what is likely a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

The British Foreign Office Minister has called the seizure "hostage taking" and stated that Iran is "going against the United Nations and all that that stands for because these sailors and marines were carrying out a UN mandate." The UK continues to push for more pressure from the international community and it will be interesting to see what happens next. This situation is definitely not helping Iran's reputation among Western countries, but is likely a big thrill for Iran's allies.

Zimbabwe Opposition Leaders Arrested Again

Zimbabwe police arrested about 20 opposition leaders, including leader Morgan Tsvangirai (pictured above), after storming the opposition headquaters in Harare. Tsvangirai was apparently set to hold a press conference about the arrest and beating of opposition members, including himself, earlier this month.

Germany, the current EU President, has expressed concern, as have numerous other nations. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (bottom picture) is planned to attend a meeting of South African countries where these latest arrests will no doubt be a topic of discussion. No public reprimand is anticipated however.

Rumsfeld Torture Case Dismissed

U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan dismissed a lawsuit today in which former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and three other U.S. military officials were accused of ignoring allegations that U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan tortured prisoners. The case was dropped because human rights groups which brought the charges lacked standing. The court also noted federal law does not allow officials to be held personally liable for actions related to their government service. Additionally, Hogan held that such liability would hamper the war on terror.

If you would like to see the complaints that were filed and other legal documents related to the this case, check out the ACLU site here.

Iran Continues To Hold British Sailors

Iran continues to hold British sailors seized days ago from the long-disputed waters near Iraq and Iran. Iran says that the sailors are in good health and being treated humanely. British PM Tony Blair is still demanding their release and stated that if they are not let go soon the dispute "will move into a different phase." Blair did not elaborate on what this new phase would be, but some speculate it means a more public demand for the sailors release. Meanwhile in Iran, some are saying that the sailors should be tried for treason. Iranian officials have not given much indication as to what they plan to do with the sailors, only that there is an ongoing investigation into the matter.

Iran Still Has British Sailors

Whoops, yesterday I posted that the British sailors seized by Iranian forces for allegedly intruding into Iranian waters had been released. However, that is not true. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is stated today that "I want to get it resolved in as easy and diplomatic a way as possible." Neither Blair, or any of the EU it appears, believe that the troops ever entered Iran's territory. Iran is really straining an already poor relationship with the West. It will be interesting to see just how long they keep the sailors and whether or not they try to negotiate some sort of deal for their return.