IPS Writers in the Blogosphere

Currently viewing the tag: "State Department"

Elliott Abrams Seems Poor Choice to Pronounce on Benghazi

From On May 11, 2013 · Leave a Comment

via Lobe Log

by Jim Lobe

As Republican lawmakers and Fox News have been claiming that the Benghazi “cover-up” scandal will prove even bigger than the Iran-Contra and Watergate scandals combined, Elliott Abrams – who, faced with a slew of felony charges by the Iran-Contra special prosecutor while serving as Assistant Secretary [...]

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Gaza Fallout Weakens Israel, Strengthens Nationalists

From On November 21, 2012 · 1 Comment

By Nadia Hijab

via al Shabaka

Whenever Middle East tensions rise, observers wonder whether the Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt will weather the storm. It is no different this time. Asked at last Friday’s daily briefing if the peace treaty was “in jeopardy”, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland, assured correspondents that the [...]

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The Proportionality Of A 33-To-1 Casualty Ratio

From On November 19, 2012 · Leave a Comment

via Lobe Log

The House of Representatives, the State Department, and various pro-Israel organizations in Washington have all issued statements expressing support for Israel’s recent actions in the Gaza Strip and reaffirmed Israel’s right to act in “self-defense.”

Indeed, Israel’s right to self-defense is important to remember and [...]

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New Syrian opposition gains some diplomatic support, US embrace still absent

From On November 16, 2012 · Leave a Comment

via Lobe Log

The Syrian National Coalition, formed in Qatar last week through a US-led international initiative, has gained two important diplomatic victories in the past few days. NATO member Turkey has formally recognized the body as Syria’s legitimate government, while the BBC reports that France — one of the leaders of [...]

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No changes in Iran-US relations expected until after Iranian election

From On November 1, 2012 · Leave a Comment

via Lobe Log

This week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton indicated they wanted talks with Iran to resume even as the US’s dual-track policy of pressure and diplomacy (translation: more sanctions) continues:

HIGH REPRESENTATIVE ASHTON: As you know, in New York, I was feeding back to the P-5+1/E-3+3 ministers [...]

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“When is a cyberattack an act of war?”

From On October 29, 2012 · Leave a Comment

via Lobe Log

The Washington Post’s Ellen Nakashima examines the question of what constitutes war if the trigger point originates in cyberspace:

Deciding what amounts to an act of war is more a political judgment than a military or legal one. International law avoids the phrase in favor of “armed attack” and “use of force.” [...]

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Obama Aides Launch Preemptive Attack on New Iran Plan

From On October 17, 2012 · Leave a Comment

via IPS News

Although the place and time of the next round of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme have not yet been announced, the manoeuvring by Iran and the United States to influence the outcome has already begun.

Iran sought support for a revised proposal to the talks during the United Nations General [...]

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Decision to Delist MEK was Multi-faceted

From On September 25, 2012 · Leave a Comment

via Lobe Log

By Wayne White

It is probably inaccurate to take the State Department to task in isolation as having made the decision to delist the Mujahadeen-e Khalq (MEK) from the US foreign terrorist organizations (FTO) list. State is the cabinet department that must officially announce (or take formal action related to the [...]

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MEK Delisting Slap in the face for Average Iranians

From On September 24, 2012 · 1 Comment

via Lobe Log

By Leila Kashefi

As everyone knows, since the revolution of 1979, the United States and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) have been BEFs — best enemies forever. While the US occasionally offers its solidarity to the people of Iran and criticizes the regime’s human rights record, its [...]

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U.S. to Take Iran Anti-Regime Group Off Terrorism List

From On September 22, 2012 · Leave a Comment

By Jim Lobe and Jasmin Ramsey

via IPS News

In a move certain to ratchet up already-high tensions with Iran, the administration of President Barack Obama will remove a militant anti-regime group from the State Department’s terrorism list, U.S. officials told reporters here Friday.

The decision, which is expected to be formally announced before Oct. [...]

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