AMERICAS ARCHIVE :

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Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 09, by Saeed Shah and Warren P. Strobel, McClatchy Newspapers
US to spend $1 billion on embassy expansions in Pakistan, Afghanistan
'Diplomatic presence on the scale of Iraq prompts concerns in Pakistan about American meddling.'

Washington Post, 28 May 09, by R. Jeffrey Smith and Joby Warrick
Nuclear Aims By Pakistan, India Prompt U.S. Concern
'Sometime next year, at a tightly guarded site south of its capital, Pakistan will be ready to start churning out a new stream of plutonium for its nuclear arsenal, which will eventually include warheads for ballistic missiles and cruise missiles capable of being launched from ships, submarines or aircraft.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 May 09, by Howard LaFranchi
Is diplomacy with Iran futile?
'Experts gathered to debate US policy toward Iran, and then let the audience decide.'

Washington Post, 28 May 09, by Carrie Johnson
Review of Government Secrecy Ordered
'President Obama directed his national security adviser and senior Cabinet officials yesterday to examine whether the government keeps too much information secret.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 09, by David Montero
US 'Afpak' strategy troubles some in US and Pakistan
'American lawmakers say they haven't been briefed on plans, as some in Pakistan describe the administration as "confused."'

New York Times, 13 May 09, by Jeff Zeleny and Thom Shanker
Obama Moves to Bar Release of Detainee Abuse Photos
'President Obama said Wednesday that he would fight to prevent the release of photographs documenting abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan by United States military personnel, reversing his position on the issue after commanders warned that the images could set off a deadly backlash against American troops.'

New York Times, 14 May 09, by David Johnston
Bitter Start to a Hearing on Interrogation Tactics
'The first Congressional effort to publicly investigate the Bush administration's brutal interrogations of terrorism suspects opened on Wednesday with a hearing splintered by harshly partisan recriminations.'

Washington Post, 13 May 09, by Carrie Johnson
Former Official: Treatment of Terror Suspects a 'Collective Failure'
'Fresh accounts today by Zelikow and retired FBI special agent Ali Soufan, who dissented from Justice Department conclusions about the legality of waterboarding prisoners, are likely to expose anew rifts within the highest levels of the Bush administration over the practices.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 09, by Jason Motlagh
US fights Taliban on another front: public relations
As Afghan insurgents exploit popular anger at civilian deaths, the US is hitting back with its own message.'

Washington Post, 07 May 09, by Scott Wilson
Obama Stresses Joint Action Against Taliban Push in South Asia
'President Obama declared yesterday that "the security of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States are linked" after meeting with the presidents of those countries, saying his strategy to combat rising extremism through increased development aid and military support reflects that "fundamental truth."'

BBC News, 06 May 09, by Mark Urban
US disquiet over 'Af-Pak' strategy
'The emphasis on combating militancy is a key part of Mr Obama's foreign policy - some indeed would say it is the central issue of it. The Washington meeting, though, has brought to the surface all kinds of tensions about the Obama approach.'

Washington Post, 06 May 09, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Administration Is Keeping Ally at Arm's Length
'Skepticism of Afghan Leader Shapes Policy : In assessing the nearly eight-year struggle from Washington, senior members of Obama's national security team say Karzai has not done enough to address the grave challenges facing his nation. They deem him to be a mercurial and vacillating chieftain who has tolerated corruption and failed to project his authority beyond the gates of Kabul.'

New York Times, 03 May 09, by David E. Sanger
Pakistan Strife Raises U.S. Doubts on Nuclear Arms
'As the insurgency of the Taliban and Al Qaeda spreads in Pakistan, senior American officials say they are increasingly concerned about new vulnerabilities for Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, including the potential for militants to snatch a weapon in transport or to insert sympathizers into laboratories or fuel-production facilities.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 May 09, by Howard LaFranchi
One aim of US-Afghan-Pakistani summit: a parade for aid
'Congress holds the key to billions in new assistance, but some lawmakers are skeptical it would diminish the terrorist threat.'

New York Times, 06 May 09, by Helene Cooper
National Security Adviser Tries Quieter Approach
'On a foreign policy team of supersize egos, Gen. James L. Jones, President Obama's national security adviser, is flying below the radar.'

New York Times, 29 Apr 09, by Helene Cooper and Jeff Zeleny
Obama ‘Gravely Concerned' About Pakistan
'President Obama said Wednesday that he was "gravely concerned" about the stability of the Pakistani government but that he was confident Pakistan's nuclear arsenal would not fall into the hands of Islamic militants.'

Washington Post, 29 Apr 09, by Karen DeYoung
Taliban Advance in Pakistan Prompts Shift by U.S.
'The Pakistani government's inability to stem Taliban advances has forced the Obama administration to recalibrate its Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy a month after unveiling it.'

New York Times, 30 Apr 09, by Judy Dempsey
U.S. Asking E.U. to Take Detainees
'The U.S. attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., made a public appeal Wednesday night for European governments to accept inmates freed from Guantánamo Bay, saying the United States and its allies must overcome divisions of the past and "make unpopular choices."'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Apr 09, by Liam Stack
US court allows rendition lawsuit against CIA contractor
'The government says state secrets are at risk, but the 9th Circuit is allowing the case to proceed against a Boeing subsidiary that reportedly flew suspects to secret prisons.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Apr 09, by Tom A. Peter
Did CIA 'enhanced interrogation techniques' work or not?
'Forget whether or not the 'torture' tactics on Al Qaeda suspects were justifiable. Debate now rages as to whether they were effective.'

Washington Post, 23 Apr 09, by Dan Balz and Perry Bacon Jr.
Congress Debates Fresh Investigation Of Interrogations
'The legacy of George W. Bush continued to dog President Obama and his administration yesterday, as Congress divided over creating a panel to investigate the harsh interrogation techniques employed under Bush's authorization and the White House tried to contain the controversy over the president's decision to release Justice Department memos justifying and outlining those procedures.'

Washington Post, 22 Apr 09, by Joby Warrick and Peter Finn
Harsh Tactics Readied Before Their Approval
'Intelligence and military officials under the Bush administration began preparing to conduct harsh interrogations long before they were granted legal approval to use such methods -- and weeks before the CIA captured its first high-ranking terrorism suspect, Senate investigators have concluded.'

New York Times, 21 Apr 09, by Scott Shane And Mark Mazzetti
In Adopting Harsh Tactics, No Look at Past Use
'The program began with Central Intelligence Agency leaders in the grip of an alluring idea: They could get tough in terrorist interrogations without risking legal trouble by adopting a set of methods used on Americans during military training. How could that be torture?'

Washington Post, 20 Apr 09, by Scott Wilson
Obama Closes Summit, Vows Broader Engagement With Latin America
'President Obama concluded a summit of the hemisphere's leaders Sunday by articulating a broad new agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean, having gained momentum in his bid to repair relations with some of the region's shrillest critics of the United States.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Apr 09, by Tyler Bridges, McClatchy Newspapers
Will the Obama-Chávez thaw last?
'US officials want the Chávez government to cooperate with US anti-drug efforts, begin issuing visas for US diplomats to enter Venezuela and halt its buying spree of Russia weapons, analysts said. Venezuelan officials want continued respect from the Obama administration and a muted response to Chávez's moves against his political opposition.'

Washington Post, 16 Apr 09, by Ann Scott Tyson and Stephanie McCrummen
U.S. Lays Out Anti-Piracy Plan
'The Obama administration yesterday called for expanding the international counterpiracy effort to deter Somali pirates, secure the release of hostage ships and crews, and freeze pirate assets, yet U.S. military officials said there are no immediate plans to devote more warships to the region.'

Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr 09, by Peter Nicholas
Latin America summit a proving ground for Obama
'President Barack Obama is popular in Latin America, unlike George W. Bush, but he faces opposition over U.S. policies on Cuba and assault weapons.'

Washington Post, 16 Apr 09, by Colum Lynch and Glenn Kessler
U.S. Looks to Balance Response to N. Korea
'Officials press for sanctions while promoting talks.'

PBS NewsHour, 15 Apr 09, with Ray Suarez
New 'Border Czar' to Tackle Drug Violence, Beef Up Security
'The administration's new "border czar" Alan Bersin is charged with improving security and quelling drug violence along the Mexican border. Analysts assess his biggest challenges.'

New York Times, 08 Apr 09, by Mark Landler and Nazila Fathi
U.S. to Join Iran Talks Over Nuclear Program
'The Obama administration said Wednesday that the United States would start participating regularly with other major powers in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.'

AP, 09 Apr 09, by Matthew Lee
US dealings with Iran remain on slippery path
'Efforts by the Obama administration to re-engage with Iran advanced a step and skidded backward all in the same day, underscoring the difficulties the new president faces as he tries to improve U.S. relations with its longtime foe.'

Washington Post, 08 Apr 09, by Michael D. Shear and Kevin Sullivan
Obama Portrays Another Side of U.S.
'President wraps up overseas tour in which humility, partnership were key themes.'

New York Times, 09 Apr 09, by
With 'Annapolis,' a Warning to Israel
'Watchers of Middle East politics were quick to take note of a line in President Obama's address before the Turkish Parliament on Monday in Ankara, in which he mentioned "Annapolis."'

New York Times, 06 Apr 09, by Christopher Drew and Elisabeth Bumiller
Military Budget Reflects a Shift in U.S. Strategy
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced a major reshaping of the Pentagon budget on Monday, with deep cuts in many traditional weapons systems but new billions of dollars for others, along with more troops and new technology to fight the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.'

Washington Post, 07 Apr 09, by R. Jeffrey Smith
Gates Proposal Reveals His Alienation from Procurement System
'In calling yesterday for "a dramatic change in the way we acquire military equipment," Gates showed his slow but palpable alienation from the so-called iron triangle of defense contractors, lawmakers and military service executives that has long promoted building the best weapons systems, no matter what the price.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Apr 09, by Mark Clayton and Bridget Huber
To stop pirates, do ships need firepower?
'Most merchant sailors are not trained to use weapons, but some maritime educators say that is changing.'

New York Times, 06 Apr 09, by Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger
Obama Seizes on Missile Launch in Seeking Nuclear Cuts
'Hours after North Korea's missile test, President Obama on Sunday called for new United Nations sanctions and laid out a new approach to American nuclear disarmament policy — one intended to strengthen the United States and its allies in halting proliferation.'

PBS NewsHour, 06 Apr 09
Rice Calls for International Action on North Korea
'U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice said the Obama administration would seek a global response to the crisis prompted by this weekend's missile test by North Korea.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Apr 09, by Gordon Lubold
Senators grill Petraeus on new Afghanistan strategy
'Top concerns are troop levels and yardsticks for success.'

New York Times, 01 Apr 09, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Petraeus Warns About Militants' Threat to Pakistan
'Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander for Iraq and Afghanistan, warned a Senate panel on Wednesday that militant extremists in Pakistan "could literally take down their state" if left unchallenged, as he and two other top officials presented a grim picture of growing dangers in the region.'

New York Times, 01 Apr 09, by Mark Landler
Obama Administration Has First Face-to-Face Contact With Iran
'... two [recent] American contacts with Iran are another step in the Obama administration's policy of engagement. It is a tentative process, in which the White House makes symbolic gestures, like President Obama's recent video greeting to the Iranian people and government for their New Year, while continuing to formulate its longer-term strategy.'

New York Times, 30 Mar 09, by Thom Shanker and Choe Sang-Hun
No U.S. Plans to Stop Korea on Missile Test
'The United States has no plans for military action to pre-empt the launching of a long-range missile by North Korea and would act only if the missile or its parts appeared to be headed toward American territory, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Sunday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Apr 09, by Howard LaFranchi
Reversing Bush policy, US seeks seat on UN Human Rights council
'The US will try to reform the council – some of whose members shield human rights violators – from within, officials said.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Mar 09, by Thom Shanker
U.S. sees Chinese military rise, and a need for more contact
'China is seeking technology and weapons to disrupt the traditional advantages of American forces, and secrecy surrounding its military creates the potential for miscalculation on both sides, according to a Pentagon study released Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Mar 09, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Obama takes a different approach as commander in chief
'As he heads toward his next big commander-in-chief moment — a decision on strategy for Afghanistan, possibly this week — Mr. Obama, by necessity and temperament, is wearing the role in ways distinctly different from his predecessor, George W. Bush.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Mar 09, by Helene Cooper
Obama wants U.S. to have exit strategy for Afghanistan
'The United States must look for a way out of the war in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama said, in a signal that the military buildup in Afghanistan will not be open-ended and will lead to the eventual withdrawal of American and NATO troops from the country.'

BBC News, 18 Mar 09
US tests defence missile system
'The United States military has successfully tested their Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile defence system by shooting down a dummy ballistic missile. THAAD can be used against short and medium range ballistic missiles in their final stage of flight both inside and outside the atmosphere.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Mar 09, by Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt
Obama seeks vastly expanded Afghan security force to help stabilize the nation
'President Obama and his advisers have decided to significantly expand Afghanistan's security forces in the hope that a much larger professional army and national police force could fill a void left by the central government and do more to promote stability in the country, according to senior administration and Pentagon officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 09, by Peter Baker
Obama names retired general as Sudan envoy
'... as the administration ratcheted up pressure against the government in Khartoum for expelling humanitarian relief organizations from the ravaged region of Darfur ... Mr. Obama named Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, a Swahili-speaking retired air force officer who grew up in Africa as the son of missionaries, to the post. He will be taking on one of the most delicate diplomatic missions of the Obama presidency.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 09, by David E. Sanger and Eric Schmitt
U.S. may widen strikes in Pakistan
'President Barack Obama and his national security advisers are considering expanding the American covert war in Pakistan far beyond the unruly tribal areas to strike at a different center of Taliban power in Baluchistan, where top Taliban leaders are orchestrating attacks into southern Afghanistan.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 09, by John Schwartz
U.S. urged to lift antiterror ban on foreign scholars
'... a coalition of academic and civil liberties groups is calling on the Obama administration to break with the Bush administration’s policies on blocking visas of some foreign scholars, writers and activists. ... the coalition says so-called ideological exclusion "compromises the vitality of academic and political debate in the United States at a time when that debate is exceptionally important."'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Mar 09, by Simon Romero
Violence returns to Peru's remote jungle
'In a remote corner of southern Peru, a renewed military campaign, a resurgent rebel faction and a lucrative cocaine trade is bringing back a deadly terror.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Mar 09, by Brian Knowlton
Panel flags state of U.S.-Russia relations
'A high-level bipartisan commission recommended Monday that the Obama administration reach out to Russia in a number of ways, putting NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine on hold and taking "a new look" at the planned missile shield in Eastern Europe, possibly even collaborating with Moscow on it.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Mar 09, by Simon Romero
Chávez tells his navy to take over key seaports
'President Hugo Chávez ordered the Venezuelan Navy to seize seaports in states with major petroleum-exporting installations as part of his effort to assert greater control over infrastructure that had come under the dominion of political opponents in regional elections last year.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Mar 09, by Thom Shanker and Elisabeth Bumiller
U.S. seeks new Afghan supply routes, even in Iran
'The United States is seeking new supply routes for the war in Afghanistan that would bypass Russia, and has even had logistics experts review overland roads through Iran that might be used by NATO allies, according to military planners and Pentagon officials.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Mar 09, by Mark Mazzetti and Helene Cooper
Israel stance was undoing of nominee for intelligence post
'Charles Freeman Jr., a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, withdrew himself from consideration for a top intelligence post, following a successful campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Mar 09, by Stephen Castle
U.S. still considering who to support for NATO post
'With NATO facing its biggest challenge in Afghanistan, sensitivity to the feelings of the Muslim world could be a factor in choosing the new secretary general.'

Washington Post, 11 Mar 09, by Edward Cody
Biden Asks NATO for Aid in Afghanistan
'Vice President Biden told NATO allies here Tuesday that the Obama administration wants their help building a new strategy in Afghanistan because growing security threats there affect all 26 countries in the alliance and because only by working together can they stop terrorist attacks.'

Washington Post, 08 Mar 09, by Scott Wilson
Obama Trip to Include Turkey Visit
'Non-Arab Muslim nation is central to diplomatic approach toward Islamic world.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 05 Mar 09, by Randall Mikkelsen
U.S. role seen in "deterrence" toward Iran
'The United States should emphasise a military "deterrence" policy, including a possible guarantee of nuclear protection for friendly Middle Eastern countries, in persuading Iran to abandon suspected nuclear weapons aims, a think tank recommended on Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Mar 09, by Mark Landler
U.S. will send envoys to engage Syria
'Signaling a new direction in Middle East diplomacy, the Obama administration will dispatch two senior officials to Syria to begin discussions with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on a visit to Israel on Tuesday. The overture suggests how the Obama administration intends to tackle three interlocking challenges in the Middle East: the nuclear threat posed by Iran, the tensions between Israel and Syria, and the grinding conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Syria, experts say, could be the key to all three.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Mar 09, by Marc Lacey
Raúl Castro reaffirms grip on government of Cuba
'After initially portraying himself as a reform-minded leader who intended to shake up Cuba's staid bureaucracy, Raúl Castro ended his first year as president last week without having achieved much in the way of major changes. ... Brian Latell, a former CIA analyst who has watched Cuba for decades, said several days ago that "Raúl Castro may be showing signs of leadership fatigue" - a sentiment shared by other American analysts of Cuba.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Mar 09, by Charlie Savage and Neil A. Lewis
Secret terror memos spur calls for inquiry on Bush rulings
'A day after releasing a set of Bush administration opinions that claimed sweeping presidential powers in fighting terrorism, the Obama administration faced new pressure to support a broad inquiry into interrogation, detention, surveillance and other practices under President George W. Bush.'

Asia Times, 05 Mar 09, by Daniel Luban and Jim Lobe
Obama's spy ruffles hawks' feathers
'The appointment of a top-ranking retired diplomat and vocal critic of Israel to a key intelligence post has triggered an intense backlash from hawkish Israel supporters in Congress and the media who are pressing the administration of President Barack Obama to reconsider.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb 09, by Gordon Lubold and Jane Arraf
Obama adjusts timing on Iraq withdrawal
'The president listens to tactical commanders in extending it to 19 months.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Feb 09, by Peter Baker and Thom Shanker
Obama's Iraq plan has December elections as turning point for pullout
'President Barack Obama's planned Iraq troop drawdown would leave the bulk of American forces in place until early next year while some combat units would remain in place in new roles even beyond a declared August 2010 target for withdrawal, administration officials said Wednesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Feb 09, by Peter Ford
Clinton 'reintroduces' US to Asia
'... Clinton and her Chinese counterpart Yan Jiechi said they were planning to upgrade the "strategic dialogue" that until now has focused on economics, to include political questions.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Feb 09, by Helene Cooper
Obama will send 17,000 troops to Afghanistan
'President Barack Obama will send an additional 17,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan this spring and summer, putting his stamp firmly on a war that he has long complained is going in the wrong direction.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb 09, by Gordon Lubold
US troop buildup in Afghanistan could be a defining moment
'Obama's order to send 17,000 more troops comes before US has set a clear strategy.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Feb 09, by Charlie Savage
No sharp break from Bush-era anti-terror policies
'Even as it pulls back from harsh interrogations and other sharply debated aspects of George W. Bush's "war on terrorism," the Obama administration is quietly signaling continued support for other major elements of its predecessor's approach to fighting Al Qaeda.'

Washington Post, 16 Feb 09, by Peter Finn
4 Cases Illustrate Guantanamo Quandaries
'Administration must decide fate of often-flawed proceedings, often-dangerous prisoners.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Feb 09, by Helene Cooper
Obama weighs adding troops in Afghanistan
'While the decision is expected to be the first significant military move of his presidency, defense officials said that Obama could choose a middle ground, deploying several thousand more troops there in the coming months but postponing a more difficult judgment on a much larger increase in personnel until after the administration completes a review of Afghanistan policy.'

Washington Post, 09 Feb 09, by Craig Whitlock
National Security Team Delivers Grim Appraisal of Afghanistan War
'President Obama's national security team gave a dire assessment Sunday of the war in Afghanistan, with one official calling it a challenge "much tougher than Iraq" and others hinting that it could take years to turn around.'

Washington Post, 04 Feb 09, by Karen DeYoung
Obama Seeks Narrower Focus in Afghan War
'Situation is much worse than new administration realized and will take time to address.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Feb 09, by Judy Dempsey
Middle East a focus for Clinton and allies
'Moving quickly to explain the Obama administration's policies toward Iran and the Middle East, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton held separate talks Tuesday in Washington with her British and German counterparts as European governments prepare for a major shift in U.S. strategy on these and other security issues.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Feb 09, by Helene Cooper and Mark Landler
Obama's outreach to Iran may be backed by tougher sanctions
'While Obama is expected to soften the Bush administration's line against talking to Iran, the aides said, he also may seek to toughen sanctions.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Feb 09, by Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, Bloomberg News
A model nuclear-power deal?
'The deal with the United Arab Emirates is designed to assist the Arab nation in starting a nuclear-power industry that cannot be converted into a weapon-making enterprise. The agreement may help Obama keep his pledge to crack down on the production and smuggling of nuclear materials.'

Washington Post, 28 Jan 09, by Karen DeYoung
Obama Extends Hand To Arabs and Muslims
'President Obama has launched a determined effort to change the tone, if not yet the substance, of U.S. relations with the Arab and Muslim worlds, saying he is eager to listen to their concerns and acknowledging that Americans "have not been perfect" in their dealings with them.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jan 09, by Helene Cooper and Thom Shanker
Aides say Obama to concentrate on military efforts in Afghanistan
'President Barack Obama is planning to refocus U.S. efforts in Afghanistan to concentrate military might on the battle against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, with less emphasis on reconstruction and governance, senior administration officials said Tuesday.'

Washington Post, 23 Jan 09, by Dana Priest
Bush's 'War' On Terror Comes to a Sudden End
'President Obama yesterday eliminated the most controversial tools employed by his predecessor against terrorism suspects. With the stroke of his pen, he effectively declared an end to the "war on terror," as President George W. Bush had defined it, signaling to the world that the reach of the U.S. government in battling its enemies will not be limitless.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jan 09, by Mark Mazzetti and William Glaberson
Obama to close foreign prisons and Guantánamo
'The orders would rewrite American rules for the detention of terrorism suspects. ... And the orders would bring to an end a Central Intelligence Agency program that kept terrorism suspects in secret custody for months or years ... They will also prohibit the CIA from using coercive interrogation methods, requiring the agency to follow the same rules used by the military in interrogating terrorism suspects, government officials said.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan 09, by Warren Richey
Sorting out Guantánamo detainees
'President Obama orders a thorough review of pending terror cases.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jan 09, by Peter Baker and Thom Shanker
Obama moves to start Iraq pullout
'President Barack Obama has given his national security team a new mission to end the war in Iraq, nearly six years after U.S.-led forces invaded, but he held off ordering a troop withdrawal right away to hear concerns and options from his military commanders.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Jan 09, by Steven Erlanger
Gaza war creates broader challenge for new U.S. president
'With the rule of Hamas in Gaza apparently unchallenged and its popularity growing in the West Bank, the new Obama administration faces an immediate policy choice: support a Palestinian unity government, as Egypt and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, want, or continue to isolate Hamas and concentrate on building up the West Bank as a political alternative to radical Islam.'

New York Times, 22 Jan 09, by Mark Landler
Seasoned Negotiator to Serve as a Mideast Envoy
'President Obama moved swiftly to engage on the Middle East on Wednesday, calling Israeli and Arab leaders on his first morning in office and preparing to appoint a seasoned peace negotiator and former senator, George J. Mitchell, as his special emissary to the region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jan 09, by Howard LaFranchi
Five ways Bush's policies changed world
'The Iraq war dominated his presidency, but it isn't the only signature foreign-policy event of his tenure.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jan 09, by Howard LaFranchi
In Iraq, an assertion of US 'hard' power
'Final chapter on war yet to be written; known costs include sagging world standing for US, rise of Iran in the region.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jan 09, by Howard LaFranchi
An intense US focus on checking terrorism
'Terrorists have not succeeded in striking on US soil since 9/11. But some say the US focus was too much on a military response, regime change, and a "with us or against us" mentality.'

Washington Post, 14 Jan 09, by Glenn Kessler
At Confirmation Hearing, Clinton Talks of Engagement With Iran
'Secretary of State-designate Hillary Rodham Clinton said yesterday that the incoming Obama administration will seek to engage directly with Iran in an effort to persuade it to abandon its nuclear program and become "a constructive regional actor," underscoring a dramatic shift in U.S. foreign policy from the Bush administration.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Jan 09, by Mark Landler
Hoping to influence Clinton on Middle East policy
'Four veteran diplomats - Dennis Ross, Martin Indyk, Daniel Kurtzer and Aaron David Miller - have advice for the incoming secretary of state, much of its contradictory, on how to handle the Arab-Israeli conflict.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Jan 09, by Anand Giridharadas
In improving ties with India, Bush can claim a foreign policy success
'President George W. Bush's penchant for unilateral deeds, and his moral conviction in favor of democracies, helped raise India to the status of a strategic ally.'

Washington Post, 14 Jan 09, by Walter Pincus
Report Details Iraq Contract Failures
'A $722 million contract to rebuild Iraq's oil and gas production facilities was marked by multiple changes, cost overruns, failure to meet schedules and lack of oversight, according to a new inspector general's report.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Jan 09, by Peter Baker
Obama is reported set to revise counterterrorism efforts
'The plan would eliminate the independent homeland security adviser's office and assign those duties to the National Security Council to streamline sometimes overlapping functions. A deputy national security adviser would be charged with overseeing the effort to guard against terrorism and to respond to natural disasters.'

Washington Post, 07 Jan 09, by Glenn Kessler
Unintended Consequences Pose Risks for Mideast Policy
'Obama breaks his silence, vows to work for peace deal.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Jan 09, by Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, Bloomberg News
Chávez and Obama hint at willingness to mend fences
'Venezuela may provide a useful first test for Obama's pledge to engage rather than isolate antagonists. While President Hugo Chávez is one of Washington's noisiest critics, frayed relations would likely be easier to mend than those with nations like Iran and Cuba, whose leaders are even more hostile toward the United States.'

2008 Americas archive
2007 Americas archive