AMERICAS ARCHIVE :

Please note : Most publications move older stories into their archives which may require a fee to view the full story. Some stories listed below may no longer be available online.

Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 08, by Gordon Lubold
U.S. rebuilds French connection
'The Pentagon hopes better ties will strengthen NATO and boost the mission in Afghanistan.'

BBC News, 29 May 08
Rice defends Bush over Iraq claim
'US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has rejected claims from a former White House press aide that President George W Bush misled the US over the Iraq war.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 May 08, by Bryan Bender and Kevin Baron, The Boston Globe
U.S. searches for missing World War II pilots
'A kinship between generations of soldiers drives them to come to Papua New Guinea to search for pilots who were never found.'

Asia Times, 28 May 08, by Heather Maher
Russian think-tank rattles US
'Even before opening its doors, the first Russian think-tank based in the United States has sparked controversy. While the Russian Institute for Democracy and Cooperation says it wants to study US democracy, critics see it as a new propaganda tool for the Kremlin as it sharpens its attacks on the West.'

Washington Post, 22 May 08, by Robin Wright
U.S. on the Outside in Peace Efforts
'Just days after President Bush returned from the Middle East, the Middle East is moving beyond the Bush administration. Two major peace efforts -- a surprise announcement of indirect talks between Israel and Syria brokered by Turkey and an eleventh-hour deal to prevent a new Lebanese war brokered by Qatar -- were launched without an American role, and both counter U.S. strategy in the region.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 May 08, by Steven Lee Myers
U.S. criticizes new report about Iran
'The White House sharply criticized a news organization on Tuesday for the second time in two days over reports about administration policy toward Iran, dismissing an Israeli report that President George W. Bush was preparing to order an attack on Iran before leaving office in eight months.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 May 08, by Helene Cooper
White House's advice given, but not always followed
'Israel, America's staunchest ally in the Middle East, just became the latest example of a country that has decided it is better to deal with its foes than to ignore them. The announcement that Israel has entered into comprehensive peace talks with Syria is at odds with the course counseled by the Bush administration ...'

Washington Post, 15 May 08, by Walter Pincus
U.S. Has Detained 2,500 Juveniles as Enemy Combatants
'The United States has detained approximately 2,500 people younger than 18 as illegal enemy combatants in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay since 2002, according to a report filed by the Bush administration with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.'

Washington Post, 15 May 08, by Juan Forero
Venezuela Offered Aid to Colombian Rebels
'High-ranking officials in Venezuela offered to help Colombian guerrillas obtain surface-to-air missiles meant to change the balance of power in their war with the Colombian government, according to internal rebel documents.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 May 08, by Larry Rohter
Obama affirms pro-Israel stance
'Asked whether he thought Israel was a "drag on America's reputation overseas," he said it was not. But referring to tensions in the Middle East, he said that "what I think is that this constant wound, that this constant sore does infect all of our foreign policy."'

International Herald Tribune, 07 May 08, by Judy Dempsey
U.S. could look beyond Poland for a missile-shield base
'In what is becoming a game of brinkmanship between the United States and one of its closest European allies, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday that Washington was prepared to seek a different location for part of its planned antiballistic missile shield if the Polish government could not agree on the terms.'

Washington Post, 01 May 08, by Joby Warrick
CIA Chief Sees Unrest Rising With Population
'Swelling populations and a global tide of immigration will present new security challenges for the United States by straining resources and stoking extremism and civil unrest in distant corners of the globe, CIA Director Michael V. Hayden said in a speech yesterday. The population surge could undermine the stability of some of the world's most fragile states, especially in Africa ...'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Apr 08, by Steven Lee Myers
Bush says Syria nuclear disclosure intended to prod North Korea and Iran
'... last week's disclosure of what senior American officials called evidence of a nearly completed nuclear reactor in Syria was intended to warn North Korea and Iran about the dangers of spreading nuclear weapons. Bush also defended his administration's decision to keep that evidence secret for more than seven months after Israeli bombers destroyed the Syrian building on Sept. 6.'

BBC News, 30 Apr 08
Al-Qaeda 'greatest threat' to US
'Al-Qaeda is still the greatest terrorist threat to the US and its allies, according to a report from the US state department.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Apr 08, by Gail Russell Chaddock
Congress complicates war funding with new demands
'Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are signaling that the White House can expect a struggle over this year's $108 billion war-funding request. As ever, the bill that funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan sets up a test of whether lawmakers can rally enough votes to force a change of course. So far, all efforts to mandate a timetable to end the war have failed.'

New York Times, 22 Apr 08, by Simon Romero
Ecuador’s Leader Purges Military and Moves to Expel American Base
'Chafing at ties between American intelligence agencies and Ecuadorean military officials, President Rafael Correa is purging the armed forces of top commanders and pressing ahead with plans to cast out more than 100 members of the American military from an air base here in this coastal city.'

Washington Post, 10 Apr 08, by Michael Abramowitz and Karen DeYoung
Analysis: Next President Will Discover If U.S. Footprint Stabilizes Iraq
'In deciding to leave behind a large presence of U.S. forces in Iraq at the end of his term, President Bush has made clear that he believes he will be doing the next president a favor, with more troops boosting the chances that his successor will inherit a more stable country.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 07 Apr 08, by Terence Hunt, AP
White House fights to spin missile defense talks as a success
'On paper, Putin said Russia appreciated U.S. efforts to address Moscow's concerns about Bush's plans to base an anti-missile shield for Europe in Poland and the Czech Republic.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Apr 08, by Eric Lipton
U.S. struggles to keep exports from falling into wrong hands
'Roadside bombings of U.S. troops in Iraq were occurring with unnerving regularity when military investigators made a disturbing discovery: U.S.-made computer circuits sold to a trading company in the United Arab Emirates had turned up in the bomb detonators. ... Administration officials said aircraft parts, specialized metals and gas detectors that have a potential military use had also moved through Dubai, one of the emirates, to Iran, Syria or Pakistan.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Apr 08, by Simon Romero
Gritty Dutch war games raise eyebrows in former colony
'The Dutch are not the only Europeans honing their fighting techniques in this part of South America. In neighboring French Guiana, where France once banished its worst convicts, the French Foreign Legion operates its own jungle warfare school. Until starting their course a few years ago, the Dutch even sent some of their soldiers there.'

Washington Post, 27 Mar 08, by Karen DeYoung
U.S. to Stop Green Card Denials for Dissidents
'The U.S. immigration service said yesterday that it will temporarily stop denying green cards to refugees and other legal immigrants tied to groups that sought to topple foreign dictatorships, placing their cases on hold while it determines more "logical, common-sense" rules for judging them.'

Washington Post, 27 Mar 08, by Peter Baker
After Recent Discord, Bush to Meet With Putin in Russia
'President Bush announced yesterday that he will make an unexpected trip to Russia after a NATO summit next week to meet with President Vladimir Putin in hopes of repairing relations that have grown strained over missile defense, Kosovo independence and NATO expansion.'

Washington Post, 22 Mar 08, by Juan Forero
Colombia's Rebels Face Possibility of Implosion
'The slaying this month of Manuel Jesús Muñoz, a member of the ruling directorate of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, was a dramatic signal that a rebel group known for its resilience is engulfed in an internal crisis that could lead to its implosion after four decades of armed struggle.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 08, by William J. Broad
A Cold War mission, deep in the Arctic
'A new book, "Unknown Waters," recounts the 1970 voyage of a submarine, the Queenfish, on a pioneering dive beneath the ice pack to map the Siberian continental shelf. The United States did so as part of a clandestine effort to prepare for Arctic submarine operations and to win any military showdown with the Soviet Union.'

Washington Post, 13 Mar 08, by Karen DeYoung
Public Is Less Aware of Iraq Casualties, Study Finds
'The survey, by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, found that public awareness of developments in the Iraq war has dropped precipitously since last summer, as the news media have paid less attention to the conflict.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 12 Mar 08
White House denies dissent is punished
'The White House on Wednesday rejected charges that it quashes dissenting views in the military, an accusation brought to light by the resignation of Admiral William Fallon as commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East.'

International Herald Tribune, 12 Mar 08, by Richard Bernstein
Muddy waters in Iraq keep public protest at a murmur
'In key respects Iraq and Vietnam are quite different, and the differences go a long way toward explaining the apparent unwillingness of the public to go into outright opposition.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Mar 08, by Sheryl Gay Stolberg
Bush invokes faith to defend war policy
'With the fifth anniversary of his invasion of Iraq coming next week, and a decision on troop cuts in Iraq on his plate, Bush used a 30-minute speech before an enthusiastic audience - the National Religious Broadcasters association - to make the case that liberty is on the march, so long as the United States does not lose its nerve.'

Washington Post, 06 Mar 08, by Karen DeYoung
No Need for Lawmakers' Approval of Iraq Pact, U.S. Reasserts
'The Bush administration yesterday advanced a new argument for why it does not require congressional approval to strike a long-term security agreement with Iraq, stating that Congress had already endorsed such an initiative through its 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force against Saddam Hussein.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Mar 08, by Simon Romero
Regional bloc says Ecuador's sovereignty was violated
'The Organization of American States approved a resolution on Wednesday declaring the Colombian military raid into Ecuador a violation of sovereignty, in a move aimed at easing a diplomatic crisis in the Andes involving Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela.'

Washington Post, 06 Mar 08, by Juan Forero
Diplomats Closer To Ending Crisis In Latin America
'Probe of Colombian strike authorized as neighbors dispatch troops.'

BBC News, 06 Mar 08
Colombia raid 'must be condemned'
'The leaders of Ecuador and Venezuela have called for clear international condemnation of Colombia for its raid against rebels inside Ecuador.'

Washington Post, 05 Mar 08, by Michael Abramowitz
Bush Attends to Foreign Policy Issues
'President Bush sought to cope with foreign policy crises on multiple fronts yesterday, reaching out to the president-elect of Russia for the first time and seizing on military tensions in Latin America to renew his quest for congressional approval of a free-trade pact with Colombia.'

Washington Post, 06 Mar 08, by Robert O'Harrow Jr. and Ellen Nakashima
National Dragnet Is a Click Away
'Several thousand law enforcement agencies are creating the foundation of a domestic intelligence system through computer networks that analyze vast amounts of police information to fight crime and root out terror plots.'

Washington Post, 20 Feb 08, by Juan Forero
The Two Paths of Castro's Legacy in Latin America
'More leaders inspired to adapt revolution than embrace it.'

International Herald Tribune, 20 Feb 08, by Anthony Depalma
Castro circle likely to hold power after his resignation
'Fidel Castro, bedridden for 19 months, on Tuesday gave up the almost unlimited power he has wielded in Cuba for nearly 50 years, but whether the surprise announcement represented a historic change or a symbolic political maneuver remained unclear.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb 08, by Warren Richey and Linda Feldmann
Castro exit unlikely to thaw U.S.-Cuba relations
'The State Department said Tuesday that Castro's departure won't lead to a change in policy or the lifting of the embargo.'

Washington Post, 20 Feb 08, by Manuel Roig-Franzia
Raúl Castro, Leader with a Freer Hand
'Raúl Castro has long operated in the backstage of Cuban politics. But his public record, which has emerged over his 19 months as interim president, suggests he might pursue reforms to allow more political and economic latitude on the island.'

International Herald Tribune, 20 Feb 08, by Mark Mazzetti and Scott Shane
In CIA tape inquiry, ex-spymaster in the middle
'The destruction of the tapes is hardly the first time that the CIA's mission to take risks and to counter threats abroad has come into conflict with American notions of justice, legality and human rights.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Feb 08, by Eric Lichtblau
FBI, through error, gained unauthorized access to e-mail
'A technical glitch gave the FBI access to the e-mail messages of an entire computer network - perhaps hundreds of accounts or more - instead of simply the lone e-mail address that was approved by a secret intelligence court as part of a national security investigation, according to an internal report of the 2006 episode.'

Washington Post, 14 Feb 08, by Michael Abramowitz
U.S. Increases Sanctions On Syria Over Terrorists
'President Bush ordered a new round of financial sanctions against Syria yesterday after concluding that its government is not doing enough to stem the flow of fighters into Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Feb 08, by Eric Lichtblau
U.S. Senate votes for expansion of spy powers
'After more than a year of wrangling, the Senate handed the White House a major victory on Tuesday by voting to broaden the government's spy powers and to give legal protection to phone companies that cooperated in President George W. Bush's program of eavesdropping without warrants.'

Washington Post, 14 Feb 08, by Dan Eggen
Senate Passes Ban On Waterboarding, Other Techniques
'... the Senate approved an intelligence bill that limits the CIA to using 19 less-aggressive interrogation tactics outlined in a U.S. Army Field Manual. The measure would effectively ban the use of simulated drowning, temperature extremes and other harsh tactics that the CIA used on al-Qaeda prisoners after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.'

Washington Post, 14 Feb 08, by Josh White
Defendants' Lawyers Fear Loss of Potential Evidence at Guantanamo Bay
'Lawyers representing military detainees at Guantanamo Bay have expressed concern that the government has violated a federal court order by losing or erasing several years' worth of digital video recordings that could shed light on the legality of detainee treatment.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 07 Feb 08
U.S. confirms it is training Pakistani special forces
'U.S. military advisers are helping the Pakistanis double the size of their elite commando force in a continuing effort to blunt the rising threat of terror groups and anti-government militants operating in Pakistan's unruly tribal areas, a senior Defense Department official said.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Feb 08, by Mark Mazzetti
Intelligence chief cites Qaeda threat to U.S.
'Al Qaeda is gaining in strength from its refuge in Pakistan and is steadily improving its ability to recruit, train and position operatives capable of carrying out attacks inside the United States, the director of national intelligence told a Senate panel on Tuesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Feb 08, by Matthew Wald
U.S. money for Russia is linked to Iran nuclear plant
'The U.S. Energy Department is subsidizing two Russian nuclear institutes that are building key parts of a reactor in Iran that the United States spent years trying to stop, according to a House committee.'

Financial Times, 31 Jan 08, by Demetri Sevastopulo and Bernard Simon
Canada in threat to withdraw Afghan mission
'Canada will withdraw its soldiers from Afghanistan next year unless Nato sends additional troops to the southern region of Kandahar, Stephen Harper, the Canadian prime minister, said on Wednesday.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jan 08, by Alissa J. Rubin and Richard A. Oppel Jr.
On Iraq, Bush shows a more restrained optimism
'In his final State of the Union address, the president appeared to be preparing the country for a long stay in Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jan 08, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Good times for Washington think tanks
'Experts who study these organizations say big money is increasingly narrowing the focus of research institutions and undermining their quality.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 Jan 08, by Ian Austen
Canada discloses it stopped sending prisoners to Afghans
'The Canadian military secretly stopped transferring prisoners to the Afghan government in November after Canadian monitors found evidence that they were being abused and tortured.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Jan 08, by Ian Austen
Canadian panel questions role in Afghanistan
'A government panel said Tuesday that the Canadian military should withdraw from a combat role in Afghanistan next year unless it is reinforced with 1,000 additional troops from other NATO countries.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Jan 08, by Matthew Wald
U.S. plan to shepherd former Soviet scientists goes off course
'An American effort set up after the fall of the Soviet Union to hire its former weapons scientists, to keep them from selling their know-how to nations seeking nuclear, biological or chemical weapons, is now paying people who were never weapons scientists and are too young to have worked in the old Soviet program, according to Congressional auditors.'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Jan 08, by David M. Herszenhorn
After veto, House passes a revised military policy measure
'The House on Wednesday approved a sweeping $696 billion military policy measure after revising a single provision in the 1,300-page bill that had prompted a surprise veto by President George W. Bush.'

Washington Post, 17 Jan 08, by Philip Rucker
Scrutiny of Veterans Charities Continues
'Help Hospitalized Veterans is one of several military-oriented charities whose spending practices are the subject of a congressional investigation.'

Washington Post, 10 Jan 08, by Thomas E. Ricks and Karen DeYoung
For U.S., The Goal Is Now 'Iraqi Solutions'
'In the year since President Bush announced he was changing course in Iraq with a troop "surge" and a new strategy, U.S. military and diplomatic officials have begun their own quiet policy shift. After countless unsuccessful efforts to push Iraqis toward various political, economic and security goals, they have decided to let the Iraqis figure some things out themselves.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Jan 08, by Steven R. Weisman
Doubts raised on sales of U.S. high-tech equipment to China
'Six months ago, the Bush administration quietly eased some restrictions on the export of politically delicate technologies to China. The new approach was intended to help U.S. companies increase sales of high-tech equipment to China despite tight curbs on sharing technology that might have military applications. But today the administration is facing questions from weapons experts about whether some equipment - newly authorized for export to Chinese companies deemed trustworthy by Washington - could instead end up helping China modernize its military.'

2007 Americas archive