Grounds for American optimism in times that require courage

Grounds for American optimism in times that require courage

Sol W. Sanders   [See Archive] “A policy of strategic ambiguity” is a striped-pants way of saying “keep your opponent guessing”. It can also be a Foggy Bottom euphemism for lack of policy or not knowing what to do in a difficult situation. It has the advantage of keeping your opponent off balance, never quite […]

Obama administration pushes to ratify Law of Sea treaty to deter China

Obama administration pushes to ratify Law of Sea treaty to deter China

Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com Senior Obama administration officials last week urged the Senate to approve a bill authorizing the U.S. to become a party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Doing so, they said, would better deter China’s “excessive” claims in the Western Pacific region. “As a […]

NATO states announce missile shield already in place

NATO states announce missile shield already in place

Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com NATO took a step forward toward completing a comprehensive ballistic missile shield by announcing that an “interim capability” to destroy incoming missiles was already in operation. “The United States and our European allies are investing in common security and it is an excellent example of the renewed […]

Report: Taiwan weighs gamechanger with purchase of U.S. F-35B stealth jetfighters

Report: Taiwan weighs gamechanger with purchase of U.S. F-35B stealth jetfighters

Special to WorldTribune.com In a major policy reversal, Taiwan’s defense officials have indicated they may forego further upgrades to their current F-16A/B fleet and instead purchase the next-generation F-35B stealth fighter, according to Taiwan’s China Times. Taiwan’s mainstay combat aircraft is the F-16A/B block 20. Taiwan currently has 145 such advanced aircraft in service. However, […]

China demonstrating the will to dominate; West losing the will to resist

China demonstrating the will to dominate; West losing the will to resist

Lev Navrozov From Moscow, the capital of the slave country founded in 1917, I came to New York, to the 21st floor of a skyscraper. The owners of the slave country had created their radio and television and even their own art and philosophy — in short, they created a new culture, with inevitable shortcomings. […]

U.S. ties Israel aid to Iron Dome technology access

U.S. ties Israel aid to Iron Dome technology access

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States has conditioned aid for Israeli missile and rocket defense to propriety rights in the new Iron Dome system. Congress has stipulated that U.S. aid for the production of Israeli missile defense systems would be linked to access to technology. The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, in […]

Piracy still a thrivng business in Somalia, backed by international financiers

Piracy still a thrivng business in Somalia, backed by international financiers

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Despite a sharp drop in the success rate, hundreds of Somalis continue to engage in piracy in the Red Sea and Gulf. A senior U.S. official said hundreds of Somalis continue to be employed as pirates and target merchant vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Thomas Kelly, […]

Tale of two massacres and the price of withdrawing from Afghanistan and Pakistan

Tale of two massacres and the price of withdrawing from Afghanistan and Pakistan

Sol W. Sanders [See Archive Two recent deeply intertwined violent events demonstrate the terrible burden hanging on the outcome of U.S. intervention in Afghanistan and Pakistan. An American soldier’s rampage allegedly taking the lives of 17 Afghan villagers paralleled the attack of a Franco-Mahgrebian youth resulting in seven deaths of French [Muslim] veterans and Jewish […]

‘Precious’ satellites, long-range missiles and food aid all in time for Kim Il-Sung’s 100th birthday extravaganza

‘Precious’ satellites, long-range missiles and food aid all in time for Kim Il-Sung’s 100th birthday extravaganza

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — North Korea’s claim of a serious scientific reason for planning to fire off a long-range missile next month with a satellite for a payload is couched in such sincere-sounding lingo that one has to wonder if the North’s scientists and engineers actually may have something in […]

Morality and foreign policy: Once again, the U.S. is asked, ‘for God’s sake, do something!’

Morality and foreign policy: Once again, the U.S. is asked, ‘for God’s sake, do something!’

Sol W. Sanders [See Archive A perennial American foreign policy debate sets “realism” against “idealism”, national interest versus morality. The dichotomy is often overstated. The two currents divide and merge incessantly in the flow of implementation of any concrete overseas policy and tactics. American statesmen have argued — contemporary politicians still do as did The […]