AMERICAS ARCHIVE :

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New York Times, 07 Dec 10, by Charlie Savage
Justice Department Studies WikiLeaks Prosecution
'Espionage is only one of the possible charges being considered by prosecutors looking into the WikiLeaks case.'

New York Times, 18 Nov 10, by Peter Baker
Obama Forces Showdown With G.O.P. on Arms Pact
'... President Obama has decided to confront Senate Republicans in a make-or-break battle over arms control that could be an early test of his mettle heading into the final two years of his term.'

Washington Post, 19 Nov 10, by Scott Wilson
Foreign-policy setbacks deepen Obama's election wounds
'... since his midterm shellacking this month, he has suffered a series of foreign policy setbacks, in Congress and abroad, that have put his agenda for improving America's standing and strength overseas at risk.'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 10, by Patrick Worsnip
U.N. official calls for study of ethics, legality of unmanned weapons
'A United Nations investigator called on the world body Friday to set up a panel to study the ethics and legality of unmanned military weapons - an apparent reference to U.S. drones that have targeted suspected Islamist militants.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct 10, by Sara Miller Llana
Hugo Chávez embraces Iran and Syria, wins Russian support for nuclear program
'Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is in the midst of one of his world tours, making friends with US enemies and getting support for his country's nascent nuclear program.'

Washington Post, 08 Oct 10, by John Pomfret
History of telecom company illustrates lack of strategic trust between U.S., China
'The NSA called AT&T because of fears that China's intelligence agencies could insert digital trapdoors into Huawei's technology that would serve as secret listening posts in the U.S. communications network ...'

Washington Post, 27 Sep 10, by Ellen Nakashima
Administration seeks ways to monitor Internet communications
'The Obama administration is planning to seek legislation that would require social networking companies and voice-over-Internet service providers to adapt their technology so law enforcement agents can monitor users' communications during criminal and terrorism investigations.'

New York Times, 23 Sep 10, by Neil MacFarquhar
U.S. Walks Out as Iran Leader Speaks
'President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran made a series of incendiary remarks in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, notably the claim that the United States orchestrated the Sept. 11 attacks to rescue its declining economy, to reassert its weakening grip on the Middle East and to save Israel.'

Miami Herald, 24 Sep 10, by Sibylla Brodzinsky
With honcho's death, FARC at crossroads
'The Colombian government's killing of a senior guerrilla leader could mark a critical turning point in the country's civil war, according to analysts.'

Washington Post, 23 Sep 10, by Nia-Malika Henderson
Michelle Obama embarks on a new campaign: help for military families
'White House aides said that the first lady's work with military families was very much in the president's mind when he decided on the budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs ...'

Washington Post, 16 Sep 10, by John Pomfret
U.S., allies working on new North Korea strategy
'The United States and its allies in Northeast Asia are trying to fashion an opening to North Korea out of concern that the current policy toward the isolated nuclear-armed nation could lead to war, U.S. and Asian officials said.'

Washington Post, 16 Sep 10, by Ellen Nakashima
U.S. cybersecurity plans lagging, critics say
'More than a year after President Obama made a White House speech proclaiming that the protection of computer networks was a national priority, the federal government is still grappling with key questions about how to secure its computer systems as well as private networks deemed critical to U.S. security.'

Washington Post, 16 Sep 10, by Mary Beth Sheridan
New nuclear arms treaty with Russia passes Senate panel
'New START trims the Cold War foes' long-range deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550 and limits their launchers to 700, a modest reduction from current levels. The treaty would also allow the nuclear giants to resume inspections of one another's stockpiles, which they had done for 15 years under the START treaty that expired last December.'

Washington Post, 17 Sep 10, by Glenn Kessler
Clinton turns history of controversial statements on Mideast into asset in talks
'... there are enough past public statements from Clinton that both Israelis and Palestinians can claim her as a potential supporter.'

Washington Post, 08 Sep 10, by Glenn Kessler
Clinton declares 'new American moment' in foreign policy speech
'Critics have said that the administration's diplomacy has yielded little on such difficult issues as Israeli-Palestinian peace and Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, but Clinton argued the opposite, saying that substantial progress has been made on those fronts through "classic shoe-leather diplomacy."'

New York Times, 19 Aug 10, by Steven Lee Myers
In Iraq War, Soldiers Say They Had a Job to Do
'Even with the end of combat operations, Iraq remains a job that inspires emotion only among those who do it.'

DefenseNews, 09 Aug 10, by Andrew Tilghman
Pentagon to Eliminate U.S. Joint Forces Command
'The four-star command ... will pass along its primary mission - managing forces and coordinating deployments - to the office of the Joint Staff, Gates said at a Pentagon news briefing.'

New York Times, 11 Aug 10, by Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger
U.S. Military Seeks Slower Pace to Wrap Up Afghan Role
'American military officials are building a case to minimize the planned withdrawal of some troops from Afghanistan starting next summer, in an effort to counter growing pressure on President Obama from inside his own party to begin winding the war down quickly.'

Washington Post, 12 Aug 10, by Peter Finn
U.S. lacks policy on housing detainees convicted in military commissions
'The Defense Department has no written policy on how detainees convicted in military commissions should be housed after they are sentenced, despite a 2008 Pentagon directive to create a plan for such prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, a military judge said.'

PBS NewsHour, 11 Aug 10, with Spencer Michels
Hayden: Hackers Force Internet Users to Learn Self-Defense
'... a conversation with former CIA and National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden who says the openness of the Internet's design puts hackers at an advantage over people who want to defend their data.'

New York Times, 18 Aug 10, by Thom Shanker
WikiLeaks and Pentagon Disagree About Talks
'The Pentagon on Wednesday rebutted statements by the WikiLeaks organization that the Defense Department had expressed a willingness to discuss reviewing a trove of classified documents before public release.'

Washington Post, 12 Aug 10, by Michael Shifter
A new look for Colombia, U.S. relations
'U.S. relations with Colombia -- Washington's major Latin American ally over the past decade -- may be on the verge of some important changes ...'

Washington Post, 27 Jul 10, by Greg Jaffe and Peter Finn
WikiLeaks disclosures unlikely to change course of Afghanistan war
'White House and Pentagon officials sought to diminish the significance of the leak by arguing that there were few, if any, revelations in the documents. Instead, they expressed alarm that the group WikiLeaks.org had posted such a large amount of classified material that could compromise the safety of U.S. forces and their Afghan allies.'

Washington Post, 27 Jul 10, by Paul Farhi and Ellen Nakashima
Is WikiLeaks the Pentagon Papers, Part 2? Parallels, and differences, exist.
'Superficially, the two episodes do seem related. In substance, however, the case may be weaker.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jul 10, by Kristen Chick
WikiLeaks report harms national security in Afghanistan, says White House
'WikiLeaks has released more than 90,000 classified US reports and documents spanning 2004-2009 detailing Paksitan's collusion with Afghan militants and the Taliban's increasing sophistication. The White House condemned the leak.'

New York Times, 26 Jul 10, by Eric Schmitt and Helene Cooper
Document Leak May Hurt Efforts to Build War Support
'The disclosure of a six-year archive of classified military documents increased pressure on President Obama to defend his military strategy as Congress prepares to deliberate financing of the Afghanistan war.'
• Text From a Selection of the Secret Dispatches

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Jul 10, by Howard LaFranchi
Republican skepticism challenges US-Russia treaty on nuclear weapons
'President Obama is facing Republican opposition and midterm elections in his push to have the US-Russia Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty ratified before year's end.'

New York Times, 14 Jul 10, by Elisabeth Bumiller
Records Show Doubts on ’64 Vietnam Crisis
'Previously classified transcripts show senators of the time questioning whether the White House and the Pentagon had deceived them over the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident.'

BBC News, 29 Jun 10
Gen Petraeus tells senators Afghan fighting may worsen
'The man chosen to take charge of the US military in Afghanistan, Gen David Petraeus, has warned of an escalation of violence in the coming months.'

Washington Post, 30 Jun 10, by Peter Baker
Despite Arrests, Working to Rebuild Russia Ties
'Mr. Obama’s plan is to largely ignore the issue publicly, leaving it to diplomats and investigators to handle, while he moves on to what he sees as more important matters.'

Washington Post, 29 Jun 10, by Jerry Markon and William Branigin
U.S. downplays Russian spy case
'The White House said Tuesday that it does not expect the arrests of 11 accused members of a Russian espionage ring to affect relations between Washington and Moscow, shrugging off Russian denunciations of the busts as a throwback to the Cold War.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 10, by Fred Weir
Russian spies: US case could derail Medvedev, boost Putin
'Russian spies case is believed in Moscow to be a plot by US hawks to undermine the US-Russia relationship. It could also hurt Medvedev's chances of beating Putin, an ex-KGB agent, in 2012 elections.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jun 10, by Stuart Fox
How Russian spies hid secret codes in online photos
'Russian spies posted seemingly innocuous photos on public websites that contained coded messages, marking the first confirmed use of this method for espionage purposes.'

Washington Post, 25 Jun 10, by Karen DeYoung
Obama says he is 'confident' in war leadership
'President Obama said Thursday that there will be no additional changes for now in his leadership team on Afghanistan, but that he will be "insisting on unity of purpose" and "paying very close attention" to its performance.'

USA Today, 25 Jun 10, by Jim Michaels
Gates: U.S. not 'bogged down' in Afghanistan
'Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the United States and its allies are not "bogged down" in Afghanistan despite the delay of a planned offensive in the southern city of Kandahar.'

New York Times, 24 Jun 10, by Mark Landler and Helene Cooper
As Generals Change, Afghan Debate Narrows to 2 Powerful Voices
'The messy departure of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal is likely to make the Obama administration’s internal debates over Afghanistan even more pointed, giving the military a powerful advocate for staying the course ...'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by Greg Jaffe and Ernesto Londoño
Is Gen. Stanley McChrystal someone the president can afford to fire?
'... relieving McChrystal of his command on the eve of a major offensive in Kandahar, which White House and Pentagon officials have said is the most critical of the war, would be a major blow to the war effort, said military experts.'

Washington Post, 22 Jun 10, by Colum Lynch and Thomas Erdbrink
Congress strikes deal on tougher sanctions for Iran's suppliers
'U.S. lawmakers on Monday reached agreement on legislation that would penalize Iran's business partners for selling the country gasoline, investing in its refineries, or providing financial services to firms linked to its political and military elite.'

Jerusalem Post, 23 Jun 10, by Hilary Leila Krieger
'Sanctions are not a panacea'
'Senior US officials have acknowledged that newly imposed sanctions against Iran would not be enough to end its quest for nuclear capabilities, but told Congress that the approach was bearing fruit.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 10, by Warren Richey
Supreme Court upholds controversial part of Patriot Act
'On Monday, the Supreme Court upheld a statute – part of the Patriot Act – that outlaws the provision of 'material support' to terror groups. Such support includes assistance that might nudge a group toward nonviolence.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 10, by Peter Grier
Cases of WikiLeaks and other leaks: Worth prosecuting?
'Prosecutions of leaks of classified information are so difficult that other options may be more effective, the Justice Department suggests.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Jun 10, by Kristen Chick
Is Obama starting to prod Egypt on human rights?
'Many human rights and democracy activists in the Middle East are disillusioned with Obama's lack of action. But Egypt's acceptance today of 21 human rights recommendations after a visit by Vice President Biden may signal a shift.'

Washington Post, 04 Jun 10, by Scott Wilson
Obama's agenda, Israel's ambitions often at odds
'U.S. president's foreign policy emphasizes international rules and organizations that the Middle East ally often clashes with or ignores.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Jun 10, by Jonathan Adams
US defends unmanned drone attacks after harsh UN report
'US officials and security analysts defended the use of unmanned drone attacks, after a UN official urged a halt to such killings in a strongly worded report released Wednesday.'

New York Times, 27 May 10, by David E. Sanger and Peter Baker
Obama Security Strategy Focuses on Managing Threats
'In his first formal National Security Strategy, President Obama tries to balance the idealism of his promises with the realities of a fractious world.'

Washington Post, 27 May 10, by Scott Wilson
U.S. withdrawal from Iraq will be on time, Vice President Biden says
'The sensitive departure from Iraq is being managed by Vice President Biden, who says the U.S. military will reduce troop levels to 50,000 this summer, even if no new Iraqi government takes shape.'

New York Times, 26 May 10, by Mark Landler
U.S. Stands With an Ally, Eager for China to Join the Line
'American officials say there is disagreement within China about how to respond to North Korea, pitting civilian party leaders against the military.'

Washington Post, 24 May 10, by Fred Hiatt
In the absence of debate, Iraq and Afghanistan go unnoticed
'Those elected to Congress in November will face fateful decisions on the continued deployment, or not, of U.S. forces in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet those wars, and the wisdom of committing to or withdrawing from them, have hardly been mentioned in the hard-fought campaigns of the spring.'

PBS NewsHour, 18 May 10, with Jeffrey Brown
U.S. Spearheads New Sanctions to Stifle Iran's Nuclear Ambitions
'Russian and China have reached a deal with the U.S. and other world powers to impose new sanctions on Iran, a day after the country signed a deal with Turkey and Brazil to swap its nuclear fuel.'

Washington Post, 24 May 10, by Juan Forero
Colombian president's brother said to have lead death squads
'The disclosures could prove uncomfortable to the United States, which has long seen Uribe as a trusted caretaker of American money in the fight against armed groups and the cocaine trade.'

New York Times, 12 May 10, by Helene Cooper
Avoiding Tensions, Obama Reassures Karzai
'President Obama promised President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan on Wednesday that the United States would remain in Afghanistan for the long haul, even as he vowed to stick to his timetable to begin withdrawing troops by July 2011.'

PBS NewsHour, 10 May 10, by Larisa Epatko
Withdrawal of U.S. Troops From Afghanistan Hangs Over Karzai Visit
'The July 2011 deadline President Barack Obama set to start withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan serves as the backdrop and lends some urgency to Afghan President Hamid Karzai's meetings in Washington, D.C., this week, analysts say.'

Washington Post, 12 May 10, by John Pomfret
U.S. risks China's ire with decision to fund software maker tied to Falun Gong
'The State Department has decided to fund a group run mainly by practitioners of Falun Gong, a Buddhist-like sect long considered Enemy No. 1 by the Chinese government, to provide software to skirt Internet censorship across the globe.'

New York Times, 11 May 10, by Scott Shane
Senators Demand Tighter Rules on No-Fly List and Addition to Terror Group List
'... top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee called Tuesday for improvements in the no-fly list and the addition of the Pakistani Taliban to the government’s official list of terrorist organizations.'

New York Times, 28 Apr 10, by Neil MacFarquhar
U.N. Chief Seeks to Strengthen Nuclear Pact
'Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for renewed commitments toward disarmament and for tackling the knotty issue of a Middle East free of nuclear weapons.'

New York Times, 27 Apr 10, by Peter Baker and Rod Nordland
Obama Sticks to a Deadline in Iraq
'When President Obama approved a plan to withdraw combat forces from Iraq this summer, it was based on the assumption that a newly elected government would be in place by the time Americans headed home. Fourteen months later, that assumption is exploding but the plan remains the same.'

New York Times, 14 Apr 10, by Mark Landler and Helene Cooper
Obama Speech Signals a U.S. Shift on Middle East
'Mr. Obama, frustrated by the inability of the Israelis and the Palestinians to come to terms, will offer his own proposed parameters for an eventual Palestinian state.'

Asia Times, 22 Apr 10, by Victor Kotsev
US warms to strike on Iran
'... threats are now being exchanged openly between the United States and Iran ...'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 10, by Gordon Lubold
Senators losing patience in Fort Hood probe, threaten subpoenas
'The administration is wary of allowing Sens. Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins open access to front-line agents in their investigation into the Fort Hood shootings, which left 13 people dead.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr 10, by Howard Lafranchi
New State Department team to the rescue in disaster areas, war zones
'The State Department's new Civilian Response Corps supplements US military efforts in disaster areas, such as Haiti, and war zones. It's still small but has the backing of top officials.'

New York Times, 08 Apr 10, by Peter Baker and Dan Bilefsky
Russia and U.S. Sign Nuclear Arms Reduction Pact
'... on Thursday as they signed an arms control treaty and presented a largely united front against Iran’s nuclear program, marking a sharp change since they broke over the Georgia war two years ago.'

New York Times, 05 Apr 10, by David E. Sanger and Peter Baker
Obama Limits When U.S. Would Use Nuclear Arms
'President Obama said Monday that he was revamping American nuclear strategy to substantially narrow the conditions under which the United States would use nuclear weapons.'

Washington Post, 08 Apr 10, by Craig Whitlock
U.S. looks to nonnuclear weapons to use as deterrent
'As the White House pushes for cuts in the U.S. nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon is developing a weapon to help fill the gap: missiles armed with conventional warheads that could strike anywhere in the world in less than an hour.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar 10, by David R. Francis
Defense budget: After Afghanistan and Iraq withdrawal, a peace dividend?
'An Afghanistan and Iraq withdrawal could trim billions of dollars from the US defense budget.'

Washington Post, 30 Mar 10, by Scott Wilson
Obama shifts focus from foreign populations to leaders
'... the meeting [with Karzai last week] revealed a shift in Obama's foreign policy: a growing emphasis on one-on-one encounters with foreign leaders.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Mar 10, by Mark Guarino
Hutaree: Why is the Midwest a hotbed of militia activity?
'Michigan is second only to Texas in the number of 'patriot' groups, including militias like the Hutaree. It has a long tradition of spawning antigovernment groups.'

Washington Post, 30 Mar 10, by Dana Hedgpeth
Panel says firms need U.S. guidance to reduce contractors in Iraq
'The U.S. government is probably paying contractors millions of dollars for unnecessary work in Iraq because the military is not giving companies clear enough guidance about reducing their employees, officials on the Commission on Wartime Contracting said Monday.'

Washington Post, 17 Mar 10, by Glenn Kessler
With subtle shift in nuance, Hillary Clinton reiterates U.S. stance on Israel
'In the face of bipartisan concern over U.S. criticism of Israeli policies, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday reiterated the administration's demand for a "full commitment" to peace talks from Israel but also ever so slightly bolstered her rhetorical support for the Jewish state.'

New York Times, 16 Mar 10, by Mark Landler
Opportunity in a Fight With Israel
'For President Obama, getting into a serious fight with Israel carries obvious domestic and foreign political risks. But it may offer the administration a payoff it sees as worthwhile: shoring up Mr. Obama’s credibility as a Middle East peacemaker by showing doubtful Israelis and Palestinians that he has the fortitude to push the two sides toward an agreement.'

Washington Post, 16 Mar 10, by Walter Pincus
Reports shine light on nuclear weapons vigilance
'While public attention is focused on a new arms-control treaty between Russia and the United States, the slow, dull work of keeping nuclear warheads and weapons-grade uranium and plutonium protected from terrorists goes on almost unnoticed.'

Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar 10, by Fred Weir
Clinton hints more work needed on nuclear reduction treaty with Russia
'Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov Thursday saying 'don't count your chickens' about a nuclear reduction treaty with Russia.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar 10, by Michael Ollove
Iraq and Afghanistan: America's invisible wars
'After seven years in Iraq and nine in Afghanistan, residents of York, Pa., talk about how the wars have become like a screen saver: always there but rarely acknowledged.'

New York Times, 13 Mar 10, by Peter Baker
Obama and Medvedev Talk About Arms Treaty
'[Obama and Medvedev] moved closer to agreement Saturday on a long-stalled arms control treaty that would slash the active nuclear arsenals of both countries by more than one-quarter, officials from both countries said.'

New York Times, 09 Mar 10, by Peter Baker and Mark Landler
Delay on Arms Pact Slows Reset of U.S.- Russia Ties
'The arms control treaty is part of a complicated diplomatic effort to forge a new relationship with Russia, interlinked with issues like Iran, missile defense and Afghanistan.'

New York Times, 12 Mar 10, by Larry Rohter
After the Earthquake, a Military Chile Can Love Again
'“This is the first real troop presence since the end of [Pinochet’s] dictatorship, and obviously raises a certain amount of nervousness. But it marks a return to a normal civil-military relationship.” [Gregory B. Weeks, author of “The Military and Politics in Postauthoritarian Chile”]'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Mar 10, by Mark Sappenfield
Graham to Obama: scrap New York terror trial, I'll stand with you
'Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday outlined his plan to help President Obama close Guantánamo if the administration agrees to abandon a civilian New York terror trial for 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in favor of a military tribunal.'

Washington Post, 14 Mar 10, by Carrie Johnson
Critics: Military trial of terror suspects could open cases to legal uncertainty
'Using a military commission to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-defendants for their alleged role in the Sept. 11 attacks could open the case to significant legal uncertainty and expose fresh details of detainee abuse in a proceeding that might not get underway for two years or longer, national security experts and plan critics say.'

New York Times, 13 Mar 10, by Simon Romero and Andrés Cala
Arrests in Europe Expose ETA’s Ties to Venezuela
'A shadowy underworld of Basque exiles in Caracas is under scrutiny after an indictment from a Spanish judge.'

Washington Post, 02 Mar 10, by John Pomfret
White House wary of growing military ties between Burma, N. Korea
'The Obama administration is concerned that Burma is expanding its military relationship with North Korea and has launched an aggressive campaign to convince Burma's junta to stop buying North Korean military technology, U.S. officials said.'

Washington Post, 03 Mar 10, by John Pomfret
U.S. floats plan to lift ban on training Indonesia's Kopassus unit
'As President Obama prepares to travel to Indonesia, his administration is seeking to reverse a 12-year-old ban on training an elite unit of the Indonesian military whose members have been convicted of beatings, kidnappings and other abuses.'

Washington Post, 20 Feb 10, by Carrie Johnson and Julie Tate
Authors of waterboarding memos won't be disciplined
'Bush administration lawyers who wrote memos that paved the way for waterboarding of terrorism suspects and other harsh interrogation tactics "exercised poor judgment" but will not face discipline for their actions ...'

Washington Post, 12 Feb 10, by Ed O'Keefe and Jennifer Agiesta
75% back letting gays serve openly
'Three-quarters of Americans say that they support openly gay people serving in the U.S. military, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, a finding that could lend momentum to the Obama administration's effort to dismantle the policy known as "don't ask, don't tell."'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Feb 10, by Tim Rogers
Could Honduras crisis prompt a power grab in Nicaragua?
'Strongarm tactics used during the seven-month political crisis in Honduras set a bad example for the region's other fragile democracies and could lead to a power grab in Nicaragua, critics say.'

PBS NewsHour, 03 Feb 10, with Jim Lehrer
Debate Reignites on Legal Rights of Terror Suspects
'The suspect in the attempted Christmas Day bombing incident is speaking to authorities again, but some lawmakers are worried the administration's handling of the case poses a risk to national security. Jim Lehrer speaks with experts about how the U.S. should prosecute terror suspects.'

New York Times, 04 Feb 10, by John Markoff
Google Asks Spy Agency for Help With Inquiry Into Cyberattacks
'By turning to the N.S.A., which has no statutory authority to investigate domestic criminal acts, instead of the Department of Homeland Security, which does have such authority, Google is clearly seeking to avoid having its search engine, e-mail and other Web services regulated as part of the nation’s “critical infrastructure.”'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Feb 10, by Sibylla Brodzinsky
Colombia's 'neo-paramilitaries' on the rise
'"Successor groups" of right-wing paramilitaries are growing fast, causing a steep rise in violence in many areas, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch.'

PBS NewsHour, 28 Jan 10, by Larisa Epatko
Obama Vows to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
'President Barack Obama promised Wednesday during his State of the Union speech to work with Congress to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays and lesbians in the military. Two experts with opposing views offer their takes.'

New York Times, 27 Jan 10, by Helene Cooper
In Speech, Little Time Spent on National Security
'President Obama spent exactly nine minutes on national security issues in the first State of the Union speech of his presidency, promising Americans that he would fight terrorism and warning Iran that its leaders will face “growing consequences” if they continue to ignore international calls to rein in their nuclear ambitions.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan 10, by Gordon Lubold
Afghanistan summit: Why is the US backing talks with the Taliban?
'Heading into this week's summit of Afghan allies in London, the top US general in Afghanistan said he supported President Hamid Karzai's plan to reach out to the Taliban.'

New York Times, 26 Jan 10, by Mark Landler and Helene Cooper
U.S. Wrestling With Olive Branch for Taliban
'The debate, still in its early stages, could shape the next phase of America’s engagement in Afghanistan, officials said, and is every bit as complicated as the decision on whether to commit more soldiers ...'

New York Times, 20 Jan 10, by Diana B. Henriques
F.B.I. Charges Arms Sellers With Foreign Bribes
'The play-acting ended on Tuesday, when 22 top-level executives, including a senior sales executive at Smith & Wesson, were arrested in what Justice Department officials called the first undercover sting ever aimed at violations of the federal ban on corporate bribes paid to get foreign business.'

New York Times, 19 Jan 10, by Marc Lacey
U.S. Troops Patrol Haiti, Filling a Void
'... the troops’ presence underscored the rising complaints that the Haitian government had all but disappeared in the week since a huge earthquake struck.'

Washington Post, 20 Jan 10, by William Booth and Scott Wilson
U.S. troops move into Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to help keep order, distribute aid
'Hundreds of U.S. troops surged into the epicenter of Haiti's earthquake-ravaged capital Tuesday to guard convoys and food distribution sites, while thousands more stationed themselves on ships and helicopters offshore to bolster relief and recovery efforts.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan 10, by Dan Murphy
Haiti earthquake: Is the US aid effort too slow?
'On Tuesday, the US military airdropped 3,700 gallons of water and 14,000 pre-packaged meals into Port-au-Prince, in an area secured by US troops.'

New York Times, 19 Jan 10, by Ray Rivera
U.S. Marines Land in Villages on the Edge
'The relief effort was the United States military’s first significant mission outside Port-au-Prince, the devastated capital, where the needs remain daunting.'

New York Times, 17 Jan 10, by Helene Cooper and Mark Landler
Experts Mull U.S. Role in Haiti After Cameras Leave
'President Obama’s aggressive response to the deadly earthquake in Haiti has led to criticism from the far right that the United States is taking on too much, at a time when its foreign-policy plate is already full.'

The Times (London), 17 Jan 10, by Christina Lamb and Marjorie Korn
President Barack Obama throws full military might into aid effort
'The American secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, flew into Haiti yesterday to spearhead a huge aid operation that the US administration hopes will serve as a symbol of America’s humanitarian spirit and an example of the prowess of its armed forces.'

New York Times, 13 Jan 10, by Helene Cooper and Liz Robbins
U.S. Mobilizes to Send Assistance to Haiti
'Within hours of Mr. Obama being informed of the quake in Haiti on Tuesday, United States officials were plotting a response that included ships, transport planes, helicopters and thousands of Marines.'

Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jan 10, by Peter Grier
Did the CIA follow its own rules on double agents?
'How do you run a double agent?'

Washington Post, 09 Jan 10, by Spencer S. Hsu and Karla Adam
International cooperation a challenge for air security
'... the Obama administration will find that the greatest challenge to tightening aviation security worldwide lies in persuading foreign governments and airports to adopt its proposals ...'

Washington Post, 08 Jan 10, by Karen DeYoung and Michael A. Fletcher
U.S. was more focused on al-Qaeda's plans abroad than for homeland, report on airline bomb plot finds
'By concentrating on the strategic threat posed by the al-Qaeda affiliate in Yemen and its plans for attacking U.S. targets there, U.S. intelligence agencies failed to focus on the group's preparations for a direct strike in this country, a White House review of the Dec. 25 attempted airline bombing has concluded.'

Washington Post, 08 Jan 10, by Spencer S. Hsu
U.S. to push foreign governments to use full-body scanners at airports
'In his remarks [Thursday], Obama focused on expanding international aviation security partnerships.'

BBC News, 08 Jan 10
Excerpts: Obama intelligence review speech
'... in which he outlines the conclusions of a review of the intelligence failures uncovered by the White House inquiry into the attempted airliner bombing on 25 December.'

Washington Post, 06 Jan 10, by Karen DeYoung and Michael A. Fletcher
Attempt to bomb airliner could have been prevented, Obama says
'President Obama said Tuesday that U.S. intelligence agencies could have prevented the attempt to bomb an airliner on Christmas Day, and used a grim and forceful White House statement to demand rapid improvements in efforts to protect Americans from attack.'

Washington Post, 06 Jan 10, by Colum Lynch
At U.N., China insists it's not 'right' time for sanctions on Iran
'The Chinese remarks underscore the challenges the United States faces in rallying international backing for its effort to punish Iran for nuclear violations.'

2009 Americas archive