Warren Mass
Obama’s Trip to the Middle East
During President Obama's visit to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan this week, he has met with Israeli and Palestinian officials concerning topics such as Middle East peace, Israel's security, Syria, and Iran.
Kerry Supports UN Arms Treaty as NRA Objects
In a statement posted on the State Department website on March 15, Secretary of State John Kerry expressed U.S. support for the UN Arms Trade Treaty.
“The United States is steadfast in its commitment to achieve a strong and effective Arms Trade Treaty that helps address the adverse effects of the international arms trade on global peace and stability,” read the statement.
Argentine Cardinal Becomes Pope Francis
The 115 cardinal-electors of the 1.2 billion-member Roman Catholic Church, meeting in conclave for the second day on March 13, elected Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, to become the church’s 266th pope.
Faltering War in Afghanistan Continues
In a report published online on March 11, Jason Ditz, research editor at Antiwar.com, used the strained meeting on Monday between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel as the backdrop to assert that the U.S. occupation of the war-torn nation “is flying apart at the seams, with insider attacks and popular opposition once again on the rise.”
North Korea Issues Threats During U.S.-S. Korean Joint Exercise
On March 11, as the United States and South Korea began their annual joint military exercises, the government of North Korea responded by saying the 1953 armistice is over and cutting off the telephone “hot line” between the two Koreas at Panmunjom.
USCENTCOM Commander Wants 13,600 U.S. Troops to Remain in Afghanistan
Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, commander of the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) — the U.S. military command responsible for operations in 20 countries in the Middle East — has recommended that 13,600 U.S troops remain in Afghanistan after the White House-mandated 2014 withdrawal date for American and NATO troops.
Jeb Bush Now Supports Path to Citizenship
During an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe program on Tuesday, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush revealed that he would now support legislation that provided a “path for citizenship” for illegal immigrants.
Supreme Court Justices Critique Voting Rights Law
While reviewing a challenge to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, several Supreme Court justices questioned the need for continuing an important provision of the act (Section 5), which requires only certain geographic areas — mainly seven Southern states, Alaska, Arizona, and three boroughs of New York City, as well as numerous smaller jurisdictions — to obtain federal preclearance before making changes in voting laws.
Vatican Accuses Media of False Reports as Conclave Nears
With the end of the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI rapidly approaching, Vatican spokesmen on February 23 vehemently refuted reports originating in the Italian media that presented highly negative descriptions of the Holy See’s central administrative apparatus, known as the Curia. An Italian newspaper suggested that the pope had resigned soon after being presented with a dossier that revealed a network of Vatican priests, "united by sexual orientation," who were being blackmailed.
North Korea Threatens South Korea with "Final Destruction"
Speaking at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on February 19, North Korean diplomat Jon Yong Ryong threatened South Korea with "final destruction.”
