There are a couple of anniversaries we could commemorate today. For example, if you’re a fan of lost causes, on this date in 1995 Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat signed the Oslo II accord, which was supposed to provide for Palestinian autonomy leading to future (HA!) talks on an independent Palestinian state. Five years later … Continue reading Today in Mediterranean history: the Battle of Preveza (1538)
Month: September 2015
What happened in Burkina Faso last week, and what comes next
Africa Is A Country's Oumar Ba and Daniel Eizenga have written a very useful summary of the failed coup in Burkina Faso that I highly recommend for anybody who's interested in that story. I find this story fascinating not because the coup failed, or even because it failed so quickly and so completely, but because … Continue reading What happened in Burkina Faso last week, and what comes next
OK, this is pretty damn cool
You know, if listening to a bunch of self-serving speeches to the UN General Assembly is your thing, I can't blame you. Heck, Vladimir Putin is explaining about how he personally plans to make the world safe for freedom and democracy on my TV as I write this. But for my money, nothing any of … Continue reading OK, this is pretty damn cool
Today in European history: the Crusade of Nicopolis (1396)
Although we think of “the Crusades” as the numbered (anachronistically) series of Christian military expeditions in the Middle East (and North Africa, and Greece that one time) that took place in the 11th-13th centuries, the Crusading movement actually encompassed much more than that. The Reconquista in Iberia was, for a time, treated as a Crusade, … Continue reading Today in European history: the Crusade of Nicopolis (1396)
Carly Fiorina and the truth are on a trial separation
Maybe there's something about the "ex-CEO who wants to be president" personality type that just inherently makes one a liar, but Carly Fiorina is apparently taking the "Mitt" Romney "reality is subjective" route in the 2016 campaign. Here's a sample of her whoppers: She flat-out lied, and is still lying, about what she saw on … Continue reading Carly Fiorina and the truth are on a trial separation
Whatever it is, it can’t be good
It's not clear what's happening in eastern Ukraine, where the rebel "government" in Luhansk has ordered all UN aid agencies out of the province along with an unknown number of other international NGOs (Doctors Without Borders, for one, and it's not clear how many more). The "government" in Donetsk is reportedly considering a similar measure. … Continue reading Whatever it is, it can’t be good
Now he can spend more time working on his tan
John Boehner is resigning from Congress altogether late next month. Apparently, running this Republican House Caucus proved too much even for a guy who spent his whole career angling to be Speaker of the House and clearly relished having the job despite the fact that he was historically bad at it. Nobody is happier about … Continue reading Now he can spend more time working on his tan
Burkina Faso coup over, but questions remain
Burkina Faso's coup is over, and the transitional civilian government is back in control of the country: The president of Burkina Faso was back in charge on Wednesday and said he would resume overseeing a transition to democracy, ending a coup by presidential guard soldiers who took him hostage last week. Michel Kafando addressed his … Continue reading Burkina Faso coup over, but questions remain
Oh hey, by the way, the government is about to shut down
We're now officially one week away from yet another government shutdown. This time it will be over defunding Planned Parenthood, which is the big new Republican idea because shutting down Planned Parenthood would mean that they've succeeded in their long-time goal of depriving poor and working class women of access to basic healthcare uh, stopping … Continue reading Oh hey, by the way, the government is about to shut down
Well, that will carry some weight
Bashar al-Assad just got himself a fairly important endorsement: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that President Bashar al-Assad should be involved in any Syrian peace talks amid pressure from the rising number of refugees from Syria. Merkel made the comment on Thursday after a European Union summit on the asylum seeker crisis. "We have … Continue reading Well, that will carry some weight
The Foreign Exchanges Companion 