Kofi Annan Resigns as Syrian Envoy in Disgust

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 00:04 AM EDT, 3 August 2012

GENEVA, Switzerland – Human Rights groups, the U.N. Security Council, as well as the U.S., Israel, Russia, and China have been closely following the civil war in Syria. After the recent attack by a suicide bomber who targeted the National Security headquarters in central Damascus killing Syria’s Defense Minister General Daoud Rajha and President Bashar al-Assad’s brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, observers prognosticated the imminent demise of the Assad government. (Source: The Journal.ie)

Instead of the desired effect of forcing Assad to abdicate, he has retreated to an undisclosed location and continues to wage a brutal war to repress the rebels who are intent on forcing him from power. Emboldened by the continued support of Russia and China who have consistently blocked U.N. Security Council efforts to initiate sanctions or military intervention, Assad continues to hold power.

Kofi Annan was asked to negotiate an end to 17 months of executions, torture, repression as well as a plethora of human rights violations. It would turn out to be an untenable task, but he accepted the challenge with dignity and professionalism. A negotiated peace agreement would have been the optimal resolution because an abrupt departure of the Assad regime would be disastrous for the region.

At issue among other things are the security of chemical weapons and the uncertainty of the type of governance the Sunnis majority would implement should they rise to power. A non-negotiated transition of power will almost certainly upset the delicate balance of power in the region. This morning a talk show host observed that this is a case where the ‘enemy of my enemy does not is not necessarily mean they will remain friends once they have achieved their goal.”

Hence the reticent of the U.S. to provide the rebels with weaponry despite their request for assistance and the obvious benefits that these arms could provide in terms of achieving the aim of deposing Assad. Into this quagmire Mr. Annan, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former U.N. secretary-general waded and despite his best efforts he became stuck.

On one side he had to contend with permanent Security Council members, whose actions belied their words. They talked about the need to address the gross human rights violations occurring in Syria and the necessity of protecting its civilian citizens, while on the other they carefully weighed economic, political, and strategic considerations which subsequently trumped the former.

According to Reuters, when Mr. Annan announced his resignation as Syria's peace envoy on Thursday, in a rare display of emotion, he explained how he was stymied in his efforts to bring the parties together to achieve even a temporary cease-fire. His inability to successfully bridge the gap between Assad and the rebels was complicated by “world powers, as well as the Syrian government's intransigence, the growing militancy of Syrian rebels and a divided Security Council that failed to forcefully back his effort.

Since he took  the position six months ago, Russia and China have twice used their veto power to block strong Western- and Arab-backed action against President Bashar Assad's regime.”

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Kremlin Hammers NGO Activists

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 01:42 AM EDT, 22 July 2012

Tensions between Washington and the Kremlin have escalated over the past eighteen months largely because Russia has aligned with China to defeat the United Nations Security Council’s efforts to institute punitive sanctions against Syria.

The standoff recalls the stance of the U.S. and USSR during the Cold War era which lasted from 1947-1991. During this period the United States, NATO, and other nations joined together in opposition of communist Soviet Union, its allies and satellite states.

Despite the fact that Russia enacted democratic governance in 1993 its election cycles continue to be plagued with accusations of corruption. Now, with the approval of a new law which labels non-governmental organizations receiving financial support from abroad as “foreign agents,” Russia is poised on the precipice of totalitarianism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a law which will tighten controls on civil rights groups funded from abroad, the his press office said on Saturday, a step opponents say is part of a campaign to suppress dissent.

The law, which was cleared by the upper house of parliament earlier in July, will force non-governmental organizations (NGOs) engaging in “political activity” to register with the Justice Ministry as “foreign agents” and to file a report to officials every quarter. (Source: Forbes)

Opponents of the law believe that President Putin signed the bill with the full knowledge that its real intent is to silence organizations and individuals critical of his leadership. Though the law broadly applies to all NGOs, it specifically targets NGOs engaging in political activities.

Less than a month prior, President Putin signed another 'undemocratic' bill which prohibits people participating in unauthorized demonstrations, and in the case where these demonstrations were organized by an NGO or other organization, huge fines can be levied.

Many Russian NGOs have stated that they will not comply with new law, and according to reports, the Moscow Helsinki Group leader Lyudmila Alexeyeva said her group will turn down foreign funding in an attempt to work around the law.

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Humiliating North Korean Rocket Crash

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 22:19 p.m. DST, 13 April 2012

PYONGYANG, North Korea - Yesterday, amid the fanfare of ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder and "eternal president" Kim Il-sung, his grandson, Kim Jong-un suffered a humiliating set-back when the rocket that was to herald his military might and validate his ascendancy, disintegrated shortly after lift-off.

North Korea’s defiance in launching the rocket despite threats by America and Japan to shoot down any missile launches from the Communist state is definitely a loss of face for Kim Jong-un’s government.

It was speculated by observing nations that the missile may have crashed due to the unusual silence from the North Korean government shortly after the launch.  News outlets who were in contact with reporters who had been allowed into the country to witness the event, receive little or no information from their people on the ground.

In fact, one reporter stated that no one in the press corps had been informed of the launch, much less of the outcome. Officials did not come to present a press conference to confirm the success or failure of the launch, and their ‘handlers’ were as dismayed with the lack of guidance from senior leaders.

Later, the country's official news agency confirmed that the rocket launch was a failure, after officials in other countries said that the suspected long-range missile had crashed into the sea. In addition to the loss of the rocket, the North Koreans said that the satellite that they intended to launch into space was also destroyed in the crash.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfJLXFMyvXk]

"The earth observation satellite failed to enter its preset orbit. Scientists, technicians and experts are now looking into the cause of the failure," North Korea's official KCNA news agency reported.

In order to minimize its overt disregard of the UN resolution that prohibits any launch using ballistic missile technology, Pyongyang claimed that the purpose of Friday's launch was to put a weather satellite into space. However, non-proliferation experts express skepticism since this is the third time that North Korean has initiated long-range missile tests.

South Korean and other nations in the Northeastern Asia feel that this launch was an extremely aggressive act that threatens the peace, stability and security of the region. They view this launch as particularly troublesome given North Korea's previous pattern of failed rocket launches followed by nuclear testing, which many view as the actual goal of these exercises.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned Friday's launch despite its failure.

"[It] is deplorable as it defies the firm and unanimous stance of the international community," a statement from his office said. "The launch is in direct violation of Security Council Resolution 1874 and threatens regional stability."

The United States meanwhile condemned North Korea's "propaganda" displays.

"North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in provocative acts, and is wasting its money on weapons and propaganda displays while the North Korean people go hungry," Jay Carney, the White House spokesperson, said.

Osamu Fujimura, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said the rocket launch was a "grave provocation".

The Group of Eight (G-8) bloc of industrialised nations also condemned the launch, while China called for calm on the Korean peninsula.

"We hope all parties can maintain calm and restraint and not do anything to harm peace and stability on the peninsula and in the region," Liu Weimin, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said in a statement. (Source: Aljazeera)

The world must wait and see North Korea’s next move toward continued nuclear testing and aggressive posturing in the region, but the UN Security Council has gone on the offensive and said it would meet in an emergency session on Friday to discuss the situation.

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