The Departments of State and Treasury have released their public version of the “Magnitsky List”—18 Russian nationals who have committed gross human rights violations and were involved in the unjust imprisonment and death of Sergei Magnitsky. The list was required by the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law and Accountability Act, …
In an opinion piece this week, Heritage’s Mike Gonzalez called for a “Dennis Rodman Rule” for celebrities who travel to repressive countries for enjoyment. Rodman, the former basketball player, recently visited North Korea and claimed “it’s pretty much like any other country.” Music moguls Beyonce and Jay-Z were granted permission …
During his trip to South Korea, Secretary of State John Kerry affirmed that the United States “will, if necessary, defend our allies and defend ourselves” against North Korean aggression. Yet, he appears more eager to defuse a crisis than pledge unequivocal support to an ally threatened with military attack. It …
Despite John Kerry being confirmed as the Secretary of State for President Obama’s second term two months ago, numerous senior State Department positions remain unfilled with no plans to fill them in sight. Instead, the White House process for political appointees is moving as “slowly as molasses,” according to State …
On March 28, Vladimir Putin, returning home from the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) Durban summit, ordered Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu to mobilize the Black Sea Fleet—immediately. More than 7,000 troops, and some 36 warships, 250 armored vehicles, 50 cannons, and as many as 20 fighter jets were …
The leader of al-Qaeda’s Iraq branch, the Islamic State of Iraq, announced on Tuesday the formal merger of his organization and Jabhat al-Nusra (“Victory Front”), an al-Qaeda-controlled front group that has played a growing role inside Syria. Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared, “It’s now time to declare in front of …
Human rights advocates stressed the importance of U.S. leadership in fighting violations of liberty in China in testimony before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee in advance of Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to Beijing. Chen Guangcheng, a renowned human rights advocate and former prisoner in China, told Congress the …
