Two very different political waves are sweeping through the Middle East and north Africa. Popular protests are overthrowing the leaders of military regimes for the first time since the failed Arab Spring of 2011. At the same time, dictators are seeking to further monopolise power by killing, jailing or intimidating opponents who want personal and... Read More

Sudan is about to face a dangerous political storm that may tear asunder that vast nation and send tremors across Africa. A referendum is scheduled on 9 January in which southern Sudan’s eight million inhabitants may vote to separate from the 34 million citizens of northern Sudan and create their own new nation – South... Read More

I have a piece up at Asia Times entitled US, China Brace for Sudan Trainwreck. Sudan is torn between two competing humanitarian constituencies. Liberals tend to follow Darfur. Conservatives, on the other hand, particularly of the Christian Right persuasion, have focused on the conflict between north Sudan (Arab/Muslim) vs. south Sudan (Christian/animist). Not to say... Read More

Winners write history. Losers rewrite history continually as bills come due, consequences surface, newly revealed errors and shortcomings must be excused, and heavier blame must be shifted onto backs sturdy enough to bear it. Case in point: Michael Abramowitz’s insider-propelled backgrounder in the Washington Post, U.S. Promises on Darfur Don’t Match Actions tries to explain... Read More

It’s Time to Focus on the Key Elements in the China-Sudan-US Equation The Christian Science Monitor does the usual handwringing over Darfur and fingerpointing at China in Danna Harman’s article How China’s Support Shields a Regime Called Genocidal. But before she can move on to Darfur and provide a hook for the genocide tag in... Read More

Judith Miller's swivel-chair at the New York Times was never officially retired. Rather, it was awarded to the most promising propagandist on the Times staff, Warren Hoge. Hoge's task has been to take pot-shots at the United Nations; criticizing the world body for its lack of organization and pointing out its many imaginary indiscretions in... Read More