Intervention & R2P

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If noting the geopolitical nature of the motives involved behind a country’s external adventurism is to be treated as sufficient factor for legitimizing that country’s behavior, then, no country can be ever be faulted or condemned for its adventurism, be it an Iran, a Russia, a China, a France or a United States. As such, those who insist on justifying Iran, Russia or China’s adventurism while condemning France’s or America’s reveal their ideological slant and hypocrisy. If one is truly opposed to intervention in the “internal” affairs of other states one has to do it across the board, and not play favorites.

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Europe & Its Migration Dilemma

Migrants come to shore at Zefyros beach on the Greek island of Rhodes after their sailboat capsized on April 20. Most of the migrants managed to swim safely to the beach with the assistance of locals.

Europe should take the lead in trying to tackle the issue of illegal migration. The best approach that I can see is for her to embark alongside regional and international partners on launching a variety of peacekeeping missions in a number of conflict and disaster- stricken zones. Such approach, and while initially controversial and bound to raise accusations of neocolonialism in certain circles, will prove far more cost-effective on the long run in both material and humanitarian terms than the current policy of indifference and inaction, or a futile policy of trying to police the shores.

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A World Without Genocide

There will still be crime and criminal activities: some as old as civilization (e.g., prostitution and human trafficking), some new in form if not essence (e.g., cybercrime). There will still natural disasters, social upheaval, family breakups, poverty and assassinations. There will even still be a need for a limited military action in one hapless part of the world or another.

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Three Questions & a Short Tirade

A red herring?

The danger that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to the region and the world is directly related to these weapons. Iran may never actually deploy these weapons or even threaten to deploy them against her perceived enemies, but having them might make her feel freer to embark on a more aggressive and expansionist foreign policy, including providing support to a growing assortment of rogue regimes, sectarian militias, death squads and terrorist networks under the belief that her nuclear arsenal would shield her from any serious repercussions.

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