South Korea strikes a blow against freedom of information

South Korea strikes a blow against freedom of information

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk South Korean leadership, by banning defectors from launching balloons wafting leaflets over North Korea, has struck a devastating blow against free speech and freedom of information in both Koreas. The anti-leaflet legislation is inspiring an adverse reaction not only in Seoul but also at the United Nations and in […]

End game: The former community organizer, the former KGB agent and Saddam’s missing WMD

End game: The former community organizer, the former KGB agent and Saddam’s missing WMD

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — We are witnessing an intense geopolitical chess game over Syria. The players: Barack Obama, President of the United States, former Senator, and Chicago community organizer versus Vladmir Putin, President of the Russian Federation and former Soviet KGB intelligence operative. Moscow has just made a move which appears to have […]

Reports: Cash-strapped N. Korea ‘stepped up’ chemical weapons shipments to Syria

Reports: Cash-strapped N. Korea ‘stepped up’ chemical weapons shipments to Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — North Korea was believed to have sent chemical weapons technology to Syria. A United Nations panel and Western analysts agreed that Pyongyang was shipping CW technology to the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. They said the CW assets could have facilitated non-conventional weapons attacks against the Sunni revolt over […]

Creative diplomacy needed as conflict in Syria threatens its neighbors

Creative diplomacy needed as conflict in Syria threatens its neighbors

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Decrying a rising death toll and an escalation of violence, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly called yet again for progress towards a political transition to defuse Syria’s civil war, now in its third year. Though the resolution strongly condemns the Syrian government of Bashar Assad for its increased use […]

After Arab Spring, Easter hope but mainly fear

After Arab Spring, Easter hope but mainly fear

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — The winds of change continue to swirl throughout the Middle East as the region enters the third year of the socio/political phenomenon optimistically dubbed as the Arab Spring. While political scientists debate the ebb and flow of freedoms and anarchy in the region ranging from Egypt to Libya and […]

FLASHBACK: Where did Saddam’s WMD go? To Syria …

FLASHBACK: Where did Saddam’s WMD go? To Syria …

Special to WorldTribune.com (Originally posted on Aug. 26, 2003.) U.S. intelligence suspects Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction have finally been located. Unfortunately, getting to them will be nearly impossible for the United States and its allies, because the containers with the strategic materials are not in Iraq. Instead they are located in Lebanon’s heavily-fortified Bekaa […]

Named but not shamed: UN Rights Committee cites abuses in Syria, Iran and N. Korea

Named but not shamed: UN Rights Committee cites abuses in Syria, Iran and N. Korea

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Tis’ the season in the General Assembly for some serious if generally overlooked work and reports. An Assembly committee has soundly condemned the continuing human and political rights abuses in three global transgressors; Syria, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the quaintly titled Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, aka […]

Recalling how Britain responded to the London Blitz: 42,600 civilians died

Recalling how Britain responded to the London Blitz: 42,600 civilians died

Special to WorldTribune.com By Ed Koch I was struck by an article which appeared in The New York Times on Nov. 19 reporting on the position of the British government on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Almost everyone acknowledges that the Hamas government in Gaza started the war, except for their Muslim supporters […]

Obama at UN addressed the Arab Street and U.S. voters

Obama at UN addressed the Arab Street and U.S. voters

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — President Barack Obama’s speech before the UN General Assembly was directed to two domestic audiences. One Main Street USA where outrage and anguish over the killing of American diplomats, the trashing of diplomatic property throughout the Middle East, and the seething resentment towards America is viewed as a both […]