The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has caused enormous suffering and instability in central Africa, launching violent attacks in Uganda, the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and newly independent South Sudan. While Congress and the Obama Administration have provided substantial political, financial, and military support…
Abstract: Despite the comprehensive peace agreement on Sudan signed on January 9, 2005, several key issues have not been resolved: important political and economic issues, principally the future of Abyei; five contested border areas that were identified in 2005; citizenship; debt relief; and the…
On January 9, southern Sudanese voted for their independence from the government in Khartoum. In the days leading up to the referendum, the international community feared delay, bloodshed, or the complete breakdown of the peace process. Few expected the referendum to take place on time and as peacefully as it…
In a Heritage in Focus podcast special, Rob Bluey and Tina Korbe discuss the president's budget, and special guest Ambassador Richard Williamson discusses the partition vote in Sudan. David Weinberger hosts. To get regular updates on Heritage in Focus podcasts, visit our RSS feed or subscribe on iTunes.…
Abstract: Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions are ominous in light of its hostile foreign policy and longstanding support for terrorism. But Iran's repeated threats to annihilate the state of Israel while it develops the world's most dangerous weapons have created an even more explosive situation.…
Brett Schaefer discussing the trial of a Sudanese woman who faces 40 lashes for wearing pants. …
The 2009 Durban Review Conference (commonly referred to as Durban II) was the follow-up to the 2001 United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa. The 2001 conference was hijacked by nations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that used…
After attending the three summits--G-20, NATO, and the EU--President Obama arrived in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday for the final stop on his inaugural European tour. Obama's visit to Turkey highlights the importance Washington attaches to this country as a key regional player, a veteran NATO ally, and an influential state with a predominately Muslim population. During the…
President Obama's emphasis on climate change has notable implications for U.S.-China relations. On her inaugural trip to Asia, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sought to expand the Sino-American Strategic Economic Dialog to include climate change among America's chief China policy priorities.[1] Making climate change a high priority…
The United Nations has a well-earned reputation for mismanagement and vulnerability to corruption and fraud. In the past few years alone, the U.N. has been embroiled in numerous scandals, including: The Iraqi Oil-for-Food scandal that Saddam Hussein used to generate over $10 billion in illegal revenue, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office…
Members of Congress are considering several bills designed to combat climate change. Chief among them is Senate bill 2191--America's Climate Security Act of 2007--spearheaded by Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA). This bill would set a limit on the emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide from the combustion of coal, oil, and…
Ma Ying-jeou, inaugurated as Taiwan's new president on May 20, 2008, has pledged to strengthen Taiwan's economic and political relationships with China. At the same time, he has good reason to preserve Taiwan's separate identity, and the U.S. has good reason to support him. Taiwan is one of…
On January 20, 2009, the incoming Administration will confront a multitude of international issues. The primary challenge facing the new representative of the United States of America to the United Nations is a U.N. suffering from confused purposes and competing interests among member states. Consequently, the…
Despite endless rounds of shadowboxing with the dodgy Sudanese government over the ongoing nightmare in Darfur, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is asking us to give appeasement, er, diplomacy, one more chance. That's not going to help: It's going to take some highly credible threats to get Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir to end what many call…
Not even a year after South Sudan’s independence from Sudan, the world’s newest country is already on the brink of war...…
Internal ethnic strife, a deep-rooted but often overlooked challenge facing newly independent South Sudan, has recently...…
Since South Sudan gained independence last January, the world’s newest country has many challenges to face. The...…
This morning Republicans will have their last chance to get answers about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau...…
In this week’s Heritage in Focus, Research Associate Morgan Roach discusses Southern Sudan’s independence on July 9th....…
Yesterday's debt-limit talks were "very constructive," according to President Obama. But with party leaders still far...…
In a matter of weeks, the Republic of South Sudan is scheduled to gain full independence. This step is the culmination...…
The Obama Administration has pursued an incentive plan for Sudanese President Omar al Bashir to try and secure his...…
The ballots have been tallied and the results are in: Southern Sudanese voted overwhelmingly for independence from the...…
The votes from last week’s mostly peaceful referendum are now being counted. Early results indicate that Sudan—Africa’s...…