by Robin Kirk | Jun 10, 2007 | Robin Kirk
For the next three weeks, I will be posting from Africa. I was fortunate enough to be included on a trip organized by Sylvain Boko, of Wake Forest University, and Craig Brookins, of North Carolina State University. The theme is post-conflict reconstruction, and we...
by Robin Kirk | Jun 3, 2007 | Robin Kirk
After five years, the trial of Theoneste Bagosora (second from left), the alleged mastermind of the Rwandan genocide, ended on Friday. Together with three other top army commanders, Bagosora was accused of planning and coordinating the slaughter by Hutus of 800,000...
by Robin Kirk | Jun 1, 2007 | Robin Kirk
Dana Milbank of the Washington Post had this hilarious video report on the Sudanese ambassador’s Washington press conference yesterday. John Ukec Lueth Ukec threatened to halt exports of gum arabic — an ingredient in the carbonated beverage — if...
by Robin Kirk | May 20, 2007 | Robin Kirk
Newly-elected French prime minister Nicolas Sarkozy shocked many when he named Bernard Kouchner as his Foreign Minister. His tenure will be a test of how a “human rights” perspective will work at the highest level of international diplomacy. Best-known as...
by Robin Kirk | May 17, 2007 | Robin Kirk
This excellent oped in today’s Washington Post talks about the “recuperative power” of supposed terrorists subjected to torture. The authors, a former Marine commandant and a former commander in chief of U.S. Central Command, say that torture...
by Robin Kirk | May 14, 2007 | Robin Kirk
Usually, I don’t favor knowing a lot about the personal life of an author I like. If the words and story move me, that’s enough. When I have learned details, often it takes away from my enjoyment. I don’t want to know that the marvelous wordsmith was...
