The World
The Next Step to Block Iran's Nukes
Britain and France--with Washington's concurrence--last week put forward a draft U.N. Security Council resolution requiring Iran to halt uranium enrichment, which the western powers suspect is part of an effort to develop a nuclear bomb. The "or what" was left vague, though diplomats said the next step would be economic sanctions.
The details of the resolution's language are less important than the fact that it invokes Chapter 7 of the United Nations charter, the "use of force" provision. Chapter 7 empowers the council to take action "to maintain or restore international peace and security" using measures that range from economic and diplomatic sanctions to "actions by air, sea, or land forces." Russia and China, two veto-wielding Security Council members, oppose even an implicit threat of sanctions, not to mention opening the door to military strikes under Chapter 7. Washington and its European allies hope to pressure them to at least let the measure pass by abstaining on a vote. For its part, Tehran says its will ignore any such resolution, asserting a right under the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty for what it claims are civilian nuclear energy activities.
At the White House, visiting Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany told reporters that she and President Bush are on the same page: "Under no circumstances must Iran be allowed to come into possession of nuclear weapons." Still, European leaders have been making the point that they are backing diplomacy, not enlisting in a U.S.-led war with Iran. Military action is not a "magic wand," French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin told a press conference. "My conviction is that military action is certainly no solution."
World Attention Pays Off for Darfur
Could it really be that Darfur's long nightmare is nearly over? Sudan's government and Darfur's largest rebel group on Friday signed an internationally backed peace plan, pushed through by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick. Two smaller rebel groups balked. Implementing the accord will be a challenge and will require a U.N. peacekeeping force to supplant the current undermanned force of African Union peacekeepers. The deal calls for a cease-fire, disarmament of government-backed militias linked to the worst atrocities, integration of rebels into Sudan's armed forces, compensation for those forced to flee their homes, and political power sharing.
The VP Tries Talking Tough to Russia
There could be a few awkward moments when the world's most exclusive club convenes July 15-17 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The host, Russian President Vladimir Putin, may be the odd man out among leaders of the Group of Eight major industrialized democracies. If it weren't for the soaring price of oil, Russia would hardly qualify as a major economy. And when it comes to democracy, Putin should be, at best, a probationary member given his crackdown on independent media and stranglehold on political power.
Indeed, Vice President Dick Cheney pretty much put Putin on notice last week. The place: Lithuania, Russia's tiny neighbor. The event: a conference attended by officials from western-leaning nations in Russia's shadow. In his speech, Cheney accused Russia of cracking down on religious and political rights and of using its energy reserves as "tools of intimidation or blackmail." "Russia has a choice to make," he said, adding that a "return to democratic reform" is Russia's best hope for the future.
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