U.S. Navy stretched thin to cover global contingencies

U.S. Navy stretched thin to cover global contingencies

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, November 10, 2023 In the game of baseball, the defending team must cover all bases; First, Second and Third. No matter how good and fast a player is, one person “Can’t cover all bases,” as the expression goes.  Cover one and the ball would be hit to another. […]

‘Shame on you’; Israel slams UN’s irrelevance as Gaza crisis ‘dangerously’ widens

‘Shame on you’; Israel slams UN’s irrelevance as Gaza crisis ‘dangerously’ widens

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, November 2, 2023 War clouds are swirling in the Middle East as the region steps closer to the precipice. The Second Stage of Israel’s military offensive against Hamas has now begun with all out fighting in the Gaza strip between the terrorists and the State of Israel. But […]

Mugged by economic reality: A political tsunami sweeps southern hemisphere

Mugged by economic reality: A political tsunami sweeps southern hemisphere

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, October 29, 2023 “It’s the last bus stop in the world,” a former New Zealand Prime Minister once told me while he was visiting New York. Indeed, a remote South Pacific island nation of merely 5 million souls known for the Kiwi, its All Blacks Rugby team, and […]

From beautiful Geneva campus, UN Rights Council presides over far-flung, horrific abuses

From beautiful Geneva campus, UN Rights Council presides over far-flung, horrific abuses

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, October 20, 2023 Over the past year human rights abuses in places ranging from Afghanistan to Ukraine, and to Myanmar/Burma, Xinjiang China, the Middle East, to name a few sordid cases, have splashed across the headlines. Just in the past month, ethnic cleansing of Christian Armenians from Muslim […]

And just like that, Iran’s mullahs are back in the game

And just like that, Iran’s mullahs are back in the game

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, October 13, 2023 In an extraordinary and fast paced series of events, the Islamic Republic of Iran was thrust back into the headlines. The Middle East again emotionally whipsawed in our 24/7 news cycle, both in a fleetingly positive and also tragically negative way. The Setting First, in […]

It’s only words? Growing concerns voiced as East Asian security debated at UN

It’s only words? Growing concerns voiced as East Asian security debated at UN

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, October 6, 2023 A wide swath of Asian security issues was discussed and deliberated upon during the recent UN General debate. Predictably, China and Korea dominated concerns though other concerns such as the South China Sea were largely overlooked. Speaking at the start of the 78th Assembly, President […]

Of no consequence: UN General Assembly debates Ukraine war, moves on

Of no consequence: UN General Assembly debates Ukraine war, moves on

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, September 27, 2023 The arc of history passed through the UN last week as the global Assembly debated and deliberated on the ongoing war in Ukraine. Storm clouds from far off Eastern Europe descended over the delegations meeting in New York, who while largely and resolutely condemning the […]

UN Assembly opens amid widening wars and humanitarian crises

UN Assembly opens amid widening wars and humanitarian crises

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, September 17, 2023 Presidents, prime ministers, kings and potentates are converging on New York for the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly. The 78th annual Assembly of the world organization presents both a global gala and expanded Summit meeting to try to solve a myriad of […]

After Afghanistan: Global conflicts widen, endure and spread

After Afghanistan: Global conflicts widen, endure and spread

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, September 8, 2023 It’s been two years since the fall of Afghanistan. The tragic collapse of Kabul to the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban signaled the last sordid chapter in the Biden Administration’s appalling and shambolic “withdrawal” from America’s longest military commitment. But beyond the perceived American weakness and strategic […]

UN Security Council shines a light on Kim dynasty’s rights violations, long ignored by member nations

UN Security Council shines a light on Kim dynasty’s rights violations, long ignored by member nations

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler, August 27, 2023 Most countries politely prefer to look the other way when it comes to confronting widespread reports of North Korean human rights violations. After all what can you do about what goes on in one of the world’s most closed and repressive communist regimes [headed by […]