Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler Our world is beset by unthinkable tragedy; brash military aggression, widening instability and grinding humanitarian suffering. We know the places ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, yet governments and relief agencies face overwhelming crisis fatigue as we lurch from Kabul to Kyiv in less than six months. Cause, effect, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler Many people ask, “What’s the UN been doing to stop the Ukraine war?” That’s a fair question given that the conflict has been raging more than two months creating Europe’s most costly conflict and humanitarian crisis since WWII. So where is the UN or more specifically Secretary General […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler For the third time in a month, the UN General Assembly has resoundingly rebuked Russia for its actions in Ukraine. A tough resolution supported by 93 countries versus 24 backing Moscow, suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council. The move was as overdue as it proved poetic justice to oust […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler As Ukraine’s conflict churns on, most countries remain fixated on the deadly clash between the Russian invaders and heroically spirited Ukrainian defenders. This war in Europe after all has reawakened political and strategic attention along the old East/West axis. Yet thousands of miles beyond the widening tragedy in […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered a rising tsunami of refugees fleeing their beleaguered homeland and heading for neighboring Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. As the winds of war sweep across the Ukrainian steppe, this growing humanitarian wave of civilians, young and old with legions of children among them, […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler Russia has suffered a stunning political setback from the United Nations as Vladimir Putin pursues his ruthless attack against Ukraine. The diplomatic rebuff came amid Moscow’s widening military aggression on Ukraine which has created widespread civilian casualties and triggered a tragic refugee exodus from the East European country. […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler Vladimir Putin has rolled the dice. And now he has moved militarily on Ukraine. Significantly, shortly after the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Putin began his dismemberment of Ukraine in the Donbas then Crimea. Washington watched but did little. It appears that the Russian despot is following the same […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler For nearly a decade now, China’s “Belt and Road” commercial infrastructure initiative (BRI) has been expanding globally. Usually, and most notably, countries which sign up are poor or unduly dependent on Beijing’s largesse and bulging coffers. Places like Burma, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have willingly joined the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler The ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics have averted our attention from a possible geopolitical clash of titans. As the Games progress under a mantle of Covid restrictions, controversy over China’s domestic political repression, and yes, the adrenaline thrill of a global sporting event, military forces are gathering in both […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler In a truly bizarre twist of international diplomacy which would have baffled even the denizens of Monty Python, the Islamic Republic of Iran whose UN membership dues were in arrears and thus barring the country’s General Assembly voting rights, was figuratively bailed out by an unlikely source, a […]