Q&A on the Trouble in South Sudan, the World’s Youngest Country
South Sudan is dangerously close to becoming embroiled in a civil war. Rival factions within the national army clashed in the capital, resulting in an… Read More
News
Wife of Saeed Abedini Fights for His Freedom
Saeed Abedini, a Christian pastor and American citizen, has been imprisoned in Iran for more than a year. In that time period, he has been… Read More
SecurityNews
Iran Remains a Human Rights Abuser Despite an Interim Nuclear Deal
In the wake of the recent nuclear deal with the West, Iran’s repressive regime remains hard at work, trampling on individual liberty at every opportunity…. Read More
State Department Waste: Booze, Crystal, and a Million-Dollar Stack of Rocks
On the eve of the government shutdown, the State Department was consumed with a very different budget crisis of its own: purchasing vast amounts of… Read More
Benghazi: Can Survivors Answer the Growing List of Questions?
Next week’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee by three survivors of the Benghazi terrorist attack is spurring an intense new round of questions and… Read More
News
Eastern Europe Continues to Be an Afterthought for the U.S.
Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to Poland is a step in the right direction, but the timing and manner of Kerry’s visit leave much… Read More
From Dog’s Breakfast to Effective Communication: Can the BBG Transform Itself?
After years of dysfunction, U.S. international broadcasting might be headed for better times as new members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) settled into… Read More
News
Tweeting for Their Country: Diplomats and World Leaders Warm to Twitter
Twitter is coming of age. Today, the social website will be offering its shares to the public, following in the somewhat faltering footsteps of its… Read More
SecurityNews
Benghazi: State Department Accountability Under Scrutiny
Wednesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) held the first in a series of three important Benghazi hearings. This week the focus is the actions—or… Read More
The Other September 11 Anniversary: Remembering Benghazi
While official commemorations of September 11, 2001, are going on and Americans continue to grieve and honor the lives lost 12 years ago, those who… Read More
Where Was John Kerry on Syria for the Past Six Months?
Secretary of State John Kerry has emerged—perhaps erupted is a better word—as the Obama Administration’s strongest advocate for punitive air strikes against the Assad regime…. Read More
News
U.S. Government Muted on Pastor Imprisoned in Iran
Secretary of State John Kerry finally broke the silence of the U.S. government on the fate of Christian pastor Saeed Abedini and two other Americans… Read More
News
Indo–Pakistani Cease-Fire No More
Indo–Pakistani skirmishing along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir has escalated in the past 10 days and threatens to destroy a decade-old cease-fire… Read More
Diplomacy in 140 Characters: U.S. Social Media Efforts Ineffective
Diplomacy is evolving. “Warriors of the cyber heights can more effectively use information to drive the debate, galvanize action, or befuddle the masses,” Heritage’s James… Read More
U.S. Embassies Remain Closed: 5 Heritage Must-Reads on Counterterrorism
Twenty U.S. embassies and consulates remain closed throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Asia this week. The State Department says that “current information suggests that… Read More
SecurityNews
War of Tweets: The State Department Takes on Islamists
Twitter and other social media are the new battle ground in the war of ideas between Islamist radicals and the U.S. State Department. Since July… Read More
SecurityNews
Embassy Closings Reflect Benghazi Failure
The closing of 21 U.S. embassies throughout the Middle East grows out of the September 11, 2012, Benghazi attack in at least two ways: The… Read More
Benghazi: The Scandal That Won’t Go Away
Rumors of the disappearance of the Benghazi scandal are vastly premature. This week, Special Forces veterans gathered on Capitol Hill to unveil a 60-foot scroll… Read More
News
Secretary Kerry’s Pointless U.N. Trip
John Kerry traveled to the United Nations for the first time as Secretary of State on Thursday to attend a Security Council meeting on “The… Read More
News
U.N. Disabilities Treaty Unnecessary to Protect the Disabled
The State Department marked the 23rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this week by touting the United Nations Convention on the Rights… Read More
Government Investigation Reveals Inadequate Security at U.S. Embassies
Recent testimony has revealed the fragile nature of the security of many American embassies. State Department officials Gregory B. Starr and Bill A. Miller testified… Read More
The Growing Presence of Iran in Latin America
The Oversight and Management Efficiency Subcommittee recently held a hearing about Iran’s influence and presence in Latin America. Contrary to a prior report released by… Read More
Benghazi Scandal Haunts Nuland Nomination
Benghazi continues to haunt the Obama Administration. As demonstrated yesterday, Victoria Nuland, the nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs and former State… Read More
Iran in Latin America: State Department Ignores Allies
The State Department recently released a report to Congress assessing the threat posed by Iran in the Western Hemisphere. Regrettably, it seems that the State… Read More
How Many “Friends” Does the State Department Really Have?
A new State Department inspector general’s report accuses State of buying friends—or, more precisely, boosting its “likes” on Facebook to up to 2 million—by spending… Read More
News
U.S. International Broadcasting “Defunct”—Congress Finally Steps In
Last Wednesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) tackled an issue long overdue for congressional oversight—the state of affairs at the Broadcasting Board of Governors… Read More
Human Trafficking Still a Major Concern in Asia
The release of the State Department’s latest Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) revealed that Asia is home to some of the worst perpetrators of illegal… Read More
Scandal Du Jour at the State Department
Another day, another State Department scandal. This time, allegations of sexual misconduct have surfaced against U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Howard Gutman. On top of that,… Read More
U.S. Embassy in Beirut Still a Security Risk
A new report by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) on the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, indicates that security at even the… Read More
Secretary Kerry Fumbles at the African Union
Boko Haram, the Islamist insurgency in Nigeria, was called a terrorist organization by Secretary of State John Kerry last week. At the 50th anniversary Summit… Read More
