May 09, 2008

Friday, May 9 08

Beirut declares war on itself once again (1,2,3). UN suspends relief flights into Myanmar after seizure by Junta. UN relief flights quickly resume. Meanwhile. 'humanitarian warriors' like French Kouchner spark debate about bypassing Junta by invoking new 'Responsibility to Protect' doctrine, after which, 'moderate humanitarian warriors' like Ramesh Thakur raise signals of alarm about the R2P doctrine becoming overstretched.

Civil war in Somalia hardly a domestic conflict, frustrated constantly by foreign wrangling. Three months after declaration, parts of Kosovo remain deeply divided, geopolitical tensions approach boiling point, and world military powers ponder which side to back. Iraq war debate presently dominated by cold blooded calculations.

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