North Korea and U.S. Hold Bilateral Meeting

Staff / Truthdig Dec 19, 2006 North Korean and US envoys met for a rare bilateral discussion on Monday in a sidebar to the six-party talks Both sides stuck to their guns, with the U saying its patience was running out, and North Korea maintaining it would not end its nuclear program until both American and UN sanctions are dropped. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Annan Rebukes U.S. for Abusing Power

Staff / Truthdig Dec 12, 2006 Speaking from the Truman Library in his last speech as UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan excoriated the United States for abusing its power in the world community: "No nation can make itself secure by seeking supremacy over others" Read the speech. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Koreas Hope to Reunite for Olympics

Staff / Truthdig Dec 8, 2006 Despite the fact that the two countries are still officially at war, North and South Korea will make a joint bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, where they hope to compete as one country. While the rest of the world has a meltdown over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the South seems determined to resolve its differences peacefully. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Israeli PM on Iraq Report

Staff / Truthdig Dec 7, 2006 Responding to the Iraq Study Group report on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said talks with Syria were not possible, and that President Bush wasn't interested in speaking to Damascus either: "I can only say that the opinions I heard from the president and from all senior administration staff on the Syrian issue are such that he did not see a feasibility in talks". Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Iraq Panel: Situation ‘Grave and Deteriorating’

Staff / Truthdig Dec 6, 2006 The US should pull nearly all combat troops out of Iraq by 2008 and push for a broad diplomatic and political solution -- or face a "slide toward chaos," according to the long-awaited Iraq Study Group's report A line from the report: "U forces seem to be caught in a mission that has no foreseeable end" Read the entire report here. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

U.N. Envoys Sound Off on Bolton’s Departure

Staff / Truthdig Dec 5, 2006 John Bolton, having announced his retirement as U.N. ambassador, didn't get much love Monday, particularly from his colleagues at the United Nations. One Security Council member, speaking anonymously, had this to say about the notoriously cranky diplomat: "People here are not against the United States, but I think the United States lost a lot of things because of Bolton's tactics." Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Mideast Anxiety Deflates Bush Jaunt

Staff / Truthdig Dec 4, 2006 Separate trips by Bush, Cheney and Rice to the Middle East were meant to demonstrate the administration's diplomatic prowess but backfired when the Americans met with Arab leaders who were panicked, distraught and vocal. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Raul Castro Wants Talks With the U.S.

Staff / Truthdig Dec 4, 2006 Cuba's acting President Raul Castro has invited the U.S. to engage in diplomatic talks: "We take this opportunity to once again state that we are willing to resolve at the negotiating table the long-standing dispute between the United States and Cuba." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Powell – Grade School Diplomacy

Dwayne Powell / Truthdig Nov 30, 2006 Dig deeper

U.S. Diplomat Cites ‘Arrogance and Stupidity’

Staff / Truthdig Oct 22, 2006 A senior State Department official recently had a frank chat with Al Jazeera, saying: "I think there is great room for strong criticism, because without doubt, there was arrogance and stupidity by the United States in Iraq." Though Alberto Fernandez denies using those particular words, the BBC has verified the statement. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S.-Venezuela Relations Go Fowl

Staff / Truthdig Aug 26, 2006 Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela took a bizarre turn this week after Venezuelan authorities confiscated diplomatic cargo headed for the American Embassy in Caracas and accused Washington of smuggling. Included in the shipment were parts for ejector seats and 176 pounds of chicken. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Venezuela to Sever Ties With Israel

Staff / Truthdig Aug 9, 2006 Hugo Chavez, Venezuela?s feisty president, said he intends to cut diplomatic relations with Israel in protest of its attack on Lebanon, which he called "a new holocaust." Tensions began to build between Venezuela and Israel after Chavez visited Iran last month, saying he would ?stand by Iran at any time and under any condition.? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )