Robert S. McNamara was widely considered to be one of the most brilliant men of his generation. He was an invaluable ally of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson as their secretary of defense, and he had a deeply moving relationship with Jackie Kennedy. But to the country, McNamara was the leading advocate for American escalation in Vietnam.
President Donald Trump's administration announced Wednesday new "massive sanctions" against Russia's oil industry that are aimed at moving Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and bringing an end to Moscow's brutal war on Ukraine. The sanctions against oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil followed months of calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well as bipartisan pressure on Trump to hit Russia with harder sanctions on its oil industry,
Earlier this week, Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire that included the release of the twenty living hostages who remained in Gaza and some two thousand Palestinians who are held in Israeli jails. The success of the exchange has raised hopes that the devastating war may really be coming to an end. President Donald Trump, who took credit for the deal after pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept it, now wants both sides to implement his twenty-point peace plan,
George Mitchell, the great US advocate for the Northern Ireland peace agreement, described diplomacy as 700 days of failure and one of success. In Gaza, tragically, there have been 730 days of failure and none of success. Indeed, the destruction, the death toll and the spillover of the conflict into other countries is a monument to shame diplomacy and what remains of international law. Arguably, it is the profession's lowest point since 1939.
I have a feeling that we will have a positive answer. If not, as you know, Bibi, you would have our full backing to do what you have to do, Trump said, while looking over at Netanyahu. Everyone understands that the ultimate result must be the elimination of any danger posed in the region, and the danger is caused by Hamas.
The United States is considering Ukraine's request to obtain long-range Tomahawk missiles for its continued defensive efforts to push back against Russia, Vice President JD Vance said. After meeting President Donald Trump durning the United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the US to sell Tomahawks to European nations that would send them to Ukraine. Vance said on Fox News Sunday that Trump would make the "final determination" on whether to allow the deal.
It might be the time for someone to remind him that the hell is the result of wars in the Middle East, a war in Afghanistan and conflicts in north and east Africa. Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, Eritrea and Afghanistan are some of the countries where the US initiated, funded or clandestinely participated in fomenting mayhem and disaster. And may still be doing so.
British officials fear Donald Trump could recognise Israeli control over illegal settlements on the West Bank in retaliation for the UK, France and others deciding to recognise Palestine. Government insiders believe the US president is considering granting official recognition to the Israeli communities there, which would be a serious blow to achieving a two-state solution. Some believe Trump could raise the prospect as soon as his speech at the UN on Tuesday despite Arab and western leaders having engaged in intense diplomacy to try to ensure this does not happen.
