International Pressure on Sri Lanka to Investigate War Crimes

Two reports released this week, by the State Department and the EU, detail allegations of war crimes committed by Sri Lanka in the final year of its 26-year civil war with the Tamil Tigers. The allegations include violations of international humanitarian law, crimes against humanity, and human rights violations. Specifically, the allegations include: civilians and civilian infrastructure were killed and damaged in the armed conflict, children being used in armed combat, combatants in captivity or attempting to surrender were killed, disappearances, and the reports critiqued the current humanitarian situation. More that 250,000 Tamil civilians who were displaced by the fighting currently are being held in closed army-run camps, which some suggest are little more than detainment camps.

World pressure is mounting for Sri Lanka to investigate the allegations. Many of the charges remain unsubstantiated, because of the very limited access of aid groups, humanitarian investigators and journalists to the war zone. The EU is threatening to revoke trade concessions worth tens of millions of dollars and could cause tremendous damage to Sri Lanka's important garment industry. However, the allegations did not prevent Sri Lanka from recently receiving a $2.6 billion dollar IMF stand by arraignment earlier this year, despite British protest over the humanitarian situation.

Read more at NYTimes.com.

Iran Nuclear Fuel Agreement Put Forth by IAEA; Good deal for Iran

The IAEA submitted a draft agreement to Iran, France, Russia and the U.S. Although details are unconfirmed, it appears the agreement would involve Iran exporting uranium to France and Russia for enrichment. While in a simple form this plan appears to be concilitory and functional, I have doubts it will really solve the issues at hand. First, Iran believes it has a right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, which is not addressed by this plan where that right is still only entrusted to other nations. Second, if Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons via uranium enrichment programs secretly, as has been claimed, this plan will have to include new guarentees for verifying the enrichment programs have been halted, a process that has thus far evaded international efforts. From a national defense prospective, Iran is wise to want to acquire a bomb. If it intends to continue developing one in secret, Iran still has no reason to reject the IAEA's proposal. There will no doubt be considerable foreign funding for exportation of uranium and it's enrichment. By accepting the plan, Iran will simultaneously gain less expensive energy bolstered by foreign aid, lift sanctions against it, get back in the world's good graces and, theoretically, be able to continue the covert development of a nuclear weapon. Seems like a good deal.

Iran rocked by attacks

As talks about Iran's nuclear program are set to resume, suicide attacks have rocked the southeast region of Iran, which borders Pakistan. The attack killed 5 commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards and left dozens dead and wounded. The attacks seem to suggest an escalation between Iran's ruling leadership and the Baluchi ethnic minority. Additionally, Iran has accused the United States, Britain, and Pakistan of supporting the Baluchi.

Timeline Laid Out for Iraqi Pullout

United States military spokesman Brig. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza said that the process which begun in January and will continue to the end of October has allowed more than 20,000 troops to be sent home. The goal is to have all combat troops out of Iraq and have a maximum of 50,000 troops in Iraq as support by August. To read more click here NYTimes.