That nearly ten nations in the Western Hemisphere do not have U.S. ambassadors appointed to them sends the wrong message regarding Washington’s interests and priorities towards its continental neighbors.
Recent revelations by American whistleblower Edward Snowden are casting a pall over nascent U.S. efforts to reenergize relations with India.
The violence along with the government’s response is sure to invite more scrutiny of Australia’s offshore asylum centers, which have already attracted the criticism of international rights organizations.
The United States needs to show its commitment to Asia, demonstrate that the region is deeply a part of its global vision and its future, not simply tell a good story.
Set aside, for the moment, the granular political considerations here, and remember that success in elevating Assange’s plight into a federal issue would have international implications.
When the story of an Australian citizen’s death in an Israeli prison broke earlier this week, news organizations from all over the world clamored to report on the captivating case — with one very obvious exception: Israel’s own news media.
