Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Obama’s policy on Syria leaves analysts guessing
The Obama administration has made no effort to dispute reports that the U.S. is providing secret military training to Syria's opposition rebels and continues to favor vague rhetoric over specifics about its policy regarding the Middle Eastern nation — particularly on the question of whether to arm rebels. Published April 1, 2013
U.S. raises concern over freedom in Egypt after TV comedian is questioned
A senior State Department official raised concern Monday that "freedom of expression is being stifled" in Egypt, where recent days saw authorities detain and question a popular television comedian on charges of insulting Islam and the nation's former Muslim Brotherhood president. Published April 1, 2013
N. Korea to dominate Kerry’s Asia trip
Secretary of State John F. Kerry will focus heavily on the threat posed by a nuclear armed North Korea during his upcoming diplomatic visit to Asia, particularly in meetings with Chinese leaders, the State Department said Monday. Published April 1, 2013
Moves by John Kerry, Pentagon ease tensions with Hamid Karzai
Pentagon and State Department officials Monday appeared to work in tandem to tamp down reports of mounting tension between the Obama administration and the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Published March 25, 2013
John Kerry: U.S. committed to reconciling with Iran
While he and President Obama were expressing solidarity with Israeli's firm stance on Iran's nuclear program this week, Secretary of State John F. Kerry quietly issued a statement saying the U.S. is "strongly committed to resolving" its differences with the Islamic Republic. Published March 21, 2013
U.S.: Terror group’s call for truce with Turkey ‘positive step’
The State Department offered guarded praise Thursday to a Kurdish nationalist group on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations after the group's jailed leader called for a truce with the government of Turkey. Published March 21, 2013
Al Qaeda group in West Africa’s Mali added to U.S. terror list
The State Department leveled an official "Foreign Terrorist Organization" designation on an Islamist group in the West African nation of Mali on Thursday, asserting that the group has strong ties to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Published March 21, 2013
From Israel, Kerry sends peace message to Iranians
While he and President Obama were expressing solidarity with Israel over Iran's nuclear program this week, Secretary of State John F. Kerry quietly issued a statement saying the United States is "strongly committed to resolving" its differences with Tehran. Published March 21, 2013
House lawmakers split over U.S. involvement in Syria
President Obama cautioned against jumping to conclusions about conflicting reports that chemical weapons are now being used in Syria's 2-year-old civil war, although he stressed Wednesday that if the reports are true it would be "a game changer." Published March 20, 2013
‘Shadow war’ between Israel, Iran rages on as Obama visits
Iran's nuclear ambitions may loom large, but lurking in the shadow of President Obama's highly anticipated visit to Israel this week is a protracted and secretive war already being waged between Jerusalem and Tehran. Published March 19, 2013
GOP lawmakers: Obama administration blocking access to Benghazi survivors
More than six months since the deadly attacks on a U.S. diplomatic post and a nearby CIA facility in Benghazi, Libya, several Republican lawmakers say they still are looking for answers and are frustrated that the White House is blocking their access to an unknown number of American survivors. Published March 17, 2013
U.S. stands by sanctions on Greek shipper
The Obama administration shot back Friday at a Greek shipping magnate who made headlines this week for claiming the U.S. Treasury Department had wrongly accused him of helping Iran evade international oil sanctions. Published March 15, 2013
Greek shipping magnate named in scheme to evade sanctions on Iranian oil
A Greek shipping industry magnate used a host of front companies and a fleet of crude-oil tankers flying Panamanian and Liberian flags to help Iran evade international oil sanctions, U.S. officials said Thursday. Published March 14, 2013
State Department has ‘fingers crossed’ Congress won’t drop ball on security funding
The State Department's top spokeswoman said Wednesday that she and others at Foggy Bottom are "crossing our fingers" in the hope that Congress will come through with requested funds for security improvements to U.S. diplomatic posts around the world. Published March 13, 2013
India key to success of Washington’s Asia ‘pivot’
India, the world's most populous democracy, may hold the keys to success for the Obama administration's self-described foreign-policy "pivot" to Asia, a bipartisan panel of analysts told Congress on Wednesday. Published March 13, 2013
Afghanistan again tops list of illegal drug producers
Afghanistan remains by far the world's top producer of illegal opium poppy used to make heroin, according to the State Department's annual report on global trends in the illicit narcotics trade, which also pinpoints Bolivia, Burma and Venezuela for having "failed demonstrably" to uphold international counternarcotics agreements. Published March 12, 2013
White House calls out China on North Korea and cybercrime
The Obama administration's top national security official said Monday that the United States "will not accept North Korea as a nuclear state" and called on Chinese leaders to get serious about cracking down on cyber-related crimes. Published March 11, 2013
U.S. kicks out two Venezuelan diplomats
The Obama administration revealed Monday that it had kicked two Venezuelan diplomats out of the United States, offering a clear signal that U.S.-Venezuelan relations are unlikely to warm quickly after the death last week of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Published March 11, 2013
U.S. joins EU in warning of Hungary over rights
The State Department joined European Union leaders this week in cautioning Hungarian lawmakers to tread carefully on controversial amendments to their nation's constitution. Published March 8, 2013
State Department halts award for Egyptian accused of anti-Semitic remarks
The Obama administration reversed course Thursday and said it no longer would give a prestigious international women's award to an Egyptian political activist after she was accused of posting anti-Semitic and pro-terrorist comments on Twitter. Published March 7, 2013