Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
State Dept. disses Iran in group on Syrian peace
U.S. officials are heaping scorn on Iran's inclusion in a Middle East "contact group" formed to discuss and resolve the ongoing conflict in Syria. Published September 11, 2012
Space exploration is star-crossed on campaign trail
Advantageous as it may have been for a standing Republican president to have dreamed of the moon two elections ago, it's a call unlikely to emerge this campaign season from either President Obama or Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Published September 9, 2012
State Department drops Maoists from terrorist watch list
The State Department on Thursday removed the Communist Party of Nepal from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations on grounds the Maoist group has abandoned its militant past in favor of "engagement in peaceful political dialogue in Nepal." Published September 6, 2012
Turkey, Egypt hit Assad for ‘terrorism’
Regional calls for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad reached new heights Wednesday, with Turkey describing the Assad regime as "one of state terrorism" and Egypt asserting that Mr. Assad should learn from the "recent history" of deposed Arab dictators and step down. Published September 5, 2012
U.S. provides more aid for Syrian refugees
The United States is adding $21 million to its humanitarian aid package for people displaced by violence in Syria, U.S. officials said Wednesday amid U.N. reports that more than 100,000 Syrians fled to neighboring countries in August. Published September 5, 2012
Mexico’s Calderon hails economic legacy, drug fight in last address
Outgoing Mexican President Felipe Calderon used his final State of the Union address to defend his administration’s bare-knuckle war on drug cartels, asserting that 22 of the nation’s 37 most wanted criminals have been “neutralized” since he took office six years ago. Published September 4, 2012
State Dept. hits Assange’s ‘wild assertions’
The State Department on Monday accused WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of making "wild assertions" about the United States in an attempt to divert attention from Sweden's investigation into whether he should be charged with rape. Published August 20, 2012
U.S. urges U.N. chief not to attend summit in Iran
The U.S. has told the U.N. chief that he would send a "very strange signal" to the world if he were to attend a conference of non-aligned states in Iran this month, the State Department said Thursday. Published August 16, 2012
Obama vs. Romney on Syria policy
If killing Osama bin Laden, untangling U.S. forces from Iraq and fighting a bare-knuckle drone war against al Qaeda are the Obama administration's foreign policy triumphs, its biggest stumble may be its failure to produce an international solution to what has become an all-out civil war in Syria. Published August 15, 2012
State Dept. says it’s not involved in Egyptian military changes
The State Department on Tuesday denied having played an inside role in the appointment of Egypt's new defense minister, a former military intelligence chief who has long-standing ties to the U.S. Published August 14, 2012
Neither Obama nor Romney has realistic plan to tame cost of F-35 stealth jet
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the white whale of the Defense Department — a stealth jet designed to work for all branches of the armed forces — but at a total cost of $1.5 trillion, it's also a program that analysts say is an epic boondoggle that neither President Obama nor his GOP challenger, Mitt Romney, has a realistic plan to get under control. Published August 12, 2012
China to U.S.: ‘Shut up,’ butt out of territorial disputes
China told the United States to "shut up" and stay out of its dispute with countries bordering the South China Sea, after a State Department spokesman called for a peaceful settlement to the conflicting claims in the energy-rich, strategic sea lanes. Published August 8, 2012
Obama, Romney spar over Pentagon spending
In a time of deep deficits and tight budgets, President Obama says the Defense Department cannot be entirely spared the scalpel. But Mitt Romney, his likely opponent in November's election, says the U.S. must spend more on the Pentagon now because it will pay off with a stronger economy in the long run. Published August 5, 2012
U.S. keeps hands-off policy after a bloody day in Iraq
The United States on Monday stood by its hands-off policy toward Iraq after more than 100 Iraqis died in a wave of 37 coordinated terrorist attacks across the country — the most intense assault since American forces left seven months ago. Published July 23, 2012
Washington worried over Syria attack
The State Department on Wednesday raised concerns that the security apparatus surrounding Syrian President Bashar Assad is beginning to falter after top Syrians were killed in a bombing at the National Security headquarters. Published July 18, 2012
Romney advisers are zealous on Sudan, but is he?
Two of Mitt Romney's top foreign policy advisers slammed the Obama administration this week for failing to address a mounting humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan, saying Mr. Obama's mishandling of the region's ongoing crisis offers a window into how a Romney White House would do things differently. Published July 15, 2012
U.S. deepens sanctions on Iran
The Obama administration on Thursday imposed fresh sanctions against entities and individuals involved in Iran's defense, aerospace and shipping communities in the government's effort to thwart the Islamic republic's nuclear program. Published July 12, 2012
Clinton pushes China on maritime pact
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that she hopes China will work diplomatically with its regional partners toward "finalizing a code of conduct" for resolving territorial disputes over the oil-rich South China Sea. Published July 12, 2012
Romney is likely to spring surprise with pick for State
While speculation in the political world over Mitt Romney's vice presidential choice courses through the summer barbecue circuit, an equally juicy topic is beginning to bubble up among foreign policy analysts: Who might be secretary of state in a Romney administration? Published July 11, 2012
Romney would support foreign friends, confront adversaries
Mitt Romney has assembled a foreign-policy platform rooted in the belief that adversaries such as Russia must be confronted for backsliding on democracy and that Israel must be supported in the face of common threats such as a nuclear-armed Iran. Published July 1, 2012