Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Iran diplomat claims U.S. weapons turning Mideast into ‘tinderbox’
Iran's top diplomat on Monday blasted the U.S. for selling weapons to Tehran's adversaries in the Middle East, claiming Washington is turning the region into a "tinderbox ready to blow up." Published August 12, 2019
North Korea slams U.S.-South Korea military drills
North Korea is intensifying its criticism of South Korea as joint U.S.-South Korea military drills enter their second week, with Pyongyang accusing the South of acting like a "shy dog barking more wildly." Published August 12, 2019
Libya’s third civil war in 10 years a growing crisis for Donald Trump’s foreign policy
Libya is spiraling toward its third civil war in less than a decade, creating a foreign policy crisis for the Trump administration in a strategic oil-rich corner of North Africa amid rising fears that jihadi terrorist groups are once again exploiting the power vacuum opened by renewed violence in recent months. Published July 26, 2019
Trump administration scrambles to interpret North Korea’s latest missile test
The Trump administration scrambled Thursday to interpret North Korea's latest short-range missile launches, while private analysts said Pyongyang likely conducted the tests in an attempt to gain leverage ahead of an anticipated renewal of nuclear talks with Washington. Published July 25, 2019
Chinese defense blueprint targets U.S. ‘unilateral policies’
China's Defense Ministry lashed out anew Wednesday over Washington's deployment two years ago of a sophisticated missile defense system to South Korea, asserting in a major new strategy white paper that the move "severely undermined the regional strategic balance" in Northeast Asia. Published July 24, 2019
China says U.S. has ‘undermined global strategic stability’
China lashed out anew Wednesday over Washington's deployment two years ago of a sophisticated missile defense system to South Korea, asserting in a rare defense white paper that the move "severely undermined the regional strategic balance" in northeast Asia. Published July 24, 2019
Tunisia’s foreign minister: ‘Democracy is the best tool to fight terrorism and extremism’
Tunisia has made dramatic strides -- with U.S. support -- against the threat posed by jihadist terrorists since being labeled just a few years ago as the top source for foreign fighters who'd traveled to join the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. Published July 19, 2019
U.S., Bahrain tout maritime summit focused on Iran threat
The tiny Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain has agreed to host an international summit this fall on regional maritime and aviation threats posed by Iran, whose military forces the U.S. blame for a wave of recent attacks on commercial oil tankers and the downing of an American surveillance drone. Published July 17, 2019
North Korea warns U.S. military drills could derail resumption of nuclear talks
North Korea warned Tuesday that the much-anticipated resumption of stalled nuclear talks with the Trump administration could be thrown into jeopardy if the U.S. and South Korea go forward with annual joint military exercises next month. Published July 16, 2019
European nations scramble to preserve Iran nuclear deal
The European Union called on Iran to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal Monday, scrambling to salvage the accord 13 months after President Trump withdrew and leveled new U.S. sanctions on Tehran. Published July 15, 2019
Nigerian Christians plead for U.S. help in Boko Haram fight
The horror that enveloped Rebecca Sharibu's world in early 2018 when her 14-year-old daughter, Leah, was kidnapped by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria felt like it might suddenly end when news broke, after just a few weeks of back-channel efforts, that the more than 100 girls taken in the raid were being released. Published July 7, 2019
Putin pulls out of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty amid fears of Cold War-style arms race
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday to formally suspend Moscow's participation in a 30-year-old strategic nuclear treaty, added a fresh layer to mounting international concerns over the prospect of a new Cold War-style arms race between the U.S. and Russia. Published July 3, 2019
Trump-Erdogan meeting fails to clear air on planned missile buy
The U.S.-Turkey standoff over Ankara's plan to buy advanced missiles from Russia will likely escalate in the coming days, according to regional experts, who say President Trump failed to face the issue head on at a meeting with Turkey's leader over the Group of 20 meeting in Japan over the weekend, widening the stage for a diplomatic clash between the two NATO allies. Published July 1, 2019
N. Korea propaganda machine will ‘exploit the hell’ out of Trump-Kim meeting at DMZ, detractors warn
North Korean state media is heaping praise on Sunday's Demilitarized Zone meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un in what analysts say is an attempt by Pyongyang's propaganda machine to help Mr. Kim save face after the high-profile failure of the Hanoi summit four months ago. Published July 1, 2019
U.S.-Tunisia meeting postponed by ISIS bombings
A high-level strategic dialogue planned for next week between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Tunisia's foreign minister has been postponed, officials said Friday, a day after Islamic State suicide bombings rocked the North African nation. Published June 28, 2019
Trump-Recep Tayyip Erdogan G-20 meeting makes Russian S-400 missiles a focus
The Trump administration is threatening a major break with Turkey, blacklisting the NATO ally from access to America's next-generation F-35 fighter jet if Ankara follows through on plans to buy an advanced S-400 missile system from Russia -- a standoff likely to result in friction when President Trump meets with his Turkish counterpart this week. Published June 26, 2019
Kim regime slams Pompeo, sanctions, despite ‘behind-the-scenes’ talks
North Korea slammed the U.S. for extending sanctions against Pyongyang and sharply criticized Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, even as South Korea's president claimed "behind-the-scenes" talks are underway to arrange a third summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un. Published June 26, 2019
Donald Trump imposes fresh sanctions on Iran after shoot-down of Navy drone
President Trump hit Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military officials with fresh sanctions Monday in the wake of Tehran's shoot-down of a U.S. Navy surveillance drone, calling the financial penalties "a strong and proportionate response to Iran's increasingly provocative actions." Published June 24, 2019
Mike Pompeo heads to India at ‘unique’ moment against China
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will push for expanded U.S.-India cooperation to counter China's economic and military rise when he visits New Delhi on Tuesday, before heading later in the week to join President Trump at the G-20 gathering of world leaders in Japan. Published June 22, 2019
Iranian state media rejecting report that Donald Trump sent secret warning to Tehran
Iranian state media on Friday disputed a report that President Trump had sent a clandestine overnight message to Tehran via intermediaries in Oman warning that a U.S. attack on Iran was imminent. Published June 21, 2019