Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
U.S. watching closely as India in balancing act with China
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has walked a careful line this week toward China, asserting that Delhi and Beijing must "work together" even as he announced a plan supported by the U.S. to develop a new Indian naval port in Indonesia aimed at countering China's growing military and economic prowess. Published June 1, 2018
Muqtada al-Sadr’s threat to oust U.S. forces reawakens old fears
Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose party finished first in Iraq's national elections last year, is calling the U.S. military an "invader," raising fresh concerns that the Pentagon may face another demand to leave the country before the military mission against Islamic State and other jihadi groups is complete. Published May 30, 2018
Andres Lopez Obrador widens lead in Mexican presidential race
Leftist presidential candidate Andres Lopez Obrador has widened his already significant lead over the field with just a month to go before voting commences in Mexico's July 1 election -- a contest experts say could have major consequences for the Trump administration's NAFTA talks and U.S.-Mexico relations overall. Published May 30, 2018
Muqtada al-Sadr, Shia cleric, calls U.S. an ‘invader country’ in Iraq
Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose party finished first in Iraq's national elections last year, is calling the U.S. military an "invader," raising fresh concerns that the Pentagon may face another demand to leave the country before the military mission against Islamic State and other jihadi groups is complete. Published May 30, 2018
Pompeo to host religious freedom summit at State Department
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo put a spotlight on the Trump administration's push to bolster religious freedom around the world Tuesday, calling it the "most fundamental of human rights" and declaring that "the United States will not stand by as spectators" while people are persecuted over faith. Published May 29, 2018
China claims no ‘clue’ of sonic attack on U.S. consulate
Chinese officials say they've probed reports of an American government employee experiencing mysterious sensations from sound and pressure at a U.S. diplomatic facility in China but found nothing to back up the claim. Published May 25, 2018
Moon scrambles to halt meltdown in North Korea diplomacy
South Korean President Moon Jae-in urged President Trump and Kim Jong Un to quickly find a way to talk directly in hopes of avoiding a total meltdown in diplomacy or a military clash Thursday, hours after Mr. Trump canceled his planned summit with the North Korean leader amid hostile posturing from Pyongyang. Published May 24, 2018
China ‘will be key’ to Donald Trump’s way forward on North Korea
President Trump's cancellation of the summit with Kim Jong-un amid hostile posturing from North Korea sets the stage for a new wave of brinkmanship and a dramatic expansion of the administration's "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign against Pyongyang. Published May 24, 2018
Pompeo dodges Dem grilling over report on Trump’s cellphone security
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dodged questions Wednesday about whether he's concerned President Trump may be making regular use of a cellphone that lacks top-level security features to protect his personal calls and tweeting from hackers and foreign surveillance. Published May 23, 2018
Mike Pompeo vows reciprocal action to Venezuelan expulsion of U.S. diplomats
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday the Trump administration is preparing to "respond reciprocally" to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who kicked out the top two U.S. diplomats in Caracas Tuesday on allegations they tried to sabotage the presidential election there last weekend. Published May 23, 2018
Mike Pompeo says ‘bad deal not an option’ with North Korea
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said North Korean denuclearization is the "top national security priority," but the Trump administration is also focused on "appropriate countermeasures" to anticipated Russian meddling in the 2018 midterms, knuckling down against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's power grab in Caracas and much, much more. Published May 23, 2018
Iran pleads with Europe to stand against Donald Trump
A key Iranian political leader called Tuesday on European nations to stand with Tehran against Washington and "show their strength in the face of American pressure" in a bid to salvage the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal following President Trump's withdrawal of the accord. Published May 22, 2018
Donald Trump, Moon Jae-in to meet on North Korea summit
President Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in spoke Sunday to ensure that the U.S. summit with North Korea is still on track, despite Pyongyang's threat to cancel the high-stakes meeting between Mr. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Published May 20, 2018
Donald Trump’s Iran, Korea policies take different approaches
Outrage over Iran stands in sharp contrast with the thaw President Trump appears bent on quickly achieving with North Korea. Published May 20, 2018
Donald Trump to meet South Korean president amid uncertainty over Kim Jong-un summit
President Trump will host South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House next week for a meeting expected to center on clarifying expectations for an upcoming summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-un. Published May 18, 2018
Europe vows to hold Iran deal together, but will ‘talk’ with Trump
Germany vowed Thursday to continue trying to hold the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal together, even if President Trump levels new sanctions against European companies doing business with Tehran. Published May 17, 2018
North Korea summit threat used to hide nuclear weapons
North Korea's abrupt threat this week to pull out of the upcoming summit with President Trump was highly calculated, according to intelligence officials who say Pyongyang wanted to harden its negotiating position against a quick "Libya-style" surrender of its nuclear programs sought by the Trump White House and buy time to hide its nuclear weapons. Published May 16, 2018
North Korea cancels talks with South, threatens to pull out of U.S. summit: Report
North Korea sent shock waves through the Trump administration's hope for a history-making summit with Kim Jong-un, angrily canceling a planned meeting with South Korean officials Wednesday to protest joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises and calling into doubt President Trump's announced meeting with Mr. Kim in Singapore in less than a month. Published May 15, 2018
How Trump is making it easier for U.S. gun manufacturers to export firearms
The Trump administration took a major formal step Monday toward officially shifting authority from the State Department to the Commerce Department over the approval of U.S. small arms exports, including semiautomatic rifles and weapons ranging in size up to .50 caliber. Published May 14, 2018
Joe Wilson praises Trump’s ‘courage,’ says embassy move will bring stability
A delegation of U.S. lawmakers celebrating the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Monday praised President Trump's "courageous decision" to recognize the city as Israel's capital, saying it will promote stability even if many in the Mideast are angered by the development. Published May 14, 2018