In legend, Achilles, Greek warrior and hero of the Trojan War, fought Trojan prince Hector to avenge the death of his friend Patroclus. Hector had killed Patroclus, and he planned to cut off Patroclus’ head and give his body to the dogs for food. Before the fight, Hector waits for Achilles and then proposes that [...]

Credo quia absurdum, “I believe because it is absurd.” Tertullian For conspicuous reasons, the likelihood of direct war between Israel and Iran is increasingly “high.”  What remains inconspicuous is that such a war could quickly or incrementally involve North Korean military assets. Even if Israel were able to keep Iran pre-nuclear, an already nuclear North [...]

On Tuesday, the Taliban-run Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan (MFA) announced a decision to sever ties with its diplomatic missions in several European countries and Australia. This unprecedented move marks a pivotal moment in Afghanistan’s contemporary diplomatic history and presents significant implications for the nation’s position within the global community. However, it appears that [...]

Known for his pivotal role in international election monitoring, constitutional reform, and efforts to resolve Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, Tiruchelvam’s legacy continues to inspire. His tragic death on July 29th, 1999, a consequence of his dedication to democratic solutions, marked a significant loss to the pursuit of justice and inclusivity. This article celebrates his enduring [...]

“An intentional act of injustice is an injury. A Nation has therefore the right to punish it…. This right to resist injustice is derived from the right of self-protection.” Emmerich de Vattel, The Law of Nations or the Principles of Natural Law 1758) Israel’s law-based conflict with Hezbollah and Hamas terrorism is grounded in the [...]

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack on Israeli civilians, resulting in deaths and hostage-taking. Reports of various atrocities, including sexual abuse, emerged. The victims included not only Israelis but also citizens of other countries such as France and Germany. The attack shocked the international community and drew widespread condemnation from governments worldwide. However, [...]

Afghan women vow to tirelessly work until the Taliban are held accountable for gender apartheid in Afghanistan. In a step towards recognizing the crimes committed against half of the population, Amnesty International recently called for an end to the regime’s impunity: In a powerful show of global solidarity, 354,847 signatures have been collected calling on [...]

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Yazidi genocide. It has been ten years since over 10,000 Yazidis were brutally murdered. Ten years since more than 7,000 women and children were subjected to abduction, violence, and enslavement. Ten years since thousands have disappeared and over 2,600 are still missing without a trace. To this [...]

Nearly two decades have passed, but Sammy remembers his father’s words clearly. Then a young professional, Sammy was out for a walk with his family in 2007 when they came across a convoy of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) vehicles, he told me in a recent interview. His little brother asked what ISAF was, and [...]

It has been a longstanding principle of judicial restraint in the US that judges ought not to read their politics or personal preferences into the laws of the republic. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, dissenting in the same-sex marriage case Obergefell v. Hodges, wrote that “Under the Constitution, judges have power to say what [...]