War again?

Nobel Finn

Martti Ahtisaari's Nobel Peace Prize yesterday won't get European elites buzzing as in past years (See: Gore, Al and Carter, Jimmy). In his diplomatic and political career, the former Finnish President brokered peace on various continents -- yet also recognized clear limits to good intentions.

Bush to U.N.: Prevent terror attacks before they happen

President Bush challenged the United Nations on Tuesday to stop terrorism, punish Iran and North Korea for their nuclear programs and see Russia's invasion of Georgia as a violation of the U.N.'s charter. Speaking in sharp terms for the last time to the 63rd General Assembly, Bush said the U.N. must offer greater support to peaceful democracies and hand out tougher punishments to tyrannies that sponsor terrorism.

Russia and Georgia | The cost for Russia

AFTER barely 100 days in office, the soft-spoken Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s president, has been cast in the unlikely role of war leader. His initial job appeared to be as Vladimir Putin’s spokesman. But he quickly got a taste for war. On Tuesday August 26th he stood beneath the two-headed Russian eagle and solemnly announced the Kremlin’s decision to recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The presidential race | Bring back the real McCain

AMERICA’S Republicans head for the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul this weekend in a position that few of them could have imagined even a month ago. Although voters claim that they prefer Democrats to the representatives of the Grand Old Party by a solid margin of more than ten percentage points, and though it seems that there is hardly a soul in the nation who thinks things are on the right track, by the start of the conventions John McCain was more or less level with Barack Oba...

Georgia and Russia. War erupts in Georgia

GEORGIAN soldiers, tanks and fighter-planes struck Tskhinvali, the capital of the breakaway (Russian-backed) region of South Ossetia, on Friday August 8th. Parts of the city were reported to be burning as Georgia’s president, Mikheil Saakashvili, declared that his forces had “freed” much of the area from separatist control.