Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Religious freedom under threat worldwide: U.S. report
Citing the Islamic State's attacks on Christians and other religious minorities, rising bigotry against Jews and Muslims in Europe and Beijing's campaign against churches in China, a new U.S. government report said Monday that attacks on religious freedom have grown measurably around the world over the past year. Published May 2, 2016
Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia being groomed to jump others, claim throne
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the ambitious, impatient 30-year-old son of King Salman, last week was the public face for the launch of "Saudi Vision 2030," a long-term blueprint designed to steer the kingdom's economy through a brave new world of falling oil prices and rising competition. Published May 1, 2016
Antony Blinken, Brad Sherman clash over North Korea-Iran nuclear collaboration
A top Obama administration official says U.S. authorities are watching the relationship between Iran and North Korea "very carefully," but have so far had difficulty verifying reports of "military missile nuclear engagement" between two rogue powers. Published April 28, 2016
Donald Trump’s claims on ISIS and Libyan oil draw pushback from U.S. intelligence
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's critics are homing in on apparent gaping contradictions in the foreign policy speech he gave Wednesday, including his assertion that the U.S. needs a more "consistent" foreign policy while also being "more unpredictable." Published April 28, 2016
Donald Trump outlines ‘America first’ foreign policy vision
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump took a swipe at neoconservatism Wednesday, arguing in a major foreign policy address that the U.S. shouldn't be in the "nation-building business" and suggesting Washington should be more willing to work with unsavory regimes as long as doing so advances American interests and creates "stability in the world." Published April 27, 2016
Muqtada al-Sadr, Iraqi cleric, pressures Haider al-Abadi to reshuffle Cabinet
Responding to a wave of popular protests, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi reshuffled his Cabinet on Tuesday, underscoring the growing influence of outspoken Shiite cleric and onetime anti-U.S. militant Sheikh Muqtada al-Sadr. Published April 26, 2016
Defense bill amendment targets Obama micromanagement, gives Pentagon leverage
A key congressional Republican hopes to use a major new defense bill to give the Pentagon more leverage in policy fights with President Obama's White House aides, following complaints from past defense chiefs that the West Wing has tried to micromanage the country's security and military. Published April 25, 2016
John Brennan, CIA chief, in Bosnia on unannounced counterterrorism visit
The Obama administration dispatched CIA Director John O. Brennan to Bosnia and Herzegovina for a series of counterterrorism meetings Friday amid ongoing concern among intelligence officials that the Islamic State terror group aims to open a front in southeastern Europe. Published April 22, 2016
Japan fighter jet ‘scrambles’ double in response to China
The number of times that Japan's Air Self-Defense Force rushed its fighter jets into the air to respond to Chinese military muscle flexing in North Asia has increased dramatically during recent months. Published April 22, 2016
Bob Corker, key GOP lawmaker: Syria cease-fire is ‘dead’
A key Republican lawmaker on foreign policy says the U.S.-backed cease-fire in Syria is "effectively dead" and that the time has come for serious debate on whatever "plan B" the Obama administration has for responding to the nation's 6-year-old civil war. Published April 21, 2016
Cuba’s Communists dig in despite Obama’s outreach
Critics of President Obama's diplomatic outreach to Cuba are claiming vindication this week as the island nation's Communist Party hard-liners — cheered on by an 89-year-old Fidel Castro — moved to cement their grip on power after Mr. Castro's brother Raul steps down in two years. Published April 20, 2016
Taliban suicide attack in Kabul renews debate on Afghanistan troop cuts
A devastating Taliban suicide attack that killed at least 28 people and wounded more than 300 others Tuesday in the heart of Kabul has sent concerns soaring that Afghanistan's struggling security forces will be overmatched in the summer fighting season, which many believe will be among the bloodiest on record. Published April 19, 2016
Syria cease-fire falters as U.S.-backed rebels attack, citing Assad violations
The Obama administration Monday rushed to shore up a faltering cease-fire in Syria, even as the very opposition rebel forces Washington backs in the conflict announced plans for more attacks in response to what it said was a wave of truce violations by the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Published April 18, 2016
Britain arrests five in terror probe tied to Brussels, Paris attacks
British police arrested four people Thursday night and another Friday morning in a counterterrorism sweep that authorities said was connected to the Brussels and Paris attacks carried out by the Islamic State. Published April 15, 2016
Park Geun-hye of South Korea to focus on North Korea threat after party’s election defeat
South Korea's parliamentary elections may have turned on domestic political and economic issues, but the stunning defeat for President Park Geun-hye's party could also bring a major shift in foreign policy as Seoul faces soaring regional tensions and ever-expanding provocations from North Korea. Published April 14, 2016
Human rights abuses rise around world, State Department report shows
Human rights abuses by governments and nonstate actors are on the rise worldwide, according to an annual review by the State Department, which homed in on the usual suspects of Syria, Iran, China, North Korea and Russia — but also faulted allies such as Turkey and countries with warming relations with the U.S. such as Cuba. Published April 13, 2016
Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan envoy, says U.S. help needed to avert regional security meltdown
Azerbaijan's top diplomat in Washington said the U.S. must do more to deal with rising instability in his region, lest tensions that have already drawn in both Turkey and Russia spiral into more violence like the clashes that rocked the Nagorno-Karabakh region earlier this month. Published April 12, 2016
Azerbaijan envoy defends country’s rights record after presidential visit
NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW: The Obama administration's decision to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the sidelines of last month's nuclear summit has sparked a debate over the country human rights record and the decision to welcome an authoritarian leader who has drawn heat from critics -- including the U.S. State Department -- for his record back home. Published April 12, 2016
John Kerry, G-7 ministers target Beijing over South China Sea expansion
Secretary of State John F. Kerry and other G-7 foreign ministers took barely veiled shots at China over rising tensions in the South China Sea, warning against "unilateral" actions over clashing territorial claims in the strategic waterway and provoking an angry reaction from Beijing. Published April 11, 2016
Recep Tayyip Erdogan uses Turkey military coup buzz to expand powers, curb dissent
Turkey's military leaders, in the face of rising speculation at home and abroad, took the extraordinary step last week of denying plans for a coup. But with domestic turmoil, a rising terrorist threat, chaos in the region and a history of military interventions in Ankara, the denials haven't quieted buzz from Washington. Published April 7, 2016