Without more introduction, some news:
+ Member nations of the NATO alliance have blocked actions of their troops against drug trade in Afghanistan, because their laws do not permit them do that (New York Times). Drugs are an important source of income to sustain insurgent groups, and the US supports counternarcotics operations. However, some NATO members sustain that the problem of drugs is on of law enforcement, and not an issue of the military. It is of special relevance because this kind of operations are prone to involve civilian casualties. The situation has an additional element that makes it more theoretically interesting, given that the roots of the disputes between the two positions is in the NATO mission casted as "security assistance" ans its implications.
Coda: this phrase in the declarations of Gen. Craddock (US) caught my attention: "He also noted the increasing size and professionalism of the Afghan National Army, which Afghans trust more than they do the office of the presidency." = a future coup?
+ The Japan Times publishes a fuming column about a resort project in Cambodia that threats to heavily affect the ecosystem and surrounding populations. In my opinion, the author goes too fast to blame international donors, but it is well worth to observe his comments about the rule of law and "human security".
+ The Genocide Prevention Task Force released on December 8th its report with the aim of helping the upcoming new US government to prevent genocide - obviously, with the help of all the international community. The group orient its proposals in terms of the leadership, organization and funding. The review published in the Economist highlights the good sense of the report, further mentioning the involvement of will, diplomacy, action and sharing information (networking), but the magazine adequately warns about the unpredictability that surrounds these lamentable episodes of history. The release video here on:
Happy holidays!