U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Sanctioning Venezuela Unlikely to Defuse Tensions

By Jim Lobe

Pending legislation calling for U.S. President Barack Obama to impose sanctions against key Venezuelan officials is unlikely to defuse the ongoing crisis there and could prove counter-productive, according to both the administration and independent experts here.

Power Woos Critics with Pro-Israel Charm Offensive

By Mitchell Plitnick
Samantha Power, U.S. President Barack Obama’s nominee for the post of ambassador to the United Nations, made a strong case for her confirmation Wednesday with strong pro-Israel and interventionist statements that will appeal to many of the hawks in the U.S. Senate.