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Sunday, February 05, 2012 2:24 GMT

Stories by Jim Lobe

A proud native of Seattle, Washington, Jim Lobe received a university degree with highest honours in history at Williams College and a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall School of Law). He joined IPS in 1979 and opened its Washington, D.C. bureau in 1980, and won the IPS Award for Excellence in Independent Journalism in 2003 and 2004. Lobe has worked for IPS from Washington for most of the past 23 years.

Early End to U.S. Combat Role in Afghanistan Draws Cheers, Jeers, Confusion
by Jim Lobe*
U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta's surprise announcement Wednesday that U.S. troops will phase out their combat role in Afghanistan by mid-2013 is drawing mixed reactions, as well as a fair bit of confusion, from both critics and supporters of the 11-year-old war here.

U.S. Group Urges "More Credible" Military Threat Against Iran
by Jim Lobe*
The administration of President Barack Obama should take steps to make threats of a possible U.S. or Israeli attack against Iran more credible, according to the fourth in a series of studies released here Wednesday by a 13-man &com;bipartisan&com; task force dominated by Iran hawks.

Rights Groups Denounce Duvalier Ruling, U.S. Urges Appeal
by Jim Lobe*
International and local human rights groups Tuesday strongly denounced the ruling by an investigating judge in Haiti that former dictator Jean-Claude &com;Baby Doc&com; Duvalier should not face charges for massive human rights abuses committed during his 15-year reign, from 1971 to 1986.

US-BAHRAIN
Rights Groups Oppose Smaller Arms Transfer
by Jim Lobe*
The decision by the administration of President Barack Obama to approve limited transfers of military equipment to Bahrain is coming under renewed fire by human rights and pro-democracy groups here.

U.S.
Growing Elite Opposition to Military Option Against Iran
by Jim Lobe*
Like the imminent prospect of one's hanging, to paraphrase the 18th century British essayist Dr. (Samuel) Johnson, the suddenly looming possibility of war can concentrate the mind wonderfully.

U.S. Condemns Boko Haram Attacks
by Jim Lobe*
The U.S. State Department Tuesday &com;strongly&com; condemned recent lethal attacks carried out by the Islamist group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, but also warned against an excessive reaction by the government's security forces.

U.S.
Obama Rejects Giant Keystone Pipeline Scheme
by Jim Lobe*
In a decision fraught with political risk, U.S. President Barack Obama Wednesday rejected the permit for the proposed giant Keystone XL pipeline project, insisting that his administration needed more time to determine whether it served the national interest.

In Signal to Israel and Iran, Obama Delays War Exercise
Analysis by Gareth Porter and Jim Lobe*
The postponement of a massive joint U.S.-Israeli military exercise appears to be the culmination of a series of events that has impelled the Barack Obama administration to put more distance between the United States and aggressive Israeli policies toward Iran.

U.S.
Burma Release, Ceasefire Hailed by Obama, Rights Groups
by Jim Lobe*
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama Friday hailed the release by the Burmese government of hundreds of political prisoners, suggesting that it went far toward satisfying Washington's conditions for fully normalising ties between the two countries.

US-CHINA
Leading Think Tank Urges Naval Build-Up in South China Sea
by Jim Lobe*
While much of the world's attention has been focused on U.S.- Iranian tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a key think tank is urging Washington to devote more focus and resources on another key hub for international commerce several thousand kilometres to the east.

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