Myanmar’s President Makes Historic, Divisive Visit to White House Carey L. Biron WASHINGTON, 20 May (IPS) - Myanmar’s President Thein Sein on Monday became the first leader of that country in almost a half-century to pay a call on the White House, a visit that has simultaneously highlighted a series of monumental changes seen in Myanmar in recent years as well as a reforms process that many are warning may have stalled. more...   Nuclear Iran Unlikely to Tilt Regional Power Balance – Report Jim Lobe, Joe Hitchon WASHINGTON, 18 May (IPS) - A nuclear-armed Iran would not pose a fundamental threat to the United States and its regional allies like Israel and the Gulf Arab monarchies, according to a new report released here Friday by the Rand Corporation. more...   U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arsenals Cling to Bygone Era George Gao UNITED NATIONS, 17 May (IPS) - In the late 19th century, Russian playwright Anton Chekhov famously touted one golden rule for dramatic productions: if you show your audience a loaded gun in the first act, that gun must go off by the last. more...   Pressure Mounting on U.S. over Congo Violence Joe Hitchon WASHINGTON, 17 May (IPS) - With casualties in the long-running conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) now surpassing every conflict since World War II, U.S. policymakers and advocates are stepping up campaigns to raise awareness and push legislation aimed at encouraging new negotiations, assisting in government reforms, and pressuring the neighbouring countries that have propped up the DRC’s government. more...   Q&A "To Propel Change, You Have to Be in Their Faces" Sudeshna Chowdhury UNITED NATIONS, 15 May (IPS) - Eighteen days ago, Diane Wilson, a 65-year-old fisherwoman from Texas, decided to go on a hunger strike. more...   U.S. Relationship with Pakistani Military Must “Broaden” Carey L. Biron WASHINGTON, 14 May (IPS) - With this weekend’s national election in Pakistan seeing historic high turnout resulting in an overwhelming vote for a single party, foreign policy observers here are suggesting that the United States will need to finally redefine its longstanding relationship with the Pakistan Army. more...   Nuclear Iran Can Be Contained and Deterred Report Jim Lobe WASHINGTON, 14 May (IPS) - While preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is preferable, the United States could successfully contain a nuclear Iran, according to a new report released here Monday by the Center for a New American Security, an influential think tank close to the administration of President Barack Obama. more...   CIA Drone Strikes on Trial in Pakistan George Gao UNITED NATIONS, 11 May (IPS) - Adding fuel to a long-simmering dispute between the U.S. and Pakistan, a Peshawar High Court declared CIA drone strikes illegal on Thursday, referring to such attacks in Pakistan’s tribal belt as “war crime(s)”. more...   Pluralities of Israelis, Palestinians Want Stronger U.S. Peace Role Jim Lobe WASHINGTON, 10 May (IPS) - Amidst a new U.S. effort to revive the long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, healthy pluralities of both peoples want U.S. President Barack Obama to play a stronger role in resolving their conflict, according to a major new poll released here Thursday by the Pew Research Center. more...   Hope, Scepticism Over U.S.-Russian Accord on Syria Conference Jim Lobe WASHINGTON, 9 May (IPS) - The surprise accord reached by the U.S. and Russia in Moscow Tuesday to try to convene an international conference to resolve the two-year-old civil war in Syria as soon as the end of this month has been greeted with equal measures of hope and scepticism. more...