Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns speaking at New America Foundation/American Strategy Program Salon Dinner, 2 July 2007 (photo credit: Samuel Sherraden) R. Nicholas “Nick” Burns is a stunningly effective diplomat. There is Dean Acheson DNA in the kind of work he does — but also a little John Foster Dulles….

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns is stepping down from his position in March and retiring in May after 26 years in the foreign service and three in his current position. US Ambassador to Russia William Burns will be leaving Moscow and has been nominated to take Nick Burns’ position.

A loyal TWN reader sent me this short clip of Ambassador John Bolton‘s appearance on the Jon Stewart Show Tuesday night — and it’s well worth watching.

Romney and Hillary Clinton win in Michigan. . . However, the efforts by all — on both sides of the political aisle — to achieve political definitiveness are being firmly rejected by Americans.

Despite rising concern in “the West” over CO2 emissions and climate change, the booming consumer demand for cars has emerged as a central and visible feature of India’s rising economic growth.

Via ElectoPundit, I just watched this — and I’m stunned that more of us didn’t see what these creative commentators foresaw and posted back in May 2007.

(Click on picture to watch the Ad) A number of Citgo commercials lauding the Venezuelan government for supporting poor Americans with discounted heating oil have been appearing on prime time television, some even featuring former Congressman Joseph Kennedy.

Luis Posada Carriles Being a political blogger during an election of the sort we are having today is a weird experience. There is no heir apparent in either party and there is a true scramble by all parties to win any way he or she can.

My friend and colleague Anatol Lieven has a thoughtful oped in the Financial Times today, “Balkan Unrest Remains a Recipe for Disaster.” I feel the need to respond to one bias in his framing, however.

Here is a clip of Ghaith al-Omari, my colleague at the New America Foundation and also a Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine, commenting on the state of things in the Annapolis Peace process on the Charlie Rose Show.