As a rising tide of unrest swept across the Middle East this past Spring many authoritarian regimes in the region initially reacted by shutting down the Internet and social networking sites.

The tactic was used in Egypt, Libya and recently Syria. However, protesters have continued to risk their lives to broadcast stories of brutal repression and violence. Meanwhile, the United States has been working on creating a shadow mobile network, with the idea of providing a secure network for protesters.

The State Department remains tight-lipped on the role of the American man recently arrested in Pakistan for murder. The man in question, Raymond Davis, was suspected of being a spy. The Obama administration claimed that Davis had diplomatic immunity and should be set free from Pakistani custody. Last Friday, P.J. Crowley, State Department Spokesman would only say to The Takeaway that Davis is a U.S. Diplomat entitled to diplomatic immunity. You can hear that interview here. But reports out yesterday confirm that Davis was working in a part of a C.I.A. team, as an independent contractor. Either way, what does the case of Raymond Davis mean for the U.S. Pakistan relationship? 

Sunday marks 25 years since the US Senate ratified the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. That convention entered into force in 1951 but the US Senate refrained from ratification until 1986. Why? Adam Jones is a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia and author of "Genocide: A Comprehensive Introduction."

Hours after Ambassador Richard Holbrooke died, it was widely reported that his last words, spoken to his surgeon, were, "You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan." Many heard these words as striking, epitomizing Holbrooke's life-long dedication to foreign policy and diplomacy.

Since September 11^th, the intelligence community has handed off many of its responsibilities to private contractors. The private intelligence industry has grown, and been paid billions by the government despite a culture of waste and mismanagement. Because the intelligence community and contractors now share many similar responsibilities, the line distinguishing the two is blurry.