Crimes against humanity involve a specific set of grave human rights violations committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population (more on that below). If the United States is serious about fighting impunity for the repeated patterns of atrocities committed in Ukraine and many other situations around the world, it should close the crimes against humanity loophole in U.S. law as soon as possible.

In Montenegro, Ljubomir Filipovic, a political scientist and former deputy mayor of Budva, said Djukic helped spread chaos and dysfunction in a country that has struggled to establish an identity since it became a sovereign nation in 2006.

“He went beyond what an ordinary honorary consul would do. He went even beyond what an official diplomat would do,” said Filipovic, who tracked Djukic’s activities as consul. “The intention was to damage the social fabric of Montenegro — and he did that.”

"Learning and celebrating our history should help restore our confidence in who we are as Americans. Pride in nation should not derive from a contrived happy view of history but rather from a recognition that our experiment in freedom and democracy always was and remains a work in progress." 

Leadership, Diplomacy, and National Security Lab Co-Founder and ASU Ambassador-in-Residence Michael C. Polt shares his views on how the West can build a more resilient future, one that fends off the resurgence and ascendancy of autocrats.

From where I sit, it doesn’t matter if you are an introvert or an extrovert; leadership comes down to one important detail: character. The traits, values and virtues of a leader trickle down to staff and should be driven by the core values of the organization itself. In the wise words of John Wooden, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”