When dealing with the conflict in Syria and other areas, US policy has largely been ineffectual. It needs to do more than just express moral outrage, says Christopher R Hill.

Former US Secretary of State Warren Christopher, who worked for peace in Bosnia and the Mideast in the Clinton administration, has died in Los Angeles, a law firm spokeswoman said today.

Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama, looking to chart a US foreign policy course far removed from the Bush administration’s path, said he would bring Osama bin Laden to justice in a way that would deny the al-Qaida leader the chance to become a martyr.

US President George Bush traded ideas on Iraq with a bipartisan commission and promised to work with the incoming Democratic majority toward “common objectives”.