“Easier to spot a splinter in another’s eye than a log in one’s own” –Russian proverb Sometimes this blog gets accused of being too soft on Russia, despite my consistent criticism of its government’s political ideology, human rights abuses, authoritarianism and economic, social, journalistic, cultural, education, environmental, law enforcement, religious and foreign policies. Yet what […]
There are not many people out there who can write about a life spend as both a Revolutionary Guard and a CIA Agent, but Reza Kahlili (a pseudonym) can. He has recently written a book, A Time to Betray, where he reveals the inner workings of the infamous Revolutionary Guards. As the book’s website states, […]
A recent piece in the Wall Street Journal argues that from the US point of view, improved Indo-Pak relations are the key to progress in Afghanistan. The Obama administration had therefore issued a secret directive to work towards easing tensions between the two hostile neighbors. That would, in effect, help the administration secure Pakistani cooperation in Afghanistan. While the Obama administration may have […]
The last minute confirmation of Hu Jintao’s attendance at the Global Nuclear Security Summit in D.C. later this month has put to rest fears that China would send a lower-ranking official to the summit in retaliation for arm sales to Taiwan and other bilateral quarrels. The Western media, recently fixated on the ebb and flow […]
Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, perhaps the most-mentioned person on this blog, is heading north to his country’s Arctic. He will spend one day and Resolute Bay and another day at Borden Ice Camp to support Canadian scientific efforts to demonstrate the validity of their government’s sovereignty claims over parts of the resource-rich Arctic Ocean. […]
Those of us following the events in Iraq are not surprised by the violent turn of events taking place in the country, after what we perceived to be successful elections. Many parties will have a share in the new government. Nouri Al maliki, it seems, is not going to easily let go of the premiership. […]
It is easy for naysayers to envision the apocalyptic impending race war that is around the corner in South Africa (and has been, in their mind, since at least 1990 or so). But a couple of recent events have certainly fueled the fire. ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema (of course) is at the center […]
The race for a Hillary Clinton’s old Senate seat is at the forefront of observations from the bulk of political observers. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand was appointed to the seat and faces a tough opponent from former Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford. Further, the winner of that battle then could face rough opposition from a Republican. But, virtual […]
In an interview at the Council on Foreign Relations Bronwyn Bruton argues for a change in United States policy toward Somalia. She calls her proposal “constructive disengagement.” Her phrase is of course a clever play on words on the loathsome “constructive engagement” policy with Apartheid South Africa popularized by Chester Crocker.
The New York Times‘ Jeffrey Gettleman is at it again, this time in the pages of Foreign Policy. In an article called “Africa’s Foreign Wars” (and subtitled “Why the continent’s conflicts never end”) we get all of the best, but mostly the worst, of Gettlman in one fell swoop. Yes, he writes clearly and well, […]
The Arab League held a conference last Thursday addressing the issue of desertification. This issue has been on the table since the 1970’s when the Middle East ran out of water and was forced to import water in exchange for other goods. Desertification is the transformation of productive farm and vegetative lands into arid lands […]
In another sign of strengthened ties between Venezuela and Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited Hugo Chávez on Friday. Together they toured the Kruzenshtern, a Russian ship docked at the Venezuelan port city of La Guiara, and spent time in Miraflores, the equivalent of Venezuela’s White House. While in Caracas the leaders signed agreements to […]
Over the weekend, the State Minister of Law claimed that though war crimes and crimes committed against humanity are the same thing, nevertheless it is only the leaders of the Jamaat who seem to be confessing to perpetrating crimes, committed during war, but perhaps against humanity. Now quite apart from the sense most of us […]
Respected Africanist Allison Drew has an insightful piece about the current state of South African politics and society in Political Insight. Her’s is a fairly sobering take on South Africa in 2010. [The article is very much worth reading, but I do wish the editors had not been so sloppy as to provide a map […]
At The Washington Post Michael Gerson worries that internal politics in Southern Sudan will prove to undermine or even destroy the region’s prospects for independence. It’s a legitimate concern, but the question I have is whether hints of unrest or even division would provide Khartoum with the pretext to cancel the independence referendum that is […]