I just finished Barnett R. Rubin and Ahmed Rashid's Foreign Affairs piece on US/NATO Afghan and Pakistani policy, titled ‘From Great Game to Grand Bargain: Ending Chaos in Afghanistan and Pakistan.‘ Rubin, who has a blog and a forthcoming book, and Rashid are two giants in the field and I was looking forward at what […]
During my recent trip to Pakistan, once again, I had the opportunity to travel across the country, meet and listen to people from all walks of life and I am terribly sad to the see that people in Pakistan have increasingly become negative and cynical about everything. It is impossible to find anyone positive about […]
There is a new wave of politeness and contrition surrounding South African politics these days, as everyone seems to be apologizing to someone. The Congress of the People has apologized for intemperate remarks from some of its members about Jacob Zuma. Months after the fact ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema has said he is […]
The United States treasury has taken the step of blacklisting four allies of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe. Their assets are likely to be seized where possible and it will now be verboten to conduct business with the four men. Imposing this pariah status is welcome for what it is worth, but realistically it is not […]
A recent online poll by Egyptian opposition paper Al-Dustour revealed that 84% of Egyptians polled (3708 respondents) believe that Barack Obama will not change American policy towards Arabs and Muslims. 16% of those polled (706 respondents) believe that he “will work towards changing the American policy which his predecessor has followed." The commentary on the […]
December 2 is the UAE's national day. Says UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed: My brothers and sisters in nationality, the march of our federation through the last 37 years has made numerous achievements, fulfilled enormous ambitions and encompassed several avenues of our lives, taking our nation, the society and the individual into the 21st […]
Saudi citizens concerned about human rights in the Kingdom staged a hunger strike November 6-7; I posted about it here. Apparently their efforts were noted by the government; here is an update from the detained activists’ defense team: Saudi Authorities Intensified Campaigns Aimed at Suppressing Freedom of Expressions, Blocking Media Outlets, and Stymieing Civic Movements […]
By Beena Sarwar INDIA/PAKISTAN: Pleas For Sanity as Sabres Rattle Over Mumbai Mayhem Analysis by Beena Sarwar KARACHI, Dec 1 (IPS) – The pattern is all too familiar. Every time India and Pakistan head towards dialogue and detente, something explosive happens that pushes peace to the backburner and drags them back to the familiar old […]
ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: Political and diplomatic activities revolving round the possible fallout of the Mumbai carnage on Pakistan-India relations acquired a hectic pace on Sunday with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani going all out to defuse tension that many believe could bring South Asia on the verge of a conflict. […]
Last Tuesday and Wednesday, with the latter in a joint news conference with the secretary general of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Afghan President Karzai voiced his displeasure with international NATO presence in his country and called for a timetable of withdrawal. In front of Scheffer, he used more careful language, calling for a 'timetable […]
INDIA: Empathy, Grief in Pakistan at Mumbai Mayhem Analysis by Beena Sarwar KARACHI, Nov 29 (IPS) – The terrorist attacks unleashed in the Indian port city and financial hub of Mumbai continue to reverberate through Pakistan at a personal level and on the media. The crisis, that began Wednesday night and lasted through Friday, […]
I wasn't going to write a post today, it being Thanksgiving Day here and all, but then I read this article detailing recent laws in the works in all five of our CA states curtailing the freedom of religion. Yesterday, I spoke about one aspect, the wearing of the hijab in school settings in Kyrgyzstan […]
"On the basis of the progress so far reported … it is envisaged that the Special Tribunal will commence functioning on 1 March 2009," Ban wrote in a report to the UN Security Council.” [NOW Lebanon]
PRESIDENT of the Republic Asif Zardari was surprisingly in Pakistan at the end of last week, and more surprisingly in Karachi, considering his concerns about security as evidenced by his current penchant for building high walls around his various abodes, for one, it is said, blocking off a magnificent view of the Margalla Hills from […]
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 26: Pakistan has reiterated its call for implementation of relevant UN resolutions to pave the way for a sovereign state of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital. "We remain steadfast in extending our full support for the achievement of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to exercise self-determination and sovereignty in […]