AP is reporting that the Sudanese Military killed six and captured two kidnappers after a high-speed desert chase on Sunday. According to the two captured kidnappers the tourists are being held hostage in Chad. The interesting part of the article is that the Sudanese Government linked the eight kidnappers to a rebel group in Darfur. […]
Jacob Zuma has won his power play against Thabo Mbeki. Mbeki resigned from office unpopular and largely unlamented, destined to go down as a disappointment, if not a failure, especially after the heady years of Nelson Mandela, years for which, ironically enough, Mbeki was indispensible. Soon enough Zuma will slide into what he now surely […]
Absent of any near-term threats to natural security from a land invasion, the Egyptian military continues to strengthen its conventional land forces to deter long-term threats and bolster its reputation as a powerful, or perhaps the most powerful, fighting force in the Middle East and Africa. But Egypt does have a significant national security threat […]
Call me Miss Congeniality, but my brittle European sensibilities were flummoxed by the sheer boorishness of the anti-Russia vitriol in last night's McCain-Obama match. Setting aside the painful hypocrisy inherent, in the words of one BBC commenter, in “the irony of two men castigating Russia for unnacceptable petrodollar muscleflexing and interfering in other nations affairs […]
NEW YORK, Sept 26: Pakistan immediately needs $10-to-15 billion to deal with the current economic crisis, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir told a briefing in New York. Mr Bashir, who participated in the inaugural meeting of the Friends of Pakistan group, said the new government was aware of the economic challenges facing the country and was […]
Pakistan sought to reassure Washington on Friday that it remained an ally in fighting terrorism, but it also warned the U.S. to stay out of Pakistani territory while hunting down militants along the volatile border with Afghanistan. Emphasizing that it doesn't need American firepower, a Pakistani general said an offensive along the frontier has killed […]
Autumn is slowly coming to Beirut. For almost two months I kept on complaining about the heat and the humidity. Now I might start with the brief rainfalls. While dining with friends I found out that today is al Quds day and that many Hizballah fans went to the border. It was a no comment […]
The Foreign Policy Association has published my latest piece, “A Tale of Two Countries: Change and Crisis in Zimbabwe and South Africa.” Writing commentary on volatile events taking place in real time is always fraught with peril, and in this case I wish I had continued my consistently more pessimistic outlook on Zimbabwe, but on […]
It is neither appropriate nor polite to tell someone that he/she is ugly. Similarly, it is equally offensive to tell someone that he/she is gorgeous, even if the intent is complimentary. So, it was absolutely shocking, no other word to describe it, shocking, to hear Mr. Zardari tell Sarah Palin, John McCain's running mate that […]
Li Changjiang, head of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine for China, has resigned for failing “to conduct a proper inspection in this case, and Li Changjiang bears responsibility for this. The State Council has accepted his resignation,” as reported by China Central Television. Serving since 2001, the resignation comes one year […]
The Foreign Policy Association has published my latest piece, “A Tale of Two Countries: Change and Crisis in Zimbabwe and South Africa.” Writing commentary on volatile events taking place in real time is always fraught with peril, and in this case I wish I had continued my consistently more pessimistic outlook on Zimbabwe, but on […]
[Morgan Tsvangirai, seated, and Robert Mugabe when it seemed an agreement might be at hand. Times of London.] In a move that should surprise absolutely no one, the Zimbabwe negotiations have fallen apart and just about all of the blame belongs on the shoulders of Robert Mugabe. It was only a matter of time. […]
According to the Governor of the Central Bank, Guillermo Ortiz, Mexico is relatively safe from the unfolding financial crisis in the United States. Mexican Secretary Agustin Carstens, in charge of the Department of the Treasury, agrees. Thus, these key actors suggest that the country will not be seriously affected; only exports, tourism, and remittances are […]
Excellent reading about Hizballah's controlled suburbs. As it looks, Hizballah's Pentagon, as some called dahyeh was not as controlled as many thought. Don't get me wrong, Hizballah is strong, but far from being invincible. NOW Lebanon: The Internal Security Forces (ISF) recently implemented what it has called a "security plan" in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs […]
WASHINGTON ‚ Pakistani and American ground troops exchanged fire along the border with Afghanistan on Thursday after the Pakistanis shot at two American helicopters, ratcheting up tensions as the United States increases its attacks against Qaeda and Taliban militants sheltering in Pakistan's restive tribal areas. The two American OH-58 Kiowa reconnaissance helicopters were not damaged […]