The New York Times and the Washington Post have reported that a plane flying from China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region to Beijing was forced to make an emergency landing last Friday because of a terrorist threat. Apparently, an Uighur woman had smuggled three bottles of gasoline on the plane, but was caught by policemen when […]
In yet another US diplomatic attempt, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asked NATO members for greater participation in all aspects of the war in Afghanistan. This call comes in the background of Canadian President Stephen Harper's claim that he will withdraw his nation's troops, which operate in the southern and most dangerous part of the […]
If you are looking for something to browse during your weekend and were hoping that I might have posted something worthwhile, I’m sorry to disappoint. However, I might recommend that you check out the International Affairs Forum's extensive and useful coverage of Africa. That should keep you busy.
The death toll from a Thursday evening blasts in Baghdad has risen to 68 with over 120 wounded, according to Al Jazeera English. The dual bombs were set off in a crowded market, and no one has yet claimed responsibility. They were set off one right after another, with a New York Times piece quoting […]
In order to rationalize and expand upon the Foreign Policy Association's coverage of Africa, the FPA has started a new blog with roots extending from the South Africa Blog. The Africa Blog will cover both continentwide issues as well as regional and country concerns. I will be the senior editor/blogger at the Africa blog while […]
I have been silent on the fiasco going on at the University of the Free State largely because some stories almost write their own commentary. Mix Afrikaner racism with white and black college students and the possibility of a combustible mix will be present. The Mail & Guardian's “Thought leader” has had a couple of […]
Concerning yesterday's piece about a US rapprochement with Uzbekistan, Eurasianet.org has broken a story that NATO troops, including Americans, will in the very near future be able to access a military airbase at Termez, on the Uzbek-Afghan border. The article quotes NATO special envoy Robert Simmons; "We welcome the fact Uzbekistan has shown readiness to […]
As of now I am moving my Zimbabwe coverage from the South Africa Blog to this Africa Blog. Even as outside observers continue to ask if Robert Mugabe can lose his race to maintain control over the country he has so dominated for nearly three decades, the wily old despot works to ensure that losing […]
After all of the chaos, violence, indecision and intransigence it appears that Kenya may be on the way to peace. The country's newly configured Parliament has met under the country's power-sharing agreement and everyone seems to be saying and doing the right things. But what are the prospects for reconciliation? Clearly the election revealed fissures […]
I would like to welcome you all to the Foreign Policy Association's new Africa Blog. Some of you may be familiar with me from the FPA's South Africa Blog, which I have run for nearly a year now. I will serve as the senior blogger/senior editor of the Africa Blog, but we will also add […]
Recently elsewhere I wrote about the passing of George Fredrickson, emphasizing the role he played in my own intellectual development. Here is his New York Times obituary. Another leading South African historian, Stanley Trapido, who left South Africa after the Sharpevile Massacre in 1960 and became a lecturer at Oxford, also died recently. You can […]
According to NPR, a survey of almost 5,000 Chinese shows that support for candidates is divided as follows: Clinton – 60% Obama – 24% McCain – 7% The clip explains that Hillary is favored simply because she is the most known. Let us not forget her address at the 1995 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing. Listen here […]
This seems in contradiction to my post below, which states that it is impossible for Hamas or Hezbollah to modify themselves into responsible political actors. So before I get into this post I’ll clarify- it isn't impossible, at all, for people to reform, no matter how murderous or nihilistic or jihad-drenched they were; it is […]
In early February, New York Times reporter C.J. Chivers discussed commander of the United States Central Command Adm. William J. Fallon's recent visit to Tashkent and meeting with President Karimov. Fallon stated that he had no "grand plan' for Uzbekistan (i.e. a rapprochement in relations and a request of military assistance), but that his visit […]
Two interesting developments in the Zimbabwe election campaign. The first is that it appears that many of Simba Makoni's supporters are hedging their bets, quietly supporting the upstart candidate while avowing their loyalty to Zanu-PF and thus implicitly, it would seem, to Robert Mugabe. One can sympathize with the inclination — crossing Mugabe almost always […]