Although you don’t choose your country, the most successful patriotisms are those focused around ideals. An American may love America simply because he was born there, but considers his love to be more than mere tribalism by referencing its values as the “land of freedom” or praising its international brands of independence, liberty, democracy, faith, […]
On Saturday, March 26 the BBC Russian Service aired its last broadcast at 21:30 Moscow time. The BBC Russian Service ceased its radio broadcasts after 65 years on the air because of drastic budget cuts implemented by the British government. The BBC also stopped broadcasting to Russia in English on short and medium wave. A limited […]
Even as the world is waking up to new images of more atrocities committed by U.S. troops in Afghanistan, even as Afghans are taking to the streets, outside their villages to protest what they perceive to be American aggression against Afghan soil, two more deaths of innocent civilians have been reported, this time in the […]
Today’s editorial in the Moscow Times accuses Putin of hypocrisy for opposing the UN mandated operations in Libya. Putin, who rightly criticised Bush unilateralism on Iraq, should have applauded Obama’s multilateral, UN-centric approach. Instead, the paper proclaims, All of Obama’s multilateralism seems to have been lost on Putin, who has proved over the past decade […]
Happy Nowruz everyone! Today is what people in western culture and the Northern Hemisphere call the spring equinox, but in the east it is known as Nowruz (or as Persian New Year to some). In countries and cultures all across the Middle East and Central Asia, notably Iran, March 21 is Nowruz (or Nawroz in […]
What is one to say about news of new incendiary images of American soldiers posing with the innocent civilians that they killed? How can one fortify oneself to stand for the idea that these images, published today by Der Spiegel- images, inhumane all; images, well outside the bounds of propositional expression to describe them-are only […]
The latest opposition rally in Yerevan was held last Thursday, led by the Armenian National Congress (HAK) and its chief Levon Ter-Petrossian, Armenia’s first president. The latest in a series of demonstrations, this one was notable for the protesters reaching Freedom Square, a symbolic victory. The turnout may have been as large as the previous […]
Call it prudent or cynical, Russia’s decision to abstain from the UN’s resolution against Libya helped expose yet another regime-change crusade masquerading as new internationalism. Naturally, the country’s long-standing military and commercial ties with Qaddafi’s government played an important part in Russia’s regret over the war. However, a look at the security council vote reveals an eerie sense […]
A number of news organizations reported today that Azerbaijan is threatening to shoot down civilian airliners if they use the new airport in the Nagorno-Karabakh capital city of Stepanakert. The re-opening of the airport, closed in the early stages of armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the fate of Karabakh in 1991, was announced […]
Tomorrow, March 17th, the Asia Society in New York City is hosting a discussion entitled “The Future of Central Asia: A New Great Game?” Its focus is on current dynamics in Central Asia and how today’s developments will impact the region’s future featuring Philip Shishkin, a Bernard Schwartz Fellow at the Asia Society and a […]
Human Rights Watch reported on Tuesday that it was forced to shut down its operation in Uzbekistan after a 15 year presence in the country. For an unspecified reason, the Uzbek Justice Ministry moved to revoke HRW registration earlier this week which necessitated the organization to close its offices in Tashkent, the country’s capital. “With […]
I’d like to start with an addendum to the story alleging that the Azerbaijani government has ordered the closure of the local NDI (National Democratic Institute) office. As reported on this site yesterday, NDI had issued a denial that they had been told to cease operations. I didn’t weigh in on the matter, and will […]
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake On Thursday, March 10, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake Jr. testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia, on U.S. policy and engagement in Central Asia. The hearing was chaired by […]
The Great People’s Day, conceived by a handful of Azerbaijani opposition figures as a country-wide day of symbolic protests and local rallies, was held as scheduled on 11 March, and was for the most part a non-event. Arrests took place as soon as protesters assembled in various locations, although reportedly one group managed to march […]
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ pointed critique of NATO’s run toward the exits in Afghanistan was a much needed corrective to all the lead laden diplomatic talk in Brussels, Washington D.C. and Kabul. (You can find a complete transcript of his remarks here.) The war is a strategic draw nearly 10 years out; leaving now, […]