Politics turns on public finance; public finance turns on politics. Afghanistan is no different than the United States, or the United Kingdom on those terms. So it comes as a dismaying shock that the government of Afghanistan might have to bail out its largest and most important private bank. Kabul Bank has taken losses as […]
Events in Tunisia and Egypt are being closely monitored and discussed by pro- and anti-government forces in Baku these days, with postings on web forums, Twitter, facebook, and blogs – not to mention established web sites and newspapers. Even in Egypt, the well-known “sandmonkey” blogger has tweeted about Azerbaijan, expressing thanks for support the protesters […]
“A block of stone moving forward and leaving debris behind it”. That’s how the sculptor behind Russia’s first post-Communist statue of a 20th century politician summed up his subject, Boris Yeltsin; and it’s probably the best description I’ve heard. While grotesque, it’s not altogether senseless for the Kremlin to unveil a monument to Yeltsin a […]
For a majority of President Obama’s 2nd State of the Union address foreign affairs were only brought up in relation to domestic economic or social issues. For instance, the US was ‘falling behind’ South Korea in education and Europe in infrastructure… The focus on domestic issues should not be a surprise as Obama has already […]
Though he might well trot about in handmade footwear, President Karzai has been flip-flopping, first moving away from his backers and back into the fold when promises to coddle his administration recently fell to strong remonstrations and anger within the diplomatic circles in Kabul. First, citing charges of election fraud, he promised that he won’t […]
When Lenin’s body was still warm, a special emergency committee was formed to keep him “more alive than the living”, in the words of Mayakovsky. It was called the Immortalisation Commission. The Soviet Union’s top scientists were assembled to work against all odds. As one remarked, when Lenin was shown to them, “the left hand […]
A few days ago, an ad hominem attack on the US appeared in the pages (or on the web site) of “Azerbaijan,” the official journal of Azerbaijan’s parliament, the Milli Majlis. The article delved into real and imagined hypocritical facets of US foreign policy since the end of the Second World War, and despite its […]
“BP will do anything for people not to talk about the Gulf, and Rosneft will do anything for people not to talk about how it got all its assets” That’s how Khodorkovsky lawyer Robert Amsterdam summed up the recent BP-Rosneft deal, which gives the disgraced oil giant drilling rights in the Russian arctic in partnership […]
A sizeable amount of natural gas has been found in Tajikistan- 60 billion cubic meters of gas, enough to supply Tajikistan for 50 years. Some of this gas may be available this year to Tajik households, freeing the country from Uzbekistan’s stranglehold on energy supplies. With a few more hydro-electric plants coming on board by […]
Starting 2011 as they mean to on, the Tandem have kicked off their (respective?) re-election campaigns with the traditional detention of opposition activists. While I shed few tears for Khodorkovsky regardnig his sentence and none over the New Year’s eve arrest of Boris Nemtsov (whose self-promoting membership of the Other Russia cannot hide his inability […]
Overview Like most years, 2010 was a tumultuous one for the country of Afghanistan and for all the actors intertwined in its present and future. The Obama administration’s 30,000 troop surge became a reality while its designer and leader, Gen. McChrystal was sent packing for his unprofessional remarks to a Rolling Stone journalist. The jury […]
Armenia I’ve already written at length on the wreckage of the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process, surely the biggest story of 2010 for Armenia and perhaps the entire Caucasus. So let’s turn to a few less-reported issues from Armenia, including the prosecution of journalists and activists. On 28 December, Davit Kiramijian, 19, and Sargis Gevorgian, 18, received […]
Peter Feaver of Shadow Government has penned (keyboarded?) a provocative analysis of coming dilemma facing President Obama and his forthcoming Afghan war decision. Feaver first recalls the candidate Obama’s rhetoric on the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, reminding us all how hawkish the future president sounded on Afghanistan. Feaver than discusses how some things have […]
This just in: Matt Bryza was confirmed today (December 29) as the new US ambassador to Azerbaijan. About time. This was a “recess appointment” by the White House, necessitated by a “hold” placed on Bryza by California Senator Barbara Boxer and Robert Menendez of New Jersey, both Democrats responding to strenuous criticism of Bryza from […]
RUSSIA REPORT CARD: In 2010, did Russia make Honor Roll, or get detention? PHYS-ED: B We are pleased with Russia’s recent progress, particularly in soccer, where organisation and hard work were rewarded with the coveted World Cup prize. However, this victory was considerably tarnished by our poor performance at this year’s interscholastic Olympiad, particularly in […]