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Tag Archives: Pakistan

Macabre But Good News

As I hinted at in my last post, the spate of violence in Pakistan can actually be seen as a good thing (the wanton death and destruction aside). This piece in today’s New York Times demonstrates that Pakistan is facing the prospect that “the Taliban, Al Qaeda and militant groups once nurtured by the government […]

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Militant Hubris

For the last eight years, Pakistan has been playing a double-game. Despite considerable US pressure, Pakistan declined to totally give up Al-Qaeda and allied Taliban militants, who had been long supported and used by the Pakistani Army and intelligence services as regional proxies against India. As long as the militants stayed out of the business […]

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Create Jobs, Not Sadists

A recent Facebook video has documented prisoner abuse by the Pakistani Army. This, needless to say, will not help Pakistan’s efforts to stem its Taliban insurgency in the Northwest Frontier Province, nor will it help America’s mission in the region. Regardless of the morality of torturing and abusing prisoners of war (and, to put it […]

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Don't Reach For The Stars In Afghanistan

This article by David Axe, Malou Innocent, and Jason Reich at Foreign Policy is pretty much* spot on. The Taliban, either Afghan or Pakistani, are not a security threat to America on their own—they have neither the capacity nor the will to strike at American interests. But al-Qaeda has proven itself capable of accomplishing horrific […]

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ISI-Taliban collaboration against India?

It is no secret that India believes the Pakistani Intelligence Agency (ISI) sponsors terrorists against Jammu &Kashmir (J&K) in the long drawn border dispute between the two countries. But according to a media report the ISI is planning to use captured Taliban militants to infiltrate and fight the ‘jihad’ against India in J&K. “In a […]

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Soldiers, Lawyers, and … not much else

Pakistan has a lot of problems. (How’s that for an understated opening?) One of the major problems in the country, however, is the lack of credible state institutions. In fact, the only state institution that is universally recognized and respected is the Pakistani Army. So it comes as a bit of good news that the […]

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On The Brink of Sanity

On The Brink of Sanity

Pakistan wins ICC ODI Champions match against India 2009. The win shows that fans in South Asia are changing. Cricinfo has a great article by Sambit Bal who explains that because matches between both countries have increased, the excitement has been muted to an extent and has made the game more “sane”. I agree. I think Cricket should not be inextricably linked to national identity, politics or religion in South Asia because it perpetuates divisiveness. On the contrary, delinking such issues from India Pakistan matches will allow us to focus on the game.

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Back Channel Diplomacy for India & Pakistan?

: Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi of Pakistan suggests that Islamabad appoint a special envoy to India in attempt to engage both countries in back channel diplomacy, and hopefully more progressive, warming relations. Riaz Mohammad KHan is considered for the position of special envoy and Foreign Minister Qureshi insists that such attempts should work in tandem with front ends of diplomacy as well. Perhaps in the initial stages, US Special Envoy Holbrooke or another envoy might mediate such talks that can lead to a warming of relations in the Subcontinent.

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Considering the ISI

United States General McChrystal explains that Iran’s Quds Force and Pakistan’s ISI are aiding the Taliban in Afghanistan, undermining US efforts and interests in the War on Terror. His remarks are useful in drawing out history of extremist groups in the region and the ISI’s dealings with Afghanistan during and after the Soviet Afghan War. That history shows that Pakistan has no significant links to Al Qaeda, the perpetrators of 9/11 and links with the Taliban were dictated by our interests in funding Mujahideen forces to counter Soviets int he 1980’s.

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News Update

Since Iran is such a vibrant country and is constantly in the news, there are plenty of news and analyses that I read while researching my blog but am unable to write about.  So here is my first installment of stories about Iran that “slip through the cracks” (yes- I am quoting Lewis Black from […]

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Aid to Pakistan

Does the US care enough about Pakistan to face the long haul? Does Pakistan? The New York Times reported Sunday that the Obama administration is trying to decide what economic assistance to offer Pakistan, given the level of corruption and waste. American officials said the need to assist the Pakistani economy directly became alarmingly clear […]

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News

The Hindu reports that Russia has offered to help India build an advanced radar. “As the race to secure the Indian Air Force’s $10-billion tender for 126 combat jets reached the crucial stage of flight trials, Russia, on top of a full technology transfer, is offering India help in building its own advanced radar. This […]

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Metrics and Af-Pak

The Obama Administration released yesterday its list of 50 metrics, under three objectives, to designate progress in the war in Central Asia. While it’s important to have a cohesive set of tactics for the war itself—and this document makes our goals much more lucid than before—what strategy does the war itself fit? Are we once […]

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Balancing News on Pakistan

CNN reports on Pakistan’s female fighter pilots and the Air Force’s work in counterinsurgency and the War on Terror. It’s a very good article and reminds us that Pakistan is a moderate country paying their own costs in trying to uproot fundamentalism, militancy and terrorism from their country.

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Peace Pipeline Causes Concern for DC

Peace Pipeline Causes Concern for DC

The Iran-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline slated for completion by 2013 sees India withdraw from the project and increasing concern from Washington that Pakistan do the same. However, there are few alternatives to such a profitable, efficient solution to Pakistan’s energy crisis. The IPI pipeline is testimony to Fareed Zakaria’s concept of “The Rise of the Rest” and beckons President Obama to consider formulating new strategies in foreign policy dealing with Iran, Pakistan and India

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