Central Asia Current Events - Afghanistan Current Events

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For a symbol of how America's decade-long war is going in Afghanistan, look at the fields of red poppies flowering so bountifully there

Barbaric Custom in Kyrgyzstan

President Roza Otunbayeva of Kyrgyzstan became the first senior Kyrgyz official to forcefully denounce 'bride kidnapping,' an entrenched custom in her Central Asian state

Karzai's Ingratitude is Wearing Thin

Now Hamid Karzai wants to be our friend. Even after insulting the United States at every opportunity, year after year, the Afghan president now says he wants to maintain a 'strategic partnership' with Washington

Afghanistan and Iraq: A Tale of Two Surges

Afghanistan poses far more challenges than Iraq. Instead of Iraq's billions of dollars in state oil revenue, impoverished Afghan gangs export opium. Iraqis are part of the larger Arab world, living in its most strategically important area. Afghans are far more isolated and less critical to the world economy

Pakistan: SWAT women face dual burden

Women in the Swat Valley in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtoonkh'wa province are working harder than ever to keep their households running

India: Border Killings Mount Despite No-Shooting Decree

The death toll at the Bangladesh-India border continues to mount three months after the Indian government instructed its border security forces to stop shooting civilians suspected of being undocumented migrants or a threat to national security

Examining the Causes and Effects of the Soviet Collapse

One sign of the how highly Lawrence Sheets is esteemed as an analyst of Central Asia and the Caucasus was the large turnout of his fellow journalists for his presentation of his new book, 8 Pieces of Empire: A 20-Year Journey Through the Soviet Collapse

Pity the Children of Afghanistan

Hardly anyone noticed, but the Afghan government cut the budget for the state's Independent Human Rights Commission by half this year, evidencing 'the government's lack of interest and political will in the promotion of human rights'

In Larger Scheme, Pakistan Cooperates

The sheer volume of negative media attention would lead any attentive reader to believe that Pakistan-U.S. relations are headed toward a severe, maybe violent, rupture. Memory is short, but the U.S.-Pakistan alliance is nearly as old as Pakistan itself

United States Must Maintain Bilateral Relationship with Pakistan

Despite legitimate concerns about Pakistan's loyalties, it remains in the United States' national security interest to maintain our bilateral relationship with Pakistan

Pakistan Neither Ally Nor Enemy

Pakistan is neither an ally nor an enemy of the United States. Both countries have a long track record of partnering on important strategic goals. But in the last two decades, U.S. and Pakistani interests have seriously diverged

Pakistan Does Not Respond to American Pressure

Neither the United States nor Pakistan views the other as a reliable ally. U.S. officials have tried to sweep this uncomfortable truth under the rug for too long

Pakistan Is 'Too Big To Fail'

The United States and Pakistan need to continue working to bring policies toward closer alignment and investing in efforts to build stronger ties between our people. Pakistan is 'too big to fail' and offers tremendous potential for playing a more constructive role in its region

United States - Pakistan Goals Diverge

Pakistan and the United States have pursued an important partnership for the past decade, based on the premise that their strategic goals in Pakistan were the same. This is at best only half true

In Post-Soviet Central Asia Russian Takes Back Seat

In the 20 years since the Central Asian republics of the Soviet Union became independent, the influence of the Russian language has been declining in these countries

Ethnic Minority Leaders Claim Betrayal by Bangladesh Authorities

A former guerrilla commander now a leader of Bangladesh' indigenous people has charged the Bangladesh authority with 'betrayal' of their political autonomy of the ethnic minorities living in the hill forests in the country's southeast region

Afghanistan: There's a Winnable War in Progress

Reporting out of Afghanistan is decidedly downbeat these days, intimating that the United States is entangled in an unwinnable war. The focus tends to be on what is not working in the country. This is perhaps understandable given that foreign often cover death and destruction in Afghanistan. But they aren't seeing what is working

Pakistan Says It Can Live Without U.S. Aid

In comments that could rile Congress, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States said that his country doesn't seek U.S. aid, but ending it would hurt U.S. relations with the Pakistani people

Disaster Times Two in Pakistan

Another round of flooding in Pakistan offers the United States an opportunity to build goodwill in a strained relationship

Pakistan: Reversing the Lens

Mutual distrust between the United States and Pakistan in part results from mistakes and misjudgments by both countries that date back to the 1979-89 Russian occupation of Afghanistan. But at its heart is an American strategy that not only runs counter to Pakistan's interests

Pakistan: Sindh Flood Victims Lack Shelter as Winter Approaches

Temperatures in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh's Badin District, the area worst affected by floods which began in August, are still warm, though tens of thousands of people without adequate shelter are beginning to feel chilly at night

Bangladesh Population Pegged at 150.5 Million

Population of the world's poorest nation, Bangladesh, has been counted by a United Nations agency at 150.5 million as the world's population is expected to reach 7 billion

Central Asia: Russia Grapples with a Security Dilemma

When it comes to dealing with the United States and NATO on security issues in Central Asia, Russia is acting tough while operating from a position of increasing weakness

From the Mediterranean to the Hindu Kush: Rethinking the Region

Central Asia and the Middle East has been the main arena for the U.S. intervention that followed the 9/11 attacks. Obviously, the United States had been engaged in this area in previous years, but 9/11 redefined it as the prime region in which it confronted jihadists. That struggle has had many phases, and it appears to have entered a new one over the past few weeks

Dealing with the Haqqanis

In a year of promises, unmatched violence, and pointed fingers, public attention has been diverted away from the Taliban and onto a new source of violent opposition. The Haqqani network is now the target of American ire in Afghanistan

India-Afghanistan Partnership Through the Eyes of the Pakistani Media

In the wake of its strategic partnership agreement with India, Afghanistan has become an untouchable, even an 'enemy', for many Pakistani commentators

Putin Calls For Eurasian Union In Former Soviet Space

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has outlined a grand vision for integrating ex-Soviet states in his first major policy initiative since he announced his intention to return to the Kremlin

Central Asia: Iran Being Left Out of New Silk Road Plans

The New Silk Road strategy is a key aspect of the U.S. plan to promote stability in Central Asia. The hope is that boosting trade among Afghanistan and its neighbors will build prosperity and promote peace. As it stands, Iran -- Afghanistan's western neighbor, and a country with which Kabul has annual trade of about $1.5 billion -- would be sidelined

India: 'Enclave' Residents Campaign for Citizenship

Thousands of ethnic Bengalis living near the Bangladesh-India border have for decades found themselves citizens of one nation but bound within the sovereign territory of another. In recent months they have escalated their campaign for a land swap that will align their citizenship with cartography

Central Asia: Censorship 3.0 and the Struggle for Online Free Speech

As they strive to control the flow of information in the Internet Age, Central Asian governments are moving away from a party-hack mentality and assuming the mindset of a hacker

Mineral Wealth Set to Transform Mongolia into 'Minegolia'

A nation of just over 3 million, where herding and agriculture have long been the dominant features of the economy, Mongolia is on the cusp of becoming a global financial supernova. Experts estimate that the country possesses as much as $1 trillion-worth of untapped precious metals and minerals

Energy Crises and Riots in Pakistan

Implementing the necessary reforms in Pakistan's power sector requires able leadership and internal stability as well as a conducive and transparent environment for attracting investment

Pakistan's Sponsorship of Terrorism Is Undeniable

'You cannot afford to alienate Pakistan,' Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar averred. And Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani confidently asserted: 'You can't live with us -- or without us.' Think again. A few days later, the Obama administration opened negotiations to improve relations with Uzbekistan, Afghanistan's authoritarian neighbor to the north

Dante in Karachi: Circles of Crime in a Megacity

Karachi's astonishing violence is generally ascribed to political and ethnic rivalry. While this may be true to an extent, its roots run deep into the incredibly complex structure of this city of 18 million people, where politicians, criminals, terrorists and migrants from nearby warzones compete for power and survival

A Nuclear Retaliation Alternative for India

Since the infliction of unacceptable damage may not deter Pakistan from breaking the nuclear taboo, a 'tit for tat' strategy in case of lower order nuclear use is worth considering

Afghanistan: The Regional Complex

Afghanistan's war enters its second decade with the Taliban emboldened and the United States enfeebled. But the power-play between Pakistan, India and China is also now central to an assessment of what comes next

Afghanistan's Energy War

A little-noted energy agenda moving rapidly forward in Afghanistan could exacerbate insecurity and instability, and ensure a prolonged U.S. and foreign military presence

Strategic Partnership with Afghanistan: India Showcases Soft Power

If India is able to sustain a comprehensive partnership with Afghanistan in trying circumstances, it would serve as a model for managing its relationships with other neighbors

Afghanistan War Marks 10th Year Quietly

The 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan milestone passed quietly. There was little observance by U.S. troops still in Afghanistan

Why Are Pakistan's Militant Groups Splintering?

The plethora of new groups is not only a change from the previous tendency among Pakistani militant groups to form large umbrella organizations like the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It also has been accompanied by a breakdown of these larger structures, making it uncertain what kind of command structure the new groups share

Afghanistan is Obama's Gordian Knot

Useful advice can be found in the past. Alexander drew his sword and slashed the knot. Barack Obama has promised a withdrawal of many or most American troops from Afghanistan in the months to come

Questions Raised About Haqqani Network Ties with Pakistan

The villain responsible for the raft of violence against US targets in Kabul has been identified - and the finger points directly to a shadowy insurgent group and, by extension, to Pakistan's intelligence agency

Russia Strives to Clarify Vision for Central Asian Alliance

Russian officials think the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a bloc of friendly ex-Soviet republics, can develop into a security grouping on par with NATO. But recent CSTO military exercises show that Moscow lacks a clear vision for how to utilize the alliance

Azerbaijan Wrestles with Iranian Predicament

Tension between Iran and Azerbaijan is on the rise, and policymakers in Baku need to be nimble as they manage the diplomatic challenge posed by Tehran

9/11 and the Successful War

On September 12, 2001, few would have anticipated the course the resulting war would take. In retrospect, many speak with great wisdom about what should have been thought about 9/11 at the time and what should have been done in its aftermath. I am always interested in looking at what people actually said and did at the time

Kashmir Police Question 3 in Delhi Bombing

Just a day after a powerful blast ripped the entrance of New Delhi's High Court, Kashmir police took three men into custody on the basis of an email believed to have been sent by terrorist group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami

Leaving Afghanistan to the Afghans

To comprehend the United States' progress in Afghanistan, it is important to understand how and where we have focused our resources and what work lies ahead. To be sure, the United States and its coalition partners still have plenty of challenges left to tackle in Afghanistan. However, there are indisputable gains everywhere we have focused our efforts

Afghanistan: Rethinking the Way Forward

New York Times columnist David Brooks not too long ago criticized the way the international aid system functions in Afghanistan. He argues that 'the influx of aid has, in many cases, created dependency, fed corruption, contributed to insecurity and undermined the host government’s capacity to oversee sustainable programs'

The Other South Asia

Though Pakistan and Afghanistan still continue to be embroiled in religious and ethnic conflict, the rest of South Asia appears keen to check and go beyond such tendencies

Taliban Hotel Attack: Low Death Toll, High Psychological Value

When viewed in the context of other recent attacks in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan, the Taliban's attack on the Intercontinental Hotel was not all that spectacular. It certainly did not kill the 90 people the Taliban claim, although it does have a number of interesting security implications

Afghanistan: How Much Easier It Is to Start a War Than to Finish One

President Obama's announcement that he'll be ordering only a limited drawdown of the more than 100,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan by the end of the year is yet another reminder that it's much easier to start a war than to finish one. Indeed, Afghanistan offers a case study in the axiom

Obama's Afghanistan Plan and the Realities of Withdrawal

The beginning of the drawdown of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan will entail opportunities for the Taliban on the battlefield as forces fall back to a more limited and more secure presence

Azerbaijan Faces Difficult Choice Between Turkey and Israel

Policymakers in Azerbaijan are facing a dilemma: can an enemy of a friend be a friend? Specifically, can Baku maintain cordial relations with both Turkey and Israel at the same time?

United States Gaze Turns to Uzbeks

As ties between the United States and Pakistan continue to sour, speculation is mounting that Uzbekistan may become a new ally of convenience in the US war on terror

Afghanistan: Rabbani Assassination May Peel Tajiks Away from Kabul

The assassination of Burhanuddin Rabani will have minimal impact on Afghanistan's peace process. What it will do is weaken President Hamid Karzai's administration through the alienation of Afghanistan's influential Tajik minority

Rabbani Assassination: An Assertive Taliban and America's Dilemmas

The strategists in the US had hoped that the Taliban would join the reconciliation process and Pakistan would behave. This is unlikely to happen. The American dream project of a free, democratic liberal Afghanistan may be tottering on its last legs

NATO Chief Welcomes Obama Decision To Withdraw Troops

The head of NATO signaled his approval of President Barack Obama's speech in which he declared American troops would begin withdrawing from Afghanistan next month

Afghanistan Bracing For Reduced Wheat Harvest

Afghanistan is likely to face a significant food shortage in the coming months, following poor rains which have affected this season's wheat crop. Wheat is the primary food staple for most families

Bangladesh Ethnic Communities Protest Islamization Of Constitution

The Bangladesh government's dramatic turn around from secularism to Islamism has enraged the indigenous population, who are demanding to be recognized in a proposed re-draft of the country's constitution

The Afghan Money Pit

If you were to read two new government reports on American aid to Afghanistan, you would come away first astounded and then utterly furious, just as I did. Ten years into the Afghan war, our government still heedlessly throws many billions of dollars at Afghan organizations that steal some of it and pass the rest off to militants who use it to kill American troops

United States and Pakistan: Afghan Strategies

It is apparent that the United States is exploring ways to accelerate the drawdown of its forces in the country. It is also clear that U.S. relations with Pakistan are deteriorating to a point where cooperation is breaking down. These are two intimately related issues. Any withdrawal from Afghanistan, particularly an accelerated one, will leave a power vacuum in Afghanistan

No Clear Route Out Of Servitude For Indentured Girls

Efforts to free thousands of enslaved girls in Nepal and get them into school need more funding and less government bureaucracy, activists say

Robert Gates: Parting Shot on Afghan Policy

When President Obama gathered his top advisers on Afghan policy at the White House for his latest assessment, soon-to-depart Secretary of Defense Robert Gates participated via videoconference from Afghanistan. But his advice already had been given on the ground: Don't grow more impatient

An Invitation to Leave Afghanistan

Just as President Obama is weighing how many troops to call home from Afghanistan, in a withdrawal process he promised to begin in July, Afghan President Hamid Karzai seems to be threatening to show them the door

Light at End of Afghan Tunnel Recedes

The United States - NATO presence in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly immaterial

Karachi's Long Summer of Violence

Karachi is the biggest city in Pakistan. It is the country's commercial hub, financial capital, naval base, and only operational seaport. For the past several months, this city has once again been in the grip of violence

Evolution of a Pakistani Militant Network

It is important to look at 'brand-name' jihadist groups in Pakistan like LeT, al Qaeda, the Haqqani network and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan as loosely affiliated networks more than monolithic entities.

Afghanistan: Patchy Progress on Education

Despite billions of dollars in aid and government funding over the past decade, Afghanistan still has about four million school-age children out of school, officials say

For Many Republicans Afghanistan Is A Budget Issue

The military intervention in Afghanistan will cost U.S. taxpayers about $113 billion total -- roughly $2 billion per week -- in the current fiscal year. As the administration prepares for its promised withdrawal of troops starting in July, the anti-spending climate in Washington could be the impetus that opponents of the Afghanistan war have been waiting for

The Bin Laden Operation: Tapping Human Intelligence

Since May 2, when U.S. special ops forces killed Osama bin Laden, the media have covered the raid from virtually every angle. The United States and Pakistan have also squared off over the U.S. violation of Pakistan's sovereign territory and Pakistan's possible complicity in hiding Bin Laden. All this, however, largely ignores the years of intelligence development in the hunt for bin Laden

Re-examining the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Analyst Nathan Hughes examines the U.S. withdrawal of combat forces from Afghanistan

Defense Policy: After Pakistan

The death of Osama bin Laden, and the manner in which it was carried out, will have major repercussions for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The coming weeks will reveal whether these will take the form of threats or opportunities

Defense Policy: International Terrorism Narrative Shift

John Maynard Keynes once wrote: "when the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" The recent death of Osama bin Laden on May 1 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, has prompted a reassessment of the facts regarding the west's fight against international terrorism and its involvement in Afghanistan and the wider region

Pakistan and Afghanistan: A Tangled Knot

America's involvement in Pakistan and Afghanistan may be the most complex foreign-policy dilemma the nation has ever faced. And with the death of Osama bin Laden, along with Pakistan's furious response, the knot is growing ever more tangled.

A Low in Cycle of United States - Pakistan Ties

Osama bin Laden's death during an American raid on his compound in Abottabad, Pakistan, not far from Pakistan's premier military academy, has pushed U.S.-Pakistan relations to a 'new low,' says Hassan Abbas. Abbas says this is typical of the recent rocky relationship the two countries, which need each other but also undercut each other at crucial times

Bin Laden's Death a Rorschach Test for the World

The killing of Osama bin Laden is producing an unexpected outcome. His death is proving to be a Rorschach test for the entire world. Everyone who looks at it sees something different, sometimes betraying hidden motivations

Tough Times for Radical Islam

Osama bin Laden is dead. The Middle East is in chaos. And radical Islam is floundering. For a time after 9/11, bin Laden was riding high. But now bin Laden and most of his henchmen of a decade ago are dead or they are in hiding. What caused al-Qaeda's steady decline? There are a lot of reasons

Bin Laden's Death and U.S. Afghan Policy

Getting the Military Out of Pakistani Politics

Bin Laden Death Raises Big National Security Questions

Pakistan Unaware of Osama bin Laden Presence? Don't Believe It

Where the United States Goes from Here

Freedom Fever

Afghanistan: Deadly Addiction

Plan B in Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Fallout of the Global Gun Trade

Finish the Job: How the War in Afghanistan Can Be Won

Lessons From the Iraq War for Afghanistan

Foreign Policy Review Suggests a Losing Effort