afghanistan article_210x140 Courtesy: TheU.S.Army/Flickr
2 July 2011

U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan: Politics wins over policy

The 10-year old war in Afghanistan has reached a hazy stage as the U.S. announced a quicker withdrawal of troops, with NATO countries soon to follow. The South Asian region will undergo another makeover, hopefully opening doors for New Delhi and Islamabad.

Lear 21 Wikipedia Courtesy: Lear21,ThomasWolf/Wikipedia
22 April 2011

Germany: Charting its own course

Germany’s abstention on the UN Resolution on Libya heralds the mellowing of a nation blamed for last century’s most catastrophic wars. This time, Berlin may determine the history of Europe by choosing to pursue its national interests peacefully rather than subjugating an entire populace.

UN Photo Marco Castro_210x140 Courtesy: UNPhoto/MarcoDormino
12 April 2011

New trends in the management of upheaval

A new United Nations doctrine is revolutionising the manner in which Western powers achieve regime change. Under the pretext of “Responsibility to Protect” –as the doctrine is named –armed intervention does not depend on the aspirations of a populace but the facilitation of existing power equations

AL J Libya fLICKR Courtesy: AlJazeeraEnglish/Flickr
31 March 2011

A New Taliban in Libya?

The fundamental problem when supporting an anti-regime opposition is to ascertain the identity and purpose of the rebels. It is a question –which M.D. Nalapat discovers –is never asked by the United States, no stranger to shoring up rebels in far-off countries.

Frank Wisner Courtesy: GatewayHouse
26 March 2011

“No political connectivity between BRICS”

Frank Wisner, the legendary US diplomat who was not only President Barack Obama's special envoy to Egypt but also a former ambassador to India, discusses the outlook for Egypt, resolving the mayhem in the Middle East and India-Pakistan relations in a Gateway House exclusive.

Nina-no wIKIMEDIA Courtesy: NinaAldinThune/Wikimedia
7 February 2011

March of Follies in Egypt

There are more than Western interests at play in Egypt. The other catalysts for the unrest are a combination of Iranian adventures, hypocritical policies of West Asian regimes and resurgent commodity speculation in western markets, triggering a rise in prices of basic items in emerging markets

president ir 2_210x140 Courtesy: PresidentIR
2 August 2010

Reassessing the Iranian nuclear threat

The leaders of Turkey and Brazil recently voted against sanctioning Iran, concluding that Iran's leaders do not intend to violate their most important Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligation. India, as a member of NAM, should also concede.