In The News

Why My Father Hated India

Aatish Taseer July 19, 2011
Resentment lingers since Pakistan’s 1947 birth and partition from India, with an ongoing rivalry that embroils the closest of personal relationships and endangers international security. “In the absence of a true national identity, Pakistan defined itself by its opposition to India,” explains novelist Aatish Taseer, son of a Pakistani father, recently killed by militants, and an Indian Sikh...

Clinton Links US Diplomacy to Jobs

Daniel Lippman July 15, 2011
The US Congress is on a cost-cutting drive, and foreign aid is in line for the chopping block, a move deeply worrying to the leader of American diplomacy. Investing in diplomacy builds connections, opens new markets for US companies and creates jobs for Americans, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton contended in a speech to the Global Leadership Coalition, a group of businesses and nonprofits...

Obama's Winning Formula for Syria

Ali Younes July 14, 2011
With brutal force and intimidation visible the world over, Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad has lost his countrymen’s support. The international community responds with condemnation and sanctions. Al-Assad can resign, lead in establishing democratic rights or live life as a pariah. Regardless, Al-Assad is weakened, and that benefits the US, explains policy analyst Ali Younes for Ahram Weekly. If...

US Should Slap Sanctions on ISI Officials

Bruce Riedel July 12, 2011
Evidence is emerging that top officials of Pakistan’s ISI spy agency assisted fugitive Osama bin Laden. Because of such links, Pakistan could not serve as a base of operations for fighting extremism for the foreseeable future, predicts Bruce Riedel, former official with the US Central Intelligence Agency, now with the Brookings Institute. He argues that imposing tough sanctions against...

Pakistan’s Nuclear-Bomb Maker Says North Korea Paid Bribes for Know-How

R. Jeffrey Smith July 11, 2011
Pakistan was a source of nuclear secrets released to North Korea, Iran and Libya during the 1990s, but the Pakistani government long denied official knowledge of nuclear smuggling operations. A statement and documents released by Abdul Qadeer Khan, founder of Pakistan’s nuclear program, suggest that senior military officers were involved, reports R. Jeffrey Smith for the Washington Post. Pakistan...

South China Sea: A Commons for China Only?

Carlyle A. Thayer July 7, 2011
The 1982 UN Convention on Law of the Sea recognizes the common heritage of the world’s oceans with a set of laws organizing exclusive zones for nations 200 nautical miles from their respective coasts. Waters beyond are open for use by all in ways that contribute to peace and friendly relations. By declaring sovereignty over the South China Sea, China rejects the convention, argues Carlyle A....

Riyadh Will Build Nuclear Weapons If Iran Gets Them, Saudi Prince Warns

Jason Burke June 30, 2011
Saudi Arabia actively campaigns to redirect international attention on Iran’s nuclear program and influence in the Middle East. If Iran develops a nuclear weapon, the West can expect Saudi Arabia will follow suit, Saudi officials advised NATO officials. A warning from Prince Turki al-Faisal, former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to the US, was implicit, but other Saudi spokesmen were...