In The News

Health Care Costs to Squeeze Capitalism

Kenneth Rogoff August 21, 2007
Heath-care costs are becoming a higher proportion of national economies in western countries. Former senior official of the IMF, Kenneth Rogoff says when governments provide for health services that constitute one third of national incomes, health-care socialism becomes plain Marxism – based on the principle ‘to each according to his needs”. As the aging population increasingly requires...

Pakistan's Anniversary Wish – Justice

Ahmed Rashid August 16, 2007
Following a bitter split and violence, Britain's colonial rule over India ended 60 years ago this week, resulting in two independent nations, the Islamic state of Pakistan and the secular state of India. The division left many boundary issues unresolved and institutions in disarray, resulting in fierce nationalism, bitterness and wars. Those challenges, combined with military rule,...

Transcript of Pakistan at the Crossroads – Part II

August 9, 2007
On August 7, more than a month before Ms. Benazir Bhutto announced the date of her return to Pakistan, she sat down with YaleGlobal Online editor Nayan Chanda to discuss the state of her country and why she was determined to return home. She did return as she had said she would, and on December 27, 2007, she was killed in a terrorist attack. It was a death as foretold. Her comment on the task at...

Pakistan at the Crossroads – Part II

Nayan Chanda August 9, 2007
General Pervez Musharraf has been a key ally in the US war on terror, but opposition parties demand free elections as scheduled, even as Pakistan churns with political instability and street violence. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, in exile, is among the candidates ready to return to Pakistan and work for stability and moderation. In an exclusive interview with Bhutto – the second part of...

Pakistan at the Crossroads – Part I

Philip H. Gordon August 7, 2007
The US scrambles to manage multiple fronts in its war against terror. The US invaded Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 attacks, forcing the Taliban government to fall. But six years later, the nation is still far from secure and cannot hope to achieve stability without assistance from Pakistan, where Al Qaeda fighters are now said to hide. This two-part series examines various efforts afoot to...

When Democracy Goes Bad

Gwynne Dyer August 3, 2007
After independence from Pakistan in 1971, Bangladesh was ruled by dictators for 20 years. Even after the advent of democracy in 1991, power alternated between legacy candidates from the previous era. In January 2007, the army took matters into its hands, actively purging politicians accused of corruption. Eliminating corruption is a worthy goal in any country. But military takeovers, such as...

A US Alliance With One Man

Paula R. Newberg July 31, 2007
Pakistan, a nuclear power, is in a state of turbulence, confronting instability along its border with Afghanistan and violent militancy in the streets of the capital. A failing government system overshadows and compounds the problems: The Supreme Court reversed a decision by President Pervez Musharraf to dismiss the chief justice; the military has infiltrated the executive branch, society and...