In The News

Afghanistan’s Perilous Roads: Allies Struggle to Find Safer Supply Route

Dieter Bednarz February 18, 2009
The tribal people who live in the remote borderlands between Pakistan and Afghanistan are irritated about ongoing intrusions into their territory and way of life. As result, attacks against NATO convoys are on the rise along the few rugged roads between the two countries. Plans are underway for sending more NATO troops to stabilize Afghanistan, and that may force the allies to look for...

Freed Guantánamo Prisoners Taunt US as Closure Plan Falls Apart

Tim Reid February 10, 2009
In his first week in office, US President Barack Obama signed an executive order to close the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay. But other countries are not stepping forward to accept the prisoners, as reports emerge about former Guantánamo inmates charged with plotting new crimes. The US has ordered an evaluation of the inmates and continues to urge allies to accept some prisoners. Even US...

Gaza Explosions Reverberate in Europe

Shada Islam January 23, 2009
Israel invaded Gaza and waged war for 22 days, in response to Hamas firing a nonstop barrage of rockets over the border and refusing to recognize Israel’s right to exist: 13 Israelis and 1,300 Palestinians died, and more than 50,000 people were left homeless. A tenuous ceasefire is in place, but the hard feelings and questions swirl far from the region. In Europe, thousands marched along the...

Gaza Agreement Eludes Arab Leaders

January 21, 2009
After a regional economic summit, Arab governments vow to support Gaza, but disagree how to distribute aid or respond to Israel. “The question of how to respond to the Israeli offensive has divided Arab nations, with some nations calling for strong action while others prefer a softer approach,” notes a report from Al Jazeera network. Some $2 billion has been pledged, but countries like Egypt and...

The Dilemma of Dealing With Terror Central

Ramesh Thakur January 19, 2009
Ample evidence suggests that elements in Pakistan were behind November’s brutal terrorist assaults in Mumbai claiming more than 160 lives. As the clamor for retribution rises in India, the international community has urged restraint. International relations expert Ramesh Thakur argues that shrugging off the anger about these attacks, suggesting that they are merely an Indian problem, could be a...

Obama’s Worst Pakistan Nightmare

David E. Sanger January 13, 2009
Pakistani security personnel adamantly insist that their nuclear arsenal is safe, but US security officials do not agree. Senior officials in the Bush administration worry that radical Islamist groups could gain access to the weapons by either seizing them or by infiltrating the labs as scientists. Security officials also worry that extremists could use regional violence to manipulate Pakistan...

Save Pakistan to Save Us All

Gautam Adhikari January 12, 2009
Pakistan has been an epicenter for hatching terrorist plans, from the 9/11 attacks to the series of bombings in Mumbai, as well as the proliferation of nuclear know-how. After a long list of schemes originating in Pakistan, Gautam Adhikari argues that the international community can’t afford to regard the problem as regional or blame the people: “An unstable and economically desperate Pakistan...