In The News

Schism Between Sunni and Shia Has Poisoned Islam for 1,400 years – It’s Getting Worse

Paul Vallely February 27, 2014
So many nations are polarized with ongoing conflict, and one reason is religious intolerance. In Muslim nations, a sharp religious divide between Sunni and Shia Muslims – one that began over who would succeed the Prophet Mohammed after his death in the 7th century, still contributes to jihad and civil war. “In most countries these Shia are minorities in a Sunni homeland,” explains Paul Vallely...

Two Talibans and India

Ashok Malik February 24, 2014
The US withdrawal from Afghanistan will pose challenges for the country and the entire region, including India. “Even if a security agreement is signed with the government in Kabul that allows the Americans to retain a small presence, the overarching security umbrella that has been in place since the Taliban defeat in 2001 would have receded,” writes Ashok Malik for the Times of India. “In...

War Drums in Asia: Back to the European Future?

Alistair Burnett February 11, 2014
This year marks the centenary of the First World War in Europe and has prompted comparisons with rising tensions between China and Japan, and the United States and China. A shifting balance of power adds to tensions. A small or accidental clash combined with alliance commitments could cause a wider war, suggests Alistair Burnett, editor of The World, a BBC News program. China’s fast-growing...

Islamabad Hides Behind Taliban Talks

Shams uz Zaman February 7, 2014
Pakistan and Taliban representatives have started peace talks. Pakistani media debate “whether a military operation or negotiations are the best solution to the Taliban insurgency,” reflecting deep divide between Pakistani secular liberals and religious conservatives, writes Shams uz Zaman for Asia Times. He suggests that Pakistan’s liberalism represents wealth and double standards rather than...

Philippine Leader Sounds Alarm on China

Keith Bradsher February 5, 2014
The president of the Philippines compared China’s territorial claims in South China Sea to Germany’s 1938 demands for Czech land, during an interview with Keith Bradsher of the New York Times. “Mr. Aquino’s remarks are among the strongest indications yet of alarm among Asian heads of state about China’s military buildup and territorial ambitions, and the second time in recent weeks that an Asian...

WMD Risks in Civil War: What Syria Can Teach

Bennett Ramberg January 23, 2014
Civil war has raged in Syria since early 2011, and US President Barack Obama once said the regime’s use of chemical weapons would not be tolerated. The weapons were used in summer 2013, and the US struggled to win approval for a military strike as the international community realized that military force may not prevent WMD movement and could lead to prolonged war that would intensify civilian...

US and Iran Face Common Enemies in Mideast Strife

Thomas Erdbrink January 7, 2014
The United States and Iran, despite disagreement over the latter’s nuclear program, have found common ground on a destabilized Middle East and seek end growing insurgencies in five nations including Iraq. The rhetoric reflects new pragmatism on the Middle East and recognition that participation by both Iran and the United States is essential for regional stability. “Iran offered to join the...