In The News

The Gordian Knot of Gaza

Tamara Cofman Wittes March 6, 2009
The internal politics for authoritarian Arab nations allied with the US complicate any resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and empower nations that resist Western influence, like Iran. The lack of power and miserable existence for Palestinians who seek their own state resonates with millions of Arabs, especially those who live in corrupt regimes allied with the US, Israel's major...

A Dangerous Void in Pakistan

Ahmed Rashid March 4, 2009
Many analysts had hoped that the democratic elections in 2008 and the resulting civilian government might stabilize Pakistan. Instead, a dithering and weak government which tried to buy off Islamic militants by a controversial ceasefire now face a breakdown of the ceasefire, in the midst of new terrorist attacks, political protests and economic meltdown. The result is that NATO and the US,...

End Game in Sri Lanka

Harsh V. Pant February 23, 2009
Civil war has divided Sri Lanka since 1983, as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fought for a separate state for Tamils, which comprise 18 percent of the country’s population. But global and regional events that conspired against the rebel cause can’t be counted on during the post-conflict phase, explains Harsh V. Pant, a lecturer in defense studies at King’s College in London. Several factors...

NATO’s Double Standards Make for a Hollow Alliance

Alexander Melikishvili January 26, 2009
NATO increasingly confronts an existential crisis, reflected by three mutually reinforcing trends – inconsistent and fast-paced enlargement policy, problematic internal cohesion and inadequate military spending. Researcher Alexander Melikishvili offers cases that point to the challenges NATO faces: The separate quests by Albania and Georgia for NATO admission reveal inconsistent admission...

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...