In The News

Women's Rights in Afghanistan Lose Steam

Tom A. Peter March 9, 2011
As the world observed International Women's Day, news of the the fate of women in Afghanistan is discouraging. Since the US overthrow of the Taliban in Afghanistan a decade ago, women in urban communities gained basic human rights, including education, voting and the ability to step out onto public streets. But cultural resistance to equality in Afghanistan remains strong, reports Tom A....

Putting Poppies in the Gas Tank

Nicholas Schmidle March 1, 2011
The global demand for opium fuels poppy production in Afghanistan, which funds the Taliban. For years, the US military worked to eradicate poppy crops. But US veterans doing contract work in Afghanistan pointed out that poppies could be used for biofuel. The veterans drew on research from Tasmania, home to the world’s largest legal poppy fields, reports Michael Schmidle for the Atlantic, and...

When Millennia-Old Mummies Threaten National Identity

James Cuno February 23, 2011
Centuries ago, traders and travelers bearing commodities and ideas forged a series of routes crossing Central Asia, connecting China with Rome. What became known as the Silk Road is the epitome of early and unprecedented globalization. Archaeological excavations in the oasis areas of the Tarim Basin, the far western reaches of modern China, uncovered mummified human remains from 3,500 years ago...

A Tale of Two Ports

Christophe Jaffrelot January 7, 2011
A common strategy in geopolitical rivalries is to accrue alliances, strengthen positions and counter competitors. Of course, Asia is rich with historic rivalries: India and China, Pakistan and India, Iran and Pakistan, Iran and the US, the US and China. Two ports in the Arabian Sea, one in Iran and another Pakistan, demonstrate an emerging contest for power in the Arabian Sea, explains...

Russia Hosts Summit to Save Tiger

November 23, 2010
Fewer than 5000 wild tigers roam Asia’s shrinking wilderness, but the large, powerful cats inspire awe around the globe. Russia hosted a conference of 13 nations to plan raising hundreds of millions for establishing preserves and protecting the remaining animals. The Global Tiger Initiative, launched by World Bank President Robert Zoellick, states that the tiger’s extinction would represent...

Diasporas Shape Politics Back Home from Afar

Terrence Lyons, Peter Mandaville November 19, 2010
Modern forms of communication, cell phones and internet, allow citizens anywhere to stay on top of politics in their native lands. Diasporas promote wars or peace, send remittances to families and political groups, lobby for good relations with other nations and organize protests to focus attention on problems. Members of any diaspora specialize in, depending on skills, resources and laws in the...

Endgame for Afghanistan

Sreeram Chaulia November 17, 2010
The US and Iran have been at odds since militants overthrew the government and stormed the US embassy more than 30 years ago and, more recently, over Iran’s nuclear program and resistance to UN inspections. But the two nations still share common interests – animosity for the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Sunni extremism – particularly since the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, points out author Sreeram...