A sizeable amount of natural gas has been found in Tajikistan- 60 billion cubic meters of gas, enough to supply Tajikistan for 50 years. Some of this gas may be available this year to Tajik households, freeing the country from Uzbekistan’s stranglehold on energy supplies. With a few more hydro-electric plants coming on board by 2015, Tajikistan may finally be an energy exporter to neighboring countries.
Otherwise, Tajikistan has a lot of problems- a polio epidemic that killed 29 children, terrorism, instability along the Afghan border, and weak government control in some provinces.
On the bright side, Tajiks still have a sense of humor. Radio Liberty has put together a video from Tajikistan on inside political jokes. I think it’s great. Enjoy.
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
