For anyone interested in the Arctic who is currently in the San Francisco Bay Area, tomorrow (Tuesday, March 23 at 6:00 PM), the World Affairs Council will be hosting a lecture on the future of the Arctic by geopolitical expert Charles Emmerson. He will discuss his new book, “The Future History of the Arctic,” published […]
“There really are only two choices confronting the international community – to invest and endure, or to improve conditions to a point that we can exit.” This is how India, in words of Shashi Tharoor, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, expects the international community to deal with the challenges in Afghanistan. These expectations […]
To really understand an international political issue or situation, knowledge of the local geography is necessary. A presentation I saw a few years back by an American marine who served in Afghanistan showcased that no modern technology, weapon, tactic, etc. could completely supplant the axiom that ‘Geography is destiny’. It is for this reason I […]
It seems the Bangladesh government’s favorite token move to censor media is to claim the property right holder or distributor does not possess the legal title to provide that particular service. In November 2009, the government shut down a 24 hour news channel on the grounds that the owners did not possess the proper documents […]
The cards for a strike on Iran are slowly falling into place, with the White House potentially seeking outside help from a somewhat unlikely ally. Let’s set the scene. The White House has deemed that negotiations with the Iranian regime are futile and, in order to thwart the Iranian nucleaAr program, the United States must […]
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has ranked thwarting the Iranian nuclear program as its top priority. Even though the Obama and Netanyahu administrations have disagreed of late, you wouldn’t have guessed any tension during Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s speech today to the pro-Israel group at its annual convention. In her speech, Clinton focused […]
The government of Bangladesh shut down the Dhaka based Drik Gallery show on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). I’d written about the show last week, though I failed to mention–I thought it unnecessary at the time–that this was a righteous show to come along at this, the right moment when greater emphasis on democracy and […]
I am excited to join the Foreign Policy Association blogging community. It feels great to be a part of one of the largest network of global affairs blogs. Here is a brief introduction about your new blogger Madhavi Bhasin. Academic interests and personal yearnings inspired my journey from the banks of the Ganges in Kolkata […]
I dithered all day over writing something on today’s momentous and somber anniversaries in South African history. Texas in Africa beat me to the punch and did so well on the Sharpeville Massacre, which shocked the world fifty years ago today. But because of the epochal shift that Sharpeville helped to bring about it is […]
So, another day of anti-government riots in Russia, beginning with the requisite calls for Putin’s resignation and ending in dozens of arrests. What to make of it all? Ask the FPA Russia Blog’s MAGIC 8 BALL. Q. Do the protests have a lot to do with economic issues? It is decidedly so. “Support for Mr […]
Happy Novruz everyone. I am full on plov from the Seattle-Tashkent sister city celebration. Mmm. Kazakh Oil Company leaders have met with striking workers in Zhanaozen. Since March 4, several thousand workers have been striking over various issues relating to wages and leadership. As head of the OSCE, Kazakhstan is feeling some pressure to be a […]
With the health care reform vote under the spotlight, another major and positive development is going unnoticed in the Middle East. The possible winner in the Iraqi elections could be Ayad Alawi. The results thus far are questioned but not rejected by Nouri Al-Maliki, the current Prime Minister. If the results are accepted and led […]
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