It becomes tougher and tougher to read my Afghanistan related news feeds as it is becoming filled with reports of NATO and American casualties: Britain, which lost 8 of its soldiers in just a few days, has been doing some of the toughest fighting trying to capture Taliban-controlled districts in Helmand Province. Though there has […]
History is important. It shows us what was tried in the past and how well it succeeded or failed. It is for this reason, I bring you Patrick Devenny’s (no relation) analysis of Captain Charles Trower’s, a British cavalry officer who attempted to corral Pashtuns for the British Empire, memoirs. Trower was in charge of […]
When Putin imprisoned Mikhail Khodorkovsky for wanting to sell parts of his oil business to the West, he was criticised abroad for political interference in the energy market. What to make then of the EU and US cheerleading for Nabucco, a pipeline with no economic rationale being built solely for the political reason of isolating […]
In the past week, British soldiers fighting to takeover and hold Helmand Province from the Taliban have faced mounting casualties and it is no surprise that the folks back home are showing signs of being rattled. The British military lost 10 soldiers in the past week alone and the nation’s total of men killed in […]
Dilip Hiro’s new book, Inside Central Asia, provides an up to date look at Central Asia, Turkey, and Iran. Hiro is an expert on India and the Middle East and has written more than 30 books. Inside Central Asia is aimed at those needing a quick rundown (~400 pages) of the region, whether they are […]
‘What kind of future are Russia and America going to have together? What world order will replace the Cold War?’, asked Obama in Moscow. ‘Those questions still don’t have clear answers’. Today’s New York Times described America”s new style of diplomacy as one in which ‘yesterday’s enemies may become tomorrow’s partners in the benign exercise […]
“We reaffirm our commitment to the goals of the common fight against the threats of terrorism, armed extremism, and illegal drug trafficking in Afghanistan. We shall continue and develop our cooperation in the interest of enhancing the capabilities of the government of Afghanistan to accomplish key socioeconomic objectives, to raise living standards, and to ensure […]
Much of the Western media has portrayed Kyrgyzstan’s decision to permit US troops to use Manas Air Base as a surprise turnaround, painting Kyrgyz president Kurmanbek S. Bayikev as a crafty little leader, capable of pandering to both Russia and the United States as it suits him. Although I have no wish to demean President […]
Just a day after most US troops vacated Iraqi cities, signaling the beginning of the end of the American military presence in Iraq, American forces launched one of their largest offensive campaigns in Afghanistan. Approximately 4,000 marines partnered with helicopters and armored convoys made a major push into the Taliban dominated Helmand Province yesterday in […]
Almost exactly a year ago, one lucky Russian family received a free brand new SUV from the government. What had they done to deserve such a gift? They managed to have a baby on Russia Day – June 12th. That much publicised campaign was only the tip of a creepy pro-natalist iceberg, including $11o00 cash […]
Margaret Warner (The News Hour) is doing a good job of setting the scene for President Obama’s visit to Russia next week. Talking in Moscow with a cross-section of media, government spokesmen, activists and Kremlin-watchers, Warner’s reports this week paint a fairly nuanced picture. Stability but arbitrary authority. Economic growth (until last year) but great […]
After intense diplomatic pressure by the United States, including a letter from President Obama, the Kyrgyz Republic has decided to allow US troops to use the Manas air base as a transit stop for the mission in Afghanistan. The US will have to pay $60 million dollars a year, up from $17 million it has […]
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