Post Pic

WikiLeaks: No Power-Sharing with the Taliban, Holbrooke pledges

In a January 18 meeting with Richard Holbrooke, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao described the Indian effort in Afghanistan as focused on… Continue reading

Post Pic

The War in Libya: Unprecedented Strangeness

Should the United States and Europe want Libyan dictator Muammar Qadhafi out of power? Sure. But the real question is… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Deradicalisation Programme Would ‘Undercut the Taliban’

President Karzai told Holbrooke January 16 [2010] that he wants to announce a reintegration policy before… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Karzai Talks About Progress and Elections in Afghanistan

In a positive and free-ranging discussion, President Karzai and visiting CODEL McCain agreed that more should be done to tell Afghans and Americans about… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Allies Find Briefing on Afghanistan “Gloomy”

U.S. National Intelligence Officer (NiO) for South Asia, Dr. Peter Lavoy, briefed NATO Permanent Representatives on the National Intelligence Estimate… Continue reading

Post Pic

Shahbaz Bhatti and the Death of Reason

My time in Pakistan was glorious. I taught bright, beautiful and hopeful students who saw the world not as a series of… Continue reading

Post Pic

Egypt and the Middle East: Romanticism Meets Reality

The projected million-women march turned out just 400 and they were harassed and in some cases attacked. Meanwhile, thousands of Muslims and Christians… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Saudis fear ‘Shia triangle’ of Iran, Iraq and Pakistan

America is often portrayed as the big dog in Pakistan’s yard: a swaggering power that makes rules, barks orders and throws its weight around… Continue reading

Post Pic

UNHRC: World Praise for Libya 4 Months Ago

Libya is a member of the UN’s top Human Rights Body – the Human Rights Council. The majority of members of the UN General Assembly… Continue reading

Post Pic

Do Egyptians Want a Relatively Secular, Stable Democracy?

Here is the real issue: What do the masses want? Remember, it is the people of Egypt — especially in an election — that will determine the outcome, not just… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Pakistan Committed to Defending Conviction of Omar Saeed Sheikh for Daniel Pearl Murder

A new investigation into the death of the American journalist Daniel Pearl says that the British jihadist jailed for his murder is likely to be released because Pakistani officials used tainted… Continue reading

Post Pic

What’s Really Wrong with Western Understanding of the Middle East?

Rarely has a mass media article shaken me up as this one does. It is a rare, intense, view of what the Middle East is really like nowadays, though it is about Pakistan, on the eastern end of the region… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Wouter Bos Struikelblok Verlenging Missie Uruzgan

Ambtsbericht van de Amerikaanse ambassade in Den Haag waarin Wouter Bos het struikelblok wordt genoemd bij het verlengen van de missie in Uruzgan… Lees verder

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Greece Fears Islamic Radicalization of Illegal Immigrants from the Middle East

Greece’s new PASOK-led government has placed migration and asylum policy reform high on its agenda. Greece has become the EU entry point of choice for illegal migrants and refugees… Continue reading

Post Pic

The Asian Convoy Reaches the Gaza Strip; the Libyan Convoy Sets Out

One hundred twenty members of the Asian flotilla who left India on December 5 entered the Gaza Strip on January 2, 2011. Because the receipt of Egyptian authorization was delayed they entered a… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Pakistan Home to 43 ‘Terrorist Camps’

In June 2009, India’s army chief, General Deepak Kapoor, used a meeting with US national security adviser Jim Jones to claim that Pakistan was home to 43 “terrorist camps”, while rejecting suggestions… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: UK – We’re Not Importing Moderate Imams

A Home office official plays down press reports concerning British plans to “import” moderate Pakistani imams as part of efforts to reduce the terror threat in the UK… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Don’t Tell Us What To Do, India Warns U.S.

In a meeting shortly after controversial stopover visit of Iranian president – who told Indian prime minister that the “world is changing in Iran’s favour” – Delhi’s top diplomat was uncomplimentary about the visitor to… Continue reading

Post Pic

Turkish National Security Policy in 2010 and Beyond

Turkish foreign policy was more visible in 2010 than ever before. If one is optimistic, one can hazard that we will see a “regression toward the mean” in Turkey’s relations with the West. If 2010 was generally a bad year for that relationship, the situation… Continue reading

Post Pic

Taliban Wants to Open Formal Office in Turkey

Taliban leaders want to open a base in a neutral, third country such as an Arab Gulf state, Turkey or Japan before they embark on meaningful peace talks, according to senior figures in the movement… Continue reading

Post Pic

Iranian Lawmakers to Join Asia to Gaza Convoy in Syria

Seven Iranian lawmakers are to join the Gaza-bound Asian aid convoy in Syria, Iranian Students News Agency [IRNA] reported last Tuesday. The Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan arrived in Iran on Wednesday is to pass Turkey and Syria to reach respectively… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: Steven Spielberg Werd Geboycot Door Arabische Liga

De Arabische Liga plaatste Steven Spielberg en zijn Righteous Persons Foundation op de zwarte lijst vanwege Spielbergs donatie aan Israël tijdens de Israël-Hezbollah oorlog in de zomer van 2006. Dit blijkt uit een op WikiLeaks… Lees verder

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: US Officials Voiced Fears India Could Be Target of Biological Terrorism

Turning to the subject of counter-bio-terrorism cooperation, Singh reported that Indian intelligence is picking up chatter indicating jihadi groups are interested in bio-terrorism, for example seeking out like-minded… Continue reading

Post Pic

WikiLeaks: How India Can Help Stabilise Afghanistan

As requested, this cable contains specific, concrete ideas for opportunities for India to use soft power in helping Afghanistan’s reconstruction, with the broader objective of seeking ways for the U.S…. Continue reading

Post Pic

Asian Convoy in Iran: a Display of Hatred for Israel and the West

The arrival of the Asian convoy in Iran was exploited for a display of hatred for Israel and the West. Convoy activists met with Iranian president Ahmadinejad at Teheran University, where he gave a speech in which he referred to Israel as “an insult to humanity”… Continue reading