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Fixing Afghanistan’s Governance Crisis a Must Towards 2014
November, 19 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Afghanistan's long march towards gradually restoring stability, peace, prosperity and all-round development seems to have halted in tracks. There appears to be continuous degeneration and a steep decline in almost all the aspects and areas in which Afghanistan saw drastic improvement in the early years immediately after the fall of the ...
Palestine Required UNESCO’s Membership
November, 19 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Though ice of freezing Arab winters still deal losses on civilians as efforts to make Arab spring succeed grows larger and larger, there are promising news amidst of concerns at the prospective. The waft of the spring has not left Palestine out of the circle. There were protests held in Gaza as well as West Bank bearing similar ...
Insecurity and Loya Jirga
November, 15 2011 | Dilawar Sharzai
The peace and security situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating with each passing day. The transition period and the process of withdrawal of international forces have been adding fuel to the fire. All the important places and personalities in the country are facing serious threats of insecurity as Taliban have adopted the policy of ...
No Clean Hands in AmAfPak
November, 15 2011 | Marvi Sirmed
The recent diplomatic overdose to Pakistan by the US has not only heightened the verbal tug-of-war between the two allies but has also exposed the paucity of both sides to defend themselves with rational counter-arguments. A cursory look at the course of events in Afghanistan and Pakistan after 9/11 attests to the fact that there have been no clean hands in the ...
New Political Alliances
November, 14 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
Months of active meetings and discussions among political heavyweights and mid-level players in the 'opposition block' of Afghan political scene has produced two new coalitions last week. Hizb Haq wa Edalat (Right and Justice Party) was launched declaring itself as a 'reformist' and 'opposition' party. Made up of politicians, former ...
Afghanistan 2014: Risks of government collapse
November, 14 2011 | Latif Mohammadi
>Strategic Coalition military support and large economic assistance has enabled the current Afghan government and its military force to survive and stand its ground against terror of the Taliban insurgency in the last 10 years, beyond 2014 it can't survive on its own in absence of continued large scale military assistance and financial ...
Afghanistan: A Viable Exit Strategy, With A New Vision
November, 13 2011 | Dr. M. Nazif Shahrani
Over three decades of war in Afghanistan have proven that achieving victory on the battlefield is easier than translating that victory into desirable political outcomes. The repeated failures of the US and its international and Afghan partners to establish an effective governance system in Afghanistan reflects the most neglected ...
Afghanistan Desperately Needs Change – A Better National Leadership
November, 13 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
A new coalition of national leaders, among them a number of Jihadi leaders, has been formed in Kabul with the stated goal of bringing about a change for the better in how the national affairs are run under the current government headed by President Karzai. The ...
National Front with Well-Articulated and Ambitious Political Agenda
November, 13 2011 | Nasruddin Hemati
A ruthless insurgency is not the sole and only problem facing Afghanistan. There are other problems as well that must be addressed to stabilize the country and make a permanent transition to modernity and development, and to consolidate democracy. A decade has elapsed since the country embarked on a joint journey with international ...
Righting a Wrong Legacy
November, 12 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
A number of influential leaders and politicians some with extensive Jihadi experience have slammed the government of Afghanistan headed by President Karzai for what they termed as sheer incompetence and sagging legitimacy. Among their criticisms of the government of Afghanistan, one point prominently stands out and it is the heavily ...
Where Loya Jirga May Lead?
November, 12 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
As the countdown has started about the commencement of Loya Jirga, the Afghan traditional assembly, which is scheduled to be held on November 16, there are concerns and criticisms within the so-called intellectual (educated) layer of the society. But, it is noteworthy that there is not a united front against the notion, and critics have ...
Afghanistan Requires Modern Education
November, 12 2011 | Dilawar Sherzai
The nations that have gotten strong hold of education in the process of their evolution have been able to achieve remarkable gains. It has been through proper development in the education sector and education system that such countries are standing much apart from others with well-being and dignity kneeling before them submissively. Through ...
War, Poverty and Afghan Refugees
November, 10 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Afghanistan has the dubious distinction of being one of the main global centers for sending out a never-ending stream of international refugees. Over the past few decades, millions of Afghans have been in constant transit over and across international borders as refugees and asylum seekers. It has one of the largest numbers of refugees and ...
The Sufferings of Afghan Children
November, 10 2011 | DilwarSherzai
The prevailing instability in Afghanistan is influencing all the sections of the society to a large extent, but the weaker sections of the society; especially, children are the ones who fall easy preys in such situation. With the increase in the violent incidents in the current year the number of violent incidents targetting children has ...
President Karzai’s effort of negotiations with Pakistan is flawed and hopeless.
November, 10 2011 | Latif Mohammadi
Pakistan is Afghanistan's 'co-joint brother and India is our friend' is how Karzai has consistently in the past few months described relationship of his government with Pakistan and India. In Karzai's eyes Pakistan has become Afghanistan's 'co-joint brother' since March 2009 when the Obama administration announced it would withdraw its ...
Afghanistan and Pakis akis akistan an - S Star ar arting ting Ane Anew
November, 05 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Afghanistan and Pakistan, as two neighbors with substantial cultural, linguistic, social and ethnic linkages, share a common destiny. This realization should, sooner or later, dawn upon the leadership and policymakers in both countries. The common vision for both countries should be one of peace, stability, development ...
Afghanistan’s Diplomatic Approach
November, 05 2011 | Abdul Khaliq Fazal
The latest interview of Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf with David Bradley - owner of Atlantic Media Company at Washington idea forum, has prompted me write this article. Pakistani leaders and policy makers, giving interviews and making statements, regarding Afghanistan, should think seriously and responsibly ...
2014 Withdrawal Dateline: an in Depth Study
November, 05 2011 | Latif Mohammadi
This article is based on revelations made by the book "Obama's wars" by American journalist Bob Woodward. The book gives an insider account of developments inside the Obama White House leading to President Obama's decision to send extra 30,000 U.S troops to Afghanistan soon after taking office. Fixated on war in Iraq the Bush ...
Istanbul Conference and the Roadblocks to Regional Cooperation
November, 03 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Regional cooperation is rightly upheld as essential for stabilizing Afghanistan and bringing an end to this long-standing conflict. It was the main theme of the Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan. The outcome of this conference has been enhanced understanding among the regional countries, including the neighbors of ...
Istanbul Summit and the end-game in Afghanistan
November, 02 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
Leaders and top representatives from 14 regional countries and 13 western countries involved in Afghanistan are attending the Istanbul Summit today. The US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton cancelled her participation at the last minute due to her mother's illness; who passed away on Monday night. Iran, which ...
The Istanbul Conference: A Platform to Improve Ties
November, 02 2011 | Mohd. Ahsan
The Istanbul regional conference is to kick off today with United States, France, Germany, Pakistan, Afghanistan,Turkey and the NATO countries as well as representatives of the United Nations participating in it. The conference will discuss the security transition in Afghanistan, training and capacity ...
The Poverty of Taliban and Talibanism
November, 02 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
It is certainly nostalgic to read and hear about an old Afghanistan in the years and decades prior to the tumultuous years of 1980's when the kind of militancy and radicalization that we see today did not cross even the wildest of imaginations. Extremism, militancy and armed radicalization of the type we see today were largely alien to ...
Loya Jirga and the Strategic Agreement with the U.S.
November, 01 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
President Karzai and the committee he has set up are on track to hold the traditional consultative Loya Jirga some time soon within this month. The Loya Jirga will bring together a few hundreds of hand-picked tribal and community elders as "representatives" of the people of Afghanistan as well as the current MPs and members of ...
Dubious Future of Afghan Refugees
November, 01 2011 | Dilawar Sharzai
The political and security situation in Afghanistan has always forced so many Afghans to leave their land and move to other countries to find refuge. There are many Afghans living in the neighboring countries because of the civil wars and severe social and economic conditions in the last 20 years or so. Pakistan and Iran are two ...
Their Denials and Propagadists
November, 01 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
The BBC documentary Secret Pakistan was not the first such reporting to 'reveal' how Taliban regrouped and made a comeback launching a sophisticated insurgency by the help of Al-Qaeda mentors and supporters hiding and training in the safe havens of Pakistani tribal areas, under the eyes of their intelligence agencies. Such a ...
Challenges Ahead of Libya’s Revolution
October 31, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Recently, Mr. Akbar Ganji, an Iranian writer and human rights activist wrote an article in BBC Persian website; there he claimed that he participated in a conference arranged to assess the ongoing Arab spring. He quoted the Libyan representative for the conference saying that they would make an Islamic government, the Quran government ...
British Soldiers’ Thoughts in Afghanistan
October 31, 2011 | Muhammad Younas
Imperial War Museum North is located at The Quays - Greater Manchester's unique waterfront destination, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, opened in July 2002, has won lots of awards or prizes for its architecture, is currently holding an exhibition to mark the tenth anniversary of the ...
Invest in the 7 Billion as Human Capital
October 31, 2011 | Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin
On 31 October, the world's population is projected to reach 7 billion. The 7 billionth person will be born into a world that is very different from when the United Nations was founded in 1945, when our numbers were only about a third of what they are today. We are living 30 per cent longer. More of our children survive. We are now more urban. We are more interconnected and interdependent than ...
Swelling Wave of Terrorism and Transition
October, 30 2011 | Dilawar Sharzai
As Afghanistan is proceeding in the so called transition period, the concerns seem to be multiplying as well. Afghanistan is going to enter in the second phase of security transition soon, wherein the security responsibility of 17 provinces will be handed over to Afghan security forces. Though, most would agree that the lasting ...
Attacks s in K Kabul and Ongoing Counter-insurgency Operations
October, 30 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Kabul has been the scene of one of the deadliest car bombings since the start of the war. On Saturday, a suicide car bomber wreaked havoc on Dar-ulAman road close to the center of the city as a convoy of ISAF vehicles, including a military bus transporting foreign troops, was crossing the area towards their man base. Out of more ...
Taliban’s Resemblance to Common Afghans, Obstacle to Military Operations
October, 30 2011 | Mohd. Ahsan
After their defeat against Northern Alliance and United States in 2001, the Taliban announced that they would launch guerilla warfare in Afghanistan. Since then, the Taliban have kept changing their war tactics. They are involved in direct clashes with Afghan and NATO forces, suicide and road side bombings, kidnapping and targeted ...
Second Phase of Security Transition
October, 29 2011 | Dilawar Sharzai
The transition in Afghanistan is going to enter into its second phase, which is going to be announced officially by President Hamid Karzai on November 2, 2011, at a conference in Istanbul. In the second phase of transition the charge of 17 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces will be handed over to Afghan forces. This handover will be partial ...
People Participation and Democracy
October, 29 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Democracy is all about participation and competition of various groups in a polity and political organization of the society from which they rise. The rulers and those who determine the broad policies and principles, by which the society organizes its affairs, seek and have the consent of the ruled. Ruling is based on consent rather than ...
Mullahs Want Narcotic Production Curbed
October, 29 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
With spiraling growth of addiction to narcotics, the level of production is found terrifying. These days more than ever, experts and analysts write about how phenomenon of narcotic has turned out terrible, and to what extent people may fall victim to it. There are huge reports and news daily released on webs, TVs and headlines of ...
Collapse of Euro as Europe's Common Currency Has Now Become a Certainty
October, 27 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Highly credible sources report that Germany and France, the two most important European countries with the largest economies, are back to printing their old, pre-Euro currencies. Germany is back to secretly printing Deutsche Marks and France is printing French Franc. It is Germany, however, that ...