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Layman to President, No One is Safe
July 16, 2011 | Sher Ali Yecha
"This is what we call life in Afghanistan," President Hamid Karzai commented last week, after his brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai was shot dead by his own bodyguard in his own home. On Wali Karzai's death, the comment by the President was not more than a few sentences and he seemed greatly distressed. Last year Karzai wept over ...
People are Right
July 14 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
On occasions, circle of experts and intellectuals find common people's murmurings and concerns base less, illogical and reflection of their own individual failures or linked to propagandas. But sometimes, taking notice of what they are talking about does not really alienate us from realities, instead would help to figure out ground ...
Building a New and Prosperous Silk Road
July 14, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
For much of the history, Afghanistan was located at the heart of the famous Silk Road which connected the West to the East and acted as a major corridor for the movement of trade and merchandise, people and cultures and at times rampaging armies that left a long trail of death and destruction. The high Pamir passes located at the heart of today's ...
Afghanistan: Child Abuse, Sexual Humiliation; and Rape
July 14, 2011 | Musa Khan Jalalzai
In my last three articles on Child abuse and play boy business in Afghanistan, I highlighted the issue scrupulously with a limited details, but anyhow I received dozens of e-mails from Northern Afghanistan, Europe and Pakistan. Some Afghan vilified me for exposing the culture of male prostitution of the country but majority of my ...
Banking Scandals, Wobbly Economy
July 13 2011 | Nasruddin Hemati
In its 2009-2014 strategic plan, the Central Bank of the government of Afghanistan pronounces its motto as "sta bility of prices and a stable financial system". A decade later than the bank resumed its normal activities following a long interval of chaos and total collapse of financial infrastructures, initial signs told a ...
Post General Petraeus Scenario
July 13, 2011 | Dilwar Sherzai
General David H. Petraeus is about to leave Afghanistan as his tenure as the supreme commander of international military troops is going to end. He will also be retired of his 37 years military career and going to join Central Investigation Agency (CIA) as the Director of the Agency. General Patraeus was called to Afghanistan in July 2010 to ...
The Death of Ahmad Wali Karzai
July 13, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The death of Ahmad Wali Karzai, President Karzai's half-brother, the chief of Kandahar's Provincial Council and a powerful figure in Southern Afghanistan, will be an irrepa rable loss to the government of Afghanistan in particular in the South where he was a major pillar of support to the government. Reportedly, Ahmad Wali Karzai was shot dead ...
Taliban’s Killing of De-Miners Points to a Larger Picture
July 12 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The bodies of four employees, who were abducted last Wednesday in the Western province of Farah of a non-governmental de-mining organization, have been found. These employees working for a non-governmental de-mining organization, De-mining Agency for Afghanistan (DAFA), were abducted ...
We are not Just the Producers but the Users, as well!
July 12, 2011 | Dilwar Sherzai
Afghanistan for quiet some times has been known as the leading producer of drugs. It has been considered as the provider of most of the raw material used in heroin and other kinds of drugs in international drug market. Thus, the production and trafficking of drug in Afghanistan is linked with international influences on the health of ...
Afghanistan: Child Sex, BachaBazi and DynCorp
July 12, 2011 | Musa Khan Jalalzai
In recent two e-mails I received from the parents of two teenage girls who were forcefully married to wealthy and powerful war criminals in Northern Afghanistan, they have painted heart-broken stories of their innocent daughters' torture, humiliation and imprisonment by their ignorant husbands. Sajida and Rashida were barely ...
Population Census in Afghanistan
July 11, 2011 | Dilwar Sherzai
Population census is the official enumeration of a country's total number of people. It includes not only numbering of the people but also certain attributes attached to them. Like, gender, age, profession and other necessary attributes. A detailed census also includes the information regarding the distribution of population and the number of houses. Population census ...
Opium: A Shameful Phenomenon
July 11, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Recently, one of the friends and I were talking about challenges faced by Afghan people out of the country and how they are humiliated and discriminated on various basis. We talked much, and he shared his experiences in detail from which I found two vitally important to share with my readers, particularly Afghans. He is doing ...
The Rise of Taliban-IMU Nexus in Northern Afghanistan
July 11, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The Northern regions of Afghanistan are increasingly becoming infested with mili tancy spearheaded by Taliban in alliance with other terror groups that do not have Afghan origin. Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is one such terror group which has staged a comeback in many Northern provinces after ...
US-Pakistan Relations and its Impact on Afghanistan
July 10, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The process of reconciliation with Taliban and other insurgent groups is nothing but grounded in a deadlock with the insurgent side showing no sign of willingness to seriously negotiate towards the goal of bringing a political settlement to the decade-long war. It is clear that the morale of the Taliban and other insurgent ...
Jogi – a Forgotten Identity
July 10, 2011 | Sher Ali Yecha
Jogis are one of the ethnic minorities in Afghanistan and their population is formed by around 100,000 people. (Tribes resembling to Jogis are called Gipsy or Jatts in America and Europe.) The Jogis migrated to Afghanistan from Tajikistan around one and half century ago. Until present, they neither have a specific location nor do they ...
What is Important for Libyans?
July 10, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Four months ago, when the United Nations' Security Council imposed no-fly zone and authorized all necessary measures to protect civilians against overwhelming crackdown by oppressive regime of Moammer Gaddafi, many viewed the measure as politically-driven one instead of humanitarian as claimed by leading players of the...
Developing National Water Resources, Policies and Actions
July 09, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Afghanistan has an immense potential in its hydro- power sector given the existence of large number of major rivers each with an accompanying system of tributaries. The central highlands and the imposing mountain ranges that pierce through the heart of Afghanistan provide the country with an abundant supply of precious water round the ...
Pass onto New Generation a Democratic Tradition
July 09, 2011 | Sher Alam Saqib
President Hamid Karzai has in his power to pass on to the new generation a democratic tradition instead of trying to meddle in the work of democratic institutions. Looking back at history of Afghanistan, there is seen to be stagnation, despotism and oppression. The power relations in this land never produced the knowledge to be a ...
Male Prostitution in Afghanistan
July 09, 2011 | Musa Khan Jalalzai
A shameless business of teenage rape or Bacha-bazi has brought disgrace and shame to Afghan society. The tradition of teenage rape and playboy is an old tradition in Northern and Southern provinces. The playboy tradition has roots in Afghan history. President Hamid Karzai, in his recent statement warned that rapists should face "the ...
Options for a “Political Settlement”
July 07, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The government of Afghanistan has for long been avoiding using the term "Taliban" to refer to the perpetrators of attacks on Afghan civilians and military personnel. The routine has always been to call the perpetrators "the enemies of the people of Afghanistan" or "the armed opponents". What has been carefully ensured is that never the perpetrators are ...
Education Sector Needs to be Modernized
July 07, 2011 | DilawarSherzai
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...
Chinese-Pakistani Military Alliance
July 07, 2011 | Tufail Ahmad
All elements of the budding Chinese-Pakistani alliance as a strategic, long-term counterweight to the U.S. and India are now in place. This can be seen in two trends: the unprecedented bolstering of China-Pakistan relations in military and economic spheres; and the deepening rupture in Pakistan-U.S. relations in the wake of the
Open Ivory Tower Windows will Bring Fresh Air
July 07, 2011 | Michael Czinkota and Andreas Pinkwart
Universities are among the most successful institutions that mankind has created in the last millennium. But what role do universities need to play in the knowledge society of tomorrow to continue their success story? This question grows more pressing for the Western welfare states, as their dominance in research and innovation is being challenged by ...
Options for a “Political Settlement”
July 06, 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
Once again there are talks of fragmentation and the so-called Plan B among some circles. When the withdrawal of foreign troops was first discussed in media, there have been talks about the incapability of Afghan security forces, corruption, economic disaster and civil war. While fewer discussions have been about alternative policy, strategy ...
A Look into the Various Insurgent Groups
July 06, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The high-profile attack on Kabul's best known international icon, the Intercontinental Hotel, leaving 19 dead and another 13 wounded, is the latest show of force by the insurgents, among whom the Taliban are the largest group. There seems to be a widespread misconception everywhere which equals the insurgents with Taliban in a belief that...
Arab Uprising and Moribund Suspicion
July 06, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
When the flames of revolution rose in the Tunisia, many countries, both regional and global ones, were too cautious and too reluctant to hold a clear and transparent position. No one was sure with whom to side in order to save current and future interests of these Arab-Muslim countries as well as changing will of the people. The source of ...
Addressing the Root Causes of Failure in Second Bonn Conference
July 05, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
It is high time that the stakeholders in Afghanistan, from the government of President Karzai to the western countries supporting the country, fundamentally review the full spectrum of policies and strategies towards Afghanistan in light of the past mistakes and failures. Rising graph of the insurgency ...
Politics of Afghan Culture:Collectivism, Honour, Shame and Self-Destruction
July 05, 2011 | Latif Mohammadi
This essay will define psyche of Afghan society in cultural terms held close to heart by majority of its members. It will use historical evidence from political turmoil of Afghanistan in recent decades and lessons Afghan Diaspora experience to support its assessment of political implications of how Afghans define themselves. Collectivism is a social system...
A Fresh Test for Lebanese Realpolitik
July 05, 2011 | Nasruddin Hemati
For the last few decades, Middle East (M.E) has turned to the forefront of political maneuvers and global proxy battles. World great states and the regional emerging powers have been long struggling to increase their influence in the region. To achieve their goals, they need to attract the M.E. regimes' support, particularly the...
Why a Breakthrough is Unlikely at the Bonn Conference
July 04, 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
A preparatory meeting for the Bonn Conference 2 was held in Kabul on June 27, 2011. Representa tives and organizations from more than 50 countries were present in the event dubbed under the auspices of the International Contact Group (ICG). German Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Mr. Michael...
Afghanistan: Play Boy, Forced Marriages and Prostitution
July 04, 2011 | Musa Khan Jalalzai
The heart breaking stories of help less, poor and vulnerable girls and women of Afghanistan are making headlines in print and electronic media across Europe these days. Afghan women continue to be victim of domestic and sexual violence by warlords, war criminals and private militia commanders. During the last three months, I have been...
The Plight of Afghan Children
July 04, 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; espe cially, 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 ...
There is Great Deal of Hope for Post-2014 Afghanistan
July 03, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The imminent start of the transition process in the country marks the dawn of a new era in the history of our country, nonetheless, an achievement that has been possible on the back of generous international assistance over the past one decade.The security provision for five large cities around the country will ...
The Kabul Bank Saga and another Test for Karzai’s Credibility
July 03, 2011 | Johan Johansen
I. Let us get reacquainted to our theme by recalling some most striking events occuring last year with regard to the Kabul Bank. By the very beginning of September 2010 the Kabul Bank faced a nearly complete collapse. The Afghan people were – quite correctly - running at highest possible speed to the Bank attempting to save their modest ...
Military Withdrawal and Karzai’s Happiness
July 03, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Perhaps, President Karzai has a secret enthusiasm for international community' military withdrawal from Afghanistan. From the very start of announcement of President Barrack Obama about, as many experts maintain, a "steep military drawdown", the Presidential Palace abnormally welcomed the decision amidst doubts and suspicion of ...