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Return of American Troops
May 24, 2011 | By Dilawar Sherzai
Now that Osama has been killed, is American troops' presence in Afghanistan baseless? American people have already celebrated their victory in the War against Terrorism. They believe they have successfully avenged the destruction in their country by targeting the main character behind the incidence of 9/11. Further, they already seem...
Middle East Peace Initiative
May 25, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
One of the top priorities of President Obama's strategic agenda when he was elected in 2009 was "reaching-out" Arab world. His very first speech, which addressed Muslims directly in Egypt of Hosni Mubarak, the largest of Middle East countries, created hope and welcoming hum across the Arab world. His election as the first black president,...
Concerns Over Shortcomings of ANP
May 23, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) are the two main pillars of Afghan security forces. In the lead up to the deadline of 2014 when the security responsibilities will be entirely handed over to these two forces, efforts have been intensifying to prepare the forces for the critical task of security provision.
The Ridiculous “Talks about Talks”
May 23, 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
Taliban continue the terror. Their Al-Badar operation has just started and about 2000 civilians have been killed by them in last 4 months. Some foreigners think, and they are quite right, that Afghans are hypocrite. People are ready to die protesting on alleged deaths of civilians by foreign troops, but never condemn Taliban brutality. It's...
Prime Minister Singh’s Message
May 22, 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
The shift in Indian policy supporting reconciliation with Taliban announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has caused an unwelcoming mood in Kabul's anti-Taliban constituency. Some think it was unexpected. Analysts from the opposition bloc take it as u-turn in the Indian Afghan policy that a leader from New Delhi visiting Kabul not...
Cultural Dynamism vs Cultural Invasion
May 22, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
On Tuesday, May 17, when some members of Upper House of Parliament complained about the inability of government and, particularly Ministry of culture and information, to protect the so-called Afghan culture against foreign cultural invasion because it (Ministry of culture and information) failed to stop TV channels broadcasting foreign dramas...
Gilani’s Visit to China
May 21, 2011 | Dilawar Sherzai
Gilani's visit to China comes at the time when Pakistan is under immense pressure from International World on the issue of Osama. American Senators are already questioning the economic and technologic support by US government to Pakistan for combating terrorism. Only in the fiscal year 2010 that has ended on October 1, Pakistan has recieved...
Targeting Taliban’s Financial Sources
May 21, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The security situation in the country has seen a steep decline in recent months. Over the past few years, the Taliban and other insurgent groups have been able to re-organize themselves, extend their recruitment base to new areas and lay hands on more money and logistics. Various sources put the annual income of Taliban and other...
The Secret US War in Pakistan
May 19, 2011 | Musa Khan Jalalzai
There are many stories available in leading Pakistani newspapers about the secret US operations run by the US Joint Special Operations Command in major cities, specifically, in Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore. The notorious private militia, Blackwater has been at the centre of killing field and targeted assassinations in both Afghanistan and...
Afghanistan, SCO and the Birth of New Region
May 19, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an important regional cooperation organization involving both Russia and China as the region's heavyweights. In recent weeks, there have been indications that both these countries want Afghanistan to join the SCO as an observer state. Afghanistan has already submitted its application and...
Staring at the Abyss – Australian Govt’s Asylum Seeker Back flip
May 18, 2011 | Hadi Zaher
Like many armchair, news junkie and aspiring political analysts of my age and experience, I closely follow the news, views and interviews of concern via the Internet and Television. Asylum Seekers arriving by boat appear to be a highly debated topic here on Australian television channels and on online ...
Food Insecurity Remains a Major Problem
May 18, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The World Food Program (WFP) runs a sprawling network of distribution of food throughout Afghanistan. For our desperately food insecure country, where according to conservative estimates more than 7 million people are hungry and with no food, WFP has, for years, been extending all assistance in its disposal to get food and water to these teeming...
A Vision of Sustainable Development for Afghanistan
May 17, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Afghanistan's National Development Strategy (ANDS), launched in 2008, is the main national document prepared by the government of Afghanistan that deals with improving the state of affairs in the country taking into consideration all its related aspects. It is the developmental master plan for the country that...
Oil, Fear and Democracy
May 17, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
However, the Arab civil uprising attained an appreciating level of popularity, but it necessary could not win the sympathy of all, particularly, all those who are playing key role in the international spheres and can deal effect on its process, direction and success. What we now have across the world is a combination of sympathy,...
India’s Importance for Afghanistan
May 16, 2011 | Nasruddin Hemati
Amidst recent happenings in the region and in Afghanistan, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his second trip to Afghanistan, paid a two-day visit to Kabul last Thursday May 12, 2011. His visit followed Pakistani Prime Minister Sayed Yusuf Raza Gilanai's visit to Kabul on April 16, 2011. During his visit to Afghanistan, Mr. Sing held meeting...
Worldwide Reaction on Osama Death in Pakistan
May 16, 2011 | Musa Khan Jalalzai
The sudden death of Osama bin Laden has left devastating effects on Jihadi networks of Afghan Taliban, Pakistani Taliban and Punjabi Taliban in the UK, U.S, and the Arab world, but it doesn't mean Al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents will end their terror operations. His death is much irksome for the extremist elements in both Pakistan and...
Afghanistan Standing at Historic Crossroads
May 15, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The pages of history have yet again turned and once again Afghanistan is standing at a critical historic crossroads. How the leaders and the political class, our intellectuals and the people in general respond to the myriad of crises that have engulfed the country matters a great deal in determining the future of Afghanistan for many...
Difficult Days for Afghan Refugees in Iran
May 14, 2011 | By Mehdi Rezaie
Iran and Pakistan have been at the receiving end of millions of Afghan refugees in recent decades. Pakistan has hosted unknown millions of them with a large section of them in constant movement between the two countries over the years as the border has always been porous and traffic of people and merchandise unregulated. Iran on the other hand...
Please, Leave Oil as Ransom for Silence
May 14, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Perhaps there are less civil disobediences to attain such a level of popularity as that of current social uprising in the Arab world. The social storm started in Tunisia however, tremendously has been challenged, but seems quite hard to erode or be diminished by far-reaching crackdown measures as Mr. Gaddafi, Bashar Asad, Abdullah...
Kabul Bank Goes on Sale, Lessons to be Learnt
May 12, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
Everyone knows that corruption is a particularly poignant problem in Afghanistan. Much has been said and discussed about the rage of corruption inside the government. From people having to pay bribes in order to get their smallest things done through the bureaucracy of an efficient government to the cases of embezzlement and theft of public...
Differences Over Peace Process
May 12, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Indubitably, everybody in Afghanistan supports negotiation and reconciliation with Taliban-led militants. But differences between supporters of the initiative are far larger than that of Kabul government and insurgency.
Last year President Karzai succeeded to form a national-wide peace council which was potentially...
World Order After Osama
May 11, 2011 | Dilawar Sherzai
The incident of 9/11 initiated a considerable change in the world order that was supposed to proceed smoothly after the end of Cold War. Francis Fakuyama, soon after the disintegration of Soviet Union had prognosticated the New World Order to be peaceful and rather boring. He had speculated that in New World Order Democracy would marry Capitalism and...
A New Era for Universities
May 11, 2011 | Michael R. Czinkota and Andreas Pinkwart
Universities and their internationalization are important. Traditional knowledge exporters, such as the United States, Germany, France and England, aim to maintain their high share in the growing international academic market. They recognize the economic benefits of educating students who, when back home, will decide about purchases for...
Questions on a Vacillating Relation
May 10, 2011 | Nasruddin Hemati
The tense relations between the two strategic allies in war against terrorism are getting more gravity following questions on Osama Bin Laden's death near a military academy in Abbottabad. Before the blowing news of US forces' operation to capture or kill Al-Qaeda head was announced by US president Obama, analysts doubted ...
The Siege of Kandahar and Uncertain Future
Mehdi Rezaie | Mehdi Rezaie
Perhaps the Taliban have never had it better than this. The spectacular two-day attacks mounted by the Taliban in the heart of Kandahar that paralyzed this political and economic hub and left over 70 people dead and wounded is yet another daring show of force by them. Barely two weeks ago and in another incident, more than 540 Taliban...
Osama’s Death No Game-Changer
May 09, 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
The death of Osama Bin Ladin has been making the titles of opinion pages on newspapers around the world. Particularly in the Af-Pak region, where it matters the most, intelligence analysis is being made about the future of Al-Qaeda and terrorism in the region.
Regarding Afghanistan, there are different perspectives. Optimists of...
Local Militias Warlords and the ANA
May 09, 2011 | Musa Khan Jalalzai
On April 27, 2011, a frustrated Afghan Air Force pilot killed eight coalition troops and one civilian contractor in Kabul International Airport. Afghan pilot, Ahmad Gul, who served in the air force for over thirty years under the communist regimes, was a poor man suffering from frustration and anxiety. As he was not paid his salary for mouths; he...
U.S. Moves to Accommodate the Taliban
May 08, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The situation in the country in light of the alleged killing of Osama bin Laden is poised to enter into a new phase, one which will see heightened efforts by all sides to accelerate the process of talks with Taliban and other insurgent groups. Last month, a high-level Pakistani delegation visited Kabul that consisted of the heads of major centers...
Afghanistan, Agonizing Challenge for Obama’s Security Team
May 08, 2011 | Ali Raza Hussaini
With Congress's approval, President Barak Obama has made significant replacements and appointments in his national security team. As part of the change, the US's current ambassador in Iraq, Mr. Ryan Crocker will take over Karl Eikanberry's post as new ambassador in Afghanistan. Mr. Crocker had...
Osama’s Death and the War on Terror
May 07, 2011 | Abbas Daiyar
The man, who was responsible for mass murders of thou sands of innocent people from America to Afghanistan, deserved that miserable death without a proper burial on earth. The leader of global terrorism who founded Al-Qaeda in his will written in December 2001 told his children not to join the group of bloodthirsty Jihadis. This coward living in hiding for...
War against Taliban in Post-Osama Afghanistan
May 07, 2011 | Mehdi Rezaie
The death of Osama Bin laden has had the effect of rattling the capitals in Washington, Islamabad and of course Kabul. Let us have a look here at what the death of Osama Bin laden means for the war against Taliban and Al-Qaeda and what it holds for the future and prospects of the broader struggle against terrorism and religious...
Osama Death Wont Impact Afghanistan
May 05, 2011 | Dr. Hussain Yasa
There is a big wave of victorious joy among all those who wanted to see the death of Osama bin Laden, the most wanted man in the world who carried a $ 25- million bounty on his head and the one who institutionalized killing of one man by another under his peculiar interpretation of faith.
Although certain angles of the special operation in which Bin Laden was killed remain obscure, there is no doubt...
Why not Asians First and Lead
May 05, 2011 | Ahmad Bilal
There are many reasons why Asians first and lead. Human history has shown the fact and is a concert evidence that human race has been originated in Asia. Asians are the most powerful human character in all terms compared competitively with other continents population. Asia has been the largest inhabitant of human kind from very beginning up to...
Osama’s Death Versus Our Reputation
May 05, 2011 | Jawad Rahmani
Perhaps, there are fewer events in the world to find such a large worldwide coverage by Media as the death of Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, has had since last Sunday. The news has become more like a popular entertainment program. People around the world have gazed on TVs, Videos posted on News websites, Social networking to watch out a spectacular program—the...
Freedom of Press and the Greater Danger of Relapse
May 04, 2011 | Sher Alam Saqib
A decade has elapsed after the hard-line Taliban regime was toppled by the U.S-led international intervention in Afghanistan in late 2001. Both Afghan government and international community claim to have taken tremendous strides in various areas and walks of...