The Pakistan Paradox
Withhold $800 million in military aid, let it go through, or double it- no matter what Washington does it can’t escape the paradox that Islamabad is its most important ally in the war on terror.
US to Quietly Drop Afghanistan Drawdown Plan
Amid fears of an expanding ISIS presence and a UN report decrying the country’s deteriorating security outlook, the Obama administration is poised to abandon its plans for a sweeping drawdown of the US military presence in Afghanistan.
Libya and Imperialism
Of all the struggles going on in North Africa and the Middle East right now, the most difficult to unravel is the one in Libya.
The Jury Is Still Out on Conflict Prevention in the CAR
The Geopoliticalmonitor's Misha Boutilier discusses whether the international community's response to fighting in the Central African Republic deserves to be called a success.
Pakistan Stares into the Abyss
In a stark example of how drastically a situation can change in just one week, it seems that Pakistan is once again teetering on the brink.
Japan feeling the squeeze in East Asia
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to the disputed Kurile Islands off the north coast of Japan will surely set alarm bells off within the Japanese defense establishment.
Abbas Makes His Case at the UN
After yet another decade of a peace process that is obviously stalled if not terminally ineffective, PA President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to take Palestinian aspirations of statehood to the United Nations.
Saudi Arabia Lashes Out, Grants Women Vote
This week was an eventful week for women in Saudi Arabia. Women in Saudi Arabia were given the right to vote and to run in elections by King Abdullah, marking a huge step forward for women’s political participation in this country. Yet, a Saudi woman named Shaima Jastaina also received the first legal punishment for violating the kingdom’s prohibition on female driving and was condemned to ten lashes.
ANALYSIS: Drone strikes & Euro terror plot
October 6th, 2010 (Geopoliticalmonitor.com) - A recent upturn in US drone attacks in Pakistan is directly linked to intelligence warning of impending Al Qaeda attacks in Europe.
ANALYSIS: The Economics of Happiness
Ireland’s recent Quarterly National Household Survey may be evidence that happiness and economic hardship are not always mutually exclusive. The survey demonstrates that despite the deepening recession, record unemployment, and falling living standards; as many as four out of five Irish respondents answered to be happy all or most of the time. This brings to mind other countries’ growing interest in quantifying populations’ overall wellbeing.