The Pakistani Response: Zardari’s Tightrope
by Justin Delabar on 02/12/08 at 9:42 pm
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari today spoke out about the Mumbai attacks, assuring the world that his government is in no way responsible for the massacre despite India’s claims that the attackers hailed from his country:
“I think these are stateless actors who have been operating all throughout the region,” Zardari said on CNN’s “Larry King [...]
Is Maliki His Own Man?
Robert Dreyfuss believes that Maliki pushed ahead with the Status of Forces Agreement because he was given the implicit go-ahead by Iran. Perhaps that would explain why he was so amendable to accepting the Sunni bloc’s demands for re-visiting the Iraqi constitution and placing the agreement up for national referendum — if Iran was content [...]
Full StoryIndia’s True Test Begins
It seems that the Mumbai terrorist siege has finally come to an end, 170+ casualties later. There have been many conflicting reports about the origins of the terrorist organization that perpetrated the attacks, but the narrative that has risen to the surface is the possible involvement of the Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Whether or not this is the case, it certainly ratchets up tensions between Pakistan and India, muddying what had been promising attempts at a sustainable peace. The question now becomes: what next for India?
Full StoryThe Unbearable Lightness of Being Nouri al-Maliki
Nouri al-Maliki has achieved what once would have seemed impossible for him: a Status of Forces Agreement with the United States that meets the vast majority of his demands. Just two years ago, Maliki was chosen as a weak consensus Prime Minister meant to satiate the demands of Muqtada al-Sadr’s followers while disallowing the overly powerful Suprme Islamic Iraqi Council even greater power. Today, al-Maliki is easily the most powerful politician in Iraq, with some suggesting his strength could reach almost dictatorial levels.
Full StoryAhmadinejad’s Gamble
Eric Martin notes an excellent article by Nazila Fathi in the New York Times discussing what appears to be a widening rift between Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei:
In the past, when Mr. Ahmadinejad was attacked by his political opponents, criticisms were usually silenced by Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the final [...]
A Not-So-Modest Proposal: A Solution for Iraq, Part III
With the United States mired in Iraq, Iran finds itself in an extremely powerful position. Its influence over the Shi’a parties in Iraq allots it the ability to directly affect the outcomes of the American mission in the country. The SCIRI is particularly close to Iran, as it took refuge under the Islamic Republic during [...]
Full StoryA Not-So-Modest Proposal: A Solution for Iraq, Part II
Military power plays a vital role in Iraq – in actuality, it plays a number of roles currently, which is at the root of the problem. Military force should only be used in order to attain military goals, generally being either the attainment or defense of territory, and/or the destruction of enemy forces. In [...]
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The Unbearable Lightness of Being Nouri al-Maliki
Military power plays a vital role in Iraq – in actuality, it plays a number of roles currently, which is at the root of the problem. Military force should only be used in order to attain military goals, generally being either the attainment or defense of territory, and/or the destruction of enemy forces. In [...] Full Story
