WASHINGTON TIMES 11/26/13 By Michael Shank and Kim Toogood WASHINGTON, November 26, 2013 — The Republic of Turkmenistan has turned a new corner. It is a country that has spent the last few years shedding its ultra-conservative status, thanks to a slightly more progressive President. As a result, the country […]
RADIO FREE EUROPE 11/20/13 By Frud Bezhan For both Kabul and Washington, having a traditional gathering of Afghan tribal chiefs and political leaders decide the fate of a contentious bilateral security deal offers strategic advantages. The Loya Jirga, which opens on November 21, can provide legitimacy to the decision-making process, […]
EURASIA REVIEW 11/17/13 By Brigadier (Retd.) Dr. Ahsan ur Rahman Khan At long last, after more than a decade of extreme human misery in Afghanistan and adjoining Pakistan inflicted by the US in the name of ‘war on terror’, there had been some hope of an end to this ‘human […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 11/13/13 By Michael Shank Tribal elders in Afghanistan are preparing to meet next week to discuss the Bilateral Security Agreement between the U.S. and Afghanistan, which governs details of the relationship between the countries after 2014. But news this week of Afghans protesting against the […]
WASHINGTON TIMES 11/13/13 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, November 13, 2013 — With the Tea Party coming out hard against President Obama’s trade agenda, there may be some synergy among conservatives and progressives in tackling this year’s hottest transnational conflict. Outspoken critic of the Obama trade agenda and Washington Times Communities […]
WASHINGTON TIMES 11/07/13 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, November 7, 2013 — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry desperately needs a win on the Afghanistan war. Unfortunately, however, it appears increasingly unlikely he will get one. Despite repeated visits and discussions, Kerry has so far failed to secure a clean Bilateral […]
WASHINGTON TIMES 11/03/13 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, November 3, 2013 — America’s food security is at immediate risk, according to a report leaked this month by the New York Times. Americans should expect crop production to fall by as much as 2 percent each decade for the rest of the […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 10/31/13 By Michael Shank and Sabina Dewan One of the biggest drivers of inequality is a lack of jobs. But not just any jobs, just jobs, ones that come with appropriate wages, rights, protections such as healthcare and pensions and opportunities for economic mobility. As […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 10/25/13 By Michael Shank Irrespective of the latest reports on possible collusion between U.S. and Pakistani spy agencies, Amnesty International’s newest report on the unlawful American drone killings in Pakistan – that kill more civilians than the White House admits and could amount to war […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 10/23/13 By Michael Shank and Kimairis Toogood On November 6, 2013, the post-Soviet republic of Tajikistan is slated for another round of presidential elections and Washington would be wise to take note. The country’s current trajectory is deleterious for democracy and has serious implications for […]