Richmond Times-Dispatch 06/28/2007 By Michael Shank Regardless of whether or not one believes in climate change, no American wants the United States to be the world’s top greenhouse-gas emitter. Thus, Americans were thankful that China was queuing up to surpass the U.S. as the globe’s No. 1 producer of carbon […]
International Herald Tribune/Daily Star Egypt 06/26/2007 By Michael Shank and Khadija Ali Somalia’s decision to delay yet again the National Reconciliation Congress comes as no surprise. The Transitional Federal Government’s (TFG) latest attempt at reconciliation was foiled long before the first session of congress began. While many fingers point to […]
The Politico 05/01/2007 By Michael Shank and Saira Yamin Order and stability in Pakistan, a high priority for the national security policy of the United States, is in jeopardy. The American military presence and Pakistan’s strong-arm tactics have fomented a rebellion in its tribal regions. Now the region—mainly the Waziristan […]
Foreign Policy in Focus 04/27/2007 By Michael Shank and Marwan Kabalan House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) apparently has a penchant for badness. For visiting Syria, the Speaker received a harsh reprimand by Vice President Dick Cheney who thought it “bad behavior.” Though the Speaker remained relatively un-phased by the scolding, […]
Foreign Policy in Focus 04/19/2007 By Michael Shank and Khadija Ali Imagine a reconciliation process in Iraq that fails to include militias or Sunni and Shia hardliners? How about a reconciliation process in Afghanistan that sidelines violent Pashtos in the south? The chances of either process succeeding would be slim. […]
The Baltimore Sun 04/12/2007 By Michael Shank and Sam Rizk Parents and teachers know that consistent enforcement is critical. A child or student does not thrive with mixed messages; the policies of the home or classroom must be reliable to ensure effective management. Yet in adult relationships – and in […]
Washington Examiner 04/03/2007 By Michael Shank and Shukria Dellawar President Hamid Karzai’s decision to provide immunity for all war crimes in the last 25 years now makes reconciliation utterly unviable. Backed by Afghanistan’s lower and upper houses with tacit United States support (fearful warlord ties could surface in court), the […]
JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE OPERATIONS Vol 2, No. 5, March-April 07 By Michael Shank The 43rd MÜNICH Conference on Security Policy, an annual February forum discussing security and foreign policy challenges in European and American relations, brought the latest chastisement of United States security policy, this time by the Germans. […]
The News International 02/03/2007 By Michael Shank “O Pathans! Your house has fallen into ruin. Arise and rebuild it, and remember to what race you belong,” uttered by one of Islam’s exemplary non-violent leaders. This quote is relevant now more than ever before, one-hundred years after Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan […]
Foreign Policy in Focus 01/05/2007 By Michael Shank The United States, fearing a new Taliban had come to power in Somalia, recently did what many expected it would do: invade Somalia. Not directly though. In the final weeks of 2006, Ethiopian forces that were trained, financed, and outfitted by the […]