South Asia

‘Western Hypocrisy'

An exclusive interview with A.Q Khan, considered the "father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb" as well as being responsible for proliferating nuclear knowledge and technology to other countries.

Great Decisions 2010 Fall Updates: Global Financial Crisis

Fall 2010 Updates provide up-to-date news about Great Decisions 2010 articles.

Pakistan Flood Sets Back Infrastructure by Years

This article from The New York Time provides an early assessment of the damage wrought on Pakistan's infrastructure by flooding throughout the country.

Torrent of Challenges for U.S. in Pakistan

In this interview from CFR, South Asia expert Daniel Markey explains how the floods in Pakistan have compounded the government's challenges and made Washington's efforts in the fight against extremism more difficult.

COIN Proposes, Weather Disposes: Pakistan's Floods and Opportunistic Extremists

Pakistan's Taliban and other extremist groups are trying to win hearts and minds to their cause by providing aid to Pakistanis affected by the floods currently devastating the country. Can the Pakistani government and the U.S. counter these attempts?

Great Decisions 2010 Fall Updates: Global Crime

Fall 2010 Updates provide up-to-date news about Great Decisions 2010 articles.

Holbrooke: Pakistan Aid Inadequate

In this interview with the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard C. Holbrooke, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, looks at the U.S. response to the recent floods in Pakistan. He argues that the “international recognition of this disaster has not yet been sufficient to its dimensions”. Holbrooke dismisses allegations of Islamic charities with links to militant groups gaining support in the aftermath of the disaster and stresses the importance of focusing U.S humanitarian efforts.

Zardari's Katrina

In this article, Fatima Bhutto, the neice of Benazir Bhutto, questions Zardari's decision to continue with his overseas tour despite the floods in Pakistan.

Kayani's gambit

America is furious about WikiLeaks' revelations on the war in Afghanistan. But Pakistan also has much to worry about

Rethinking the Afghanistan War's What-Ifs

David Sanger writes in The New York Times, pondering how long before Afghanistan became the longest shooting war in American history, the question loomed: Could it have turned out differently?

Review: Humanity Amidst Insanity: Hope During and After the Indo-Pak Partition

In Humanity Amidst Insanity: Hope During and After the Indo-Pak Partition, authors Tridivesh Singh Maini, Tahir Malik and Ali Farooq Malik take a critical, ethnographic approach to deconstructing the horrendous violence that occurred during, and immediately after the partition.

Afghans set ambitious 2014 security target

Following the July 2010 Kabul conference, an ambitious target is set for international turnover of security operations to Afghanistan by 2014.

In Afghanistan, a threat of plunder

An analysis by New York Times Op-Ed Paul Collier into the possible positive and negative implications brought forth by Afghanistan's new mineral wealth.

We're Not Winning. It's Not Worth It.

President of the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard Haass, comments on the future of Afghanistan and suggests the time has come for Obama to reduce and redirect what we do.

Afghanistan and Pakistan Sign a Trade Deal, Representing a Thaw in Relations

Afghanistan and Pakistan have finalized a trade deal whose critical provision concerns the ability of cargo trucks to cross their mutual border.

Unlikely Tutor Giving Military Afghan Advice

This New York Times article explores the growing relationship between Greg Mortenson, author of "Three Cups of Tea" and "Stones into Schools", and the United States military.

Pakistan's Gambit in Afghanistan

In this interview, Daniel Markey, Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia, Council on Foreign Relations, argues that the recent replacement of Gen. McChrystal has led to increased criticism of the Obama administration's handling of the war in Afghanistan. He argues that the July 2011 date stated by Obama in a speech at West Point, has caused concern among Afghans that this will mark the end of U.S commitment. In contrast, Markey believes that Pakistan views this date as an opportunity to further its own interests in the area.

Petraeus Praises Pakistan's Fight

In his first visit to Pakistan since taking over as top NATO commander in Afghanistan, U.S. Gen. David Petraeus has praised the efforts of Pakistan in battling Islamist militants. Insurgents based in Pakistan's tribal areas remain a threat to both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Intensifying China-Pakistan Ties

In an interview with the Council on Foreign Relations, Andrew Small talks about Pakistan's close economic and military relationship with China, and its implications for both countries, as well as for the United States and India.

Afghan Shift Puts Top U.S. Civilians in Tricky Spot

With the change on military leadership in Afghanistan, what is the future of top civilian officials, such as special envoy Richard Holbrooke and U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry?