Coups in South Asia : Strategic Underpinnings

In Maldives other games may be afoot. China, which has opened a diplomatic office in Male, the fifth country to do so, may be strategically inclined to support the regime change. Its plans to open a billion dollar casino and resort were held back by the Nasheed government. While the casino may be a ploy to increase Chinese footprint in Maldives the ultimate Chinese interest would be to exploit the strategic location of Maldives for its Navy.

Analysis: China and Russia’s Veto on Syria

The Russian and Chinese veto, used for their partisan interests have reopened the debate on the efficacy of UN as a peacemaker of the world. They may be right about a unipolar world and its definition but at a time and moment like this putting the interests of the Syrian people above their own would have won them more respectability from the international community.

President Obama’s National Defense Guidance: Forward to the Past

Long War Journal (Editor’s Note: This is the way US intends fighting wars of the future. We had put this strategy in context in our earlier post Obama’s New Defence Strategy and Asia. The guidelines add to some clarity and we shall look forward to the nuts and bolts of these guidelines in February 2012 [...]

Pakistan: Soft Coup Appears Imminent

No democratic government has survived the full term in Pakistan. Something which the Pakistan Army takes great pride in having ruled Pakistan for half of its existence directly and the rest indirectly. In the worst face off between the civil government and the military, both of which are suffering legitimacy crisis in Pakistan, the scales [...]

More Equal than others in Death

By Tazeen Javed In the wake of the cross-border Nato attack in November that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in Salala, the whole country was up in arms against the aggression of the allied forces. From the political parties to lawyers associations, from banned militant outfits to student organisations, from the head of the armed forces [...]

Obama’s New Defence Strategy and Asia

We had argued in our post, Cold War Gains Momentum that in the Indian context, USA wants to thin down Chinese influence for which it needs India’s support. It would now be prudent to “engage and act east” firmly with Indian characteristics. Should the economic and military cooperation with US be increased as part of this policy it should not be at the cost of raising tensions with China. A tough call for Indian policy makers.

Why the West is Losing Wars and the Peace?

The Indian experience of winning hearts goes to prove that the Indian approach has delivered every time in dealing with the nuances of wearing heart on its sleeves. Today the situation in Kashmir is far better than in any other proxy war led situation in the world. India has a lot to teach the world about fighting among people by resorting to a multi dimensional humanitarian approach.

Kashmir 2011: The Turning Point

Editor’s Note: Kashmir has reached a turning point because of the dint of hard work by leaders and people operating to make Kashmir safe. Personalities are important but secondary to the doctrines and people friendly strategies they have implemented. These strategies need to be evolved further by all stakeholders to make Kashmir what it is [...]

Pakistan’s Army: Divided it Stands

Why is the (Pakistan) Army getting weaker? The problem is not the lack of materiel – guns, bombs, men, and money. These have relatively easy fixes. Instead it is the military’s diminished moral power and authority, absence of charismatic leadership, and visibly evident accumulation of property and wealth. More than anything else, the Army has sought to please both the Americans as well as their enemies

Af Pak – The Iran Factor

Despite Western world view of Iran being a terrorist state, Iran today holds a large number of pieces of the zig saw puzzle that may help solve Afghanistan provided the West and Pakistan don’t use it as a punching bag to meet their ends. US would have to envision a common platform with Iran to stabilise the region beyond 2014. This calls for US to heed to suggestion by Farid Zakaria and re engage Iran constructively.

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