Category: Blogs

The Obama Doctrine’s First Term

By Joseph S. Nye, Project Syndicate

From Joseph S. Nye, Project Syndicate:  Obama’s rhetoric during his 2008 campaign and the first months of his presidency was both inspirational in style and transformational in objective.

America and Europe’s Pacific Partnership

By Patryk Pawlak and Eleni Ekmektsioglou, the Diplomat

From Patryk Pawlak and Eleni Ekmektsioglou, the Diplomat:  The joint statement touches upon several important issues for the region’s stability: North Korea’s denuclearization, democratization in Burma, territorial claims in the South China Sea, and human rights.

U.S.-EU Statement on the Asia-Pacific Region

By the Department of State

From the Department of State:  Secretary Clinton and High Representative Ashton noted that interdependence between Asia, the United States and the European Union has reached unprecedented levels.

Egypt’s Journalists Fear a Continuation of Mubarak-Era Constraints

By Nancy Messieh

On Wednesday, the Upper House of Parliament (Shura Council) named 50 new editors for the country’s state-run newspapers, amid a backlash, led primarily by the Journalist’s Syndicate. The union accused the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Shura Council of trying to regulate state-owned media in the interest of their party, earning a comparison to Hosni Mubarak and the National Democratic Party’s (NDP) […]

Reflections on the Oak Creek Sikh Temple Tragedy

By Deepa Iyer

I have worked with South Asian community members and organizations since September 11, 2001, and the tragic events of this past Sunday in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, has shaken me to the core. As our country tries to make sense of the tragedy that occurred last Sunday at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, it […]

Sinai Attack Reveals More Than Just Security Vulnerabilities

By Haitham Tabei

Sixteen soldiers were killed and seven injured in a terrorist attack on the border between Egypt and Israel, exposing one of many crises facing the current regime, which is an amalgamation of old and new. The president, the military, state media and national security are all intertwined in an uneasy marriage, one which is coming […]

Top News: In Biggest Deployment Under Peace Treaty, Egypt Army Pushes More Reinforcements into Sinai

By Egypt Source

Major military reinforcements arrived to the outskirts of El-Arish in Sinai Thursday morning coming from the Second Field Army Command in Ismailiya. The reinforcements sent to the border city with Israel include armoured vehicles, tanks and missile batteries in addition to hundreds of soldiers.

Russian generals attack Medvedev over Georgia war

By Gleb Bryanski, Reuters

From Gleb Bryanski, Reuters:  A group of retired Russian generals has accused Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of indecision during Moscow’s 2008 war with Georgia, the most serious attack on the country’s No. 2 politician since he stepped down as president in May.

Teddy bear feud escalates: Belarus expels all Swedish diplomats

By Camille Bas-Wohlert, AFP

From Camille Bas-Wohlert, AFP:  Sweden’s ties with Belarus soured further Wednesday as Minsk expelled all Swedish diplomats and closed its mission in Stockholm, five days after the ex-Soviet state expelled the Swedish ambassador.

Afghan civilian casualties fall 15 percent in first half of 2012

By Mirwais Harooni, Reuters