Afghanistan as "Lost Cause"

"The idea that liberal democracy is alien to the country, now being used to legitimise early western withdrawal, is racist libel."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Afghanistan as "Lost Cause":  Powerful voices in western geo-strategic discourse had long railed against efforts to build a secular-democratic order in Afghanistan after 9/11. Now, the notion that liberal democracy is in some way alien to Afghanistan has become a pervasive meme. In order to legitimise early withdrawal, the anti-democratic politics of the Taliban is being marketed as an authentic voice of Afghan tradition. The ideological underpinnings of these ideas need extremely careful examination.

Losing hearts and minds

"The anger and bitterness millions of Afghans feel over the war's rising civilian death toll will not subdue by an American apology. There is simmering resentment over repeated episodes in which the conduct of NATO forces has been grossly offensive. The clear message is that Nato troops are above Afghan law, that the Afghan judicial process is not good enough to try them. This makes a nonsense of U.S. claims of respect for Afghan sovereignty.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Losing hearts and minds: As the self-imposed deadline of 2014 for the withdrawal of U.S. troops approaches, it is essential that Afghan sovereignty be strengthened and respected in word and deed. This means ensuring a greater role for the Afghan National Security Forces, particularly in combat operations, and zero tolerance towards acts by western troops which are an affront to Afghanistan's identity and sense of self-respect.

Confusing signals on Afghanistan

With the Obama administration balancing election year with concerns about stability in Afghanistan, the confusion that passes for Washington's Afghanistan policy is very evident. With regional players such as Pakistan, India and Iran and international big powers all jostling to position themselves in the so-called Afghan endgame, the situation can only get more muddied.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Confusing signals on Afghanistan: " Afghan civilians have borne the worst of more than a decade of war, and they will continue to do as long as that country is viewed more as a geo-strategic piece of real estate rather than as a nation with real people. "

Shared Stakes In Safety

Going to Afghanistan to train its security personnel is in India's interest

Shared Stakes In Safety

The strategic partnership agreement between India and Afghanistan during President Hamid Karzai's visit to India in October 2011 implicitly recognized "India's ability to rebuild Afghan institutions, including the military, whose requirement would be overwhelming following ISAF's departure," says the former army chief Deepak Kapoor. It is only a matter of choice as to the manner of implementing the training of the Afghan security personnel, two of which are suggested in the article.

-The Times of India, February 7, 2012 

Exit At Any Cost?

The US's attempt to engage the Taliban is fraught with risk for Afghanistan

Exit At Any Cost?

-The Times of India, February 1, 2012

While the Taliban have agreed to hold talks with "the world" through an office in Qatar, the US, it seems, has no idea as to where the talks will lead them, as was honestly uttered by the secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

"The Obama administration is willing to hand over five Taliban commanders currently in Guantanamo Bay as a "confidence-building measure" without significant concessions in return."

How is Afghanistan going to be effected in the wake of current circumstances? Especially when Pakistan's role is an additional "dark mystery."

It's boom time for people smugglers

"The tide of Afghans leaving for Europe is fuelling a lucrative business in fake passports and Taliban death threats."

For citizens, the warren-like building across the road from the headquarters of Kabul's police chief is a one-stop shop for every document they could need. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : It's boom time for people smugglers. Buyers hope the document will persuade immigration officers many thousands of kilometres away to give them asylum in Europe or Australia. 

Two factors were driving a boom in this business: the rising fear among some Afghans for the future of their country and the existence of a class of well-off professionals who can afford his huge fees. Smugglers also offer different packages depending on what people can afford.

For these people, becoming victims of criminality and exploitation is a constant risk.

'It's one full year since the last polio case in India was recorded'

Q&A


with Karin Hulshof, Unicef representative, about the tragedy of children paralysed by the disease, the triumph of how India tackled it - and what we need to do now to protect future generations for polio

Q&A

-The Times of India, January 13, 2012