The United States fears that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons will fall into the hands of terrorists. But Pakistan believes that the United States has designs on its nukes.
Pakistani Nukes in Step Vans Have Ripple Effect on Iran
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Afghanistan: To Soothe the Militant Mind
A high-powered yoga teacher dreams of bringing the Taliban and Western troops together for meditation and yoga.
More Isn’t Necessarily Better With Pakistan’s “Nuclear Security Culture”
Pakistan needs to take care that its plans to dramatically increase its nuclear security forces don’t provide an opening for infiltration by Islamist extremists.
Dealing with the Haqqanis
In a year of promises, unmatched violence, and pointed fingers, public attention has been diverted away from the Taliban and onto a new source of violent opposition. The Haqqani network is now the target of American ire in Afghanistan. Recent Haqqani attacks like the daring assault on the U.S. embassy in Kabul have infuriated the American military and political brass. As the United States confronts this persistent and lethal force, the flaws in the U.S. effort to root out terrorism and establish stable governance in Afghanistan turn out to have been inherent in the U.S. strategy since the very beginning.
Escaping Haqqanistan
Despite its brutality, corruption, and affiliation with al Qaeda, the Haqqani network is likely to inherit much of Afghanistan should the United States leave.
Probing for Soft Spots in a Terrorist’s Irrational Armor
Are yet more infringements on civil liberties required to deter terrorists?
Did the U.S. Capitalize on the Murder of Pakistani Journalist Shahzad?
By accepting information obtained from a journalist tortured to death, the C.I.A. signals that it condones such practices.
Afghanistan: U.S. and Pakistan Seek to Reinforce a Border That Was Arbitrary to Begin With
Pakistan has neither the manpower nor the money to fortify its border with Afghanistan.
The Dual Failure of Night Raids and Drones
Adapting to an unconventional war, the United States and its allies picked up some new tactics in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the past few years, drone attacks and night raids have become staples of the effort to combat al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The announcement of a new counterterrorism strategy and the beginning of troop withdrawals from the conflict suggest that these methods are poised to become fixtures of how the U.S. combats global terrorist threats.
The Courtship of Iran and Pakistan
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari paid a second visit to Tehran last weekend after having been there only three weeks ago. Official reports by Pakistani and Iranian sources broadly characterized the visit as “part of the ongoing process to strengthen bilateral ties, step up consultations with countries in the region for peace and stability at a time when tension was developing in some parts and for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan and fighting militancy.” But this rationale hardly warrants two head-of-state level official visits in such a short span of time. After all, lower-level officials could have dealt with such concerns, as in the past.