Courtesy: dimoqrati.info
Recent geopolitical shifts has given birth to the very real possibility of a fractured Iraq. The on-going civil war in Syria and an unstable Iraq has renewed the call for a Kurdish nationhood. Although presented with a historic opportunity, rebel factions and authoritarian governments still present a hurdle to the quest for an autonomous Kurdish region
Courtesy: laprensa
Over two years after American troops left Iraqi soil, the rise of the brutal ISIS is forcing a war weary U.S.to contemplate a return to the country. Amid plummeting approval ratings and divided opinions at home, President Barack Obama will have to carefully weigh the implications of a disintegrated Iraq on the U.S. and indeed, the world.
Professor Madhav Nalapat, the director of the School of Geopolitics at Manipal University talks of the Wahhabi winter sweeping West Asia. In an interview to Manjeet Kripalani, Co-founder, Gateway House, he speaks of the need to include regional experts and religious leaders to deal with its impact on India
Courtesy: al Riyadh
Basher Assad has been voted to power in Syria in an election which is widely regarded as lacking legitimacy. This will be Assad’s third term in office and his victory is an indication of the control he continues to wield despite growing western backing of opposition groups
Courtesy: Google Maps
An underwater gas pipeline project connecting Oman with India’s west coast is being resurrected. Several factors explain the renewed interest, including the relaxing of sanctions against Iran and India’s need to counter-balance geopolitical and security considerations dogging other land-based projects
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Iraq goes to the polls this week. However, there is uncertainty whether the elections will be successful given the renewed insurgencies in many parts of the country
Courtesy: Alfred A. Knopf
‘Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War’ paints an unflattering and scary picture of the workings of Washington. The book stresses that U.S. presidents have too often been too quick to use military force
Courtesy: Jeremy Edmunds/Flickr
The issue of gas pricing is in the public discourse after the Aam Aadmi Party questioned the logic of linking domestic prices to global rates. In the absence of a single global marker price, it is time India, and other large importing countries in Asia, develop a pricing mechanism that reflects regional realities
Courtesy: Arian Zwegers/Flickr
If the violence in Syria shifts focus to Damascus, the destruction will be incalculable. Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world, a cultural and religious centre. It is a collective heritage. Forces on both sides, led by the U.S. and Russia, must get all parties to declare Damascus a weapons-free zone
Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
Talks between India and the delegations visiting this week from Saudi Arabia and Iran revolved around defence, energy, trade, and regional security. High level visitors to India from Bahrain last week also focused on the economy. It is in India’s interests to carry forward this momentum even after the general elections
