West Asia, from afar
16 November 2012

West Asia, from afar

The World Movement for Democracy’s Seventh Assembly focused on inclusive governance in the Middle East-North Africa region. Gateway House’s Azadeh Pourzand, blogs about the different perspectives she gathered during the discussions at the Assembly, emphasizing the need to understand the realities of the region.

obama second term_0 Courtesy: U.S. Navy
10 November 2012

The second term

U.S. President Barack Obama will certainly have the benefit of continuity in his second term, but he has a range of impending crises to address immediately - be it to avert the so-called fiscal cliff before the end of the year when automatic cuts kick in or plan for the military drawdown from Afghanistan.

afghanistan route 606 Courtesy: Isafmedia/Flickr
25 October 2012

Afghanistan: Strategic depth to strategic peace

As the NATO troops prepare to pull out of Afghanistan in 2014, India is already positioned to take on a larger, pro-active role, which can radically alter the balance of power in South Asia. However, what will determine the future of security in the region, is how India and Afghanistan deal with Pakistan.

UNGA piece Courtesy: Patrick Gruban/WikimediaCommons
5 October 2012

UN General Assembly, partial attention

Is a focus on a nuclear Iran in international forums such as the UN General Assembly necessary and appropriate? At a time when other crises – including Syria and Palestine – require the world’s undivided attention, this inordinate focus raises major concerns.

chris stevens casket Courtesy: Secretary of Defense/Flickr
20 September 2012

Death of an Ambassador

Ambassador Christopher Stevens, the U.S. envoy to Libya, was killed, following protests against a controvertial movie, titled 'Innocence of Muslims.' Is an anti-U.S. sentiment to be blamed for this violence? What consequences will this incident have on the U.S. policies towards Libya and Syria?

kurds in syria Courtesy: FreedomHouse/Flickr
7 September 2012

The Kurds: A historic opportunity?

In war-torn Syria, the historic dream for Kurdish nationhood has arisen yet again. Although the Kurds are presented with a historic opportunity, autonomy is still a far-fetched quest for the Syrian Kurds, today. Regardless of the outcome, no government in the region can wish away the Kurdish struggle any longer.

NAM Summit: An opportunity for dialogue Courtesy: Non-Aligned Movement
24 August 2012

NAM Summit: An opportunity for dialogue

Originally formed to oppose polarities among nations following the Cold War, the Non-Aligned Movement is as relevant today as it was till two decades ago. How can it play a role in reducing the violence, and in tempering regional and global rivalries in West Asia and North Africa?

Courtesy: FREEDOM HOUSE2/FLICKR
24 August 2012

Syria: What next?

With the Free Syrian Army being supplied aid by the West and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the endgame for the Syrian regime has begun. Does Assad's exit guarantee the replacement of autocracy with democracy? What implications will it have on regional politics?

morsi_0 Courtesy: gr33ndata/Flickr
9 August 2012

Islamism and democracy

The involvement of Islamists in democratic movements is usually dismissed as a mere ruse to attain political power. However, evidence suggests that people in Muslim-majority democracies support Islamist groups which challenge a dishonest government, rather than those who seek to establish Islamic autocracy.