United States Central Command (CENTCOM), one of the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) six geographical combatant commands, is responsible for countering threats, responding to crises, and strengthening regional stability in the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.
The US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz — disruptive to global trade and energy flows, and devastating for debt-burdened economies — has handed Pakistan an unexpected geoeconomic opportunity, one that may persist even if the framework agreement announced on June 14 results in a lasting peace and permanent reopening of the strait. But seizing it will have interlocking consequences for Islamabad’s ties with Tehran, Washington, and the Gulf states.
Sometimes the only thing more frightening than Afghanistan’s problems is the Taliban’s solutions and the recently signed Russia-Taliban military-technical agreement may be the most alarming one yet. The partnership signals that Afghanistan’s security architecture is being rebuilt without the United States, and increasingly by America’s rivals. Washington should pay close attention because the deal hands one of the world’s most repressive regimes a pathway to becoming more capable and deeply entrenched in a regional order where Russian influence is expanding at America’s expense.
This article was first published by The National Interest. on September 26, 2012
Assertions and opinions in this publication are solely those of the above-mentioned author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Middle East Institute, which expressly does not take positions on Middle East policy.
MEI Podcast, 20120925 Afghanistan’s Cultural Institutions & Private Sector in the Shadow of 2014 Shaharzad Akbar; Joanie Meharry, Jahid Mohseni, Laura Tedesco, George Gavrilis , Wendy ChamberlinPresented by The Middle East Institute and the Hollings Center
MEI Podcast, 20120925 Afghanistan’s Cultural Institutions & Private Sector in the Shadow of 2014 Shaharzad Akbar; Joanie Meharry, Jahid Mohseni, Laura Tedesco, George Gavrilis , Wendy ChamberlinPresented by The Middle East Institute and the Hollings Center
MEI Podcast, 20120925 Afghanistan’s Cultural Institutions & Private Sector in the Shadow of 2014 Shaharzad Akbar; Joanie Meharry, Jahid Mohseni, Laura Tedesco, George Gavrilis , Wendy ChamberlinPresented by The Middle East Institute and the Hollings Center
MEI Podcast, 20120925 Afghanistan’s Cultural Institutions & Private Sector in the Shadow of 2014 Shaharzad Akbar; Joanie Meharry, Jahid Mohseni, Laura Tedesco, George Gavrilis , Wendy ChamberlinPresented by The Middle East Institute and the Hollings Center
MEI Podcast 32
Is There a Political Solution to the Afghan Conflict?
Amb. Omar Samad, Shamila Chaudhary, Arif Rafiq, Marvin Weinbaum
MEI Podcast 32
Is There a Political Solution to the Afghan Conflict?
Amb. Omar Samad, Shamila Chaudhary, Arif Rafiq, Marvin Weinbaum
MEI Podcast 32
Is There a Political Solution to the Afghan Conflict?
Amb. Omar Samad, Shamila Chaudhary, Arif Rafiq, Marvin Weinbaum
MEI Podcast 32
Is There a Political Solution to the Afghan Conflict?
Amb. Omar Samad, Shamila Chaudhary, Arif Rafiq, Marvin Weinbaum
MEI Podcast 32
Is There a Political Solution to the Afghan Conflict?
Amb. Omar Samad, Shamila Chaudhary, Arif Rafiq, Marvin Weinbaum
The “new and improved” tactics of “divide and conquer” are operational both at the vertical and horizontal layers of the government and society in Afghanistan.
The 21st century has been called the “Century of the City,” as half of the world’s population lives in urban areas.[1] Virtually all of the projected global population growth will be in cities of the developing world, and most of it will be concentrated in informal settlements.
Recent media coverage of the Afghan war questions whether we’ve made meaningful progress towards security and an effective Government in that country. Or were the past ten years a lost decade for the Afghans and Coalition partners? This ten-year milestone is a good point in time to pause, check Afghanistan’s progress, and assess where it appears to be headed. With the assistance of over 40 nations, Afghanistan developed its infrastructure and has taken major steps towards self sufficiency.
أقدم مطبوعة محكمة مخصصة لدراسة الشرق الأوسط المعاصر، تغطي مجلة MEI الرائدة السياسة والمجتمع والثقافة في المنطقة.
