The Death of the Buddhas of Bamiyan
Originally posted December 2009
The 2001 destruction of the two giant Buddhas in Bamiyan is, by far, the most spectacular attack against the historical and cultural heritage of Afghanistan committed during the country’s recent period of turmoil.
Causes and Consequences of the Destabilization of Afghanistan
Originally posted December 2009
The Intellectual Impact of Colonialism and the Urgency of Decolonizing Knowledge of Afghanistan
Originally posted December 2009
Post-Buffer Afghanistan: A Nation-State Here to Stay?
Originally posted December 2009
Nation-states, like their citizens, have life spans. Some are short. The bumptious Republic of Texas, for instance, lasted only nine years before being absorbed by a larger and even more energetic United States of America. Yugoslavia survived intact for two generations and then fragmented into six parts, seven including Kosovo.
How Turkey and Iran See Each Other
This Opinion first appeared in Hurriyet on April 13, 2012
By Alex Vatanka and Soner Çağaptay
Women's Prospects in Afghanistan: Oppression or Opportunity?
Recent media reports indicate that fewer Afghan women turned out to vote for a President on August 20, 2009 than went to the polls five years ago, when in some districts female turnout had been even higher than that of males. Apprehension, convention, ennui, and disorganization led to families keeping their women home on election day, even as men dared to vote. The reversal of women’s rights, which they had only recently begun to exercise, is an ominous sign.
The Kurdish Dimension to Turkey's Syria Policy
This article first appeared in Foreign Policy’s Middle East Channel on April 10, 2012
The Feasibility of the Turkish Model in Egypt
Dr. George Gavrilis of the Hollings Center for International Dialogue will serve as the discussant. The talk will focus on Younis's recent publication in the Turkish Policy Quarterly on the role of Turkey in a changing MENA region and the potential influence it can have on the process of democratization in Egypt. Younis will also share some insights from Gallup's polling in other Arab Spring countries on the public's perceptions of the challenges facing their nations following the uprisings of 2011.
The Feasibility of the "Turkish Model" for Egypt
The Feasibility of the “Turkish Model” for Egypt podcast, 5 April, 2012
The Feasibility of the "Turkish Model" for Egypt
The Feasibility of the “Turkish Model” for Egypt podcast, 5 April, 2012
The Feasibility of the "Turkish Model" for Egypt
The Feasibility of the “Turkish Model” for Egypt podcast, 5 April, 2012
The Feasibility of the "Turkish Model" for Egypt
The Feasibility of the “Turkish Model” for Egypt podcast, 5 April, 2012
Uneasy Reliance: Iran Frets About Turkey
This Opinion first appeared in Frontline’s “Tehran Bureau” on April 3, 2012.
Turkey's Other Troublesome Neighbor
This Opinion first appeared in the National on March 5, 2012