A transformational leader, unfortunately
Looking back, it now seems strange that during her first couple of years as prime minister, Margaret Thatcher was widely viewed as something of an aberration. In 1981, with unemployment…
The big US budget cuts: Will the bite match the bark?
Delays of four hours or more at airports. Exasperating wait times for people, and goods, crossing America's borders. Reduced paychecks for thousands of civilians employed by the Pentagon. The US…
In mid-term doldrums, Canada’s Conservatives hope to reboot
Voter fatigue with Canada's ruling Conservatives and signs of stress within the government are putting Prime Minister Stephen Harper under pressure to freshen up his team and policies as the…
The undisputed power
When one views the pictures of president George W. Bush being informed of 9/11, bewilderment and shock are evident. After all the American mainland, protected by two oceans, had never…
America and the drone issue
Since my last article the debate in Washington on drones continues. The confirmation of John Brennan as the new CIA chief has been put off, with Senator Rand Paul of…
Aid and achievemen
Speaking at an event in Jacobabad last week, US Ambassador Richard Olson said that his country would continue to build “a long-term partnership with Pakistan by extending cooperation in several…
Too many cooks
It has been too much of Kargil in the last few weeks, though I still have a column to wrap up about what has been an important revisit triggered by…
Torturing the facts
Eleven years after George W Bush sent the first detainees to Guantanamo, the Oscar-nominated film Zero Dark Thirty made its national debut. Zero Dark Thirty is disturbing for two reasons.…
A negotiated settlement in Afghanistan
President Obama has scaled down the objectives of the war in Afghanistan as spelled out by the Bush administration. Washington now wants a political solution of the Afghan issue rather…
The Afghan policy shift
After 9/11 Pakistan-US ties have experienced many ups and downs. However, a marked policy shift was seen with the election of President Obama. The new administration attached Afghanistan’s affairs with…
