Clinton on Engaging the Asia-Pacific
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “America's engagement in the Asia-Pacific,” Honolulu, Hawaii, October 28, 2010 – key passages and central ideas:
AUSMIN 2010: On Gates and Clinton in Australia
After many months of preparation, the Obama administration is starting to enjoy some gains from its ambitious attempt to reengage with the Asia-Pacific while simultaneously redefining the scope, objectives and means of that engagement, and in such a way as to cover the broad range of U.S. interests in economic, security and diplomatic affairs rather than proceeding from a military-heavy perspective, for instance.
More on the Haqqani Network
I just attended a fascinating event today (November 9, 2010) organized by the New America Foundation (which by the way has shown an ability at times to be one of the more exciting think tanks in DC, at least in my opinion), on regional dynamics in South Asia – which was basically the subject of my thesis.
Haqqani Network 2.0: From Local Actor to Ideological Foe?
Note: this article builds on thoughts I expressed in my previous entry, “The Way Forward: Building Partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” If you have the time (it’s not very long at all), and are so inclined, I suggest checking it out. And what was true then is true now: nothing I say, write or suggest reflects the position of anyone but myself.
The Way Forward: Building Partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Part 2)
[Read part 1 here.] I’ve been following issues in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as usual, and fully exposed to US media coverage of the war in Afghanistan. (Note: what follows isn't a political criticism of "mainstream media, simply a personal thought regarding a subconscious biais present in American media).
The Way Forward: Building Partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Part 1)
I’ve now settled in DC, and my internship with the French embassy has been everything I hoped it would be, and more (by the way, the French cafeteria inside the embassy is awesome). Obviously, though, anything I write on this blog is just me and doesn’t reflect the position, thoughts or analysis of any anyone else – for better and for worse. Just to be clear, this means I do not speak for the French embassy, I do not speak for the French government, I speak for no one but me in my personal capacity as a blogger, no more, no less.
The Afghan Peace Jirga (Part 2 of 2)
[Read part 1 here] Focused first and foremost on consolidating his power, like any political leader facing an insecure environment (the same principle applies to North Korea, who seeks a nuclear deterrent to ensure regime survival), Karzai failed to make the needs of the Afghan people his priority, as reflected in the flawed loya jirga most recently.
The Afghan Peace Jirga (Part 1 of 2)
Deciding Afghanistan's Stability Everywhere but Afghanistan
The peace and stability of Afghanistan, the subject of numerous international, regional and national consultations, consistently shuts out the Afghan people themselves, and the recent peace jirga (June 2-4) hosted by Hamid Karzai was no exception. This calls into question the validity of the Obama administration’s approach, on more levels than one.
France and China: Political Reconciliation and Beyond
I know that neither of these countries are technically a part of South Asia (although I’ve included China in the list of countries I intend to discuss), but since I live in Paris I feel I should discuss elements of French foreign policy from time to time, especially since it often goes unnoticed abroad, and yet cannot be dismissed too quickly. By the way, just because I live in France doesn’t mean I’m an expert on its foreign policy, which is one of the reasons why I don’t intend to write about it too often.
Needed: A Coherent U.S. Strategy for India
Hi everyone, or people who found this link by mistake, I’m back – my thesis is finally finished, completed, over. I hope to make South Asia-ish as active a blog as those of my fellow bloggers here at The Mantle, whose dynamism I aspire to emulate. I know the “ish” in South Asia-ish gives me a lot of freedom (as does Shaun Randol, founder of The Mantle), but that probably doesn’t extend to me writing about me – so enough about me. Or, as French playwright Sacha Guitry famously said, “enough about me.
