Elevate Human Rights as the Core Organising Principle in Counter Insurgency The Indian Army’s Doctrine for Sub Conventional Operations does an admirable job in balancing human rights protection with operational demands. However, there is a degree of dissonance in the approach to human rights brought about by the perspective that protecting human rights is a means to an end. Ali Ahmed | November 14, 2011 | Policy Brief
Will Cooperative Security Work in South Asia? While the cooperative security approach has not succeeded in resolving conflicts in South Asia, it might work when it comes to resolving human security related issues. Arvind Gupta | November 13, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Six-Party Talks: Geneva meeting shrugs-off “strategic patience” but parsimoniously Not engaging North Korea is no more seen as an option even as it continue to build its nuclear capabilities. Preeti Nalwa | November 13, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Is America finally withdrawing from Iraq? Obama has skilfully reaped the political benefits of ordering a ‘technical’ withdrawal and ending the US mission in Iraq, whilst not only retaining the substance of the US posture and presence but immeasurably strengthening it. R. S. Kalha | November 11, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Kim’s Russia Visit: Evaluating Diplomatic Currency It is apparent that both Russia and North Korea are seeking diplomatic currency. But so long as North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme remains an unresolved issue, Russia’s plan for a trans-Korean gas pipeline, however mutually beneficial that may be, is likely to remain unachievable. Rajaram Panda | November 09, 2011 | Issue Brief
Queering the ‘Pitch’ of Pakistan Politics At a time of such monumental, even existential, challenges, if all that Pakistan can come up with is a vacuous demagogue like Imran Khan, then its future is pretty bleak. Sushant Sareen | November 08, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Ukraine’s Flirtation with China and Russia’s Quest for a Eurasian Union Ukraine has resisted Russian attempts to draw it into a closer political and economic embrace and has instead explored a closer association with the EU, NATO and even China. Recent developments indicate a turnaround in the Ukrainian attitude and may portend a closer relationship with Russia and the CIS states. Smita Purushottam | November 04, 2011 | Issue Brief
Istanbul Conference on Afghanistan: A Feeble Attempt at a Regional Solution It will not be fair to assess the success or failure of the Conference at this stage. The fact that there was an attempt to forge regional cooperation on Afghanistan was a positive but feeble step. Smruti S. Pattanaik , Arvind Gupta | November 04, 2011 | IDSA Comments
Nepalese PM’s Visit to India: “Qualified Success” Prime Minister Bhattarai’s visit will definitely help in dispelling some of the mistrust between India and the Maoist regime in Nepal. Anshuman Behera | November 04, 2011 | IDSA Comments
National Interests and International Commitments: the Problem of Enforcing Sanctions Recently it has been proposed by the United States that economic sanctions be applied by the international community against the Khomeini regime. Economic pressure is sought to be initiated against the regime in an attempt to force it to change its stand on certain policy matters, more specifically on the issue of holding Americans in Iran as hostages. Once again the whole concept of sanctions has been brought into prominence. The viability of sanctions as instruments of pressure, aimed at bringing about certain internal and/or external changes within the target state is open to debate. Neera Chandhoke | November 2011 | Strategic Analysis
