Eurasia

De-constructing Talk on Missile Silo Construction in China

Whichever way one views China’s massive silo construction this year, it spells trouble. Recent discoveries of missile silo construction in China in 2021 have turned the international spotlight on Beijing’s nuclear ambitions. The findings (three so far) are all drawn from open-source commercial satellite imagery. They include 16 silos in …

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Afghanistan: Can the Militias Save the Islamic Republic?

The growing engagement of militias in the current fighting will not save the government in Kabul. Since the start of May, the Taliban have taken 211 district centres in Afghanistan, or about half the country in total, according to Taliban claims confirmed by local sources. Only a handful have been …

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Lahore Car Bomb Blast: Terrorist Act Or False-Flag Operation? – OpEd

When a massive blast shook Allah Hu boulevard, an upscale residential area of Jauhar Town in Lahore on June 23 killing three persons and injuring 21 others, no one knew for sure who was behind this attack. Neither was it clear who the intended target was. However, Punjab’s Inspector General …

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Digital Authoritarianism and Nonviolent Action: Challenging the Digital Counterrevolution

Nonviolent action campaigns are one of the most common ways citizens seek to peacefully change nonresponsive political systems. Yet recently developed and emergent technologies are transforming the nature of interactions between activists and authoritarian governments. This report examines the increasingly sophisticated set of tools—such as facial recognition and surveillance of …

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Can Yemen Maintain Its Territorial Integrity? – Analysis

Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansur Hadi, backed by the Saudi alliance, seems unable to enforce territorial unity throughout his shrunken sphere of influence. Not even against allied powers. Incidents on two islands offshore from Yemen suggest as much. Among the greatest attractions of the Arabian Peninsula are Yemen’s mud skyscrapers, …

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Poland Should Not Stay In EU At All Costs, Says Minister

Poland should not remain a member of the European Union at all costs, the justice minister said in an interview published on Friday, as he railed against what he called “blackmail” from the bloc over Poland’s judicial reforms. The comments come as tensions between Warsaw and Brussels are intensifying, with …

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As US Withdraws From Afghanistan, China Forges Ties With Taliban – OpEd

On July 28, 2021, in the Chinese city of Tianjin, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with a visiting delegation from Afghanistan. The leader of the delegation was Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the co-founder of the Taliban and head of its political commission. The Taliban has been making significant territorial …

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Why Is Battle Of Herat Key To Future Of Afghanistan? – OpEd

Last week, Taliban militants attacked the home of Afghan Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi. The well-coordinated attack involved gunmen and a suicide bomber. A resulting battle broke out in central Kabul that lasted for several hours. In the end, the attackers were killed and the defense minister and his family …

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US Military Base Fort Lee Preparing To Receive Up To 3,500 Afghanistans

Task Force Eagle at Fort Lee, Virginia, is supporting the mission of relocating up to 3,500 Afghan special immigrant applicants in support of the State Department and as directed by the Defense Department. Army Col. Karin L. Watson, Fort Lee’s garrison commander, said the installation received notification of its role …

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