South East Asia

Filling the Void Left by Great-Power Retrenchment: Russia, Central Asia, and the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending in August 2021, created favorable conditions for Russia to reassert itself as a regional hegemon in broader Central Asia. Historically, as great powers retrench from a territory, the resulting void can be filled either by rival powers or by friendly successor states responsive to …

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Korybko To The Epoch Times: Africa Is At The Center Of A New Race For Resources & Influence

Here are the full comments that I gave to The Epoch Times’ Nalova Akua about Africa’s role in the New Cold War, excerpts of which were included in his article titled “South Korean Government Gives Export Boost to Companies Trading in Africa”. The “Fourth Industrial Revolution”/“Great Reset” (4IR/GR) will define …

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The CIA Isn’t Responsible For The Upsurge Of Terrorism In Pakistan’s Balochistan Region

Ignoring the decades-old political roots of the Baloch Conflict, their new economic dimension over the past decade since CPEC, and the latest Taliban connections via its TTP partners leads to inaccurate assessments about its latest manifestations and impedes work on a sustainable solution. An Outdated Explanation Top Alt-Media influencer Pepe …

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Imperialism in the Indo-Pacific—An Introduction

Indo-Pacific is a term with a long history within the imperialist lexicon. It originated in the writings of Karl Haushofer, the leading German geopolitical theorist, in his 1924 Geopolitics of the Pacific Ocean and numerous other works.1 Haushofer was a German military attaché in Japan in 1908–1909, and traveled widely …

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Xi wants to enlist the Global South in his anti-American movement

At the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation starting September 4, Beijing will once again seek to deepen its engagement with countries in the Global South. Chinese leader Xi Jinping was, to his credit, prescient in recognizing the frustrations and aspirations within the developing world and has capitalized on those sentiments to …

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Terrorism threats on the rise 3 years after Afghanistan exit

Threats from terrorist groups such as ISIS are again surging across the globe three years after the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, an exit that marked a new phase in the war on terrorism. ISIS has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks this year across the world, from Turkey to Iran …

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The case for a long reset with Russia Washington will need allies in the fight against China

As the bold Ukrainian assault into Kursk Oblast enters its third week, the general mood in the West is one of triumph. The offensive, we’re told, vindicates the wisdom of the transatlantic liberal establishment in supporting Kyiv. Suddenly, a Russian victory no longer seems inevitable. The truth, however, is that …

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The Taliban’s Afghan Drug Ban Hasn’t Slowed Europe’s Heroin Trade

In April 2022, less than a year after it took power in Kabul, the Taliban announced it would prohibit the cultivation, production, trafficking, trade and consumption of all narcotics in Afghanistan. At the time, many observers were skeptical of both the group’s sincerity, due to the revenues it had long …

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Afghanistan’s Volatile Security Landscape – OpEd

The recent statement by the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dismissing the remarks made by Pakistan’s envoy about the potential for a 9/11-style attack originating from Afghanistan, has sparked widespread debate. The Ministry’s assertion that such a threat is more likely to originate from Pakistan rather than Afghanistan is not …

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Iran’s Border Wall: A Shield Against Terror? – OpEd

Iran’s recent decision to construct a 295 km wall along its border with Afghanistan is a stark reminder of the regional and global anxieties surrounding the rise of terrorism under Taliban rule. This wall is not just a physical barrier but a symbol of Iran’s growing concerns about the spread …

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