Context The three-day visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the US was a significant icebreaking moment for the otherwise downward spiraling US-Pakistan ties. Aside from the positive optics, the broader implications remain vague. The Afghan peace process was supposed to be the focus of the meetings, however, President Trump’s comment on Kashmir has opened…
Context As the alliances associated with the global balance of power remain in the heightened state of flux, the organizations through which these tectonic shifts are being manifested, such as United Nations, BRICS, NATO and SCO are critical to observe. An inquiry that goes along with this examination is to understand the purposes of these…
Context As the direct peace talks between the US and Afghan Taliban move along the sixth round of talks took place in Doha. Meanwhile questions are being raised regarding the prospects of success. Any negotiations have to con sider the positions of various stakeholders. More importantly, first the stakeholders have to agree to talk and then…
Context While the Pakistan-India tensions are known to flare up occasionally, the present one over the February 14 Pulwama incident has calmed down for the time being. However, in the absence of any political dialogue related to Kashmir, there is likely to be a next episode. Most assessments of the incident have examined the conflagration…
Context The international conferences where leading global thinkers and shapers gather to share insights on the present political, technological, and economic challenges are crucial to observe. Their thought processes help build a narrative and assist the rest to gauge the future direction. The Davos World Economic Forum held every year in late January is just…
Context In an endeavor to decipher the emerging geopolitical realities, PoliTact occasionally partners with leading thought centers to understand the multi-faceted tangents of a particular theme. On November 16, 2018 PoliTact collaborated with the Middle East Institute to examine the political, security, and economic interconnections between South Asia and the Gulf States, and one of…
Context As the global balance power remains in flux, some dramatic changes indicate how complicated this shift has become. The equilibrium is swinging between the established and the emerging powers with both striving to shape the process of change towards their camp. As the tug and pull continues between US, Russia, and China, the Cold…
Context President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in May this year has ironically put its strategic ally India in a testing position. The energy related sanctions are planned to go into effect on November 4, but other sanctions known as “snap-back” sanctions got implemented on August 7. Snap-back sanctions will…
Context The frame of reference used in an analysis tremendously influences the output, and in fact shapes it. Our vantage point is congruent with the theory that the events of the Middle East are now superseding the political, security, and economic dynamics of South Asia, and are likely to become its major determinant. We are…
Context The conflict in Afghanistan is continuing for the last 30 years or so. The present phase got underway after the tragic incident of 9/11. when the US launched a campaign against the perpetrators of the attack, Al Qaeda, and those that provided them refuge, the Afghan Taliban. While the Al Qaeda menace has been…
