By Neil Arun and Abeer Mohammed IRBIL, BAGHDAD – Iran appears to have cemented its political hold over Iraq as the United States’ military has eased its grip – but its rise has been divisive, and as Tehran’s influence has expanded, its limits have also become clearer, concludes an Institute for War and Peace Reporting special report. IWPR interviews with analysts and political leaders have shown Iraqi politics is now polarized by its attitude towards Iran as it once was by its stance towards the US. Some fear that Iraq’s sectarian and ethnic feuds, barely calmed, will be rekindled as … Continue reading Rise of Iran reveals polarized Iraq

India sets sights on killer drones By Siddharth Srivastava NEW DELHI – Aside from the much discussed acquisition of big conventional weapons by India, a silent accretion has been the fleet of reconnaissance and “killer” unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), specifically aimed at neutralizing threats from Pakistan, and possibly China in future. Official sources have told Asia Times Online that if everything goes as planned, within the next two years India should possess a fleet of at least 25-30 attack UAVs compared to fewer than five now with such capabilities. Until now, India has never admitted to using the destroyer UAVs. … Continue reading Indian drones?

Beijing resets relations with the Internet By Iain Mills BEIJING – With the world’s media currently engrossed by the ongoing Google drama, the relationship between the Chinese government and the Internet is once again the subject of international scrutiny. With nearly 400 million users in China – a figure expected to increase to 500 million by 2012 – the Internet has become an increasingly prominent social force in China. In the absence of a traditional public sphere, the relative freedom afforded by the net has offered Chinese citizens a totally new and increasingly dynamic platform on which to voice to … Continue reading China the future of the internet?

Maoist attack stiffens India’s resolve By Siddharth Srivastava NEW DELHI – In the deadliest leftist attack in India, Maoist rebels on Tuesday killed 75 police personnel in the central state of Chhattisgarh, in the process making a mockery of New Delhi’s recent claims that its strong-arm tactics against Maoist strongholds across north and eastern India were paying dividends. A government paramilitary force – mostly from the Central Reserve Protection Force – was involved in flushing-out operations when it was attacked in the thick forests of Dantewada district by about 500 armed rebels. Interior Minister P Chidambaram, who is spearheading “Operation … Continue reading Maoist India?

Iraq video sets off renewed protests By Charles Fromm WASHINGTON – Journalist advocacy groups called for the reopening of an investigation into the 2007 killing of a Reuters photographer and his driver after the WikiLeaks website released classified video footage on Monday of a 2007 helicopter attack in Baghdad which killed 12 people. “This footage is deeply disturbing,” said Joel Simon, executive director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. “The video also confirms our long-held view that a thorough and transparent investigation into this incident is urgently needed,” Simon added. The video shows the camera feed from an … Continue reading Wikileaks – Patriots without borders!

Karzai plays word games in Kabul By Charles Recknagel Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s anti-foreign rhetoric has received attention in capitals worldwide, and Kabul is no exception. Over the past five days, Karzai has blamed the international community for fraud in last year’s presidential election and described the Western military coalition as coming close to being seen as invaders. He is also reported to have told a meeting of parliamentary deputies on April 3 that if legislators “and the international community pressure me more, I swear that I am going to join the Taliban”. But if press comment in Western capitals … Continue reading Karzai plays games again

Collateral Pentagon By Pepe Escobar “We’ve shot an amazing number of people and killed a number and, to my knowledge, none has proven to have been a real threat to the force.” That was General Stanley McChrystal, supreme commander of United States forces in Afghanistan, late last month – during one of the virtual “town hall” meetings held with US troops every two weeks, as reported in the New York Times. McChrystal added, “To my knowledge, in the nine-plus months I’ve been here, not a single case where we have engaged in an escalation of force incident and hurt someone has it turned … Continue reading Gin, Guns and Gunships!

Japan caught in deflation conundrum By Christopher Johnson TOKYO – If you live in Southeast Asia and need cheap clothing, come to Tokyo and check out these prices: 700 yen (US$7.45) for jeans, 1,000 yen for women’s boots, and 7,800 yen for men’s suits – about a third of what they cost a decade ago, when Japanese used to go to Bangkok and Hong Kong to shop. For 12 straight months, prices in Japan have been falling, the country’s Statistics Bureau said last week, and land prices are roughly half what they were 20 years ago. Prices fell by 1.2% … Continue reading The beginning of the end for Japan?

Muqtada Returns The return of kingmaker Muqtada By Sami Moubayed DAMASCUS – Arab and international media are busy debating who will become the new prime minister of Iraq. Iyad Allawi, a symbol of secularism who came out with 91 seats in the March 7 elections, or incumbent Nuri al-Maliki, a religiously-driven statesman who came in second, with a total of 89 seats. Although the numbers seem to say it all, it is becoming increasingly uncertain who will become the new premier, given that government-mandated de-Ba’athification committees are trying to disqualify five of Allawi’s 91 deputies, which would bring his share … Continue reading Muqtada Returns

Bury the hatchet —Farrukh Khan Pitafi All the political sides are urged to bury the hatchet in order to build a better Pakistan. Now that all its major demands have been met, PML-N would do well to join the federal cabinet and help steer the country out of trouble Oxana, my three year old, has posed a new challenge to me. She watched ‘3 Idiots’ with us and since then she has become a fan of Amir Khan. So whenever I go back home after a long day, I find the same movie being played on the DVD ad nauseam. I … Continue reading Pakistani politicians need to grow up!