COMMENTARIES
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The North Korean Agreement
Amit Sisir Gupta · 27 Feb, 2007 · #2220 · Commentary
The new agreement with North Korea has led to pessimistic and optimistic responses in the United States. The pessimists point out that it gives North Korea too much and gets little in return - unlike South Africa, North Korea will not be dismant...
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Sri Lanka: Five Years of the Ceasefire Agreement
N Manoharan · 26 Feb, 2007 · #2219 · Commentary
The Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) in Sri Lanka completed five years on 22 February 2007. At this juncture it is pertinent to look at whether the CFA has achieved its stated objectives of "bringing an end to the hostilities, improving the living...
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Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: An Uncertain Future
Srinjoy Bose · 23 Feb, 2007 · #2218 · Commentary
The 9/11 attacks in the United States and its subsequent war on terror has forced the international community to focus again on the Afghan refugee issue - a dismal crisis which has witnessed refugees crossing into Pakistan many times since 1979....
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Terrorism: The Dilemma of Definition
Prakash Chandra Jha · 23 Feb, 2007 · #2217 · Commentary
Defining terrorism has always been a difficult exercise. Past work on a general definition of terrorism has often been controversial, and no consensual definition has emerged at the international level. Without a definition, it is difficult to d...
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India ASEAN FTA: Problems and Prospects
Yogendra Singh · 23 Feb, 2007 · #2216 · Commentary
In 2003, India and ASEAN agreed to start negotiations for establishing a FTA. Three years later, the FTA is far from reality. While there are problems, the Fifth ASEAN-India Summit kept alive hopes for future negotiation because both sides showe...
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The Pyongyang Deal - Should Tehran or Islamabad Be Next?
Rohit Pattnaik · 23 Feb, 2007 · #2215 · Commentary
The six-party deal in Beijing is an important step in dealing with the North Korean nuclear problem. It marks the first steps towards disarmament in more than three years of negotiations. North Korea's agreement to close its nuclear reactor ...
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Across the LoC: Gujjars Face an Identity Crisis
· 19 Feb, 2007 · #2214 · Commentary
The third largest ethnic group - after Kashmiri speaking Muslims and Dogra Hindus -Gujjars are a unique tribe. Over the years, they have emerged as a significant political entity, influencing party elections in more than 20 of the 87 assembly co...
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Lessons from Singur
Saumitra Mohan · 19 Feb, 2007 · #2213 · Commentary
The Singur controversy in West Bengal is showing no signs of subsiding. With the opposition ratcheting up its politics of protests and agitation, one needs to think whether it is advisable to let this continue indefinitely. The Opposition has no...
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Suicide Terrorism - Iraq 2006
Devyani Srivastava · 19 Feb, 2007 · #2212 · Commentary
The
suicide bombing campaign in Iraq became more lethal and frequent during 2006 as
the Sunni-led insurgency and Al-Qaeda affiliated jihadist groups intensified
their attacks on US-led troops, Iraq's Shia-dominated government, oil
in...
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Suicide Terrorism - South Asia 2006
P G Rajamohan · 19 Feb, 2007 · #2211 · Commentary
In
the year 2006, four countries in the South Asian region witnessed more suicide
attacks than anywhere in the world, next to Iraq. Compared to the previous year,
the rate of suicide attacks significantly increased particularly in Afghanis...