A diplomatic approach to raising climate ambition (Pa Ousman Jarju, IIED)

Veteran climate negotiator and Gambian Minister Pa Ousman Jarju reflects on the Paris Agreement and the continued need for diplomacy and ambitious climate action.

http://www.iied.org/diplomatic-approach-raising-climate-ambition

How investment treaties protect 'land grab' deals (Lorenzo Cotula, IIED)

New research examining the geographical coverage of international investment treaties raises concern about how they might affect public action to address 'land grabbing'.

http://www.iied.org/how-investment-treaties-protect-land-grab-deals

Inclusive Urbanisation Workshop Reflections (IIED)

This summary reflects the substantive presentations and discussions of a workshop, “From Urban Exclusion to Inclusive Urbanisation,” held from 28-30 October 2015 in London, hosted by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Institute for Development Studies (IDS). Its contents are meant to encompass the diversity of issues addressed, convergence on key points and implications for future actions.

http://pubs.iied.org/10772IIED.html

PLA Reorganisation: Strategic Support Force (Rohit Mehrotra, USI)

http://usiofindia.org/Article/?pub=Strategic%20Perspective&pubno=47&ano=2849

We exist in a era of "international reactions" (Marco Emanuele)

We exist in a era of "international reactions"; to transform reactions in relations is important to identify new paradigms and, for this, we believe is essential the "complex thought".
With "linearity" we created the disasters we are experiencing, in particular the climate of "permanent war"; we need a new responsible approach, an approach in the worlds-of-life. I am convinced that, to understand and to govern this globalized world, "transdisciplinarity" is required; and it is also necessary that anthropology and philosophy help us to look into the different realities to look beyond them.
The drama of recent years, collapsed ideologies, is in an a-polar world without strategic direction; to overcome the situation in which we are, is essential to rejoin what is dispersed, cooperating to return to live.

GDP numbers-First time, how reliable? (R Vaidyanathan, Vivekananda International Foundation)

India’s economic growth for the financial year 2016 has been estimated at 7.6 per cent as compared with the revised estimate of 7.2 per cent in the previous year, aided mostly by growth in the manufacturing sector. However, the GDP growth for the third quarter of this financial year slowed to a four-quarter low at 7.3 per cent. In the second quarter, it had grown by 7.7 per cent.

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/27/gdp-numbers-first-time-how-reliable

Round table Conference on Energy Security on 14-15 May, 2015 - Summary of Recommendations (Vivekananda International Foundation)

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/26/round-table-conference-on-energy-security-on-14-15-may

Defence Budget 2016-17: Needed more Funds and Timely Spending (Brig Gurmeet Kanwal, Vivekananda International Foundation)

At the end of the third quarter of Financial Year (FY) 2015-16, 40 per cent (Rs 37,000 crore out of Rs 93,675 crore) of the capital budget of the armed forces remained unspent. As it will not be possible to spend all of the remaining funds in the January-March 2016 quarter, approximately Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 crore (15 to 20 per cent) may be returned unspent. During the previous FY 2014-15, 22 per cent of the Rs 80,545 crore amount that was initially provided for the capital budget had remained unspent. (The capital budget is utilised for the replacement of obsolete weapons and equipment and modernisation, while the revenue budget is meant for pay and allowances, ammunition, rations, transportation and maintenance etc.)

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/25/defence-budget-2016-17-needed-more-funds-and-timely-spending

Breakout Moment for Iran (Mayank Anand Purohit, Vivekananda International Foundation)

The Iran Nuclear Deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was implemented on 16th January 2016 after Iran completed its obligations for securing suspension of nuclear related sanctions imposed on it. This ends the economic and political isolation of Iran and marks the beginning of a new phase in Iran’s engagement with the world. Economic sanctions have caused significant damage to Iranian economy and curtailed its options to pursue its strategic objectives. Iran is now striving to make up for the lost opportunities and its leadership is wasting no time in deepening existing relationships and building new ones. With significant hydrocarbon reserves and its strategic location, Iran cannot be ignored. Most major nations have started to re-engage with Iran and ink deals. China, expectedly, has stolen a march over others.

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/23/breakout-moment-for-iran

Re-asserting ‘Neighbourhood First’- External Affairs Minister’s Sri Lanka Visit (Anushree Ghisad, Vivekananda International Foundation)

Keeping up with the momentum of 2015 which was a historic year in terms of high level bilateral visits, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj paid a successful visit to Sri Lanka on February 5 and 6, 2016, right at the beginning on New Year. She attended the 9th Session of The Joint Commission Meeting, during which a range of issues were discussed. EAM carried out a comprehensive review of India’s relations with Lanka in the course of her high level meetings, covering major aspects of our bilateral relation.

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/22/re-asserting-neighbourhood-first-external-affairs-ministers-sri-lanka-visit

Pak-Bangladesh Diplomatic Spat: Tip of the Iceberg (Tilak Devasher, Vivekananda International Foundation)

Recent months have seen Pakistan and Bangladesh expelling each other’s diplomats and ‘summoning’ each other’s envoys to lodge ‘strong’ protests. The expulsions and ‘summoning’ are just the tip of the iceberg, reflective of a deeper malaise that has bedevilled the relations between the two countries.

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/22/pak-bangladesh-diplomatic-spat-tip-of-the-iceberg

Indian Army: State of War Readiness – A Contemporary Perspective (Brig (retd) Rahul Bhonsle, Vivekananda International Foundation)

There has been much focus on capital procurements regarding artillery guns, fighter aircraft and submarines for fighting wars in the future. These are no doubt essential to ensure that the nation is ready to face a future challenge given the uncertain security environment in the neighbourhood and programme of rapid modernization of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). At the same time given the constant threat of proxy war waged by Pakistan, the Pathankot terrorist attack being a grim reminder, there is as much need to ensure readiness to fight wars today as in the future. A series of exposures in the media in 2012-13 revealed a high state of hollowness in the Indian armed forces and more particularly in the Army. The state of ammunition, in particular, was considered critical while the level of holdings indicated to be adequate for fighting a ten days war. The Ministry of Defence has reported in the parliament that appropriate measures have been undertaken to redress this shortcoming. Indian Army’s challenge of preparedness thus envisages being ready for battle today while preparing to deter a war tomorrow. Provision of budgeting for both these contingencies is a sine qua nan. In the light of the above, some issues which need to be examined include the current state of ammunition, availability of funds for procurement and raising of the mountain strike corps.

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/22/indian-army-state-of-war-readiness-a-contemporary-perspective

Steadfast in Siachen (Sushant Sareen, Vivekananda International Foundation)

After every tragedy in Siachen, it is almost laughably predictable to see a spate of articles and programs advocating a settlement (largely on Pakistani terms), if not an outright withdrawal, from the area. Most of these write-ups start with a palpably insincere tribute to the Indian soldiers who serve and often lose their life or limb on the icy heights of the highest and coldest battlefield in the world. Once the lip-service to the soldiers has been paid, the entire thrust of the argument is on why serving on the glacier is a pointless waste of resources and is strategically senseless. Ergo, we should settle the Siachen issue so that the precious lives of soldiers can be saved. Invariably, most of the academics, journalists, activists writing such drivel are very active on track-II circuits, many of them funded by the Pakistanis and some Western donors, even governments, whose line is then plugged to influence Indian public opinion.

http://www.vifindia.org/article/2016/february/22/steadfast-in-siachen

Trends in Chinese Military Modernization: Implications and Responses (Vivekananda International Foundation)

The Chinese White Paper on defence of 2015 and the papers issued earlier have been emphasizing that their “national defense policy is defensive in nature... and will never seek hegemony or expansion.” Yet, countries that have been at the receiving end of China’s assertive policies in South China or East China Sea would tend to think otherwise.

http://www.vifindia.org/occasionalpaper/2016/february/19/trends-in-chinese-military-modernization-implications-and-responses

Explanatory journalism: A tool in the war against polarization and dysfunction (Thomas E. Mann, Brookings)

In the present-day world of media and politics, we live (as the saying goes) in the best of times and the worst of times.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/fixgov/posts/2016/02/29-explanatory-journalism-polarization-mann

Emerging tools for cities to address the digital divide (Blair Levin, Brookings)

Last week, the New York Times ran an article on how the digital divide particularly affects schoolchildren, creating what they termed a “homework gap.” The article illustrates vividly what has been clear, at least since the 2010 National Broadband Plan advocated universal adoption—that today, a person’s full participation in the economy and civic life requires connectivity.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/the-avenue/posts/2016/02/29-digitial-divide-levin

Betrayal by those closest to you! (Turki Al-Dakhil, Al Arabiya)

The tragic news of the martyrdom of Badr Hamdi al-Rashidi, a member of the Saudi anti-terror forces in the central Qassim region, brought to mind similar incidents when Saudis were betrayed and killed by their relatives.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/29/Betrayal-by-those-closest-to-you.html

Punishing Lebanon or Hezbollah? (Abdulrahman al-Rashed, Al Arabiya)

Following Saudi measures against Hezbollah, some people now think the Lebanese people are satisfied with the party’s actions. Let us recall that those who assassinated former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, as international investigators have proven, are Hezbollah members. He and other Lebanese symbols who dared confront the Iran-Hezbollah-Syrian regime axis were killed.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/29/Punishing-Lebanon-or-Hezbollah-.html

Can Arab world economies achieve what politics couldn’t? (Raed Omari, Al Arabiya)

We Arabs have been in a state of loss and despair since late 2010. If it is not war, bloodshed and starvation, we encounter instability and insecurity. Even the luckiest among us are at the least worried about developments. It would be no exaggeration to say that all Arabs are either traumatized or are in a state of indifference that has developed over a period of time owing to their inability to keep pace with events they can’t figure out.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/29/Can-Arab-world-economies-achieve-what-politics-couldn-t-.html

What a Trump presidency will mean for Iran (Theodore Karasik, Al Arabiya)

It’s important – immediately – to start thinking seriously about a Donald Trump presidency to be sworn into office on January 20, 2017. The republican front runner is pulling away from his rivals, and, with Super Tuesday on March 1, is likely to be crowned the Republican Party nominee by default.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/29/What-a-Trump-presidency-will-mean-for-Iran.html

Towards a strategic Arab-Russia dialogue (Raghida Dergham, Al Arabiya)

No sane person today expects the Arab countries to have consensus on the conflicts in the region with a unified position like that of Russia or the deliberately absent United States. The reputation for division and rivalry behind the scenes emerges – and is even part of the policies foreign ministers draft – ahead of any meeting among Arab leaders. The biggest problem, however, is when Arab diplomatic readings conflict with Russia’s positions, for example, leading to conflicting policies, as this only serves to continue the bleeding. This applies to the various readings of US policies in the Middle East as well as Russian policies.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/29/Towards-a-strategic-Arab-Russia-dialog.html

We have entered into an a-polar world (Marco Emanuele)

In the third millennium, ended the bipolar balance of the Cold War, we have entered into an a-polar world; what is lacking is the awareness of the need for new paradigms for understanding the evolving realities and the dynamics that characterize our world. "Complex thought" can help us, making us rediscover the complexity of the worlds around us. New subjects, not only states, have become global players; the world seems to have become the sum of so many localisms and we struggle to define a clear strategy of government of the global changes (we are immersed in the "third world war in chapters"). Politics has become fragile (without culture and without vision) while technocracy dominates; it is increasingly important to discover the complexity of reality, overcoming the ''linear deceit" that is leading us to degeneration.

Chi ha davvero vinto in Iran: i centristi in un sistema complesso (Nicola Pedde, Aspenia online)

I titoli della stampa internazionale esultano alla vittoria dei riformisti in Iran, decretandone il successo in tutto il paese ed inneggiando al nuovo corso politico in atto. Dei 290 seggi del Parlamento, tuttavia, essendo ancora in atto lo spoglio, si ha certezza al momento dei 30 vinti dalla Coalizione di Aref a Tehran e dei 19 in provincia, dei 29 di area principalista e conservatrice nelle province, dei 25 conquistati dai candidati indipendenti e di 21 che dovranno andare al ballottaggio in futuro, non avendo superato al barriera del 25%. Restano quindi ancora da assegnare ben 166 seggi, ma soprattutto è necessario fare chiarezza sulla collocazione ideologica dei candidati già risultati vincitori.

http://www.aspeninstitute.it/aspenia-online/article/chi-ha-davvero-vinto-iran-i-centristi-un-sistema-complesso

Pakistan: Innovations in Human Development (CSIS)

http://csis.org/event/pakistan-innovations-human-development

Statesmen's Forum: Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, PRC (CSIS)

http://csis.org/event/statesmens-forum-wang-yi-minister-foreign-affairs-prc

TPP keeps the internet’s rules liberal (Claude Barfield, East Asia Forum)

There has been a good deal of hype touting the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement as the first ‘21st century’ trade pact. Whether it lives up to this high accolade is currently under debate, both in the United States and among the 11 other TPP member states that still need to pass the agreement through their national legislatures. But in one area — e-commerce — there is no doubt that the negotiators did agree to provisions that strongly advance liberalisation of internet trade flows and enhance commerce and investment through the medium of cyberspace.

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/02/29/tpp-keeps-the-internets-rules-liberal/

For a complex approach to international relations (Marco Emanuele)

We need a complex approach to international relations because we are unable to understand the reality of the worlds in terms of "context", of "complex" and of integration between "complex contexts". It seems banal to say but the theme is strategic; in fact, being realistic, we have to say that the "complex thought" has not yet become a "key of interpretation" of historical phenomena. The globalized world calls for a culture of integration and cross-disciplinary knowledge; in reality, in fact, there are no "closed systems" and there are no "disciplinary problems."

Paying Ransom on Ransomware Should be Illegal (Robert Knake, CFR)

Two weeks ago, a California hospital paid $17,000 to cyber criminals who had broken into its computer network and taken its data hostage. The attackers used ransomware, a type of malicious software, to encrypt the files at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, and would only provide the decryption key upon payment in bitcoin of the ransom.

http://blogs.cfr.org/cyber/2016/02/29/paying-ransom-on-ransomware-should-be-illegal/

The Syria “Cease Fire” (Elliott Abrams, CFR)

The Syrian American Council last week distributed a memorandum, whose full text is below, about the new cease fire that has been negotiated between John Kerry, Sergei Lavrov, and other parties. The Council, speaking on behalf of a number of Syrian groups that oppose both jihadis and Assad, found the agreement wanting, and explained why.

http://blogs.cfr.org/abrams/2016/02/29/the-syria-cease-fire/

Design focus is vital to India’s economic growth (Shamika Ravi, Darrell M. West, Brookings)

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2016/02/29-design-focus-india-economic-growth-ravi-west

Overregulation Theory isn’t enough to explain negative voucher effects (Paul Bruno, Brookings)

One of the most talked-about education studies in recent months is a new working paper on the effects of Louisiana’s statewide voucher program during its first year of operation. In short, the authors find that students who won a school voucher via lottery ended up having substantially lower achievement after one year in math, reading, science, and social studies compared to students who lost the lottery and received no voucher.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/brown-center-chalkboard/posts/2016/02/29-overregulation-theory-voucher-effects-bruno

Guess Who’s Violating The Syria Ceasefire? (Daniel McAdams, Eurasia Review)

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-guess-whos-violating-the-syria-ceasefire-oped/

Bangladesh Police: Time For Reform (Habib Siddiqui, Eurasia Review)

Many years ago I was listening to the speech of a police officer in Canada who told his audience that he was trained to be Polite, Obedient, Loyal, Intelligent, Courageous, and Efficient – the very acronym for POLICE. That acronym seemed very proper for police whose prime tasks include prevention and detection of crime, preservation of law and order, and protection of life and property of the law-abiding individuals in a civil society.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-bangladesh-police-time-for-reform-oped/

Lessons the West must learn from the Gulf War, 25 years on (Con Coughlin, The Telegraph)

At a time when Western politicians are struggling to devise a coherent strategy to defeat the fanatics of Islamic State (Isil), the 25th anniversary of the First Gulf War - which I covered as a correspondent for the Telegraphtitles - is a timely reminder of what can be achieved when the West forms an effective partnership with its Arab allies.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/12176682/Lessons-the-West-must-learn-from-the-Gulf-War-25-years-on.html

Saudi Arabia is bombing in Yemen to bring peace and stability (Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz, The Telegraph)

A United Nations panel looking into the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen ​recently ​concluded that there had been “widespread and systemic” attacks on civilian targets, which violated international humanitarian law. In response, investigations have been called for, lobbying groups are now pressuring the British government to stop buying weapons from the Kingdom, and the European Parliament has called for an arms embargo.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/yemen/12176705/Saudi-Arabia-is-bombing-in-Yemen-to-bring-peace-and-stability.html

The WikiLeaks Files: The World According To US Empire (Ludwig Watzal, Eurasia Review)

“Each working day, 71,000 people across 191 countries representing twenty-seven different US government agencies wake and make their way past flags, steel fences, and armed guards into one of the 276 fortified buildings that comprise the 169 embassies and other missions of the US Department of State. They are joined in their march by representatives and operatives from twenty-seven other US government departments and agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the various branches of the US military”, writes Julian Assange in his introduction to “The WikiLeaks Files”.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-the-wikileaks-files-the-world-according-to-us-empire-review/

Clinton Defeats Sanders In South Carolina (Abdul Ruff, Eurasia Review)

As a sweet revenge for her defeat at New Hampshire, US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton crushed rival Bernie Sanders at the South Carolina (Columbia) primary on 27 February, propelling her into next week’s crucial ‘Super Tuesday’ voting in 11 states on a wave of momentum.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-clinton-defeats-sanders-in-south-carolina-oped/

EU Must Urgently Reverse Approach To Refugee Situation (N. S. Venkataraman, Eurasia Review)

It is reported that Austria and nine Balkan states have agreed on several measures to stop the flow of refugees into Europe from West Asia, Afghanistan and other developing countries. These 10 EU nations facing the brunt of the refugee problem have taken a firm stand in spite of the fact that European Union has been dithering over the issue, unable to arrive at a pragmatic and practical approach to this vexed issue.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-eu-must-urgently-reverse-approach-to-refugee-situation-oped/

Ambushing The Donald (Jim Kouri, Eurasia Review)

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-ambushing-the-donald-oped/

Populist Fascism And The Politics Of Class Resentment (Robert Higgs, Eurasia Review)

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-populist-fascism-and-the-politics-of-class-resentment-oped/

Solar Cells As Light As A Soap Bubble (Eurasia Review)

Imagine solar cells so thin, flexible, and lightweight that they could be placed on almost any material or surface, including your hat, shirt, or smartphone, or even on a sheet of paper or a helium balloon.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-solar-cells-as-light-as-a-soap-bubble/

Is Catholic Concept Of Mercy At Heart Of True Islam? (Elise Harris, CNA, Eurasia Review)

Professor Saeed Khan, an expert in Islam, has said that mercy is central to the Muslim faith – a mercy with roots in Catholicism and which is opposed to the misguided, fundamentalist interpretations of some extremist groups.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-is-catholic-concept-of-mercy-at-heart-of-true-islam/

NASA’s IBEX Observations Pin Down Interstellar Magnetic Field (Eurasia Review)

Immediately after its 2008 launch, NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, spotted a curiosity in a thin slice of space: More particles streamed in through a long, skinny swath in the sky than anywhere else. The origin of the so-called IBEX ribbon was unknown – but its very existence opened doors to observing what lies outside our solar system, the way drops of rain on a window tell you more about the weather outside.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/28022016-nasas-ibex-observations-pin-down-interstellar-magnetic-field/

Negotiators Aim To Sign TTIP This Year (EurActiv)

Negotiators on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) claimed on Friday (26 February) that they were making progress towards reaching an accord by the end of the year as they completed the latest round of talks.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-negotiators-aim-to-sign-ttip-this-year/

Erecting A Giant Prison For All Israelis (Alon Ben-Meir, TransConflict, Eurasia Review)

Instead of reaching out to the Palestinians and the whole international community to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, Netanyahu seeks to turn Israel into a garrison and apartheid state, detested by and isolated from the international community.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-erecting-a-giant-prison-for-all-israelis-oped/

Hawaii Quietly Exploring Ways For Independence From US? (Eurasia Review, MINA)

A constitutional convention of Native Hawaiians has adopted a governing document that will go out to a vote for ratification, the organization behind the gathering announced.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-hawaii-quietly-exploring-ways-for-independence-from-us/

Eurovision, Crimean Tatars And Some Digressions (Michael Averko, Eurasia Review)

The February 21 Associated Press (AP) article has the tabloid title of “Ukraine’s Eurovision Entry Takes Aim at Russian Oppression“. Covering much of the same points in a similar manner, the February 23 Washington Post (WaPo) article has the debatable title of “Ukraine’s Eurovision Entry is a Dig at Russia and it isn’t Very Subtle“.

http://www.eurasiareview.com/29022016-eurovision-crimean-tatars-and-some-digressions-analysis/

Indonesia’s measured response to terror (East Asia Forum)

Indonesia had been quietly winning the war on terror. The response — from both Indonesian government and society — to the Bali bombings in 2002, which killed 202 people and injured 208 was measured, effective and served to dismantle the extremist Islamic group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/02/29/indonesias-measured-response-to-terror/

G20 Hopes for a Cure (Robert Kahn, CFR)

Five things we learned from this weekend’s G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers.

http://blogs.cfr.org/kahn/2016/02/28/g20-hopes-for-a-cure/

China’s Maritime Disputes (CFR)

The East and South China Seas are the scene of escalating territorial disputes between China and its neighbors, including Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The tensions, shaped by China's growing assertiveness, have fueled concerns over armed conflict and raised questions about Washington's security commitments in its strategic rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific region.

http://www.cfr.org/asia-and-pacific/chinas-maritime-disputes/p31345#!/

Remaking Economic Development (Amy Liu, Brookings)

The lackluster U.S. economy is delivering a humbling lesson about economic development: Top-line growth doesn’t ensure bottom-line prosperity. The potential of economic development is to do what markets alone cannot do: influence growth through action and investments.

http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports2/2016/02/29-remaking-economic-development

Solutions to Pakistan’s energy are not all favourable to GCC states (Robin Mills, Brookings, The National)

“The energy crisis will be solved before the government’s term ends in 2018,” said Pakistan’s petroleum minister Shahid Abbasi. After Islamabad’s drawn-out struggle with energy shortages, recent developments offer some light at the end of a dark tunnel. But some of the solutions reorient Pakistan’s foreign policies to the detriment of its long-time GCC partners.

http://www.thenational.ae/business/solutions-to-pakistans-energy-are-not-all-favourable-to-gcc-states

When Clint Eastwood came to Afghanistan (Helena Malikyar, Al Jazeera)

Cinema Kabul had set the stage for revolutionary social changes – what went wrong?

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/02/clint-eastwood-afghanistan-cinema-oscars-160225090238611.html

Iranians want change through the ballot box (Camelia Entekhabifard, Al Jazeera)

Regardless of who runs the government or enters parliament, a sense of stability is what Iranians are looking for.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/02/iranians-change-ballot-box-160228073345703.html

The persistence of poverty in the Arab world (Adel Abdel Ghafar, Fraus Masri, Al Jazeera)

Countries currently in conflict pose the greatest challenge to poverty eradication efforts.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/02/persistence-poverty-arab-world-160228072928685.html

Canada jumps on the anti-BDS bandwagon (Antonia Zerbisias, Al Jazeera)

The motion to condemn BDS can pass constitutional muster, but Canadians will be intimidated into total silence now.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/02/canada-jumps-anti-bds-bandwagon-160225090716458.html

Juncker a Roma per far pace con Renzi (Antonio Scarazzini, AffarInternazionali)

La visita di venerdì scorso a Roma del Presidente della Commissione Jean Claude Juncker e l’incontro con il premier Matteo Renzi hanno costituito il banco di prova per una relazione, quella tra Roma e Bruxelles, che negli ultimi tempi era stata caratterizzata da vigorose prese di posizione italiane nei confronti dell’esecutivo europeo.

http://www.affarinternazionali.it/articolo.asp?ID=3351

DWP 2016: five key questions (Ross Babbage, ASPI The Strategist)

The new Defence White Paper is an advance on many fronts. Its appreciation of the changing security landscape is accurate, its logic is mostly clear and it contains a government commitment to spend significantly more, for at least the coming decade.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/dwp-2016-five-key-questions/

DWP 2016: the ADF’s peacetime roles (Anthony Bergin, ASPI The Strategist)

Last year, the Defence White Paper expert advisory panel set out to gauge public attitudes to Defence. The community made it clear to the expert panel, chaired by ASPI’s Executive Director Peter Jennings, that they wanted the ADF to carry out a number of peacetime missions.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-dwp-2016-the-adfs-peacetime-roles/

DWP 2016: the future Army (Lachlan Wilson, ASPI The Strategist)

The new Defence White Paper outlines spending of up to $80 billion on land combat and amphibious warfare out to 2025–26. In terms of equipment modernisation, the plans have focused on greater protected mobility, situational awareness, aviation, firepower, and force sustainability. Those improvements are intended to enhance and broaden the armed forces combat and non-combat capacity.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/dwp-2016-the-future-army/

Staffan de Mistura: a ‘chronic optimist’ takes on Syria (part 2) (Sarah Frankel, ASPI The Strategist)

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura’s background and leadership style (see part 1) have influenced his approach to the Syrian conflict from the day UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked him to take on the role. When he got the call in July 2014, de Mistura was enjoying a lovely semi-retirement on the isle of Capri after promising his fiancée and two daughters (from a previous marriage) a ‘more normal life’ after nearly four decades of bouncing between war zones. De Mistura was inclined to say no, but as he tried to sleep that night, he felt guilty. Ban’s words about the numbers of civilians killed and the refugees echoed in his head. He called the Secretary-General back at 3am and accepted the job.

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-chronic-optimist-takes-on-syria-part-2/

Syrian refugees and European chutzpah (Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg, Arab News)

Following Russia’s bombing of Aleppo, another wave of refugees has reached Turkey, raising alarms in Europe about the possibility of some of them reaching Europe later.

http://www.arabnews.com/columns/news/887926

Shrinking foreign aids (Abdulteef Al-Mulhim, Arab News)

Like rest of the world, Saudi Arabia is also passing through an economic phase, which calls for cutting down expenditure for the next few years to weather the storm.

http://www.arabnews.com/columns/news/887941

Oil: Volatility is the norm (Tamer El Zayat, Arab News)

The recent daily and weekly gyrations in oil prices have made it extremely difficult to ascertain the trends and factors at play, with some analysts focusing on the winding/unwinding of speculative positions.

http://www.arabnews.com/economy/news/887711

Time to reform our education system (Talal Alharbi, Arab News)

For many decades, our political leadership has given due attention to the improvement of the Kingdom’s education system in an attempt to create well-educated generations who could confidently face challenges of the future.

http://www.arabnews.com/columns/news/887936

Beware of the self-help gurus (Saad Al-Dosari, Arab News)

We are living in a strange era. Everyday appears to be full of surprises. The pace of scientific advancement is too great to cope with. Would not it be strange if somebody offers us a bag full of air claiming it to be better for us?

http://www.arabnews.com/columns/news/887931

Clinton-Bush Hardliner Attacks Congress for Blocking Invasion of Syria (Eric Zuesse, Strategic Culture Foundation)

In a Huffington Post interview on February 23rd, the Clinton-Bush former head of the NSA and CIA, and defender of their use of waterboarding, and of their violating the 4th Amendment to the US Constitution (both of which types of legal violations he says are necessary in order to keep Americans safe), accused Congress of being gutless: «Congress didn’t step up and authorize the use of military force» to invade Syria.

http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/02/29/clinton-bush-hardliner-attacks-congress-for-blocking-invasion-of-syria.html

Gli intellettuali siamo noi (Marco Emanuele)

In questa breve nota pongo il problema della figura dell'intellettuale che, sempre di più, vedo distaccata da quella del cittadino. E' come se gli intellettuali si ritirassero progressivamente in altri mondi, "prigionieri" di una erudizione che non si fa vita. Sto leggendo "Pape Satàn Aleppe", il libro postumo di Umberto Eco e lì ritrovo l'esempio di come l'intellettuale non sia altro che la persona che riscopre l'intelletto in funzione dell'interesse generale, della storia comune. 

La "società liquida", nella quale siamo immersi, chiede il ripensamento dei fondamenti, chiede la riproposizione - prima di tutto a noi stessi - delle domande fondamentali sull'essere umano (e su chi stiamo diventando) e sulla convivenza; invece, sembriamo tutti appassionarci alle risposte, sacrificando il tempo della riflessione sull'altare della competizione; la riflessione è riappropriazione della realtà in noi e in chiave progettuale, non è una perdita di tempo o, peggio, una fuga dalla realtà. 

Non vogliamo capire che il progresso comprende anche il regresso e, mai come oggi e non solo da oggi, questo è evidente; l'umanità non condivide un progetto storico, l'esistenza sembra risolversi nell'imminenza (tradendo la vita) e, in questo, la degenerazione ci travolge sotto la forma di un "disumano totalitario" che vive in noi.  

C'è una speranza, certamente, ed è nella presa d'atto della necessità della cooperazione; infatti, nel mondo globalizzato, o ci si salva tutti insieme o non si salva nessuno. Nel teatrino della politica dimenticata, e in un sistema nel quale i rapporti di potenza si fanno sempre più auto-referenziali, è urgente ripensarci umani in termini di dialogo, ritrovandoci l'uno come specchio dell'altro e ritrovando nuove forme possibili di mediazione delle differenze che compongono il meraviglioso mosaico della nostra incertezza. 

Malaysia A ‘New Dictatorship’ Under Najib: Ex-Deputy Prime Minister (Prashanth Parameswaran, The Diplomat)

Muhyiddin Yassin warns of the rise of a new dictatorship and the collapse of democratic institutions in the country.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/malaysia-a-new-dictatorship-under-najib-ex-deputy-prime-minister/

India Hosts First Multilateral Military Exercise with Asian Nations (Prashanth Parameswaran, The Diplomat)

New Delhi will host Force 18 with fellow ADMM Plus countries.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/india-hosts-first-multinational-military-exercise-with-asian-nations/

Is Indonesia’s anti-terror strategy enough? (Yohanes Sulaiman, East Asia Forum)

It has been more than a month since four militants claiming to be followers of the so-called Islamic State (IS) attacked a police post and a café in central Jakarta, killing four people. Following the attack, terrorism experts warned of more attacksfrom IS-affiliated groups. The reason for this is simple: launching more attacks would bolster their credibility in the eyes of IS, thus giving them some sort of official recognition — which would in turn mean more men, funding and training.

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/02/27/is-indonesias-anti-terror-strategy-enough/

It’s time that China seriously engaged with India (Yizhe Daniel Xie, East Asia Forum)

The topic of China dominates almost every economic and foreign policy discussion in India. Yet the concept of a rising India is still a foreign concept in the circles of Chinese elites. Many Chinese are often surprised or amused by the enthusiasm of analysts in comparing China and India. In the eyes of many Chinese the only similarities are that both countries are in Asia and have a population of over a billion people.

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2016/02/27/its-time-that-china-seriously-engaged-with-india/

A Future of Happiness, Tolerance, and Youth (Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Project-Syndicate)

Over the past two weeks, I have heard and read many questions, comments, and news stories regarding recent changes to the government of the United Arab Emirates. Why, everyone seems to want to know, did we establish a Ministry of Happiness, Tolerance, and the Future, and why did we appoint a 22-year-old Minister of Youth?

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/united-arab-emirates-happiness-ministry-by-mohammed-bin-rashid-al-maktoum-2016-02

Stopping America’s Federal Debt Explosion (Martin Feldstein, Project-Syndicate)

The US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has just delivered the bad news that the national debt is now rising faster than GDP and heading toward ratios that we usually associate with Italy or Spain. That confirms my view that the fiscal deficit is the most serious long-term economic problem facing US policymakers.

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/stopping-america-debt-explosion-by-martin-feldstein-2016-02

Gulf states are not charity organizations! (Turki Al-Dakhil, Al Arabiya)

All measures Saudi Arabia has taken to protect the kingdom were legal. Restoring legitimacy in Yemen came against the backdrop of a decision by the U.N. Security Council. The kingdom supports states and not militias, and it sets the basis for developing Arab countries and not destroying them!

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/28/Gulf-states-are-not-charity-organizations-.html

Lessons from Putin: Engineering the historical narrative (Azeem Ibrahim, Al Arabiya)

Does anyone really understand what the war in Syria is truly about? Many analysts working for the various governments who have a stake in the conflict seem to think they have a pretty good idea – as do many independent academics. Trouble is, there is does not seem to be very much agreement amongst them.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/28/Lessons-from-Putin-Engineering-the-historical-narrative.html

Saudi women should not remain submissive (Khaled Almaeena, Al Arabiya)

At a global women’s forumin Dubai last week, many participants spoke about the role of women in an ever-changing Gulf society.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/28/Saudi-women-should-not-remain-submissive.html

Obama’s problem with the Middle East Tango (Eyad Abu Shakra, Al Arabiya)

Last week I enjoyed reading an article by the American writer Thomas Friedman entitled ‘The Many Mideast Solutions’ about what Middle East the next U.S. president should expect to see. Before that, a friend of mine who is a senior researcher in International Affairs at a leading American university, commented on an article I had written about Henry Kissinger’s Middle East legacy; expressing his fear that the Obama Administration may be about to leave the Middle East lock, stock and barrel, concentrating instead on other areas, such as China.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/28/Obama-s-problem-with-the-Middle-East-Tango.html

Arab women in boardrooms – what gets in the way? (Yara al-Wazir, Al Arabiya)

When it comes to female Arab leaders, the numbers are sparse. From politics to the boardroom, the participation of women trails well below the international average. In the gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries, a study by Hawkamah showed that women occupy a mere 1.5 percent of board seats across companies in the GCC, compared to the global average of 15.3 percent.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/02/27/Arab-women-in-boardrooms-what-gets-in-the-way-.html

Discorso di Papa Francesco agli imprenditori riuniti in Confindustria (Holy See)

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/speeches/2016/february/documents/papa-francesco_20160227_confindustria.html

President Rouhani Thanks Iranians for Massive Turnout in Elections (Iran Review)

http://www.iranreview.org/content/Documents/President-Rouhani-Thanks-Iranians-for-Massive-Turnout-in-Elections.htm