Politicians and policymakers love to throw around numbers.  Presented convincingly, they can mask the complexity and dismal nature of the ground reality.  Quantity and dollars spent do not necessarily equal quality, as this video shows. The presentation, by Journeyman Pictures, shows U.S. Embedded Tactical Trainers (ETTs) and their struggle to weed Afghan National Army (ANA) [...]

Below is the Pakistan-focused second part of “Rethink Afghanistan,” a documentary by Robert Greenwald’s production company, Brave New Films. The film presents a somewhat diverse spectrum of opinion on Pakistan as it pertains to the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.  Its central and most compelling point, which is expressed most clearly at the end by Stephen [...]

Sadly, at least twelve persons were killed in a suicide attack two hours ago in Rawalpindi.  One ‘war’ has effectively ended, but another goes on. Nonetheless, celebration of the win in the first old war continues. Right now in neighboring Islamabad, GEO News is hosting a concert by the band Laal to mark the restoration of [...]

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will make a national address on television soon. Aaj TV and GEO News reports that Gilani will announce the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. FYI: U.S. drone attack in Frontier Region Bannu, FATA.  A senior al-Qaeda figure has been reportedly killed.

As I have written on Twitter, the present political turmoil in Pakistan is part of:1) A genuine push for the rule of law and 2) A complex power struggle involving at least half a dozen major actors, each of which is pursuing multiple, contradictory strategies at the same time. One of these actors is Nawaz [...]

Maulvi Iqbal Haider makes a living by filing court petitions that benefit whoever is in power in Islamabad. Today, he filed a petition to charge Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif with treason. In May 2007, he filed a petition against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. In December 2007, he submitted a petition to the Islamabad High Court [...]

Riaz Haq, in an excellent profile of Pakistan’s private UAV industry, informs us that the Border Eagle, a UAV produced by the Karachi-based Integrated Dynamics, is used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, presumably to surveil the U.S.-Mexico border.  That’s pretty ironic.

Terrorists affiliated with the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan likely kidnapped John Solecki, the senior UNHCR official in Balochistan, and murdered his Pakistani driver, Syed Hashim Raza. Solecki dedicated his life to helping the world’s dispossessed.  Compare that to “Maulana” Fazlullah of Swat who, after dropping out from school and becoming a chairlift operator, is now on [...]

Interesting footnote to the Khyber Agency raid that netted an alleged al Qaeda figure.  BBC Urdu reports that locals claim two American commandos arrived on the scene in a tinted window vehicle to observe the operation.  Also, a U.S. Predator/Reaper drone flew over the area.  Pakistani government sources did not confirm or deny the reports. The [...]