American actions in the ‘war on terror’ have been driven by fear – at home and abroad. Fear that it may happen again, fear of the unknown, fear of the alien. It explains not only the radical thrust of Washington’s actions in the Greater Middle East but also the dulling of critical faculties. That pertains [...]
Drawing up a scorecard of winners and losers from the financial crisis and the resulting global economic downturn is relatively easy if we concentrate on straightforward economic effects, and if we think of them in the short term. Political ramifications, especially over the longer term, are more difficult to calculate. [...]
Drawing up a scorecard of winners and losers from the financial crisis and the resulting global economic downturn is relatively easy if we concentrate on straightforward economic effects, and if we think of them in the short term. Political ramifications, especially over the longer term, are more difficult to calculate. Some losers by both measures [...]
For the past 7 years, the United States has been battling to establish global hegemony. The project’s ignominious failings expose its brittle foundations and flawed design. Yet, there is an odd silence as the audacious enterprise comes to grief on every front. Americans who, for the most part, had no idea what they were getting [...]
Assessment of Iraq ’s prospects in Washington , and among the country’s political class generally, continues to focus on the short-term and tactics for influencing it. Participants in GM2 are among the exceptions. I propose taking a longer-term view by asking the question: what will political leadership in Baghdad look like 5 years down the [...]
The common experience of British dependencies in Asia was direct, custodial rule over a prolonged period. I believe that this is the principal reason why constitutional democracy has fared better there than in the Arab Middle East.
That experience was shared by the two largely Islamic states that had formed part of colonial India: Pakistan [...]
Political ‘Maturity’ & Democratic Modalities
One broadly pertinent factor to be taken into account in the assaying of democratic futures is a society’s ‘political maturity’. I use the term “maturity” advisedly in the sense of acquired knowledge through experience. This is unconventional. On reflection, though, it seems quite natural for a society’s experience with the conduct [...]
The moment is propitious to take a hard look at the efficacy of strategies designed to promote liberal political values in Islamic societies. The metaphoric democratic wave that gained impetus from the Soviet Union’s breakup has registered successes in most of the world. The Islamic world, the Arab Middle East in particular, still stands out [...]
WE PROUDLY PUBLISH THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE, WRITTEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE PAKISTANI SPECTATOR BY PROF. DR. MICHAEL BRENNER, HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURG, USA. LAST WEEK HONOURABLE PROFESSOR CONSENTED TO WRITE EXCLUSIVELY FOR TPS ON REGULAR BASIS.
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