The Highs and Lows of Pak-US Relations: From the Cold War to Now
The relations between Pakistan and the United States have always been based upon national interests and America’s dominant power position. While analyzing the history of this relationship, Aamina Binte Khurram argues that since the 1950s, the US has done its best to influence Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policies and pressurized the state to do its bidding in the South Asian region. The United States has leveraged Pakistan’s weaker position, and coerced Pakistani leaders on many occasions. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the Pakistan-US relationship has been marred with periods of hostility whenever the interests of the two states have diverged.
Destabilizing QUAD: One Member at a Time
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), an alliance between the US, India, Australia, and Japan, reemerged in the international arena in 2017 as an effort to keep China in check in the Indo-Pacific region. The common interest of countering China bounds these states together but according to the author, Dr. Kankana Debnath, the visit of the Russian and Chinese foreign ministers to New Delhi has threatened the internal dynamics of QUAD.
US Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia
The arms trade between the West and the Middle East has been a long-standing factor in the relations between the two. Within the Middle Eastern region, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has risen as the largest arms importer, mainly relying on the US for weapons. The author, Rooha Javed, notes that between 2015 and 2020, the US pledged to sell weapons worth $64.1 billion to Riyadh. Moreover, despite the criticism of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the war in Yemen, the US has continued the arms supply to the kingdom.
“Gold Russ-h”: The Russian Ruble vs USD
Facing enormous sanctions and economic setbacks, the Russian state is grasping at straws as it attempts to keep its economy afloat. Pegging the ruble to gold was a last-ditch attempt by Russia, but it seems to have struck gold. Or has it? The author, Muhammad Mustafa Ahmed Khan, explains the value and current state of gold, the dollar, and the ruble in the global financial markets following the sanctions on Russia.
The US-backed Regime Change in Pakistan
The United States has freely been using regime changes as tools for subjugation. If unable to “convince” a leader to comply, the US simply has him/her removed from power. Ironically, the US Senate had to formally pass an “assassination ban” on US citizens/officials since CIA/US assassinations and coups in states run by “unfavorable” governments were becoming too frequent. The author, Mir Adnan Aziz, argues that for the US, Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, represented one such unfavorable government. Though Pakistan is not a stranger to America’s interventionist policies, the recent regime change in Pakistan has revealed the true extent of covert American networking in the state.
How Britain’s Policy of Appeasement Led to the Second World War
The Second World War had horrendous impacts on the entire world. The war destroyed entire cities and took the lives of 70-85 million people. Besides the Treaty of Versailles, the policy of appeasement adopted by Great Britain and France played a prominent role in initiating World War II. The author, Mohammad Mudasar Laghari, elucidates that this appeasement, reflected in the 1939 Munich Agreement, was the reason behind Germany’s greed.
The Space Race in the 21st Century
Space was an important front for war in the last century and will be just as significant in this century. Space became a zone of conflict during the Space Race in the Cold War. In present times, the space market has grown complex and diverse, with the private and commercial sectors participating more in this realm. The author, Iqra Mumtaz, believes that space hegemony will play an important role in terms of future military and political influence.
The Changing Dynamics of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Relations
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have a history of strong diplomatic relations. In the past, both states have supported each other on the diplomatic front. Pakistan has endorsed Saudi Arabia’s stance on Syria whereas, the kingdom has called for the settlement of the Kashmir dispute and provided financial aid to Pakistan. The author, Afifa Iqbal, notes that the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia “ideological union” is a thing of the past, owing to the changing ideological configuration of the two states. Now, the interests and policies of both states no longer align on every matter.
Examining the Donetsk and Luhansk Republics in Ukraine’s Donbas Region
In 2014, separatist groups backed by Russia declared the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine “republics.” Since then, they’ve been accused of committing war crimes and assisting Russia in its attacks on Ukraine. The authors, Syed Haris Shah and Khushbakht Ayesha, analyze the pro-Russian ideology of the leadership of these two self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine’s Donbas region and their role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Domestic Violence Against Women in Russia
In 2017, Russia introduced an amendment to the Russian Criminal Code, decriminalizing domestic violence. Russian law, along with the Russian orthodox tradition of considering domestic abuse an “internal family matter,” has led many women to lose faith in justice and abandon all hope. The author, Hafsa Ammar, argues that during the pandemic, while the rest of the world passed laws to ensure the safety of women trapped in abusive environments, Russia had done the opposite. The situation in Russia has prevented women from even reporting cases of domestic abuse, leading the government to make claims of a decrease in violent cases.
India and the US: A History of Strained Relations
Ever since it gained independence in 1947, the Republic of India has had strained ties with the United States, a trend that continues today. Despite instances of co-operation on issues like international counter-terrorism, trade, and economic development, the two largest democracies in the world have often diverged on questions of strategic importance, a divergence that has been exacerbated and brought into the spotlight by the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is now continuing into its second month.
How Modi’s Neutrality Could Affect India-Russia & India-Ukraine Relations
India has strong diplomatic, economic, and military ties with Russia and Ukraine. Keeping this in mind, Syed Haris Shah and M. Shahkar Ijaz Khan explain the cause of India’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. They argue that the impartiality of New Delhi has both opportunities and challenges for the republic in the future. Moreover, if India openly condemns the Russian aggression in Ukraine, India-Russia relations will suffer a huge blow.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05: Unfolding World War Zero
Almost everybody nowadays is familiar with World War I and World War II, but many people are not aware that there was a World War Zero, or the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. Fought between Russia and Japan, this war is considered one of the most devastating ever.
The Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Explained
In the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow has been relentless in its attacks on Ukraine. Till the 20th of March, Russia had killed more than 2,300 people in the city of Mariupol alone and destroyed it in its desire to conquer the besieged city. With each passing day, the war is worsening and people are dying. Yet, the efforts to end the war have failed. The author, Rabia Rasool, asserts that though both states have shown their willingness to compromise to some extent, for one reason or another, the Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Turkey have failed.
Types of Naval Warships
The maritime power of any state is shown by its military instruments. These instruments and warships have now evolved with robust weapons and subsystems to counter the threats which are posed to the state. Ships have detection systems to detect and neutralize surface, underwater and aerial threats and a sophisticated command and control system that integrates the cyber and electromagnetic domains.
The author, Malik Abdul Wassay, lists and describes some very important types of naval warships which include aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, and frigates, among others.
The 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Pakistan
The delegations of over 50 member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation congregated in Islamabad on the 22nd of March for the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. The two-day meeting resulted in the adoption of the Islamabad Declaration; a historic set of resolutions detailing the policies and attitudes of the Muslim world regarding Palestine, Kashmir, and other world crises. The conference was titled and themed “Partnering for Unity, Justice, and Development.”
The Russia-Ukraine War: Putin, Zelensky & the Economic Impacts
The statements of Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, before the Russia-Ukraine war officially started, offer an insight into the reasons and motivation behind the war. The author, Afifa Iqbal, notes that whatever the causes may be, the Russia-Ukraine war is bound to have severe economic implications for the parties involved, and for the world’s energy-dependent states, namely Pakistan. She asserts that the imposition of harsher sanctions on a petrostate like Russia will have far-reaching effects, one of which will be the surge in global oil prices.
