PoliticoAnalyst

Recent Posts

• US catches Bubo in a drug-arms trap: relief for Guinea-Bissau?

  By zrasul on April 16, 2013 • ( 0 )

  The best news this week and after the horrible Boston bombings is that Bubo Na Tchuto, the former Chief of Army Staff of Guinea-Bissau and a king-pin in the organized crime organizations using Guinea-Bissau and other West African countries as… Read More ›

• US Practiced Torture after 9/11: Non-Partisan Committee Report

  By zrasul on April 16, 2013 • ( 0 )

  Today the NY times published the link to the much-anticipated non-partisan review report on the conduct of US CIA and other secret service personnel and installations including Guantanamo, after 9/11. The nearly two years of interviews, research and on-site visits… Read More ›

• Postmortem: President Obama’s Visit to Israel and US Middle East Strategy

  By zrasul on March 24, 2013 • ( 0 )

  We all remember Obama’s historic speech in Cairo at the beginning of his first term. That speech, perhaps unintentionally heralded the Arab Spring, and an US Administration which appeared largely unprepared for the resulting flow of upheavals in the Middle… Read More ›

• Robotic Warfare and the Moral Use of Force: A “Terminator” Ultimatum?

  By zrasul on March 18, 2013 • ( 0 )

  Over the weekend, Bill Keller wrote an opinion piece in the NYT which laid out a somewhat alarming update on the next generation of drones – smart drones: robotic intelligent life that make decisions on when, who and how hard… Read More ›

• Africa: New Challenges for US Foreign and Strategic Policy

  By zrasul on March 13, 2013 • ( 0 )

  The Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University has issued a very interesting perspective on future challenges for US foreign and strategic policy, challenging President Obama’s pivot to Asia and casting the spotlight on Africa. Report is attached in… Read More ›

• US and China Energy Race: Implications for Oil Exporters and New Political Alliances

  By zrasul on March 12, 2013 • ( 0 )

  Foreign Policy’s analysis of the evolving energy status and needs of both China and the US is cogent and intelligent. Mills has presented a good understanding of the global energy market – buyers and sellers – and it is remarkable… Read More ›

• DRC: Final Agreed Text of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region

  By zrasul on February 24, 2013 • ( 0 )

  Attached is the final agreed and signed text of the regional framework proposed by the UN Secretary-General and signed by regional leaders in Addis today. After a quick read of this agreement, what surprised me was how basic it was… Read More ›

• Changing Legal Context of Torture: US Policies Raise Legal and Ethical Questions Concerning the Use of Torture to Gain Intelligence and Information

  By zrasul on February 23, 2013 • ( 0 )

  The most unlikely consequence of 9/11 has been the astounding change in the US policy on torture and the use of torture to gain access to information and intelligence. Not long ago, the US was the champion of human rights… Read More ›

• BRICS, the United States and Africa: Taking on the World Bank

  By zrasul on February 12, 2013 • ( 4 )

  The attached article in the International Policy Digest has interesting information concerning the potential establishment of a BRICS bank (BRICS denotes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The bank is estimated to have a potential to start with core… Read More ›

• Obama’s Silent War: US Drone Strikes Cause Disproportionate Civilian Collateral Kills in Pakistan

  By zrasul on February 10, 2013 • ( 1 )

  A joint Stanford/NY University study on the human costs of President Obama’s drone wars in the fight to eliminate terrorism has found that only 2% of strikes resulted in the successful targeting of high-level terrorist targets but that a much… Read More ›

• CIA operates drone base in Saudi Arabia

  By zrasul on February 6, 2013 • ( 0 )

  President Obama’s directive on the preferential use of technological warfare has been cast in the limelight this week by the leaking of his “kill list” – a list of American citizens that have been targeted for assassination by their own… Read More ›

• UN Security Council discusses DRC: No New Ideas in SG’s letter

  By zrasul on February 5, 2013 • ( 7 )

  Over 12 years on the ground and the UN has no new ideas to present to the Security Council. In fact, looking at the Secretary-General’s letter to the Security Council which is the basis for a huge African Union meeting… Read More ›

• China’s Renew Definition of “Core National Interests” Has Huge Implications for Island Disputes with Japan and in the South China Sea

  By zrasul on January 30, 2013 • ( 0 )

  The new Chinese leadership is loosing no time in redefining its understanding of “core national interests” and how these interests would be pursued through its global foreign and strategic policy. The situation was just clarified in Premier Xi’s first policy… Read More ›

• West Africa’s Cross-Border Threats: Making sense of Mali’s Islamic Armed Groups

  By zrasul on January 30, 2013 • ( 0 )

  Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau – West Africa has had a guaranteed spot on our international news screens for over two decades. At the heart of this resource-rich region is a legacy of colonisation that divided… Read More ›

• The Geopolitical Reordering of Africa: US Covert Support to Al Qaeda in Northern Mali, France “Comes to the Rescue”

  By zrasul on January 18, 2013 • ( 0 )

  

  The Geopolitical Reordering of Africa: US Covert Support to Al Qaeda in Northern Mali, France “Comes to the Rescue”. This is really interesting for those interested in what is really going on in Mali.

• Take II: Longer-term US AFRICOM support to Defense Reform and Training in Mali Points to Obvious Lessons for Security and Defense Reform

  By zrasul on January 14, 2013 • ( 0 )

  The UK has issued a statement today outlining its full support for the French-led military initiative in Mali aimed at supporting the civilian Bamako-based government and halting, if not eradicating, the spread of the Jihadist Ansar dine revolution in the… Read More ›

• Stabilization of the DRC: Recommendations for Immediate Measures to be taken by the UN, the International Community and the Congolese Government

  By zrasul on December 29, 2012 • ( 2 )

  The situation in the DRC continues to confound the international community, in particular the challenge of maintaining political commitment in the Security Council to take resolute action to remedy a conflict that has dominated their consideration for well over a… Read More ›

• The Speech of DRC President Kabila in front of Joint Session of Parliament, Kinshasa on 15 December 2012

  By zrasul on December 17, 2012 • ( 0 )

  The President finally addressed the people of Congo and a joint session of Parliament concerning the increasing instability in the country and the war in Eastern Congo. Noteworthy is on Page 8 his direct indictment of the ICGLR countries and… Read More ›

• Security Council Resolution on DRC – The Truth About Who Supports the Continued Destabilization of the DRC

  By zrasul on November 20, 2012 • ( 6 )

  Attached is the Security Council resolution agreed this evening (11/20/2012) as a response to the invasion and occupation of Goma by M23 rebels. The resolution stinks of the lack of appropriate sanction of the complicity of Rwanda in pushing forward… Read More ›

• Leaked UN Group of Experts on DRC report – read it here!

  By zrasul on November 15, 2012 • ( 0 )

  A e-newsline from Uganda has leaked the final version of the next UN Security Council Group of Expert report on the DRC – it is attached here to read. This is the final version. Annexes still not available. Formally, the… Read More ›

• The DRC: UN Group of Experts Report on External Interference and the Lack of National Leadership for Change

  By zrasul on November 4, 2012 • ( 0 )

  The Fall 2012 Security Council Group of Expert Report on the DRC scheduled to be published earlier this month, is again delayed and probably won’t be published before the consideration of the next Report of the UN Secretary-General on the… Read More ›

• Mining Boom in Afghanistan Provides Path for Economic Recovery to Lead Political and Social Consolidation

  By zrasul on September 16, 2012 • ( 0 )

  A potential trillion-dollar mining boom in Northern Afghanistan will lead to jobs, jobs, jobs for the Afghani people as communities that are hosting mining operations also start to see an upswing in small business creation, facilities and much-needed physical infrastructure… Read More ›

• US Foreign and Strategic Policy Towards Africa

  By zrasul on August 15, 2012 • ( 2 )

  When President Bill Clinton signed the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act on 18 May 2000, his initiative was greeted with a significant amount of skepticism. Yet big business and particularly resource exploration corporations and the oil industry got behind the… Read More ›

• In calls to DR Congo and Rwanda leaders, Ban voices concern over M23 renegades

  By zrasul on July 11, 2012 • ( 1 )

  In calls to DR Congo and Rwanda leaders, Ban voices concern over M23 renegades. By issuing such a statement, the UN Secretary-General has taken the necessary step to put the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of Rwanda for the continued… Read More ›

• allAfrica.com: Africa: Foreign Ministers Meet as DRC Conflict Escalates

  By zrasul on July 9, 2012 • ( 0 )

  allAfrica.com: Africa: Foreign Ministers Meet as DRC Conflict Escalates.

• The US-Israel Relationship: Who is Leading Who?

  By zrasul on July 8, 2012 • ( 0 )

  The common belief is that Israel and the Jewish lobby in America control a number of important financial, political and foreign policy processes and outcomes in the USA. This is because of an inexplicably close relationship between the US and… Read More ›

• More Evidence of Rwanda’s Support to Rebel to Destabilize Eastern DRC

  By zrasul on July 2, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  allAfrica.com: Congo-Kinshasa: More Evidence of Rwandas Rebel Support. Read this article please. Finally, the Addendum to the last Report of the Group of Experts (also attached below) has been allowed to be published and disseminated widely after two months of… Read More ›

• US Foreign Policy on Middle East: An Assessment

  By zrasul on June 29, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  In his first few months in office, President Obama was awarded the Nobel peace prize. During the same period, President Obama announced that the US would be accelerating the timetable for pullout from Iraq and then Afghanistan. He followed through… Read More ›

• The Next Frontier: Microdrone technology

  By zrasul on June 19, 2012 • ( 1 )

  

  Drones come in all sizes now and if you look closely at this photo, you will see a camera, a microphone to conduct audio spying, and a needle to be able to sting you and extract a small amount of… Read More ›

• The Truth of the Situation in Syria: Do We Really Know it?

  By zrasul on June 17, 2012 • ( 2 )

  

  Today, I paused to recap what I really know about Syria and the violence affecting its people. I started with the Government. We know that the Al-Assad government is composed of Alawites, Shiites, Sunnis and even a few, perhaps token,… Read More ›

• UN: Rwandans trained to fight in DRC

  By zrasul on May 29, 2012 • ( 2 )

  Rwandan citizens have been recruited and trained to fight in support of army mutineers in neighbouring DRC, a confidential UN report obtained by the BBC shows. via UN: Rwandans trained to fight in DRC. Finally the UN has done good… Read More ›

• My favorite mentor and his advice

  By zrasul on April 16, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

• Conflict in Eastern Congo: The Kivus Could Face Another Major Regional War

  By zrasul on April 5, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  Over the last week, CNDP General Bosco Ntaganda defected his FARDC post together with CNDP and PARECO soldiers comprising almost 3 battalions, establishing a rebel HQ in Kitchanga (North Kivu). Bosco, a ICC indicted war criminal, is defying the Government of… Read More ›

• Dispatch from Kinshasa 2: The Kikawete Express to Democracy

  By zrasul on March 21, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  Complex is not exactly the right word for the current political situation in Kinshasa surrounding the formation of the new Government (after hotly contested elections) and the installation of the newly elected National Assembly (one of two houses of Parliament)…. Read More ›

• Dispatch from Kinshasa: Elections-Democracy or Supporting the Status Quo?

  By zrasul on March 19, 2012 • ( 0 )

  

  I have been in Kinshasa, the illustrious capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for a few days as part of a one week mission. On arrival, I immediately started to call my old political contacts some in the President’s… Read More ›

• Dividing up the Congo: the Kabila-Kagame Pact

  By zrasul on January 22, 2012 • ( 2 )

  

  It is the case of the mouse that scared the elephant. Rwanda, specifically Kagame scares the hell out of Congo,specifically Kabila. On the handful of occasions that the two have met, the public part of the meetings are carefully stage-managed… Read More ›

• Republic of Congo Lauch BRICS-supported Infrastructure Initiative Ahead of 2015 African Games

  By zrasul on April 2, 2013 • ( 0 )

  This news item caught by eye as one of the positive spin-offs of the recently concluded BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa. There, BRICS agreed in principle to establish a BRICS development bank although details are still being worked out…. Read More ›

• UN Special Report on DRC: So Not Special!

  By zrasul on March 6, 2013 • ( 0 )

  The evidence that the UN has really lost the plot in a big way in the DRC is evidenced by the total mediocrity of this so-called Special Report. Is this report supposed to lead to a serious discussion and solution-seeking?… Read More ›

• “Confronting The International Patriarchy: Iran, Iraq and the United States of America”

  By zrasul on January 6, 2013 • ( 3 )

  

  Please Read my Chapter on “Women in Iraq and Iran: Leadership and the Equal Right to Participation” Book Description Publication Date: January 1, 2013 The Middle East is accused of having a ‘democracy deficit’ but little attention is paid to how external… Read More ›

• ‹ Older Entries