The Toll on Pakistan’s Poor by Dan Pearson and Kathy Kelly October 22, 2009 Five months ago, shortly after the Pakistani government had begun a military offensive against suspected Taliban fighters in the northernmost area of the country, we arrived in Islamabad, the capital, as part of a small delegation organized by Voices for Creative Nonviolence (www.vcnv.org). Our [...]

Pakistán, la otra guerra de Obama por Tariq Alí 23 de julio, 2009 Junio nunca es un buen mes en las llanuras. Se llegó a 46 grados centígrados en la fortaleza de Islamabad hace dos semanas. Los centenares de guardias de seguridad de la dotación del control de carreteras y de barreras languidecían con el sudor bajando a [...]

by Jane Perlez October 5, 2009 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Steps by the United States to vastly expand its aid to Pakistan, as well as the footprint of its embassy and private security contractors here, are aggravating an already volatile anti-American mood as Washington pushes for greater action by the government against the Taliban. An aid package of $1.5 [...]

A Century of Frenzy over the North-West Frontier by Juan Cole July 27, 2009 WHAT, what, what, What’s the news from Swat? Sad news, Bad news, Comes by the cable led Through the Indian Ocean’s bed, Through the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Med- Iterranean — he ‘s dead; The Ahkoond is dead! – George Thomas Lanigan

by Mahir Ali July 21, 2009 EVEN a tentative sigh of relief would probably be premature, but the trickle of refugees back to their towns and villages in Swat is a hopeful sign. The exodus was rapid; the return, inevitably, is much slower. And it ought not to be misconstrued as a vote of confidence in official [...]