Keyword: afghanistan

Pakistan's Moment is Near — but Will Anyone Care?

Supporters of Pakistani cleric Tahir-ul Qadri gather at a protest rally in Islamabad after the government ignored his ultimatum to disband parliament on January 15, 2013. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)
Policy

Asia Society Senior Advisor Hassan Abbas says Pakistan's election slated for later this year is crucial for the country's progress, though many in Pakistan are skeptical.

Pakistan Needs to Address Own Problems Before it Focuses on Region

A Pakistani Shiite Muslim girl holds placard during a protest against the twin bombings in Quetta, in Karachi, Pakistan on January 13, 2013. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)
Policy

With violent extremism plunging the country to new lows, Pakistan needs to focus all its energies on a multi-dimensional counter-extremism strategy at home, writes M. Bilal Lakhani.

Asia Blog's Top Five Posts of 2012

Lifestyle
The best Chinese restaurants in America, Oprah eating with her hands, and Obama's trip to Southeast Asia were among the most interesting topics to readers this year.

Experts: Time for Recalibrating US Policy Toward South Asia

(From L to R) Suzanne DiMaggio, Husain Haqqani, Frank Wisner, Alexander Evans at Asia Society on Dec.12, 2012 (Debra Eisenman/Asia Society)
Policy

At a report launch event today, panelists stressed that the opportunity now exists to implement a long-term, integrated U.S. strategy for the region.

Obama's South Asia Opportunity

President Barack Obama converses with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan at the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 2010. (U.S. Department of State/Flickr)
Policy

With the end of the Afghanistan conflict, the Obama administration has a window of opportunity not seen since the end of the Cold War to refocus its strategy in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the other countries of South Asia.

What's Next for US Policy Toward South Asia?

Policy

Simply connecting the countries of South Asia with each other and their neighbors may not be enough, says a new Asia Society report.

Photos: In Kabul, a New National Museum for Afghanistan Starts to Take Shape

The design submitted by the Spanish firm AV62 Arquitectos SLP, above, won the International Architectural Ideas Competition for the new design for the National Museum of Afghanistan. (U.S. Embassy Kabul Afghanistan/Flickr)
Arts

After decades of neglect (and worse), a Kabul home for Afghanistan's cultural heritage has a new lease on life.

US Can't Afford to Forget About Afghanistan Yet Again

US Marine Sgt. Cody Turpen from Kilo Company of the 3rd Battalion 8th Marines Regiment shakes hand with Afghan children during a patrol in Garmser district in southern Helmand Province on June 22, 2012. (Adek Berry/AFP/GettyImages)
Policy

"Unlike the early 1990s, the United States should not and will not leave Afghanistan to its neighbors alone," writes Alexander Evans, who calls for a long-term, regional strategy for the embattled country.

Don't Write Off Afghanistan as 'Mission Impossible' Just Yet, Says Expert

U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Smith talks to group of Afghan children during a combined patrol clearing operation in Afghanistan's Ghazni province on April 28, 2012. (United States Army/Flickr)
Policy

On the eve of the American pullout, experts are predicting worst-case scenarios for 2014 and beyond. But all hope is not yet lost, according to Hassan Abbas.

We Asked Our Experts: What Does Obama's Re-Election Mean for Asia?

U.S. President Barack Obama arrives on stage after winning the 2012 U.S. presidential election in Chicago, Illinois on November 7, 2012. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Policy

How is a second term for the Obama administration likely to affect relations with China, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Afghanistan — to name just some of the Asian nations that have featured most prominently in recent headlines? Click to read commentary from Asia Society experts.