Comment & Briefs

The recent 'heart as a weapon' initiative in Jammu and Kashmir has been received favourably both by critics of security forces and by the state government.

The Union government must work in consultation with the governments of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland and Manipur to identify problem areas on the path to a non-territorial Naga council.

The Indian Army’s Doctrine for Sub Conventional Operations does an admirable job in balancing human rights protection with operational demands. However, there is a degree of dissonance in the approach to human rights brought about by the perspective that protecting human rights is a means to an end.

While the cooperative security approach has not succeeded in resolving conflicts in South Asia, it might work when it comes to resolving human security related issues.

Not engaging North Korea is no more seen as an option even as it continue to build its nuclear capabilities.

Obama has skilfully reaped the political benefits of ordering a ‘technical’ withdrawal and ending the US mission in Iraq, whilst not only retaining the substance of the US posture and presence but immeasurably strengthening it.

It is apparent that both Russia and North Korea are seeking diplomatic currency. But so long as North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme remains an unresolved issue, Russia’s plan for a trans-Korean gas pipeline, however mutually beneficial that may be, is likely to remain unachievable.

At a time of such monumental, even existential, challenges, if all that Pakistan can come up with is a vacuous demagogue like Imran Khan, then its future is pretty bleak.

Ukraine has resisted Russian attempts to draw it into a closer political and economic embrace and has instead explored a closer association with the EU, NATO and even China. Recent developments indicate a turnaround in the Ukrainian attitude and may portend a closer relationship with Russia and the CIS states.

It will not be fair to assess the success or failure of the Conference at this stage. The fact that there was an attempt to forge regional cooperation on Afghanistan was a positive but feeble step.