http://rusi.org/ web@rusi.org en-us Copyright 2012 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4EEA41041E169/ If this year brought us an earthquake, then 2012 will be a year of aftershocks and transitions. Speculate as we might, we must still prepare for the predictable but watch for the surprises. 2011-12-15 18:56:54 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4EE21EFD55206/ Lord Louis Mountbatten is known today for his controversial role in overseeing Indian partition and independence but his efforts had a much more positive, long-lasting impact than is widely recognised 2011-12-09 14:45:19 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4ECD17D869212/ US economic and military aid to Pakistan has long been tied to its strategic objectives in the region, offering no ‘special treatment’ and leaving Pakistan’s economic situation increasingly unsustainable. 2011-11-23 15:57:15 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4E8EE4667F7A9/ In deterring its larger neighbour, Pakistan faces tough choices in its nuclear posture 2011-10-07 12:37:12 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4E8EE413EBB30/ India's nuclear posture could be a model for other powers seeking to reduce their arsenals 2011-10-07 12:35:50 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4E802E06D9984/ America's top military officer has accused Pakistan of helping to bomb a US embassy. US-Pakistan relations are about to enter a much darker phase. 2011-09-26 08:49:32 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4E3680C9EF14A/ Pakistan's strategic relationships with key regional and international powers need to evolve 2011-08-01 11:32:45 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4E31696D1A77B/ Mission accomplished for the US president, but what will this mean for the US election in 2012? 2011-07-28 14:52:39 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4DE5156511284/ Af-Pak was hailed as a radical but effective change to US policy. But does it successfully take into account the cultural differences in the region? 2011-05-31 17:20:55 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4DE50C298B430/ America's most wanted man has been killed just months before the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Will his legacy live on? 2011-05-31 16:45:57 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4DDA43893D896/ The co-ordinated attack on a Pakistani naval base, the latest assault on a military facility, raises deep questions about the security of the country's nuclear weapons and the endurance of Pakistan's relationship with China and the United States. 2011-05-23 12:26:24 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4DC3FB8863997/ RUSI's experts examine the implications of the death of Osama Bin Laden and the operation that led to his killing 2011-05-06 14:50:14 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4DC3A83C85EDE/ The audacious operation that killed Osama Bin Laden was completed relatively shortly. It reaped the benefits of a careful intelligence operation that lasted months, if not years. 2011-05-06 08:51:42 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4DC15152A955A/ Even though diplomatic tension simmers between Pakistan and the United States over the death of Bin Laden, the tension may well be short-lived. Islamabad will continue its narrative of ignorance; Washington, in turn, will continue to fictionalise Pakistan's sovereignty as it reaps the fruits of Operation Geronimo. 2011-05-04 14:18:46 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4DAEF44220FE7/ The Prime Minister's visit to Pakistan at the beginning of the month highlighted the historic links between the two countries - and suggested that a 'reset' of relations could prove mutually beneficial. 2011-04-20 16:19:00 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4DAEB5DD10A7F/ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have prompted widespread criticism, despite having proven their value in a variety of contexts. In many cases, their use may be the most logical - and safest - option. 2011-04-20 11:35:45 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4D08ECEAB2D06/ Europe defeated, Beijing defiant: Can we expect anything new in 2011? 2010-12-15 16:30:26 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4CFE230F4C06B/ Mutual engagement over Afghanistan could be the key to improving Indo-Pakistani relations 2010-12-07 12:06:10 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4CF779DA0AD09/ The Ashes represents one of the greatest sporting rivalries in the world. The shared Imperial history between England and Australia creates a political undercurrent that adds a certain frisson to the contest. This represents cricket's unique ability to transcend the boundaries of the field and influence a nation's politics and culture. 2010-12-02 10:50:56 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4CED58C02B41E/ The view that Obama is stumbling over the subject of India is wrong 2010-11-24 18:26:32 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4CC0291D5A362/ The thwarted ‘Mumbai-style’ attacks at key European cities underline the need for even greater European counter-terrorism co-operation. 2010-10-14 12:00:00 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4C932BCBEC578/ Pakistan's largest city is cleaved by ethnic tensions, aggravated by political instability 2010-09-17 09:50:50 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4C62742706820/ As the floods in Pakistan continue their devastating effects on the country, who is taking the full weight of the relief effort, and should the Pakistani government be doing more? 2010-08-11 10:58:01 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4C4FFEDD32F02/ While Wikileaks’ widely-publicised military leak has turned the media spotlight onto Pakistan, the country’s involvement in Afghanistan will come as little surprise to coalition troops. The unfavourable timing of the leak, however, together with its substantial effect on public support for the war, means that Washington must act now to bring Pakistan back onto side. 2010-07-28 10:56:49 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4C4EA914DD54F/ The leaking of 90,000 combat reports from Afghanistan reveals a familiar but depressing picture of operations in Afghanistan. Yet their revelation comes at a critical juncture for policymakers. 2010-07-27 10:38:53 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4C4DE4346B2D8/ How significant is the release of the Afghan war documents on WikiLeaks? RUSI Director Michael Clarke gives his assessment 2010-07-26 20:40:54 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4C445B083245C/ Blowback from the War on Terror continues to diminish US support in Pakistan 2010-07-19 15:02:50 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4BDAB9FA56A43/ The agreement by India and Pakistan to resume high-level talks has been heralded as a potential turning point in India-Pakistan relations.. But the structural factors that derailed the last major dialogue have neither dissipated nor look likely to be addressed by Pakistan, indicating that the breakthrough should be viewed as positive rather than path breaking. 2010-04-30 12:09:16 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4BBC50E1BAF9C/ The Indian military is caught between preparing for conventional war against neighbouring powers, Pakistan and China, and reorganising as an asymmetric deterrent against cross-border terrorism. It seems they are struggling on both counts. 2010-04-07 10:34:03 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4BACAEFC202EF/ With the threat emanating from India’s porous borders and open society, the arrest has once again underlined the need for India to rationalise its security infrastructure. 2010-03-26 12:59:17 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4B8E454684939/ The arrest of the Afghan Taliban leader has been heralded as a significant development in Washington's effort to disrupt the insurgency and a sign that Islamabad is abandoning the Taliban. But a closer look at the evidence demonstrates that his capture indicates neither a Pakistani break with militancy, nor an easing of the path ahead for the war in Afghanistan. 2010-03-03 11:18:34 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4B8D3FF2AB91D/ The bomb attack in Pune on 14 February, claimed by a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) splinter group, has once again brought the spectre of jihadist terrorism within India into focus. To build on progress made in recent talks, Indian policy makers must look beyond narrow internal and external rhetoric surrounding terrorist attacks. 2010-03-02 16:46:02 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4B865CE45A98E/ India is playing a key role in the Afghan conflict. But its animosity with Pakistan threatens this contribution, and the US has been unable to choose a long-term partner 2010-02-25 11:20:06 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4B865B6C76E91/ The Pakistan Army has placed too large an emphasis on heavy firepower and direct contact in its fight against the Taliban, displacing the local population and neglecting longer term solutions. A protracted conflict may result 2010-02-25 11:15:15 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4B865760C83CA/ A more sophisticated understanding of the problems along the troubled border region is crucial in reversing the atmosphere of lawlessness that pervades Pakistan 2010-02-25 10:58:31 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4B16AE24D3A55/ President Obama aims to exert sufficient military effort to create conditions for transition. This means a dominance over the Taliban - unable to reemerge when transition takes place - together with space and capacity to train and grow the Afghan military and police security forces. 2009-12-02 18:19:05 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4B0BC7AAF396B/ Washington's newest shorthand ‘AfPak’ illustrates the regional dimension to the current conflict, but alienates friends and foes on both sides of the border 2009-11-24 11:46:54 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4AEB148D13F17/ New evidence suggests that the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was never intended to be one 2009-10-30 16:31:22 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4AEB10017D05E/ In an increasingly cross-border campaign, it is vital to understand the organisation and makeup of the Pakistani Taliban 2009-10-30 16:11:06 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A4AEB04E7DECEF/ Drone air strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan have proven a contraversial tactic in the War on Terror. But they may have further complications back in the UK 2009-10-30 15:24:54 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4AD475A5ABF97/ The US-led 'War on Terror' has resulted in serious implications for Pakistan, with the Taliban and extremism posing a continuing threat to the country's stability. The Pakistani Government's efforts to rid the country of the threat of such extremism are seen to have fluctuated in the past, but are regaining strength to combat Taliban rebels. 2009-10-13 13:48:57 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A4A573F14A1AC0/ Both Pakistan and the United States view good relations as crucial. But despite an alliance which goes back over half a century, mutual distrust and a feeling of suspicion still linger. 2009-07-10 14:16:44 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C49B6A81F45693/ Pakistan is at risk of collapse. Increasing threats to its integrity on the economic, political, and military fronts may constitute the biggest existential threat that Pakistan has faced in its sixty-one year history. 2009-03-10 17:51:42 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:A49AE5AA500071/ Afghanistan looks set to provide another difficult year for coalition troops. Worse still, it is becoming increasingly clear that Pakistan is not up to the job of extending its writ throughout all of its declared territory. 2009-03-04 10:40:39 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C49906F67ADFEE/ A comment made by David Miliband on Kashmir caused outrage in India after he inadvertently breached the fiercely defended separation between the Kashmir question and the problem of terrorism in Pakistan. Indian sensitivities over Kashmir could well cause problems for the Obama Administration’s much-touted regional strategy in South Asia. 2009-02-09 18:05:35 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C496A403CE6D75/ The Indian government has defied its own hawks by seeking to work with the Pakistanis and pursue the attackers of Mumbai. Pakistan must now respond in kind and join the Indian government in resisting belligerent voices in favour of those calling for peace. The status quo requires immediate and bold action from both sides, with international patronage, before it is too late. 2009-01-11 18:59:56 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4933F8F741177/ The right response to these attacks for the leaders of both Pakistan and India is not to cast blame on each other’s government but to foster a spirit of solidarity. In turn, Pakistan must go the extra mile to establish a clear break between terrorists and the rest of Pakistani society and government. 2008-12-01 14:52:09 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C49130D1F97F19/ US policy towards Pakistan is inextricably tied up with its activities in Afghanistan, and Obama cannot afford to ignore it. If he is to have any hope of mending the US’s troubled relationship with the state, a fundamental reassessment of the situation is essential. 2008-11-06 15:30:18 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C48AA9B6978367/ Musharraf's exit raises the prospect of Pakistan's notoriously leaky nuclear establishment becoming an engine of proliferation 2008-08-19 11:10:36 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C479AEE81E8F91/ President Musharraf's intrepid speech at RUSI highlighted his fraught relationship with the West. Whilst Pakistan should remain ever present on the global conscience, the nature of Western involvement in Pakistan's myriad domestic problems should be dictated by the country's sovereign interests. 2008-01-26 08:26:50 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4774D085D2EC0/ 2007-12-28 10:00:00 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4753EE1D1E014/ The simplistic logic of US policy in Pakistan which posits a dichotomy between these two core aims is misleading and should lead to a broader reassessment of US policy in the war on terror. 2007-12-03 11:54:44 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4718E2C48D6F0/ In the early hours of 19 October 2007 in the port city of Karachi blasts intended to assassinate the returning leader of the Pakistan’s Peoples Party, Benazir Bhutto, killed 130 people. 2007-10-19 18:01:52 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4718E2184CCBC/ The return of Benzir Bhutto and her attempted assasination suggest a turbulent period for Pakistani stability 2007-10-19 18:00:30 http://rusi.org/analysis/commentary/ref:C4718DE99DDBD9/ The attack marks beyond any doubt seepage between Pakistan’s political and security woes. Serious doubts must now shroud the practical feasibility of Pakistan holding its parliamentary elections in three months time. 2007-10-19 17:48:26 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:A437B23E84BC09/ The prevailing view that the introduction of ballistic missile defence components in South Asia would destabilize the prevailing nuclear equilibrium between India and Pakistan and lead to an ‘all out’ arms race is flawed. 2005-10-01 12:00:00 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:J40c1f794dba2b/ 2004-06-18 12:23:43 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:J40c1f79cb974b/ In 1999 media reports suggested that India and Pakistan nearly went to war – even nuclear war - afte 2004-06-18 12:23:43 http://rusi.org/publications/journal/ref:J40c1f7787036b/ 2004-06-18 12:23:42 http://rusi.org/publications/monitor/ref:A4739DC899EFAE/ While Khalid Sheikh's capture is but the latest in a long series of arrests stretching over the last eighteen months of terror activists, it is nevertheless much more significant than any that went before it, in terms of both symbolic and operational implications. 2003-03-01 17:00:00 http://rusi.org/publications/newsbrief/ref:J40d32ea83e55c/ Pakistan, India, Diplomacy, Musharraf, Intelligence, ISI 2002-01-01 09:00:00