Foreign Policy Public Health Blog

Will Afghanistan actually hurt the Democrats?

Tom Ricks shares an interesting theory from researcher Kyle Flynn about why the Obama administration is delaying a decision on a new Afghanistan strategy: Nov. 3, gubernatorial elections in both Virginia and New Jersey. The latter of which is my reasoning...

Published Thu, Oct 29 2009 11:28 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Politics, Elections, Afghanistan, Obama Administration

Is Palau now America's most dependable ally?

Only two countries supported the United States in a U.N. General Assembly vote condemning the embargo on Cuba yesterday: Israel (not exactly a surprise) and Palau. While these votes do little more than force commentators to write that "virtually...

Published Thu, Oct 29 2009 8:56 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Diplomacy, Pacific

Is China's Guinea deal for real?

Earlier this month, news surfaced that the military junta in Guinea had secured a $7 billion deal with a Chinese firm for mineral exploitation and other economic exchange. The news came at an odd time to say the least; just two weeks earlier, the junta...

Published Thu, Oct 29 2009 7:33 AM by FP Passport

Morning Brief: Ahmadinejad open to cooperation, but on what terms?

Ahmadinejad open to cooperation, but on what terms? Top story: In a speech today, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seemed to suggest that Iran is open to cooperation on a U.N.-backed nuclear enrichment plan, taking a far more positive tone toward...

Published Thu, Oct 29 2009 5:59 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Morning Brief

Is Obama passive-aggressive toward Turkey or just bad with dates?

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently in Tehran with his "friend," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as the two leaders discuss ways to bolster the bilateral ties between their two countries. While Turkey's realignment towards Iran...

Published Wed, Oct 28 2009 11:57 AM by FP Passport

U.S. has "modest" expectations for Pakistani offensive

I recently wrote a not altogether positive article about Pakistan's chief military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, for spinning everything in Pakistan from ISI sponsorship of the Taliban to U.S. drone strikes in the country. Today, General Abbas...

Published Wed, Oct 28 2009 10:15 AM by FP Passport

Iraq looks to go nuclear

28 years ago, Israel launched an airstrike against the Osirak nuclear reactor near Baghdad, terrified by the prospect of an Iraq with nuclear weapons. 19 year ago, the U.N. imposed comprehensive economic sanctions against Iraq, declaring the country's...

Published Wed, Oct 28 2009 8:57 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Middle East, Nukes, Energy, Iraq

Is a McDonalds-less Iceland now vulnerable to attack?

With the news that Iceland is planning to close shop in Iceland, my colleage Preeti Aroon reminds me that according to Thomas Friedman's "Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention," the country is now vulnerable to attack from McDonalds...

Published Wed, Oct 28 2009 8:00 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Europe

Morning Brief: Market bombing kills 80 in Peshawar; U.N. officials targeted in Kabul

Market bombing kills 80 in Peshawar; U.N. officials targeted in Kabul Top story: A pair of brutal terrorist attacks on Wednesday highlighted the increasing ability of Taliban militants to carry out major operations, despite crackdowns in both Afghanistan...

Published Wed, Oct 28 2009 5:53 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Morning Brief

South Africa and Lesotho top gender equality list

The World Economic Forum posted the 2009 Global Gender Gap Report today , its yearly survey of gender inequality based on economic, political, educational and health factors. For the first time, two African nations entered the top 10 rankings: South Africa...

Published Tue, Oct 27 2009 2:04 PM by FP Passport

Filed under: Africa, Human Rights, Women, International Relations

It's hard out there for a Saddam Hussein

Najaf is apparently not a friendly place for people named Saddam Hussein these day: On last week's edition of Radio Free Iraq 's weekly call-in show, "Open Windows," host Ferial Hussein spoke to a caller named Saddam Hussein, who complained...

Published Tue, Oct 27 2009 9:14 AM by FP Passport

Does Russia have too many time zones?

Whenever somoene tries to express just how freaking big Russia's territory is, the phrase "11 time zones" inevitably comes up. But that may be changing soon: The time difference between Moscow and Vladivostok might be cut to four hours from...

Published Tue, Oct 27 2009 8:43 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Russia

Why is Charles Krauthammer dissing Brazil?

I'm not surprised by conservative Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer's negative comments about President Obama in an interview with Der Spiegel, but what's his problem with Brazil? Krauthammer: He is a man of perpetual promise....

Published Tue, Oct 27 2009 8:07 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Latin America, Obama Administration

U.N. to deliver food aid by text message

We've reached a very strange point in human history when it is assumed that people who don't have access to food will have working cell phones: In a test project targeting 1,000 Iraqi refugee families, the United Nations agency will send a 22...

Published Tue, Oct 27 2009 7:19 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Science & Technology, Food/Agriculture, Iraq

How (not) to measure a war

There's nothing more frustrating than reading an article which purports to answer a question that it really dodges. Take, for example, " How to Measure the War ," by inveterate Afghanistan and Iraq indexers Jason Campbell, Jeremy Shapiro...

Published Tue, Oct 27 2009 6:33 AM by FP Passport

Filed under: Central Asia