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Musharraf Exit May Affect U.S. Plans
Xenia Dormandy, Director of the Project on India and the Subcontinent, was interviewed for National Public Radio's All Things Considered on the impact of Musharraf's resignation for U.S. foreign policy.
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
November 2008
Partnership for Progress
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
The Belfer Center's Xenia Dormandy and Hassan Abbas participated in a working group on the state of Pakistan convened by the Center for American Progress. The resulting report proposes strategies for enhanced security, democratization, and economic growth.
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August 27, 2008
"Après Musharraf, Patience"
Interntional Herald Tribune
By Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
"...The notion that somehow developing countries, and especially Muslim-majority states, cannot adjust to democratic model is a flawed assessment. The track record of democratic governments in Pakistan is indeed mixed, but it is also true that democracy takes time to develop....Western governments, primarily the United States and Britain, have shown far more patience with dictators than with elected leaders. Periods of military rule in Pakistan — 1958–69; 1977–88; 1999–2008 — lasted an average of 10 years, while democratic phases lasted an average of less than three years and were often declared to be unstable, corrupt and weak. Foreign aid also declined during the democratic periods...."
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August 13, 2008
"Solving FATA"
The National Interest
By Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
"The growing Taliban insurgency in the Afghan-Pakistan border area increasingly threatens the geography of the region. Continuation of this crisis could derail the India-Pakistan peace process, undermine democratic gains in Pakistan as well as Afghanistan, and jeopardize U.S. interests in the region.
Despite the explosive nature of the crisis and apparent consensus between the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees about the need for additional focus on the area—as well as military forces there—the popular analysis of the situation often fails to appreciate the very basic facts of the issue...."
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July 11, 2008
"Why U.S. Could Lose Out on India Nuclear Trade"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Xenia Dormandy, Director of the Project on India and the Subcontinent, was interviewed by Brajesh Upadhyay for BBC News on July 11 regarding the implications of the U.S.-India nuclear deal for international trade.
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June 30, 2008
"The Path through Pakistan to a Shorter War on Terror"
Christian Science Monitor
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
In the 'epicenter of terrorism,' democracy will benefit from an ease in US military pressure.
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July 4, 2008
"Pakistan Needs More Democracy to Transcend Musharraf"
Daily Star
By Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
"Following its recent free elections, Pakistan is rebounding politically. But the euphoria that came with the end of the Musharraf era is wearing off, as the new government faces stark choices. Unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, democracy is not new to the 60-year-old state, but ethnic cleavages, weak institutions, and religious extremism in the North are perennially destabilizing. And, while the new government settles in and establishes its priorities, the West, especially the United States, must reassess the impact of its past dealings with Pakistan...."
June 9, 2008
"Attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan Highlight Instability"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Xenia Dormandy, Director of the Project on India and the Subcontinent, was interviewed for The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on June 9, 2008 regarding instability along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
June 9, 2008
"Is There a New U.S. Policy for Pakistan?"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
"How much will the War on Terror define the new President’s agenda towards Pakistan, as it has President Bush’s? What will this mean for America’s broader policy toward the country, and what are the implications, if any, for India?"
thisismysansar4
May 6, 2008
"South Asia, A New Center of Democracy?"
The Providence Journal
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Thus far this year we’ve seen elections in Pakistan, Bhutan, and Nepal. Elections have been promised in Bangladesh and the Maldives later this year, and scheduled in India and Afghanistan for next year. Yet, barring India, we rarely think of these nations as democracies. Could this then be the next wave?
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April 7, 2008
"India's Key Foreign Policy Issues"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
In recent years, India's military, diplomatic and economic energies have expanded far beyond Nehru's Non-Aligned position. But what does that mean for India, its region, and the United States?
May 6, 2008
"U.S. Worry Grows over Pakistan's Tribal Peace Deal"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Jackie Northam of NPR interviews Xenia Dormandy, Director of the Project on India and the Subcontinent, regarding the new Pakistani government's negotiations with militants tied to al Qaeda.
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March 24, 2008
"India-Iran Relations: Key Security Implications"
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Ronak D. Desai
While India and the United States have embarked on a campaign to strengthen their bilateral relations, as symbolized by the proposed US-India civilian nuclear deal, it appears as though New Delhi has similarly begun to pursue a more robust relationship with another major power: Iran. The two states have recently expanded cooperation in a number of key areas, including counterterrorism, regional stability, and energy security. What are the implications of this "New Delhi-Tehran Axis" for the United States, and how should Washington respond to growing ties between India and Iran?
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April 3, 2008
"Pakistan PM Has Good Credentials, Limited Authority"
Oxford Analytica
By Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
"Gilani is leader of a coalition government with a strong mandate but facing difficult problems. It is also committed to policies that could cause turbulence, particularly reinstating judges deposed by President Pervez Musharraf. Gilani's position is further complicated by political circumstances, with the leaders of the dominant parties in the ruling coalition directing policy from outside parliament."
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February 2008
A Pakistani Revolution
Harvard International Review
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
The lack of predictability and transparency through both the presidential and parliamentary elections have compounded the confusion, the instability, and Musharraf's loss of credibility. Is Pakistan becoming "the world's most dangerous nation"?
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March 15, 2008
"Reform of Pakistan's Intelligence Services"
The International News
By Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
"The primary mission of intelligence services in a modern democratic state is to collect, analyze, evaluate, and pass on foreign intelligence to the government to assist it in making decisions related to national security. Their standard task also includes producing a range of studies that cover virtually any topic of interest to national-security policymakers. Depending on the resources, they use electronic means as well as human sources and, if necessary, undertake covert actions at the direction of the chief executive. A covert action is defined as an act to influence political, economic or military conditions abroad, while keeping in view some ethical considerations. Counter-intelligence operations mainly work to guard against espionage from foreign intelligence agencies in the country. They are also expected to effectively protect the secrets of its sources and methods. The role of intelligence services is to only report information and analysis and not to make policy recommendations."
Citizen of Two Worlds
February 27, 2008
"Heart vs. Mind and Monitoring Elections in Pakistan"
Reuters
By Xenia Dormandy, Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Xenia Dormandy reflects on her experience monitoring the February 18 parliamentary elections in Pakistan.
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March 4, 2008
"Police Reforms: Agenda of Change"
The International News, (Pakistan)
By Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
"...Besides leading to bad governance and a deplorable law and order situation in the country, police failures also have compounded the threat of religious extremism and terrorism. Poor data collection on crime and criminals and inadequate analytical capabilities hamper effective law enforcement. In many instances, banned militant organisations continued with their publications and in some cases wanted criminals, and terrorists changed their party affiliations (hurriedly joining groups that were not under government scrutiny after theirs were banned) and the police remained clueless. Here the police was also handicapped as many militant groups were producing "freedom fighters" for Kashmir and Afghanistan and had working relations with the intelligences services, and hence police officials were reluctant to go after some of these elements thinking that they might be the assets of some "other state institution." Things are reported to be progressively changing in this sphere lately, but the serious challenge remains...."
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February 25, 2008
"Security and Intelligence"
The International News, (Pakistan)
By Hassan Abbas, Research Fellow, Project on Managing the Atom/International Security Program
"The Pakistani Army positively contributed towards the holding of free elections on Feb 18, but it cannot be expected to do the job of law enforcement endlessly. Dependence on the military for such tasks ultimately persuades its leadership to increase the army’s involvement in the political domain, and in the process that follows such thinking, Pakistan loses many years. Generals like Waheed Kakar and Jahangir Karamat are rare, and given some recent developments it seems that Pakistan is lucky to have another of their kind in the form of the new chief, Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. This golden opportunity should not be lost (like before) to nurture and groom civilian institutions to stand on their own feet."
