The Illusion of Afghanistan's Upcoming Parliamentary Elections
2018-10-18
By Nafay Choudhury
On October 20, 2018, Afghans will head to the polls for the third round of parliamentary elections since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001. The steady accusations of fraud, corruption, lack of transparency, and undue interference in the days leading up to voting underscore growing disillusionment about the electoral process in Afghanistan. A new biometric voting system,
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Role of Parliaments in engaging Afghanistan in Central Asian Cooperation Frameworks
2018-10-15
By Abdul Basir Azimi
Is Afghanistan a part of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East or a part of all of them? The historical relationship between Herat, Balkh Samarkand, Bokhara and Merv (or Merw) and biographies of the figures like Amir Ali Sher-Nawaie, Nasir Khosrow, Avicenna can better illustrate the significance of what Afghanistan shares with Central Asia.
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Can Saudi Arabia play peacemaker in Afghanistan?
2018-10-06
By Rupert Stone
The Saudis are making moves in Afghanistan, courting the Taliban and trying to cement its role as a dealmaker. Will Saudi's vested interests trump its role as a mediator?
Afghan government officials reportedly met with members of the Taliban in Saudi Arabia last week to address security in Afghanistan&rsquo
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What are prospects of limited engagement between Iran, US in Afghanistan?
2018-09-27
By Mohsen Shariatinia
The administration of US President Donald Trump has in recent months increased its efforts to advance the peace process in Afghanistan. To this end, and for the first time ever, the United States has entered into direct negotiations with the Taliban. Washington has also engaged in more talks with the European coalition and the Afghan government as well as beginning an
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Polarization of International Politics on Conflict Resolution in Afghanistan
2018-08-25
By Dr. Yaqub Ibrahimi
The conflict of Afghanistan has polarized the international politics. The government of Afghanistan and the Taliban have developed separate and contradicting scenarios for ending the conflict. The United States and most European powers support the government’s agenda while regional powers including Russia, Pakistan, and Iran are following the Taliban’s
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