By Stephen Kinzer January 01, 2013 "The Guardian" --  What do Nebraska and Iran have in common? Not much – but enough to cause big trouble for former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, whose possible nomination to be secretary of defense is being challenged by the powerful bomb-Iran-yesterday lobby. Iran, in its former incarnation as Persia, created the world's first empire, produced titanic figures like Cyrus, ...

Posted by Belharvi On December 20, 2012, Pakistan’s National Assembly passed a fair trial legislative bill, authorising the state to intercept private communications to identify and apprehend terrorists, and consequently officially or legally pave the way for the government to tap phones and use text messages and emails as evidence in courts. With this, the concerned authorities can now intercept emails, SM ...

Posted by Tommy Francis Tuesday, January 01, 2013 - Talking to media, Defence Secretary Lt General (R) Asif Yasin Malik on Friday said: “The United States and Britain are against Pakistan’s nuclear programme and the CIA uses ‘foreign agencies’ for its operations in Pakistan. He also claimed that they had ‘complete information’ of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) agents working in Pakistan, and US had p ...

Posted by Sumera Sani Iran is slowing down uranium enrichment efforts, signalling that it wants to avoid direct confrontation over its nuclear programme, the New York Times has reported. Some powers, including the US and officials in other Western countries, believe Iran is now interested in a deal to end the standoff with West. According to the New York Times, the action has led some analysts to conclude t ...

Professor  Ali  Sukhanver While going through the details of suicide attack on Asadullah Khalid, the Intelligence Chief of Afghanistan, one feels that Khalid was strolling somewhere in a public park or enjoying a cup of hot Afghani Qahwa in a café along some deserted highway; he was not at a guesthouse used by the National Directorate of Security in a heavily guarded area of the capital Kabul. How could it ...

  By Parkash Singh The US Department of State has weighed in favor of CM Badal in the pending human rights violation lawsuit before the Federal Court of Wisconsin. The Special agents from the Diplomatic Security Service of the US Department of State have submitted sworn statements to the US court claiming that Badal was not served with the summons. This unprecedented move of the US Department of State has u ...

Posted by Sumera Sani Monday, December 31, 2012 - America’s Afghanistan policy is pegged around a strategy of deliberate ambiguity. At a time when Afghan resistance groups needed a healing touch, putting Haqqanis on terror list, while at the same time wishing to engage them in peace process, has radiated confusing signals. When all resistance groups are unequivocal about complete withdrawal of foreign troop ...

Posted by Tommy Francis Monday, December 31, 2012 - Mark Weisbrot, a US economist, columnist and co-director of the ‘Centre for Economic and Policy Research’ in Washington D.C. advised United States that, “We need to end this war in Afghanistan and the other operations that are making Americans less secure and recruiting new enemies daily. Then we can focus on fixing our broken economy at home.” Under the c ...