A Metahistory of the Clash of Civilisations: Us and Them Beyond Orientalism by Arshin Adib-Moghaddam Arshin Adib-Moghaddam is Reader in Comparative Politics and International Relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Born to Iranian parents in Istanbul, he grew up in Hamburg. He later obtained his doctorate from Cambridge University. His personal and academic background are recounted here to show that he has a deep knowledge of the two civilisations that are supposedly in ‘clash’. Ali Ahmed | March 2012 | Strategic Analysis
India amidst Increased Activity in the Security Council: A Few Observations Article 1 of the United Nations Charter declares the maintenance of international peace and security to be the primary function of the United Nations. This makes the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) the most important organ of the whole establishment. All other functions and engagements of the United Nations are in support of the primary cause. Saurabh Mishra | March 2012 | Strategic Analysis
Underdogs End Empires: A Memoir by I.P. Khosla Ambassador I.P. Khosla, the author of the book Underdogs End Empires: A Memoir, started his career in the Indian Foreign Service in 1960 and retired in 1996. Holding important positions, he witnessed at first hand the historic events that unfolded during this period and in the book under review he narrates all these experiences. The canvas of the book is large in terms of the geography as well as the time period it covers. Padmaja Murthy | March 2012 | Strategic Analysis
Asymmetric Warfare: A View from India Coined a few years ago, ‘asymmetric warfare’ is an umbrella term that includes insurgent and terrorist campaigns that Western militaries were forced to contend with in the course of external interventions. Asymmetric wars for Western countries are wars of choice, not wars of necessity. S. Kalyanaraman | March 2012 | Strategic Analysis
Anti-Talk ULFA Faction: Why a Comeback is Unlikely Given the hostility of Assamese society to indiscriminate violence and the sullied image of the ULFA leaders due to their amassing of wealth through extortions, the anti-talk ULFA faction would not be able to make a determined come back. Namrata Goswami | February 29, 2012 | IDSA Comments
Reopening the Debate on Limited War The commentary makes the case for reopening the Limited War debate in order to inform explicit articulation of a Limited War doctrine. Ali Ahmed | February 29, 2012 | IDSA Comments
Tougher US Sanctions against Iran: Global Reactions and Implications US President Barak Obama recently signed a tougher sanctions law against Iran in a continuing bid to coerce Tehran into abandoning its nuclear programme. This Backgrounder discusses the reactions of the emerging powers to the new sanctions and their implications. M. Mahtab Alam Rizvi | February 28, 2012 | Backgrounder
Obama and the Israel-Palestine Peace Process The Israeli-Palestinian peace process is so dependent on the vagaries of the US political and electoral system that any change in administration in November 2012 would certainly make or delay the implementation of the steps necessary to secure lasting peace. Sam Kuruvilla | February 27, 2012 | IDSA Comments
Growing Maoist Activism in Assam: Sinister and Calculated Moves Although law enforcement agencies have been receiving timely reports about growing Maoist activities in Assam, it appears that they do not pay much attention to the issue. Nihar R. Nayak | February 24, 2012 | IDSA Comments
A Gloomy Syrian Scenario Overthrowing Bashar is likely to result in an Islamist regime, which might turn out to be far worse for the country’s Kurdish, Christian, Druze and Armenian minorities. Jagdish N Singh | February 24, 2012 | IDSA Comments
