March 5, 2019 – Astute News

March 5, 2019

The India-Pakistan Crisis Is Not Over

The India-Pakistan crisis appeared to be moving toward de-escalation on Thursday, as Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged to return a captured Indian pilot to New Delhi “as a peace gesture.” Khan’s announcement was met with near unanimous praise by Pakistani parliamentarians—including those from opposition parties bitterly opposed to Khan. But it would be a mistake to assume that the...

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March 5, 2019

How The Western Anti-War Movement Became Poisoned Against Pakistan

As has been the case many times in the past, the events of the last two days have demonstrated India’s willingness to risk the consequences of committing acts of aggression against Pakistan, mainly because India remains convinced that Pakistan’s side of the story will never get a fair hearing internationally. As such, whilst Pakistan has produced photos of a downed...

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March 5, 2019

Reshaping the Middle East: Why the West Should Stop Its Interventions – 3

In 2003, when the US declared its occupation of Iraq, journalists used to reach the country embedded with the occupation forces through their air transport or via Kuwait. I did not have this luxury. I took a taxi from Beirut to Damascus and from the Syrian capital to Baghdad. It was a long drive, and I had no information on...

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March 5, 2019

Turkey has Several Self-Interested Reasons to Continue Raising the Uighur Issue

Turkey toned down its rhetoric about Xinjiang, but is nevertheless still being vocal about it. Foreign Minister Cavusoglu told the UN Human Rights Council that “We encourage Chinese authorities and expect that universal human rights, including freedom of religion, are respected and full protection of the cultural identities of the Uighurs and other Muslims is ensured”, adding that a distinction...

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March 5, 2019

Foreign Tour Undertaken by Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

In the second half of February, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, visited a number of Asian nations. His tour became a perceptible political event in the region of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Out of the countries, initially included in the trip (Pakistan, China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia), the last two...

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March 5, 2019

A Long Way to Go for Dinner

President Donald Trump’s air trip to Vietnam cost taxpayers $5,695,000 just for the president’s flying Taj Mahal. Plus millions more for his retainers, the presidential limo, hotel rooms, meals, security details and only Ho Chi Minh knows what else. For what? A nice photo op and a cheery dinner for the two leaders in Hanoi. Just about everyone who follows...

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March 5, 2019

400 Years and the Struggle to End Enslavement, Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism

This year’s African American History Month takes on an added significance due to the fact that it represents the 400th anniversary of the beginning of slavery in the British colony of Virginia, in an area now known as the United States. In acknowledgement of this anniversary, the West African government of Ghana has made an offer within the framework of the...

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March 5, 2019

How (and How Not) to Beat a Smear Campaign

Anyone who opposes western interventionism or thinks the poor are human beings is a Russian antisemite. If you disagree, it’s because you are a Russian antisemite, too. Narrative is a funny thing. You can do everything right, cross all your ‘T’s and dot all your ‘I’s and color within all the official lines, but if you offend the powerful they...

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Daily Archive: March 5, 2019

The India-Pakistan Crisis Is Not Over

How The Western Anti-War Movement Became Poisoned Against Pakistan

Reshaping the Middle East: Why the West Should Stop Its Interventions – 3

Turkey has Several Self-Interested Reasons to Continue Raising the Uighur Issue

Foreign Tour Undertaken by Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

A Long Way to Go for Dinner

400 Years and the Struggle to End Enslavement, Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism

How (and How Not) to Beat a Smear Campaign