Looking forward to this webinar on South Asia's nuclear history. It starts at 11. @Rabs_AA@adilsultan
West's is a perspective of Nonproliferation, so it is important to look at Washington's non-proliferation policy, says @Rabs_AA.
India's nuclear test hardly came as a surprise to Pakistan; it had a direct bearing on Pakistan, says Dr.Akhtar.
Pakistan did four things : maintain nuclear ambiguity, seek nuke guarantees, stay out of the NPR, and pursue civilian nuclear energy, notes @Rabs_AA .
Pakistan was concerned about US double-standards, for its felt that India was being regarded and Pakistan being admonished, says Dr.Akhtar.
Dr.Akhtar delving into the changing tides brought about by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It was a test for Washington's non-proliferation policy. Carter was willing to partner countries to counter the USSR, reminds Dr.Akhtar while adding that the US turned a blind eye.
Despite knowing full well about Pakistan's nw program, Reagan gave waivers and certification to that country, argues Dr.Akhtar.
Pakistan's continued advancement in its nw program was one of the major challenges for the Clinton Administration, contends Dr. Akhtar.
Both Benazir and NS did not give in to pressure, however negligible that might have been, from the international community as far as the country's nw program was concerned, asserts @Rabs_AA .
This @Rabs_AA piece is not a digital warriors' delight because it neither bashes certain factions nor extols the others. It asks some tough questions of the Taliban and the U.S., a country that has let them run scot-free. pakistanpolitico.com/afghanpeace/
The Taliban, according to the author, must be pushed to share their vision ,their framework for Afghanistan. No free passes for them, please. The Taliban, as the author says, must show the world that they have changed.
That Afghanistan does want to be ruled by TB is reason enough to ask of them as to what their strategy is to win hearts and minds of 34 million Afghans, rightly says @Rabs_AA .
@Rabs_AA hosted @seb_bw and @WheelerICCS, to discuss their co-authored report entitled 'Nuclear Responsibilities: A New Approach to Thinking and Talking about Nuclear Weapons'.
Introducing the report, @seb_bw said that the idea was to explore ways to foster a culture of responsibility in the heart of nuclear politics, adding that a strong culture of talking and thinking about nuclear responsibilities will reduce mistrust, misperception, instability,etc.
Thinking and talking about nuclear responsibilities, said Sebastian, helps in better policymaking which, among other things, is critical to mitigating misperceptions and creating a better understanding at multiple levels when it comes to nuclear policy.
In this session of the CSSPR Conversation Series, @Rabs_AA discussed with @PravinSawhney the Sino-Indo disengagement and its implications on the threats India faces, the ceasefire on the LoC, India's position within the QUAD, and a lot more.
Disengagement happened within the 1959 Chinese claim line, and in areas which only had tactical value, said Pravin Sawhney while arguing that it showed how the PLA was unwilling to even give tactical concessions to India.
The PLA, he said, was insistent on India needing to vacate places within the Chinese claim line, if further progress is to be made.
In the CSSPR Conversation Series, Dr. @Rabs_AA hosted Dr. @vali_nasr ,for a wide-ranging discussion on regional dynamics, the intercession between geopolitics and geoeconomics, Pak-U.S. relations, Afghanistan, Iran, and a whole lot more.
According to Dr.Nasr, the Biden administration has not come to office with a forward-looking policy on South and Western Asia, for that matter.
However, Dr.Nasr contended that the changing landscape due to three broad changes will bring in new dynamics.
Enthralling conversation happening right now on @ajwsmall 's interesting and thought-provoking report. @Rabs_AA has made some excellent remarks on the report and the overall dynamics of CPEC. gmfus.org/publications/r…
Dr.Akhtar calls CPEC as a transformative project, and terms the parleys on CPEC as recalibration and reassessment that would ultimately lead to reassurance.
Dr.Akhtar contends that the watered-down version of CPEC is not denting its gargantuan nature, but the tailoring of the project is more sustainable and reassuring. "Let's face it ,plans and goals change; delays and deliberations happen," she added.
William E.Todd ,the nominated US Amb to Pakistan, gave a testimony to the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. foreign.senate.gov/download/testi…
"The U.S.-Pakistan health partnership helped contribute to better-than-expected COVID-
19 outcomes in Pakistan, from training health workers to upgrading emergency operations
centers...."
Todd said Pakistan remains an important regional partner.