Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Month: June 2010

How to become a minister: bribe the parliament (UPDATED)

Kate Clark •

(With the results of Monday’s vote on seven ministries) Five more men have become ministers after gaining a majority of votes from the Afghan parliament. Two others failed to gain MPs’ approval. As with the earlier votes, both in January, allegations are circulating that some MPs’ votes were bought. While AAN is not accusing any […]

Political Landscape Read more

Flash from the Past: Football under the Taleban (2) – Nobody Shouts ‘Allahu Akbar’

Thomas Ruttig •

Kabul Olympic Stadium sometimes was turned in to an arena for executions and floggings under the Taleban regime. For this, it became world-famous. But to do the venue some justice, most of the time it was used for proper sports. Thomas Ruttig visited a match there – football in Afghanistan 2000: Air goals by funnily […]

Context and Culture Read more

Flash from the Past: Football under the Taleban (1)

Kate Clark •

he World Cup 2010 in South Africa is in its first round of the knock-out stage. It has seen favourite teams crashing and others shining. Afghanistan did not qualify. It lost both first round Asia qualification matches against Syria 1:5 on aggregate. Afghanistan’s only scorer was Obaidullah Karimi who plays for Hamm United FC in […]

Context and Culture Read more

29 June 2010, Washington: Afghanistan Today Karzai, Reconciliation, and Western Strategy

AAN • admin •

As Afghanistan’s “summer fighting season” kicks into high gear and the Obama administration’s December 2010 review comes ever closer, join Afghanistan expert Martine van Bijlert and New America Foundation president Steve Coll for a discussion of Afghan politics, militant reconciliation, and the West’s plan in Afghanistan. For more details click here. A video of the talk […]

Events Read more

29 June 2010: New AAN Thematic Report ‘How Tribal Are the Taleban?’ launched

AAN • admin •

The Taleban in Afghanistan should be treated as a political movement with political aims, and not as a tribal one, concludes Thomas Ruttig, author of the new report ‘How Tribal Are the Taleban? Afghanistan’s Largest Insurgent Movement between Tribal Roots and Islamist Ideology,’ published today by the Kabul and Berlin based, Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN). […]

Events Read more

How Tribal Are the Taleban? Afghanistan’s Largest Insurgent Movement between its Tribal Roots and Islamist Ideology

Thomas Ruttig •

The Taleban in Afghanistan should be treated as a primarily political movement with political aims, and not as a tribal one, concludes Thomas Ruttig, author of the new report ‘How Tribal Are the Taleban? Afghanistan’s Largest Insurgent Movement between Tribal Roots and Islamist Ideology,’ published today by AAN. Today’s Taleban movement has a double nature, […]

Special Reports Read more

U.S. officials say Karzai aides are derailing corruption cases involving elite

admin •

Washington Post, 28 June 2010 Another report on how political protection undermines rule of law and prevents embezzlement from being exposed in Afghanistan

Recommended Reads Read more

At a snail’s pace towards a full cabinet (UPDATED)

Thomas Ruttig •

President Karzai’s latest fill-up list for the cabinet is out. It has gone from the presidency to the parliament today (Saturday), as Afghan state TV confirmed. The President continues his piecemeal approach – and introduced candidates for only seven out of the 13 cabinet slots that are still open. Here an overview compiled by Thomas […]

Political Landscape Read more

Corruption Suspected in Airlift of Billions in Cash From Kabul .

admin •

Wall Street Journal, 25 June 2010 Another interesting contribution on Afghanistan’s political economy. Here: The boxes of money taken out of the country.

Recommended Reads Read more

The revolt of the good guys in Gizab

Martine van Bijlert •

A recent Washington Post article recounts how a group of local villagers in Gizab district revolted against the Taliban and kicked them out – with the help from US and Australian Special Forces. It reads as a good news story. A quoted US commander described the takeover as “perhaps the most important thing that has […]

War and Peace Read more

“Hundreds of Taleban released last year”

Kate Clark •

A senior Taleban commander quietly pardoned by President Hamed Karzai last year, Akbar Agha, has given his first interview since being released from Pul-e Charkhi jail. He told AAN’s Senior Analyst, Kate Clark, that he was one of “hundreds of Taleban prisoners” across the country who were released by the president to mark Eid al-Fitr […]

War and Peace Read more

24 June 2010: New report – The Northern Front: The Afghan Insurgency Spreading beyond the Pashtuns

AAN • admin •

One of the key developments in Afghanistan during the last year is the expansion of insurgent activity in the northern region. The latest AAN briefing paper analyses this expansion and points to the crucial fact that the Taleban are expanding their constituency into non-Pashtun areas. The paper is authored by Antonio Giustozzi, prominent scholar of […]

Events Read more

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