Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Reports

Reports – previously known as dispatches – are the flagship of the AAN website and our main type of publication. AAN reports are based on extensive desk and field research and provide timely and in-depth information and analysis.

Happy Christmas (But war isn’t over)

Thomas Ruttig •

‘Happy Xmas (War is over)’ – this was John Lennon’s wish in his beautiful 1971 holiday’s single already. The ex-Beatle (killed already 29 years ago) wasn’t referring to Afghanistan, obviously, then. In that year, Afghanistan was experiencing another of a series of drought years which would seriously undermine the country’s apparently so stable monarchy. Kabul […]

Rights and Freedoms Read more

The Cabinet list

Martine van Bijlert •

For those of you – sitting under the Christmas tree – who have not been able to find the complete Cabinet list yet, please find it below. With some of the most basic facts added. Corrections and additions, as always, welcome. 1. Minister of Defence, Rahim Wardak – Pashtun from Wardak, military academy in Kabul and US, […]

Political Landscape Read more

Rearranging election outcomes while the IEC archive burns

Martine van Bijlert •

While people across the world are wrapping their last gifts and doing their last Christmas shopping, Afghanistan still has unfinished election business. And it is clear that we haven’t seen the last of all the bizarre twists and turns. (1)  The latest twist is a mysterious fire in the IT department of the Independent Electoral […]

Rights and Freedoms Read more

Obituary Dr. Bernt Glatzer (by AGA)

Thomas Ruttig •

The following obituary of our late Advisory Board member Dr Bernt Glatzer was published by (German) Wissenschaftliche Arbeitsgemeinschaft Afghanistan (AGA) [Scientific Working Group on Afghanistan] whose chairman Bernt was from 2001 to 2007. It cointains a comprehensive professional biography, including Bernt’s major publications. Obituary Dr. Bernt Glatzer *22 December 1942    †8 December 2009 Like almost […]

International Engagement Read more

Thoughts and worries

Martine van Bijlert •

There is a lot to worry about in Afghanistan. The politics of government, cabinet and parliament. The local power play of oppression and violence. The future, the family, where the country is headed. How bad the winter is going to be. Some conversation fragments: “How things are going? I am disappointed and optimistic at the […]

Political Landscape Read more

Until you get the wrong Ahmad…

Susanne Schmeidl •

Recently, I participated in a discussion in Washington where I drew a lot of anger when I said that ‘kinetic’ house searches still alienate many Afghans – if they don’t push them into Taleban ranks. That’s not correct, I was told, the US and NATO forces have changed their approach. Here a first-hand story that […]

War and Peace Read more

How Do Afghans Tick? (in memoriam Bernt Glatzer)

Thomas Ruttig •

The following is the translation of an interview given by late Dr Bernt Glatzer to a Berlin daily newspaper in 2008. He talks about how he himself became involved in Afghanistan, gives his opinion about current events and covers the ethics of ethnologists in war. More than six years ago, the Taleban regime in Afghanistan […]

Context and Culture Read more

The confused fight against corruption

Martine van Bijlert •

This morning saw the opening of a three-day national conference to identify “best practices and effective measures” in the fight against corruption. There will be workshops attended by government officials and civil society actors from all over the country, but today I only stayed for the opening statements in the grand hall of the Ministry […]

Political Landscape Read more

BERNT GLATZER PASSED AWAY

Thomas Ruttig •

With great shock and deep sadness, we have learnt about the sudden demise of our valued colleague and good friend Dr Bernt Glatzer, member of the AAN Advisory Board, in the night to 08 December at his home in Schriesheim, Germany, only a few days before his 67th birthday. There are not many amongst our […]

International Engagement Read more

Parliament getting ready for the new Cabinet

Martine van Bijlert •

Several weeks have passed since the President’s inauguration on 19 November and the waiting is now for the announcement of the new Cabinet – an event that as usual has been imminent for quite a while. The Parliament has delayed its recess, which was to begin on 6 December, so that it can vote on […]

Political Landscape Read more

Finishing the unfinished election (2): Panjshir and Kapisa

Martine van Bijlert •

Not all provinces show signs of a very uneven rate of disqualification between the presidential en provincial council elections, like we saw in Helmand Khost or Farah. Take for instance Panjshir. In Panjshir the number of votes excluded in the presidential and provincial council elections were more or less comparable: 4,750 out of 44,850 votes […]

Political Landscape Read more

Finishing the unfinished election (1): Helmand, Khost and Farah

Martine van Bijlert •

As the final provincial council results are being finally and gradually released, an early analysis of the figures shows that the fraud in the provincial council election has, unsurpisingly, been largely left untouched. The IEC audit that disqualified over a million votes focused solely on the presidential election and the need to arrive at some […]

Political Landscape Read more

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