Michael Kugelman is Asia Program deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. He can be reached on Twitter @michaelkugelman and at michael.kugelman@wilsoncenter.org. He is also a Board Member of South Asia Journal.
MICHAEL KUGELMANJanuary 02, 201918:41729 Recent days have produced two major developments for Afghanistan. One is a seemingly out-of-the-blue decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw 7,000 American troops from the country in the coming months (though a White House spokesman claimed that a withdrawal order hasn’t been issued just yet). The other is Kabul’s announcement that
READ MOREBy Michael Kugelman January 1, 2019 https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/01/opinions/bangladesh-election-oped-intl/index.html Source: CNNViolence erupts during Bangladesh election 01:34 Michael Kugelman is deputy director and senior associate for South Asia with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. You can follow him on Twitter @michaelkugelman. The views expressed are his own. (CNN)On December 30, Bangladesh’s government was reelected in
READ MOREMichael Kugelman October 10, 2018 Sunday marked the 17th anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan. The conflict has dragged on for so long that, very soon, America’s youngest soldiers could be fighting in a war that began before they were born. Aside from a series of news articles, this 17-year milestone didn’t
READ MOREUnion ministers Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Secretary of Defence James Mattis. PTI Michael Kugelman September 07 2018, 3:52 AM This week, after several false starts, the United States and India finally held their 2+2 Dialogue. The talks breathed some much-needed life into a
READ MOREImran Khan, the presumptive next prime minister of Pakistan, addresses his supporters during a campaign rally in Lahore, Pakistan, July 23, 2018 (AP photo by K.M. Chaudary). Michael Kugelman Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 Pakistan’s new government, which takes office on Aug. 18, will confront a raft of pressing challenges at home. They include a looming
READ MOREAs an athlete, Khan was universally loved. As a politician, he’s deeply polarizing. By Michael Kugelman | July 31, 2018 Pakistan’s cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) speaks to the media after casting his vote at a polling station during the general election in Islamabad on July 25, 2018. (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty
READ MOREBloomberg Quint Opinion Michael Kugelman 29 July 2018urned-star politician, will soon be Pakistan’s new prime minister. Given his close ties to the Pakistani army, and given his troubling approach to counterterrorism—Khan has repeatedly criticised his country for targeting Pakistani terrorists with force—one might reasonably expect New Delhi to be concerned. In reality, Khan’s arrival on the scene
READ MOREby Michael Kugelman 23 July 2018 Given Khan’s personality and policy positions, there’s reason to doubt that he is the army’s blue-eyed boy. Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party, speaks during an interview at his home on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan on July 29, 2017 [File: Reuters/Caren Firouz] MORE ON PAKISTAN
READ MOREMichael Kugelman July 12, 2018 Back on June 27, the White House abruptly postponed a summit, scheduled to take place in Washington on July 6, between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis and their Indian counterparts Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman. Pompeo, in a phone call with Swaraj, cited “unavoidable reasons” for
READ MOREMichael Kugelman June 19, 2018 PAKISTAN could be water scarce by 2025. In recent days, this prediction has generated headlines and galvanised social media users across the country. It’s not the first time we’ve heard this estimate. The UN, Pakistan’s Met department and the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources have all delivered it in
READ MOREA temporary Taliban truce, despite the opportunity it presents, doesn’t mean peace is about to break out anytime soon. By Michael Kugelman | June 26, 2018, 12:03 PM Kandahar Air Field on Sep. 9, 2017. (Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images) In recent days, unprecedented developments in Afghanistan have brought new hope to one of the most war-stricken
READ MOREBy Michael Kugelman| June 26, 2018, 12:03 PM In recent days, unprecedented developments in Afghanistan have brought new hope to one of the most war-stricken countries in the world. The Afghan government and the Taliban declared separate brief cease-fires to mark the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Over a remarkable three-day period, smiling soldiers, civilians, and Taliban
READ MOREMICHAEL KUGELMAN, May 20, 201814:12 This past week, the Taliban entered the city of Farah, the capital of a province by the same name located in western Afghanistan. For a brief period, it took over several government buildings before being pushed out by Afghan ground forces and US airstrikes. The offensive marked one of the
READ MOREMichael KugelmanUpdated May 22, 2018 Dear Sabika, It’s been several days since the school shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas, where you, a 17-year-old Pakistani exchange student, were among the 10 victims. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about you from media reports and the moving testimonials from your family and friends. You were blessed
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