Will history repeat itself in Arab nations?
What happened in Iran post-1979 could happen in Tunisia, Egypt and the rest of the Arab world in coming months, warns B Raman View: Dirty politics in Deoband
If Vastanvi had blundered in appearing to praise Modi, his detractors, such as the pro-Congress Madnis, were no less blameworthy, being closely linked with a party that was no less anti-Muslim than the BJP, says Yogi Sikand A kafir among the Wahhabis
Ustad Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Afghan president Hamid Karzai's first choice as the speaker of the new Afghan parliament, is at once the perfect bridge the latter needs to reach out extensively in the Islamic world and Pakistan, says former diplomat MK Bhadrakumar, possibly the first and last India to have met Sayyaf in his native village Why BJP must be allowed to hoist the tricolour
Some have argued that the BJP's gesture is redundant in face of the traditional ceremony conducted by security personnel in Srinagar. But there is a subtle difference. Raising the tricolour in an empty maidan under the watch of a thousand guns undermines our stand and reinforces the false propaganda of people being terrorised by the might of our armed forces. Warning: Security perils for India on road ahead
The apparent Indian smugness and inability to see the gathering clouds on the security horizon is at the heart of our problems, warns Colonel Anil Athale (retd). India at Hu Jintao's White House dinner
Barack Obama and Hu Jintao tried to pretend that they did not have to take any notice of India's invisible presence, but there it was, as an unseen guest and an indispensable factor in their deliberations and decisions, says TP Sreenivasan Hartosh-Dalrymple spat: Reading between the lines
The lingering effects of colonial rule show up in a variety of subtle and not so subtle ways, says Rupa Subramanya Dehejia PM walks softly, carries a big stick
All those castigating the government for a feeble reshuffle are missing the point. Which is that the exercise was not meant to be anything more than a message, says Saisuresh Sivaswamy. India's Smart Power in the US
'As India's involvement in the growth of the US deepens, the search for the soul of India gains momentum. India's smart power gets projected in the US in very many ways.' A crying need to restore public confidence
Just because the 14 elders spoke for us is not enough; each of us needs to add his voice and convert it into a clamour to be heard across the length and breadth of the country, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Kashmir Hindus: Forsaken, forgotten for 21 years
The Kashmiri Hindu community despite homelessness and horrendous ethnic cleansing has survived and will survive. It is the tenacity to weather any storm and belief in its values and morals that has kept the Kashmiri Hindu alive, says Lalit Koul. What Tunisia's revolution means for the Arab world
The Jasmine Revolution has consecrated a milestone which will go a long way in ushering in people-led movements in the Arab world, says Tenzin Thargay. Swami Aseemanand, as I know him
'It is hard to connect this Hindu terror mastermind over-drive with the Swami Aseemanand of tribal simplicity and boundless energy, whom I have known since the last 11 years and interacted with closely.' Seeking parity, Hu Jintao visits the United States
New Delhi would be keenly watching this week's visit by China's President Hu Jintao to the United States. For, previous such visits and their joint communiqués and projects have impacted, mostly in a constricting manner, on India, writes Srikanth Kondapalli. The martys who made the army proud
Notionally, the proud Indian Army will be entering its 64th year of existence on January 15, 2011. This is because, in fact, the Indian Army is as old as the idea of India. Women in the army: An idea whose time has arrived
The role of women as soldiers and warriors has been evident in history the world over for centuries. As early as the 15th century, Joan of Arc, is said to have led the French army during the hundred year's war against England. Why WikiLeaks was the biggest story of 2010
This WikiLeaks cables will strategically weaken the US in ways that are currently difficult to predict. But more damagingly, it will make effective foreign policy making even more difficult for all nations. And that would be a tragedy given the times we live in, says Harsh V Pant. 15 MLAs face action for stalling K'taka Assembly
There was more trouble in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday with the House Committee recommending the suspension of 15 members of Legislative Assembly for creating ruckus on the floor of the House. 250 years on, Battle of Panipat revisited
Colonel (Dr) Anil Athale (retd) recalls how the Battle of Panipat, 250 years ago, changed the history of the Indian subcontinent for the next century and half. What India and world need to do in Ivory Coast
At stake in Ivory Coast is a thriving economy and a fragile tribal balance, which threatens to turn into a religious issue. Neelam Deo reviews the options before the country and the global community Killing the Brahmaputra in installments
It is high time India and China did a joint study to protect the river instead of competing to exploit and mutilate it in phases, says environmental activist Gopal Krishna. Taseer's death gives power to forces of tolerance
Hamid Mir, once a friend, once an enemy of the assassinated Punjab Governor, pays tribute and also speaks of the challenges that now face Pakistan. Greed is good; excessive greed even better
'Is it too much when senior -- very senior --politicians fear the law so little that they accept payment through cheques, something that can be easily traced?' What the RAW's new leadership must do
The new leadership will be to have such an introspective exercise. The RAW has done great work in the past. It is capable of similar great work in the difficult years to come with the right critical approach and self-correcting action, says strategic expert B Raman. There is no major threat from 'saffron terrorists'
The LeT terror campaign is backed by the power and resources of a state. To compare this with the acts of a crowd of motley Hindu extremists is like equating chalk with cheese, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale. The PM owes the country an explanation
Manmohan Singh must act now or be resigned his well wishers, the opposition and his own party branding him a 'good man' but equally 'ineffective' during his tenure as prime minister, says Pramod Kumar Buravalli. Taseer murder shows infiltration of Pak's military
It is un-Muslim to be a liberal -- that is the message that Qadri and those behind him in the conspiracy (if there was a larger conspiracy) have sought to convey through the assassination of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, says B Raman. The Ganga is still waiting for its purification
The time to clean up the Ganga is now and the livehood and future of millions of people depend on it, says geologist Dr Nitish Priyadarshi The postal service is bad news
The postman used to be a joy to behold when he knocked on the door for he brought news. These days, the postman knocks on the door fewer times, and when he does, he brings the letter late, says Mahesh Vijapurkar. Time to go beyond victimhood to action
The Binayak Sen case illustrates the urgent need for a mass-based nation-wide civil liberties movement, says Rajni Bakshi. Opinion: Time to make peace with neighbours
Even as New Delhi consolidates its global standing this year with a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, Jyoti Malhotra feels it will be the countries in its immediate neighbourhood that will be top priority for India's foreign office. December 2010 | November 2010 | October 2010 | September 2010 | August 2010 | July 2010 | June 2010 | May 2010 | April 2010 | March 2010 | February 2010