Ten years into the war, Afghanistan is still floundering. The Karzai administration that had seemed so promising in 2003 has fallen prey to domestic pressures and has moved towards reconciliation with the Taliban, inviting his “dear brothers” into the government. The Taliban, if integrated, would likely tighten their chokehold on a country they already control … Read more
It’s not a surprise that the war in Afghanistan has lasted ten years and that even after bin Laden’s death, we cannot say it has truly been won. That’s because the U.S. went into Afghanistan with an awkward coalition and a mishmash of aims (counter-terrorism, women’s rights, human rights, oil), without all key players completely on board … Read more
After a decade in Afghanistan, the U.S. needs cut its losses and start to reduce it’s involvement in Central Asia. In the wake of Karzai’s declaration of siding with Pakistan in the event of a U.S.-Pakistan war, it’s more than apparent that even the people who are nominally on ‘our side’ aren’t exactly full-throated American allies. … Read more
Four months and one egregiously elitist Shakespeare reference ago, I wrote an article summing up the results of a curious sort-of-study on candidate’s “like” numbers on Facebook – basically, I took candidates’ like numbers from before and after a week and made some superficial observations based on unscientific data. Nevertheless, four months later, I thought … Read more
As more and more of today’s generation plan careers before planning families, a shift in the public perception of romantic relationships has ushered in a new era of anti-exclusivity. In a culture in which caring is now creepy and aloof is the new sexy, Hollywood has tried to encapsulate the essence of this new trend … Read more
6:00 Hi everyone! This is Sarah Coughlon, I’m at the Forum to liveblog Van Jones’ address, “Rebuild The Dream: The Next American Economy.” Van Jones is an environmental advocate, civil rights activist, and attorney. He has served as President Obama’s Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation, is a Senior Fellow at the Center … Read more
Al-Nahda, the Tunisian political party whose name is Arabic for “awakening” or “renaissance,” might prove to be just that for political Islam in Tunisia and the Middle East. The moderate Islamic party’s recent victory in Tunisia’s elections promises to redefine the political role of Islam in a country and a region where Islam often clashes head-to-head … Read more
Harvard is one of the most diversely talented colleges in the country, and many times students don’t even know the extent of their peer’s abilities. In our new series, we interview and showcase some of the college’s best artists and their work. Freshman Charlotte McKechnie’s awe-inspiring vocal talent has led to performances with Billy Boyd, … Read more
To be blunt, David Cameron is in one of the most unenviable positions of any British Prime Minister in recent history. Record-high unemployment, the London riots, the phone-hacking scandal, the downgrade of many major British banks, and more must be causing a gargantuan headache for the Conservative-Lib-Dem government at 10 Downing Street. Almost since the … Read more
Few would disagree that American troops show incredible bravery at war. From World War II to the more recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, there is no dearth of harrowing accounts from the front lines. But what of those same troops when they return home? The stories often end when their military tour is complete, … Read more