Will Coin work in Afghanistan?

Posted by AriRusila on 12/12/09

“After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home.” (Barack Obama)
“They are coming already in coffins.” (Ari Rusila)

US President Obama finally announced his new counter-insurgency (aka “Coin”) strategy in Afghanistan – which continues mostly the strategy of his predecessor Mr. Bush. Generals and influential - if not decisive – military-industrial complex got [...]

Afghanistan – to be or not?

Posted by AriRusila on 02/11/09

“democracies make elections, elections don’t make democracies”

After Afghanistan’s fraudulent elections President Obama’s future politics in failing state is still foggy. Conflicting views of Obama’s staff, escalation of War to Pakistan, lack of clear vision and strategy are not making choice easy. The rest of the world is waiting U.S. leadership and considering same time their [...]

Quality Peace?

Posted by AriRusila on 21/09/09

To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace. (Tacitus, ca. 56 – ca. 117)

On 21 September 1980 Iraq launched a full-scale invasion of Iran, which was the beginning of an 8-year-long bloody war between the two countries. Ironically the International Day [...]

EU’s Community Initiatives would bring Europe closer to its people

Posted by AriRusila on 20/06/09

“Blogactiv.eu” –article, posted by “Challenge for Europe” on 19th June 2009  highlights the importance of EU’s Community Initiatives as most successful popular direct contacts between the EU institutions and the citizens in their local communities.
“The EU mobilized European citizens in getting together, discovering sustainable practices elsewhere, while getting involved in decision-making at home. It [...]

Balkans: Stop Mastermind – give Change to Locals

Posted by AriRusila on 04/06/09

In March, Mrs. Clinton – FM/USA - commented in Brussels that the Obama administration was “determined to listen, advise (European Union countries) and through agreement arrive at wise solution to common challenges.” Among the “common challenges” was that the “Balkans is in danger of becoming part of the forgotten past.” She added the ominous view [...]

Russia’s new Security and Energy Initiatives

Posted by AriRusila on 26/04/09

Two new proposals related to European security and energy cooperation was made last week by Russia. During official state visit in Finland Russia’s President Dimitry Medvedev gave a key note speech in Helsinki on April 20th outlining a “new European security structure”. Same day Russia made public goals and principles of new framework for energy [...]

Is there life in EP after Elections?

Posted by AriRusila on 03/04/09

Have women’s rights in Afghanistan anything to do with Elections of European Parliament? Question came to my mind when I participated with my article –“Karzai’s administration “Worse than Taliban” - into blogging campaign related to Elections 2009. The same could be said most of issues in electoral campaign. Both the voters as well [...]

Could EU lead the 3rd Way out from Confrontation?

Posted by AriRusila on 27/02/09

This post was first published in TH!NK ABOUT IT site 25th February 2009.
During last twenty years war for humanitarian reasons has came quite popular in political vocabulary e.g. in Balkans and now with Georgia case. The ideal to use power in the service of ethics is good. The problem is the low level of [...]

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Welcome to AriRusila’s BalkanPerspective - a personal perspective on events in western Balkans. Topics of interest: Serbia, Kosovo province, EU enlargement, ICO/EUSR, Eulex, UN peacekeeping operations, western Balkans, crisis management more.



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