FORMER PAK PRES MUSHARRAF CHARGED
Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf failed to show up for his scheduled court date this week, where he is to face charges of high treason that could result in life in prison or the death penalty. Gen. Musharraf ousted the current Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, in a 1999 coup, forcing him into exile before becoming Pakistan’s president for nearly a decade. In 2008, public protests forced him from office and into exile abroad. When he returned to Pakistan last year to run in national elections, he was immediately arrested. Mr. Musharraf is denying the charges, claiming that he is being treated unfairly and that he only ever acted with support from top military and civilian officials. He blames his political allies and coalition partners for any mistakes he made in office, citing his successes in fighting militancy and al Qaeda. Some Pakistani analysts are predicting that if the case drags on, it has the potential to entangle other officials and powerful military personal. (The New York Times, December 29, 2013; The Washington Post, January 2, 2014)
LEADER OF AAP ANOINTED CHIEF MINISTER IN DELHI
Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the AAP or “common man party,” has assumed leadership of the Delhi government after agreeing to form a ruling coalition. The party, begun only a year ago on a staunch anti-corruption platform, stunned political observers in India by garnering the second-most votes in Delhi elections late last year. In urban areas across the country they plan to challenge other mainstream political parties in the upcoming May elections. Most notably, they pose a threat to the front-runner for prime minister, Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, who is counting on support from middle-class urbanites based on his own anti-corruption and pro-business credentials. However, the AAP also poses a threat to the ruling Congress party, who has partnered with them in Delhi, but has been dogged by corruption scandals and poor economic performance. Mr. Kejriwal not only promises to come down against corruption through an anti-bribery helpline, but has also pledged to provide free water to every family in Delhi and reduce their electricity bills. (Reuters, December 28, 2013)
CHALLENGES FOR ANSF AHEAD
The year 2014 poses a new set of challenges for the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) after the withdrawal of foreign troops. One of the main concerns is the plan to reduce the ANSF force size by 35% beginning in 2017 (from 352,000 to 228,500). Other concerns include the limited number of explosive ordnance disposal teams, making them an easy target for IED attacks, which are the leading cause of injuries and fatalities. The situation is even more volatile along the Af-Pak border, where the Taliban and Pakistan supported proxies govern more territory than the ANSF. The US has decided to scrap $7 Billion (or up to 20%) of in-country military hardware, as a number of sensitive pieces of military equipment cannot simply be transferred to the ANSF because of export control regulations. (International Relations and Security Network, December 3, 2013)
UNKNOWN CHAOS MAY AWAIT AFGHANISTAN IF BSA REMAINS UNSIGNED
A U.S. National Intelligence Estimate reports that the gains the US has made in Afghanistan will be significantly rolled back by 2017, and that Afghanistan will fall into chaos if the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) is not signed. Although President Hamid Karzai failed to sign the BSA by the U.S.-imposed deadline of December 31, Senator John McCain and others who met with Karzai on January 2 are hopeful that their differences can be resolved over the next few weeks and a deal will be reached.
Meanwhile, Kabul says it plans to release up to 650 prisoners who are claimed to have been charged with no formal crimes. The announcement alarmed some Afghan and American officials, as many of the prisoners are considered dangerous and their release a threat to security. The International Military Coalition and the Afghan Intelligence Agency have until January 3 to produce evidence against the detainees, otherwise they will be released. (The Washington Post, January 2, 2014; Reuters, December 30, 2013; The New York Times, December 31, 2013)