The Good Bad and Ugly in Afghanistan

Zaland Blog

Earlier this month, I traveled to Afghanistan. It was my first visit since February of 2008. There was good news. Commerce is flourishing in Kabul. Having lived along the crossroads of civilizations for thousands of years, Afghans are natural-born traders and shop keepers. Unlike the situation three years ago, the streets are clogged with traffic; the sidewalks are packed with vendors of all manner of goods; and, stores and restaurants line the streets. The Western-oriented hotels are able to host conferences and upscale wedding halls dot the city. Construction and rebuilding is evident throughout Kabul.

Click to read more ...

The United States and China vie for Influence in the Horn of Africa

The Daily Caller

While often under the mainstream media radar, East Africa is a national security and foreign policy hot spot for the United States. African Union forces are fighting the militant Islamist insurgency Al Shabab in Mogadishu, Somalia, where the US and UN-backed Transitional Federal Government is attempting to establish itself.

Click to read more ...

China Looks to Cement its Future in Africa by Turning to the Past

The Huffington Post

Nairobi, Kenya -- Chinese archeologists are busy here in Kenya. They are working in the waters surrounding the Lamu archipelago on Kenya's north coast. Their goal is to find evidence of Chinese trade with Africa in the 1400s. Demonstrating such a link would show the world that China was here as a commercial and military power before the Europeans arrived. The fact that the 15th Century Chinese missions were conducted by Admiral Zheng's formidable "Treasure Fleet" is all the more important to the Chinese. As it seeks to rule the seas once again, China desires tangible symbols of its past as a naval power. Finding a sunken Chinese ship or coins in Kenyan waters would be powerful in this regard.

Click to read more ...

US admiral tries to reassure on Chinese naval build-up

The Australian Conservative

It was good to see that Admiral Roughead was in Australia this week meeting with America’s closest war-fighting ally over the past century. As he was there to reassure our Pacific partner, Roughead projected confidence by noting that the Chinese aircraft carrier threat in the Pacific would take years to develop as carrier operational skills are not learned overnight.

Click to read more ...

Welcome to the UNGA

The Daily Caller

My 13-year-old son, who is far more interested in sports than politics, walked into the family room yesterday and said: “Dad, I saw on the news that the thing is starting when all the dictators come to America and give speeches about how bad we are.” His statement is one of the better descriptions of the United Nations General Assembly (the UNGA) that I have ever heard.

Click to read more ...