The brief: to persuade Afghanis to take pride in their national army, to shun terrorism and to give up the narcotics trade. Not an easy task in a country where war has been raging for nine years and where the population is…
Since the War in Afghanistan began in 2001, Nato, US and Afghan troops have attempted to restore order in the country. Yet today 10 per cent of the
nation is in Taliban hands, the drug trade is rife and suicide bombers are…
The Tajik-Afghan border is one of the most dangerous in the world because of its central role in the heroin trade and potential as a smuggling route for WMDs. Can it ever be tamed? Well, the US, Iran, the EU and China are…
It’s been a bad start to the year for Afghanistan. As reports claim it is heading for failed-state status, the Taliban continues to defy US and Nato-led troops. President Karzai is increasingly frustrated with US and Bri…
Conceived of only 21 years ago, already most nations want a “soft power” strategy – a way of winning the world over without resorting to military-industrial might. Monocle has indexed the top 30 soft power nations, which…
Canada may be seen as the perennial nice guy but its military are ready for a fight. We join them in Ukraine, where they are taking
a stand against Russia.
Bernard-Henri Lévy, France’s leading philosopher, is no ivory-tower thinker. This January he went to Gaza (conclusion: the Israelis
get a bad press). He says Pakistan is the worst rogue state, and he is also a critic of…
In the forest of Evjemoen, Norway’s officer training school puts troops through an extreme test of endurance. It’s a physical and mental challenge but more of the latter in these days of modern warfare.