The South Asia Politics, News, and Analysis Thread

Cross-posted from the Arab Spring thread:

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry is denying that it sold nukes to Saudi Arabia due to the latter wanting to counter Iran.

edited 21st May '15 7:23:04 AM by Krieger22

"Responsible nuclear state" and Pakistan is hilarious.

Bangladesh has banned a militant movement accused of being behind the murders of several secular bloggers.

Myanmar had a protest earlier today...

They were mad that other people were criticizing their treatment of the Rohingya.

It's like bizarro world, or as far tone-deaf as you can possibly go.

Myanmar is like a less capable Pakistan. Fracticious, military dominated, bizzare...

Speaking of Pakistan, it seems there is a lot of unrest in Sindh right now (including Karachi) because one of the former head honchos of the Pakistan People's Party is turning into undesirable number one within said party, leading to raids and counters, to the point where dude is under federal protection.

Crocadile tears for the Rohogya Indonesia uses refugee crisis to strike back at Australia for criticizing it's excitations of drug smugglers.

Bodybuilders compete in Mr. Afghanistan competition in Kabul

This just kinda tickled me, especially that bodybuilding was permitted even while the country was under Taliban rule. Women must be fully covered but men could show off their incredible abs and pecs? I'm not insinuating anything here, but, hmmm...

wrestling has a long tradition in South Asia, so this isn't completely surprising.

8 of the 10 men involved in the shooting of Malala Yousafzai have been freed.

The Pakistani police and judicial system continue to uphold their formidable reputation.

Wonder what happened to that Red Mosque leader who presided over various extremist and anti-government crimes culminating in the siege that caused 150 deaths? The one caught wearing a burqa while trying to escape? Oh, he's back in charge of it, acquitted of all charges.

edited 5th Jun '15 10:30:19 AM by betaalpha

-_- Madness....

Watch, he'll eventually declare for Da'esh.

For all of their hatred of American culture and influence, the Taliban and al-Qaeda were also huge volleyball enthusiasts and routinely held their own championships in which leaders (including Osama bin Laden most notably) would coach their own teams and square off against one another.

INS Vikrat undocks, completing phase 2 of her construction Congratulations India you are stronk country now, Papa Britain would be so proud, and envious over the fact he has no carriers.

India was always "stronk". It's merely the first indigenous carrier, not the first carrier period.

Indeed, India has operated aircraft carriers since 1961 ^note  That carrier was the original INS Vikrant, now replaced by the INS Viraat, formally Falklands War veteran HMS Hermes.

"I has no carriers cause I give them to ye' - be grateful!"

I knew that, I was just for one trying to make a joke, and two, any country with the right amount of money can buy a carrier,but it is rare for one to be able to domestically produce one.

Oh please you were going to scrap them anyway. Glorious Britannia apparently can't afford more than two carriers now,or even to keep one running until it gets replaced. Britannia no longer rules the waves,unless the waves count as the dry-docks for your new fleet.

edited 10th Jun '15 3:09:38 PM by JackOLantern1337

Afghanistan appoints first female Supreme Court judge

Here's an interesting link that I found at the bottom of the above page

edited 16th Jun '15 1:26:20 PM by betaalpha

India and Pakistan and False Equivilance

Christine Fair is probably the most clear-headed scholar on Pakistan currently working. My only gripe with her is while she does an excellent job laying out the issue, her solutions seem simplistic by comparison.

LK Advani's 'emergency rule' remark divides opinions In an interview with The Indian Express, Mr Advani said "a commitment to democracy and to all other aspects related to democracy is lacking" in India.

"Today, I do not say that the political leadership is not mature. But kamiyon ke karan, vishwas nahin hota (I don't have faith because of its weaknesses). I don't have the confidence that it (Emergency) cannot happen again," he told the paper.

Some are saying he fears the BJP,and specifically Modi, will impose emergency rule on the country. Others say he is just concerned that their is no constitutional safeguard to keep it from happening again. And still others claim he is just angry because Modi has replaced him as the main face of the BJP.

I'm willing to believe that last one, For all my concerns about Modi, he's so far been a rather level-headed leader. Not perfect of course (but thats a good thing, people were making him out to be some sort of God Man by the end of the election campaign), but good.

If Advani can provide more evidence to the effect, good. But otherwise, this is sour grapes.

The most outraged man in Inida

Do we expect too much of Aung San Suu Kyi? I say we do. For one thing she can't do much good for the Royhingia if she isn't elected. For another she would hardly be the first opposition leader to make her peace with the backer of her countries tyrannical regime. If that never happened my country would have no friends

edited 22nd Jun '15 6:30:19 AM by JackOLantern1337

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has dissolved parliament, paving the way for an early general election.

Is Modi's India safe for Muslims?

Foreign Policy frets about the RSS.