Recent media reports indicate the Afghan reconciliation process is once again picking pace. While the Afghan officials have confirmed the development, Afghan Taliban are tight lipped about it. These reports also suggest that Pakistan is playing a critical facilitating role as the trajectory of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations continue to improve remarkably. The Chinese role appears to be decisive in moving the present round of negotiations forward while the US may have taken a back seat for the time being.

While the world attention is focused on Gaza and the seemingly slow undoing of Middle East, another crisis is looming on the horizon. This one has to do with Afghanistan. On his visit to Afghanistan in June, US Secretary of State John Kerry had helped reach an interim agreement, stipulating the recount of all votes, and temporarily raised hopes. Now he is back again to keep the momentum going.

Dr Claude Rakisits

The royal rulers of Saudi Arabia must feel somewhat nervous of late. Seen from Riyadh, externally, the neighbourhood is not looking very hospitable and rather hostile towards the kingdom. And, internally, while matters appear to be under control under the newly-installed monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, there must be a sense that domestically things could unravel if not handled properly in the future.

The debate has continued over what more NATO and European Union can do to punish Russia for taking over Crimea and to stop it from going any further. History is replete with similar scenarios with one or the other European power over stretching itself based on false sense of the ground situation, while attempting to change borders and correct history.

The fear is that appearing weak, or worse, not doing anything, can encourage further expansion that could later require an even bigger and costly response.

The American Middle East policy stands at a crucial juncture. The dramatic turn of events in Iraq, overthrow of democratically elected government in Egypt, the continuing Syria quagmire, and now the Gaza crisis, are all demonstrating the pressure points. The war on terror is covering ever-wider span, to include South and Central Asia and North Africa. The original Al Qaeda has over the years morphed in to a phenomenon called Al Qaeda and Associates, represented by groups such as IS (previously ISIS).

The American Middle East policy stands at a crucial juncture. The dramatic turn of events in Iraq, overthrow of democratically elected government in Egypt, the continuing Syria quagmire, and now the Gaza crisis, are all demonstrating the pressure points. The war on terror is covering ever-wider span, to include South and Central Asia and North Africa. The original Al Qaeda has over the years morphed in to a phenomenon called Al Qaeda and Associates, represented by groups such as IS (previously ISIS).