Author: Michael Shank

Discerning US Design in Afghanistan and Repercussions

EURASIA REVIEW 11/17/13 By Brigadier (Retd.) Dr. Ahsan ur Rahman Khan At long last, after more than a decade of extreme human misery in Afghanistan and adjoining Pakistan inflicted by the US in the name of ‘war on terror’, there had been some hope of an end to this ‘human […]

The Only Way Forward in Afghanistan

US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 11/13/13 By Michael Shank Tribal elders in Afghanistan are preparing to meet next week to discuss the Bilateral Security Agreement between the U.S. and Afghanistan, which governs details of the relationship between the countries after 2014. But news this week of Afghans protesting against the […]

Tea Party, Progressives Unite on Fast-Track Trade Authority

WASHINGTON TIMES 11/13/13 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, November 13, 2013 — With the Tea Party coming out hard against President Obama’s trade agenda, there may be some synergy among conservatives and progressives in tackling this year’s hottest transnational conflict. Outspoken critic of the Obama trade agenda and Washington Times Communities […]

No Iran Deal, but Significant Progress in Geneva

WASHINGTON TIMES 11/12/13 By Michael Shank and Kate Gould WASHINGTON, November 12, 2013 — Even without a final nuclear deal with Iran, this weekend’s intensive negotiations in Geneva resulted in major diplomatic achievements that warrant mention. First and foremost, since direct contact between U.S. and Iranian diplomats has long been […]

Why the White House Won’t Win the Afghanistan War

WASHINGTON TIMES 11/07/13 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, November 7, 2013 — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry desperately needs a win on the Afghanistan war. Unfortunately, however, it appears increasingly unlikely he will get one. Despite repeated visits and discussions, Kerry has so far failed to secure a clean Bilateral […]

Why NFL’s Washington Redskins Needs Renaming

WASHINGTON TIMES 11/05/13 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, November 5, 2013 —  The escalating conflict between the Washington Redskins football franchise, its owners and fans, and the growing community of concerned citizens, tribal leaders and District of Columbia City Councilmembers who want the football team to change its name is reaching […]

Report: Food Insecurity Rising as Crop Production Falls

WASHINGTON TIMES 11/03/13 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, November 3, 2013 — America’s food security is at immediate risk, according to a report leaked this month by the New York Times. Americans should expect crop production to fall by as much as 2 percent each decade for the rest of the […]

Creating Just Jobs Around the World

US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 10/31/13 By Michael Shank and Sabina Dewan One of the biggest drivers of inequality is a lack of jobs. But not just any jobs, just jobs, ones that come with appropriate wages, rights, protections such as healthcare and pensions and opportunities for economic mobility. As […]

Drones Strikes in Pakistan Are Hurting America

US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 10/25/13 By Michael Shank Irrespective of the latest reports on possible collusion between U.S. and Pakistani spy agencies, Amnesty International’s newest report on the unlawful American drone killings in Pakistan – that kill more civilians than the White House admits and could amount to war […]