THE GUARDIAN 11/26/12 By Michael Shank The occupation of Afghanistan costs US taxpayers $10bn a month, and millions in corruption. Yet Congress is oblivious. This month, hidden amid election excitement, a report was delivered to Congress by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar). Likely, few in Washington read […]
THE HILL 06/22/12 By Michael Shank When it comes to making the world more peaceful, how do we know what we want or what we don’t want? Do we simply want less violence? Or are we working to build the attitudes, institutions and structures that lead to more peaceful societies? […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 05/31/12 By Michael Shank and U.S. Representative Michael Honda (D-CA) With NATO’s meeting in Chicago two weekends ago building consensus on critical next steps vis-a-vis anticipated withdrawals and deadlines, discussion of the development agenda post-withdrawal in Afghanistan must not slip from our radar screen. The […]
ROLL CALL 05/23/12 By Michael Shank Recent Istanbul negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 and this week’s Baghdad negotiations have tempered, albeit temporarily, the cry for war. It was close under President George W. Bush, who rallied regime-changers to invade, but it is worse now. The Pentagon publicly prepares plans, […]
WASHINGTON TIMES 05/16/12 By Michael Shank I met with former Taliban government minister Moulavi Arsala Rahmani when I traveled to Afghanistan in 2009 in an unofficial capacity while serving as senior policy adviser for Rep. Michael Honda, California Democrat. What a loss Rahmani’s death is for the peace process (“Gunman […]
FINANCIAL TIMES 04/11/12 By Michael Shank Sir, Your editorial “Ms Rousseff Goes to Washington” (April 9), by implying illicitous cosiness between Brazil and Iran, incorrectly portrays these nations’ relationship and the reasoning behind Barack Obama’s rebuff of Brazil’s president. Claiming that Brazil’s refusal to join UN sanctions against Iran is […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 03/06/12 CHICAGO TRIBUNE 03/07/12 By Michael Shank and US Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) The recent Koran burning protests are just the beginning of the problems America has in Afghanistan. That the U.S. military is burning Korans and urinating on dead bodies is, without question, bad […]
THE HILL 03/01/12 By Michael Shank With Robert Zoellick stepping down from the World Bank helm, there is no better time for a development economist with solid on-the-ground and substantial international experience – like Dr. Jeffrey Sachs – to take his place. There are three clear reasons for this. The […]
CNN 02/24/12 By Michael Shank and Thorben Albrecht (CNN) — As Germany continues to rise as lead survivor — and decision-maker — in the European Union’s economic mire, the U.S. would do well to take a lesson from the country’s economic model, particularly in manufacturing. Losing 4 million jobs over […]
FINANCIAL TIMES 11/23/11 By Michael Shank Sir, With reference to “Come on – Cuba needs help, not hindrance to progress” (November 18): as illuminated in a 98-page report this month from the Center for Democracy in the Americas, Cuba’s recent economic reforms are indicative of a new resolve. President Raúl […]