Author: OpEd Column Network

Problems with Open Space Workplaces

[Fotini Mastroianni] For the high-performance employees who need quietness to concentrate on their works, the open spaces with the bustle created by other employees are an inappropriate environment. For the employees who tend to need their own space, the continued presence of others 'above their heads' may be a martyrdom.

Syria, Hezbollah’s Next Lebanon

[Manish Rai] With its permanent presence in Syria, Hezbollah wants to deliver the message that the borders have collapsed and that there are new rules of engagement, to the detriment of the Sunni countries as well as Israel.

India’s Lingering Concerns over Chinese Influence in Indian Ocean, South Asia

[Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra] Mutual suspicions would dictate relations between China and India for a long time to come.

Asia’s Geopolitical Alliances are Shifting

[Conn M. Hallinan] From what direction on the Compass Rose the winds out of Washington will blow is hardly clear, but increasingly a number of countries are charting a course of their own.

War against ISIS: Does the Battlefield Success Alone Count?

[Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra] While the intervening powers have palpably shown enough resolve in removing despotic regimes like the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam of Iraq or in keeping Assad Regime in Syria, they failed to provide any stable alternatives which could bring about normalcy and political and social stability.

Instead of Blaming Neighbors, Afghans should Fix the Problems at Home

[Manish Rai] The ethnic and sectarian imbalance within the Afghan national military creates misunderstanding and mistrust among different ethnic and sectarian groups towards the army, making it look like a foreign force.

America: the ‘Shining City on a Hill’ or the ‘Dark Village in a Valley’?

[Michael Curtin] In the 18 months of the Trump presidency, the bedrock principles – upon which the US democracy was founded – have been torn asunder. The dual mantras of "America First" and "Make America Great Again" are simply code names for isolationism. The dismantling of the liberal international order – which has served the US's interests quite well for the better part of the past 70 years – is being witnessed in real time.

Cooperation between Assad and Kurds in Syria

[Manish Rai] The Damascus negotiations [between Assad and Kurds] are more realistically an attempt to test the waters and we should not have any high hopes from these initial talks. The negotiations will be long and arduous process, as the Assad regime is very centralized. keeping the country united and stable requires decentralization by way of delegating the powers at the local level. In multi-ethnic countries like Nigeria and India, this kind of model has arguably helped to hold these countries together.

Inside Putin’s Head

[Cynthia M. Lardner] Russian President Vladimir Putin tries to legitimize his disregard of the 'rule of law' by claiming that all former territories dating back to the Byzantine Era and native Russian speakers must be protected by “Mother Russia”. However, the reality is: these territories give Russia access to warm water ports necessary to ship its oil and weapons.

World Humanitarian Day: Honoring Aid Workers and Civilians Trapped in Global Hotspots

[Michael Curtin] To those who closely follow the United Nations, the World Humanitarian Day is a day of special remembrance for the loyal UN aid workers who travel to the world’s most dangerous hotspots assisting civilians caught in the crosshairs of conflict and global health emergencies.