62 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Become a Premium Member Would you like to know how many people have visited this page? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too.



SHARE More Sharing

James Duglous Crickton

Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

                 

Volunteer a little time and make a big difference

Become a Fan
Become a Fan.
You'll get emails whenever I post articles on OpEd News

A blogger since July 2008 James Duglous Crickton is a London based consultant working with a consultancy firm focusing on Asia, particularly South Asia and East Asia. Political Research is his functional focus area. While his interests are conflict management solutions, he loves adventurous and James Bond type movies, and works of Dan Burton.

OpEd News Member for 455 week(s) and 3 day(s)

42 Articles, 0 Quick Links, 13 Comments, 0 Diaries, 0 Polls

Articles Listed By Popularity
List By Date

Page 1 of 3    First  Last   Back  Next  2  3     View All

US Secretary of State John  Kerry with Afghan Presient Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, From WikimediaPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Friday, December 18, 2015
New theatre of the absurd in Af-Pak region --Part I The San Bernardino massacre has brought the United States face -to- face with the Islamic State; the quest of Islamic militants for a new Caliphate is now at its very door step. Yet Washington refuses to borrow a thinking cap in the Af-Pak region. Instead, for short term stakes, it is pushing Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to hold peace dialogue with the Taliban under the aegis of Pakistan.
SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, October 22, 2015
Pakistan's new toast: Army Chief Raheel Sharif Under General Raheel Sharif, the Army has regained its pre-eminent position in Pakistan; it is once again overshadowing the civilian government. This puts a fresh question mark on sustainability of democracy founded by Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1947 as the land of the pure for Muslims of the Indian sub-continent.
General (Retd) Musharraf, former Pakistani President & Army Chief, From FlickrPhotos
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, June 30, 2016
Musharraf too has Swiss Bank Account In popular perception Pakistan military generals are holy cows, beyond corruption. As this article shows, this perception has lost its shelf life. Two four-star generals, Musharraf, who went onto become President in a bloodless coup, and Kayani, are no different from leaders of many third-world countries including Pakistan, who stash their ill-gotten wealth in the time-tested, numbered Swiss bank accounts.
(8 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, August 22, 2015
China's Shameless Arrogance in South China Sea The article analyses the South China Sea dispute, particularly the case of Philippines against China. While making out a case for ASEAN initiative, it points out that India too may have an important role in resolution of this complex issue since Delhi is also a key player in the security calculus of the area.
Pakistan boundaries, From WikimediaPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, December 29, 2018
Pakistan's New Gamble With The Sikhs To Settle Old Scores There is an unexpected turn around in US-Pak relations because of President Trump's plans to buy peace with the Taliban. This has given the Pakistanis they needed to settle old scores with India using the Khalistan card
SHARE More Sharing        Sunday, February 18, 2018
Bulls in Afghanistan's China Shop With Parliament elections set for later this year, Afghanistan's political landscape is seeing several players vying for power. Prominent amongst them are Mohammed Atta Noor, Dr Abdullah and President Ashraf Ghani. Noor and Abdullah have personal scores to settle, though they were together not too long ago in the Jamiat-e-Islami (JeI) and that makes the outcome a keenly watched event
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Monday, July 13, 2015
'Mohajirs' Plight Reaches UNHRC The article is pegged to a Mohajir event held in Geneva on the sidelines of UNHCR session in June 2015. It examines the sense of persecution amongst the minority Mohajir Muslims in Pakistan, and their criticism that Pakistan government has double standards on civil rights. The author also takes stock of Mohajirs' demand for prosecution of all those found guilty of crimes (against Mohajirs)at the International Court of Justice.
Independence Square (JumhooreeMaidan) in Male, From ImagesAttr
SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, October 3, 2015
Maldives tryst with Islamist militancy and Chinese shadow this article looks at Maldives scenario in the wake of an explosion in the President's boat and examines India-Maldives cooperation in the fight against terrorism
DALAI LAMA, From FlickrPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, April 13, 2017
Fretting, Fuming Dragon China is upset over the visit of Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh (India). Beijing considers Arunachal with a large population practicing Tibetan Buddhism as South of Tibet. India does not agree with this view. But this is not for the first time the Dalai Lama was visiting the region. So, why Beijing has gone to the town with its anger.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, From ImagesAttr
SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, May 25, 2017
'Disgrace' for Pakistan, thanks to a leader and a lawyer Pakistan is reeling under twin humiliations. One was Trump snub to Nawaz Sharif at the Saudi summit; the other International Court of Justice (ICJ) snub attorney Qureshi has brought upon the country. While Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was unprepared for the 'royal ignore' at what was largely a Trump event in Saudi Arabia, the ICJ disgrace appears self-inflicted because of the military's foray into unchartered waters.
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, April 2, 2020
Flip side of Pakistan's Covid-19 fight Pakistan is seeking rescheduling of loans taken from World Bank and IMF as a part of its fight against COVID-19. Such a moratorium is no guarantee that the money would be utilized for building a proper health infrastructure and provides relief to all communities with no discrimination on religious grounds.
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, August 1, 2015
Forked tongue on Rohingyas, Myanmar The writer takes a close look at Pakistan's concern for Rohingya Muslims, who are a persecuted minority in Myanmar. He examines the issue in the context of growing Pakistan- Myanmar defence cooperation. His conclusions offer good food for thought for human-rights campaigners.
Maulana Fazlullah, From WikimediaPhotos
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Wednesday, July 4, 2018
No Af-Pak Peace: Pakistani Games with Militants Americans have killed Mullah Fazlullah, who has been hiding in Afghanistan. Pakistan considered him as a "Bad Taliban", and has declared that the US finally did it a favour. So are we about to witness a new Great Game. The author does not think so and argues that peace in Afghanistan will remain elusive as long as Pakistan mollycoddles terrorists as a matter of state policy.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Spiritual Guru of Tibetans, From FlickrPhotos
(4 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Friday, August 26, 2016
Dalai Lama dilemma for Tibet, Tibetans Dalai Lama is important to the Tibetans- yesterday, today and tomorrow- as Spiritual Guru and as an institution. These days, however, Communist China is working overtime to promote the 26-year-old 11th Panchen Lama "to mitigate Dalai's influence" as China's feisty state tabloid, Global Times reported on Aug 24. It is imperative therefore to identify the 81-year-old 14th Dalai Lama's successor when he is around us.
Asia Bibi Lawyer Saif Ul Malook. He courageously fought for and won the freedom of the lady as she remained on the death row for nine years on blasphemy charges, From WikimediaPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Friday, June 28, 2019
Pakistan - Home Truth Blasphemy laws in Pakistan target the minority Hindus and Christians besides the Ahmedias. The laws are often invoked to settle personal scores as was the case in Asia Bibi case, which had hit global headlines. Sadly the Blasphemy laws have come to fir the official narrative sanctified by the country's deep state. It is time Pakistan addresses the concerns of its minorities.
Gunmen storm Sikh religious complex in Kabul on 25 March and killed 25 people, From YouTubeVideos
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Dirty Games in Afghanistan Afghanistan is in turmoil again with the Taliban going back on its deal with the US and Pakistan based terror outfits like ISKP are on rampage. An IS off-shoot, ISKP staged a major attack in Kabul last month. Its target was a shrine of minority Sikhs. The surge in terror violence appears orchestrated to make Pakistan a pivot in the post-deal scenario, and check India's plans for a place under Kabul sun
Russian Tanks covered with snow seen in Kabul are the left overs from the Soviet Union's Great Game in Afghanistan. The tank in the fore ground is T-54 or a T-55  while the one in the background is a T-62 as evidenced by the the barrel and the shape of th, From WikimediaPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, February 9, 2017
The Great Game in Afghanistan revived! Latest Russian maneuvers on the Kabul theatre show it is getting back into the big game in Afghanistan, just as it has got back into Syria with a vengeance! And that signals the ability of Moscow to fill the vacuum created by the US in West Asia quite well. The Chinese and their ally Pakistan are exploiting the Russian plans to give their prote'ge' Taliban legitimacy, and a share in Ghani government.
(4 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Friday, October 13, 2017
A Canadian Sardar in the reckoning For the first time Canada's National Democratic Party (NDP) has anointed a non-white, who is also a Sikh of Indian origin. While this is in synch with pluralism practiced in the country, it will have a bearing on Canada-India relations since the gentleman subscribes to anti-India views
SHARE More Sharing        Friday, October 30, 2015
Anti-Shia campaign: Blow-back from Pakistan ( Part-1) Looking at the emerging campaign targeted at the Shia Muslims in Af-Pak and Middle East, the author argues that new anti-Shia mood is a blow back from Pakistan where this minority Muslim community is being subjected to a faceless crime called genocide.
File:Pakistan Air Force JF-17 at Paris Air Show 2015.jpg ..., From GoogleImages
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, April 2, 2016
China-Pak Friendship Turns All Weather To Fair Weather with JF-17 Jets China and Pakistan style themselves as "all weather friends" but their joint production of Thunder Fighter jet, JF-17 bears the stamp of fair weather friendship. China has no plans to induct these fighters into its air force and is eyeing the export market. But there are no buyers as yet with amidst reports that the fighter is a glorified MiG 21 from the Soviet era.
Afghan scene- Quite true to life, sad to say, From FlickrPhotos
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Tuesday, August 23, 2016
China's talks with the Taliban: Objectives of Engagement China is in talks with the Afghan Taliban. The short-term goal is to prevent a nexus between the Taliban and the Uyghur Muslims. The long-term objective is to counter American influence in the region and to get a push to the Belt-and-Road initiative.
Secretary Pompeo Delivers Remarks at the 2018 SelectUSA Investment Summit ( file photo), From FlickrPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Wednesday, December 12, 2018
America ramps up pressure on Pakistan again United States has just designated Pakistan as one of the countries of Particular Concern (CPC) for its violation of religious freedoms but has waived sanctions that go with the tag. This is a half-measure. The new designation will not serve intended purpose in forcing Pakistan to give a better deal to minorities and to yield to US pressure on Afghan peace process.
Jihad  Moulana Masood Azhar, From YouTubeVideos
SHARE More Sharing        Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Signals of drift in China-Pakistan relations The reason for China giving up its opposition to the Security Council move to declare Maulana Masood Azhar as an international terrorist (in the wake of Pulwama massacre of 40 Indian paramilitary personnel in February) is not western diplomatic pressure but China's growing unhappiness with Pakistan, argues the author.
Male- capital of Maldives, From ImagesAttr
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Friday, November 27, 2015
Maldives - Trouble in Paradise? Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is the hotbed for jihadi recruitment. It has been witnessing a gradual decline in the state of polity. With President Yameen having taken away the fig leaf of democracy in his desperation to acquire more powers, it will perhaps be easier for the international community to crack the whip on the Maldives, something it has been avoiding thus far.
Curse Terror Kill Graphic, From FlickrPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, January 19, 2017
Terror Money Trail From Gulf to Pakistan Under Scanner The Jan 10 attack in the Afghan city of Kandahar on UAE diplomats has put once again the focus on terror financing and money transfers from the Gulf to the Pak-based militant groups.
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Monday, September 28, 2015
Chinese Alice in African wonderland A look at the Chinese business practices in China and opines that Beijing has become the modern day British East India company
World Press Freedom, From WikimediaPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Wednesday, May 2, 2018
India, Pakistan Race For Press Freedom Press is under fire in Pakistan. The situation does not appear to be different in India but the gravity of threat to the media in the two countries is vastly different. Pakistan's problems are compounded by judicial activism, which appears to serve the military establishment's plan for a 'desirable outcome' in the forthcoming general election.
Uighur protest in Berlin on July 10, 2009 for the human rights of this persecuted Muslim minority in China., From FlickrPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, August 11, 2016
Uyghur militancy becomes transnational threat to China As China's business interests are expanding, so are the threats to its personnel from Western China's minority Uighur Muslims, who have been fighting for their human rights at home, and have aligned with IS, al-Qaeda and Taliban in Africa, Middle East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
File:Coat of arms of Maldives.svg - Wikimedia Commons, From GoogleImages
(3 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Chinese shadow over Maldives Maldives quest for a quick economic nirvana appears to facilitate Chinese quest for a Djibouti like facility in the Indian Ocean for its Maritime Silk Road says the author
(2 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Thursday, May 19, 2016
China's Complicity In Pakistan's Islamist terrorism UN banned terrorist group Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD)is running a kangaroo court in Pakistan, and its chief Hafiz Saeed is going around spewing venom against the US. China, as all-weather friend, should have forced Pakistan to act against Saeed. It didn't. Instead, it has stood in the way of UN action against Masood Azhar.
Khunjrab Pass on Silk Road at  Sino- Pakistan border crossing, From WikimediaPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Friday, March 24, 2017
With No Love from Khunjerab Pass". Sino-Pak relations don't appear to be in pink of health. Everyone crossing Khunjerab Pass is viewed as a potential smuggler of guns or drugs. Southern Xinjiang on the border has earned the official tag of terror plagued with the integration of Uyghur militants into Af-Pak based global networks. Drugs from Pakistan are flooding China all the way from border tows to the most populous Guangzhou city, about 120 km from Hong Kong.
Anger of indians in the wake of Jaish-e-Muhammad suicide terrorist attack that killed forty para military personnel at Pulwama, From WikimediaPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Pakistan : Manifestation Of Brazenness The prospect of an upturn in India-Pakistan relations is bleak in the near to medium term, and Pakistani provocations will not be limited to Kashmir theatre says the author while examining the equation between the two nuclear neighbours in the wake of Pakistan based JeM terrorists strike that killed 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers in early February
SHARE More Sharing        Friday, October 30, 2015
Anti-Shia campaign: Blowback from Pakistan Part-II In this second and concluding part of the article,"Anti-Shia campaign: Blowback from Pakistan", the author examines various developments, particularly the groundswell of anti-Saudi mood in Pakistan and avers that the emerging scenario points to the anti-Shia sentiment metamorphosing into a new global Sunni campaign with Pakistan in the forefront.
On the lookout for Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, From FlickrPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Global Terrorism -- Pakistan Hand Exposed Two developments have exposed Pakistan's hand in global terrorism. One is a declassified DIA cable of 2010. The other is an unusual confession by a top Pakistani diplomat, who is also a close aide of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. All this is revelatory!
Bangladesh Bank Image from Twitter User sectest9, From TwitterPhotos
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Monday, May 2, 2016
Casino Twist to Bangladesh Bank Heist -1 Bangladesh Bank has lost $81 million to malware but the hacking was not an ordinary heist, going by new developments. The trail is taking the investigators to all over South Asia, and South-east Asia with the needle of suspicion pointed towards Pakistan's ISI, China and insurgent leader, Paresh Baruah of United Liberation Front of Asom, which operates in NE India from its hideouts in B'desh and Myanmar.
MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA, From ImagesAttr
SHARE More Sharing        Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Sri Lanka general election a referendum on Rajapaksa misrule The article offers an overview of the election scene in Sri Lanka which is going to elect a new parliament on Aug 17, 2015. By entering the fray seeking to become Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa has made the ballot a referendum on his 10-year Presidential rule which was characterised by abuse of power and sleaze.
F-16_16, From FlickrPhotos
(2 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Monday, March 21, 2016
Finally Pakistan says Taliban is ours The frank admission of Sartaz Aziz that Pakistan is hosting Taliban leads to the conclusion that Pakistan should be shamed and sanctioned by the international community. And the least the US should acknowledge that its non-major NATO ally is the biggest terrorist sponsor and not sell fighter jets that sooner than later will end up killing American soldiers.
SHARE More Sharing        Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Casino Twist to Bangladesh Bank Heist -II ( Second & Final Part) In this second and concluding part of the article on Casino Twist to Bangladesh Bank heist, the author avers that for the lead players in the heist, the Filipino casinos are a tantalizing neutral route to multiply their money.
From commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Muslim_Brotherhood_(2).png: File:Flag of the Muslim Brotherhood (2).png - Wikimedia Commons, From ImagesAttr
SHARE More Sharing        Tuesday, December 29, 2015
America's Tryst With A Self-Defeating Enterprise -1 Long before the San Bernardino shootings shook the United States out of its slumber, there have been many tell-tale signs of the danger in shadows. Both lawmakers and law enforcement agencies were duly warned of the threat from Islamists, who have been working silently for decades, but the warning as also the prescription by well-meaning scholars was ignored, says the author by digging into the into the Senate records.
File:Afghan National Detention Facility in Kabul -a.jpg ..., From GoogleImages
SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, December 19, 2015
Theatre of the absurd in Af-Pak region (Part --II) In this second and concluding part, the author points out that the Af-Pak region is home to an enterprise that has the potential of creating a Caliphate, which is the clamour of the Daesh, Taliban, Hizb-ut-Tahrir, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and a host of other Islamist groups that have strong support base in Pakistan.
(1 comments) SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, January 2, 2016
America's Tryst With A Self-Defeating Enterprise--PART 2 This is Part 2 of the article titled America's Tryst with a Self-defeating Enterprise. The author argues that it is wrong to say that the US was not forewarned of the threat posed by Islamist groups and traces the growth of organisations like HuT on American soil.
Global War on Terrorism Memorial, From FlickrPhotos
SHARE More Sharing        Saturday, January 2, 2016
America's Tryst With A Self-Defeating Enterprise -PART-3 (last) In this third and concluding part of the article titled "America's tryst with a self-defeating enterprise", the author makes a cogent case to co-opt the moderate Muslims in order to wage an ideological war against Islamists of all hues.

Page 1 of 3    First  Last   Back  Next  2  3     View All

Tell A Friend