Will US find the right strategy for AfPak

 As Obama meets his national security team on AfPak today,it needs to be seen whether US will find the right strategy for AfPak.Amidst reports that a decision to send more troops to Afghanistan has been taken, the White House has said President Barack Obama will today hold the eighth round of situation room meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan.This according to me will be one of the most crucial meetings in thelight of deteriorating condition in afgnaistan and Pakistan


Beginning mid-August Obama had already held at least seven rounds of such meetings on Afghanistan and Pakistan, with one of them being exclusively on the latter.He had also met several key Congressional leaders and talked to international partners on the issue, besides top commanders of his military. All this effort running into more than 20 hours, had been to find the right strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan that works. Some media reports yesterday said that it was now likely to be announced after Obama returns to the US later next week.


Thanking you,

Bishwajeet,

Senior producer,New Delhi

Halloween fireballs today

Halloween fireballs today

Today the night sky will dazzle with Taurids, the meteor that showers startling streaks of light during Halloween.

Sky-gazers can see the javelin-shaped Taurids at their peak today night;The Taurids are annual meteor shower associated with comet Encke. They will appear at a rate of about 7 to 10 per hour, moving across the sky at about 27 kilometres per second.So one can expect to see a meteor every six minutes

Taurids are named after their radiant point in the constellation Taurus, from where they are believed to come from. Owing to their occurrence in late October and early November they are also called Halloween fireballs.

Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit and turning point in Indian policy towards China

The visit of Dalai Lama marks an important phase in Indian foreign policy towards China.India by allowing Dalai Lama to visit Tawang has sent a very strong message to China and that is to understand the limitations.The way China had been playing map politics and Lama politics over Arunachal, it seemed India has wrested something from them,the self claimed South Tibet.But the visit has made China understand the basic fact that Arunachal is an integral part of India and there is no question about it.Had India yielded to the Chinese pressure,it would have been a disaster.

For the past few months,China has started campaign against India through media and its mouth piece and that is to intimidate India by reminding of the consequences that China could unlease.This has been in the form of River diplomacy,glacier diplomacy,map diplomacy and calculated intrusions across North East and Leh.

In the past,the Indian reaction was quite below the national expectation but since last few days it has really become assertive which is clear from its stand on Chinese projects in POK and Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal

Bishwajeet,
Senior Producer,
Aajtaj,New Delhi