Stories Central Asia & Caucasus

Georgia, Russia and the U.S. Presidential Election

  August 11, 2008

With the massive deployment of Russian forces in Georgia, the small South Caucasus country's conflict with Moscow over the breakaway region of South Ossetia has obvious political ramifications thousands of miles away in the United States where presidential elections will be held on 4 November. With some alleging that the crisis reflects a struggle between the West and Russia, where the U.S. Presidential candidates stand on the matter is fast becoming a significant campaign issue.

Armenia: Oil, Genocide and Obama

Writing for Voices Without Votes in June, Jillian York introduced readers to Facebook's Armenians for Obama and some of what was being said on the social networking site. Since then, however, other Facebook Groups have sprung up which seem to identify a strong backing from Armenians, both inside and outside the republic, for the Democratic candidate in the November 4 U.S. Presidential Election.

New Zealand: Citizen Arrest for Condi

In addition to talks with the New Zealand Government, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in for a surprise when the Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) announced a $5,000 reward for any student who makes a citizen's arrest on the visiting official. The reward has since been withdrawn and according to Press reports, AUSA had said the arrest would be for Dr Rice's role in “overseeing the illegal invasion and continued occupation” of Iraq, and crimes under the Geneva Conventions Act 1958, and the Crimes of Torture Act 1989."

Campaigning Abroad: A welcome change or an exercise in futility?

  July 21, 2008

With both candidates spending some time abroad to explain their foreign affairs strategies (Obama currently in Afghanistan and soon in Europe, McCain in Mexico and Colombia) the rest of the world wonders whether they should celebrate this new emphasis on international relations or expect a potential backlash for either candidates.

Facebook's Armenians for Obama

  June 29, 2008

Just as there are Canadians for Obama, South Asians for Obama, and even Madagascar for Obama, there are Armenians for Obama.  This group consists of both diasporic Armenians and those in Armenia, and the group's members are quite active in their support of Barack Obama. Berdj Orange, speaking in April,...

India: Obama in Black and White

  June 15, 2008

Indian bloggers are joining the rest of the world to decipher Barack Obama and reflect on what his election to the White House would mean for their country and its civilian nuclear development programme and Indo-US relations. In a post entitled Obama in Black and White, Delhi-based blog Chanakya's World discusses what Obama's nomination could mean to India and its neighbours, the War on Terror and the delicate balance of power in a volatile part of the world.

Global: The World Has a Say!

  June 9, 2008

A number of websites to poll readers from around the world on their choice of who the next president of the US should be have popped up recently. And while non-Americans do not have a vote in the elections, they are still having their say online.

Australia: Progressive Views from Oz

Issues such as the war on terror, Iraq and Afghanistan have dominated Australian posts but there is also lively interest in the US presidential election. Most of the key bloggers about international and US politics could be categorized as progressive, left or liberal. Most support an independent Australian foreign policy, oppose what they see as US hegemony and have been stridently anti-Bush. They have been strongly against the Iraq war, though less vocal about Afghanistan.