Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from October, 2008
Afghanistan: The Taliban are hard, we are soft
The Strategist contemplates on what makes the Afghan war unwinnable, and sees the reason in differences between the insurgents and Westerns soldiers.
Kazakhstan: LiveJournal Blocked
On October 7th, the Kazakhstani users have found themselves unable to access popular social network LiveJournal. This website is the most popular blogging platform in the Russian-speaking communities on the post-Soviet space. Bloggers in the neighboring Kyrgyzstan were also cut off – particularly, those whose ISPs use the facilities of...
Nagorno Karabakh: More on Mass Wedding
Pigh [RU] also comments on last week's mass wedding in the self-declared Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. The blog says that 537 couples were married in the disputed town of Shushi while 138 tied the knot in the Gandzasar monastery. Each couple received $2,500 from the godfather of the wedding, businessman...
Armenia: Fingernails
Elizabeth's Armenia Journal, a Peace Corps Blog, post photographs and comments on the obsession most local women have with having their fingernails painted.
Nagorno Karabakh: Mass Wedding
517 Design [RU] posts photographs of a mass wedding which took place in the disputed mainly Armenian-populated territory of Nagorno Karabakh during which as many as 700 couples tied the knot. The blogger's English-language site also carries more information on the cash incentives ranging from $2,000-100,000 offered to the young...
Russia: Firing Grad Rockets at Tskhinvali on Aug. 8?
War correspondent Vadim Rechkalov (LJ user voinodel) has posted an Aug. 9 interview with a Russian soldier (RUS) who said they had fired at least 20 Grad “packages” (each “package” has 40 rockets, which makes it around 800 rockets) at Tskhinvali on Aug. 8 – because they “had to seize...
Azerbaijan: Election Day
Herron Family News posts photographs and video in a report on yesterday's presidential election in Azerbaijan. The blog says that voters were greeted with music and prizes at some polling stations.
Azerbaijan: Election Day
The View from Baku comments on today's presidential election in Azerbaijan. The blog says that a second term in office for the incumbent, Ilham Aliyev, is a foregone conclusion. The blog also speculates on Aliyev's likely successor when his second and final term in office is over.
Azerbaijan: Election Eve
Herron Family News reports from Azerbaijan on the eve of tomorrow's presidential election. The blog says that interest in the vote is low and the level of campaigning activity was meager. However, it says that plans to install webcams in polling stations did see the light of day although currently...
Georgia: Peace Corps Volunteer Blogs
Although Georgia was not the first country in the South Caucasus where the U.S. Peace Corps started working, it was until recently the most active in terms of blogs. However, the situation has changed considerably since war with Russia saw volunteers evacuated to Armenia with no prospect for return.
Afghanistan: “Bad Taliban, good Taliban”
Afghan blogger and journalist, Baktash Siawash, writes [fa] that UK wants to make a deal with Taliban but the USA considers to negotiate with “good Taliban” and fight with “bad ones”.
Russia: Economic Crisis and Migrant Workers
Moscow Through Brown Eyes writes about the impact of the economic crisis on Russia's Central Asian migrant workers.
Azerbaijan: What Goes Up…
Herron Family News comments on the construction boom in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, but notes that the quality of work leaves much to be desired. Situated in an area of seismic activity, the blog wonders if such an issue can be used by the opposition in the country.
Azerbaijan: Peace Corps Volunteer Blogs
The U.S. Peace Corps started working in Azerbaijan in 2002. Since then, over 190 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Azerbaijan and a number set up blogs from the beginning of 2006. Operating outside the capital, Baku, the blogs detail life in the regions of an oil-rich country that few would otherwise experience.
Armenia: Peace Corps Volunteer Blogs
While the number of blogs on or based in the South Caucasus is often put in the tens of thousands, the actual number of bloggers is significantly lower. Moreover, the vast majority based on the ground are usually situated in the capital cities of the three republics making up the...
Azerbaijan: Predictable Election
Writing from Azerbaijan, Herron Family News details various meetings that have been held as next week's presidential election draws closer. However, the blog notes, the outcome of the vote is predictable. With the main opposition parties boycotting the election, the incumbent president will be re-elected. The only unanswered question is...
Armenia: Diasporan War Veteran Faces Deportation
Unzipped comments on the case of Sargis Hatspanian, a French-Armenian veteran of the war with Azerbaijan who came out in support of the radical opposition during February's disputed presidential election. The blog challenges the official line that Hatspanian is an illegal alien in Armenia and questions the legality of his...
Azerbaijan: Election Web Cams
Herron Family News reports on a return visit to Azerbaijan to review preparations for next week's presidential election. The blog notes that the country's Central Electoral Commission has authorized the installation of web cams in polling stations so that voting can be monitored online.
Azerbaijan: The Forgotten War
In an extended post accompanied by photographs, Michael J. Totten introduces his readers to the unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. The blog compares the mood in Azerbaijan with that in neighboring Georgia, another country in the region with its own territorial conflicts...
Afghanistan: Hitch on heroin
Joshua Foust examines some of the issues surrounding opium eradication in Afghanistan, and argues that focusing on opium itself misses the point.
Kazakhstan: Language, Economics and Foreign Policy
The Kazakhstani authorities have again brought up the issue of state language. Kazakh language has been heavily depreciated in the Soviet times against the background of inculcation of Russian language. Earlier, officials restrained themselves from outright expulsion of the Russian language (which still dominates in the official paperwork and in...
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