Tariq Saeedi In the first part of this analysis, I examined the foundational flaws in the Board of Peace (BoP) charter—its dramatic departure from the UN-mandated focus on Gaza reconstruction, the absence of essential governance mechanisms like succession planning and accountability, and its troubling resemblance to a personal fiefdom rather than a legitimate international … [Read more...]
A Critical Analysis of Trump’s Board of Peace: Ambition Without Foundation – PART ONE
Tariq Saeedi Introduction When I first learned about President Trump's Board of Peace (BoP), I expected something profound and of lasting value from someone of his intellectual stature. What I discovered instead was a deeply troubling document that raises more questions than it answers. --- The BoP charter appears to be a hastily constructed framework that diverges … [Read more...]
On Trump’s Potential, and the Imperative of Defragmentation
Tariq Saeedi I remain a supporter of President Trump, not out of blind loyalty, but because I recognize his unique potential and proven ability to deliver on promises that conventional politicians merely talk about. His track record speaks for itself. However, as someone invested in seeing his legacy secured and his second term succeed, I believe we must examine certain … [Read more...]
Davos 2026 and Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi This is a kind of lightweight analytical look at the Davos 2026 and some of the things that may relate to Central Asia. We have divided the narrative into three sections: Participants from Central Asia at Davos 2026 The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 concluded on January 23, 2026, with nearly 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, … [Read more...]
Trump legacy is in tatters – There is still time to repair and polish it
Tariq Saeedi During both of Donald Trump's presidential campaigns, I supported him wholeheartedly, even though Central Asia—where I am based – is nearly as far away from the United States as possible on this globe. My backing wasn't rooted in geography or shared borders but in his remarkable ability to stand defiantly against the entire entrenched political system. As an … [Read more...]
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov Meets with President Donald Trump – Turkmenistan intends Trans-Caspian Pipeline review
Turkmenistan will consider advancing the long-stalled Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline project once delimitation deal on the Caspian seabed will be finalized with Azerbaijan. The statement was came during the meeting between President of the Donald J. Trump and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on 6 November 2025 in Washington DC on the sidelines of C5+1 Summit. “They … [Read more...]
Trump’s vision of Peace and Leadership – the reverse side of the coin
Tariq Saeedi If Trump’s concept of peace, elegantly elucidated in his inaugural speech, is the obverse side of the coin, his idea of leadership, as apparent from the nature of the Executive Orders signed on the first day of his presidency is the reverse side of the coin. This coin is clearly bi-metallic – its obverse and reverse sides are made from two different … [Read more...]
Trump’s vision of Peace and Leadership – the obverse side of the coin
Tariq Saeedi Donald Trump, the 47th president of the United States, eloquently presented his vision of peace and leadership in his inaugural speech. This is the obverse (heads) side of the coin. His flurry of executive orders signed the same day, shattering the record for the most executive orders signed by a US president on his first day in office, is the reverse (tails) … [Read more...]
The Enormous Oil Ambition of Trump
nCa Report “We will drill, baby, drill,” said President Trump in his inauguration speech. “America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have: the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth. And we are going to use it. We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again, right to … [Read more...]
Trump returns to White House – A quick look at his inaugural speech – some implications for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi Donald John Trump was sworn-in as the 47th President of the United States on 20 January 2025. This is his second term in office. He served the first term 2017-2021. The non-consecutive second term in White House is always considered an impressive feat in the American politics. During his election night victory party, Trump declared that “America has given us an … [Read more...]
Can Joe Biden afford to tinker with Afghan peace deal?
Tariq Saeedi Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor to President Joe Biden has announced that the United States intends to review the Afghan peace deal. The apparent purpose is to check whether the Taliban were living up to the pledges they made. It is a loaded statement. ----- Does the ‘review’ include the option to edit some parts of the Doha peace deal, most … [Read more...]
American policies creating new stress points – Neutrality is the only viable option Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi Central Asia is simultaneously blessed and cursed by its geography. Except for the soviet period, Central Asia has traditionally seen endless streams of people and cargo moving in all directions. The transit potential has been a dependable source of its prosperity. The region is at the heart of the Eurasian landmass. --- The location is central, and it is a … [Read more...]
If this is a rules-based world, what are the rules?
Tariq Saeedi US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday (15 February 2020) at the Munich Security Conference that Russia and China were ‘destabilizing the rules-based international system.’ Speaking immediately after him, the US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper decried the ‘Chinese manipulation of the long-standing international rules-based order.’ Rules-based … [Read more...]
Trump speech at Bagram – Brave noise exposes weak hand
Tariq Saeedi It was sad. Very sad. ----- The American president was speaking to some of the bravest and most patriotic American troops in a hall. The hall was surrounded by gun mounted vehicles. The hall was located inside one of the most secure American bases in the world. The American base was located inside one of the most guarded zones in the world. – And yet, the American … [Read more...]
The Ghost of Brzezinski haunts Trump Administration – Part 1
Tariq Saeedi The very vocal desire to maintain the global supremacy is perhaps the main feature of the ‘American exceptionalism.’ The American exceptionalism is composed of three related ideas: The history of the United States is inherently different from that of any other nation The USA has a unique mission to transform the world The history and mission of the … [Read more...]
Trump finally delivers his state of the union address, and there are implications for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi He is the master of sound bites and he delivered plenty of them. The state of the union address by President Trump, delayed by about three weeks from the traditional time frame, was full of phrases designed to touch his voters and adversaries alike. He has been confrontational all along and yet his speech conveyed the tone of reconciliation. He has been … [Read more...]
Трамп наконец выступил с обращением о состоянии страны и Центральной Азии есть на что обратить внимание
Тарик Саиди Он мастер громких фраз, и их в его выступлении было много. Обращение президента Трампа о состоянии страны, отложенное примерно на три недели от традиционной даты, было переполнено изречениями, нацеленных на сердца не только его избирателей, но и противников. Речь в целом носила конфронтационный тон, но в ней слышались и нотки примирения. На каждом шагу в … [Read more...]
Trump-Putin Meeting and Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi When Trump met Putin in Helsinki on 16 July 2018, he had already insulted Germany, chided NATO, criticized the British PM, and disrespected Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II in a short space of time. It is possible to hate Trump; in fact it is very easy to hate him, but the man must be given the credit for being the sole author of his own narrative. ------- He … [Read more...]
Встреча Трампа с Путиным и Центральная Азия
Тарик Саиди Во время пребывания в Хельсинки для переговоров с Путиным 16 июля, Трамп успел в короткий промежуток времениоскорбить Германию, упрекнуть НАТО, раскритиковать премьер-министра Великобритании и неуважительно отнестись к Ее Величеству Королеве Елизавете II. Можно ненавидеть Трампа; на самом деле очень легко ненавидеть его, но человеку нужно отдать должное за то, … [Read more...]
Trump withdraws from Iran Nuclear Deal – Probable side effects for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi President Trump announced Tuesday (8 May 2018) that he was pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal. This would potentially bring several consequences to the doors of Central Asia, some positive, some negative. There are four elements to this mix: 1. Rationale of Trump for ditching the Iran deal; 2. Response of US allies and deal partners; 3. Iran’s reaction; and … [Read more...]
Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan Summit Meeting – The Beginning of Regional Concord – Part 1
Tariq Saeedi The visit of President Berdymuhamedov to Uzbekistan, 23-24 April 2018, marks the start of a new era of regional harmony in Central Asia. The media has picked the announcement of Uzbekistan to participate in TAPI as the lead news, and it certainly is, because TAPI is not just a gas pipeline; it is a complete corridor. Nevertheless, the concept that will … [Read more...]
Kazakhstan – Highlighting Central Asia on World Stage
Kazakhstan has always followed a balanced policy that highlights the Central Asian region in a positive light on the world stage. An ongoing tenure and a recently concluded event are the case in point. --- President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan met President Trump of USA on 16 January 2018, and Kazakhstan is the current chair of UN Security Council this month. There is direct … [Read more...]
Pak-US Relations at A Tipping Point
General Mirza Aslam Beg, Former COAS Pakistan --- friendscolumn@hotmail.com “Trump is a man-baby, a failed businessman who lurches from tantrum to tweet storm and back again, who shows no impulse control, who won’t take responsibility for his actions, and who whines – a lot – when things don’t go his way.” —— Susan Campbell – American Scholar Pakistan has been a … [Read more...]
2018 starts with new formats of pressure on Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi 3 January 2018 (nCa) – It is dismal yet knowable: 2018 has started with a mix of usual and fresh pressures on Central Asia. First tweets of 2018 President Trump, between his New Year festivities at Mar-a-Lago and a morning round of golf, took to Twitter: “Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama … [Read more...]
Trump on The Wrong Side of History
General Mirza Aslam Beg Former COAS, Pakistan Army Email: friendscolumn@hotmail.com American Secretary of States’ hop-over visit’ to Pakistan, on his way to India, was a crude diplomatic gesture of brow-beating Pakistan. He handed over the demand note, as confirmed by a senior US diplomat – Alice Wells: “US wants to see practical steps from Pakistan, over the next few … [Read more...]
ٹرمپ کی نئی اسٹریٹیجی کا انجام ناکامی ہوگا
جنرل مرزا اسلم بیگ سابق چیف آف آرمی سٹاف’ پاکستان Email: friendscolumn@hotmail.com امریکی وزیرخارجہ کا بھارت جاتے ہوئےپاکستان میں چند گھنٹوں کا ٹھہراو سفارتی بداخلاقی کے مترادف ہے۔جاتے ہوئے انہوں نے ایک تحریری نوٹ پاکستانی حکام کے حوالے کیا جس کی وضاحت امریکی سفارتکار ایلس ولز(Alice Wells) نےکی ہےکہ ‘‘امریکہ پاکستان سے مہینوں میں نہیں بلکہ چند ہفتوں کے اندر اندرعملی اقدامات … [Read more...]
Unraveling of TPP augers well for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi Ashgabat, 25 January 2017 (nCa) --- Trump has kept his promise --- TPP is adrift. The TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership), more than eight years in the making, was undone by just one signature this week. It was designed to be a trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States of … [Read more...]
Trump for Central Asia – Part Three
Tariq Saeedi Ashgabat, 6 December 2016 (nCa) --- What has been said already must be rephrased for emphasis – Trump ran his entire campaign while remaining outside the box and there is every indication that he will remain out of the box during his time in office. Even if he shifts into the box, he will definitely redesign the box. He spoke for the ‘forgotten’ people and he … [Read more...]
Trump for Central Asia – Part Two
Tariq Saeedi Ashgabat, 30 November 2016 (nCa) --- We are not sure whether his racism is real or perceived because according to the people who know him since long before the elections, Trump has not insulted anyone on the basis of their race alone. Simultaneously, the team he has picked so far suggests that blatant antagonism toward Islam may be one of the defining factors … [Read more...]
A Lukewarm Endorsement of Trump
Tariq Saeedi I was planning to write a fairly enthusiastic endorsement for Donald Trump but decided to tone it down at the last moment --- KKK and white supremacists have expressed their wholehearted support for Trump and he has still not distanced himself from their poisonous endorsement. Trump has variously been described as racist, soulless, megalomaniac, sexist, … [Read more...]