Raising the curtain on Pakistan

Our friends at the Council on Foreign Relations have just published a comprehensive report on the state of Pakistan, essential reading for anyone interested in the country or the region. It has particularly crucial insights into Pakistan's role in, and influence on, the Afghanistan War.

In their words:

Beset by devastating floods, increased terror attacks, and political instability, Pakistan's precarious state is a matter of global concern. "Crisis Guide: Pakistan," the Council on Foreign Relations' (CFR) new interactive multimedia feature, examines the roots of the country's challenges.

The array of Pakistan's challenges include: an increasing number of terrorist groups; a growing nuclear arsenal that could become vulnerable to these groups; a long-standing rivalry with India and troubled border with conflict-ridden Afghanistan; and the ongoing power struggle between a strong military and a weak civilian government. The guide draws on expert analysis to demonstrate what these problems mean for the region and the world, and to explore potential directions for the country.

Jayshree Bajoria, the writer and producer of the report, who has written for GlobalPost, told us that the guide, "examines the roots of the country's challenges and explores some potential directions. It has analysis from over thirty experts I interviewed from Pakistan, India and the United States. It delves deep into its domestic as well as its geopolitical issues."

Check it out.