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CENTRAL ASIA: The Afghan war and the scramble for oil

BY EVA CHENG Afghanistan's proximity to the Caspian region has fuelled speculation that US President George Bush's bombing, and now invasion, of the country has been motivated primarily by a desire for control of the Caspian's rich oil and gas

Revolution and counter-revolution in Afghanistan

BY NORM DIXON When the left-wing Peoples Democratic Party seized power in Afghanistan in April 1978, its membership was probably under 10,000 and mostly concentrated in the major cities. To mobilise broader support for the revolution and to help

Where to now for the Socialist Alliance?

BY JOHN PASSANT For me it was the defining image of the year — Bob Carr on the steps of the NSW Parliament House giving the finger to unionists protesting against his workers' compensation cuts. It captured the ALP's contempt for ordinary

A royal commission is needed

In the past three months, the Australian government's treatment of asylum seekers has caused outrage among many in the Australian and international communities. No other government has gone to such great lengths to close its borders to people

Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly defies council ban

BY KAMALA EMANUEL HOBART — Hobart City Council has been placed under pressure by the continuing distribution of Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly in the Elizabeth Street Mall, despite a ban upheld by the council on November 26. The intent behind the motion

'Throw the whole thing open'

BY SARAH STEPHEN Amnesty International's refugee coordinator, Dr Graham Thom, and former Labor Senator and United Nations Association of Australia president Professor Margaret Reynolds are among those who have backed a call for a royal commission

SOUTH AFRICA: Who's fooling who?

BY DALE MCKINLEY A cursory perusal of the political events in South Africa over the last two months might leave one with the impression that there is a fundamental political battle raging between the South African Communist Party and the African