Afghan Peace Process Progressing...

     To bring the Afghan Peace Process out of the deep freeze, it is most important to end the frosty relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

     In Moscow,  consultations between Russia, China and Pakistan – underlines growing concern about the spillover effect of the Afghan crisis in the region.

     An underlying cause of anxiety is the growing threat of  the militant Islamic groups spreading its tendacies in the war torn country.   But it is unclear whether the new alliance will be able to help reach a negotiated political solution to the Afghan conflict.
  
     Times have become more complicated with the political transition in Washington.

     The US was not invited to the Moscow initiated process. No Peace effort could succeed without the tacit support, if not active participation of the US, which still has about 10,000 troops involved in counter insurgency operations in Afghanistan.
 
     It remains to be seen whether the Kabul Government accepts the invitation to join the forum and whether it is willing to show some flexibility in its approach on the Peace Talks.
  
     China has for some time now been actively involved in the Afghanistan peace efforts, being a major investor in mining and infrastructure development projects in that country.  Its 

good relations with both the Kabul Government and the Taliban have helped Beijing facilitate a few rounds of informal talks between the two warring sides.

      Although Russia may not be a fresh entrant on the Afghan scene, its initiative to build a regional alliance to counter the IS threat points to a new alignment of forces  in a changing Geo-political landscape.

                                   Cyber attack : Russia targets US  allies

     US intelligence agencies warned, US allies will be  targeted  by Moscow to cyber attack.  The intelligence report given to President Obama reveals, Russia used cyber warfare and social media leaks to spread negative information about Hillary Clinton to help Trump in the election.

Moscow gained access to the servers of  democratic  national committee from May, 2015 to June to the following year.  Passed on Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta’s and Mrs. Clintons e-mail to wikileaks.  Wikileak founder Julian Assage was given a platform to criticize the US.  The attacks against the US were approved by President Vladimir Putin, US intelligence agencies found.  But, Putin denied involvement.

     Trump dismissed the report.  He warns  that the  US Allies could be next on the list.  Trump added -  Russia, China and other countries consistently try to break US server systems.  Through this attempt to help,  Ronald Trump , Russia  ensured to advance its positions in Syria, and Putins personal hostility towards Clinton , she publicly criticized Putin government.
 
     UK Prime Minister Theresa May made several moves against Russia, blocking ogliarchs from the conservative party and calling for Russia to  be punished for its bombing of Syria. 
Obama said in December that he had  spoken to Putin directly about the hacking  at the G-20 meeting in China in September.