|
|
 |
Wrong venue for Obama's Muslim speech
By addressing the "Islamic world" from Cairo, US President Barack Obama lends
credibility to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and other advocates of political
Islam who demand that Muslims be addressed globally and on religious terms. For
an American president to validate such an aspiration is madness, and also
undermines Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on his home ground. There is a way
to fix the situation: give the speech in New Delhi. - Spengler
(Jun 1,'09)
|
The myth of a 'Muslim world'
If President Barack Obama continues to approach Arabs and Muslims as a single
collective ready to be manipulated with bogus promises, fancy rhetoric and
impressive body language, then he will surely be disappointed. Highly
politicized, skeptical and fed-up societies refuse to be reduced to a mere
percentage in some opinion poll that can be swayed when Washington determines
the time and place. - Ramzy Baroud (Jun
1,'09)
Doubts over Maliki's anti-graft
crusade
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered the arrest  of
his trade minister at the weekend as part of an anti-corruption campaign that
the government says will take nearly 1,000 officials to task over rampant graft
levels. But some Iraqis say the drive is not objective and mostly aimed at
attracting voters ahead of next year's elections. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 1,'09)
In India, the comedy of
power-sharing
The huge mandate the Congress party received in last moth's Indian national
election had party president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
scrambling to put a team together. The big victory meant not a bigger pie, but
more people expecting a piece of it. The pruning, grafting and retooling of an
old team for a new game offer all the pleasures of a minefield. - Santwana
Bhattacharya (Jun 1,'09)
Missing Tiger spy chief spells
trouble
With the body of powerful Tamil Tigers intelligence head Pottu Amman still
missing, neither Sri Lanka-based nor overseas Tigers lining up for dead chief
Velupillai Prabhakaran's job can sleep easy. If Amman did escape the final
offensive that killed his comrades, the Tiger's strategy of violence will
likely resume. - Sudha Ramachandran (Jun
1,'09)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Is Halliburton forgiven and
forgotten?
United States energy services corporation Halliburton and its former subsidiary
KBR, both among the great winners in the George W Bush/Pentagon privatization
sweepstakes, have largely fallen off the American radar screen. The two
companies have managed to cleanse themselves of the bad publicity and a laundry
list of charges from the Bush years. - Pratap Chatterjee
(Jun 1,'09)
Sex and corruption in China's Dream City
A 21-year-old pedicurist who killed a government official for allegedly
attacking her is being championed as a hero of the underclass, her story
hitting headlines all over the country. The public fanfare ground to a halt
last week, though. With the sensitive Tiananmen anniversary approaching,
China's media watchdog issued a gag order. - Kent Ewing
(Jun 1,'09)
Al-Qaeda spreads its tentacles
Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda - working through Afghan and Pakistani partners - is
present in almost every Afghan and Pakistani province along the fluid border
between the two countries. Having learned from the mistake of going into
business under its own name in Iraq, al-Qaeda remains behind the scenes,
protected by local gunmen, but capable of influencing the fight against United
States and foreign "infidels" in South Asia. - Philip Smucker
(May 29,'09)
Taliban keep grip on kidnapped
Canadian
Canadian journalist 
Beverly Giesbrecht, who after converting to Islam became known as Khadija Abdul
Qahhar, was kidnapped by a "good" Taliban leader late last year. A ransom of
US$740,000 was agreed, but then the price shot up when the Pakistani
bureaucracy became involved. Now Khadija is ill, but her captors are not
budging. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (May 29,'09)
<IT WORLD>
But it's not Google
Microsoft's plans to counter Google's dominance in Internet search got off to a
wobbly start, beginning with its unfortunate choice of brand name - "Bing" -
and an apparent failure to get that name up and running.
(May 29,'09)
Martin J Young surveys the week's developments in computing, science,
gaming and gizmos.
 CHAN
AKYA
Till debt do us part
Getting out from under the weight of debt is a hard business, not the stuff of
magic wands some in the financial media seem to want it to be. With some
governments adding to the confusion amid both creditors and debtors, today's
recession is likely to become a global depression before individuals and
capitalists, not least those in China and Brazil, once more take charge of
their destiny. (May 29,'09)
Obama steps into diplomatic
minefield
United States President Barack Obama has to tread carefully on
his visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, or his favorable image in the Middle East
could be tainted for good. If he overstates his case over the Iran nuclear
issue or support for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, the trip could backfire
and cause unwanted backlashes in Israel and Iran. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi
(May 29,'09)
Pyongyang shakes up pacifist Japan
The Japanese government, prompted by this week's nuclear and missile tests by
North Korea, is finalizing plans that would enable the military to carry out
pre-emptive strikes as part of a new defense plan to be presented by the end of
the year. The era of Japan's strong pacifism, as enshrined in the United
Stated-imposed "peace constitution", may be coming to an end. - Kosuke Takahashi
(May 29,'09)
THE MOGAMBO GURU
Gold sense in high places
Germany wants its gold back from the United States and is advising Dubai to do
likewise, while China is heading towards a gold-backed yuan. Which suggests not
all governments are utterly stupid and incompetent - and that gold, for the
moment, looks incredibly cheap, even as it shoots up in price.
(May 29,'09)
Hmong caught in repatriation
trap
The withdrawal of Medecins Sans Frontieres from a busy refugee camp in Thailand
followed a report from the group charging the Thai military with pressuring
thousands of ethnic Hmong refugees to renounce protection and return to Laos.
The Lao and Thai governments say the refugees are economic migrants, but the
returning Hmong fear punishment and even execution. - Brian McCartan
(May 29,'09)
Al-Qaeda strikes back in Lahore
Wednesday's suicide attack in Lahore which claimed the lives of 23 people was
not, as widely believed, an act of retaliation for the Pakistan military's
offensive against militants in Swat. Al-Qaeda planned and financed the mission
because its key sanctuaries in the border areas with Afghanistan have been
"violated". - Syed Saleem Shahzad (May
28,'09)
A test of Washington's resolve
United States and South Korean forces have gone on "high alert" after North
Korea's nuclear test, but beyond that sensational term Washington has little
response but to plaintively search for allies to scold Pyongyang. China and
Russia are unlikely to step beyond verbal condemnation, and the US's commitment
to a much-vaunted plan to blockade the Hermit Kingdom is still in doubt. - Donald
Kirk (May 28,'09)
Size matters for North Korea's nukes
Seismographic estimates of North Korea's nuclear test on May 25 place the
device's payload as roughly the size of the Fat Man dropped on Nagasaki in
1945. Experts maintain that simply detonating a bomb does not mean Kim Jong-il
has the power to decimate Seoul or Tokyo by the press of a button. Still, the
North's scientists are getting better, and the bombs bigger. - Matthew Rusling
(May 28,'09)
|
THE ROVING EYE
Pipelineistan goes Iran-Pak
A deal was finally signed this week in Tehran by which Iran will sell gas from
its South Pars mega-fields to Pakistan by way of the 2,100-kilometer, US$7.5
billion Iran-Pakistan pipeline. For the moment, Iran, Pakistan, China and
Russia win. Washington and NATO lose, not to mention Afghanistan. But will
Balochistan province also win? If not, all hell will break loose, creating an
even greater, regional, ball of fire. - Pepe Escobar
(May 28,'09)
Mousavi makes a comeback
Despite spending recent years on the political sidelines, 
former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi is expected to give President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad a run for his money in next month's elections. But if Mousavi is
elected, he'll need to ensure reform at home doesn't accompany a softened
foreign policy, especially where the United States is concerned. - Mahan Abedin
(May 28,'09)
BOOK REVIEW
A flawed study of 'rogue' Iran
The Secret War with Iran by Ronen Bergman
Though readers are often cautioned not to judge a book by its cover, in this
case the politically charged sub-title (Control of a 'Rogue' State) defines the
contents perfectly. Instead of providing a serious look at the covert
intelligence wars between Iran and the West, the author attempts to frame it as
a "terrorist" state bent on undermining the international system. - Mahan Abedin
(May 28,'09)
|
China says 'no thanks' to G-2
Although flattered by the thought, China has no desire to enter into a Group of
Two with the United States that would dominate international affairs. A G-2
would resemble world hegemony, something that goes against Beijing's core
foreign policy principle of a multipolar world order and is beyond its current
capabilities and ambitions. - Jian Junbo (May
28,'09)
Uyghurs sold out in the US
The Barack Obama administration made the error of relying on sympathy for the
Uyghurs that extended from human-rights liberals to red-meat communist rollback
conservatives, and neglected some necessary political spadework prior to the
announcement of their release. While Washington has dithered, China has been
unwavering in its determination to deny the Uyghurs a refuge outside of
Guantanamo or China. - Peter Lee (May 27,'09)
The greatest swindle ever sold
Former US Treasury secretary Henry Paulson's initial US$700 billion financial
rescue plan has morphed into a $12 trillion-plus government and Federal Reserve
commitment to bail out swathes of the economy. The impact seven months on
remains unclear. What cannot be disputed is the identity of the biggest loser
of this largesse: the American taxpayer. - Andy Kroll
(May 27,'09)
World powerless to stop North Korea
Despite widespread condemnation of North Korea's nuclear test by the world's
major powers, there is nothing they can do to stop Pyongyang's nuclear weapons
program. The bigger question is whether South Korea and Japan will decide to go
nuclear - a move that would undermine the influence of the United States and
China in Northeast Asia. - Santaro Rey (May
26,'09)
Sri Lanka wards off Western bullying
China and Russia have invited Sri Lanka to get involved with the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization and will ensure that the "international community"
does not torment Colombo. Sri Lanka is becoming the theater where Russia and
China are challenging the United States' global strategy to establish a North
Atlantic Treaty Organization presence in the Indian Ocean region. There is
moral muddiness all around. - M K Bhadrakumar
(May 22,'09)
Liquidity drowns meaning of
'inflation'
The standard terms of "inflation" and "deflation" no longer hold sense as US
government intervention perpetuates a broken financial system where financial
profits rise as demand and prices fall. Only reform toward full employment with
rising wages will save this economy. - Henry C K Liu
(May 26,'09)
California's sweet dream sours
In 1965, the Mamas and the Papas wrote of California dreaming, which can be
seen now as meaning everything all the time one wants it. As the increasingly
jobless state sinks under the weight of ballot-mandated programs, perhaps it
would be better now if it finally woke up and faced the morning. - Julian
Delasantellis (May 26,'09)
|
|
|
|
|
|
David P
Goldman
(May 27, '09)
For the moment this is not a panic; it is paralysis ...
|
|
|
Metal
skirmish
takes on global hue
China rules the world of steel and so has a big say in the world of manganese,
a key element in steel production. How big a say may be determined by an
Australian court in a legal battle involving refiner OMH and whose reach takes
in Singapore, the British Virgin Islands and Ukraine. - John Helmer
Cross-strait ties
grow amid storms
Relations between Beijing and Taipei have strengthened remarkably, even as
negative global factors - notably the economic downturn and faltering trade
talks - abound. The advent to power of President Ma Ying-jeou helps, but the
groundwork was laid well before that.
Vietnam farmers fall
to bauxite bulldozers
Advanced plans to mine bauxite deposits in Vietnam's Central Highlands face
growing opposition, even from within the companies involved and including famed
general Vo Nguyen Giap. That is too late to save tea and coffee farmers in the
targeted areas.
CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN
US core no longer the magnet
The era in which inflationary bias directed cash to the US credit system and
securities markets, providing extraordinary latitude to the US Federal Reserve,
has now reversed. Today, the bias directs cash flows away from the US core out
to the periphery - that is, to China and other emerging markets.
Doug Noland looks at the previous week's events each Monday.
FROM THE BLOG
No help from there
The World Bank warned of a possible US$700 billion reversal out of emerging
markets to finance the US Treasury's requirements. No such thing will happen. - David
Goldman
 Bad,
and worse
to come
If the US money supply can double in one year, why can't it quadruple in
one more year? And if the unemployment rate, measured the old-fashioned way, is
about 20%, why should it stop there? And if you haven't already bought gold and
silver, why should those that have care for your suffering now???
|
MARKET RAP
Onward and upward
Hong Kong led the continuing charge of Asia's stock markets, with Tokyo close
on its heels. Both look well placed for further gains - at least in the near
future.
R M Cutler runs his eye over the ups and downs in the week's markets.
(May 29,'09)
|
|
|
On The Edge
It was thought [White House chief of staff] Rahm Emanuel would be a solid,
uncompromising defender of Israel in the administration until he told 300 major
American Israel Public Affairs Committee contributors that the two-state
solution is "the only solution" and Israel has arrived at "its moment of
truth".
Robster |
 Go
to the readers' forum topic,
Soccer Diplomacy with Iran |
|
ATol Specials
|
 |
|
By Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Jan '09) |
|
 |
|
VIDEO
Taliban's new breed of leader
(May '08) |
|
|
 |
|
The
Gates
Inheritance
By
Roger Morris
(June '07) |
|
Syed Saleem Shahzad reports on
the Afghan war from the Taliban side
(Dec '06)
|
 |
|
How
Hezbollah defeated Israel
By
Mark Perry and
Alastair Crooke
(Oct '06)
|
|
|
 |
|
Mark
Perry and
Alastair Crooke
talk to the 'terrorists'
(Mar '06)
|
|
|
 |
|
China:
The
Impossible
Revolution
By
Francesco Sisci
|
|
 |
|
The Coming
Trade War
By Henry C K Liu
|
|
 |
|
A series
by Henry C K Liu
|
|
 |
|
Sinoroving
Pepe Escobar in China
|
|
 |
|
Money, Power
and
Modern Art
A series by Henry C K Liu
|
|
 |
|
Andre Gunder Frank on Uncle Sam and his
shrinking dollar
|
|
 |
|
By Pepe Escobar with
photographs by Kevin Nortz
|
|
 |
|
Nir Rosen goes inside the Iraqi
resistance
|
|
 |
|
Nir Rosen rides with the US 3rd
Armored Cavalry in western Iraq
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
All material on this
website is copyright and may not be republished in any form without written
permission.
Copyright 1999 - 2009 Asia Times Online
(Holdings), Ltd.
|
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong
Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road,
Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
|
|
|
|
