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THE ROVING EYE
The (farcical) emperor is naked
 The threatened US attack on Syria is not about "strong common sense", as the White House puts it. Is about farce built upon farce built upon farce, not least the "credibility" farce starring the Obama administration, caught in its own self-spun net woven of recklessly created "red lines". The pesky "world" is not buying it.
- Pepe Escobar
(Sep 9, '13)
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Congress to the
rescue on Syria?
From the manipulations that led to a "slam dunk" war in Iraq to the revelations of whistleblower Edward Snowden on the scale of United States spying, enough of the world is ticked off with the United States for a "coalition of the willing" to be the failed dream of a waning power. True to form, expect this week's congressional debate on Syria to yield little of value beyond entertainment.
- Andrew J Bacevich
(Sep 9, '13)
Diplomacy offers route out of chemical crisis
Diplomatic bargaining is more likely to cool the chemical weapons crisis in Syria than military strikes with a high risk of blowback. If Damascus' allies can pressure it into signing the Chemical Weapons Convention, this could lead to benefits for regional stability such as Israel abandoning the nuclear opacity that motivated Syria to build up its chemical stockpile in the first place. - David Lowry and Gordon Thompson
(Sep 9, '13)
More US boots on Philippine soil
A proposed United States-Philippines deal that will allow Washington to use bases on Philippine soil for up to 20 years will boost Manila's ability to hedge against further Chinese territorial assertiveness, while seemingly calming the latter's concerns over the US's regional military commitments. However, it presents a challenge to the Philippines' post-Cold War constitution, and Beijing is already preparing a diplomatic response. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 9, '13)
Pashmina withers on roof of the world
Extreme cold weather in Kashmir's Changthang region - the Roof of the World - is killing the goats whose fine wool is woven into prized pashmina shawls. With goat rearing under threat if conditions persist, so are the livelihoods of 300,000 people in Jammu and Kashmir state of India who depend on the product.
- Athar Parvaiz
(Sep 9, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
Putin eyes Syrian abyss
While Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly compared a US war on Syria to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, privately he's likely thinking of the Soviets' 1980s conflict in Afghanistan. By refusing to send troops to Damascus but providing it with sophisticated weapons, Putin can ensure the US is dragged into a protracted war that bleeds its money and credibility dry. - Ahmed E Souaiaia
(Sep 9, '13)
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Suppose we offered battle ...
Air Sea Battle, US military's latest grand doctrine and megaboondoggle, is not, absolutely not, about war with China, which just happens to be the one power at which the related plans can be targeted. But just suppose the PRC fails to respond with fangs drawn ... just suppose ...
- Peter Lee
(Sep 6, '13)
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Myanmar's Shan see long path to peace
Yawd Serk, commander of the rebel Shan State Army in Myanmar, was quick to respond positively to peace overtures when President Thein Sein took power in 2011. In an exclusive interview, he predicts a long process lies ahead, with an end to fighting up to three years distant - assuming that along the way the still-powerful central army gives peace a chance.
- Larry Jagan
(Sep 6, '13)
THE ROVING EYE
Dogs of war versus the emerging caravan
While China and Russia pulled up at the G-20 caravanserai to re-enact the spirit of the Silk Road, the dogs of war were baying for blood outside. "Yes We Can" bomb Syria, barked US President Barack "Red Line" Obama. To which the emerging-powers caravan threw him an old bone, "It's the (global) economy, stupid", and kept on trucking.
- Pepe Escobar
(Sep 6, '13)
West chooses to target the weak
The defining feature of the brutality that has become a hallmark of Western behavior in the Middle East is its cowardly nature, as the UK vote against military action in Syria shows; that it finds it much safer to attack countries lacking effective deterrents. Wars of choice are waged against the weak and isolated. Libya and Iraq were both of these things; Syria is neither.
- Dan Glazebrook
(Sep 6, '13)
Traps on the road towards barbarism
The downfall of the Soviet Union created a psychological trap for the West - that of a belief in invincibility. This is seen in the manner in which it is trying in Syria to present power as moral responsibility to protect. Convinced that advanced weapons are a guarantee of its security, the West has accepted barbarism and developed contempt for civilized behavior.
- Nicholas A Biniaris
(Sep 6, '13) |
Syria crisis yet to derail Iran nuclear talks
The appointment of Iran's Western-educated  Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as lead nuclear negotiator will add to the growing conviction in Washington that it can work with Tehran to resolve concerns over Iran's atomic program. In such a climate, any US action in Syria would be more likely to delay than derail international talks.
- Jasmin Ramsey
(Sep 6, '13)
 BOOK REVIEW
The dark heart of
West's Iran obsession
A Dangerous Delusion: Why the West Is Wrong About Nuclear Iran by Peter Oborne and David Morrison
Using concise research, this work argues that Iran's readiness to accept monitoring and lack of weapons-grade uranium enrichment make a mockery of Western hype over a supposed nuclear program threatening the security of Israel and Gulf states. Its only questionable conclusion is that the US wants to prevent Iran from becoming a major Middle East power. - Peter Jenkins
(Sep 6, '13)
CHAN AKYA
Cult vogue sucks
in central bankers
Central bankers, defying the fundamental tedium of their roles, have not escaped the enthusiasm for personality cults. Yet aiming to secure a top post can be a futile career choice - even when you have made the right choice of "school".
(Sep 6, '13)
China, India face
stability challenge
China plans to relax import restrictions on India, build up defense ties and construct an industrial park in Uttar Pradesh. However, as China's stakes in India increase so too does its responsibility to ensure stability in the region. - Anand V
(Sep 6, '13)
Pro-Israel groups mix Iran into Syria debate
The powerful Israel lobby has taken the lead in pressing the United States Congress to authorize military action against Syria. But in addition to saying that Damascus must be punished for alleged violations of international norms against chemical weapons, pro-Israel groups are focusing their appeals on stopping what they say is Iran's nuclear-weapons program. - Jim Lobe
(Sep 5, '13)
THE ROVING EYE
The indispensable (bombing) nation
The indispensable nation that drenched North Vietnam with napalm and agent orange, showered Fallujah with white phosphorus and large swathes of Iraq with depleted uranium is getting ready to attack Syria based on extremely dodgy evidence and the "moral high-ground". Anyone who believes the White House's pre-bombing maximum spin should rent a condo in Alice in Wonderland. - Pepe Escobar
(Sep 3, '13) |
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MICHAEL PETTIS
The ABC of China's dead-slow growth
Growth forecasts for China's economy in the medium-term are falling, but a forecast that claims 3-4% annual growth rates will soon to be the country's upper limit? And that might be the good news.
CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN
Difficult decisions ahead
Syria is a frightening place in a tough and rapidly disintegrating region. Yet, outside of crude oil, global markets show minimal concern, focused on the monetary backdrop and blind to imminent far-reaching change.
Doug Noland looks at the previous week's events each Monday.
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Syria consensus hard
to find at G20 summit
For those who would have been hoping against hope that the G20 summit meeting at St Petersburg on Thursday might help evolve an international consensus over Syria, which would avert the proposed US intervention, alas, the tidings couldn’t be less positive...
- M K Bhadrakumar
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Killing Syrian civilians to punish Bashar al-Assad for killing Syrian civilians is madness pure and simple.Why is this not the central meme?
Phil Mosley
Australia
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