Israel's role in China's new warplane
China recently confirmed that it has developed its first domestically designed fighter jet, the Jian-10. However, the J-10 in fact combines Russian propulsion with Israeli technology developed with US aid as part of program that has been a thorn in Washington's side for decades. - David Isenberg 
 
Sino-Russian summit: The missing link
This week's visit to Beijing by Russian President Vladimir Putin was important for the two countries to sort out their roles in the new world order. But even as they put aside their suspicions to woo each other, each was thinking of their one true love: the United States. - Francesco Sisci

Islamism, fascism and terrorism (Part 3)
The West is waging war not against the religion of Islam, but against the little-understood political philosophy of Islamism, which, upon close examination, reveals itself as a distinct - and distinctly noxious - form of the same kind of fascism that went down in defeat in World War II, but which never quite died out, especially in the Middle East. - Marc Erikson 

THE US AND EURASIA
Part 1: Theatrical militarism
The US is not building an empire. Rather, it is witnessing its empire beginning to decompose. Pepe Escobar argues in the first part of this essay that the threat of losing its foreign "posessions" is what has driven the US since September 11, 2001.

The Quiet American: Painful lessons
A bold film version of the poignant Graham Greene classic, The Quiet American, now released after being postponed because of last year's September 11 attacks, appears not a day too soon. The United States is once again mobilizing for war, the horror of the Vietnam experience forgotten by too many Americans. - James Borton

COMMENTARY
Putin's tacit strategic agenda
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has openly expressed his concern over the expanding influence of the US, and over some of the friends that Washington keeps (Pakistan), Putin has no choice but to remain onside with President George W Bush. - Ehsan Ahrari

Japanese politics: Even wimps have mothers
The leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan had a great idea: a grand alliance of parties in opposition to the ruling Liberal Democrats. On Tuesday it all blew up in his face, and he announced his resignation as DPJ president. Do we count him out? Maybe not ... it could all be a question of parentage. - Richard Hanson

China faces up to soaring suicide rate
China's first facility aimed at counseling and crisis intervention to curb worrisome jumps in the suicide rate opened last week after years of denial and attempts to cover up the sensitive issue. 



Iran's Aghajari: Scourge of the clergy
By taking a strong stand for the reform of a political-religious authority increasingly viewed by common Iranians as sclerotic, corrupt and out of touch, the condemned dissident academic Hashem Aghajari has assumed the role of a Shi'ite version of Martin Luther - with ramifications that may eventually be just as great. - Ian Urbina (Dec 2, '02)

Australia's threats anger Asian allies
Prime Minister John Howard's renewed threats to launch preemptive strikes against terrorists in Southeast Asia have angered some of Australia's closest Asian and Pacific allies and put Canberra on a predictable collision course with neighboring governments. - Alan Boyd (Dec 2, '02)

COMMENT
Saudis caught between friend and foe
In the aftermath of September 11, Saudi Arabia's ruling princes had reason to believe the US considered them frontline allies in the war on terror. Now, with the country facing a barrage of media assaults - mostly by carefully targeted US government leaks - the true precariousness of the Saudis' position been driven home. (Dec 2, '02)

Jiang's game and Hu's advantages
The leadership selection of last month's 16th Communist Party Congress seemed like a traditional Chinese game in which the ruler decides the rules and manipulates the outcomes. But it is too early to announce the real winners and losers of Jiang Zemin's game - his successor, Hu Jintao, has no shortage of cards to play himself. (Dec 2, '02)