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Speaking Freely
Speaking Freely is a Front Page feature for guest writers to have a say
on issues relevant to Asia.
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Missing links in the Arab
Spring
Such is the nature of revolutions: They are initiated by
dreamers, carried out by brave people, and taken over by opportunists. Several
missing links in the Arab revolution suggest the process of rebuilding may take
a long time, requiring much patience and sensitivity among global powers wanting
to see a stable and democratic Middle East. - Monte Palmer (May 22, '12)
Europe's lost model identity
The European Union, its voters in anti-austerity overdrive, is giving up the
one geopolitical "weapon" in play since the end of the Cold War: the sense of
the political and economic experiment as a venture worth emulating. As a model
for developing Southeast Asia, the EU is in reverse - replicating low wages,
tough working conditions and social security in decline. - Emanuele Scimia
(May 21, '12)
Nepal's constitution: Respect
the dissenters
The transition to a new constitution and the rule of law cannot be achieved
overnight (South Africa's model constitution was seven years in the making).
Yet the rush to get Nepal's new code into shape has been seemly, with the
result that it will not have legitimacy, simply because politicians have failed
to hear the dissenting voices of the people. - Gyan Basnet
(May 18, '12)
ASEAN shows "The Way" as
Myanmar opens
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was vilified in 1997 with its
decision to bring Myanmar, then a pariah state, into the fold, and again when
it showed the way in November by handing it chairmanship of the group for 2014,
based on "encouraging signs" of reform. Reasons for the sudden change in
Myanmar are still open to debate, but the expectations of stakeholders have
risen exponentially. - Balbir B Bhasin (May
17, '12)
US punishes Iran for
Palestinian resistance
1983 in Beirut: Islamic Jihad claims responsibility as 241 American servicemen
are killed by a suicide bomber. 2007 in a United States federal court: a judge
rules that Iran should pay $2.65 billion to families of the victims. With the
Islamic Jihad lacking substantial amounts of money in US and European banks,
nobody alive to sit in the dock, and 24 years after the event, Iran proved an
easy target to exact retribution for Palestinian resistance. - Ardeshir Ommani
(May 16, '12)
Understanding terrorism in
Pakistan
Empirical research debunks the "madman's deed" explanation of terrorism in
Pakistan, showing that economic growth is positively correlated to acts of
terror. While that may sound theoretically absurd, it points to a widening
income gap as the problem, and inclusive growth and more political opportunity
as large parts of the solution. - Luqman Saeed
(May 11, '12)
Between the lines of Bali
bomber's remorse
Bali bomber Umar Patek's remorse in the dock stretches credulity, yet he
clearly wants to avoid the firing squad faced by other members of the Jemaah
Islamiah terror network who carried out the 2002 attack. While those executions
took place without much public angst, death to Patek may act as a force
multiplier for other terror groups - something that the Indonesian authorities
will be keen to avoid. - Bibhu Prasad Routray
(May 10, '12)
US: China's aggression written in the
stars
Concerns are growing in the United States that China's military has accelerated
its pursuit of space-related weaponry that could win future conflicts, with
anti-satellite missiles, laser and directed energy devices set to strengthen
Beijing's "anti-access" strategy. Meanwhile, China's satellite industry is
challenging US dominance over the global commercial space enterprise and
boosting Beijing's diplomatic clout. - Radhakrishna Rao
(May 9, '12)
It's not just Manmohan's fault
It's not just India's economic travails and ructions within his own government
that have put a huge dent in Manmohan Singh's once-stellar reputation as the
first prime minister in decades to win re-election. He labors under
institutional constraints, and has the hapless distinction of being in command
of neither his cabinet nor his own party. - David J Karl
(May 9, '12)
On war crimes, the buck
stops here
A lack of judgment and professionalism started long before US troops posed with
Nazi SS flags in Afghanistan while committing hundreds of crimes against peace
and humanity. War-like pathologies begin with bureaucrats in power and those
who espouse doctrines of superiority.
- Dallas Darling (May 8, '12)
Dirty games cross the Afghan
divide
Mutual hostility to occupation has always brought Afghanistan's ethnic groups
together, reflected in never having succumbed to foreign invaders. But the
diversity of society has produced a long history of confrontation between
people of different clans that regional actors must stop exploiting. - Luqman
Saeed (May 7, '12)
North Korea puts China in harm's way
North Korea's repeated choice of provocation instead of engagement flies in the
face of the wishes of its sole ally, China, with Pyongyang's alleged decision
for a third nuclear weapons test a signal for Beijing to weigh the pros and
cons of its support very carefully. Reckless North Korea is turning out to be a
strategic burden for China. - Thapa Pradip (May
4, '12)
China searches for maritime stability
As the United States and other nations, including the Philippines and Japan,
appear overly fearful of China's naval activities, they may instead want to
learn several valuable lessons from China's sparkling maritime history. Perhaps
it is time to allow China to equalize the balance of power in the Pacific
region, helping to bring stability and innovation. - Dallas Darling
(May 1, '12)
The great US heist on Iranian
assets
The United States government in the past quarter of a century has been in the
illegitimate business of taking over, seizing, freezing and expropriating
Iranian banks, financial assets and accounts opened in American and European
banks. False claims and the targeting of Iranians in America are all part of
the sting. - Ardeshir Ommani (Apr 30, '12)
Turkey's EU membership hits a
wall
Greece is determined to rapidly finish the construction of a barrier designated
to prevent migrants from crossing illegally its border with Turkey. The wall -
which is going to run for 12.5 kilometers - epitomizes the apparently
overwhelming gap separating Europe from Ankara and casts a further shadow over
the latter's accession to the European Union. - Emanuele Scimia
(Apr 26, '12)
China's dilemma: Power vs freedom
China's dilemma is that it must allow greater freedom of choice if it wants to
improve quality of life, but that will threaten the Communist Party's monopoly
on power. What China needs most is not democracy but limited government and the
rule of law, reforming a politicized and corrupt economy where the road to
riches is through the pursuit of power rather than freedom. - James A Dorn
(Apr 24, '12)
India's Angi V sends strong
nuclear signal
The Agni V inter-continental ballistic missile should be interpreted only as a
"signal" of deterrence to China's claim to Arunachal Pradesh since Indian
values, national interests and military forces are not geared towards the
offensive. Though nuclear "signaling" is not without its downsides, the two of
the rising powers need deft diplomacy to resolve their border dispute. - Namrata
Goswami (Apr 23, '12)
After the storm in the South China
Sea
The stand-off in the South China Sea between vessels from the Philippines and
China represents a high-water mark in simmering tensions over disputed
territories. Looking beyond frenzied diplomatic efforts that should restore
calm, the incident may help spur efforts to establish long-lasting peace. - Nazery
Khalid (Apr 20, '12)
Beijing takes steps to
free-float currency
China's decision to widen the trading limit of its currency amid a slowing
economy are evidence it is not worried about a hard landing or rapid yuan
appreciation, yet external politics, including the US presidential election and
this week's IMF/World Bank meeting, are no doubt central factors in the timing
of the announcements.
- Richard Colapinto (Apr 19, '12)
India and China can do the
unthinkable
India could forge new partnerships with China by offering Chinese goods an
alternative to fragile sea routes, While that would require New Delhi to do the
unthinkable and set aside differences over disputed borders, the benefits for
both countries would be significant. - Ritvvij Parrikh
(Apr 19, '12)
How the Arab Spring was sapped
dry
The magnificent Arab Spring that started in Egypt and Tunisia in early 2011 has
been brutally derailed, distorted and contained by an all-out counter-offensive
orchestrated by Western powers and their allies. Post-modern and age-old
tactics played their part. - Ismael Hossein-zadeh
(Apr 18, '12)
Democracy still in the
generals' grasp
Resounding victory for Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for
Democracy is prompting Western governments to review their relationship with
Naypyidaw, just as the government intended. But the pace of democratization is
in the military's hands, and depends largely on it being convinced that a
civilian government will not avenge past abuses, and on its ability to make
peace with ethnic minorities. - Nehginpao Kipgen
(Apr 12, '12)
Corruption a thorn in India's
side
The Commonwealth Games fiasco, housing scams and investigations into the award
of contracts for a mobile phone network form part of the swirling mass of
corruption allegations that have fomented mass protest in India. Graft, bribery
and cronyism have been important factors in India's growth story, and remain a
difficult thorn to extract. - Saloni Kapur (Apr
10, '12)
Saudi Arabia's Syrian jihad
While the United States and its allies are wary of seeing Syria become a
sectarian battleground, Saudi Arabia is enthusiastically hurtling towards it.
Power brokers in Riyadh have clearly calculated that the potential fruits of
toppling President Bashar al-Assad, and enthroning a Sunni-aligned regime, are
well worth the political risk. - Joshua Jacobs
(Apr 5, '12)
Lies, damned lies, and Chinese
propaganda
Don't hold your breath for a miracle: China's state media are unlikely to be
offering an apology for defaming the Dalia Lama. If it wants his support in
containing the deepening crisis in Tibet, however, then Beijing should tone
down its vitriol and engage in constructive dialogue. - Dhundup Gyalpo
(Apr 4, '12)
Europe enters the new
scramble for Africa
The beat of war drums along the disputed inter-Sudanese border is failing to
repel a European Union push to cover a huge swathe of Central and East Africa.
Like the United States, Europe is back to the old role of geopolitics where
economic leverage trumps all else, and challenging China's developing interests
in the chaotic but oil-drenched region. - Emanuele Scimia
(Apr 3, '12)
Old rogues take different
trajectories
North Korea's plans to move ahead with its satellite launch add to evidence
that it is not about to follow in Myanmar's footsteps. Both were seen as
international pariahs - except as viewed from Beijing, but now Pyongyang is
making a conscious choice to continue its brinksmanship, while Naypyidaw looks
to be choosing democracy. In the long run, all depends on who really holds the
reins in both capitals.
- Ben Kolisnyk (Apr 2, '12)
Pakistan's empty nuclear claim
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani says that access to civilian
nuclear technology for his country would maintain a balance of power in South
Asia. It may help move the balance from a present chronic shortage of
electricity, but in strategic terms the argument is fallacious. - Saloni Kapur
(Mar 30, '12)
US sanctions in Iran, victims
at home
President Barack Obama's Persian New Year declaration that he will use American
resources to provide Iranians with access to the Internet while the US
government is prosecuting Iranian-Americans for providing food, clothes,
medicine, clothing and educational materials to needy children flies in the
face of logic and common sense. - Ahmed E Souaiaia
(Mar 29, '12)
China's better route for North Korean
refugees
Officials in Beijing should recognize that rounding up and forcibly
repatriating refugees to North Korea, in clear contravention of international
refugee law, is counterproductive to any goal of improving China's
international image. Ceasing crackdowns on North Korean refugees is not just
the right thing to do, it is also in China's national interest. - Sokeel J Park
(Mar 28, '12)
Is it China's turn to change economic
gear?
China's economy has reached a fork in the road where it could enter a moribund
phase similar to Japan's over the past few decades, or continue with fairly
high growth. Optimists point to China's important advantages, while pessimists
emphasize problems that pose serious threats. Getting social and economic
policies right is critical. - Takahiro Miyao and William S Comanor
(Mar 26, '12)
Pyongyang's freeze dried nukes
North Korea's naysayers probably didn't expect to be able to say they told us
so so quickly after Pyongyang announced its plan to launch a missile in
contravention of the spirit of a recent food aid deal with the United States.
Even the usual apologists admit that maybe they were a little too optimistic. - Ben
Kolisnyk (Mar 23, '12)
Why Khamenei made his move
Iran's elections underlined President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's fraught relations
with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who sought to quash a "deviant current"
and consolidate his rule. For over two decades, he transcended the fray, but
got into the thick of it amid a crisis of spiritual and temporal authority. - Kevjn
Lim (Mar 20, '12)
Rare earths - the next oil
The decision of the United States, the European Union and Japan to file a joint
case at the World Trade Organization against China over its handling of trade
in rare earths - the first such cooperation by the three powers - highlights
the strategic importance of what are, in fact, non-rare elements. China will
not easily let go of its advantages in controlling supply. - Elliot Brennan
(Mar 15, '12)
Broken dreams and Green Berets
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the massacre of 16 civilians in
Kandahar, purportedly by a rogue US soldier, won't "change our steadfast
dedication to protecting the Afghan people and building a strong, stable
Afghanistan". This "dedication" has resulted in night raids, atrocities and
some 40,000 Afghans killed since 2001, while spiraling levels of unemployment,
corruption and poverty suggest no progress towards stability. - Muhammad Bilal
Qureshi (Mar 14, '12)
China, EU share same ills
The economies of China and the European Union economies are, in theory and
historically, quite different, yet, within both, reforms being urged from
within bear a disconcerting similarity - and have a similar small likelihood of
being adopted.
- Emanuele Scimia (Mar 13, '12)
How to not lose Russia
Some American praise for Russia's efforts to ensure the presidential election
proceeded freely and fairly could put relations on a positive trajectory.
Moscow's rising regional clout presents the opportunity for an equal
partnership, but Washington must first set aside its propensity for moralism
and respect the choice of the Russian people. - Nicolai N Petro
(Mar 9, '12)
Myanmar democracy still in
chains
The January release of political prisoners in Myanmar demonstrated the generals
have the courage to reconcile. But no one should turn their back on the task at
hand and few should be surprised that the military is not unleashing democracy.
To change Myanmar, as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said, that the
people themselves will have to take the initiative. - May Ng
(Mar 7, '12)
Who really holds the gun?
It is time for the middle classes to unite against the burden of debt on
society by taking direct action, such as refusing to service mortgages. They
must un-learn what has been indoctrinated into them and recognize they are
subsidizing a parasitical financial class. - Darius Guppy
(Mar 7, '12)
Audacity of hope in North Korea talks
The recent nuclear agreements between the United States and North Korea allow
new leader Kim Jong-eun to present vital food supplies to his people in this
landmark "year of prosperity" while US President Barack Obama can hold up the
foreign policy success in the lead-up to US elections. After those parties are
over, however, the dynamic could shift dramatically. - Sangsoo Lee
(Mar 6, '12)
Iran muscles in on Azerbaijan
Iran, a country with its own large Azeri minority, has for years been seeking
to destabilize the secular government of Shi'ite Azerbaijan, a neighbor with
vastly increasing wealth and one moving ever closer to the West in terms of
security and energy. - Robert M Cutler (Mar
6, '12)
Wukan: Democracy or crisis
management?
The first ever "free, transparent and democratic election" in the People's
Republic of China's short history went smoothly on Saturday. But polls in Wukan
are better as viewed as Beijing's first major success in diverting global
attention from the real issues behind land-grabs and related protests. - Gene Q
(Mar 5, '12)
Rising tide of conflict
Competing interests in the South China Sea are of importance far beyond East
Asia itself, especially as the US has ramped up its presence in the area. A
crucial center of maritime trade and potential source of fuel and minerals, it
is poised to become increasingly - and dangerously - militarized. - Elliot
Brennan (Mar 2, '12)
China's chance to to stem Syrian
blood
China is using the Syrian crucible to test new foreign policies in the Middle
East. Without the same historical baggage in the Middle East as Syria's
neighbors, that brings a chance for some creative solutions to foster a new
balance of power in the region. But first Beijing should seek to stem the flow
of blood. - Francesco Sisci (Feb 29, '12)
Young America and China's
dream
The deep distrust America has of China's economic expansion calls to mind
Europe's 19th-century fears over "commercial invasion" by a rapidly emerging
nation. Striking parallels between modern China's rise and the heady days of
the United States' "Gilded Age" are best glimpsed not through thick history
books, but in the personal accounts of young Yankees that witnessed the US's
birth as a global industrial power. - Barbara Rendall
(Feb 28, '12)
The genius of propaganda
North Korea's propaganda machine machine cranks out images of the country's
poster child, new leader Kim Jong-eun, carefully targeted for the elite and the
masses. While there is genius in the unrelenting massaging of the media,
propaganda is not enough on its own to make North Koreans forget their hunger.
- Ben Kolisnyk (Feb 27, '12)
US must drop the donkey
policy
National pride is a driving force of Iran's nuclear program, yet the United
States' "carrot and stick" approach to the issue is based on a profound
misunderstanding of that fact. More suitable for a donkey than a proud people,
American policy has carelessly scattered more seeds of mistrust. Showing
respect rather than the stick may reap better results. - Hooshang Amirahmadi
and Shahir Shahidsaless (Feb 24, '12)
Saudis embrace China in new
polygamy
Saudi Arabia has been tethered to the United States since its foundation as a
modern state in the 1930s. The "Catholic marriage", as the relationship was
described in its heyday, has broken, replaced in the view of the exasperated
Saudis as an "Islamic marriage" that increasing elevates China and will likely
define the power dynamic in the Middle East over the next decade. - Joshua
Jacobs (Feb 24, '12)
Terror and nuclear confrontation
Recent bomb incidents laid at the door of Iran easily qualify as works of
terror, while the bombings of Iranian facilities and targeted assassinations
including collateral civilian damage as a response to Iran's defiance over its
nuclear program may not transcend that semantic either. - A Vinod Kumar
(Feb 23, '12)
Do the Iran shuffle
It is little surprise that as tensions between the West and Iran reach crisis
level, scarcely a story in the corporate media on the Iranian nuclear program
appears without referencing the "existential threat" to Israel. Iran poses no
such threat, and the card is merely played to shroud the joint US-Israeli
imperial project. - Ben Schreiner (Feb 22,
'12)
The sinicization of
EU-Indian ties
In cash-strapped Europe, human rights seems to come one step behind economy and
trade, never more so as the European Union prepares to seal the biggest trade
deal in the world. That is why the EU is treating India as if it were China,
with aggressions against Christians in Indian states absent from the agenda. - Emanuele
Scimia (Feb 21, '12)
Indian press buries truth at the
border
The shame of a lost war half has left a long tradition of anti-Chinese slant in
Indian newspapers, to the extent that some give the impression that the war
never quite ended. Brace yourself for more malignant stuff this year, which
marks the 50th anniversary of the conflict. - Debasish Roy Chowdhury
(Feb 17, '12)
Reason in a new age of regime
change
With China and Russia throwing a spanner in the works of international
machinations to bring regime change to Syria, it is high time to consider how
Western power play hijacks the rights of people to seek change and peaceful
solutions to problems in their own countries. - Shahnaz Durrani
(Feb 16, '12)
The oil road through Damascus
Middle East oil transit routes are at risk from Islamist revolutions and
Iranian threats. Instability all along the oil road is at its highest point in
decades, and Syria's location as a potential energy path cannot have been
missed. - Ronnie Blewer (Feb 14, '12)
Nepal: law and order denied
Nepal witnessed very grave human rights violations during a decade of conflict,
and even after five years of peacemaking no attention has been paid to innocent
victims and their families. Cheap political compromises that block the route to
justice and a culture of impunity must give way to truth and reparation to end
a vicious cycle of lawlessness. - Gyan Basnet
(Feb 10, '12)
Syria: another US stepping
stone
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shies from Bush-era talk of a
"coalition of the willing", but the rallying call promote a political
transition in Syria cannot be clearer. The fates of Libya and Syria could not
be more similar. Deep in economic crisis, the US and Europe are looking to
regenerate capitalism through widespread war with the developing countries
before being ready for war with Russia and China. - Ardeshir Ommani
(Feb 9, '12)
NATO's not so smart initiative
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has launched a trust fund project to
secure or destroy hidden weapons and munitions in Tajikistan. The first
initiative in a move to low-cost support , it should mark a breakthrough in
multilateral cooperation, but budgetary constraints and commitments in
Afghanistan are making the "smart defense" initiative anything but a reality. - Emanuele
Scimia (Feb 8, '12)
BOOK REVIEW
Playful lessons for North Korea's
young leader
The Lily: Evolution, Play, and the Power of a Free Societyby
Daniel Cloud
Princeton University political philosopher Daniel Cloud's gift to
North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-eun could not have come at a better time. The
book explains to the Young General, that by grasping evolutionary forces, free
societies - as the Dao De Jing puts it - "accomplish everything by doing
nothing." Something for Kim to ponder among his ambitious plans to join the
"elite club of nations" this year. - Mark A DeWaever
(Feb 6, '12)
Lest we forget in Myanmar
Optimistic reports of positive change flow freely from Myanmar, as the
president portrays himself as a leader who sincerely wants to improve citizens'
livelihoods, alleviate poverty and include the oppressed opposition in the
political process. But the West blindly supports the shallow democratic
transition, and increasingly runs the rising risk of being on the wrong side of
history. - Nancy Hudson-Rodd (Feb 3, '12)
Time for Japanese opposition to stand
tall
Japan is mired in a deep socioeconomic malaise and is still struggling to
recover from the tsunami and nuclear disaster of last year. This makes it
hardly the right time for the opposition party to engage in the petty
politicking it seems to prefer.- Brad Williams
(Jan 31, '12)
Moscow populism and the Great
Game
As the scale of rallies against Vladimir Putin suggests that Russia's political
life is on the cusp of change - and with it, the emergence of alternative
visions of power projection in Central Asia. Any rollback would give the
American leadership more room to hatch favorable deals in the region, and allow
China to expand its horzons too. - Uran Bolush
(Jan 30'12)
Oil embargo on Iran a conundrum
for Europe
Maybe for the first time in its history, the European Union is playing a tough
geopolitical game, but it must weigh up the sustainability of its move to ban
Iranian oil. Some Iranian officials have already threatened to stop exporting
crude to Europe promptly to provoke a surge in prices and prevent European
countries from finding other supplies at similar costs in the short term. - Emanuele
Scimia (Jan 25, '12)
Refugees blur Bhutan's image
Bhutan has a carefully cultivated image of mountain vistas and peaceful
Buddhist temples with a content people whose state of mind is measured by a
Gross National Happiness. This fine picture makes no account of the forced
expulsion of a significant portion of the population. - David Koppers
(Jan 24, '12)
US meets resistance to Iranian
sanctions
The ongoing United States presidential and congressional campaign to pressure
the European Union, Turkey, Japan, China and India to stop halt importing
Iranian oil and related financial transactions is facing resistance by the
importing companies and countries. - Ardeshir Ommani
(Jan 19, '12)
The progress flows in
Myanmar
What large-scale protests as seen in the Arab Spring could not achieve in
Myanmar, now may take place sheerly through the weight of history. Perhaps not
wanting to be a surrogate of China or another North Korea, Myanmar sees reforms
as a chance for new economic opportunities with the West. - David Koppers
(Jan 18, '12)
Afghanistan: What is truly
deplorable
The circumstances surrounding the desecration of bodies in Afghanistan by US
soldiers has gained world attention. The truth is that the act is hardly
illustrative of a few bad apples. Rather, the incident is illustrative of a
system of US imperial militarism that is rotten to its very core. - Ben
Schreiner (Jan 17, '12)
Europe is the missing link
Recent announcements by the United States indicate that it will seek to
solidify its influence in the Asia-Pacific and thus, inevitably, North Africa.
It is a strategy that could have far-reaching effects, both positive and
ominous. Without proper support from its allies, this complex game of chess
could become one of dominos. - Emanuele Scimia
(Jan 13, '12)
The war is with China, the
battleground Africa
The obvious intent of the United States' stated focus on the Asia-Pacific is to
remind the rising China that America is still the big dog; the glaze at the
Asia-Pacific is not that region at all, it is Africa. - Dieter Neumann
(Jan 12, '12)
The cost of our habits
Smoke it, chew it or just second-hand inhale it - tobacco and production have
become the target of both health and political advocates seeking a better place
for all of us. Rights seem to dictate that people be allowed to smoke
themselves to death, while the same rights seek to protect non-smokers. All the
while, the tobacco industry lines itself to the tune of billions. - Ardeshir
Ommani (Jan 9, '12)
Afghanistan: US press withdraws
Lost amid the attention paid to the United States withdrawal from Iraq is the
fact that nearly 100,000 US troops (and a near equal number of private
contractors) remain entrenched in Afghanistan. Yet the American media have
largely packed up and withdrawn from Afghanistan, possibly moving away from a
situation that reeks of US imperialism. - Ben Schreiner
(Jan 5, '12)
Policy and politics of
democracy in Tunisia
The first Arab democracies have their work cut out for them as they attempt to
leave behind an era of corruption and human-rights abuses. In this environment,
a successful coming of age for the Tunisian government may act as an example to
the rest of the Arab world. - Ahmed E Souaiaia
(Jan 4, '12)
Finding justice in
Guantanamo
The events of 9/11 and the "war on terror" changed the global outlook and the
way governments function. An unfortunate example of this is the decision by the
supposed bastion of justice and human rights, the United States, to create a
detention facility at Guantanamo as part of the war. - Gyan Basnet
(Jan 3, '12)
A journey through Inner Mongolia
Spending time in Inner Mongolia is an interesting experience, especially when
in some places Mongolian culture is overshadowed by Chinese culture. - David
Koppers (Dec 20, '11)
Kashmiri people should decide
Multiple wars, isolation, human-rights issues and ongoing angst between two
nuclear-armed neighbors should be enough for all parties to agree that a
solution is necessary in the territorial question of Kashmir. Give the people
of Kashmir a choice or the players, including the world community, could see
devastating results. - Gyan Basnet (Dec 19,
'11)
The false monolith of political
Islam
Willful ignorance of one's supposed enemies is not even the most damaging
effect of America's continued rhetoric about the monolithic face of political
Islam. Describing these various groups and regimes as a unified threat is a
self-fulfilling prophecy. - Brendan P O'Reilly
(Dec 16, '11)
Self-immolation tests China
Contrary to most observations, self-immolation does not suggest growing
frustration among the Tibetans. Rather, it indicates newer kinds of protest in
the face of newer kinds of repressive measures from Beijing. - Abanti
Bhattacharya (Dec 15, '11)
Apathy in the face of cruelty
The harsh conditions and lack of opportunity that Africans are forced to live
with are met with another wave of injustice and discrimination in northern
Africa and Europe as they try to emigrate north to find a better life. - Ahmed E
Souaiaia (Dec 14, '11)
Derivatives and free trade
The United States depends on "free trade" for continued expansion - whether in
the shape of opium pushed on China or as no less destructive derivatives forced
on the rest of the world. The US Congress will not support protectionism when
there is still "free trade" in banking to secure. - Zhuubaajie
(Dec 13, '11)
Winning and losing in
Afghanistan
The war in Afghanistan has been a quagmire from the beginning that was driven
by the 9/11 tragedy. Western powers got their man, but the toils of war remain.
The US and its partners have recently announced a 2014 pull-out. The benefits
and the losses are many, just as the players are after the withdrawal. - Gaurav
Agrawal (Dec 13, '11)
The East-West dichotomy
revisited
How do cultures of the East versus the West deduce or induce the world and
reality around them? This affects the world of a society and an individual and
the interpretation of the many religious beliefs they hold. - Thorsten Pattberg
(Dec 12, '11)
India puts the Indo in
'Indo-Pacific'
Indian ambitions to become a linchpin for the United States as it challenges
China's aggressive posturing revolve around US pledges that the "Indo-Pacific"
bilateral relationship is a "defining partnership" of the 21st century. That
the "Indo" in "Indo-Pacific" can be taken as referring to India and not the
"common values and interests" the US shares with Indonesia, tends to muddy
expansive waters. - Rukmani Gupta (Dec 7,
'11)
A new beginning for the
United Nations
The United Nations' structure still reflects conditions at the time of its
founding in 1945, but fundamental questions need to be asked about how well it
is equipped to fulfill its goals and maintain peace in today's world order.
Reform within the UN itself will not suffice in new political circumstances and
the troubled times more than half a century after its creation. Fundamental
change is essential. - Gyan Basnet (Dec 5,
'11)
Making sense of self-immolation
An opinion piece in the China Daily added insult to the injury of Tibetan
persecution with an attack on the Dalai Lama over the recent spate of
self-immolation by Buddhist monks and nuns. While it is a violent act, it can
also be an inherently individualistic act of self-sacrifice that exacts no
apparent cost for others. - Dhundup Gyalpo (Dec
1, '11)
India and the Asia-Pacific chessboard
India's place within changing Sino-United States political and security
equations needs to be reckoned with. Common sense would dictate that 'hedging'
and 'balancing' is perhaps the best safety net, but foreign policy fundamentals
need to be revisited, especially in regard to the most pressing issues with
China. Engagement rather than balancing and containment should be India's
policy brand. - Medha Bisht (Nov 30, '11)
Asia and the sea powers, 1911 and
2011
There are fascinating comparisons between Britain's naval dominance in around
Asia early in the 20th century and that of the US a hundred years later. There
are also stark - even bizarre - differences, including America's indebtedness
to its greatest Asian "rival", China. - Alan G Jamieson
(Nov 29, '11)
The capitalist myth
Conventional wisdom decrees that the private sector is good, and the public
sector bad. That all regulation of the private, capitalist, sector stifles
innovation. Yet it is unregulated capitalism that lies at the root of the
current economic crisis. - Dafydd Taylor (Nov
15, '11)
Japan and Europe toward the
exit from history
Up until 1991, the Land of the Rising Sun and the Old Continent were the United
States' bulwarks at the eastern and western rims of Eurasia’s landmass: the
first line of containment against the Soviet Union along the Pacific and
Atlantic Oceans. Now, despite the diplomatic acrobatics staged by US officials,
the status of Japan and Europe as cornerstones - in their respective regions -
of the American security system is questioned. - Emanuele Scimia
(Nov 14, '11)
West's Spring lacks focus
While the Arab protester could cry out for democracy, those in the West are
left with less inspiring rhetoric. Perhaps the Western protesters need a form
of inspiration more familiar to their Arab counterparts. If the authorities
seek to make an example of some individuals to end the protests, they will
create martyrs. That could be the factor that transforms the discontent into
something more focussed and urgent. - Dafydd Taylor
(Oct 31, '11)
China-US trade ties too
important to fear
Discord over the Sino-America trade imbalance and its causes is potentially
dangerous. The trade relationship is one of mutual dependence. The two
economies are so integrated there's only one sensible way forward - deepening
that integration. Misleading currency chatter does not help. - Nick Ottens
(Oct 28, '11)
Cambodia's unrealized peace
promise
Twenty years after the Paris Peace Agreements that ended Cambodia's civil war
with the Khmer Rouge, the country has seen a fair degree of prosperity and
development. However, Prime Minister Hun Sen's scant regard for the rule of law
has allowed a corrupt elite to ruthlessly pursue wealth at the expense of the
impoverished, with little progress seen towards the democratic future that
long-suffering Cambodians were promised. - Ou Virak
(Oct 27, '11)
Indonesia's 'war' against
the people
The threats from a number of lawmakers in the Indonesian House of
Representative calling for the dismissal of the Corruption Eradication
Commission need to be stopped. Dismissing the commission - which is waging a
successful battle - would be like fighting a "war" against the civilized
Indonesian people. - Yasmi Adriansyah (Oct
26, '11)
What happens to liberal
values in hard times?
Millions of Asians have made the West their home. What are the likely social
and psychological consequences for us "others" in these hard times? With no end
to bad economic news, how many Europeans and Americans will retain or abandon
liberal values? If more of the latter, which members of society are likely to
become victims of growing intolerance and injustice? - Pushkar
(Oct 25, '11)
China's grand strategy
After a 200-year hiatus China's Grand Strategy has been reinstated and looks to
be as successful as ever. It is inexpensive and delivers sustainable, tangible
benefits to the Chinese people. Expect to see elements of it emulated, first by
Asian countries and later - who knows? - by us. - Godfree Roberts
(Oct 24, '11)
A European future
For Europe, the future really should be bright. Yet there is one vital
ingredient missing - a sense of self-confidence. The sort of self-confidence
for which the United States is renowned, and China seems, in the past few
years, to have rediscovered. - Dafydd Taylor (Oct
20, '11)
Indonesia: Among the
happiest people
Indonesian people often refer to themselves as being open-minded, at the same
time some of them are afraid of trying new things. It is a country of diversity
and tolerance. At the same time it is a country of covert intolerance and
internal fear of new things that seem alien to its culture. Indonesia is a
developing country, but the Indonesian people are perhaps among the happiest
people in the world. - Zeyneb Temnenko (Oct
18, '11)
Language imperialism - 'democracy' in
China
Since European languages have their own histories and traditions, they cannot
sufficiently render Chinese concepts, such as shengren and minzhu,
which are erroneously translated as "philosophers" and "democracy. The solution
would be to not translate the most important foreign concepts at all, but adopt
them.
- Thorsten Pattberg (Oct 17, '11)
North Korea tied to China
While North Korea may wish to not be as reliant on China as it presently is,
the visit by North Korean Prime Minister Choe Yong-rim to China shows that its
domestic policies and global isolation have left it with little choice but to
look to that country to once again ensure it stays afloat. - Bruno de Paiva
(Oct 14, '11)
South China Sea: A new
geopolitical node
The South China Sea occupies a special position in the world as the place where
the interests of major powers - the United States, Japan and those rising
giants, China and India - intersect. A whole set of challenges and threats in a
region of growing economic power and potential conflict make the turbulent
waters a flashpoint that will have a huge influence on the course of world
politics in coming decades. - Prokhor Tebin (Oct
13, '11)
Verify, don't trust
Just a few weeks before the US$3.6 billion Chinese-backed dam was suspended,
the government saw popular opposition as no obstacle to work already underway
on the mega-project. Predicting the next twist in the saga is difficult in a
country of limited transparency, when the decision to suspend might yet be
reversed again with a new government take on "the will of the people". - Curtis
S Chin (Oct 12, '11)
Why is USA targeting Pakistan?
The only way out of the quagmire of accusations, counter-accusations, lies and
deceit between the United States and Pakistan is an early withdrawal of
American and North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces and an end to this war.
Cooler, smarter heads in Washington must rule and drive home the point, as the
problem is the occupying forces, not Pakistan. - Yasmeen Ali
(Oct 6, '11)
The importance of Camp David
If the first historic act the new Egyptian government achieved in regard to its
neighbors was to repudiate the Camp David agreements, then, by defining a
common external enemy and entering into a war-time mentality, the reinsertion
of emergency laws would be justified, the power of the military establishment
over civilian officials would be effectively reinstated and overall democratic
possibilities would be crushed. - Riccardo Dugulin
(Oct 5, '11)
The South China Sea is not
China’s Sea
It would be absurd if England were to try to claim sovereignty over most of the
English Channel, Iran the Persian Gulf, Thailand the Gulf of Thailand, Vietnam
the Gulf of Tonkin, Japan the Sea of Japan, or Mexico the Gulf of Mexico. For
their own sake, the major powers must not abandon the South China Sea to be
turned into a Chinese lake and Southeast Asian nations to fall into China's
orbit. - Huy Duong (Oct 4, '11)
Is Asia the light of the future?
Communist-cum-free market China, democratic but caste-ridden India,
nuclear-stricken Japan, opium-ridden Afghanistan, and the vast oil and gas
reserves of central Asia and the Middle East crescent, form a landscape full of
opportunities and existing or potential conflicts. What the appropriation of
the paradigm of science achieved was globalization that is building a common
destiny for all. - Nicholas A Biniaris (Oct
3, '11)
India: fighting corruption or
adapting to it?
The fight against corruption may be the fashionable thing going well in India.
But there exist some forms of corruption still to be recognized as such. A
startling example of a double murder to obliterate a scam speaks a lot about
the issue. - Ton Lenssen (Sep 28, '11)
Crisis thinkers or thinkers
in crisis?
A recently released report on Myanmar by the International Crisis Group (ICG),
the world's best known think tank on crises, brims with hope. But once past the
optimistic title, Myanmar: Major Reform Underway, multiple shortcomings
and intellectual sins that undermine its credibility make the report grim
reading. - Maung Zarni (Sep 27, '11)
Palestine's bid: An open letter
to Obama
Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims will see a veto of Palestine's application for
statehood by United States President Barack Obama as conclusive proof he is
pandering to the Jewish vote for self-serving, short-term political reasons,
says a Palestinian refugee. Obama's expected veto at the United Nations will be
devastating to America's national interests and relations with the rest of the
world.
- Zakariya A Jalamani (Sep 20, '11)
Questioning Indonesia's
place in the world
Indonesia's lack of influence in the global political-economic arena belies its
size and abundant natural and human resources. Numerous internal challenges
that typically face developing nations are to blame, but by tackling the most
daunting - corruption, rule of law and poverty - Jakarta can prove that the
country is headed towards greater power status - Yasmi Adriansyah
(Sep 19, '11)
The Development Deception
There is a dangerous lie that permeates the media, government and general
discourse of nearly every single nation on Earth. That lie is the Development
Deception; it is grossly misleading for the nations who over-consume the
world's finite resources to be considered developed. - Brendan P O'Reilly
(Sep 15, '11)
Normality trumps rhetoric in
Yeonpyeong
A stroll through the quiet streets of South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island some nine
months after North Korean shelling killed four people suggests life has
reverted to the slow pace of the past. However, howitzers, bunkers, tanks and
barbed wire fences are constant reminders to stoic residents that the island's
proximity to the North makes it a significant political bargaining chip. - Matthew
Clayton (Sep 14, '11)
Clausewitz and Sun Tzu after the
neo-cons
Battles and even campaigns can be won following Sun Tzu, but it is difficult to
win a war by applying his Art of War principles which, unlike Carl von
Clausewitz's theories, didn't consider the post-war political-social landscape.
Military prowess, neo-conservative desires and the application of some Sun Tze
principles have been factors in the United States Army's military successes and
likewise in its obvious failures. - Andreas Herberg-Rothe
(Sep 13, '11)
Inward look at Chinese
outward investment
Fear of being displaced by China tops off many claims that its companies'
overseas investments bring wanton damage to the environment, the abuse of local
workers, and disregard for traditional customs. Such anxieties are based on an
ignorance of the facts or context amid China's dramatically changing profile as
an outward investor. - Jean-Marc F Blanchard (Sep
12, '11)
A democracy only in name
Myanmar is celebrating the United Nations' International Day of Democracy,
urging its citizens to be "true patriots" and "honest with good attitude for
the motherland" during the country's still uncertain political transition. Yet
the sober reality of life under both the old and new governments, particularly
for rural farmers, is the antithesis of the regime's declarations. - Nancy
Hudson-Rodd (Sep 8, '11)
Grand bargaining reloaded?
 Hyun
In-taek, South Korea's hardline unification minister, has been replaced by Yu
Woo-ik, a close confidant of President Lee Myung-Bak and a former ambassador to
China. It can be hoped the move does not result in a complete policy reversal,
in a kind of desperate, short-term attempt to cater to voter sentiment ahead of
presidential elections in 2012. - Bernhard Seliger
(Aug 31, '11)
North Korea seeks rice deal
Myanmar may be about to supply North Korea with rice, following a meeting in
Yangon between officials from the two countries. With a barter deal the most
likely arrangement, the question is what can impoverished North Korea bring to
the table. Nuclear expertise is one possibility. - Bruno de Paiva
(Aug 18, '11)
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