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US gambles on Myanmar reform
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's symbolic visit to Myanmar
can be chalked up as a "win" for President Thein Sein by achieving what
military regimes were unable to do - garner a semblance of respect. That is
tempered by the belief that concessions were as much about countering the
regime's ties to China and North Korea as promoting democracy. As the sincerity
of reform is far from certain, the US is taking a gamble.
- Brian McCartan (Dec 2, '11)
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Pakistan retort matches Taliban
demands
The Pakistan government's sharp retort to the air strike that killed 25 of its
soldiers on the troubled border with Afghanistan matches much of the conditions
that militant Pakistan Taliban fighters set for taking part in peace talks.
Amid political endorsements for a breakthrough in the tribal areas come echoes
of past accords that militants have used to strengthen their hand, ultimately
leading violence to spiral. - Amir Mir (Dec
2, '11)
 He
was 22 ...
She was 12 ...
In Afghanistan, young men from towns you have never heard of died, never to
enjoy another Thanksgiving with their families back in the US. In a farmer's
field meanwhile, a little girl died for reasons that may or may not be
"investigated". And on it goes. In a no-learning-curve world, the lessons from
the dead cry loudest. - Tom Engelhardt (Dec
2, '11)
North Korea's new class system
For decades, advancement to coveted positions in the bureaucracy depended on
family background - especially ancestors who fought the Japanese colonizers, or
helped establish the Kim regime. Today, there is a faster, more lucrative way
to get ahead: capitalism, North Korean-style. - Andrei Lankov
(Dec 2, '11)
Dead heat election raises Taiwan
stakes
Crude campaign representations of President Ma Ying-jeou as China's "Trojan
Horse" and of his competitor, Tsai Ing-we, as a pro-independence hardliner
underline the tense state of play in Taiwan ahead of January's presidential
polls. Foreign powers are equally transfixed by the contest.
- Sreeram Chaulia (Dec 2, '11)
Najib thinks twice on reform
Doubts over Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's commitment to democratic
reform have intensified with this week's passing of the "ironically" named
Peaceful Assembly Bill. Unfavorable comparisons between the bill and Myanmar's
assembly laws add to accusations that Najib's ruling coalition is struggling to
maintain its tradition of patronage in an era of independent media. - Anil Netto
(Dec 2, '11)
Comfort for India's creatures
Animal-rights activists have welcomed India's moves to ban animal dissections
in college labs, with computer simulations set to save millions of rabbits,
monkeys, cats, guinea pigs and frogs from painful experiments. While new
guidelines were developed under Mohandas Gandhi's principles of ahimsa or
non-violence, the bold step is seen as equally beneficial to education and the
environment.
- Raja Murthy (Dec 2, '11) |
 BOOK
REVIEW
Down the wrong path
9-11: Was there an alternative?
by Noam Chomsky
Updated to cover Osama bin Laden's death, this prescient work on the September
11 attacks written in November 2001 chillingly predicts how expensive and
bloody wars in Muslim countries would drain the American economy and kill
thousands of civilians. Though a compelling indictment of an "imperial
mentality" that's seen America abandon human-rights principals to pursue its
goals, the book's dialogue format may frustrate some readers.
- Christopher Bartlo (Dec 2, '11)
SPEAKING FREELY
India, US - the way ahead
The mutual benefits of good relations between the United States and Indian are
too considerable to be ignored. Key areas of concern that should and can be
dealt include the future use of India's naval power, New Delhi's willingness to
play by the rules in its international relations, and India clearly indicating
it does not wish to break up Pakistan. - Siddharth Joshi
(Dec 2, '11)
 To submit to
Speaking Freely click
here.
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MYANMAR IN THE MIDDLE
China-Myanmar: Border war
dilemma
Optimism over Myanmar's recent liberal stirring glosses over the complex border
conflicts raging with ethnic groups. The regime has tried brutality, ceasefire
agreements and sophisticated weapons to quell the rebels, but as fighting again
intensifies, the situation is threatening President Thein Sein's vaunted
promises of national reconciliation. Meanwhile, faced with a insurgency on its
doorstep, China is loathe to enter the battle for fear of risking its vast,
resource-related investments.
- Bertil Lintner (Dec 1, '11)
This is the final article in a four-part series.
Part 1:
China embrace
too strong
Part 2:
India-Myanmar:
A half-built gateway
Part 3:
US engagement
as nuclear pre-emption
 THE
ROVING EYE
The shadow conflict in Syria
Feel free to bask in the glow of yet another mercenary paradise as the stage is
set for Target Syria, aka Libya 2.0. Trigger-happy Libyans formerly known as
rebels have already shipped to Syria via Turkey, where a symbiosis of Western
and Gulf states has set up a command center on the border. The pressure is
relentless for the "civil war" prophesy of United States Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton to come to pass.
- Pepe Escobar (Dec 1, '11)
Pakistan attack a big loss for
US policy
The story of what actually happened last Saturday - how and why a NATO
helicopter attacked a Pakistani army post inside that country's borders,
killing 24 troops - has been shifting all week, and the Pentagon seem unable to
come to grips with it. But one thing is clear: The Pakistani government and
people have become more aggressive in their stance against US activity both in
their own country and in Afghanistan. - Gareth Porter
(Dec 1, '11)
Whodunit on the Lebanon-Israel
border
Rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel have put the Israel Defense Forces on
high alert and raised fears the incident could swiftly escalate. The attack did
minimal damage, but with the little-known Abdullah Azzam Brigade, rather than
Hezbollah, claiming responsibility, it raised questions over exactly who is
stirring the volatile border situation amid the Middle East's current turmoil.
- Sami Moubayed (Dec 1, '11)
Doubts over real target of
Uzbek 'terror' blast
A blast on a rail line connecting to a crucial supply route for international
forces fighting in Afghanistan has been described by Uzbekistan as a "terrorist
act". That Uzbekistan has shown uncommon disinterest in repairing the damage or
sharing details of the investigation can be explained by at least a decade of
strained relations with Tajikistan, its smaller and more isolated neighbor. - Andrew
McGregor (Dec 1, '11)
Dark clouds on Uzbekistan horizon
Opportunity shunned in Iran-UK
crisis
As European Union foreign ministers meet 
to consider the same diplomatic squeeze on Iran as the British government's,
some of the nations would be better leveraging strong economic ties to gain
protection of their interests in the Islamic Republic. A collective offensive
emulating the United States policy of containment is more likely, even as
relations could be rebuilt if London were to end its unbounded hostility. - Kaveh
Afrasiabi (Dec 1, '11)
SPEAKING FREELY
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 self-immolation is a violent
act, it can also be an inherently individualistic sacrifice that exacts no
apparent cost for others. - Dhundup Gyalpo (Dec
1, '11)
Tehran invokes revolutionary fervor
 As
the US gathers its flock, including its most reliable sycophant Britain, to
move against the Iranian sphere via regime change in Syria, Tehran has taken
the gloves off. The downgrading of ties with London moved with such speed that
it is obvious it was authorized at the highest levels, as any further attempts
at a soft line with the West have been rejected as futile. - M K Bhadrakumar
(Nov 30, '11)
Iran delivers major blow to the CIA
Iran's claim last week to have arrested 12 spies from the Central Intelligence
Agency has been grudgingly confirmed by United States officials, suggesting a
major CIA defeat if not a full-blown disaster. ATol sources in Tehran confirm
the embarrassing outcome is the result of a "scattergun" approach by the agency
that has seen it engage virtually any Iranian who potentially had useful
information.
- Mahan Abedin (Nov 30, '11)
Saboteurs flying under Iran radar
Iran's rhetorical response to the West's provocations over its nuclear program
has been tough enough, but in another arena of psychological warfare - sabotage
- it is lagging behind. As the list of "unexplained" explosions and
assassinations grows, Tehran's seemingly remarkable tolerance suggests it's
unaware how such limited military assaults prepare the ground for full-blown
war. - Mahan Abedin (Nov 29, '11)
US may abandon Pakistan supply
routes
Even before the weekend NATO air strike led Pakistan to block a key supply
route for international forces fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan, the
United States was exploring ways to sidestep increasing attacks on convoys on
roads through the Khyber Pass. With diplomatic, political, and military and
intelligence activities under review, diplomats say the Americans are trying to
secure three alternative supply routes. - Amir Mir
(Nov 29, '11)
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Big-box
protests test India's FDI strategy
The Indian government's handling of protests against its decision to allow
"big-box" multinational retailers such as Walmart into the local market will
indicate how serious it is about attracting much-need foreign investment in
other sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare and education. - Benjamin
Shobert
REUVEN BRENNER
Tax code folly
Microsoft's US$8.5 billion purchase of Skype, far from being overpriced,
reveals the folly of US corporate tax laws. An overhaul of the tax code would
attract such money back into the US, encourage IPOs, benefit pension funds and
lead to reallocation of good mathematical and business minds to more beneficial
use.
Red face for Facebook
Facebook's settlement of a privacy complaint includes agreement that it endure
reviews of its privacy policies by independent auditors for the next 20 years.
Clearing up such issues may help it appear more attractive when raising US$10
billion with a share sale next year.
Martin J Young surveys the week's developments in computing, science,
gaming and gizmos.
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CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN
Global contagion
The rise in sovereign bond yields for core eurozone countries indicates that an
all-too-complacent marketplace is waking up to the ramifications of the euro
debt crisis. The "financial breakdown" scenario is no longer outrageous.
(Nov 28, '11)
Doug Noland looks at the previous week's events each Monday.
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India’s
China policy
needs a reset
Indian columnists have begun openly writing what some of us at least might have
secretly suspected all along for the past week - and didn’t want to say
publicly. The great all-world Buddhist enclave in Delhi this week which
ship-wrecked the India-China border talks between Special Representative Shiv
Shankar Menon of India Dai Bingguo of China was, after all, a
government-of-India affair...
- M K Bhadrakumar
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