Monday, March 17th, 2008...9:02 am
President Vladimir Putin has made the North Atlantic Treaty Organization an offer it will find extremely difficult to resist – making Russia a participant in the alliance’s Afghan mission.
The pressure is now on the United States to embrace the idea of Russia becoming a transit route for supplies going to Afghanistan. The trouble is, Washington knows Moscow will
incrementally want a bigger role for itself and its allies in Afghanistan, and those allies include China.- M K Bhadrakumar (Mar 14, ‘08)
In Iran there are reformers, conservatives and the really conservative. Those running for office in Friday’s parliamentary elections come from the last category. Reformers are
expected to win no more than 30 of the 290 seats up for grabs. – Sami Moubayed (Mar 14, ‘08)
Tuesday’s double suicide attacks in Lahore killed at least 30 people, but the real target – a secret underground investigative unit – was missed. Al-Qaeda will try again though, as the
newly formed unit poses a direct threat to its revived battle to win hearts and minds in Pakistan. – Syed Saleem Shahzad
With its forces stretched thin in Iraq and Afghanistan and its leader nearing lame-duck status, some might argue the end of the so-called American empire is near. If Washington’s
influence is dwindling, a new confrontation will emerge in which nations compete in a “cash war” over access to natural resources. In this battle the biggest spender wins, and the US is
already being outpaced by Beijing. – Dmitry Shlapentokh (Mar 14, ‘08)
The 36 Secret Strategies of the Martial Arts by Hiroshi Moriya – The ancient Chinese maxims featured in the book encapsulate some of Asia’s most cunning tactics for battle and
deception. In the end, it’s useful, and surprisingly applicable, advice for how to counter the actions of any tough opponent – be it in contemporary business, politics, diplomacy or sport.
- Michael Jen-Siu (Mar 14, ‘08)
To escape poverty and joblessness, young Filipinas have for decades sought employment abroad. But from Shanghai to Dubai, many are underpaid as maids or nannies and often turn
to the sex trade to make enough cash to send home. This has helped place the Philippines third in the world for foreign remittances, and funds from abroad now represent almost 10%
of the annual GDP. (Mar 14, ‘08)-William Sparrow writes a weekly column looking at issues relating to sex in Asia.
While the New York governor resigned in good grace for what was essentially a private matter, the world’s central bankers cause greater damage and have proven less accountable for
their actions. Continued debasement of fiat currencies leaves the financial system unhinged and more prone to collapse.
Support levels across Asian markets are barely earning the name, their fragility quickly exposed even as Wall Street shows sporadic recoveries. Yet moments of strength are there amid
the loss of months of gains. – R M Cutler
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