World News Channel Asia

The critical mass of three Islamist states - Iran, Turkey and Pakistan - threatens to create an upheaval that can be contained only by wars of attrition. The outlook is grim, not least because the US State Department is repeating in Turkey the errors that helped bring Islamist governments to power in Iran and Pakistan. Israel is the only player with the perspicacity and power to stop the slide to regional war. (Aug 4, ‘08)

The United States-India nuclear agreement, which has been endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, represents a timely diplomatic boon for Iran, which can now point at the US’s flexible application of its nuclear policies with regard to Delhi as a reference point in Tehran’s nuclear negotiations. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Aug 4, ‘08)

Now that its nuclear accord with the United States has been endorsed by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, India has only the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group to win over. Any obstacles here will be made worse if Delhi insists on gaining “clean and unconditional” approval. - Sudha Ramachandran (Aug 4, ‘08)

South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak and US President George W Bush will have very different agendas when the two meet this week in Seoul. Lee has to deal with rapidly deteriorating relations with North Korea, while Bush wants a greater contribution from South Korea in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. - Donald Kirk (Aug 4, ‘08)