Asia Times Online
News and business analysis from Asia



CHAN AKYA : A Turkish theater for World War III (Jul 24)
Turkey has been sold to the Saudis at a bargain price for Riyadh's assistance to the George W Bush administration in pushing down the price of oil ahead of the United States presidential elections this year. The path chosen is the same as that used to turn Pakistan into a breeding ground for terrorists, with an accelerated timetable in keeping with a preset script. Around the corner, a civilizational war beckons. (Jul 24, '08)


Al-Qaeda hostage plot suspected (Jul 24)
A Turkish radical group and al-Qaeda are believed to be behind the July 9 attack on the United States consulate in Istanbul. The official line is that the joint operation was either a hit-and-run or a suicide mission. But details now emerging indicate a plan to occupy the consulate and take hostages, pointing to a possible new trend. (Jul 24, '08)


Taking the high ground at Preah Vihear (Jul 24)
In just weeks, Cambodia has gone from celebrating in the streets over the listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site to a tense military stand-off with neighboring Thailand over the ancient Hindu temple. But ahead of its most-stable general elections this Sunday, Cambodia has acted with unheard of maturity. The real fallout from the fracas may be in Thailand. - Craig Guthrie (Jul 24, '08)


Step by step to democracy in China (Jul 24)
While the perception of China is often one of authoritarian control, the reality is that it is becoming increasingly democratic, even if at snail's pace. The recent decision by the Communist Party to empower its rank-and-file party congresses underscores the small steps taken in this direction. - Kent Ewing (Jul 24, '08)


COMMENT: For Iran, respect above all else (Jul 24)
Iranian leaders have placed clear emphasis on the importance of the respect displayed by representatives of the countries dealing with Tehran's nuclear portfolio, including the United States. This goes to the heart of the difficulties in dealing with Iran, and offers a path that could lead to unexpected breakthroughs, including Tehran's ties with Israel. - Kaveh L Afrasiabi (Jul 24, '08)


A glimmer of hope for Nepal (Jul 24)
Ram Baran Yadav, the first president of the new republic of Nepal and born into a farmer's family in the impoverished Terai highlands, brings with him first-hand knowledge of the woes of rural Nepalis and many see him as a light amid anarchy and uncertainty. - Dhruba Adhikary


Sri Lanka marks a dark anniversary (Jul 24)
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the 1983 anti-Tamil riots in Sri Lanka, the country remains in conflict and people can only dream of what might have been for the blighted island. And a rising level of lawlessness has done little to help Tamil-Sinhalese amity. (Jul 24, '08)


Protectionism goes into reverse (Jul 24)
The long trend to remove import barriers to international trade may now be over. Reversing the process, countries that produce raw materials are instituting curbs on exports as they regain long-lost purchasing power. Asia is in the lead. - Joergen Oerstroem Moeller


Bernanke blighted by tunnel vision (Jul 24)
US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke in his recent testimony to Congress masked a faulty money policy which, if continued, will lead to even deeper economic decay, worsening inflation and financial disorder. - Hossein Askari and Noureddine Krichene


COMMENT : No bottom for flailing financials (Jul 24)
The sell-off of US financial stocks may tempt investors to seek out bargains. That raises the questions of whether the government will be able to underwrite the entire financial industry and what impact its interventions will have on inflation. - John Browne