Asia Times Online
News and business analysis from Asia



Al-Qaeda sniffs opportunity in Gaza (Jan 6)
From Yemen, Somalia and Iraq to Pakistan and Afghanistan, al-Qaeda has established links with local militants to assist them in their respective struggles. Now, with the Israeli offensive in Gaza, al-Qaeda sees the opportunity to activate jihadis in the region, especially those in Egypt. All that it needs is for Hamas to hold out for a few more weeks. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Jan 6,'09)


Bush plan beat obstacle to Gaza assault (Jan 6)
The fact that Hamas won elections for the Palestinian parliament was a serious political obstacle to a conventional war by Israel against Hamas in Gaza. But the George W Bush administration helped Israel eliminate that barrier by deliberately provoking Hamas to seize power in Gaza. - Gareth Porter (Jan 6,'09)


Tigers take to the jungle (Jan 6)
With the fall of their de facto capital, Kilinochchi, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have lost their long-standing image of invincibility and are now cornered in Sri Lanka's jungles. It's a severe blow to the rebel movement, but the Tigers are far from finished as a fighting force. The battles ahead can be expected to be far bloodier than any before. - Sudha Ramachandran (Jan 6,'08)


SUN WUKONG : China's year of pomp and vigilance (Jan 6)
Decade anniversaries, like lucky numbers, are important in Chinese tradition. And many years ending in the number nine have been significant for China in the past century. But while some dates, such as the birth of the People's Republic, will herald grand celebrations, more sensitive ones, such as the crackdown in Tiananmen Square and the Tibetan unrest, are more likely to spark arrests. - Wu Zhong (Jan 6,'09)


Curtain raises again on Jacques Verges (Jan 6)
Even if he wasn't alongside the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, as some believe, legendary French defense attorney Jacques Verges has never been shy about his allegiance to the regime's former leaders. Now his legal maneuvers are befuddling the United Nations-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal, and the jury's out on whether he's a charlatan showman or the most important voice in the court. - Stephen Kurczy (Jan 6,'09)


North Korea sees an opening (Jan 6)
The United States' focus on Israel and the Middle East has given North Korea the perfect window for some saber-rattling against South Korea. It also raises the question of whether the US, with all its domestic and external woes, would have the means or the stomach to defend the South should a much more costly and bloodier conflict erupt on the peninsula. - Donald Kirk (Jan 6,'09)


Economic upside of cha cha (Jan 6)
Proposals to improve the attraction of the Philippines to foreign investors by amending the country's charter, or "cha cha", are being strengthened by the global economic downturn. Also believed to be at stake is the political future of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. - Al Labita


When the pawnshop has it all (Jan 6)
A contemporary Russian view that the financial crisis will rent asunder the United States is more a reflection of movies of the 1980s than of reality. Yet as US consumers wake up to the absence of credit, a remake of Red Dawn could be appropriate. - Julian Delasantellis


THE BEAR'S LAIR : Quarter-century fast forward (Jan 6)
The decline in the fortunes of the United States places the country in a situation uncomfortably similar to where it was floundering in the early 1970s. Avoiding further deterioration is possible - but far from certain. - Martin Hutchinson


Unpleasant arithmetic (Jan 6)
US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke's public statements make clear his reluctance to ask what has brought the US economy to its present dismal state. An unequivocal answer would be the Fed's own misguided and aggressive monetary policy. - Hossein Askari and Noureddine Krichene


FROM THE BLOG : Sovereign disaster (Jan 6)
Emerging market sovereign debt remains vulnerable to the effect of the US Treasury's enormous funding requirements. The Treasury's coat-tails look a better ride. - David Goldman


THE MOGAMBO GURU : Steady diet of yuan (Jan 6)
It may all just be part of China's progress towards world domination, but at least its plans to allow trade to be settled in yuan may help out debt-burdened Westerners buying Chinese products. And leave them with more cash to buy gold!!!