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Due to a holiday, ATol will not
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A moment of truth for Obama in Moscow
Through a series of labyrinthine maneuverings, Russia has sought leverage in
US-Russia relations by offering greater cooperation to President Barack Obama
over Afghanistan. It is possible that at a juncture when the overall US-Russia
relationship is lurching dangerously close to breakdown, cooperation in the
Hindu Kush might provide a much-needed leitmotif for Monday's summit in Moscow.
- M K Bhadrakumar (Jul 3,'09)
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US Marines to 'drink lots of tea'
The new strategy of the United States in Afghanistan is now in play, including
a troop surge, fresh attempts to curtail the poppy trade and a mission to get
to know the locals. Questions linger, though, about the feasibility of
concentrating US forces in areas where the Taliban have established full
control. - Ali Gharib (Jul 3,'09)
Pyongyang plans fourth of July fireworks
United States officials are scrambling for a response as North Korea reportedly
plans a fireworks display to mark US Independence Day in the form of a
long-range Taepodong-2 missile test. As a military reaction could lead to
nuclear war, perhaps the Treasury Department is right to concentrate on
attacking Pyongyang's finances. - Donald Kirk
(Jul 3,'09)
INTERVIEW
Missing the point on Myanmar
The international community continues to pursue the  wrong
path in Myanmar, argues Burmese historian Thant Myint-U, as United Nations
secretary general Ban Ki-moon begins his visit to the country on Friday.
Instead of focusing on interlocution between the military junta and the
opposition, it's the ongoing civil war and devastated economy that should first
be addressed. Lost opportunities, he says, are legion. - Charles McDermid
(Jul 3,'09)
BOOK REVIEW
Strength and dishonor
Building the Tatmadaw
by Maung Aung Myoe
The incredible staying power of Myanmar's regime is thoughtfully explored
in this revealing, if somewhat flawed, study of the Tatmadaw, or armed forces.
With insights into the military's doctrine, strategy and organization, this is
a must-read for anyone seeking to unravel the mysteries of the junta's mindset.
- David Scott Mathieson (Jul 3,'09)
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SAUDI BOMBSHELLS, Part 3
FBI chief defended Saudis
The pro-Saudi bias of former FBI director Louis Freeh during the investigation
of the 1996 Khobar Towers terror bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 United
States airmen shut down a probe in which Osama bin Laden was clearly
implicated. Had the case run its course, the US may not have been so brutally
blindsided by 9/11. - Gareth Porter (Jul
3,'09)
This is the final article in a three-part report.
Part 1:
Al-Qaeda excluded from suspect list
Part 2:
Why US officials blamed Iran
A UN crapshoot in Pakistan
The United Nations has finally begun an investigation into the assassination of
former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto in 2007. A three-man tribunal will look
into the "facts and circumstances" of her death. If the progress of a similar
UN probe into the killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri in
2005 is anything to go by, the details of Bhutto's demise will be a long time
in coming - if ever. - Sreeram Chaulia (Jul
3,'09)
A tryst with India's communal past
Seventeen years after the demolition of the Babri mosque by Hindu fanatics in
Ayodhya, the findings of the court-ordered probe into the incident have been
presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In terms of punishing the already
flailing opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for its role in incident, the report
is not expected to amount to much. - Siddharth Srivastava
(Jul 3,'09)
China's rogue regimes play up
North Korea's willingness to export high-tech weapons and know-how to Myanmar
and other reclusive, anti-Western regimes has raised regional security concerns
and could launch a new Southeast Asian arms race. If Pyongyang is indeed
helping Myanmar achieve its nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions, China may
shut the door on its troublesome client states. - Brian McCartan
(Jul 2,'09)
Russia flits from Tehran to
Washington
Just when Russia's 14-year saga over building a nuclear plant for Iran appeared
at an end, Moscow has pointed to financial problems that will delay the
facility's scheduled opening next month. In doing this, Russia is sending a
message not so much to Tehran as to Washington, that it is considering a move
more into the US's orbit. - Dmitry Shlapentokh
(Jul 2,'09)
Miners bank $3bn on Baloch
project
Mining giants Barrick Gold and Antofagasta, the lure of vast copper and gold
deposits overcoming security concerns, are to invest up to US$3 billion in
developing a mine in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province. The companies'
75% stake in the project has already drawn far-from-friendly fire from local
critics. - Syed Fazl-e-Haider (Jul 2,'09)
Manmohan hits the ground running
Sitting in an unprecedented comfort zone, India’s Congress-led government has
borrowed from the United States' 100-day hoopla to set its own short-term,
capsule-like targets. This has given New Delhi the illusion of speed, with
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's ministers running in overdrive. The most
stunning evidence of this is Thursday's landmark ruling on homosexuality. - Santwana
Bhattacharya (Jul 2,'09)
Marching out of step in the US
military
Refusal to deploy, search-and-avoid missions, absence without leave,
desertions, even suicides - these are expressions of dissent today in the
all-volunteer United States military that was rebuilt to purge itself of
Vietnam-style non-obedience. These seeds of a response to the quagmire of the
counter-insurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could grow into something far
larger. - Dahr Jamail (Jul 1,'09)
Dollar's future in US hands
China's moves to have its exports paid for in yuan should not be interpreted as
a push to make the yuan a reserve currency for international trade. The US
dollar will continue to play this role - if the United States puts its own
financial house in order. - Henry C K Liu (Jul
1,'09)
Cheating still beats real work
The pre-subprime crisis mortgage system in the United States was set up to
reward wrong and punish right, fostering an addiction to greed, lies and
cheating that the subsequent devastation should have cured. The latest battle
over home-value appraisals proves otherwise. - Julian Delasantellis
(Jul 1,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Superfat hits Asia
In 2007, diabetes affected 46.5 million adults in Southeast Asia. By 2025, it
will strike more than 80 million. At the same time, Asia is getting fat -
leading to the specter of "diabesity" - the deadly coupling of diabetes and
obesity. Now, a group of global specialists has gathered in Thailand to spread
the alarm to doctors all over Asia. - Pepe Escobar
(Jul 1,'09)
 SINOGRAPH
Hu embarks on a
political pilgrimage
China has been trying to blend modernization and tradition for years, and can't
help but study the West's experiences. In this context, President Hu Jintao's
official visit to Italy takes on philosophical significance - the Vatican is an
inescapable source in the balancing of powers. - Francesco Sisci
(Jul 1,'09)
Turkey balances on shaky ground
Turkey is in a unique position, maintaining ties with Europe, the United
States, Iran, Israel and the Arab world. Taking advantage of these friendships,
the government has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to further its regional
interests while continuing to push for inclusion in the European Union. The
difficult part is to keep everyone happy. - Reza Akhlaghi
(Jul 1,'09)
THE MOGAMBO GURU
Up, down, out and doomed
Blow away all the US government fudging of the past two decades and more and we
find that, far from falling, consumer prices are now rising at around a 6%
rate. Throw in plummeting household wealth and soaring unemployment, and there
is only one conclusion: We are doomed!!! (Jun
30,'09)
Obama faces a Persian rebuff
The Barack Obama administration badly fumbled after a magnificent start in
addressing the situation in Iran. The White House must now deal with Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the peak of his political power, and President
Mahmud Ahmadinejad - who will now negotiate from a position of unprecedented
strength. All things taken into account, there has been a policy crisis in
Washington. - M K Bhadrakumar (Jun 30,'09)
COMMENT
China doesn't want Iran unstable
Throughout the recent election turmoil in Iran, Beijing has said little and
stuck to its time-honored non-interventionist line. Political chaos in the
Middle East, and especially in Iran, is no good for oil-hungry China. In terms
of national interest, it's better to just keep quiet. - Jian Junbo
(Jun 30,'09)
THE BEAR'S LAIR
Lessons from the revolution
A new understanding of the Black Death in the 14th century and the subsequent
Industrial Revolution in England holds valuable lessons for present-day
resource exploitation, immigration policies and education. - Martin Hutchinson
(Jun 30,'09)
Iraq celebrates a victory of
sorts
Baghdad rocked with live concerts and fireworks on Monday night as United
States troops completed their withdrawal from cities and towns across Iraq. The
Iraqi security forces will now have to look after their own people, even though
the future of the country remains strongly linked to the regional balance of
power between Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United States. - Sami Moubayed
(Jun 30,'09)
SPENGLER
Obama creates a deadly power
vacuum
President Barack Obama has not betrayed the interests of the United States to
any foreign power, but he has done the next worst thing, namely, to create a
void by withdrawing American power. By removing America as a referee, he will
provoke more violence than the United States ever did. A very, very dangerous
period is about to begin, and it could start with Iran.
(Jun 29,'09)
THE ROVING EYE
Requiem for a revolution
In the end, the sound and fury of the "Tehran spring" led to neither reform nor
revolution. The army didn't support the people, and the merchants and workers
didn't go on strike. Still, to believe that Iran's national interest and the
aspirations of its disenchanted masses will be defended by the new dictatorship
of the mullahtariat is to completely miss the point. - Pepe Escobar
(Jun 29,'09)
A classic revolutionary dilemma
The events of recent weeks in Iran can be viewed against the backdrop of a
regime that wants to return to its glory days of fervor and idealism. The
young, in particular, have been alienated, and demographically and in other
ways the present version of the Islamic Republic, which may have postponed its
date with destiny, is struggling against the tide of history. - Dilip Hiro
(Jun 29,'09)
India wilts as monsoon fears grow
Farmers and politicians alike are eyeing the skies with anxiety as India's
life-giving annual monsoon rains have not yet arrived. A drought would be dire
for the 60% of the nation's 1.1 billion people who survive on agriculture, with
equally bad ramifications for the government. As tempers rise, exotic and
ancient remedies are being revived. - Santwana Bhattacharya
(Jun 29,'09)
ASIA HAND
Thai government's great gambit
Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij this week put forth Thailand's 
largest-ever fiscal push - a program that constitutes US$44 billion and more
than 6,000 different projects. He and his Democrat party aren't afraid to step
on a few toes to get it done, the 44-year-old former banker tells Asia Times
Online, but if that happens, it'll be done with "customary politeness". - Shawn
W Crispin (Jun 26,'09)
The return of 'Mrs Watanabe'
Japan's housewives, pensioners and businessmen are driving increased yen sales
as market stability fuels a rising appetite for risk. The Japanese housewife
who makes bets on the direction of the yen, "Mrs Watanabe", has returned with a
vengeance, and a shrewd new outlook. - Kosuke Takahashi
(Jun 26,'09)
Pakistan targets its most wanted
man
Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud's network, which includes al-Qaeda
and assorted militants, spreads across the country and is responsible for
numerous deadly attacks. Helicopter gunships and fighter bombers are now after
him in his tribal stronghold; troops will follow. Blazing guns might disrupt
the nexus, but the militants can be expected to re-emerge in another form or
another country. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Jun
23,'09)
 SUN
WUKONG
A cycle up for renewal
With 60 years under its belt, the Communist Party's legitimacy to rule China
for another 60 years is open to debate. Worsening the situation for Beijing is
the sudden notoriety of a municipal official - a man who highlights the party's
many ills. - Wu Zhong (Jun 23,'09)
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David P
Goldman
(Jul 2, '09)
[Although mentioning "huge" exchange-rate risks] China clearly is talking about
something else ...
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 CHAN
AKYA
Raining
on the Blue Fox
The shine has started wearing off the "Green Shoots" story that has propped up
stock markets and helped various countries pretend that further developments
aren't imminent. As various US states approach different stages of bankruptcy,
the time for governments to change policies is dawning.
MARKET RAP
Shanghai sets pace
Shanghai-listed stocks continue to defy concerns of an overheated market and an
absence of strengthening overseas demand for Chinese goods. Across the Taiwan
Strait, investors are also still driving up prices.
R M Cutler runs his eye over the ups and downs in the week's markets.
Fast Firefox comes with bugs
The latest version of Mozilla's Firefox web browser, which attracted 5 million
downloads in its first day of release, will please most users. Others may wish
they had held back until the plethora of bugs are fixed.
Martin J Young surveys the week's developments in computing, science,
gaming and gizmos.
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FROM THE BLOG
Close to the edge
Yuan settlement of international trade is another milestone. A few more
milestones, and we will be past the point of no return. - David Goldman
 Riches
in store
With the bullion bank net short position in gold now at staggering and almost
record levels, even as the US government talks of "green shoots", we can look
forward to being able to buy ever-more precious metals at bargain prices.
Whee!!! (Jul 2,'09)
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CREDIT BUBBLE BULLETIN
Only the timing in doubt
One challenge in analyzing bubbles is that powerful forces perpetuate them
longer than one would have initially expected, so predicting the timing of
problems now developing in the Treasury and currency markets is cloaked in
doubt. But all the makings for the next problematic leg of this financial
crisis are there. (Jun 29,'09)
Doug Noland looks at the previous week's events each Monday.
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[Dollar's
future in US hands, Jul 1] by Henry C K Liu is again an excellent
contribution. I realized long ago the unfairness of having the dollar as the
world's reserve currency, especially for poor nations. It was a no-brainer for
the United States just to make (print) money out of thin air. But who was
really paying ...?
Manuel de la Torre
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 Go
to Letters to the Editor |
On The Edge
[W]e can judge the economic stress that North Korea is under by the level of
its outlandish behavior.
bigbird
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to the readers' forum topic,
The US-North Korea Standoff
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ATol Specials
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By Syed Saleem Shahzad
(Jan '09) |
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VIDEO
Taliban's new breed of leader
(May '08) |
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The
Gates
Inheritance
By
Roger Morris
(June '07) |
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Syed Saleem Shahzad reports on
the Afghan war from the Taliban side
(Dec '06)
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How
Hezbollah defeated Israel
By
Mark Perry and
Alastair Crooke
(Oct '06)
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Mark
Perry and
Alastair Crooke
talk to the 'terrorists'
(Mar '06)
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China:
The
Impossible
Revolution
By
Francesco Sisci
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The Coming
Trade War
By Henry C K Liu
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A series
by Henry C K Liu
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Sinoroving
Pepe Escobar in China
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Money, Power
and
Modern Art
A series by Henry C K Liu
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Andre Gunder Frank on Uncle Sam and his
shrinking dollar
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By Pepe Escobar with
photographs by Kevin Nortz
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Nir Rosen goes inside the Iraqi
resistance
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Nir Rosen rides with the US 3rd
Armored Cavalry in western Iraq
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permission.
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