SPENGLER
CHAN AKYA
ASIA HAND 
SUN WUKONG 
THE 
THE 
HENRY C K 
SINOGRAPH Francesco Sisci
Notable
LA Times
SINOGRAPH
China-US ties bind and bruise
The temperature of United States-China relations has plunged in the few months since President Barack Obama visited Beijing, with a string of disagreements leading to icy exchanges. While China's efforts to bring North Korea closer to nuclear disarmament talks bring hope that cooperation with Washington can only get better, Beijing's inability to communicate with the world remains a massive stumbling block.
- Francesco Sisci
(Feb 09, '10)
Is Business
ASIA HAND
Vietnam as Asia's first domino
Businesses and citizens in Vietnam are showing an increased determination to hold gold or US dollars rather than the local currency, pointing to distrust of the government's ability to handle the economy. History shows that where locals set the lead, foreign sentiment often follows.
(Feb 09, '10) Hollywood finds a piggy bank in Bollywood
Indian investors seeking to combine a love for movies with profit are turning their attention from the domestic Bollywood market, and its large number of flops, to Hollywood, where their funds will help fill a void left by the industry's usual backers, now reeling from the recession.
(Feb 09, '10) Blind spots to the right
Yes, the US national debt is rising, at around US$2 million a minute. But ignored by the polemicists on the right, other data, equally accessible, demonstrates that government spending did not bring about the financial crisis and even now is not bleeding the markets dry.
(Feb 09, '10) Karachi grinds to a halt after fatal blasts
Pakistan's efforts to rein in its fiscal deficit were dealt a further blow when business in Karachi, the country's commercial center, struggling to recover from a bomb attack last December, ground to a halt again at the weekend after two more blasts killed at least 30 people.
(Feb 08, '10) Hainan fears real-estate bubbles - again
Money has flooded into the Chinese province of Hainan in the few weeks since the central government said it should become an international tourist resort. The sub-tropical island's attractions could certainly lure visitors, but residents with a sense of history already fear a property crash might come first.
(Feb 08, '10) ATimes.net
India papers over cracks
The growing realization within India's policymaking elite that instability in Pakistan is detrimental to India's security and economy has led to optimism in Delhi over renewed India-Pakistan dialogue. However, the countries' conflicting approaches to Afghanistan, a continued atmosphere of mistrust and the precarious state of Pakistan's leadership mean that reconciliation is less likely than renewed conflict.
- Chietigj Bajpaee
(Feb 09, '10)
Islamabad can't give an inch
The United States has nudged Pakistan and India closer, bending over backwards to reassure each of their strategic importance. But Islamabad stands to lose popular support if it concedes to Indian demands without gaining concessions, while its greatest fear remains militants infiltrating its larger cities and unleashing the type of havoc witnessed recently in Karachi.
- Zahid U Kramet
(Feb 09, '10)
Operation Breakfast redux
The escalating drone war of the United States in the Pakistani tribal borderlands has ominous parallels with Richard Nixon's secret bombing in Cambodia 40 years ago to destroy a "Bamboo Pentagon", where North Vietnamese communists were supposedly orchestrating raids deep into South Vietnam. Could the US be repeating the same mistakes that brought the Khmer Rouge to power?
- Pratap Chatterjee
(Feb 09, '10)
Now it's all about Iran sanctions
The window for diplomacy with Iran is all but shut thanks to Tehran's latest flip-flop on its nuclear program, making sanctions seemingly inevitable. Western powers are growing weary of what is seen as Iran's mind games and intransigence. China, though, will not be rushed into doing anything rash.
- Mohammed A Salih
(Feb 09, '10)
Internet hit by US restrictions
When United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently criticized Tehran for its strict Internet censorship and filtering, she failed to acknowledge that Iranians, including dissidents, have the US to thank for the sanctions that have crippled Internet use in the country.
- Mania Tehrani
(Feb 09, '10)
COMMENT
Palin and her brownshirts
The genius of former US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and the Republican right is to tie fears of big business and big government into a package that is presented as creeping socialism. This, along with anti-minority sentiment, attracts the teabaggers' vociferous support. Palin knows that if she did articulate her policies in a clear and intellectually compelling manner, the "plain folks" would turn away.
- Ian Williams
(Feb 09, '10)
Best of Before
Pakistan's military sets Afghan terms
Pakistan's military establishment, taken fully on board by the United States in the effort to find solutions for Afghanistan, has made clear that its cooperation comes with strings attached. Any Indian role is to be restricted to civilian development projects, and Pakistan will choose its enemies by itself.
(Feb 08, '10)Dangerous steps in Iran's nuclear dance
Just days after Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said Tehran's nuclear fuel could be processed abroad, he ordered stockpiles of uranium to be enriched to a high degree domestically. Tehran's dualistic diplomacy is designed to increase Iran's bargaining ability in regards to a fuel deal, while proving a point to hawks in the United States.
(Feb 08, '10)Taliban go-betweens draw up road map
Plans drawn up by Taliban mediators for a political settlement in Afghanistan encourage the insurgency's leaders and the government to reach agreement on key issues, such as the withdrawal of all foreign troops and al-Qaeda. The reaction of the United States to the plan and the vexed issue of a new constitution are the biggest roadblocks, the mediators say.
(Feb 08, '10)India-Pakistan thaw key to Afghan peace
The prospect of the first high-level bilateral talks between India and Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai attack was raised by global powers when they endorsed a United States-backed plan in London that seeks reconciliation with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Washington sees the key to Kabul as lying in Islamabad, and the key to Islamabad as lying in New Delhi.
(Feb 08, '10)Beijing beefs up cyberwar capacity
Research and development in Internet-based combat, including cyber-espionage, is high on Beijing’s next five-year plan. Given that friction between the United States and China will likely continue, if not worsen, over issues including trade, Taiwan and Tibet, cutthroat competition along the information superhighway could add a new dimension of instability.
(Feb 08, '10)
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Today's lead Bloomberg News report that the French banks were willing to accept a haircut on their AIG swaps suggests that the New York Fed lied about the contr ...
We Hear You
Feedback is invaluable, even if it's negative. Wish there was more of it. Thanks for yours, gmarruz
Great Notes and Quotes today, January 15, "Them's the brakes". Bravo!
gmaruzz, in case you're right, and the US DoD is fibbing, 'Hot Spot' (not very aptly named) now features some real Afghan snow. PS, click it to view the pic full size.
the picture "Dreaming of a white", in the home page of January 4th, seems more a fixed camera with a long exposure time (during night) that get the stars moving in the sky during the hours around the North Star (Polaris).
A huge edition for our year-ender. Hope it keeps you occupied for a few days. We're back full-time on Jan 4. Best wishes to all.
All seems to be working again, as of Saturday. - Editor
Apologies: ATol is a bit thin today. The atimes.com server is down as of our Friday afternoon, reason unknown, and email is sporadic. - Editor
Thank you, and welcome gmaruzz. You now have full access.
Best Wishes to the ATol crew! Keep up the good jpb!
I think the latest poll about what to do in Afghanistan is interesting and certainly timely, but sadly none the options offered would probably work at this point. Not that there are many options after that though.
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This is a nice little addition to the site - ATol's version of Twitter!
July 20 ... In orbit. Can you hear me Major Tom?
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All comments made via full text pages before Jul 17, are about to be deleted. Sorry - there is a glitch that needs fixing. Thurlow, thank you.
New site looks fantastic, I'm looking forward to it kicking off in earnest.
Happy July 4, to all the people at corePHP, from us in Hua Hin.
What, only 3 Readerviews stars for atimes.net?? Rafa, I am disappointed.
Time is now very tight, people.
I really like how the site is coming along. I think we are making good progress.
I love this widget!
Forum is up and running quite smoothly. A few minor glitches can be fixed later - as soon as atimes.net is done!
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Hi there, Rafa
Getting close, guys. One last push please!
Testing posting to We Hear You.
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Notes and Quotes
Tea Potty
"We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." - American journalist H L Mencken (1880-1956).
“Run, Sarah, Run!” - The national Tea Party convention endorsing its candidate for the US presidency in 2012.
See the article Palin and her brownshirts
Tipping Points
Re Dangerous steps in Iran's nuclear dance: "Tehran has been in possession of weapons-capable resources for many years without any report of diversion to weapons purposes, so why is there concern now? The answer may lie less with Iran's nuclear intentions than with a US desire for power projection in the Middle East and Persian Gulf." - OVALTINE
Reviews
Superfusion by Zachary Karabell
This insightful book examines the alternatives to fearing China's inevitable rise as a super-economy and global political force and asks whether American hostility to making room at the table for an upsetter of the old economic order is more a reflection of its own lost confidence.
- Benjamin A Shobert
(Feb 05, '10)
ReaderViews
Rethinking the India-Pakistan divide
BooksThe Great Divide: India and Pakistan, edited by Ira Pande
This volume weaves together the complex narratives of writers from both India and Pakistan about the state of bilateral relations and the internal political, economic and cultural dimensions of viewing the "other". It provides a stimulating and informative insight into the quarrelsome yet close South Asian neighbors.
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Speaking Freely
Pakistan holds key to Taliban
Confusion prevails around the world about the real affiliations, sponsors and motives of the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some observers have even gone to the extent of claiming that they are puppets of the United States to be used against regional powers in Central and South Asia. But in reality, Pakistan is primarily responsible for this menace.
(Feb 9 '10)
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