Geopolitics
ARTICLES
Soleimani: Another miscalculation on Trump’s resolve – Episode Iran
Iran had been systematically raising the stakes across the region after Trump cancelled Obama’s marquee “Iran Nuclear Deal” and imposed comprehensive sanctions on Iran. Since then Iran had ramped up its actions abroad, with the most significant events being the seizures of foreign oil tankers in the Gulf and the “drone attack” on Saudi Arabia’s…
USA is backing out of Syria for a reason – but it’s not what you think it is.
Written by Rune Scott, Edited by Wyatt Mingji Lim.Cover Photo taken from The Hill (Getty) Most Kurds aren’t actually trying to form a nation of Kurdistan. Turkish Kurds, and to some extent Iranian Kurds, are the two most interested in this, because they understandably want out of nations whose governments are fundamentally hostile and oppressive…
South Park had officially launched “the China issue” into the mainstream American consciousness
The latest episode of South Park jumped on the NBA-China saga at an unbelievable speed and weight. This is also the grimmest and most violent South Park episode I have ever seen (and South Park had not been shy of showing extreme violence on their show…) But in my opinion, the NBA-China saga and this…
Ending the Arab-Israeli conflict: An exercise in futility?
With Israel seemingly embroiled in constant conflict with its neighbors, one might come to conclude that a permanent peace is implausible in that corner of the Middle East anytime soon. But could an elusive peace be just over the horizon? The Camp David Accords, that resulted in a treaty of peace between Israel and Egypt…
To South Korea, Is Japan Actually A Military Threat?
Having a deep interest in all things related to the military (from history, equipment, tactics, doctrine, organization and so on) since elementary school, as a child I sometimes wondered how a modern total war between South Korea and Japan would look like. Growing up in the Korean community, hearing comparisons – and at times derogatory…
Unravelling the water dispute mystery between Singapore and Malaysia
THE MATHS 1000 gallon = 4.54609 m3 malaysia sell raw water at 3 sen per 1000 gallonmalaysia buy treated water at 50 sen per 1000 gallonsingapore spend 2.40 ringgit to treat per 1000 gallonsingapore lost 1.90 ringgit per 1000 gallon Malaysian water tariff is currently at:80 sens per cubic meter /3.60 ringgit per 1000 gallon(0-20…
2018 “A Year of What the Heck” Review
2019 is upon us, looking back, the past year has been full of surprise in term of geopolitics and defense policy. As an inside note, I often joke that 2018 is the ‘year of what the heck’ where world leaders take for the strangest turn possible. So before we step forward into the rest of…
ChannelNewsAsia: Canada arrests Huawei CFO, to extradite her to US
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/huawei-cfo-arrested-canada-extradite-us-iran-sanctions-11001504 As typical of Trump’s administration, every “positive” moves for his rivals, will be followed with a barrage of intense pressure and “negative” moves. Cover Photo: From CBC: Meng Wanzhou is the deputy chairwoman and CFO for the Chinese tech giant Huawei. According to reports she is wanted by the United States for allegedly contravening…
Haaretz: Palestinians Seek Emergency Arab League Session Over Israel’s Warming Ties With Arab States
Palestinians seek emergency Arab League session over Israel’s warming ties with Arab states Developments Such as Netanyahu’s Visit to Oman, a Visit by Chad’s President in Israel and Reports on Israeli Attempts to Tighten Relations With Sudan and Bahrain in the Future Are ‘Worrisome’, Says Abbas Adviser Nabil Sha’ath The Palestinian delusion about their situation…
Hindustan Times: Why Amnesty was wrong to strip Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi of top honour
Why Amnesty was wrong to strip Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi of top honour ‘Speaking up’ will make her look good with the international Press, but it will do nothing for the challenges Myanmar faces. The international community needs to strengthen her hands, not weaken them. The author is exactly spot on the political realities…
Iran’s Enemies Strike Back
Bilahari Kausikan shared this awesome article on his facebook, so we decided that it would be a good read for DPA readers. Log in or sign up to view See posts, photos and more on Facebook. Sept. 26, 2018 By George Friedman Iran’s Enemies Strike Back The government in Tehran made its move. Now, it’s…
The Telegraph: Japan and North Korea held secret meeting
Japan and North Korea held secret meeting as Shinzo Abe ‘loses trust’ in Donald Trump Japan held a “secret” meeting with North Korea in Vietnam in July without informing the United States, according to media reports. Talks were reportedly held between Shigeru Kitamura, head of Japan’s Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, and Kim Song-hye, a…
Washington Post: Facebook blocks accounts of Myanmar’s top general, other military leaders
Facebook blocks accounts of Myanmar’s top general, other military leaders The social media giant took the rare step the same day that a scathing U.N. report called for war-crimes prosecutions of Myanmar’s top military brass. Without consulting the Myanmar government, Facebook on Monday removed Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing’s page from its platform, along with…
Johor Southern Tigers: Tunku Mahkota Johor thanks Singapore for water assistance
Log in or sign up to view See posts, photos and more on Facebook. Additional Context by Today Online: Johor Crown Prince calls S’pore a ‘neighbour and a friend’ for assistance during drought seasons In June 2016, Singapore supplied an extra six million gallons of potable water a day to Johor at the request of the…
Business Insider: China tries to censor Vanuatu on “60 Minutes”
Original Article: How China tried to shut down Australian media coverage of its debt-trap diplomacy in the Pacific This is astounding, to say the least. Five days before Australia’s “60 Minutes” program aired a report on China’s dept-trap diplomacy in the Pacific region, the show received an unusually aggressive phone call. “Take this down and take it…
SCMP: China is not a world leader in science and technology
Original Article: China must stop fooling itself it is a world leader in science and technology, magazine editor says Cover Photo from SCMP Liu Yadong, editor-in-chief of Science and Technology Daily. Photo from SCMP. “The large gap in science and technology between China and developed countries in the West, including the US, should be common knowledge, and…
Japan Times: U.S. aircraft carrier patrols disputed sea amid China buildup
Original Article: U.S. aircraft carrier patrols disputed sea amid China buildup Cover Photo by Reuters. According to this article, USA had stepped up their pressure on China in the South China Sea by deploying 3 aircraft carriers to the disputed region. The 97,000-ton USS Ronald Reagan, carrying more than 70 aircraft, anchored in Manila Bay on…
Japan Times: China’s infrastructure projects in Malaysia are under threat
Original Article on Japan Times: Under new leader Mahathir, China’s infrastructure projects in Malaysia are under threat Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to the media after being questioned at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office in Putrajaya on May 24. | AFP-JIJI In a nod to our opinion piece: Malaysia tipping the power balance away from…
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