Politics - Asia latest news

India talks a good game, but it could play a much more proactive role in regional and international security, if not for the greater good, then for its own motives to stabilize its periphery and gain access to the natural resources and markets on its doorstep. The attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul could be the spur Delhi needs. - Chietigj Bajpaee (Jul 8, '08)

Usually apolitical Buddhist monks are making their voices heard in unprecedented ways and increasing numbers across Asia, and in the process bringing the Sangha directly into the cut-and-thrust of everyday politics. It is a potentially profound trend, but the agitated ascetics face worldly risks, such as being manipulated for narrow political purposes. - Megawati Wijaya (Jul 8, '08)

Two weeks of isolated "incidents" underscore Beijing's concerns that internal issues may prove more problematic for the Olympic Games than international threats. It is evident in the change of the official pledge of "The best Olympic Games in history" to "A safe and sound Olympics". Even achieving that may prove a formidable challenge. - Wu Zhong (Jul 8, '08)

The Chinese government has maintained its silence on investigations into why so many schools collapsed during China's massive earthquake in May, suggesting that an earlier policy of allocating education funding to local governments is partly to blame for the deaths of thousands of school children. (Jul 8, '08)

Iran's seemingly positive response to the latest international initiative on its nuclear program is attributed in some Western capitals to Tehran buckling under the threat of an attack. This is unlikely. Iranian leaders are already looking beyond the george W Bush presidency to an administration they feel they can deal with, be it Democratic or Republican. - Trita Parsi (Jul 8, '08)

When the news "broke" in the United States last month that the occupation of Iraq had a little something to do with oil, it launched thousands of newshounds out to advance the story. In the spirit of collegiality, Nick Turse offers leads to the pursuing media that are worth considering before another five years of war are washed away in Iraq's "sea of oil". (Jul 8, '08)

The voice of Beijing will be heard at the Group of Eight gathering in Japan of the world's so-called leading countries, if only in side discussions. Yet the present and future size of its economy and growing role in world affairs make China's presence unavoidable, to the extent that the very relevance of the G-8 is open to doubt. - Francesco Sisci