The “Big Tiger’s” Curtain Call: A Sign of Lesser Things to Come?
Synopsis
The staging of China’s former security czar Zhou Yongkang’s secret trial last month suggests schisms in the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist Party. Crucially, it is a clear sign that further arrests of other ‘big tigers’ within the Party’s top leadership will be unlikely for the foreseeable future.
South China Sea Disputes: KL’s Subtle Shift on China?
Synopsis
Malaysia raised its level of response over a recent encounter with a Chinese vessel in disputed waters in South China Sea. Does this signify a new norm in Malaysian and other Southeast Asia claimants’ attitudes in engaging China?The Middle East and North Africa: Adapting to a New Paradigm
Synopsis
US and Arab military strategies across the Middle East and North Africa have failed to reverse the rise of often retrograde rebel forces in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya. This stems from a refusal to acknowledge a new reality: the region is in the throes of violent, political transition that will inevitably redraw the map along ethnic and sectarian lines.Druze Mount Next flashpoint in Syrian Conflict: Implications for Israel
Synopsis
This month’s killing of 23 Druze clan members by Jabhat Al Nusra jihadists has made Syrian Druze a potential flashpoint in a proxy war between Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel. As rebel forces advance towards the mountainous Druze stronghold in Idlib province, Israel has to decide whether it should intervene in the Syrian civil war by arming the Druze while Saudi Arabia makes the choice between realpolitik and its religious doctrine which views the Druze as heretics.Forex Market Rigging: Should We Not Worry?
Synopsis
The most recent scandal involving banks and trader-bankers has led to record fines against the perpetrators of billions of dollars. Should we not worry about this?Why ISIS Appeals to Muslim Women in Western Countries: Need for Counter Message
Synopsis
The appeal of IS (Islamic State) to young Muslim women in Western countries stems from their psychological vulnerabilities. Several communication strategies are suggested to counter IS propaganda.
The British Election: Some Possible International Consequences
Synopsis
Some initiatives of the new Conservative Government in the United Kingdom may have potentially negative national and international repercussions, including for Southeast Asia. Three prominent examples are highlighted.
The Ulama Strike Back: Whither PAS and Pakatan?
Synopsis
The latest PAS elections have seen the decisive reassertion of the central leadership of the ulama class. How will this impact on the future of political Islam and opposition politics in Malaysia?Iran’s Writing On The Wall: Ethnic Minorities And Others Assert Themselves
Synopsis
In anticipation of a lifting of economic sanctions once a nuclear agreement has been concluded with permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany, and coupled with President Hassan Rouhani’s effort to reduce government interference in people’s lives and loosen Internet restrictions, various segments of Iranian society are displaying a greater assertiveness to demand more rights and decry official abuse.
From Scarcity to Plenty: The Geopolitics of a World Awash in Oil
Synopsis
More sources of supply mean energy prices are likely to stabilise at lower prices than in the last decade. The decline in US dependence on Middle Eastern oil is likely to make the US see instability in the MENA region increasingly as a European problem.