Korea Must Become The Country of Ideas

One country Koreans often look to as a good example of how things should be done is, perhaps ironically, Japan. In the Nineteen-sixties, when the Korean economy started moving after the stagnation of the Syngman Rhee era, it wasn't thanks to a fascination with America's practice of free trade or the free market. It was achieved with great reference to the economic miracle that was enabling Japan's post-war economic
transformation under the guidance of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), and with a strong emphasis on creating and then regulating state-supported industries that could become strong enough to force export-led growth. However, among too many Korean entrepreneurs and businessmen there seems to be the idea that the original Japanese idea of taking existing creations and then perfecting them is an end in itself. While Japan - a country far less inventive or entrepreneurial than the United States - rarely reinvents the wheel, choosing instead to perfect the existing one, similarly, this has for too long provided the model for Korean businesses.

War on Corruption in India

That India is one of the most corrupt countries is well known. It perhaps ranks number one in the unaccounted money stashed in Swiss Banks or in tax heavens. After six decades of independence and a phenomenal progress India has made in all spheres [manufacturing, health care, science and technology, education etc], the country still has millions below poverty line and a bad quality infra structure.

US-Pakistan Relations

As a former Pakistani military officer and as the editor of an academic journal on Pakistan, I often interact with Pakistanis from different walks of life. During my visit to Pakistan a few months ago, I had the privilege of engaging with ordinary Pakistanis, academics, and some very powerful old friends. Our conversations always centered on the US-Pakistan relations probably because of my connection to the US as an academic. I find it worthwhile to share some of my exchanges about the US-Pakistan relations, as these views are not normally covered by the mainstream US media.

Foreboding Events - Southeast Asia

Several weeks ago the long standing head of the Army in the Kingdom of Thailand was pictured reviewing the troops for his final time in the Thai media. This heralded change of command of the army was listed as one of the outstanding reasons why the current, non elected government could not allow elections last year when the 'Red Shirt Party' (by far & away majority party in Thai Politics. [85%]) were staging demonstrations in Bangkok which were eventually terminated accompanied with much loss of life!

Two Kinds of Emotions on the Death of Osama Bin Laden

The murderous Osama Bin Laden is dead. Our nation is happy to hear the news. The good feeling has two distinct qualities. Some of us feel relief that he's finally out of the picture. Others are jubilant and celebrating wildly. What's the difference?

On one hand, there is the sense of relief, a feeling of completion. A source of fear has been snuffed out. Bin Laden can never incite violence again. He can't kill any more people or inspire others to murder. He can't spread the demented message of the fundamentalist that it is OK to glorify murder as an extension of religion, and that God intends it to be that way.