Massacre in the Philippines

The West has long supported democracy as the best system possible. However, the fact remains that in many impoverished countries, democracy comes hand-in-hand with corruption and violence. This ongoing case in the Philippines is a sobering example of the dangers of democracy without strong rule of law and the elimination of patronage-based politics.
The following excerpt from a Globe and Mail article on the incident speaks to these shortcomings, particularly when read in light of the fact that the alleged killers are likely from a family loyal to the current president of Philippines:

Julkipli Wadi, a professor of Islamic studies at the University of the Philippines, said he doubted the national government's resolve in trimming the powers of political dynasties like the Ampatuans because they deliver votes during elections.

“Because of the absence of viable political institutions, powerful men are taking over,” he said. “Big political forces and personalities in the national government are sustaining the warlords, especially during election time, because they rely on big families for their votes.”

Al Jazeera has also followed the story and recently did an episode on political violence in the area. As elections-related violence likely continues, the world will certainly be watching more closely to see how the central government handles this incident and what impact it will have on voting patterns.

Field Trip!

This week, Obama is embarking on a tour of Asia, beginning in Japan and then visiting China, Singapore and South Korea. This means that by the end of the week there should be several new opinion articles on US-China relations, etc. which will likely be worth taking a look at. Personally, I've also been writing about trade diversification and Chinese monetary policy (random, I know) so the Asian-Pacific region has been on my mind as of late. A few things that caught my attention recently are listed below.

Barack Obama's Asian Adventure - Obama's diplomatic efforts will have to be balanced and focused on economics
A wary respect - This special report from The Economist discusses, among other things, the challenges China faces at home and what this means for diplomatic relations with the US in the future.

Korean Naval Ships Clash at Sea - Just days before Obama visits the region, North and South Korean war ships exchange fire. This type of naval clash is not unprecedented.
North Korea warns South it will pay for clash - Mere sabre rattling or escalating hostility?

China, the US and Taiwan - The author argues that weapons sales to Taiwan should be used as a bargaining chip with China. Weapons sales have the potential to be highly destabilizing but the prospect of them can push diplomacy efforts forwards.

Having it both ways - China has made a huge investment in copper mining in Afghanistan (over $3 billion spent... who knew??). Why aren't they helping protect it?

On a final note, read something about Afghanistan's electoral disputes and the overall mission that I've touched upon in past posts. (Or even better, Palestine's...)