Asia Editor for the Economist
Asia Editor, and former South East Asia correspondent, for the Economist
PROFILE
Simon Long
Guest
FROM Simon Long
To the Point
What Should the US Do about Burma? Despite years of isolation by a despotic regime, the world is watching the military crackdown on peaceful protesters in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The official death toll is now ten. Diplomats in the capital say it's more than that by "many multiples." Now there are reports of "unusual troop movements" and a disagreement between the chief of the military junta and his second in command, who leads the army. Condoleezza Rice calls the crackdown a " travesty ," and neighboring countries have expressed "revulsion," but all eyes are on China, which has ruled out sanctions. We get an update and background on a country compared to North Korea for brutalizing a starving population. With no economic interests, should the US still intervene or keep a low profile? Have Abu Ghraib and Guantánamo damaged America's moral standing?
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To the Point
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?