Fight or Flight

SWAMINATHAN S ANKLESARIA AIYAR As the world sinks into the worst recession since the 1930s, leaders of the top 20 countries are meeting in Britain to discuss major reforms of the world economic system. There is a consensus that the existing system has failed massively, especially in the US. The five biggest investment banks in the world (Lehman Brothers et al) have vanished in the financial carnage. The two biggest mortgage companies in the world, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, are under government overlordship. The biggest insurance company in the world, AIG, is on government life support. The biggest bank in the world, Citibank, has survived only with massive government help. General Motors, the biggest auto company in the world, is also on life support. The greatest icons of US capitalism are on crutches. But hold the dirges. The most vocal critics of US capitalism are sinking too. Look at Latin American socialist regimes (Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador), Russia and Iran. For all ...

Speech: A Farewell to Blood, Race, and Everything Else Before I say anything else, first let me say, I am (partly) Chinese. Not that I'm proud of it. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit it. Although the Chinese are an ancient race with an interesting history, what was the purpose? You can't call it the "Chinese History," because the wars fought by the Chinese were mostly against each other. Take the Romance of Three Kingdoms. Three kingdoms fighting amongst each other. And they are Chinese. One Chinese kingdom wages war on his brethren, and for the purpose of expansion of territory. It's more acceptable and understandable to wage war on another country for the purpose of expansion. Take modern China and compare it to the state of the United States during the Civil War. If the Tibetans throw a fit and want to become their own country, China drops in and says "Hell no, you belong to us you damned idiots. We won't abide your disregard for our rule. Time to tea...

Tenzin Tsundue is a Tibetan leader of rare fire and eloquence. He speaks to SHOMA CHAUDHURY about how it is now time for the Tibetan movement to show its grit Poet and writer Tenzin Tsundue, 33, is perhaps the most acetylene and mesmeric new voice of the Tibetan struggle. A slight man — spectacles held in place with cellotape — he first shot to limelight in 2002 when he declared his “personal war again st China” by scaling the Oberoi Hotel in Bombay while the Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji was visiting, and unfurling a Free Tibet banner down its fac ade. He won the court case that followed; the banner was returned with dignity. In 2005, Tsundue repeated this in Bangalore while the Chinese Premier was visiting. Always dressed in jeans, black shirt and a red bandana he says he will not take off till Tibet wins back its freedom. Tsu...