Editor,
We might be immune when the Middle East boils, but it is a tinderbox waiting to explode and spread across, as borders become uncontrollable because of the global complexity in economy and employability. It does say a lot about national security.
In just hours, from Beirut to Tehran, targeted assassinations of a high profile Hezbollah commander Faud Shukr and Hamas political wing chief Ismail Haniyeh has brought the central focus to a long war in the Middle East and the geopolitical map which will change and repercussions felt to Asia where a sizeable presence of foreign fighters are willing to fill the emotional vacuum.
The backlash in Bangladesh was just a small example as to why disturbance in geo-economics can hit markets like India where recently fish prices in Kolkata took a beating including medical tourism in India, the bulk of which arrives from neighbouring countries. Trade and security is an unpaid debt which needs to be balanced at all cost, principal stakeholders should neither play the vote bank card because stoking the embers will give non-state actors who are maligned to take the higher ground.
Bertil Lintner, in his book ‘Great Game East’ weaves the narratives of history, culture and borders, giving examples of Asian giants like India and China which if mismanagement in leadership is a definite suicide for the survival of a nation.
Christopher Gatphoh,
Laitkor Rngi, Shillong-10
