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Orientalism and Power Politics in Global Rivalries

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The enduring relevance of Edward Said’s Orientalism lies in its central claim: the “West” constructs the “Orient” as irrational, unstable, and in need of control. This discourse is not merely cultural; it legitimizes geopolitical strategies, economic containment, and military intervention. Today, Said’s framework helps explain three major tensions shaping world politics: the confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States; the U.S.–China trade war; and Washington’s strategic anxiety over the rise of India. In each case, Orientalist narratives shape perceptions, justify policy, and influence global alignments. First, the Iran–Israel–U.S. confrontation reflects a classic Orientalist logic. Iran is frequently portrayed in Western political discourse as ideologically irrational, inherently aggressive, and incapable of responsible state behaviour. Such framing reduces complex domestic politics, regional rivalries, and security calculations into a civilizational narrative:...
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China’s Nuclear Surge Reshapes Indo-Pacific Security

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The 2026 Munich Security Report warns that the international order is entering an era of “wrecking-ball politics,” where established norms and institutions are being dismantled faster than they can be reformed. Nowhere is this upheaval more consequential than in the Indo-Pacific. As the United States recalibrates its global posture and China accelerates its push for regional primacy, Asia’s strategic balance is undergoing structural change. China’s rapid expansion and modernization of its nuclear weapons infrastructure including reported developments in Sichuan and renewed activity at Lop Nur adds a destabilizing layer to an already volatile environment. The Munich report identifies a core dilemma: US allies increasingly question Washington’s reliability even as they confront a more assertive Beijing. Unlike Europe, the Indo-Pacific lacks institutions comparable to NATO or the European Union that can cushion strategic shocks. This institutional gap magnifies uncertainty. As Was...
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Border Fire to Regional Faultline: South Asia’s New Security Reality

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The recent dramatic escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has seen Islamabad carry out airstrikes on Kabul and other Afghan cities and Islamabad’s defence minister declare an “open war”, marks a seismic shift in South Asia’s security landscape. The conflict framed by Islamabad as self-defence against militants allegedly operating from Afghan soil has morphed from recurring border skirmishes into open military confrontation with far-reaching implications for the region and the broader Indo-Pacific. Escalation Beyond the Durand Line The underlying flashpoint is not new. Pakistan accuses elements in Afghanistan of harbouring and abetting groups such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliates of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which have carried out deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan has long denied hosting proxy militants, framing cross-border violence as Pakistan’s violation of its sovereignty. These dynamics have now culminated in Operati...
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Ethics Before Algorithms: Governing AI Through Human Integrity

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Recent revelations from a laboratory test reported by The Guardian have once again exposed the fragile relationship between artificial intelligence and corporate security. In controlled experiments conducted by the AI security laboratory Irregular, artificial intelligence agents were observed circumventing security safeguards, overriding anti-virus protections, and even leaking sensitive passwords while performing seemingly harmless tasks. The tests involved AI systems associated with major technology companies including Google, OpenAI, Anthropic and X. The findings are unsettling. AI agents tasked with creating LinkedIn posts from internal company databases managed to bypass cyber-defences and publicly expose confidential credentials. In other instances, AI systems actively collaborated, forged credentials and pressured other AI agents to ignore safety protocols to complete their assigned objectives. Researchers described this behaviour as a “new form of insider risk”, where A...
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Power, Media, and the Grooming Silence

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When Jeffrey Epstein’s name hits the headlines, the world stops. Billionaires, politicians, and celebrities are implicated in a web of sexual exploitation, and global outrage explodes. Meanwhile, thousands of young girls in the United Kingdom suffered in silence under grooming gangs for decades: a scandal far larger in scale, yet far quieter in international attention. Why does the abuse of the powerful demand the world’s gaze, while the suffering of the vulnerable is often ignored? The contrast raises uncomfortable questions about media priorities, institutional reluctance, and the selective nature of outrage. The Epstein story dominates global discourse because it sits at the intersection of wealth, influence, and celebrity. Epstein’s network allegedly involved politicians, business tycoons, and members of elite social circles across multiple countries. The narrative is simple and compelling: a few powerful men abusing vulnerable victims while institutions appear to look th...
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Politics, Preachers, And Seeds of Terror

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Malaysia’s security agencies have long prided themselves on maintaining relative stability in a region periodically shaken by militant violence. Police crackdowns, intelligence cooperation and laws such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) have helped dismantle extremist networks and prevent major attacks. Yet the recent arrest of six Malaysian youths linked to the Islamic State raises a troubling question: why do extremist ideas continue to resonate with segments of society despite strong counter-terrorism enforcement? The arrests are a stark reminder that terrorism does not simply emerge from secret militant camps or foreign battlefields. It is cultivated through narratives: ideas about religion, identity and power that gradually radicalize vulnerable individuals. In Malaysia, these narratives often circulate not only in extremist networks but also in the rhetoric of religious demagogues, race-based NGOs and politicians who exploit religion and ethnicity fo...
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How Political Opportunism Breeds Extremism in Malaysia

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Malaysia often congratulates itself for avoiding the large-scale terrorist attacks that have scarred other parts of Southeast Asia. Security agencies deserve credit: they have dismantled networks linked to the Islamic State, arrested radicalized youths, and disrupted transnational cells connected to Jemaah Islamiyah and Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia. Nevertheless, the country’s counter-terrorism success story hides an uncomfortable truth. The ideological ecosystem that nourishes extremism is not created only by clandestine terrorist networks or online propaganda. It is often fertilized by mainstream actors: religious demagogues, race-based organizations, and opportunistic politicians who weaponize identity for power. The Malaysian state has focused heavily on security responses: preventive arrests, intelligence operations, and legislation such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act. These tools disrupt plots and dismantle networks. But they treat the symptoms of extrem...
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