TSP Tracker

How Are TSP Articles Holding Up?

When former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai was asked in the 1960’s about the effects of the French Revolution in 1789, he famously replied by saying “It’s too early to tell.” Yet while Zhou’s assessment is so routinely cited that it’s now quotidian, his remark exposed the nature of the beast that is political and international analysis: predicting future trends and events is the single most frustrating endeavor for commentators.

Here at TSP we’re aware of the magnitude of the pursuit, yet we’re not entirely disheartened by the correlation between the ideas outlined in our articles and subsequent happenings. Here on TSP Tracker page are updates of world events as they relate to our articles. Organized by topic, there are links to the relevant TSP threads and to other sites containing fresh developments. Don’t just trust what you read on TSP; check it out for yourself!

Keeping Us Honest
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Iran

On June 2nd, 2006, DML wrote an article with a borrowed title (thanks 50) called “This is Chess not Checkers That’s a Warning Shot,” which stated that while multi-lateral efforts by the “Big Six” present the best chance of convincing Iran to halt uranium enrichment peacefully, the failure of a whole-hearted diplomatic approach would leave the quandry exposed to logical arguments for the use of force. On July 13th, Robert Kagan – author of “Of Paradise and Power” and Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – wrote about the very same idea in the Washington Post, and added that President Bush may indeed be banking on the failure of talks in preparation for a military strike before the end of his term.
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China’s Drug Trade

On June 16th, 2006 DML discussed the burgeoning drug trade in China – Beijing specifically – and the role played by foreign groups in a post titled “The New Amsterdam?” On June 21st, the China Daily reported that Chinese authorities arrested two Pakistanis bringing heroine to a Nigerian in Beijing. Expect to see more of this in the news.
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Pakistan

On June 10th, 2006, in a post titled Jenga!, DML identified Pakistan as one of the most unstable and potentially dangerous countries on the planet that will increasingly draw the world’s attention in coming years. In the July 8th issue of the Economist, Pakistan was the subject of a 10-page survery called “Unstable Pakistan,” which labelled it “a country that everyone should worry about.” The Economist’s survery was remarkable as usual, however, it failed to highlight Jenga’s argument about the interplay of Indian, Chinese, and American involvement in the country. Expect this to come to the fore in several years time.
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