Although we seek to be timely and relevant here at World Politics Review, covering breaking news is not our prime focus. We like to think that news stories and commentary that go deeper, and put current events into context,is our forte. But, on the other hand, if we can from time to time cover breaking stories in our usual way, and do it well, then of course we’ll jump at the chance.
Thanks to some great contributors, we’ve had that chance today. First, we are lucky to have contributor and veteran international affairs reporter Roland Flamini on the scene at the UN, as it opens its 61st session this week. Read his first dispatch from New York: “Bush and Ahmadinejad Don’t Meet, But Exchange Broadsides.” We expect more from him over the next couple of days.
In addition, today we have — to borrow a term from another editor from Alabama — “flood-the-zone” coverage of the Thailand coup. Within little more than 24 hours after the coup, contributor Graham Lees filed one of the best stories I’ve seen on the events from Bangkok, “After the Thai Coup, Calm Prevails For Now.”
In addition, we also have two commentary pieces on the events in Thailand. From Hong Kong, Luke Hunt writes that the prospect of a quick return to normalcy after the coup works against Thaksin’s chances for a return to power.
And finally, contributor Eli Margolis examines why the immediate U.S. reaction to the news was rather vague and cautious.