By Suresh Menon

AN ASIAN Arc of Democracy - the United States, Japan, Australia and India, that is - was a pet project some years ago of the then Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.

The plan was seen as an attempt to contain China. After some intellectual indulgence, the idea died naturally.

Now from Tokyo, another grand plan is being touted - an East Asian community. The world's biggest consumer and military power, the US, is not on the list. The new Prime Minister, Mr Yukio Hatoyama, wants an assertive relationship with the US. New suggestions on who to include and exclude in this said community have started surfacing from other capitals.

All this is at odds with the reality of globalisation. Bloc thinking and communities have regional significance but, beyond that, the world should be perceived as round.

Look at these: Doha round of trade talks cannot be concluded without Brazil and India inside the wagon. Climate talks at Copenhagen next month are more of a formality at this stage if the US, India, China, etc, don't make major concessions. Terrorism has no borders anymore. Geography ceases to matter.

Neither the European Union nor China is eager to float the euro or yuan to replace the US dollar.

The US military reach is again not a mirage. We need that emergency number when wars erupt or financial tsunamis strike. The world can never be at peace with itself. There are warring countries out there with a few nuclear bombs at their disposal. North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, India all come to mind.

Emperor Europe was found playing violin when his backyard, the Balkan region, was burning. The US had to put out the fires.

Be it the Middle East, Afghanistan or elsewhere, Uncle Sam is still a much-sought-after party, for good or bad.

So, containment of emerging powerhouses is as absurd as excluding existing ones - Europe and the US, especially.

Globalisation created both opportunities and pain for all.

Insularity is the opposite of this evolution. The Group of Seven is now the Group of 20 for all practical purposes.

Even though in no way connected to the East Asian community debate, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said ahead of the Apec summit that the US plays an "indispensable" role in Asia and should be part of any new regional group.

Mr Lee said: "I think all (Apec) participants acknowledge that it is important for Asia, while it is working on regional cooperation, to also maintain an open and an inclusive framework of cooperation which does not exclude the US and does not exclude Europe."

Well, that is pragmatism minus minced words.

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