Prime Minister Najib Razak has fundamentally repositioned Malaysia internationally. Regardless of the outcome of upcoming elections, the gains made must be preserved.

There are six lessons of the Russia–Georgia crisis for Taiwan: (1) Be careful about security commitments; (2) Don’t provoke an antagonist and expect to be rescued; (3) A constructive relationship between America and major powers is essential to the security of vulnerable states; (4) Geography matters; (5) Speak softly when you don’t plan to carry a big stick; and (6) Credibility is global.