Kuala Lampur, Nov. 5 -- Well, well, well.

The Democrats have done it. The House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both wrestled from the Republicans in a spectacular electoral upheaval.

Donald Trump has been handed a political kicking, Washington's television commentators are practically weeping with relief, and somewhere in America, Republican campaign strategists are discovering that LinkedIn has rather limited vacancies for professional character assassins.

Democracy has been saved.

Again.

And across Asia, otherwise intelligent people are beginning to imagine that the world's most powerful military state has suddenly discovered compassion.

How terribly sweet.

Before Asean joins the standing ovation, might I sugges...