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P&I Guest Writers
This post kindly provided to us by one of our many occasional contributors.
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Deepfake maps could really mess with your sense of the world
Satellite images showing the expansion of large detention camps in Xinjiang, China, between 2016 and 2018 provided some of the strongest evidence of a government crackdown on more than a million Muslims, triggering international condemnation and sanctions…. Continue reading »
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The use of US armed forces abroad, 1798-2020, by US Congressional Research Service: 20 July, 2020
This report lists hundreds of instances in which the United States has used its Armed Forces abroad in situations of military conflict or potential conflict or for other than normal peacetime purposes.(Covert activities are not included)… Continue reading »
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Letter regarding Afghan staff who have worked for the Australian Government in Afghanistan
Dear Prime Minister and Minister for Immigration, The undersigned are a group of Australians who have worked in the Indo Pacific in government, business and the media from the sixties until the present day…. Continue reading »
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Understanding Beijing’s motives regarding Taiwan, and America’s role
John Culver retired in 2020 after a distinguished 35-year career at the Central Intelligence Agency. During that time, he analyzed East Asian affairs, including security, economic, and foreign policy dimensions. As national intelligence officer for East Asia from 2015 to 2018, he drove the intelligence community’s support to top policymakers on East Asian issues. He… Continue reading »
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Be not afraid: Daniel Berrigan and his fearless nonviolence, at 100
Five years since his death and 100 since his birth, legendary priest, author, poet and activist Daniel Berrigan continues to offer wisdom and insight on living a life of creative nonviolence…. Continue reading »
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Statement in support of LGBTIQA+ Catholics
The Australasian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform (ACCCR) issues this statement in support of LGBTIQA+ Catholics, their families and friends following the ill-informed statement from the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in which it bans “the blessing of unions of persons of the same sex.” … Continue reading »
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Two decades after 9/11, US war machine is in 85 countries
Since 2018, the US has provided “counterterrorism” training or assistance in 79 nations and its troops have carried out bombing or ground attacks in 10 countries, according to a new interactive map. Meanwhile, China has one official overseas base, in Djibouti…. Continue reading »
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China’s vision of hegemony: the view from India – Vijay Gokhale
China speaks of the ‘community of the shared future for mankind’, and ‘win–win cooperation’; it plays balance-of-power politics and acts in ways that take advantage of others in adversity. China’s aim is to establish its supremacy in areas of productive technology, trade networks and financing options in ways that shut out competition…. Continue reading »
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There’s a term for what happened at the Capitol this week: ‘whitelash’ (Politico 9.1.21)
The whiplash from the Georgia elections to the storming of the Capitol mirrored a familiar pattern in US history of Black advancement followed by white backlash…. Continue reading »
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Words matter: Was the attack on the Capitol a rally, protest or insurrection? (Center for Public Integrity)
What happened at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6? Depends on whom you ask. To some, the attack by hundreds of mostly white men and women was an insurrection. To others it was a coup…. Continue reading »
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The Confederacy stormed the Capitol. The unfinished civil war.(The Nation 7.1.20)
And then, because the rioters were white, they were allowed to walk away. But just imagine if they had been Black…Authorities would remove and arrest Trump—if he were Black…. Continue reading »
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Uncategorised
Blending electoral democracy with political meritocracy: Michael Lyons
“Democracies” come in many shades of grey, from liberal to illiberal, authoritarian to “managed”, and more. A convergence of East and the West towards something akin to “post-democracy” might bring a much-improved world order, and a safer planet…. Continue reading »
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Uncategorised
Ian Robinson: Changing one word doesn’t fix the National Anthem but makes it worse
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is deluded if he thinks changing one word can fix our deeply flawed National Anthem. There are too many things wrong with it. Tinkering around the edges cannot save something that is rotten at the core…. Continue reading »
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Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity Memo: To Biden: Don’t be suckered on Russia
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) hopes President-elect Joe Biden will avoid the mousetrap being laid for him to make it more difficult for his administration to deal in a sensible way with Russia…. Continue reading »
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Central Banking’s Green Mission (Project Syndicate Dec. 8, 2020)
Since the 2008 global financial crisis, central banks have shown time and again that they have the power to maintain the economic status quo. Now, they must use that power to support a timely green transition…. Continue reading »
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The Hong Kong student bubble
This is a very humble response from a University lecturer of many years in Hong Kong. It’s a response to various analyses to the Hong Kong protesters. Who are they and what motivates them to protest?… Continue reading »
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Partners in crime – disadvantage and our criminal justice system
Australia’s criminal justice systems compound disadvantage. Why should Australians be troubled by this, and what we can do about it. A summary of report by the Centre for Policy Development…. Continue reading »
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Robodebt was a Morrison fiasco at every stage (Peter Van Onselen, The Australian, 21.11.20)
The buck should stop with the PM, but he won’t be held to account. With summer just around the corner, this week’s $1.2 billion settlement of the Robodebt class action has shone a light on government failings…. Continue reading »
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The election and the US military empire (Ron Jacobs, CounterPunch, 6.11.20)
When examining the activities of the US military it is essential to maintain the long view. In other words, despite the practice of looking at Pentagon activities in four-year spans that approximate the terms of the US president, the reality is that the military operates on its own timeline…. Continue reading »
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We now know what America is. (Andrew Mitrovica, Al Jazeera, 4.11.2020)
After four years of Trump, millions of Americans have still chosen to vote for him. The biggest lie is not about Trump,but America…. Continue reading »
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Open letter to the Prime Minister from more than 70 Australians opposing the $498m redevelopment of the Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial development project will have major heritage impacts on the Memorial, a place that has deep meaning for all Australians. The intervention by the Australian Heritage Council, the government’s principal adviser on heritage matters, shows that reconsideration of the project is imperative…. Continue reading »
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Iran’s pact with China is bad news for the West (Foreign Policy 9 August 2020)
Tehran’s new strategic partnership with Beijing will give the Chinese a strategic foothold and strengthen Iran’s economy and regional clout…. Continue reading »
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Hong Kong from the inside
Reporting by outsiders on Hong Kong tends to be over-simplistic and seen through Western eyes. We need to look at things through the eyes of Hong Kongers. The old Hong Kong is dead but the new one may emerge not quite like either the West or China would foresee…. Continue reading »
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RICHARD CURTAIN. Key elements of a suppression strategy
What is a workable alternative to an elimination strategy?… Continue reading »
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GARY MOORHEAD. Cheap renewable energy and the future of manufacturing.
Whether it’s economic recovery post COVID, enhancing our future defence capabilities or even helping deal with climate change, manufacturing has become the new black. But before we can see any lift in manufacturing performance, a truly wicked problem must be overcome…. Continue reading »
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IAN FRASER. Banks, master criminals of the Universe (Literary Review February 2020)
Banks, too big to fail and too big to gaol. A review of “Sabotage: The Business of Finance” by Anastasia Nesvetailova & Ronen Palan…. Continue reading »
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NUALA KENNY. Disinfecting denial and secrecy.
“Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known” (Matthew 10, 26-28) Courageous proclamation of the “good news” of God’s love for us is the heart of Jesus’ mission. … Continue reading »
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BRUCE CAMERON: The Politicisation of Gallantry – will Teddy Sheean get his VC?
Public opinion (aka votes) means that a face-saving new enquiry is now to be held into potentially awarding a VC to Seaman Teddy Sheean for his extraordinary bravery during World War II…. Continue reading »
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ANDREW JAKUBOWICZ. Is Australia a racist nation? Reflections on the last 25 years of denial – Part 1 of Racism Series
The last time Australia was labelled a racist nation by a regional power was in the wake of the election of John Howard and the emergence of Pauline Hanson in 1996 and 1997…. Continue reading »
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BEVAN RAMSDEN. Campaigning for an independent, self-reliant, and sustainable manufacturing sector
Australia has lost much of its manufacturing industry, including the ability to produce essential strategic materials, and has become far too dependent on imports which are subject to disruption from pandemics, wars and foreign political threats…. Continue reading »
