Writer
Richard Butler
Richard Butler AC Former Ambassador to the United Nations, Executive Chairman of UN Special Commission to Disarm Iraq, Professor of International Affairs.
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Answers to Trump questions about attacking China and Iran
The question of who would tell Trump the truth when needed and who would stop him if he tried to go to war with anyone became increasingly urgent as his presidency unfolded. On the matter of war, we now know the answer. Continue reading »
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White Man’s Media: controlled from afar and against the national interest.
The ownership and direction of a majority of the media, in Australia, is based in London and New York. They have no intrinsic interest in Australia and its welfare as a nation but only as a source of revenue and, as a piece of what they see as the western cause. They influence our foreign Continue reading »
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War with China is not inevitable: A revolution in Australian foreign policy should be.
The Government’s warnings that war with China is inevitable are propaganda. There is no such inevitability. A decision to go to war is taken by humans. It is not determined by an iron law of history. Key questions are: why are we being softened up for this war now; has the Morrison Government already decided Continue reading »
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Joe Biden’s Inauguration: “We must end this uncivil war”
Racism was the core of Trump’s politics. The country divided along the lines of the Civil War and of post-reconstruction America. In his inaugural address, Biden acknowledged this reality. His Administration will prioritise tackling the pandemic but success with that and other key policy areas will depend on winding down the “uncivil war”. Continue reading »
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Storming the Capitol to destroy an election is the least of what happened
The ultimate travesty of Trumpism is not simply its shocking aggression at the Capitol on January 6, but what that action revealed as the depths of division within the US polity and society. Biden and Harris have a formidable job to restore a modicum of reliable order. We need to re-think Australia’s willingness to accept Continue reading »
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It’s Arrived: Trump’s attempt to steal the election
Will Trump’s crazed attempt to steal the election wake up his enablers. They will need a plan to dispose of him if, as now seems likely, he loses the election. Continue reading »
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The US’ gravest pandemic: the assault on truth.
The future of Democracy in America is at stake in the November election and, underlying this, is the future of its essential foundation – truth in public discourse. Continue reading »
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US: Grand Theft Election
Trump is working on stealing the result of the election in November. His main contention of political substance – that it is a “law and order” election – is shadowed by the actions he is taking to prevent an unhindered, fair vote, from taking place. Continue reading »
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Kamala Harris might ensure a fair fight
Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as his candidate for Vice President is outstanding. It takes the fight to Trump and Pence forcefully. Harris’ presence in the debates and the campaign will strengthen the possibility that the vote will be allowed to determine the outcome, not corruption. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Covid19 USA: The Human Exchange Rate
Trump has now clarified that the meaning of the disaster that Covid-19 is posing to the US is that it could threaten his re-election. It is not a health problem. He thinks reopening the economy is his path to political salvation. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER AND RICHARD WHITINGTON. “Manufactured Consent”. Think Tanks – two different animals.Part 4 of 4
In the last of this series examining the contemporary relevance of Noam Chomsky’s thesis on “Manufactured Consent”, Richard Butler says there is a sharp division between Think Tanks that mainly think and those that target specific interests. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER AND RICHARD WHITINGTON. “Manufactured Consent” in truth-deprived and electronic times.Part 2 of 4
This is the second in a series by Richard Whitington and Richard Butler about the contemporary validity of Noam Chomsky’s thesis on “manufactured consent”: the coalition of convenience between business, the military, the intelligence community and a complicit partner – “big” media. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER Spaghetti Americana: US Middle east Policy
Trump’s agreement on the telephone with Erdogan that Turkey could go ahead and invade Kurdish Syria was a disaster; local and, geo-political. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Trump’s impeachment:By any decent standard?
The Republicans have ensured that there is no decent standard under Trump. They will need to think again or allow Trump to burn down their house as he seeks to save himself from impeachment. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. The Termination of a Terminator: John Bolton
The departure of John Bolton from the post of national security advisor to Trump removes from a crucial position a person whose belief in the US waging war on what he identified as its enemies was boundless. His recommendation for every perceived foreign policy problem has been to take military action. He was the fourth Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER Trump’s Weapon of Choice: Animus
It is widely believed that Trump’s continually expressed animosity towards black and brown people, particularly Mexicans, his description of immigrants/asylum seekers as constituting an invasion of the US, an “infestation”, caused the mass murder at El Paso. Trump’s animus dominates virtually all of his rhetoric, towards every subject; from China, the EU, the media, Iran, Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER-Fake News, Alternative Facts and now Alternative Intelligence
Trump has terminated the supremo of US intelligence, John Coats, and has nominated as the new Director of National Intelligence, Texas Congressman John Ratcliffe. His unstinting commitment to all things Trump and, his inexperience in intelligence and foreign affairs, would seem to guarantee that he will provide alternative intelligence to Trump’s liking. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER Australia can expect to be asked to take part in an attack on Iran: unless Putin saves us.
US hostility towards Iran has reached a threatening level. Disarray in policy making, lies and, the absence of any clear strategy is involved. War is now at hand and may even seem easier for the US. Australia must think through its interests and principles on this and, ask the US substantive questions. Our participation in Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER The Espionage Olympiad and the Art of “Plausible Deniability”.
If there was a competition between the key ways in which international relations is conducted, aside from the use of military force, then the area of intelligence gathering and the covert pursuit of national objectives – all-round spookery – would easily win gold. It is widespread, has been entrenched for centuries and, nothing matches its Continue reading »
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US Foreign Policy: Preference for Conflict
US foreign and military policy is thoroughly fused. The cliches which assert that: military postures are designed to shore up diplomacy and, the other favourite; articulated by the US in virtually every situation:- “all options are on the table”; do not dilute this fact. The key consequences of this are: the US is always at Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER The Ostrich in the Room: The Alliance
The ostrich buries its head in the sand in the belief that what it can’t see isn’t there; won’t harm it. If perception is everything, the Ostrich has a point. But it isn’t and, the wilful exclusion from our recent election campaign of any debate about Australian foreign policy, especially the demands being placed on Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER Iran: Another US War by Choice
The character and political needs of President Trump and the obsessions of John Bolton are coalescing towards US action directed at regime change in Iran. The reasons given for the current increase in US military deployments in the Persian Gulf demand careful, independent analysis, before Australia responds to any US request that it join it Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Brexit: Wilful Blindness
The manic pursuit of Brexit by PM May, against all the facts and reason, dismisses any clear sight or recollection of the relevant history of Europe. Her actions will determine the future of the UK as presently constituted and, have a profound impact upon global stability. She is putting these things at risk to keep Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER -Rationality and Fairness in International relations
The reliable and stable conduct of international relations rests on two key assumptions: rationality and fairness. Both are in dangerously short supply today. When a new government is formed in Australia, it should at least make a start on correcting the part we have played in shaping these circumstances Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Nuclear Nonsense
Nuclear Nonsense The profound hypocrisy of the ownership of nuclear weapons is growing. Sideshows such as those wanted by Trump, in Singapore and Hanoi will change nothing. A return to serious discussions by the two nuclear weapons mega-powers, Russia and US, is needed, urgently. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. A Guessing Game
Trump’s extraordinary public attack on the whole of the US intelligence community has fuelled a guessing game: the well established one which questions the relationship between intelligence assessments and policy development; and, a current one, which questions whether Trump has any interest in policy having a factual basis. It’s anyone’s guess where the latter will Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Unconstitutional politics.
The evidence is now in. Donald Trump wants a second term: his base is indispensible to this end; he must deliver on the biggest chunk of red meat he tossed it during the election campaign – the wall on the border with Mexico- which he would have Mexico pay for. Problem is, Mexico refuses. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. Ethics Etherised
Based on the facts of his conduct of his office, and there is clearly much more to emerge, the end of Trump should be in sight. But, this is not certain to be achieved. To an unprecedented degree, the President of the US is enmired in illegal conduct and is directing US external relations disastrously. Continue reading »
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RICHARD BUTLER. What is History?
President Macron’s warning against growing nationalism and the need to ensure the preservation of values, as against unalloyed selfishness in international relations, was an important way to mark the Centenary of the end of the First World War. Trump was present, but certainly not listening. The show was not about him and, he couldn’t find Continue reading »
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Will behaving like the 51st state of the United States win Wentworth for the Liberals?
Prime Minister Morrison has been channeling Donald Trump for the Wentworth by-election, on two key policies and in his handling of the truth of important matters. Continue reading »
