Politics
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Who are the war criminals?
One of the few heartening things to come out of Russia’s war against Ukraine is the renewed emphasis on how it’s a crime for national leaders to start a war of aggression. Putin is not the only one who can reasonably be accused of committing war crimes. Most US president since World War II have Continue reading »
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Defence Strategic Review-Prometheus bound – China the constrained superpower
Several contributors to this series have argued that China should not be seen as a military threat to Australia. Their arguments are based on historical, political, and cultural grounds, or all three. Henry Kissinger in his 2011 book On China concluded similarly. Continue reading »
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John Pilger’s 2014 warning about Ukraine
A silent coup has taken place in Washington and rampant militarism now rules. Continue reading »
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A “backstab”: Santos, drilling and First Nations Peoples
Federal Court Justice Mordecai Bromberg has been in the environmental news again, this time throwing a large judicial spanner in the works of Santos and its drilling efforts in the Timor Sea. Continue reading »
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To all who care about humanity’s and the planet’s future
Humanity has reached a tipping point. It is time for governments, international institutions and people everywhere to take stock and act with renewed urgency. Continue reading »
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President Abbas at UNGA: Why is Israel not punished for violating international law?
Who is protecting Israel from being held accountable? Why these double standards when it comes to Israel? Continue reading »
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Taiwan “is not a vital Australian interest — we do not recognise it as a sovereign state”. A repost from November 17, 2021
Peter Hartcher has a lot to answer for, writes Paul Keating in a response to the Nine columnist that did not make it to print. Continue reading »
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We are at war and it may soon be nuclear war
We are in a far more dangerous situation than the Cold War, or either of two world wars. Continue reading »
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Almost 90% of the world is not following America on Ukraine
A remarkable recent article in Newsweek, has documented concisely and convincingly how: “Nearly 90 Percent of the World Isn’t Following Us on Ukraine” – and what consequences follow from this. Continue reading »
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Whitewashing at Shinzo Abe’s state funeral
Be careful who you praise and the degree of zeal you do it with. The slain Shinzo Abe, shot dead in Nara on July 8, towered over Japanese politics. In doing so, he cast a lengthy shadow. In death, this shadow continues to grow ever more darkly. Continue reading »
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Time to get fair dinkum, or the Voice proposal will lose momentum and support
Many of the proponents of the Voice referendum already agree that the referendum should go forward only if a Yes vote is a virtual certainty. Some expect that the effect of a rejection of the proposal would be catastrophic for First Nations people. Continue reading »
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Pro-population increase advocates blind to sustainability crisis
Any new inquiry into Australia’s migration program needs to assess the full costs and benefits of population growth, especially the costs to our environment and the risks of collapse. Continue reading »
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PM attending controversial Abe State funeral a diplomatic mis-step
Mr Albanese is coming to Tokyo for the September 27 state funeral of former Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe. Does our PM know or care about Abe’s background? Two thirds of Japanese people oppose the state funeral. Continue reading »
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Debt trap diplomacy? Another anti-China myth exposed
Despite the hype, there is very little evidence that China has engaged in debt trap diplomacy in the past. Continue reading »
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No guts, no glory in deposing the King
Right thinking Australians ought to want their nation to be a republic led by a president rather than by a protestant King or Queen of England. Even the local self-effacing should want it if only for international and national self-respect. Continue reading »
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The dangerous civilian-military chasm in America
Several weeks ago, the mainstream media carried a statement from eight former secretaries of defence and five retired four-star generals that stated the obvious: military officers have a duty to support and defend the Constitution. The statement credited the “civil-military system” with the ability to “respond quickly to defend the nation in times of crisis.” Continue reading »
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Despairing China teacher in the US encouraged by social voices
Bias confirmation is nearly impossible to overcome, and if reinforced by subliminal anti-Chinese racism, even more so. Continue reading »
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The Defence Strategic Review: China is not a military threat
Australia’s defence policy is based on an assumed “China Threat”. If this assumption is maintained, it will be used to justify increased defence spending and a closer defence engagement with the United States and other “like-minded” countries, including Quad and AUKUS partners. Continue reading »
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Pearls and Irritations adds language translations to its string
We want to speak your language. Continue reading »
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Global university rankings: what function do they serve?
Under the influence of New Public Management, Australia’s public universities have increasingly engaged in ‘management by numbers’ for ’performance measurement’. The accompanying proliferation of metrics has been used to discipline academics, bolster the ranks of senior managers and build tens of billions of dollars in assets. One of the more prominent metrics to which universities Continue reading »
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A feast of new reading outside the grip of corporate Western media: Part 2 – Asia
Australian mainstream media is generally lacking in coverage of Asia, with occasional fly-in-fly-out-shock-horror or dependence on Reuters or AUKUSWORLD news sources. This isn’t consistent with any claim to be an advanced member of our region. We can however turn to local newspapers in the region. Continue reading »
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West’s ‘divide and rule’ culture a great threat to development
The latest 2021/22 Human Development Report was recently released. Titled “Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World,” it “paints a picture of a global society lurching from crisis to crisis, and which risks heading towards increasing deprivation and injustice.” This is a big shock to those of us who aspire for Continue reading »
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The US empire is accelerating toward global conflict on two fronts
The situation is very serious. Since 1700 three people have tried to take Moscow: Karl XII who lost his Swedish empire, Napoleon who lost his, Hitler who lost his… and now NATO / AUKUS, in which we are mindlessly participant. The US budget year begins with 830 billion for defence, 600 billion for nuclear refurbishment. Continue reading »
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Is China Expansionist?
China’s emergence as a great power has prompted many fears that it will start to become aggressive and militaristic. But while European powers have acted this way historically, China’s own long history tells us that it wields power in a very different manner. Continue reading »
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“I do not think, I know”: Scott Morrison’s submarine deception
When it was revealed that former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had not only shown contempt for his own government in secretly appointing himself, via the Governor-General’s approval, to five portfolios, the depths of deception seemed to be boundless. His tenure had already been marked by a spectacular, habitual tendency to conceal matters. What else Continue reading »
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Right wing media outraged by Australia’s Covid 19 response
While there are demands from right wing commentators for a Royal Commission into Australia’s mishandling of the “essentially innocuous” SARS-Cov-2 virus, in reality Australians continue to die from infection while the distressing and prevalent morbidity associated with infection is becoming clearer and clearer. Continue reading »
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AUKUS agreement a threat to peace
Reflecting the prevalent view, that the AUKUS agreement is a threat to peace, a conglomeration of peace groups (under the banner ‘Raising Peace’) brought together opponents of the agreement from the three nations involved, for an on-line discussion on September 19. Continue reading »
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Xi and Putin vow mutual support, but military backing unlikely, analysts say
Leaders of China and Russia agree to expand cooperation in areas such as trade and agriculture, but no mention of armed forces. Continue reading »
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Biden keeps pledging direct US war with China over Taiwan
The president of the United States has once again committed the US military to direct hot war with China in the event of an attack on Taiwan, a commitment that was once again walked back by his White House handlers. Continue reading »
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Asian Media this week, 24 September
In Asian media this week, Biden makes the Taiwan Strait more dangerous. Plus: Myanmar people flee tattered economy; political role key to Xi’s anti-corruption drive; regional grouping with global heft; AUKUS and longing for Western domination; Korea looks beyond K-pop’s success Continue reading »
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