World
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China keeps aggressively surrounding itself with US bases: notes from the edge of The Narrative Matrix
It still amazes me how many people who fancy themselves anti-establishment critical thinkers will spend all day mindlessly regurgitating mainstream media lines about China. Continue reading »
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As the world fixates on Ukraine, another war is brewing in the Middle East
As war rages in Ukraine, another conflict is ready to explode in the Middle East as the US and its allies confront Iran over its nuclear programme, supply of drones to Russia, and repression of anti-government protests. Continue reading »
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Taiwan voters consider President Tsai’s hostile relationship with China to be fool hardy
Those vested in the ‘the coming war with China’ may need to rethink. Continue reading »
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How the US is rupturing the Transatlantic alliance with Europe
We are at an inflexion point in world affairs in which the economies of Europe and East Asia are paying the price for a misguided US strategy to re-establish its position as leader of a unipolar world and defeat competition from China and Russia. Continue reading »
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Taiwan reunification: US benefits from cross-straits divisions
Although the United States often expresses concerns over the possibility of Taiwan being reunified with its motherland by force, it claims to support consensual reunification. This, however, could not be further from the truth, and its own national interests dictate otherwise. It benefits enormously from cross-Straits divisions, and the last thing it wants to see Continue reading »
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The book that changed me: Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem and the problem of terrifying moral complacency
Hannah Arendt published Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil in 1963. Over the next two decades alone, it would be republished some 30 times, first in the United States and then Britain, as debate swirled around both its arguments and its author. Continue reading »
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America’s Taiwan endgame options
We could hardly expect, nowadays, that the US would ever have China’s best interests at heart (or vice versa). But ultimately, neither does the US have the best interests of Taiwan at heart. It is the perceived hegemonic security interests of a fearful America that unquestionably dominate how America identifies what matters most of all: Continue reading »
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French ambassador: US ‘rules-based order’ means Western domination, violating international law
France’s ex US Ambassador Gérard Araud criticised Washington for frequently violating international law and said its so-called “rules-based order” is an unfair “Western order” based on “hegemony.” He condemned the new cold war on China, instead calling for mutual compromises. Continue reading »
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Ukraine: The other side of the story
It appears that wherever one looks or reads there are calls for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine: no other event is called for; in other words, capitulation by Russia. Continue reading »
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An open letter to Bill Gates on food, farming, and Africa
We, 50 organisations focused on food sovereignty and justice worldwide, want you to know there is no shortage of practical solutions and innovations by African farmers and organisations. We invite you to step back and learn from those on the ground. Continue reading »
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The US military empire: a visual database
The United States of America, unlike any other nation, maintains a massive network of foreign military installations around the world. Continue reading »
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The biggest threat to capitalism? Purveyors of mistrust
If social trust is good for society, and for the economy overall, why is such a decline in trust occurring? The simple answer is because some businesses make money from distrust. Continue reading »
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Chinese geopolitical inroads into central Asia are coming at Russia’s expense
At the recent Commonwealth for Independent States (CIS) summit held on October 14 in Astana, Kazakhstan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon expressed previously inconceivable remarks. Continue reading »
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Australian Climate Council’s weasel words demonstrates complete lack of understanding
It seems that the majority of participants in COP27, and indeed the directors of our own peak advisory body, have no comprehension that, if we want to avoid uncontrollable, runaway warming incompatible with life and society as we know it, our global carbon budget is already spent. Continue reading »
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How the Supreme Court likely handed control of the House to Republicans
Democrats had a surprisingly good election night last week. They held on to a number of critical Senate seats, won key gubernatorial races, and, shockingly still, had a slight avenue to hold on to control of the House of Representatives, despite historic headwinds and virtually no margin for error. Still, Republicans are currently forecast to win Continue reading »
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Respected American journalist demolishes Biden’s approach to China
I’ve given up being amazed at how stupidly the Biden administration conducts its diplomacy with China and, by extension, Asia altogether. I spend my time now being amazed at how stupid these people assume the Chinese and other Asians to be. Continue reading »
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Israel is not suddenly a more racist state. It is simply growing more confident about admitting its racism to the world
The most disturbing outcome of Israel’s general election this week was not the fact that an openly fascist party won the third-biggest tally of seats, or that it is about to become the lynchpin of the next government. It is how little will change, in Israel or abroad, as a result. Continue reading »
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After decades putting the brakes on global action, does Australia deserve to host UN Climate Talks with Pacific nations?
As the COP27 climate talks got underway in Egypt this week, climate and energy minister Chris Bowen announced Australia would bid to co-host the annual United Nations climate summit with Pacific island nations in 2026. Continue reading »
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Ukraine and Russia’s second front is a propaganda war. But who is winning?
Since Russia launched its “special military operation” into neighbouring Ukraine, media, political organisations and researchers in Ukrainian allied countries have accused Moscow of launching a propaganda blitzkrieg meant to justify the invasion. Continue reading »
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A harmonious future: In loving our faith, appreciating others
The number of conflicts finding a basis in religion is unfortunately long, with these conflicts bringing much suffering to our world. Continue reading »
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Reconstructing China’s role in regional security
Today the possibility of consolidating an inclusive regional architecture for comprehensive security in the Asia Pacific has become almost inconceivable. This is because on-going China–US tension appears to have excluded that option. Continue reading »
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2022: Democracy takes a gap year, US hegemony is over
Nations holding their breath for democracy may suffocate. If the US is still the leader of the free world, its followers are dwindling, as several summits in November will show. Continue reading »
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G20 forecast: Bleak outlook, chances of thunder
It’s the meeting season in Indonesia, but the chances of viable offspring are slim. Too much hate, too little harmony. That’s bad news for all. Continue reading »
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Australia on the losing side again: “We see you as an easy lay”
Sooner or later, probably later, NATO plus Australia will be contemplating the consequences of not having won the war in Ukraine. Continue reading »
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Australia is addicted to fighting other people’s wars
How do we explain that half the Australian community thinks we should go to war with China? After twenty years of conflict in the Middle East, will our addiction to war and our insouciance about its consequences finally catch up with us in an American war over Taiwan? Continue reading »
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8 billionth human: Has the population bomb exploded?
Sometime in the next few weeks, human being number 8,000,000,000 will enter the world. But what sort of a world will they inherit? Continue reading »
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B52’s mark the demise of Australia as a self-reliant nation
News that the US plans to base six B52’s at RAAF, Tindal, will likely change the dynamic, in what has admittedly been a half-hearted attempt by Australia, at improving relations with China. Continue reading »
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Secrecy and empire
Under the guise of protecting the national interest, Australia’s security establishment acts in secret to uphold the global US-led imperial order. Continue reading »
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The long, indecisive war in Ukraine is reshaping the political world map
“The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time,” Continue reading »
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New study finds the rest of the world supports China and Russia
The US is preparing to station multiple nuclear-capable B-52 bombers in northern Australia in what the mass media are calling a “signal to China,” yet another example of Australia’s forced subservience as a US military/intelligence asset. Continue reading »
