World
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The Ukraine war prequel
Americans will not support those who seek independence in order to replace a far-off tyranny with a local despotism. They will not aid those who promote a suicidal nationalism based upon ethnic hatred. President George H W Bush to the Ukraine parliament, August 1991. Quoted in Lawrence Freedman, Ukraine and the Art of Strategy, Oxford Continue reading »
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Sex, lies – but no videotape
Governments love distractions and there’s a doozy gripping the people next door: A lurid tabloid tale running for five weeks and counting is keeping electors focussed on spice rather than the erosion of democracy and corruption controls. Continue reading »
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Wayne Hudson: The importance of creating much greater cultural dialogue between China and Australia as soon as possible
The Chinese Ambassador is trying for a reset and it is tragic that his efforts have been misunderstood and perhaps wilfully so. Continue reading »
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Following the war in Ukraine
To write in real terms about war is not to condone war. War is an inappropriate activity for a species calling itself sapiens. Continue reading »
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Ice age conditions after even “limited” nuclear war would starve billions
An important new study published in Nature Food on 15 August by Lili Xia and Alan Robock of Rutgers University together with colleagues around the globe shows just how dangerous even a “limited” nuclear war in one part of the world would be. Continue reading »
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Marape returned as Prime Minister in Papua New Guinea
On 9 August, with the date for the extension of writs having been extended by a week but still only 99 of the 118 seats declared in country’s recent national election, Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament met to elect a prime minister. Continue reading »
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Marwan Bishara: Why Israel hates the Palestinians so much
Israel’s hatred of the Palestinians is shaped and driven by three basic sentiments. Continue reading »
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The goading of China continues day after day. Pelosi was just the most recent deliberate provocation
The path to war in Asia – crossing the Rubicon. Continue reading »
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Eva Bartlett: The West is silent as Ukraine targets civilians in Donetsk using banned ‘butterfly’ mines
The use of PFM-1 explosives against civilians is prohibited by the Geneva Conventions—but this evidently isn’t stopping Ukraine. Continue reading »
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The demonisation of China in the US goes on and on
In a recent exchange in the comments section of a United States media publication that is dedicated to a civil exchange of views and to abjuring the demonisation of differing views that is so common in the US, I found nonetheless a deeply entrenched demonisation of China. Continue reading »
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Truth, lies, and pandemics
Are we being lied to about the origins of the pandemic? Continue reading »
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Ending the Ukraine and other wars: putting victims at the centre
A common response from Western nations to the Ukraine war is one of “support for Ukraine” or “standing with Ukraine” as it suffers ongoing attack from Russia. Continue reading »
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Moon Chung-in: ‘Cynicism rears its head in the war in Ukraine’
In the end, all of the players involved will need to return to realism and prioritise a peaceful resolution. History teaches us that wars only truly end through diplomatic compromise. Continue reading »
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These Untied States
In a recent New Yorker, Andrew Marantz paints a grim prospect of the United States becoming more like Viktor Orban’s Hungary, when a Republican President and Congress, a real possibility after the 2024 elections, use the full range of constitutional possibilities to maintain a government that does not represent a majority of the American population. Continue reading »
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Terms of condescension: The language of Australia’s “Pacific Family”
When will this nonsense on familial connection between Australia and the Pacific end? In 2018, Australia’s then Pentecostal Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, drew upon a term that his predecessors had not. On November 8 that year, he announced that Australia’s engagement with the region would be taken to another level, launching a “new chapter in Continue reading »
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The revolution industry and how the Hong Kong police were targeted
Professional destabilisers worked with activists for years to distort reality in Hong Kong, writes Phill Hynes. And there’s a specific reason why the destruction of the reputation of the city’s police became a key target. Continue reading »
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The sufferings of the North Korean people are a blot on the conscience and humanity of the West
Just twenty years ago the world had the chance to put an end to this suffering. It said no, and allowed a Japanese leader, Abe Shinzo, to impose his sadistic will on that long traumatised nation. Continue reading »
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A good ally is not a faithful well-armed dog but a thoughtful calm advisor reflecting its own national interests
As the Australian prime minister heads for the Nato summit in Madrid on 29-30 June, there is churn in the global strategic situation. The Albanese government has thus far taken strongly supportive positions towards US policy in both Asia and Ukraine. We are supporting flawed postures. Continue reading »
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US will stop being a democracy most Americans say
MOST Republicans and Democrats believe that the United States will cease to be a democracy, according to a new poll by Yahoo News and YouGov. Continue reading »
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RYAN YOUNG. Elon Musk’s gambit: Twitter and Free Speech
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has sharpened philosophical and epistemic differences over speech and content moderation. He will create an interesting natural experiment between different moderation approaches on platforms, if he is successful in changing the philosophical attitudes at Twitter. Continue reading »
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EU’s report on Hong Kong SAR a twisted narrative
Despite destructive chaos right in Europe’s own backyard, its politicians still find substantial time to lecture China on how its Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should be run. Continue reading »
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The immoral army
One of the regular refrains from the Israeli government is that they have “the most moral army” on Earth. Continue reading »
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JAKE LYNCH: Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism
The murder by an Israeli sniper of the Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist Shirin Abu Akleh, and the police attack on mourners at her funeral, are not incidental to Zionism, but integral to it. The ‘Green Line’ that bounds the territory the rest of the world regards as belonging to Israel is purely provisional, with no Continue reading »
