In this blog I write about world affairs, presenting a view of the world free from NATO propaganda.
Peace Anthropology and Development Anthropology and History are the tools with which I analyze international affairs, as part of a world-wide web of people working for peace through Transcend, UNIDIR and other agencies. Terrorism? This is largely political propaganda: my EPES Mandala Consulting group specialized in “terrorism” and far more people die each year from road accidents or from the flu, than from terror attacks. A lot of news is fear-mongering and most comes from a small number of corporate and government sources. Investigative journalists are a threatened species.
“I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.”
The latest report of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva highlights the changing nature of warfare from bilateral and internal armed splits, to regional conflicts. One reason for this, is neglect by the United States and its NATO allies of an historical and geo-strategic truism: we need buffer states to avoid direct confrontation between regional powers.
Read MoreNATO’s summit in Wales (September 4-5) was BAD NEWS for peace makers, and bad for all world citizens. Led by the pugilistic David Cameron, and urged on by the gladiatorial military that pushes Barack Obama’s policy machine, the NATO summit decided to create a new 4,000 strong rapid reaction force for initial deployment in the Baltic…. And then where will this policy lead us?
Read MoreBut whether you believe that NATO is a force for peace and stability, or a malevolent and militaristic alliance of bully-states, what Trump said about defense is hardly reassuring. He signaled his intention to increase military spending by $54 billion: meaning the Pentagon will get an increase of 10% over its current regular budget.
Read MoreLet it be clear that I am not in favor of chemical weapons, and I am shocked by the death of 1000 people in a suburb of Damascus – whether the sarin gas was used by Assad’s troops or by Al-Qaeda, it is appalling. But I am even more appalled by the deaths of 100,000 Syrians during the civil war of the past two years. How can killing more Syrians using Cruise Missiles, possibly help the situation?
Read MoreThe Trailblazer concept was born to inspire a new generation of advocacy. Made by artisans from aluminum bomb shrapnel and other materials safely collected in Laos with the assistance of demining teams, this unique bangle tells the story of decades of history, healing, and hope — the pillars upon which Legacies of War’s mission is constructed.
Read MoreDavid Brooks draws (in his Op-Ed in the NYT) from this story a set of political conclusions that are unjustified by anything we know about Syria or the region we vaguely think of as the ‘Middle East’. The journalistic expression ‘Arab Spring’ is unhelpful. Libya’s bloody civil war is ‘Spring’? Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings against 80-year-old military dictators have warped our sense of reality. Syria has nothing in common with Tunisia… but it has a lot in common with Iraq next-door, teetering on the brink of civil war since the American invasion of 2003.
Read MoreTalal was shot by a terrorist armed by Saudis and Qataris. They are fanatics committed to establishing a radical, Salafist, Wahabbist Empire across Asia and Africa. They fund Al Qaeda in Mali, and Boko Haram in Nigeria, and they want to overthrow the Shia regime in Iraq. These ‘rebels’ do not want freedom: they want power. Do Secretary Hillary Clinton and Ambassador Susan Rice not understand this?
Read MoreBoris Johnson announced that he had full confidence in Pritti Patel: he has ignored the bullying, and ignored Sir Alex Allan’s advice. Sir Alex, who also served Johnson’s two predecessors, said: “I feel that it is right that I should now resign from my position as the prime minister’s independent adviser on the ministerial code.” In British etiquette, that is a slap in the face of the PM. Sir Alex refuses to work for a man who condones bullying ..... by allowing a woman to abuse her staff by bullying.
Read MoreRobert Fisk, who has died at the age of 74, was one of his generation’s best-known foreign correspondents, admired for his indomitable courage and inimitable writing skills, but sometimes criticized for a lack of objectivity and exaggeration in his reports. His reputation rested primarily on his frontline coverage of wars and civil conflict in the Middle East and Islamic world.
Read MorePeace proved to be Possible, even after thirty years of Cambodian Civil War. As proponents of Peace Journalism in a world of wars and conflicts, a conflict resolution and disarmament success story is a precious commodity. Cambodia at the turn of the Millennium provided such a story.
Read MoreIt is 40 years since President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing created UNIDIR. I work for peace, and I worked for one of my favourite peace organizations: UNIDIR in Geneva, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.
Read More20 Oct 2020 – It was satisfying to read Ben Norton’s exposé of the NATO propaganda machine in Syria. How right he is! A recent analysis posted on TMS in 13 Jan 2020 of press reports in Swiss and Austrian media, showed that 80% come from AP, AFP or Reuters: our ‘free’ press is not free of bias.
Read MoreProfessor Johan Galtung, the Norwegian ‘Father of Peace Studies’ celebrates his 90th birthday on United Nations Day 24/10/2020, the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
Read MoreA tale about obtaining a visa and traveling in Nigeria.
Read MoreTwo good presidential announcements in France today !
Read MoreIn this book I am telling the story how we disarmed the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia using wit, bluff, and balloons. A fascinating story and a good read for lay-persons and experts alike; the book includes detailed advice for peace practitioners and disarmament experts.
Read MoreSISTER CITIES are meant to promote knowledge and exchange between people. We start the conversations between Virginia and West Africa through two important texts.
Read MoreCitizen Diplomacy builds international understanding, and the Richmond’s Sister City relationship is intended to build relationships with their twinned cities. In my case, this means primarily Ségou, second city of Mali for which the citizen support group Virginia Friends of Mali was created.
Read MoreWe have created the Sister City relationship between Richmond in Virginia, and Ségou. The idea is that people who know each other, may like each other, gain respect for each other, and promote peaceful understanding.
Read MoreThis text is based on a talk I delivered in Abuja on 20th April 2004 to a conference of senior ambassadors and officials who included the Nigerian Minister of Defense and of Foreign Affairs and the chiefs of staff of all the Nigerian armed forces. Some of it was also published as an opinion piece in The Comet newspaper of Lagos.
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