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Suppose the United States State Department was tasked during World War II to assess whether Adolf Hitler’s extermination camps violated international humanitarian law (IHL). Suppose the State Department used the same Orwellian language as was displayed regarding Israel in its May 9, 2024, Report to Congress under Section 2 of the National Security Memorandum on Continue reading »
A legal ruling in Australia this week sentencing military whistleblower David McBride to 5 years imprisonment for disobeying orders to expose war crimes has stood the principles established at the Nuremberg trials on its head. David McBride, found guilty, has been sentenced to 5 years and 8 months imprisonment (2 years 3 months non-parole). His Continue reading »
The disgraceful current state of Asian studies in general and Chinese studies in particular suggests a glance back at the mid-1970s to the early 2000s, when the situation was, if not always greater in a numerical sense, at least much more productive, enthusiastic and forward-looking, and generally much more hopeful. One thing is very clear. Continue reading »
It’s said you can tell a government’s true priorities from what it does in its budget. If so, the top priority of Anthony Albanese’s government is not to have any priorities. Rather than focusing on fixing the most pressing of our many problems, his preference is to be seen doing a little to alleviate all Continue reading »
In spruiking their coming “Future Made in Australia” policies PM Albanese and Treasurer Chalmers have singled out for a possible government “helping hand” projects designed to promote our role in their hoped-for future renewable, green economy. But if government “helping hands” are thinkable they could be applied in other areas as well. One area crying Continue reading »
Richard Flanagan has done us a favour. His recent book, Question 7, takes us back to the creation of atomic bombs, and to their use against people, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Those bombs played an indirect but pivotal role in Flanagan’s family. They are directly pivotal in humanity’s story. After many decades of habituation to Continue reading »
Can Australian citizens break away from the decaying major parties to elect independent MPs that will fight for their constituents, not sectional interests? Former Senator Margaret Reynolds interviews founder of Australian Community Futures Planning, Bronwyn Kelly, in this must watch P&I podcast. Video: Audio: Continue reading »
The recent horrific murders of several women have sparked widespread calls to tackle the scourge of domestic violence. Some commentators have pointed fingers at social media, and internet usage more generally. Pernicious impacts include intolerance of others, especially through ‘echo chambers’ where users reinforce existing prejudices. Suggested remedies include various forms of bans or controls, Continue reading »
Hundreds of thousands of people are being forced to flee, once again, after more than half of Gaza’s population took sanctuary in the border town of Rafah. This is part of Israel’s sadistic playbook. Run, the Israelis demand, run for your lives. Run from Rafah the way you ran from Gaza City, the way you Continue reading »
Climate scientists reveal data that earth’s heating is accelerating, heat extremes are increasing and 1.5C has been breached faster than forecast. We are failing to treat climate change as the single greatest threat to humanity. At the same time our government has announced a gas strategy which increases emissions and the earth’s heating. Either we Continue reading »