Archive 1986 – 2017

A critique of western policies vis-à-vis Iran and two pro-peace proposals The public discussion in the West addressing Iran’s nuclear program has mainly relied on threat diplomacy, articulated most clearly by Israeli officials, but enjoying the strong direct and indirect backing of Washington and leading Gulf states. Israel has also engaged in covert warfare against Iran in recent years, somewhat supported by the United States, that has inflicted violent deaths on civilians in Iran. Many members of the UN Security Council support escalating sanctions against Iran, and have not blinked when Tel Aviv and Washington talk menacingly about leaving all options on the table, which is ‘diplospeak’ for their readiness to launch a military attack.

By Scilla Elworthy who speaks with Archbishop Desmond Tutu A TalkWorks Films Special www.talkworks.info Two peace prize laureates in conversation for TalkWorks about the question of nuclear weapons, disarmament and peace. St John’s College, Oxford, Saturday May 9 2010

For et par måneder siden erklærede den islandske præsident at folketinget, Det Hvide Hus og traditionelle magtinstanser næsten er blevet et ”side show” i forhold til sociale medier. Ligeså stille bevæger vi os væk fra nationalstaten som den suveræne magtinstans til globale netværk i forskellige udformninger. Med andre ord er det folk som dig og mig, der har ansvar for, hvor verden bevæger sig hen. Men hvilke værdier skal vi handle efter i denne nye verdensorden?

From Alfàz del Pi, Spain We are heading for a new load of advice from the self-appointed “World Economic Forum”, still having fresh in mind their utter inability to come to grips with the September 2008 manifestation of the world economic crisis when they met three years ago. So, what are they going to talk about now? Lee Howell, in “The failure of governance in a hyperconnected world”, International Herald Tribune, 11 Jan 2012, gives us a preview.

By Gunnar Westberg, TFF Board The changes felt in North Korea during my visit there in October 2011 are sensed by others. In a recent issue of Science (Vol. 334, Dec 23 2011, p 1624-1625, ), there is a report from the new Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, PUST, by the scientific journalist Richard Stone.

By Mariam Abuhaideri “All the world’s a stage, 
and all the men and women merely players;
 They have their exits and their entrances;
 And one man in his time plays many parts.” Sounds familiar? What Shakespeare penned down in ‘As You Like It’ is more than mere words. The monologue captures the essence of international relations since early ages.

/10/janoberg.jpg”> If we do not care for single individuals, we care for nobody. I have met Aziz twice, 5 hours conversation in 2002 and 2003 during TFF’s fact-finding missions. He came across as a decent, very knowledgeable man. No matter what he may also have done, killing him will be a barbarian act shaming us all.

Seeking closure for the 1915 Armenian massacres Recently the National Assembly, France’s lower legislative chamber, voted to criminalize the denial of the Armenian genocide in 1915, imposing a potential prison sentence of up to one year as well as a maximum fine of 45,000 Euros. The timing of this controversial initiative seemed to represent a rather blatant Sarkozy bid for the votes of the 500,000 French citizens of Armenian descent in the upcoming presidential election.

Alfàs Del Pi, Spain The clouds are dark. And we sense one on the horizon, black; a point so far. The description of the cloud: using a major war, even with Russia-China, to revive an economy in depression; destroying capital, rebuilding.

Between them the Arab Spring and Boko Haram of northern Nigeria are doing a good job of putting Sharia law on the map. These two extremes in fact show dramatically how Sharia interpretations can vary from destructive madness as in Nigeria to calm accommodation, even liberalism, as in Tunisia. Sharia law is not only a legacy of Mohammed – he only devoted a handful of pages in the Koran to the dos and don’ts of moral life. Much comes from the Hadith, the collection of thoughts and sayings from the first couple of centuries after Mohammed’s death. Much of the Hadith is even more remote from the central text and Mohammed than some of the reflections of St Paul and the final chapter of the New Testament, the Apocalypse of John, are from Jesus and the Gospels. Boko Haram, with its bombings, appears to be causing mayhem, drawing support in...

By Francis A. Boyle Article 2 (3) of the United Nations Charter requires the pacific settlement of the international dispute between the United States and Iran. To the same effect is article 33 and the entirety of Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter that mandate and set up numerous procedures for the pacific settlement of the international dispute between the United States and Iran. And of course Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter prohibits both the threat and use of force by the United States against Iran.

2011 was an exciting and pivotal year in many respects, although its main outcomes will remain inconclusive for years to come.  We will learn in 2012 whether we are moving closer to fulfilling our hopes, dreams, and goals or are trying to interpret and overcome a recurrence of disappointment and demoralization with respect to progressive change in world affairs. The stakes for some societies, and for humanity, have rarely been higher.