Clipmarks | pascual's 'conflict' clips

the G-3

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:16:53 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: spiegel

How could the next world war be averted? There does exist a tripartite coalition that could engineer the triumph of globalization over geopolitics: The American working class supports Chinese workers by shopping at Wal-Mart, while its upper class spends on European cars and luxury items; both Europe and China buy American technology; and America's General Motors and Boeing and Europe's Airbus can attribute much of their profits to reduced costs derived from production in -- and sales to -- China. Capital markets allow for endless profit for all rather than a zero-sum competition. Furthermore, the "cult of the offensive" does not dominate military strategy today. In an age of nuclear weaponry, few believe that initiating conflict entails quick victory with minimal loss. Never has historian A.J.P. Taylor's adage been more true: If the goal of being a great power is to be able to fight a great war, the only way to remain a great power is not to fight one.

Tags: globalization, politics

western democracy or rule of law

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:07:44 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: globalist

Clip Source: www.theglobalist.com

Pan Wei berates Westerners for misunderstanding their own political systems. We assume, he says, that our countries are stable and prosperous because of democracy. But we confuse the benefits we get from democracy with those that we get from the rule of law.

Pan Wei argues that democracy and the rule of law do not need to go together — in fact, like "Ying" and "Yang," they are in constant conflict with one another. Democracy is about giving power to the people, but the rule of law is about putting limits on that power.

Tags: china, politics

Congo's de-development

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:45:23 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: Telegraph

Clip Source: www.boston.com

The normal laws of development are inverted ... the forest, not the town, offers the safest sanctuary, and it is grandfathers who have been more exposed to modernity than their grandchildren. (The chief had been school in Kalemie, and he could remember when cars used to pass through every few days. Now only bush tracks remain.)

Tags: africa, development, conflict

who sells arms and to whom

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:31:44 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: eco

Clip Source: www.economist.com

The world's biggest arms exporters

JUST five countries supplied 80% of global arms exports between 2003 and 2007, according to a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a think-tank. SIPRI counts the deliveries of large conventional weapons, each of which are assigned a value according to cost, strategic importance and other criteria. America supplied a third of global exports by this count, with South Korea and Israel the main buyers. China is Russia's best customer, taking 45% of its total exports. China is also the largest recipient of imports, accounting for 12% of the global total. Other big importers include India and the United Arab Emirates.

Tags: economy, conflict

on mandela

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:20:16 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: intellife

Clip Source: www.moreintelligentlife.com

a part

Machel observes no lingering pain from his incarceration, aside from his guilt at missing his children as they grew up. "He developed a selective memory and he cherished the good things. Maybe it is of him having decided not to be bitter, so he talks of the positive side." Bill Clinton tells of asking Mandela if he was angry about the years lost to jail. Mandela said that he felt furious until the night before his release, when he decided to quash his emotions, because "if I stay bitter, then they will still have my mind in prison."

Tags: africa, society, conflict

guns in america

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:58:38 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: the actual percentage is around 10, not 15.

Clip Source: www.theglobalist.com

According to the United Nations, there are about 600 million light weapons in circulation, which cause 500,000 deaths each year.

The UN estimates 300,000 of these deaths occur as a result of armed conflict — while the other 200,000 are the result of crime.

The dangerous United States

If this figure is accurate, it means that while just 5% of the world’s citizens live in the United States, 15% of the world’s crime-related gun deaths take place there.

Tags: society, violence

USA foreign policy

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 23:13:57 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: project syndicate

Clip Source: www.project-syndicate.org

All of these problems can be solved only through long-term sustainable economic development. Yet the United States persists in responding to symptoms rather than to underlying conditions by trying to address every conflict by military means.

Tags: international

global arms trade

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 21:57:10 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: le monde

Clip Source: mondediplo.com

Provoked by US dealings in the Middle East, Syria and Iran may turn to China or Russia, which are both now a force in the market. Niger is worried about France’s “gifts” to Libya – which has recently claimed about 30,000 square km of oil- and uranium-rich Niger territory. The White House favourite, Israel, is no longer content to import and is now the number one supplier of arms to Colombia. And Colombia’s firepower, combined with US hostility, is a source of concern to Venezuela, which is turning to Russia for help in modernising its armaments. Other suppliers are emerging: India, South Korea, South Africa. The sector has never seen so much activity. By the end of 2006, expenditure on military equipment had reached an unprecedented $1,058.9bn (5).

Tags: conflict, globalization

dignity before civilisation

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 22:53:32 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: opendemocracy

Clip Source: www.opendemocracy.net

I have also tried to explain why I believe that human rights provide the best roadmap for this investigation. The principles of the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration and the other human rights instruments adopted in the last half-century are the closest we have to a universal code of conduct. These instruments provide the necessary building blocks to ensure that our common humanity is an inclusive one, built on values such as tolerance and dignity. The commitments they embody have been accepted voluntarily. It is the responsibility of all to ensure that they are respected.

Tags: globalization, conflict

scowcroft on iraq in august 15th 2002

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:37:11 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: wall street journal

Clip Source: www.opinionjournal.com

Given Saddam's aggressive regional ambitions, as well as his ruthlessness and unpredictability, it may at some point be wise to remove him from power. Whether and when that point should come ought to depend on overall U.S. national security priorities. Our pre-eminent security priority--underscored repeatedly by the president--is the war on terrorism. An attack on Iraq at this time would seriously jeopardize, if not destroy, the global counterterrorist campaign we have undertaken.

Tags: conflict

world public opinion on UN

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 02:42:18 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: pipa

Clip Source: www.worldpublicopinion.org

“Despite well-publicized disagreements over the role of the United Nations in world affairs, this survey clearly shows that international public opinion has coalesced around the notion that the UN should be the vehicle for conflict resolution and international cooperation on a wide variety of pressing problems,”

Tags: globalization

sachs on darfur

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 23:57:57 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: project-syndicate

Clip Source: www.project-syndicate.org

The only way to sustainable peace is through sustainable development. If we are to reduce the risk of war, we must help impoverished people everywhere, not only in Darfur, to meet their basic needs, protect their natural environments, and get onto the ladder of economic development.

Tags: conflict

on vatican diplomacy

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:57:42 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: eco

Clip Source: economist.com

Instead of claiming to practise a form of inter-governmental diplomacy, it could renounce its special diplomatic status and call itself what it is—the biggest non-governmental organisation in the world.

Tags: international, conflict

on abu ghraib

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 02:06:06 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: sciam

Clip Source: www.sciam.com

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who knew a few things about the capacity for evil inside all of our hearts of darkness, explained it trenchantly in The Gulag Archipelago: “If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

Tags: conflict

on terrorism

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:59:42 GMT

clipped by: pascual
clipper's remarks: spiegel

Clip Source: www.spiegel.de

Some people say that setting up talks with terror groups would grant them too much legitimacy. But, in my view, declaring war on a terror group is actually the most effective way of granting legitimacy.

Tags: globalization, conflict