politics

Created
Wed, 12/06/2024 - 04:59
We, the undersigned, urge the Australian Government to pursue a policy towards the Israeli-Hamas war which is more transparent, consistent and principled than currently is the case. We are not enemies of Israel. Most certainly, we hold no sympathy for Hamas, whose brutal attacks on 7 October 2023 unleashed another bout of Israeli-Palestinian bloodletting. To Continue reading »
Created
Tue, 11/06/2024 - 04:56
President Biden’s bellicose nationalism was again on display during the D-Day commemorations. In a pair of addresses, Biden not only sacralised war and exalted the virtues of ‘the American’. In the finest populist tradition, he misrepresented the history of the Second World War to rally Europeans to never-ending-war. It all passed with little real deconstruction Continue reading »
Created
Tue, 11/06/2024 - 04:56
Somalia, Syria, Myanmar, Boko Haram – and Israel. Together, and not by coincidence. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ decision to add Israel to the blacklist of countries that harm children insulted and shocked Israel. We and Syria? Yes, we and Syria. In Israel, everyone went on the attack, but no one asked: What did we think Continue reading »
Created
Tue, 11/06/2024 - 04:27
Primary school students learn in their early days that accountability is a keystone of democracy. Not far into secondary school that reassuring notion is tempered as schoolies get to appreciate that for governments accountability equals political risk. It’s a pain in ministerial necks and should be kept within bounds sufficient to minimise electoral discomfort. These Continue reading »