Despite celebrating 12 months of surviving the Russian onslaught, promises of more money and military equipment (including tanks) from the West, and a chorus of support for the courage and resilience of the people, the war appears almost over for Ukraine. There are four reasons for thinking this. First, as the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal explains, public Continue reading »
World
As the war drags on, sympathy is growing for Russia as the underdog fighting the behemoth North American and EU economies. The West would get more support for its cause in Ukraine if it is seen to be pushing for either a peace proposal or a fair compromise on Ukraine. Why hasn’t 85 per cent Continue reading »
Faced with a ‘mini-Chernobyl’ in Ohio and bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines, the Chinese balloon was a distraction White House needed. A stray Chinese spy balloon, a train wreck involving deadly chemicals, and an act of state-sponsored sabotage or terrorism – which events do you think have a greater impact on the actual safety Continue reading »
The ‘your atrocity is worse than my atrocity’ argument at the core of Richard Cribb’s response to Richard Culllen over Japan needs to be handled with care. Japan’s apologists can and do point to the very civilised treatment of Russian and German prisoners in the China wars at the beginning of the last century. They Continue reading »
I hope this article will turn out to be a short communication because my hand trembles with indignation as I write. I refer to the article “Why history does not disqualify Japan as an ally: a reply to Richard Cullen” by Robert Cribb Feb 21, 2023. In his refutation of Richard Cullen’s contribution, he made the Continue reading »
The world was a very dangerous place in the late 1960s. It is again. This time the danger is in Asia as well as Europe, as highlighted by John Lyons’s recent two-part series on the ABC. The difference is key leaders in the late 1960’s acted to reduce the risks. The US and the USSR Continue reading »
Despite the grilling he got in two separate parliamentary hearings last week, Reserve Bank governor Dr Philip Lowe’s explanation of why he was preparing mortgage borrowers for yet further interest rate increases didn’t quite add up. There seemed to be something he wasn’t telling us – and I think I know what it was. We Continue reading »
The anniversary of the war in Ukraine was accompanied by high level visits to both Moscow and Kviv. One visit appears to offer at least a glimmer of hope and the other presents a picture of more destruction, suffering and death. Chinese foreign minister Wang’s meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov and president Putin Continue reading »
A key feature of following the news and reporting from mainstream Western media today is the relentless China bashing. It is off the charts, tiring, and often regurgitated trivia or fabricated stories with no evidence to support callous statements about the country, demonstrating a deep lack of understanding. But it continues to be churned out Continue reading »
Testimony of Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs University Professor at Columbia University UN Security Council Session on the Nord Stream Pipeline Destruction February 21, 2023 As Delivered My name is Jeffrey D. Sachs. I am University Professor at Columbia University. I am a specialist in the global economy, including global trade, finance, infrastructure, and economic statecraft. I Continue reading »