4s23| Talking freedom in Kyiv — with Timothy Snyder
UkraineCurt Readings & Musings [2024 s 23]
Hello possums!
We recommend these essays by Dr Timothy Snyder :—
☼¶ ☼Timothy Snyder ☼Launches in Ukraine Senses of a word and of a struggle
Talking freedom in Kyiv Two years ago and today
If you’re reading only one, read the second, ‘Talking Freedom’.
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All of these essays by
☼¶ ☼Timothy Garton Ash
☼Biden, don’t embolden Putin with your timidity
The West is nuts not to fund Ukraine
War in Ukraine - where is the Western leadership?
are worth reading. If you’re reading just one, go for
‘War in Ukraine - where is the Western leadership?’
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☼¶ ☼Sarcastosaurus (Tom Cooper) recommends (rightly, ioo):—
☼Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel: The Collapsing Western World The Postwar world order is dead, the cause: self-inflicted wounds. Contrasting the support offered to Ukraine and Israel reveals the fatal flaw in Western leadership. tl;dr: it hardly exists. Andrew Tanner
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We think this essay
☼¶ ☼Fr Thomas Plant [Anglican theologian in Japan]
☼
Are all religions really "paths to God"? Why I respectfully differ from Pope Francis
is brilliant. And not a whiff of ‘odium theologicum’!
Cheers dears!
+The Woes of the West+
☼☼America and Other Problems☼☼
☼¶ Foreign Affairs (The Council on Foreign Relations [US])
Reagan Didn’t Win the Cold War How a Myth About the Collapse of the Soviet Union Leads Republicans Astray on China By Max Boot
A Two-State Solution That Can Work The Case for an Israeli-Palestinian Confederation By Omar M. Dajani and Limor Yehuda
☼¶ Moscow Times
J.D. Vance Is Wrong About Ukraine … Again By Elena Davlikanova The Republican [Candidate] Vice President has based his so-called peace plan for Ukraine on bad ideas and myths that jeopardize the embattled country’s future.
☼¶ The Atlantic
The Americans Who Yearn for Anti-American Propaganda Russian-backed influencers with an authoritarian message find a ready audience. By Anne Applebaum
Autocrats Win by Capturing the Courts When justice seems like a joke, autocracy becomes more serious. By Anne Applebaum and Peter Pomerantsev
☼¶ ☼Polemology Positions and Osborne Ink (Matt Osborne)
☼The Things We Lose By Winning Notes on a bipartisan project
☼¶ ☼Sarcastosaurus (Tom Cooper)
☼When even Intelligence Services are crying for Help...
☼¶ ☼After Babel &c. (Jon Haidt, Jean Twenge & al.)
☼The Worst Argument That Social-Media Companies Use to Defend Themselves Why are tech leaders so adamant about pushing their creations on other people’s [children], while protecting their own?
☼¶ ☼Daniel W. Drezner
☼Donald Trump and JD Vance Are Attempting Domestic Terrorism by Proxy The GOP ticket is wreaking violent havoc in its own backyard.
☼¶ ☼Persuasion (Yascha Mounk & al.)
☼The Mexican State is Being Vandalized Hollowing out courts while playing footsie with the cartels, Mexico’s President AMLO is leaving office, but not power. Quico Toro
'The Art of Living' in Springfield, Ohio What John Gardner's masterful short story tells us about ourselves. By Scott Samuelson
You’re Allowed to Call Trump a Threat to Democracy Political violence is an intolerable threat to our nation. It isn’t the only one. William Kristol and Andrew Egger
BBC Disinformation Watch
US ELECTION -
How Trump's 'They're eating the pets' outburst evolved from online rumours = Trump campaign claims Harris 'wore secret earring earpiece during debate' = Baseless claim about Harris crash spread by mysterious website = NYT: Iran emerges as major disruptor of US election = US alleges Russia funded US media company linked to right-wing social media stars
= RUSSIA INFLUENCE
= CONSEQUENCES OF DISINFORMATION
= OTHER - Australia: Musk calls Australia 'fascist' over proposed disinformation fines
= TECHNOLOGY - Australia: Senator creates deepfake video of PM to highlight risks of AI
☼¶ ☼Researching Ukraine (Benjamin Cook)
☼RFK Jr and Donald Trump Jr Show How Much They Understand Nuclear Deterrence Spoiler Alert... they don't.
+... and in the Left corner ...+
☼☼For everyone, but of special interest to Social Democrats, Bolshevik imperialists, and other lefties☼☼
☼¶ ☼Nick Cohen (Writing from London)
☼Labour: Too crippled by caution to rescue the UK? Lowdown interview with Rafael Behr
☼¶ Foreign Affairs (The Council on Foreign Relations [US])
Where Capitalism Is Working What the World Can Learn From Switzerland, Taiwan, and Vietnam By Ruchir Sharma
+Wayfarers’ Watch+
☼☼For everyone, but especially for people interested in religion and theology☼☼
This lovely ikon from Sudan, of a wide-eyed St Anne1 with a finger across her lips (“Lo, a mystery”) illustrates an essay by the French Academician Jean-Luc Marion on certainty,
The Witness: Revelation Comes from Elsewhere , recommended for those interested in religion or theology. We think it sorts out some of the confusion about revealed religion.
The Witness: Revelation Comes from Elsewhere Jean-Luc Marion on certainty.
M. Marion refers to
The Question of Mimesis and Peter's Denial by René Girard
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This excellent exposition comes from Fr Jim Martin :—
☼¶ ☼Outreach (a lesbigatesque Catholic resource from New York)
Why do the disciples not understand suffering? Twenty-Fourth Sunday per annum (Is. 50:5-9a; Jas. 2:14-18; Mk. 8:27-35) James Martin, S.J.
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☼¶ ☼Vatican News, Sala Stampa &c.
Pope to people of Timor-Leste: Let your faith be your culture! Addressing government leaders, representatives of civil society, and diplomats, Pope Francis invites the Timorese people allow their principles, projects, and choices to be inspired by their faith. By Christopher Wells
Abbot Schröder elected Abbot Primate of Benedictine Confederation Abbot Jeremias Schröder from Germany is elected Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation during the Congress of Abbots meeting in Rome.
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☼¶ ☼Crux (Glendale)
Pope captures hard truth: American Catholics destined to be ‘politically homeless’ Any American who takes the full range of Catholic social teaching seriously simply cannot be comfortable in either of our major political parties. = By John L. Allen Jr.
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☼¶ ☼Hart (The brothers Addison Hodges, David Bentley & Fr Robert Hart)
☼Two uncut video interviews But we recommend the beautiful fifteen minute video of ikonograph Solrunn Ness (in which excerpts from the interviews were used).
+Femme Vitale+
☼¶ ☼Reactionary Feminist (Mary Harrington) and more
No Taboo Is Safe The sexual revolution rests on consent, but porn monetises its violation Mary Harrington
+Greensleeves+
☼☼Green News, and other material which doesn’t fit elsewhere☼☼
☼¶ _People & Nature_
Technologies that work for people, not profiteers, in the climate emergency. “Public ownership is not enough. It needs to be combined with a liberatory vision of the future, and of the ways that technologies, liberated from capital, can be re-made". Based on a talk at the Roads to Ecosocialism event by Simon Pirani
Free public transport is expanding worldwide. It is a socially just way to open up cities. It combines well with policies to cut car traffic, to actually do something about climate change. Fare Free London want it in London too.
☼¶ The Strategist — The Australian Strategic Policy Institute
A diplomat’s tantrum shows China’s insecurity in the Pacific
Jonah Bock | 6 September 2024 Beijing’s Pacific envoy threw a tantrum over a mention of Taiwan at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) last week. In doing so, he revealed China’s deeper insecurity over its Pacific presence ...
Improving ADF recruitment by acknowledging its history with the LGBTQ+ community Cameron Hendrix | 19 September 2024 Amid ADF recruiting and retention woes, outreach and support to current and future LGBTQ+ servicemembers falls short. This error is leading the ADF to miss out on strong candidates who may otherwise stay or enter ...
☼¶ Foreign Affairs (The Council on Foreign Relations [US])
The Crumbling Nuclear Order How to Save the Norms Against Testing, Building, and Using the Ultimate Weapon By Doreen Horschig and Heather Williams
+Klaus Wits+
☼☼About war☼☼
☼¶ ☼Polemology Positions and Osborne Ink (Matt Osborne)
☼Syrskyi Pushes The 'Easy Button' In Kursk Again, because it keeps working
☼¶ ☼Timothy Garton Ash
☼Biden don’t embolden Putin with your timidity
First things first, Ukraine as an independent sovereign state … has the right in international law - using all means - to defend itself. It has suffered an illegal invasion by Russia and is allowed to deploy all resources, legally by international law, to defend itself. It should be the state making the decision here - and I think Ukrainians are better able to read Putin than those in the White House [the USA presidential palace].
☼¶ ☼Comment is Freed (Sam & Lawrence Freedman)
☼Sudan: the future of war? Lawrence Freedman
☼¶ Carnegie (politika, Russia Eurasia)
Russian Military Reconstitution: 2030 Pathways and Prospects As the Kremlin’s antagonism toward Ukraine and the West sharpens, it will be critically important for policymakers and warfighters to anticipate, monitor, and respond to Russia’s military reconstitution progress in the years ahead. = by Dara Massicot
☼¶ ☼Michael Ryan (Mick, QvM/MMJ, Futura Doctrina)
☼China is Learning About Western Decision Making from the Ukraine War A Special Assessment on Ukraine and how Western decision-making is informing the strategic calculus of Chairman Xi and the CCP
☼¶ ☼Counteroffensive (Tim Mak & al.)
☼How Taiwanese chips find their way into Russian weapons of death We visited the lab in Kyiv where they take the wreckage of Russian missiles, pulling apart the Western components that make it possible for them to rain violence down on Ukraine. Oleh Tymoshenko, Tim Mak, and Elaine Lin
Know anyone who works in the defense industry? We’re launching a new trade publication: Counteroffensive Pro. It’s not for your average reader. But if you know someone who works for a defense/VC firm, who needs to track Ukrainian defense tech... Tim Mak and Myroslava Tanska-Vikulova
☼¶ CEPA, CSIS, CftNI &c.
It’s (Still) Costing Peanuts for the US to Defeat Russia By Timothy Ash = September 17, 2024 = The leading financial analyst Tim Ash sparked a major debate in 2022 with a cost-benefit analysis showing US aid to Ukraine is cheap at the price. Has anything changed?
☼¶ ☼Stefan Korshak
☼¶ Foreign Affairs (The Council on Foreign Relations [US])
Israel and the Coming Long War To Defeat Iran’s Resistance Axis, the IDF Needs a New Strategy—and a Unified Country By Assaf Orion
+Right on+
☼☼Sometimes about Conservatives and Liberals of the ‘right’☼☼
☼¶ ☼Nick Cohen (Writing from London)
☼Labour: Too crippled by caution to rescue the UK? Lowdown interview with Rafael Behr
☼¶ Foreign Affairs (The Council on Foreign Relations [US])
Where Capitalism Is Working What the World Can Learn From Switzerland, Taiwan, and Vietnam By Ruchir Sharma
☼
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+Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union+
☼☼Mostly material from the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group☼☼
Leniye Umerova and many other Ukrainian political prisoners and POWs released in major Ukraine – Russia exchange 16.09.2024
Russia confirms horrific 17-year sentence against blind and disabled Ukrainian on insane ‘terrorism’ charges
Russians savagely execute unarmed Ukrainian prisoner of war 18.09.2024
Russian invaders sentence Melitopol resident to 18 years for brazenly fake ‘thwarted saboteur plot’ 19.09.2024
+Toots etcetera+
ChrisO_wiki @ChrisO_wiki@mastodon.social
1/ The rifle regiments of Russia's 51st and 3rd armies (formerly the 1st and 2nd Army Corps of the LPR and DPR) are facing a "catastrophic shortage of people and material support", due to losses and disorganisation, according to a source in one of the regiments. …
1/ Corrupt Russian HQ troops are reported to be selling drones and other equipment donated by volunteers at a market in Donetsk city. Drone operators often have to buy drones with their own money, and fear being sent into suicidal assaults as punishment if they complain.
1/ The Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Toropets munitions depot is reported to have destroyed 20 billion rubles ($217 million) worth of ammunition. At least 10 people are said to have died. Around 30% of the site's 5 billion ruble cost of construction may have been …
1/ Corruption may have contributed to Ukraine's ability to destroy Russia's 107th GRAU arsenal at Toropets last night. The site's construction was overseen by former Deputy Minister of Defence General Dmitri Bulgakov, who was arrested for fraud in July 2024.
1/ With an estimated 200,000 men killed so far in the Ukraine war, business is booming for Russia's cemeteries. A 'cemetery mafia' is profiting by violently taking over cemeteries, funeral businesses and even hospitals, attacking funerals, and setting fire to rivals.
1/ A Russian colonel has been charged with extorting at least 1 million rubles ($10,800) from his subordinates over the last year. He is reported to have blackmailed his men and threatened to send them to join stormtrooper units, with a high chance of being killed.
1/ Russian combat medics are haphazardly trained, are not issued supplies, and are sent to die on assault missions, according to a Russian medical Telegram channel. Some commanders are said to be 'hiding' medics in UAV units to ensure they do not get used as stormtroopers.
+In the Offing+
1) Connection/Collection, an exhibition co-curated by artists Kiera Brew Kurec and Eva Heiky Olga Abbinga — until 17 November 2024 at the Ukrainian Museum of Australia in Melbourne
2) Hoping Against Hope
Monash University Library: The Gallery, ground floor, Sir Louis Matheson Library, 40 Exhibition Walk, Clayton Campus, Monash University
Viewing times: The exhibition can be viewed when the Library is open. To view current opening hours please follow this link.
Taking inspiration from the title of Ukrainian poet Lesia Ukrainka’s 1890 poem "Contra Spem Spero,” Hoping Against Hope is a contemporary and immersive exhibition developed by Monash University Library that explores the relationship between resilience, resistance and hope through 500 years of Ukrainian print culture. | With the support of the Ada Booth benefaction, the exhibition showcases Monash’s treasure trove of rare books and materials from the Library's Ada Booth Slavic Collection from 16th-century books to animated poetry and contemporary photojournalism. The exhibition also presents artwork from Classrooms Without Walls (CWW) students who are living in conflict zones in Ukraine, Myanmar and Afghanistan alongside new work from Naarm-based artist of Ukrainian descent Christy Chudosnik.
3) Dr Iryna Skubii: Cattle and Horses during the Soviet Famines in Ukraine: Towards Animal History of Famines
Time: Thursday 3 October, 1.00 p.m. AEST.
Place: Room 103, Old Arts Building, The University of Melbourne.
Abstract:
This paper explores the impact of famines and Soviet agricultural policies on cattle and horses by looking at the example of Soviet famines in Ukraine. During famines in history, the deterioration of the economic and environmental conditions in rural and urban areas had dramatic consequences, causing both people and domestic animals to die from malnutrition. Animals suffered from hunger and, at the same time, were physically exploited as a labour force, slaughtered and consumed en masse by humans due to their lack of food resources. The lack of a feeding base for livestock in private households and collective farms was the primary cause of animal mortality and disease. The paper examines the impact of famines on the survival, health and living habitats of domestic animals broadly and initiates a discussion about animal sensitive history of famines.
Iryna Skubii is the inaugural Mykola Zerov Fellow in Ukrainian Studies at the University of Melbourne. She obtained her PhD in History from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario (Canada) and a Candidate of Science degree in History from V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Ukraine). Her publications focus on Ukraine’s history of trade, consumption, materialities, and human-environmental relationships during the early Soviet period, including the Soviet famines, as well as social and environmental history. She is the author of the book Trade in Kharkiv in the Years of NEP: Economy and Everyday Life (1921-1929).
3b) Milestone in the history of Ukrainian Studies in Australia —
"The Tale of the Sunflower and Its Travels in Ukraine" — Inaugural lecture by the recently-elected Mykola Zerov Fellow in Ukrainian Studies at the University of Melbourne — Dr Iryna Skubii
Time: Tuesday 15 October 2024. Light refreshments: 5:15 p.m.; lecture: 6.15 p.m. AEDT. Place: Forum Theatre (Room 153), Arts West Building, The University of Melbourne. To register: please follow this link.
Abstract:
The sunflower, a vibrant and essential part of global cuisine, holds a unique place in Ukraine's cultural and historical landscape. Today, sunflower oil is a staple in local and regional cuisine, and the flower's bright imagery is deeply woven into the nation's cultural fabric. Yet, many might be surprised to learn that the sunflower, known as soniashnyk in Ukrainian, is not native to the local forest-steppe and steppe lands. First cultivated by Indigenous peoples in the Americas, sunflowers were introduced to Europe, then to the Russian Empire, and eventually became one of the most common crops in Ukraine. The sunflower has thrived in Eastern Europe, evolving into a cornerstone of Ukraine’s economy as the country has emerged as the world’s leading exporter of sunflower seeds and oil.
While the sunflower is a cherished icon in Ukrainian literature and art and a popular symbol of resilience, its environmental impact has not received the critical attention it deserves, particularly regarding its role in soil degradation and the spread of monoculture farming. This lecture will delve into the complex history of sunflowers within Ukraine’s economic, cultural, and environmental landscapes. By examining this agricultural plant as a source of food, cultural significance, and national wealth, the talk will illuminate the intricate relationship between sunflowers, Ukraine’s history, and its land.
The Mykola Zerov Fellowship in Ukrainian Studies is generously funded by the Ukrainian Studies Support Fund of the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria.
Those of us who have the good fortune to live in Queensland or the misfortune to live without Melbourne should not be downcast! We are assured that the inaugural lecture will be available on zoom.
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+The Living Spirit+
☼¶ ☼Tales from Old England (Brother Alexander)
☼King Alfred: David and the Psalms
+Start every day with a smile, and get it over with+
☼☼W.C. Fields — William Claude Dukenfield 1946 z 25 aged 66☼☼
Phyllis Ada Diller (20 August 2012, aged 95)
The only thing my husband and I have in common is that we were married on the same day.
☼☼
+Publication Details+
JustPeace Ukraine is published by the Rvrd Martin Arnold ☼☼Abbe.Martincurt@gmail.com☼☼ who welcomes comments & suggestions and notification of typos & errors.
For more information about Martin, go to ☼☼https://gravatar.com/martinoarnold☼☼
+Church, Art, Culture, Ethics, Politics & News+
+From religiously-identified institutions+
☼¶ ☼CathNews New Zealand, CathNews Australia
‘Proclaiming the Gospel is not about imposing one’s own faith’ Pope Francis told gatherings of clergy, religious sisters, and catechists in Indonesia and PapuaNG.
☼¶ ☼Church Life Journal of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame
Alasdair MacIntyre's Adventures in Philosophy at Notre Dame
Kenneth Sayre on a Domer history.
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Lewis Ayres on a theological category.
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Unless a Grain of Wheat Falls: A Parish Resurrection Story
Thomas Vert on a parish merger.
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Hominins, Apes, and the Imago Dei
Dylan Belton on human origins.
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The Conflict Thesis Reimagined: From Theological Reform to Secular Weapon
James Ungureanu on intellectual history.
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The Witness: Revelation Comes from Elsewhere
Jean-Luc Marion on certainty.
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Peter Andrastek on eating strategy for breakfast.
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God and the Question of Intelligent Extraterrestrials
Stephen Barr on possibilities.
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☼¶ ☼Crux (Glendale)
Pope captures hard truth: American Catholics destined to be ‘politically homeless’ Any American who takes the full range of Catholic social teaching seriously simply cannot be comfortable in either of our major political parties. = By John L. Allen Jr.
☼¶ ☼Jewish Council of Australia
Jewish Council says Australia must combine support for UK arms controls with action
Uniting against hate: Jewish Council stands with refugees facing Neo-Nazi intimidation
Jewish Council disappointed at Australia’s UN abstention, calls for strong international action to prevent Israeli war crimes
Jewish Council of Australia to speak at Senate inquiry today opposing Coalition’s divisive antisemitism Bill
https://www.jewishcouncil.com.au/news-media | To receive bulletins from JCA, write to jewishcouncil@jewishcouncil.com.au
☼¶ ☼Orthodox Christian Studies Center of Fordham University — Public Orthodoxy
A Catholic Feminist’s Journey with Orthodox Saints by Cristina Traina
The Definitive History of Fr. Raphael Morgan by Fr. Samuel Davis
In Defense of Titles: Or, In Defiance of Entitlements by Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis
☼¶ ☼Outreach (a lesbigatesque Catholic resource from New York)
Why do the disciples not understand suffering? Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Is. 50:5-9a; Jas. 2:14-18; Mk. 8:27-35) James Martin, S.J.
☼¶ ☼Psephizo
Paul wrote none of his own letters—and it really matters September 12, 2024 by Ian Paul
Does Genesis 2 offer a definition of marriage?
☼¶ ☼Vatican News, Sala Stampa &c.
Pope to people of Timor-Leste: Let your faith be your culture! Addressing government leaders, representatives of civil society, and diplomats, Pope Francis invites the Timorese people allow their principles, projects, and choices to be inspired by their faith. By Christopher Wells
Abbot Schröder elected Abbot Primate of Benedictine Confederation Abbot Jeremias Schröder from Germany is elected Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation during the Congress of Abbots meeting in Rome.
+From Ukrainian publishers+
☼¶ ☼ψ Euromaidan Press
Russo-Ukrainian war, day 933: Ukraine’s demographic crisis deepens as war takes toll on population Ukraine has the highest death rate and lowest birth rate globally, with 18 deaths and only six births annually per 1,000 Ukrainians.
Archeological research suggests first cities of humanity were in Ukraine Massive planned settlements discovered in Ukraine, dating back to 4000 BCE, are rewriting the history of early urbanization. These sprawling sites [of the Cucuteni-Trypillia culture] are forcing archaeologists to reconsider when, where, and how the first cities emerged. Benjamin Looijen 13/09/2024
☼¶ ☼ ψ The Kyiv Independent group, including Ukraine Daily, Belarus Weekly
We asked 5 prominent Ukrainians about Trump's debate comments on Ukraine | by Chris York
Reporting on culture during wartime: “Ukraine’s cultural sphere is constantly pushing boundaries” | Elisa Court
War Notes by Asami Terajima | 2024 s 13
Is 'Russians at War' propaganda? We asked 7 people in film who saw it The filmmakers behind “Russians at War” have argued that a lot of the negative press surrounding the documentary comes from people who haven’t seen it. We asked the opinion of people in the film industry who have. Kate Tsurkan
Many still see Ukraine through the lens of the war. Our new show "Dare to Ukraine" aims to change that. | The Kyiv Independent has launched a YouTube show called “Dare to Ukraine.” In each of the six episodes, host Masha Lavrova travels to a new destination to explore the local culture, architecture, food, popular activities, people, and everyday life. |‘It’s personal’ — Why Germany still refuses to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine by Kateryna Denisova
The first episode of “Dare to Ukraine” was released on the Kyiv Independent YouTube channel on Aug. 31.
☼☼Some interesting or worthy items are marked with some combination of the banner with the strange device [εξηλσιορ*ψ]☼☼
+Tl;dr — From many sources+
☼¶ The Atlantic [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
Escalation management is the appeasement of the 21st century By Peter Dickinson
When Vladimir Putin first began the invasion of Ukraine with the seizure of Crimea, he did so using troops without identifying insignia and was careful to hide his attack behind a veil of deniability, however implausible. Ten years later, the Russian dictator now routinely threatens Western leaders with nuclear apocalypse if they dare to disrupt his methodical destruction of Europe’s largest nation. This dramatic escalation in Russian aggression is the bitter fruit of a decade spent trying to avoid provoking Putin rather than confronting the Kremlin.
The Americans Who Yearn for Anti-American Propaganda Russian-backed influencers with an authoritarian message find a ready audience. By Anne Applebaum
Autocrats Win by Capturing the Courts When justice seems like a joke, autocracy becomes more serious. By Anne Applebaum and Peter Pomerantsev
The Judges Who Serve at Trump’s Pleasure The Founders abhorred a judiciary more loyal to the Crown than to the rule of law. But now the independent system they designed is under threat. By Anne Applebaum
Western Aid to Ukraine Is Still Not Enough Any result other than a victory for Kyiv will make the world a more dangerous place for all of us. By Eliot A. Cohen
☼¶ The Atlantic Council [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
Why Ukraine will remain central to the future of European security = By Silvester Nosenko
Concerns grow over possible Russian sabotage of undersea cables = By Aleksander Cwalina
Putin is becoming entangled in his own discredited red lines = By Peter Dickinson
Compromising with the Kremlin in Ukraine will only embolden Putin = By Kateryna Odarchenko, Elena Davlikanova
☼¶ The BBC, ABC, CBC, NZBC &c.
Trypillia: 7000-year-old civilisation silenced by [bolsheviks] | BBC | 6m22s
BBC Disinformation Watch US ELECTION [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
How Trump's 'They're eating the pets' outburst evolved from online rumours = Trump campaign claims Harris 'wore secret earring earpiece during debate' = Baseless claim about Harris crash spread by mysterious website = NYT: Iran emerges as major disruptor of US election = US alleges Russia funded US media company linked to right-wing social media stars
= RUSSIA INFLUENCE
= CONSEQUENCES OF DISINFORMATION
= OTHER - Australia: Musk calls Australia 'fascist' over proposed disinformation fines
= TECHNOLOGY - Australia: Senator creates deepfake video of PM to highlight risks of AI
☼¶ Bellingcat
Over the past fortnight Bellingcat analysed footage showing the moment militants attacked unarmed civilians as they were digging protective fortifications around their town in Burkina Faso. | We also published a comprehensive new guide on investigating oil spills through open sources. The staggering scale of ocean oil pollution can make monitoring it a daunting prospect. We look at ways to identify and monitor spills, highlight at-risk areas and other methods than can be used to hold perpetrators accountable.
☼¶ Carnegie (politika, Russia Eurasia)
Individuals Over Institutions: Ukraine’s Government Reshuffle Perhaps the most notable dismissal in a recent reshuffle that brought no radical changes was that of Dmytro Kuleba as foreign minister. Konstantin Skorkin
Why the Kremlin Is Drifting Closer to Houthi Rebels in Yemen It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to maintain equidistance in the Yemen conflict: Moscow’s growing interaction with the Houthis, including at the military level, is making itself felt. We have seen this before in Syria, Libya, and Sudan. Ruslan Suleymanov
Kazakhstan’s Hydrogen Ambitions Should Extend Beyond Exports The EU can provide valuable assistance for Kazakhstan when it comes to developing a hydrogen strategy, from regulatory frameworks to sustainability standards. Yana Zabanova
Russia’s Local Elections Expose Limits on Kremlin Power Despite being able to falsify and manipulate results to an unprecedented degree, the Russian authorities do not have total control over elections. Andrey Pertsev
Russian Military Reconstitution: 2030 Pathways and Prospects As the Kremlin’s antagonism toward Ukraine and the West sharpens, it will be critically important for policymakers and warfighters to anticipate, monitor, and respond to Russia’s military reconstitution progress in the years ahead. = by Dara Massicot
Have President Tokayev’s Reforms Delivered a “New Kazakhstan”? Despite promising change, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev increasingly appears to be embracing the role of an authoritarian, patriarchal leader. Aliya Tlegenova, Serik Beysembaev
West Seeks to Increase the Costs of Russia Sanctions Evasion Washington and Brussels appear to believe making it more expensive to get around Western restrictions will fuel inflation in Russia and boost economic inefficiency. Alexander Kolyandr
Inna Bondarenko, Mikhail Shubin, and Dan Storyev describe how the Kremlin has transformed Russian society, enabling its queerphobic elements, and turned queerphobia into an ideology for war.
☼¶ CEPA, CSIS, CftNI &c. [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
It’s (Still) Costing Peanuts for the US to Defeat Russia By Timothy Ash = September 17, 2024 = The leading financial analyst Tim Ash sparked a major debate in 2022 with a cost-benefit analysis showing US aid to Ukraine is cheap at the price. Has anything changed?
E
☼¶ Engelsberg Ideas
The future of war is here. By Mick Ryan = Military institutions – and the broader national security community – in the twenty-first century will need the discipline to explore new ideas, discard old concepts and institutions, constantly learn and adapt, and develop their people in new ways if they are to be successful in addressing the challenges ahead.
On 1 September, Saxony and Thuringia voted overwhelmingly for extremes of left and right in elections for the state parliaments. Luka Ivan Jukic examines how, over its long and complex history, Saxony has been home to alternative visions of German identity. = We have not lost our ability to focus, writes Alastair Benn, we are just focusing on the wrong things - an attention dilemma that has haunted western thought for centuries. = In modern democracies, writes Dan Lomas, the intelligence agencies must have their voices heard. = Suzanne Raine urges people to make the most of their fleeting encounters with celebrities. = On the 200th anniversary of his death, Robert Thicknesse reflects on how early tributes to Lord Byron emphasised the romantic, brooding persona of the rakish young poet and ignored his later work as a witty satirist and fighter for Greek freedom. =
Edmund Stewart asks, what is a tyrant? = Malcolm Forbes explores how the Irish painter John Lavery's rich and varied career took him from rural idylls to the horrors of war. = In 1944, representatives of the soon-to-be victorious allied powers gathered outside Washington DC to lay the foundations of the United Nations. Andrew Ehrhardt investigates their efforts to remake the global order. = Mathew Lyons reviews A Twist in the Tail by Christopher Beckman, a delightfully obsessive history of the anchovy in Western cuisine
Ulrike Franke on how we are living through a change in the balance of power between states and the private sector - and its vast implications for modern conflicts. = “Companies must realise that this changed landscape does not only provide them with more power but also creates more risks,” writes Franke. “A new era is dawning which might change the way wars are fought forever.” = Here's a selection of contributions from other EI writers on technology's transformation of geopolitics: Aaron Bateman reflects on the history of undersea cables and the vulnerability of American power; Katja Hoyer examines how East Germany lost the battle for technology; and Mick Ryan considers how the intersection of new and old technology is reshaping conflict.
☼¶ The European Council / Council of the European Union
Iran: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union The European Union strongly condemns the recent transfer of Iranian-made ballistic missiles to Russia. | This transfer is a direct threat to European security and represents a substantive material escalation from the provision of Iranian UAVs and ammunition, which Russia has used in its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.
☼¶ European Council on Foreign Relations Update
This week, European and US governments revealed Iran supplied Russia with several hundred short range ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine. They should make clear to Tehran that this will end hopes of sanctions relief while using the prospect of renewed diplomacy to press Iran to change course, argues Julien Barnes-Dacey in his policy alert.
☼¶ Foreign Affairs (The Council on Foreign Relations [US])
Israel and the Coming Long War To Defeat Iran’s Resistance Axis, the IDF Needs a New Strategy—and a Unified Country By Assaf Orion
Reagan Didn’t Win the Cold War How a Myth About the Collapse of the Soviet Union Leads Republicans Astray on China By Max Boot [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
The Crumbling Nuclear Order How to Save the Norms Against Testing, Building, and Using the Ultimate Weapon By Doreen Horschig and Heather Williams [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
A Two-State Solution That Can Work The Case for an Israeli-Palestinian Confederation By Omar M. Dajani and Limor Yehuda [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
Where Capitalism Is Working What the World Can Learn From Switzerland, Taiwan, and Vietnam By Ruchir Sharma [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
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☼¶ Institute for the Study of War
¶ Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment
2024 s 13 The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast has reportedly spoiled planned Russian offensive operations along the international border area that likely aimed to expand the area of active combat operations across a broader front in northeastern Ukraine.
☼¶ The Interpreter (Lowy Institute)
Russian sanctions: Why has Australia stayed quiet on reparations? Anton Moiseienko 5/9/24 With strong rule of law credentials and expertise, Canberra should use its advantage in responses to war.
Pager bombs: Precision warfare takes a personal turn in Lebanon Mick Ryan The implications of this attack stretch far beyond Hezbollah to future threats.
☼¶ Meduza
I’m Eilish Hart, and this is your weekly dispatch from Meduza covering Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. We’re back from our summer break and easing into autumn with my translation of another remarkable piece by journalist Kristina Safonova, whom you may recall from her reporting on wartime punitive psychiatry in Russia. But first, a brief update on a past story from far-flung Siberia, courtesy of our friends at OVD-Info …
Pushing for the ‘peaceful atom’ Scarred by Soviet-era nuclear testing, Kazakhstan is poised to embrace atomic energy — with help from Russia By Diana Kruzman
☼¶ ☼MIT Tech. Review
Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone defense = Since Russia’s invasion, Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov has become an influential, if sometimes controversial, force—sharing expert advice and intel on the ever-evolving technology that’s taken over the skies. His work may determine the future of Ukraine, and wars far beyond it. | Charlie Metcalfe
Chatbots can persuade people to stop believing in conspiracy theories AI is skilled at tapping into vast realms of data and tailoring it to a specific purpose—making it a highly customizable tool for combating misinformation. By Rhiannon Williams
☼¶ Moscow Times
Team Navalny accused an ex-business partner of Mikhail Khodorkovsky of ordering the violent March attack on activist Leonid Volkov as well as other recent assaults on opposition figures. Leonid Nevzlin, a Russian-Israeli businessman and Kremlin critic, was alleged to have hired thugs to carry out the attacks and possibly arrange for the activists’ kidnappings so they could be handed to security agents in Russia. The scandal has sent shockwaves through Russia’s exiled opposition and is expected to play out further in a legal battle.
J.D. Vance Is Wrong About Ukraine … Again By Elena Davlikanova The Republican Vice President has based his so-called peace plan for Ukraine on bad ideas and myths that jeopardize the embattled country’s future. [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
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☼¶ OVD-Info and the _Dissident Digest_ [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
2024 s 18 De-rehabilitations The contemporary Russian state, as the chief inheritor of the Soviet Union, is partially rooted in mass political repression. I’m talking about entire cities — like Vorkuta or Magadan — built by prisoners of Stalin’s GULAGs. The political repression during Stalin’s reign was on a truly monstrous scale, and it sometimes feels as if every Russian family has been touched by repression. I myself only recently found out that one of my great-grandfathers died in a labor camp in the Russian far north, a few time zones away from his hometown.
☼¶ _People & Nature_ [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
Technologies that work for people, not profiteers, in the climate emergency. “Public ownership is not enough. It needs to be combined with a liberatory vision of the future, and of the ways that technologies, liberated from capital, can be re-made". Based on a talk at the Roads to Ecosocialism event by Simon Pirani
Free public transport is expanding worldwide. It is a socially just way to open up cities. It combines well with policies to cut car traffic, to actually do something about climate change. Fare Free London want it in London too.
☼¶ The Strategist — The Australian Strategic Policy Institute [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
A diplomat’s tantrum shows China’s insecurity in the Pacific
Jonah Bock | 6 September 2024 Beijing’s Pacific envoy threw a tantrum over a mention of Taiwan at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) last week. In doing so, he revealed China’s deeper insecurity over its Pacific presence ...
Improving ADF recruitment by acknowledging its history with the LGBTQ+ community Cameron Hendrix | 19 September 2024 Amid ADF recruiting and retention woes, outreach and support to current and future LGBTQ+ servicemembers falls short. This error is leading the ADF to miss out on strong candidates who may otherwise stay or enter ...
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☼¶ War on the Rocks [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
Book Review Roundtable: Why a Political Sensibility Is Important to Successful Military Command Chair: Jason Dempsey | Contributors: Raphael S. Cohen, Susan Bryant, Sonya Finley
Book Review Roundtable: Russian Ways of Thinking About Deterrence
Michael Kofman, Dara Massicot, Cynthia Roberts, Michael B. Petersen
☼¶ War Translated and other like journals [εξηλσιορ*ψ]
What is ‘Strategic’? The Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Strategy Emily Meierding, James J. Wirtz, Jeffrey A. Larsen | What makes a problem, operation, capability, or specific organization “strategic”?
China to ‘Crush’ Foreign Encroachment in South China Sea: Military Official | Staff Writer With AFP
☼¶ _The Washington Post_
U.S. says Russian state media outlet runs intelligence operations The State Department accuses RT, the Russian media outlet, of running intelligence operations and procuring weapons for the war in Ukraine. By Catherine Belton
Good-bye & bless you!
*_* Хай живе вільна Україна *_* "L’Ukraine a toujours aspiré à être libre" - Voltaire *_* Няхай жыве вольная Украіна *_* Larga vida a Ucrania libre *_* Да здравствует свободная Украина *_* Long live free Ukraine *_* 自由乌克兰万岁 *_* Bandera rossonera la trionferà! *_* تحي أوكرانيا حرة *_*