Every outbreak of violence has its own distinctive origins and characteristics. All, however, are driven by a similar combination of anxiety about the future and lack of confidence in the ability of established institutions to deal with the problems at hand. […] The riots that erupted in the spring of 2008 in response to rising…
Month: February 2009
Lord Stern: Deal with climate change or prepare for “extended world war”
“[Temperature change above 2 degrees Celsius would] transform where people can live […] People would move on a massive scale. Hundreds of millions, probably billions of people would have to move if you talk about 4-, 5-, 6-degree increases […And that would mean extended global conflict] because there’s no way the world can handle that…
Afghans killed… by pollution too
Three decades of war and severe drought have already damaged the country’s environment with widespread desertification and deforestation and loss of vegetation and wildlife, deputy head of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency said. But now, overpopulation in Afghanistan’s cities, the burning of poor quality fuel, thousands of imported old cars, no proper waste management or…
Reports: Nature’s riches fought over – and over again
Two recent reports confirms the role of natural resources in armed conflict. One UN, one academic. From UN’s report on the importance of the environment in conflict and peacebuilding: Since the end of the Cold War, at least eighteen violent conflicts have been driven by the exploitation of natural resources. While political and military issues…
Equatorial Guinea: Oil found yesterday, coup attempted today
Mega-disclaimer: I haven’t looked into the details. These two pieces of news may very well be entirely unrelated. Or they could be completely entwined. In any case when such news converge I simply have to take note. For starters how about a usually credible source: BBC / Mystery over E Guinea gun battle An unidentified…
2nd Iraqi oil conflict?
The closest U.S. allies in Iraq — the Kurds — feel abandoned by Washington these days and say war with the Arab-dominated central government is likely without American pressure to resolve disputes that predate even the era of Saddam Hussein. Tension between the Arabs and Kurds is multifaceted, but one of the major flashpoints is…
Diamonds: Conflict, blood, war
News Valentines diamonds to die for: Precious gem could come from a child worker like Ali, 13 Ali Tarawally should be rich beyond most people’s wildest dreams. The orphan has spent the past three years scouring the jungle of Sierra Leone – one of the most abundant places for diamonds on the planet – digging…
Shell Gas Plant in Nigeria Attacked by Militants
Nigeria’s main militant group said it attacked a gas plant operated by Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Europe’s second-largest oil company. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, attacked the Utorogun site today, it said in an e-mailed statement. Precious Okolobo, a Shell spokesman in Nigeria, confirmed the attack. “We’re carrying out…
Indian analysis: “USA might have benefited a great deal from its [lost] war in Afghanistan”
What hits Russian interests most is that if the Caucasian route materialises, the US would have consolidated its military presence in South Caucasus on a long-term basis. Ever since the conflict in the Caucasus in August, the US has maintained a continuous naval presence in the Black Sea, with regular port calls in Georgia. The…
Iceland: Economy down, exploitation up
Issue Iceland To Increase Illegal Killing of Endangered Fin Whales Last year, Iceland killed nine endangered Fin whales. A few months back they began exporting the meat from the endangered whales to Japan, which is a clear violation of international law. This year, they want to kill 150. Iceland’s whale-hunting increase sparks outcry among conservationists…