Peace & Justice

Photo: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov attend the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 8, 2022. Credit: Chad J. McNeeley, DOD.

Momentum Builds for Ukraine Defense Contact Group

By Jim Garamone , DOD News

This article was issued by U.S. Department of Defense.

RAMSTEIN, Germany (IDN) — U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said nations of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group are even "more united and resolved to keep up our support for Ukraine's right to defend itself."

The secretary and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed the media at the conclusion of the contact group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on September 8.

: Europe Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 08 September 2022

UN Seeks to Protect Critical Infrastructures Against Terrorist Attacks

By Radwan Jakeem with UN News

NEW YORK (IDN) — The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) has launched five new specialized guides (modules) aimed at the protection of particularly vulnerable targets against terrorist attacks. "Vulnerable targets" refers both to critical infrastructure (for example, public transportation systems, energy sector) and public places or 'soft targets' (for example, tourist venues, urban centres, and religious sites). These guides focus on soft targets.

: Radwan Jakeem; UN INSIDER; 07 September 2022

Photo: Mikhail Gorbachev arrives to participate in celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the GDR (East Germany) in (East) Berlin on 6 October 1989 Credit: Bundesarchiv.

Gorbachev Was Sad the World Did Not Develop as He Had Hoped

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN) — Mikhail Gorbachev, the last head of the Soviet Union, the idealistic leader from within who accepted the end of communism, arrived in Berlin in November 1999 on a private visit to mark the fall and destruction of the Berlin Wall ten years before. The Cold War had ended a year later. In one speech, with a tone of great sadness in his voice, he said, "Now, ten years after, we see the world does not appear as we had hoped".

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 06 September 2022

Photo: Peace talks in Turkey, March 2022. Credit: Murat Cetin Muhurdar / Turkish Presidential Press Service

Peace Talks Are the Way Out of the War in Ukraine

Viewpoint by Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J.S. Davies*

NEW YORK (IDN) — Six months ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. The United States, NATO and the European Union (EU) wrapped themselves in the Ukrainian flag, shelled out billions for arms shipments, and imposed draconian sanctions intended to severely punish Russia for its aggression.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 06 September 2022

UN’s Economic Ties to a Blacklisted Russia May Threaten Peacekeeping Missions

By Rodney Reynolds

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — After the invasion of Ukraine last February, Russia has been widely described, particularly by the US and Western nations, as an "international pariah".

The United Nations has been equally critical of the invasion of a sovereign nation resulting in thousands of civilian killings and the destruction of entire cities in Ukraine.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has accused the Russians of a military invasion that was in clear "violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine—and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations".

: Rodney Reynolds; THE WORLD; Russia; 06 September 2022

Japan Doubles Down on Defending The Post-War Order

By Sheila A Smith

The writer, Sheila A. Smith, is John E. Merow, Senior Fellow for Asia Pacific Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — Japan has gone all-in with the Western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The strategic consequences for Tokyo are considerable. Japan’s long-running efforts to conclude a formal peace agreement with its northern neighbour have come to an end.

Putin’s aggression has also accelerated debate in Japan about its own strategy and future military preparedness. Most important of all, the Japanese people have also defined this crisis as a challenge to the norms of the post-war order that they have relied upon for their own security.

: Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 03 September 2022

The War in Ukraine Continues to Be A Conflict Between The West And Russia

Viewpoint by John P. Ruehl

This article was produced by Globetrotter. John P. Ruehl is an Australian-American journalist living in Washington, D.C. He is a contributing editor to Strategic Policy and a contributor to several other foreign affairs publications. He is currently finishing a book on Russia to be published in 2022.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — On August 24, Ukraine’s independence day, the U.S. provided a $3 billion military aid package to the country. The additional assistance adds to more than $80 billion worth of support that Kyiv has already received between January 24 and August 3, the majority of which was provided by the U.S., the UK, and the EU.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 03 September 2022

Photo: An aerial view of the Pentagon. CBS has reportedly stifled an investigative report into diversions of arms from western sources finding their way, not to the front lines in Ukraine, but to black markets in Europe and the Middle East. Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Brittany A. Chase, DOD

'How the West Brought War to Ukraine'

Viewpoint by David C. Speedie

This article was produced by Globetrotter in partnership with the American Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord. David C. Speedie, a board member of ACURA, was the former chair of International Peace and Security at Carnegie Corporation.

MONTCLAIR, New Jersey, US (IDN) — The seven-month war in Ukraine, and the role of NATO, especially the Atlanticist powers, are fuelled by an official western narrative that depicts the conflict as one between the plucky little Ukrainian David and the brutish Goliath that is Russia. The invasion is as unwarranted as it is vicious and provides justification for a current tally of $57 billion in lethal and non-lethal aid from the United States alone, with the United Kingdom at its side.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 02 September 2022

Photo: Christiana, Angélica, and Delza at a UNICEF-assisted organization in Brazil, which empowers black youth to confront racism and advocates for equal education and work opportunities. Credit: UNICEF/Alejandro Balaguer.

UN Honours the Contributions of the African Diaspora

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) — The murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, on May 25, 2020, in the US city of Minneapolis, galvanized people worldwide to protest racism and racial discrimination and prompted important global discussions on racial justice. 2020 marked a turning point in how these issues are being addressed at international and national levels.

: J Nastranis; HUMAN RIGHTS; Racism; 01 September 2022

The First Anniversary Issue of Sustainable Development Observer Is Out Now!

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — The 12th and the first anniversary issue of Sustainable Development Observer started by IDN-InDepthNews Southeast Asia with no funding and a lot of passion is out now. The situation has not changed, and it is your feedback and encouragement that keeps us going.