China-Xizang Himalayan Forum: The cynical ‘sinicisation’ of Tibet

The delegates invited, the agenda unveiled… indicate China’s efforts to convert Tibet (renamed recently as Xizang) into the fulcrum of sub-regional initiatives as well as to expand China’s influence… over a period of time, 7.5 million Han Chinese have come into Tibet, drastically altering the demographics of the region and making Tibetans a minority in… Read More China-Xizang Himalayan Forum: The cynical ‘sinicisation’ of Tibet

Neither Confirm nor Deny: How the Glomar Mission Shielded the CIA from Transparency

Neither Confirm nor Deny: How the Glomar Mission Shielded the CIA from Transparency by M. Todd Bennett; Reviewed by Chuck Steele Despite the centrality of the ocean research vessel Glomar Explorer to this fascinating story, this is not a book intended for an audience of environmental historians. It is, however, a first-rate account of the… Read More Neither Confirm nor Deny: How the Glomar Mission Shielded the CIA from Transparency

India is firing the engine of war while preaching peace

Reports suggest that the weapons pipeline from India to Israel has surreptitiously kept flowing to meet war-shortages, in effect aiding genocide in Gaza GAZA casualties, live statistics Bharat Bhushan Both in the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars, India has projected itself as a potential peacemaker. Now, it turns out that India has been stoking the war in Gaza by supplying… Read More India is firing the engine of war while preaching peace

Chastising little brother

Why did Japanese Confucians enthusiastically support Imperial Japan’s murderous conquest of China, the homeland of Confucius? Shaun O’Dwyer At the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (1946-48), convened to try Japanese military and civilian leaders for war crimes, one defendant delivered a puzzling explanation for Japan’s 1937-45 war against China. The aim of the… Read More Chastising little brother

Guest appearance

To return to the G7: what is it and why is India there? The G7 is a Cold War relic. It’s basically six rich, white, Atlanticist powers along with one rich, honorary-white, Pacific nation Mukul Kesavan The morning’s paper had a picture of the prime minister hugging the pope. Not all pictures of Narendra Modi… Read More Guest appearance

‘The big story of the 21st century.’ Is this the most shocking documentary of the year?

Six years in the making, jaw-dropping new film The Grab shows a secret scramble by governments and private firms to buy up global resources…‘There’s no doctrine for what we’re going through right now. It’s just capitalism’. : what oil was to the 20th century, food and water will be to the 21st – precious, geopolitically… Read More ‘The big story of the 21st century.’ Is this the most shocking documentary of the year?