U-BOAT IF YOU WANT TO
In May the (now disgraced ex-)Minster for War, Liam Fox announced the Trident Alternatives Review, with much fanfare from the beard and sandal brigade. Unfortunately six months down the line and Liam Fox's replacement Philip Hammond has now stated that the review will not be made public because of the “highly classified technical, intelligence and policy information covering extremely sensitive national security issues”. Essentially the Tories are sweeping one of their few sops to their Lib Dem 'partners' under the carpet in an attempt to stifle debate.
The government has bought into an expensive, unnecessary, like-for-like replacement for Trident (so much so they've already spent £6 billion on it) so any semblance of democracy at this stage would just be an irritant to proceedings. At best a nuclear deterrent is a costly white elephant, at worst it is a (almost literally) ticking time-bomb. Even if it were fully independent (which neither Trident nor its likely replacement is) there are no realistic scenarios where the UK would actually deploy them. So – why spend the money?
The reasons for unquestioningly replacing Trident are much the same as those for hugely subsidising the arms trade in general – having a large metaphorical wang to wave about on the world stage. The UK no longer has enough economic or military power to force other nations to their knees, so the only way to get their attention is to be the one selling them their weapons and having 'the bomb' up your sleeve – even if you actually need it.
Unfortunately when it comes to a choice between investing in hospitals, schools and support services on one hand and a massive silver phallus in the other it's obvious which a bunch of old Etonians are gonna choose.
Neo-Cameron and William "send him to the" Hague are feeling flush following an easy victory in Libya. Now they want to take on Iran for shits and giggles.
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets all over Honduras (and in cities around the world) on Monday 28th June, the first anniversary of the military coup. Not that they were commemorating the coup of course, but to celebrate the first birthday of the National Popular Resistance Front. The FNRP is a remarkable coalition of brave people from all the traditionally oppressed sectors of society: the Committee of Families of the Disappeared; a myriad of feminist organisations; indigenous groups; the Afro-descendant garÃfuna people; youth movements; the gay community; human rights activists and trades unions. The FNRP is an alliance of hundreds of grassroots organisations which, despite the risk to the lives of all involved, have refused to give in and accept the illegal takeover of their country by a ruthless and self-serving elite.
Ever keen to get an up close and personal look at the world's most troubled regions, SchNEWS was fortunate enough to sweet-talk Brightonian Al Jazeera journalist, Medyan Diarieh, recently returned from reporting in Afghanistan. As a Palestinian who has extensively covered the conflicts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Iraq and Turkish Kurdistan for many years, he's a man with a useful perspective on events on the ground in what's become Britain's longest war since the days of Empire. Medyan has become a well known figure amongst pro-Palestine and anti-war protesters, informing the public in the Arab-speaking world of the UK's solidarity movements.
Boeng Kak lake, situated in the centre of Phnom Penh, is where the backpackers hang out to have a beer and look out over the waters, as the residents collect snails, fish and water vegetables. One of the only large open spaces left in the city, it has been home to over four thousand families who live in wooden houses at its edges. Rather than making the most of this potential beauty spot, the Cambodian government had the grand idea of filling in the lake to replace it with some shiny new development. Even though the national Land Law should protect their rights, the World Bank has failed to secure tenure for the people of Boeng Kak within the much criticised Land Management Administration Project (LMAP). Nine hundred families have been evicted so far.
The Mexican government put an end to reports that 25,000 people have been killed in the last four years of Mexico's drug wars. The correct figure, they insist, is 28,000. Last month the candidate for election in Tamulipas State, on the US border, was killed in broad daylight by Los Narcos (narcotraficantes - ie drug traffickers. On 18th of August 2010 the body of a mayor (from the governing National Action Party- aka PAN) Edelmiro Cavazos, was found dumped by the roadside; blindfolded with his hands bound behind his back. Despite this the government of President Felipe Calderón is busy assuring anybody who can be bothered to listen that there is no narco-terrorism in Mexico.
Smash EDO, Brighton's long-running anti-militarist campaign (see nearly every SchNEWS since 2004), will be hitting the road this winter. The aim of the tour is to raise awareness of the campaign and get more people involved - building towards next year's 'Summer of Resistance'.
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