Geopolitics
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Only after one understands how freedom and rights are being suppressed by the managers of imperial states — even as they preach peace, freedom, justice, rights, and majority rule to their citizens to maintain their beliefs in the morality of their society, and thus assure the continued support of the masses for inflicting such violence upon the world — can one write honest history. If one does not understand that process, one is almost certain to write a history in which, unbeknownst to the author, the background and documentation have been carefully created to give Managers of State the freedom to suppress other people’s rights and transfer their wealth to the imperial center through unequal trades.
— J.W. Smith, Economic Democracy; The Political Struggle for the 21st Century (M.E. Sharpe, 2000), p.95
This section attempts to highlight what some of the consequences of global politics can be. The power-play of personal or national interests can have a long lasting effect on many, many people.
- Arms Control
Many nations around the world today possess, or have the means to procure, weapons of mass destruction. They may be nuclear, chemical, biological or other types of weapons, that can be delivered through a variety of means. It is mainly the richer and more powerful countries that have such weapons although some poorer nations are also acquiring them.
- Arms Trade
The USA spends more on military than the rest of the G7 countries combined.... The arms trade is the largest business in the world at 800 Billion dollars, annually.... Military training manuals advocate techniques such as torture, blackmail, execution
- Conflicts in Africa
Almost an entire continent has been at war ... There have been over 9.5 million refugees. If this scale of destruction and fighting was in Europe, then people would be calling it World War III.
- International Criminal Court
President Clinton faced growing pressure from the Republicans to actually oppose the ICC! It is even more ironic when you realize that the ICC was given the vote by 120 to 7. Some of the nations that the United States has branded as "rogue states" are on par with the US on this issue.
- The Middle East
Oil. That is what the modern Middle Eastern geopolitics have been about. The vast energy resources form the backbone of western economies, and hence all the involvement.
- The War on Terror
The inexcusable terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in the United States ushered in a new war on terrorism. This section provides a collection of articles looking at various aspects of this so-called war.
- Foreign Policy
Every nation has a foreign policy to ensure that its needs are represented in the global community. However, throughtout history, ideologies and power-hungry people have used the international scene to push forward their national interests, ideologies and agendas, sometimes without any regard to the nations and people they may directly or indirectly affect.
- Projecting Power
The purpose of the military of powerful nations has typically been to aid economic and imperial objectives. As seen throughout history, empires have sought to expand territorially, politically, economically and even culturally. This leads to conflicts and wars, many of which ultimately have to do with power and economics.
- Children, Conflicts and the Military
The easily available small arms make it easier for children to use weapons. In some countries, children as young as 10 have been recruited into a conflict.
- Crisis in East Timor
East Timor was ruled by Portugal for about 3 centuries. East Timor was then invaded by Indonesia shortly after Portugal abruptly left, in 1975. This was the day after U.S. President Ford’s visit. Furthermore, Indonesia at that time had military, economic and political support from UK, USA and Australia. 200,000 people are said to have been killed since 1975.
- Crisis in Chechnya
Civilian casualties have been high and there has been international outcry at the brutal Russian crackdown and indiscriminate bombing and targeting of civilians.
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Anup Shah, Geopolitics, GlobalIssues.org, Last updated: Thursday, October 26, 2006