Global Security

This first link is to the report, a 20 page PDF, from the Oxford Research Group.

Global Security After the War on Terror

Paul Rogers assesses the impact of the "war on terror" on international peace
and stability, and argues for a fundamental re-thinking of those current
approaches to security that focus prmarily on military instruments. Instead,
the major global trends of a wider socio-economic divide, mass
marginalisation and environmental constraints all require an approach rooted
in what is now being termed sustainable security.

Casualty recorders issue joint communique

Saturday, 28 November 2009

The Recording Casualties of Armed Conflict International Practitioner's Network is pleased to announce the release of its first joint communique on 25th November 2009. Twenty organisations so far, from around the world, declare: "We will collaborate to raise our capacity, visibility and collective strength, thereby enhancing casualty recording activities worldwide." The full communique and a list of signatories is available here.

Operation Free

We are packing our bags and heading east next week to join the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. A delegation of veterans from OpFree will be there to make sure the world understands the grave threat climate change poses to global security. We know that climate change makes the world a more dangerous place and that dependence on oil makes America vulnerable. That's why it's time for America to get on the team with the rest of the world and lead by example to combat this threat

We'll be livecasting our press events and updates from the conference.

To keep up to date on activities, sign up here for reminders to watch and/or listen to our broadcasts: "Live from Copenhagen with Operation Free."

Our veterans will bring personal stories and a front-lines perspective to the national security threat, a vital and oft-overlooked aspect of the ongoing negotiations. Most of the veterans served during the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We hope you'll join us in Denmark.

Thanks for all you do,

Operation Free

Jon Powers

Recording Casualties in Armed Conflict

A Bosnian Muslim woman prays at a memorial to victims of
the Srebrenica massacre (AFP)

The long-term aim of this human security project is to build the technical and institutional capacity, as well as the political will, to record details of every single victim of violent conflict, worldwide. This represents the next step beyond existing estimation and other aggregate ‘measurement’ of human losses (such as numerical totals) to the identification and documentation of each and every individual who is killed or injured in armed conflicts. Among other benefits, such recording acts as a memorial for posterity and a recognition of our common humanity across the world.......Rest Here

Human Security and the Middle East

The Middle East team this month has paid close attention to a number of key factors that will shape its future work. These include the Obama speech in Cairo and the election results in the Lebanon and Iran. A Liddite conversation was held on 4 June to coincide with Obama’s speech. The evening roundtable was framed around Financial Times chief foreign affairs commentator David Gardner’s book "Last Chance: The Middle East in the Balance". The quality of the meeting was particularly satisfying because of the number of Middle East specialists around the table with special input from Salman Sheikh, Orit Gal, Tony Klug, Paul Hilder and David Gardner himself. The team has also recently received a substantial grant from a US foundation to support the Iran work......

RCAC Event for Doctors: 'Documenting Every Victim of Conflict' - PDF

A special RCAC fundraising event, aimed at doctors, is being organised for September (download PDF flyer here). A presentation and discussion will be led by John Sloboda, FBA, (Oxford Research Group, Iraq Body Count) and Madelyn Hicks, MD, MRCPsych (King’s College London), who will introduce a new initiative to ensure that the death of every individual killed in armed conflict is publicly documented, and how the skills, insights, values and generosity of the medical profession can support it. Please circulate details among your medical contacts.

Wanna Good Read....

Start here, Report says war on terror is fuelling al Qaeda, if you hadn't already, or if nobody else has latched on to this story to grab the attention of.

Now this sounds very familiar, oh ya, tens of thousands of us, in this country, and millions more around the world were saying Very Similar as the War Drums started beating more rapidly, by the MSM and the administration, about Iraq, and frankly many thought that Afganistan would be heading in the same direction after it was invaded.

You see we have a history of Rhetoric that we don't follow through on, especially in Afganistan, anyone remember what happened after the Soviets were forced out.

Those of us who have the experiance of Invasions of little countries, whose people did nothing to deserve the death and destruction, understand what the invaded will do, and in Iraq it was written well before 'The Shock and Awe', and in Afganistan, if we followed our past policies, it was sure to develope!

Now in the short Reuters report above we find this:

A report by the Oxford Research Group (ORG) said a "fundamental re-think is required" if the global terrorist network is to be rendered ineffective.

What is the Oxford Research Group, ORG for short:

Oxford Research Group (ORG) works to promote a more sustainable approach to security for the UK and the world. We combine detailed knowledge of root causes of conflict with an understanding of political decision-making, and we build trust through facilitating constructive dialogue between policy-makers, academics, the military and civil society.

The report is written by Professor Paul Rogers and released this month. They have monthly reports that you can receive in your in-box if you sign up.

Who is Professor Paul Rogers,

Global Security Consultant to Oxford Research Group and Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford, takes a step back from the heat of the moment to provide a concise monthly overview of the international security situation, focussing on the 'war on terror', the related conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the implications of US and UK foreign policy for the majority world.

These briefings are now published in English and Spanish, and you can subscribe below to receive these briefings by email as they are published each month.

The reports are called Towards Sustainable Security: Oxford Research Group International Security Report 2007

You can purchase the most recent report at their online store, or read about what others will sure to be reporting, but probably not the Media here in the States.

There's a link, in the above, for a report in August that you can download in PDF form or just read it here Iraq After the Surge August 2007 - Paul Rogers

The Professor starts this report out with this,

In late 2006 the Baker-Hamilton Report recommended a change of policy for the Bush Administration over Iraq. The two main proposals were that the United States should work towards a large-scale military withdrawal from the country and that it should do so in parallel with an engagement with regional powers to ensure that a post-withdrawal Iraq would not degenerate into wholesale violence and civil war. Such a diplomatic engagement would necessarily include countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Now once again something sounds very familiar,

The two main proposals were that the United States should work towards a large-scale military withdrawal from the country and that it should do so in parallel with an engagement with regional powers to ensure that a post-withdrawal Iraq would not degenerate into wholesale violence and civil war.

Yep, the same tens of thousands here, and millions around the world, Focus Groups All, started saying similar, once again, after the big bad 'Shock and Awe' started destroying the Iraqi's Country as well as the Iraqi People!

Even before the Inevitable coming Guerilla/Insurgent War!!!

Many were saying it than, if you like the bush weren't listening! Many have been saying it since than, all these years now of Death and Destruction! And Sadly my thoughts are that we have passed the point of any reasonable outcome, with minimal BlowBack!

To many have been Killed and Maimed! To much has been Destroyed, especially the lives of the Iraqi's and their Children, the ones who will survive! To much Hatred has been added to that which already existed from our long time failed policies and backing of tyrants!

The hatreds will fuel the BlowBack now for decades, and it only takes a few to wage the coming destructive havic, and there's certainly much more than a few!