Wars are never necessary: Gaza is the best example

Posted on January 27, 2024February 10, 2024

This short Lancet piece by Souza, Buss, and Alcazar notes that since the Gaza war began in October 2023, “nothing has been resolved and all impasses remain. The costs of lives lost and survivors’ lives destroyed forever are immense. The billions of dollars spent on killing so far could have saved lives, fed and immunised people, recovered the malnourished, built equitable systems, and provided essential medicines in many parts of the world.” They draw our attention to a recent BBC…

Afghan hunger striker spotlights US-Taliban dirty deal

War/Militarism AfghanistanCrisis EndTalibanOppression Global Health Justice StandWithAfghanWomen Taliban violence against women War women's rights

Posted on October 13, 2023December 14, 2023

On September 1, 2023 Tamana Paryani began a hunger strike in Cologne, Germany for the rights of Afghan women. She is demanding that the United Nations and the German government declare the Taliban government is misogynist and practices gender apartheid. Ms. Paryani, a women’s rights defender, was arrested by the Taliban and suffered 26 days of physical and mental torture. Upon release, she fled to Germany in October 2022. The Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women publicized Paryani’s heroism in a…

Fossil Fuel Shackles: How Wealthy Nations Hook Developing Ones

Posted on September 2, 2023December 14, 2023

Introduction In the realm of global environmental justice, a disconcerting phenomenon has gained prominence in recent times: the entrapment of impoverished nations by their wealthier counterparts into a relentless dependence on fossil fuels. (1) This practice, though obscured by economic negotiations, perpetuates a cycle of environmental degradation and inequality. By examining pertinent examples and evidence, this essay aims to illuminate the detrimental consequences of this pattern, exposing how such actions hinder both sustainable development and the global fight against climate…

International Double Standards in Humanity: The War in Sudan

War/Militarism Economic Sanctions Human Rights Violations International Responsibility Stop The Bloodshed SudanCrisis SudanWar War

Posted on July 14, 2023August 30, 2023

The accumulating tension over power between the two main military factions in Sudan, finally erupted as literal hell on earth in the early morning of April 15th, 2023, traumatizing the entire nation and sending thousands fleeing the capital city of Khartoum and the country1. Intense and violent clashes took place in cities across the country, with total disregard for civilians who were neither alerted nor provided with safe evacuation routes. The two generals who once jointly directed the government continue…

Sudan’s Ongoing Crisis: Unpacking the Root Causes of Violence and the Elusive Pursuit of Peace Amidst Global Inequities

Structural Violence War/Militarism Global Theft Health Inequities Militarism Structural violence Sudan War

Posted on April 25, 2023December 14, 2023

The violence in Sudan, particularly in Khartoum, is partly the fault of the international community. Sudan is still struggling to build a civilian-led government after decades of military rule, and tensions between different military factions have erupted into violence. The exploitation of resources, economic disparities, and political power imbalances have fueled grievances and conflicts within the country. International efforts to achieve peace through negotiations have often fallen short. Traditional peace agreements that split power between armed groups often allow further…

Selective empathy in wars

War/Militarism global health Vietnam War

Posted on August 15, 2022December 14, 2023

Viet Thanh Nguyen reminds us (The Nation, 22 July) how often our sympathy – and care – for victims of war often comes with baggage of hypocrisy and racism. The deserved sympathy for those civilians suffering from the Russian invasion is rarely matched by our sympathy for civilians who have suffered by by Americans over the past decades. Nguyen talks of U.S. drone strikes in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia in the recent past, and the legacy of the U.S. military…

[BOOKS] on War in Global Health

War/Militarism Apartheid book recommendations Geopolitical global north global south healthcare workplace violence LMIC Militarism Stop The Bloodshed Structural violence Sub-Saharan Africa War white saviorism

Posted on May 31, 2022September 13, 2023

Here is a list of some books that emphasize the role of the USA in fomenting war across the world, often to protect US dominance, corporate exploitation, and promote neoliberal policies – or to undermine or overthrow governments that challenge such exploitation. Some of the books include: “Washington Bullets” by Vijay Prashad (2020) Prashad examines the global impact of American foreign policy and interventions, shedding light on the often devastating consequences of U.S. military actions. This book is essential…

US remains top arms exporter and grows market share

War/Militarism globalhealth globalhealthjustice Militarism War

Posted on March 8, 2022March 9, 2023

The US has increased its global share of arms exports to 37% during the last five years, according to a Sweden-based research institute. Increased exports by the US, France and Germany were offset by declining Russian and Chinese exports. Imports and exports remain close to their highest level since the end of the cold war, although this may change from the impact of the pandemic. The biggest growth in arms imports was seen in the Middle East. “It is too…