climate change policy, science, and activism; photography; cartography and mapmaking
As anyone who reads the news knows, it has been alleged that many detainees passed on by Canadian troops to elements of the government of Afghanistan were subsequently tortured, and that the government of Canada was aware of this likelihood. If true, that could represent a violation of Canadian and/or international law on the part … Continue reading “Open thread: Canada and Afghan detainees”
A number of recent articles have provided interesting commentary on the upcoming trial of alleged 9-11 plotter Khalid Shheikh Mohammed in an American federal court: Slate: The Real Price of Trying KSM StratFor: Deciphering the Mohammed Trial and A Terrorist Trial in New York City Given everything that has already happened, it is very hard … Continue reading “The Khalid Sheikh Mohammed trial”
Christopher Dickey’s Securing the City: Inside America’s Best Counterterror Force – the NYPD describes the evolution of New York’s counterterrorism capabilities following the 2001 attacks against the World Trade Centre. Much of the responsibility is attributed to Raymond Kelly, who still serves as Police Commissioner, and David Cohen, his intelligence chief. Key among the changes … Continue reading “Securing the City“
A recent editorial on America’s sex crime laws is a nice demonstration of how the protection of the individual from the unjust application of power by the state is one of the most important kinds of human security. Pursuing criminal charges against teenagers who have sex with other teenagers – and even those who send … Continue reading “Consequences of fear and unchecked state power”
Not only did Barack Obama order the closure of Guantanamo Bay, he has also ordered that secret CIA prisons be closed and that the CIA must abide by the Army Field Manual in conducting interrogations. The latter decision closes a serious loophole in the human rights policies of the previous administration. While there are a … Continue reading “Closing Guantanamo and reining in the CIA”
Sayed Pervez Kambaksh’s death sentence is a compelling demonstration of how thoroughly the west has failed in Afghanistan. The death sentence was issued by an Afghan court in response to the allegation that Kambaksh had downloaded and distributed a report about the oppression of women. This is not the first time a death sentence has … Continue reading “The failure of liberal dreams for Afghanistan”
The Chinese government intends for the 2008 Beijing Olympics to be a kind of coming out party for China’s “peaceful rise.” Certainly, the last few decades have been remarkable: growth has persisted around 10% and hundreds of millions of people have risen out of extreme poverty. At the same time, the Chinese government has much … Continue reading “The 2008 Beijing Olympics”
A question in international law: Some people will doubtless have heard about the case of Lieutenant Ehren Watada: the first American commissioned officer to refuse to serve in Iraq, on the grounds that the war is illegal. He has said, for instance: This administration used us for rampant violations of time-tested laws banning torture and … Continue reading “Legal responsibilities of soldiers”
A few that I plan to attend are below. I will link the notes on my wiki to these listings, once they are written. Dr. Kean (I have no idea who he is) on Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. 9:00am on Tuesdays, weeks 1-4. (St. Cross Building) Philip Pullman on “Poco a poco: The … Continue reading “Interesting lectures in Hilary Term”
I saw Syriana with Claire this evening and, quite frankly, did not think much of it. The central messages – that the oil business, espionage, and Middle Eastern politics are murky – are exceptionally obvious. Furthermore, the story was told in such a way that no concern was ever really developed for any of the … Continue reading “Syriana“