|
14.08.05 | MISSILFORSVAR
(MISSILE DEFENCE) - A few dilemmas bypassed in Denmark and Greenland
Denmark appeared caught in several difficulties to resolve
political dilemmas when the US indicated a desire to upgrade Thule Air
Base in Greenland for a key role in missile defence. Would a 'yes' to the
request inflame the movement in Greenland for independence? Would a 'no'
leave Denmark, which earlier had opted out of the EU defense co-operation,
without strong allies? And would a democratic debate on the issue
jeopardise a government policy in favour of yes? But after several years
of consultations, debate and negotiations approval from both Greenland and
the Danish parliament was obtained. Essentially the dilemmas were bypassed.
The strategic and military issue in missile defense were overshadowed when
Greenland used the occasion to take one more step towards independence –
and in Denmark the remoteness of Thule and a sense of supreme interests at
stake limited public debate. Danish democracy functioned within limits set
by US hegemony – decision-making and public debate were heavily under
the influence of what Walter Russell Mead call "sticky power".
Neither the Danes nor the Greenlanders wanted to leave the US empire and
both found their best choice in exploiting whatever the system affords. (Article
for Peace Research Institute Frankfurt)
01.06.04
| USA - An Empire Unveiled
An extensive review of
the US debate on the empire building efforts of the Bush-administration.
The alternative offered by the Democratic candidate John Kerry during the
2004 presidential election is presented. If a single truth can be
distilled from the US debate on empire it must be: It makes a difference
whether an empire is formal or informal – these forms of empire are then
the outer, opposite, points on a sliding scale with the degree of dominion
begin the decisive factor. (Article in Baltic Defence Review)
31.12.01
| NATO - The internationals on
the Balkans - Lessons for Macedonia 24 pages (pdf)
Report for BITS - Berlin Information-Center for
Trasnatlantic Security. Conference
report on an expert-workshop in december 2001 focused on lessons learned -
or not learned - from ten years of involvement by the EU, UN and NATO in
the Balkans. 40 people with extensive experience as participants during
the interventions reconsidered with a "selv-critical view of the past"
the accomplishments. One conclusion: The internationals have attempted
crisis-management with some positive results, but have failed miserably in
making a transition to conflict-resolution. Crisis-management is about
putting out fires, while conflict resolution is about eliminating the
reasons for fires.
01.07.98
| NATO - NATO Resists Pressures To Militarise Central Europe
Prospects
for NATO enlargement were in the 1990's tied to an expected boom in
weapons purchases by new members. These expactations were spread by
establishment media, anti-NATO activists and former communists in Eastern
Europe, now in office as pro-NATO democrats. But, as this study for the
British American Security Information Council documents, the expectations
were mostly a result of propaganda. NATO has in fact deliberately
discouraged early investments in big new weapons-systems. The study quotes
at length from classified NATO documents, and looks at the role a
prominent Lockheed Martin representative, Bruce Jackson, has played. (Report
published by BASIC))
01.06.92 | PRESSEN
(THE PRESS) - The Gulf War: New Challenges for Journalism
Media coverage of the 1990-91 Gulf conflict, and in particular
effective news management by US forces, provoked a rash of criticism. Many
critics made the task too easy for themselves. In the process, real
challenges and opportunities facing today’s global media in war and
peace situations were missed. Freedom of the press is based on a national
contract that gives both duties and rights. If rights are to be
strengthened or defended in a global context, a new framework on rights
and duties reflecting the global nature of todays news media is an urgent
task for the peace and conflict research community, too. Principles from
the 'just war' tradition can provide guidance. (Article in Bulletin of
Peace Proposals)
|
