Hans Kundnani in Dissent: In the five months since October 7, people around the world have looked on in horror as Germany has wielded the memory of the Holocaust to silence criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza. The German government’s response to the conflict itself has not been all that different from that of theContinue reading “Zionism Über Alles”
Category Archives: Opinion
Why is Russia’s President for Life Bothering With an Election Campaign?
The Proof is in the Putin Excerpts of an article by Andrew Ryvkin at Air Mail: Vladimir Putin is up for re-election. At the time of writing, the outcome is unclear: Is Putin going to get 93 percent of the vote, or will the Kremlin settle for a cool—and totally reasonable—82 percent? At one pointContinue reading “Why is Russia’s President for Life Bothering With an Election Campaign?”
Americans Views of Foreign Alliances Growing Increasingly Divided
Kerry Boyd Anderson at Arab News: Today, as the world shifts from a unipolar world dominated by the US toward a more multipolar world, many Republicans are questioning how Americans benefit from some of the country’s long-standing partnerships. Meanwhile, an increasing desire among Republicans (and some Democrats) to focus resources domestically rather than abroad isContinue reading “Americans Views of Foreign Alliances Growing Increasingly Divided”
Will Today’s Tech Wave Drown Developing Countries?
Xiaolan Fu at Project Syndicate: We are living through humanity’s fourth industrial revolution, which is largely driven by breakthroughs in digital technologies. Some, like the internet and artificial intelligence, are converging and amplifying each other, with far-reaching consequences for economies and societies. For developing countries, the implications are profound, and questions concerning policy choices andContinue reading “Will Today’s Tech Wave Drown Developing Countries?”
‘Election Heist’
The Economist, March 14, 2024: Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party (PML-N) is back in power. Following elections last month, the thrice former prime minister’s younger brother, Shehbaz, has been installed in the ruling post. His daughter, Maryam, is the new chief minister of populous Punjab. So why is Mr Sharif so glum? The 74-year-oldContinue reading “‘Election Heist’”
How Not To Predict The Future
Good forecasting thrives on a delicate balance of math, expertise, and…vibes. Molly Hickman in Asterisk: Predicting the future is difficult, but not impossible — and some people are much better at it than others. This insight has spawned a community dedicated to developing better and better methods of forecasting. But while our techniques have become increasingly sophisticated,Continue reading “How Not To Predict The Future”
Skeletons in the Closet
Irshad Salim: In the Summer of 2020, I shared one of the many moments and memories in the context of the on goings back ‘home’ (Pakistan)–after returning from ‘abroad’ (USA). ‘Home’ and ‘Abroad’ are the two sides of the coin most Pakistanis overseas carry in the wallet of their daily rituals. I have been oneContinue reading “Skeletons in the Closet”
Why Governments Offload Risks to Individuals
Under the guise of empowerment and freedom, politicians and business are offloading lifethreatening risk to individuals Suzanne Schneider at Aeon: I have for several years been working on a book about risk as a form of social and political logic: a lens for apprehending the world and a set of tools for taming uncertainty withinContinue reading “Why Governments Offload Risks to Individuals”
Z A Bhutto: Incomplete Justice
Will the judges remain in their ivory towers or see the reality of political injustice in Pakistan? Faisal Siddiqi at Dawn: THE state-sponsored judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB), a key founder of both mass democracy and constitutionalism in Pakistan, is a historical and legal fact which very few independent and fair observers willContinue reading “Z A Bhutto: Incomplete Justice”