In 1858, in accepting the party’s nomination as candidate for the Senate, Abraham Lincoln told the Illinois Republican Convention, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” This was a reference to a country deeply divided over the question of slavery. It took a bloody civil war to heal that divide, but eventually, Lincoln’s efforts succeeded […]
Even in besieged East Aleppo, people were following the US presidential election. What do they think of Trump’s win? Muhammed, with the group Kesh Malek in Aleppo, is short and to the point: “For us it’s the same shit.” This also happens to be the name of the group’s campaigns against the Islamic State and […]
For the first time in my memory, questions about nuclear weapons were raised in this U.S. election cycle. During the debates, the looming spectre of unfit fingers on buttons was projected – and former U.S. missileer Bruce Blair joined the election fray doing an ad for Hilary Clinton. No matter what the outcome though, these […]
With less than a week to go before a new US President is elected, we are thankfully in the home stretch of this exorbitantly long campaign season. Whichever way the political winds blow come 8 November, a lot is destined to change after the past eight years of President Barack Obama. However, one bit of […]
Dutch sales of German military trucks to Sudan ended up in Kordofan conflict In June 2015 Dutch Radio1 programme Bureau Buitenland broke the story of military trucks that had been supplied to Sudan by Van Vliet Trucks Holland BV. While they were officially delivered as ‘demilitarised’ and to a private company, the very same trucks […]
Today, on 1 March 2016, it is 17 years ago that the international Mine Ban Treaty entered into force. This live-saving treaty banning production, use, stockpiling and transfer of anti-personnel mines has since been joined by 162 countries. By Suzanne Oosterwijk and Maaike Beenes The 2015 Landmine Monitor – the annual research by the International […]
Recently, students at Pace University provided recommendations for PAX on universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) following a semester-long project examining States’ progress in implementing the ban. By Caitlin Boley (Intern at PAX New York Office) The students’ recommendation came right in time for the Intersessional Meetings that were held in Geneva (Switzerland) […]
Militias who fought and toppled the Khaddafi regime in 2011 have now increasingly turned on each other in Libya, seemingly along tribal lines. However, while most international observers tend to view the tribal system as one of the main drivers of the conflict, many Libyans rather see the tribes as the key to peace, stability […]
While Iraq is still recovering from the environmental impact of both Gulf wars, it now faces new environmental problems caused by the current conflict against the Islamic State (IS). Since the uprising began in June 2014, fierce battles have taken place in and around cities and industrial areas, affecting the already precarious environmental situation. By […]
The Pentagon has announced that depleted uranium (DU) munitions have not, and will not, be used by US aircraft in the conflict against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The policy U-turn contrasts with statements made over previous months, where Pentagon officials claimed that DU would be used if needed; the decision reflects a growing stigmatisation of the controversial weapons.