Some things never change

As he tries to emphasise the difference between himself and his predecessor, Gordon Brown's watchword at the moment is 'change'. Unlikely to change this afternoon in the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) is the amount of resources poured into the military for 'defence'; 'security' and 'peace'. Whilst the headline figures for 'defence' spending were given as part of a number of military announcements sneaked out the day before the parliamentary recess, we should see some more details this afternoon. Comments no doubt later.

Meanwhile innocent victims of war around the world continue to call for real peace and security

Talks on putting new US Missiles in UK says Daily Mail

Whilst there has already been much oppostion to the UK's involvement in Bush's 'Star Wars' programme there has never been a suggestion until now that the missiles themselves - as opposed to the radars - will actually be based in the UK. Now however the Daily Mail are suggesting that because of oppostion from Russia to the proposed siting of the missiles in Poland, talks have been opened between the US and UK on putting the missiles and the radars in the UK. This will be a real test of Gordon Brown's so called willingness to distance himself from the US. Watch this space.

Rowan speak out against bombing Iran

The archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has said that the call by some for the bombing of Iran is a criminal, ignorant and potentially murderous folly. Whilst Rowan did speak out against invasion of Iraq he said later that he wished he had done more.

Whilst the Pushy Pacifist understands that the Archbishop's focus has been elsewhere over the past few years, he certainly could and should have spoken out more against the use of armed force to solve the worlds political (and humanitarian) problems.

Some people say that being in that post makes it impossible for him to speak out. The Pushy Pacifist isn't one of them and hopes that this statement on the potential bombing of Iran is a sign that things will change.

Aung San Suu Kyi on Non-Violence

Stranger than fiction

military-wins-ig-nobel-peace-prize-for-gay-bomb

Jaw Jaw Works

North Korea and Iraq were the two main "rogue nations" (Iran has been added recently) cited by Bush as 'the Axis of Evil'. Whilst The neo-cons forced the invasion of Iraq and have pretty much destroyed the country - negotiations and talks have been going on behind the scenes with North Korea resulting in a new peace pact and decommissioning of nuclear plant. A long way to go but more evidence that jaw jaw not war war works.

Challenging Gang Violence

The predominance of crime and gangs is a rich vein in the British media these days and whenever it features the politicans reach for the file labelled 'get tough' and 'crackdown'. Yet from what could be described as the home of gang culture - South Central LA - there is a new and different response from the police and the politicians which seems to be making a difference. The Pushy Pacifist notes the involvement of grizzled old pacifist, Tom Hayden.

War and the election

The Pushy Pacifist wonders how much the war in Iraq and Afghanistan will figure in the coming General Election (if indeed it comes). Simon Heffer's Comment piece in today's Telegraph argues that the electorate doesn't much care about 'foreign policy' and so the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or the potential on/off bombing of Iran won't be much of a feature in the election [war of course being foreign policy by another name in Telegraph-land]. Heffer notes that lack of respect for soldiers when they return and goes on to castigate both Milliband and Hague for not trying hard enough to engage the public in support for 'foreign policy'(i.e foreign wars). But rather than being disengaged with foreign policy, perhaps the public are just sick of Blair & Brown's wars. Even Sir Richard Dannatt, head of the British Army has noticed the growing gulf between the armed forces and the public and has been pleading for homecoming parades and football tickets for retuning soldiers.

Home by Christmas

Guess what? With an election in the offing, our 'troops will be home by Christmas...?'

The pushy pacifist has been called many things in his time, but cynical? Moi?.

Top Gun(pushers): US, Russia & UK

A new US Congressional study reveals that the US followed by Russia and the UK are the main suppliers of arms to developing countries. The report shows that the total market in arms in 2006 was about $40 billion - 80% of which went to developing countries.

Some call for 'control' of the arms trade through an arms trade treaty. But that's not going to have any impact - witness the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, pushed by liberal NGOs and taken up the Labour Government following the 1997 election but which has little or no impact (arguably the reverse as it has allowed the government to be seen to do something without actually doing anything). The Pushy Pacifist thinks that the recent closure of DESO will have more of an impact on the arms trade than any 'code' or 'treaty'.

Meanwhile Brown's boys seem to be keen on the right to silence in certain circumstance - notably when the G-Men are pursing dodgy deals. Watch this space...