October 3, 2019 – Astute News

October 3, 2019

The “Kashmir 2 Khalistan” Campaign Is the Solution to India’s Separatist Issues

The recent merging of the peaceful campaigns for self-determination referenda in Kashmir and Khalistan presents the only realistic solution to India’s separatist issues there, and the international community should facilitate their democratic goals and take steps to ensure that India doesn’t carry out a bloodbath against them. *** The Kashmir and Khalistan self-determination movements recently merged into a single campaign...

Opinion Comment: 1

October 3, 2019

Displaced by a US Invasion? Don’t Imagine You’ll Be Welcomed to Breathe Free

In Afghanistan on 22 September at least 40 civilians attending a wedding party were killed in a raid conducted by Afghan soldiers and supported by US airstrikes. Four days earlier a US drone attack killed 30 civilians and injured 40 others while they were resting after collecting pine nuts in a forest. The insurgents in Afghanistan are killing people, too,...

Opinion Comment: 1

October 3, 2019

The Ethical Dilemma Behind Trump’s Fateful Ukrainegate Decision

Should Trump have pursued justice even though the outcome could have politically helped him, or should he have neglected his legal responsibilities to do so because of the same? *** The Ukrainegate scandal was sparked by Trump asking his newly elected counterpart in the country to look into accusations of corruption by former Vice President and current Democratic frontrunner Biden...

Opinion Comment: 1

October 3, 2019

70th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China Shows Beijing’s Communism may be the Most Viable

While mistakes of the Soviet Union put it in the museum, China’s capacity to adapt and reinvent itself could soon make it the most important country in the world. Last weekend, I addressed a 70th anniversary commemoration of the victory of the Chinese revolution. I joked to the Chinese diplomats present that I had spoken at the 70th anniversary of...

Opinion Comments: 2

October 3, 2019

Yemen Is Now Saudi Arabia’s “Vietnam War”

Something does not appear right in Saudi Arabia. Although the Wahhabi Kingdom has a technological, demographical and economical advantage over Yemen, it has completely failed to break the Yemeni resistance, headed by the Houthi-led Ansarullah Movement. The Ansarullah Movement has not just been on the defensive against Saudi Arabia’s advancements, but has also taken the fight directly to them despite...

Opinion Comment: 1

October 3, 2019

New Weapons and the New Tactics Which They Make Possible: Three Examples

There are probably hundreds of books out there about the so-called “Revolution in Military Affairs”, some of them pretty good, most of them very bad, and a few very good ones (especially this one). For a rather dull and mainstream discussion, you can check the Wikipedia article on the RMA. Today I don’t really want to talk this or similar...

Opinion Comment: 1

October 3, 2019

Twitter Executive for Middle East is British Army ‘Psyops’ Soldier

The senior Twitter executive with editorial responsibility for the Middle East is also a part-time officer in the British Army’s psychological warfare unit, Middle East Eye has established. Gordon MacMillan, who joined the social media company’s UK office six years ago, has for several years also served with the 77th Brigade, a unit formed in 2015 in order to develop...

Opinion Comment: 1

October 3, 2019

Why Israel is Struggling to Find a Way Out of its Political Deadlock

It would be a grave mistake to assume that the continuing political deadlock in Israel – with neither incumbent prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival Benny Gantz seemingly able to cobble together a coalition government – is evidence of a deep ideological divide. In political terms, there is nothing divided about Israel. In this month’s general election, 90...

Opinion Comment: 1

Daily Archive: October 3, 2019

The “Kashmir 2 Khalistan” Campaign Is the Solution to India’s Separatist Issues

Displaced by a US Invasion? Don’t Imagine You’ll Be Welcomed to Breathe Free

The Ethical Dilemma Behind Trump’s Fateful Ukrainegate Decision

70th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China Shows Beijing’s Communism may be the Most Viable

Yemen Is Now Saudi Arabia’s “Vietnam War”

New Weapons and the New Tactics Which They Make Possible: Three Examples

Twitter Executive for Middle East is British Army ‘Psyops’ Soldier

Why Israel is Struggling to Find a Way Out of its Political Deadlock