Nèdeem Elmahjoub's blog

After their victory against the Taliban in 2001, with the support of the Americans, local warlords such as Abdul Rashid Dostum and Atta Muhammad Noor, and other militia commanders responsible for the murderous anarchy of the civil war, were to play a significant role in the new democratic Afghanistan. They were given immunity from prosecution for their alleged human rights abuses and war crimes, and the opportunity to enrich themselves from the immense inrush of foreign aid. Torture and mistreatment of prisoners in American jails helped turn these sites into fertile recruiting centres for future jihadis. “The memories of Bagram are hard on everyone, especially me,” Jawhar said. “We were three to five in each cell, we had no mattresses and we slept on the concrete floor. I became the imam of my cell, and the soldiers were always harder on the imams. Many times they called me to the door and then sprayed my face with pepper spray. Some [guards] tortured us for no reason, while others wou...

Whatever your stance on the Chinese regime, the words of the Foreign Ministry spokesperson should to be taken into account in a world rife of hypocrisy, power struggle and instability. “Certain countries should ask themselves: When the US drove five waves of NATO expansion eastward all the way to Russia’s doorstep and deployed advanced offensive strategic weapons in breach of its assurances to Russia, did it ever think about the consequences of pushing a big country to the wall?“ “I  noted that many people believe that there should not be double standards on the issue of respecting other country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Some people in the US attempt to distort China’s position and even sling mud on China. Such moves with ill intentions are unacceptable. Many people are asking the US: Did the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia when US-led NATO bombed Belgrade? Did the US respect the sovereignty and territorial ...

An article from last year ‘Techno-capitalism’ is taking over, argues Varoufakis.

There will be no limit to the number of Ukrainian refugees who can live with UK host families under a new visa scheme. The UK Health Secretary: "I'm pleased that we're doing this because as a country we have a very proud record of offering sanctuary to people from wars and from conflicts, When the bus driver dropped Vishnu and his friends off, they joined a throng of hundreds of people trying to pass through a gate at the border. Vishnu says only Ukrainians were being allowed through - and each time he got close to the crossing, guards would "drag" him to the back again. Suddenly UK homes are open to host refugees, a certain type of refugees An openly racist Europe defeats most of what we claim is at stake UK Home Secretary Priti Patel: “I have developed the Ukraine family scheme following discussions with the Ukrainian government and neighbouring countries and I am proud to have launched it within a matter of days,  enabling Ukrainians with family in the Unite...

We are now seeing major protests in Russia, with many being arrested. What is your sense of the sentiment of the Russian people to the invasion?  Ilya Budraitskis : “ Unlike in 2014, there is no patriotic enthusiasm in Russia today. Part of society is obviously outright opposed to the war with Ukraine, while the majority simply believes that it will soon be over and Russia will restore peace. There are very few actual revanchists who welcome the war and are prepared to make any sacrifice for the sake of Russia's geopolitical triumph. On the other hand, during the long years of Putin's rule, the vast majority of Russians have adopted the attitude that they have no ability to influence anything, and that everything will be decided without their participation anyway. This background of depoliticization and demoralization may provide passive support for the war for some period of time. However, if the war drags on and its economic and social consequences are felt by the majority of...

Hypocrisy then, more hypocrisy now

An invasion that has little to offer to Ukrainians, Russians and the world

Another example of the limits of political science . A fragmented approach that does not help in unpacking power struggles, political economic interests and the class dynamic inside countries. Related Whether a change in Russia’s political order is a possible outcome is to be seen, but an analysis should always go beyond politics. An invasion of Ukraine could destabilise Russia’s political order

A process of seizing assesses from Afghanistan to set up ‘humanitarian assistance’ Related The  ‘CIA’s army’

“ Même si je conserve une orientation décoloniale dans la mesure où je pense qu’il faut poursuivre les luttes contre le colonialisme par tous les moyens possibles, et donc aussi par l’art et la théorie critique, je trouve que la pensée décoloniale telle qu’elle existe aujourd’hui manque souvent de radicalité. À force de ne parler que de la race ou de la colonialité, on sépare la critique du colonialisme de la critique plus générale de l’État et du capital. Et, très souvent, ces objets sont laissés aux théoriciens marxistes blancs qui ne sont pas vraiment dérangés par la pensée décoloniale dans sa forme existante. Il faut avoir une théorie du capitalisme autonome si l’on veut cesser de dépendre de la théorie européenne. L’idée selon laquelle on ne devrait parler que de nous-mêmes ou de notre condition est faussement radicale.” Entretien avec Mohamad Amer Meziane

According to Michael Roberts and Guglielmo Carchedi,  imperialism is “a persistent and long-term net appropriation of surplus value by the high-technology imperialist countries from the low-technology dominated countries.” there are “four channels through which surplus value flows to the imperialist countries: currency seigniorage; income flows from capital investments; unequal exchange through trade; and changes in exchange rates.” “modern imperialism does not deny the persistent existence of colonialism. Colonialism and modern imperialism do not exclude each other… Colonialism contains in itself the germs of modern imperialism.” “the trade of the commodities with high technological content produced in the imperialist countries for the capitalistically produced raw materials or industrial goods produced with lower technological content in the dominated countries” results in “unequal exchange.” “under modern imperialism, technology has become the new battlefield.” “military and ide...

As Russia has turned Shi’ite by supporting Al-Assad regime and its cooperation with Iran, Israel is turning more and more Sunni by its cooperation with UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Shared-air defences

Five women to learn about 

on wikipedia

 “ The cases constitute the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British legal history. ” –the BBC