Hey again!
*inhale, exhale* Alexis here — The news coming out of Ukraine is disturbing. I’m not just referring to images of the conflict, and crowds of people fleeing, but also the way the media is using the Global South as a litmus test for what is and is not “civilized” in instances like these. And since things are progressing day-to-day, this month we try to provide stories that offer insight into the war machine at work in Ukraine to paint a fuller picture.
I'm reminded of Naomi Klein’s, The Shock Doctrine, which instructs us to be diligent in times like this, to the actions of states like ours. Violence begets violence and it can be difficult to remain soft, and aware. As someone who holds a strong anti-war position, even I have found myself, in moments of empathy, normalizing the violence I’ve seen in the last week. But then I remember that the imperialist ideals used to justify the invasion of Ukraine, are the same imperialist ideals provided to justify Iraq, Afghanistan, and even the dropping of bombs on Somalia. A stance this unconventional (an anti-war stance, that is) requires constant learning and unlearning, and investigating your position against the available frameworks for anti-war stances. It’s hard work. But, we can, and should, do hard things.
For now, here’s your round up!
» Ukraine
Western Leaders Are Hypocrites When it Comes to War
“In the end, this is what war is: organized killing.” - Ronan Bertenshaw
While defending the anti-war position, Bertenshaw discusses the history of British involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Being anti-war has long been an unpopular stance since war is big business for countries like the U.S. and Britain (as well as Russia). If the consequences and burden of war weren’t almost exclusively exacted on the communities least capable of carrying them, it wouldn’t be such a popular option for wealthy individuals or nations. Even when the U.S. implements measures considered to be more peaceful, like sanctions, the strain is felt on the average citizen, not the governmental body. The hope then is that the citizens of a sanctioned nation will turn on their government in such ways that the government will have to bend to the will of the sanctioning nation. But to bring an entire population of people (who have no recourse) to the brink of starvation, and isolation is violence of another name and even that I don’t agree with. — Alexis
What Does Russia Want in Ukraine? A Full Guide
After defying months of diplomatic efforts by the U.S. and its allies to avoid a Russian invasion, Russia began the expansion of its own borders targeting Ukrainian military posts. With ongoing updates, this article provides a detailed explanation of the expansion of NATO in the western hemisphere directly bordering Russia. As a result, Russia fears the collapse of being one of the powerful countries that failed to keep the Baltic republics under the Russian empire. – Arezo
With Russian troops surrounding and entering Ukraine’s borders, it’s important to understand the role of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). With Russia’s demand for Ukraine, we need to go back and understand why NATO was created and how European countries are collectively involved. — Arezo
Despite how things have progressed in Russia’s war in Ukraine, this conversation lays out the pros and cons of American interference in other countries and our attempts to “spread Democracy” over the decades. One guest on the show reiterates my thoughts when she poses the question: When have our attempts to export democracy ever been successful? And why are we exporting an ideology that we have yet to implement correctly here in this country? The audacity is astounding. I believe that democracy can work and that it’s an idea worth improving upon. But, in my opinion, the pitfall of American democracy is its insistence on marrying itself to capitalism. — Alexis
For Ukraine’s Jews, the Threat of War Stirs Memories of Past Horrors
As some Ukrainian communities were preparing for the worst that is occurring now, Jewish communities were ready. Jewish survivors of WWII can still remember their escape, and in the same breath remember those who were murdered by the mass executions of Jews outside of Kyiv. One of the most important parts of critically consuming news, particularly conflict, is to understand the perspectives of the most marginalized. Many Jews living in Ukraine speak Russian and still have ties to Russia, yet they fled their home because of the Holocaust. This community is still processing their trauma, and is now forced to reckon with an invasion that could result in targeting Jews in a way that is reminiscent of one of the most infamous genocides in history. — Sarah
The Cold War, Modern Ukraine, and the Spread of Democracy in the Former Soviet Bloc Countries
“The Cold War was a global struggle of the United States and democratic capitalism against the Soviet Union and communism.” – Michael De Groot
The Cold War was an ideological war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union (at the time), where they instigated and fought both direct and proxy wars in countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. For those of the Global Majority, it was violent and had disastrous human consequences in places like Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. The U.S. strategy was to violently bring countries around the world closer to their desired ideological view, but few hearts and even fewer minds were won by the West. In one instance, this bitter ideological war pushed the world close to mutual nuclear destruction – the Cuban Missel Crisis. Although the writer of this article suggests that true parallels cannot be made to the Cold War of the ’40s through the late ’70s, right now conversations are being had across Africa where they worry the continent may be the next theater of war for Russia, depending on the outcome in Ukraine. —Alexis
I'd like to highlight Sheller’s concept of “constellations of mobility”, which explains the resources, materials, and information ecosystem that make it possible for us to move through different spaces in different ways. This matters when we talk about how individuals in places like Ukraine have a constellation of mobility that will more adequately support them in navigating conflict and disaster in comparison to, say, Haitians (the country where Sheller’s research takes place). Fortunately, the enthusiastic support much of the West is offering to Ukraine will reinforce and even expand their constellation of mobility, allowing Ukrainians safe haven and resources to get back on their feet. — Alexis
Hall (a CSIS Middle East senior fellow) discusses her new report which details the problems the international community has distributing and providing humanitarian aid, and not just in Syria. As the international community looks for ways to support Ukrainians by sending money to NGOs, it’s critical to understand how the humanitarian aid industry works. It’s not always nefarious, but when there is an influx in funding to organizations that don’t regularly receive these large amounts of funding, they run into obstacles when trying to properly distribute them. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give if you feel so inclined, it may mean you simply need to share the love a little farther. — Alexis
» North America
Pepper Spray, Tow Trucks, and Bitcoin Seizures: How Canada Finally Ended the Weeks-Long Freedom Convoy Protests in Ottawa
It may come as a surprise to some that a protest in Canada broke out in opposition to the government's COVID-19 mandate. Yes, you read that right. CANADA. They call themselves the Freedom Convoy and they were made up of mostly truck drivers who objected to the new requirements for drivers carrying goods between the U.S. and Canada. The disruption cost the city about $800,000 per day. After President Trudeau invoked the Emergency Act for the first time in Canadian history, police were able to disband the protesters. Although Canada shares our border, research shows us Americans are rarely up to date on Canadian happenings in general, and yet there are many commonalities. The implications of large populations in the Western world protesting vaccine mandates when they have privileged access is dire for the rest of the world. Most of the Global South who don’t have the funds to purchase vaccines for their whole population are watching as Canadians and Americans take their privilege for granted, and as the death toll for COVID-19 continues to rise simultaneously. — Sarah
Jamaal Bowman Withdraws Co-Sponsorship of Bill Backing Israel’s Abraham Accords
There are two points in this article that I want to mention: First, how American progressivism is changing our long-standing views on foreign policy, and the friction progressive candidates encounter with the rest of the democratic party. And, second, the all-too-common practice of business dealings in place as foreign policy. There’s an entire industry built upon the assertion that intelligent strategies, systems, and international bodies can be put in place to facilitate relationships with each other and, ultimately, avoid war. We call it diplomacy, and it’s rarely ever used properly. In a capitalist democracy, like the U.S., it should never surprise us that capitalism is the modus operandi for governing, relationship building, and war. The problem is that a capitalist agenda doesn’t have a human-first approach, which is how we end up with raging conflicts and policies that exacerbate the vulnerabilities present in societies around the world. Progressives in the U.S. are trying to refocus the goals of democracy in our nation and in our foreign policy, to be more human-centric. But their most insurmountable hurdle is capitalism. In their fight for the advancement of environmental policies, social justice, and human rights issues, here and abroad, they are strong-armed by those within the party and across the aisle who have a longstanding economic investment in the status quo. — Alexis
» Let’s Not Forget the Global South
Yemen Civilian Deaths Doubled Since UN Monitors Removed
As we watch the horrors unfold on the ground in Ukraine in the news and on social media, and as you read about it here in the 823 Newsletter, I want to highlight another humanitarian emergency. This conflict has been happening for several years now and has not received much Western coverage. Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition has carried out over 24,000 air raids in Yemen since 2015. The war in Yemen has left the entire population in need of some form of humanitarian assistance and left 4 million people displaced to date. But where is the coverage of this refugee crisis, and what the UN calls one of the most devastating humanitarian situations in history? This is not to say, we shouldn’t be following and supporting Ukrainians who are also facing devastation. Rather, let us think critically about which crises around the world are being followed closely, receiving news coverage, and garnering financial support. We hope to elevate the voices of Yemenis, Palestinians, Somalis, Afghans, and all the refugees and children of war who have been forgotten by the international community, but who still need our help. — Sarah
Time to say #helloTurkiye!
Turkiye (tur-keey-eeh) is how the Turkish government wants the world to pronounce the name of the country from now on. For a majority of the middle east, this is how they have always pronounced the name of the country. This campaign is supposed to celebrate Turkiye’s culture and rebrand it as a modern Muslim country that is leaning away from a strict Muslim regime, and creating its own identity that can be showcased on an international level. – Arezo
Dutch apologize for violence in Indonesian War of Independence
Apologies matter. In this case, the Dutch Prime Minister will formally apologize for the mass executions that happened during the 1945-49 Indonesian War of Independence. Between the Dutch government apologizing for the atrocities committed during their colonization, and the war crimes the U.S. and EU have committed in the past, the white privilege of the Global North is on full display. The Dutch apology makes us consider some important factors: One if they are trying to avoid being summoned by the International Criminal Court, and two, indirectly calling out the Indonesian government’s own mistreatment of their citizens under the communist leadership. In summary, Dutch leaders should be held accountable for the atrocities they carried out in all of their former colonies, and other European leaders should be held accountable in the same way. — Arezo
Over the course of the 20-year U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, the hard-earned money of Afghan taxpayers was set aside in a U.S. federal reserver (a common practice by a number of countries), waiting to be released back to the Afghan people when U.S. troops made their exit. Now the funds are frozen and President Biden has said that half of the money would go to American families who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks. — Alexis
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In Solidarity,
The 823 Team