Humanitarian crisis worsens in Gaza, as Biden describes civilian casualties as “the price of waging a war”

With Israel’s savage bombardment of the Gaza Strip continuing unabated, the humanitarian crisis faced by its 2.3 million residents has reached horrendous dimensions. In addition to an official death toll approaching 7,000, over 1.4 million people have been displaced by Israel’s genocidal onslaught, while supplies of food, clean water and fuel are on the verge of expiring.

Humanitarian crisis worsens in Gaza, as Biden describes civilian casualties as “the price of waging a war”

New Zealand: Waking Up to a Disturbing Reality!

New Zealand was once the beacon of independent policymaking, but recent intel suggests a seismic shift towards the U.S-led AUKUS military alliance. New documents unearth a looming war shadow, with Wellington pushing Kiwis towards a volatile stand-off with China. What’s driving this dramatic pivot? Are we on the brink of the unimaginable?

New Zealand: Waking Up to a Disturbing Reality! via Geopolitical Trends, w/Dr. David Oualaalou

Sources:

Unease Over New Zealand Overtures to US in Pacific

The bombing of the Rainbow Warrior

New Zealand says it will set China policy, not US-led Five Eyes

How the Billionaires Control U.S.-and-Allied Governments

An artists’ mordant representation of the Euromafia: all basically illegitimate leaders at the head of fake democracies.

In virtually every country that’s allied with the U.S. Government against Russia and against China, there is a low public job-approval-rating for its head-of-state and for its Government, and a rating that is far lower than is the public job-approval for the leaders of the countries that the U.S. gang are trying to regime-change. If a given nation’s leader’s net public job-approval rating (% who approve, minus the % who disapprove) is above 0%, or positive, then that is an indication the nation’s Government is a democracy, because then that leader is satisfying his public (including his political opposition — not merely his own voters) more than dissatisfying it — that leader actually DOES represent his nation. However, if the net job-approval rating is below 0%, or negative, it’s likelier a dictatorship than a democracy (and then the question is: whom does that leader actually serve?).

How the Billionaires Control U.S.-and-Allied Governments

Australia’s nuclear waste from AUKUS deal raises treaty violation concerns

By: Romita Chattaraj | March 20, 2023 – 2:06pm

On March 14, 2023, Australia, the US, and UK concluded a deal that will extend nuclear powered submarines to the Australian Navy, a key part of the AUKUS security agreement between the three countries. The AUKUS deal requires the Australian government to dispose of nuclear waste containing radioactive materials produced by the submarines. While Australia has facilities to store low through intermediate-level waste, no facilities exist to store high-level waste for the decades or centuries such waste requires. This has raised concerns about violating Article 2 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) which does not permit non-nuclear states to “receive nuclear explosive devices or seek their manufacture.” However, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to the NPT and stated that the country will work in “close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).” One other violation concern has been raised regarding the Treaty of Rarotonga, also known as the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, which does not allow signatories to “acquire, possess, or have control over any nuclear explosive device” but allows reservations in Article 14. Reservations, as defined by Article 14 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, permits a state to exclude the application of certain provisions, creating a loophole for Australia’s ability to store nuclear reactors. US submarines will start visits to Australia this year with UK submarines expected by 2026. Full nuclear capability is expected by the early 2030s.

Australia’s nuclear waste from AUKUS deal raises treaty violation concerns

US & UK make the submarines, Australia stores the waste.

Macron rejects ‘confrontation’ as he relaunches Asia strategy

Macron rejects ‘confrontation’ as he relaunches Asia strategy

“We don’t believe in hegemony, we don’t believe in confrontation, we believe in stability,” Macron said.

Macron said a coordinated response was needed to tackle the overlapping crises facing the international community — from climate change to economic turmoil triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Our Indo-Pacific strategy is how to provide dynamic balance in this environment,” he said.

“How to provide precisely a sort of stability and equilibrium which could not be the hegemony of one of those, could not be the confrontation of the two major powers.”

The Indo-Pacific Strategy doesn’t sound as innocent as Macron makes it out to be:

The new US Indo-Pacific Strategy document released in February has two interesting components, one overt and one covert. The document overtly declares the US is an “Indo-Pacific power.” Covertly, its aim is to “tighten the noose around China.” Arguably, minus the military might, China’s nearly a decade-long “Belt and Road Initiative” cannot be perceived as a grand national strategy aimed at controlling Eurasia or the Asia Pacific or any region for that matter. Yet the BRI is mythologized into such a geostrategic game-changer that it has rattled the US and its allies in the Asia Pacific. The BRI, at best, is nothing more than a mere geopolitical overland and maritime “chessboard” based on trade and investment.

BRI and the ‘Indo-Pacific’ Strategy: Geopolitical vs. Geostrategic

Say What? The U.S. Is about to PUNISH Australia!

The US has warned Australia against joining a landmark treaty banning nuclear weapons, saying the agreement could hamper defense arrangements between the US and its allies.

The US embassy in Canberra says treaty “would not allow for US extended deterrence relationships.”

Is the US threatening Australia if it does not toe the line???

US warns Australia against joining treaty banning nuclear weapons

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Say What? The U.S. Is about to PUNISH Australia! via Geopolitical Trends

Related:

‘So Irresponsible’: US Condemned for Warning Australia Against Joining Anti-Nuclear Treaty

Dunderheaded Diplomacy: Australia’s Funding Offer to the Solomon Islands

What is it about Australian diplomacy that makes it so clumsy and dunderheaded? Is it the harsh delivery, the tactless expression, or the inability to do things with subtle reflection? On September 6, Australian diplomacy gave another display of such form with Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s remarks about the Solomon Islands elections.

Dunderheaded Diplomacy: Australia’s Funding Offer to the Solomon Islands

Previously:

Solomon Islands votes to delay election as opposition cries foul

Is the Solomon Islands an Australian colony?