On Our "Virtual Route 66" This Week: Random Thoughts On Our World

 

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January: the longer view

As Tanguy Lepesant wrote in 2021, Taiwanese 'fears [about retaining autonomy] are grounded in reality: China is exerting increasing military pressure on its neighbours, particularly Taiwan.' To the US, meanwhile, 'Taiwan has always been a pawn whose relative strategic value is a factor in regional realpolitik calculations. That value has been rising in recent years.' Tensions between the two rivals were high in the lead-up to Taiwan's election this weekend, won by Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive party, who once described himself as a 'pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence'. On the ground, these debates are often overshadowed by other discussions about the country's identity, as Alice Hérait writes in this mon th's paper.

Last week, South Africa made a case against Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, alleging 'genocidal acts'. Gilbert Achcar detailed the Israeli far right's plans for expansion and expulsion last month. Elsewhere, the US presidential primaries begin today; a history of Russian imperialist ambitions; and the ethics of mining the seabed for rare earth metals. Our entire archive, going back to 1996, is free to read for subscribers. Here is a series of pieces related to our January issue.

Ukraine and Gaza: double standards


Benoît Bréville
In terms of international law, there's no ambiguity: Russia's occupation of its Ukrainian neighbour is illegal, just as Israel's occupation of its Palestinian neighbour is (...)

Gaza besieged

Olivier Pironet • September 2019

Reasons for war: lies, lies and more lies

Dominique Vidal • February 2009

Israel's strategic error


Charles Enderlin
Binyamin Netanyahu said in 2019 that strengthening Hamas would help stop the creation of a Palestinian state, thus ruling out any political solution. Since the Hamas attacks (...)

The deadly spiral to war

Akram Belkaïd • November 2023

South Carolina: battle lines drawn for US election


Julien Brygo
With the primaries imminent, party activists, Baptist preachers and Moms for Liberty have moved their electioneering up a gear. This state is a stronghold for the right but (...)

Georgia not on Democrats' minds

B. B. • October 2012

The American left finds itself in a double bind

Serge Halimi • September 2023

Trumpism will outlive Trump

Jerome Karabel • December 2020

What does Russia want in Ukraine?


Sergei Fediunin & Hélène Richard
Despite unprecedented Western military aid, Ukraine's counteroffensive has failed. Kyiv fears Russian neo-imperialism; history reveals other (...)

Ukraine war: a new security order in Europe

Igor Delanoë • September 2022

No need for this cold war

Jean-Pierre Chevènement • July 2015

Ukraine: a new cold war

Jean-Marie Chauvier • January 2005

The geopolitics of the seabed


Didier Ortolland
There are huge, and highly valuable, deposits of rare earth metals on the seabed, vital to a successful energy transition. But who has the right to exploit (...)

Sharing the seas

Didier Cormorand • July 2016

Lebanon's untapped wealth

Bachir El-Khoury • November 2015

Taiwan's divided loyalties


Alice Hérait
History may be destiny, but the Taiwanese cannot agree on either. Attitudes here to their former dictator Chiang Kai-shek encapsulate deep disagreement over their future (...)

End of the 'Chinese dream' in Taiwan

Tanguy Lepesant • October 2021

Kinmen Islands: a grenade in the jaws of a tiger?

Alexandre Gandil • March 2023

Taiwan is open for business

Martine Bulard • February 2012
See the full list:

January: the longer view

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