If one could say so I would: “I’m Pope!”

After Paris attacks, Pope Francis speaks out against insulting religions: “You can’t kill in the name of a religion. That is an aberration.” And “You can’t provoke, you can’t insult the faith of others, you can’t make fun of faith.” Thank God there is such a wise Pope! If it couldn’t be misunderstood I would say “I’m Pope”! Remember also Gandhi: “There can be no … Continue reading If one could say so I would: “I’m Pope!”

Would one European leader say “nonviolence” too?

Text: • Who of them will say: “My belief in my Western identity and our values and culture is strong. Therefore, I am Security, Police and Intelligence – but I am also Nonviolence, Dialogue and Reconciliation. And I feel safe when I take the first step away from the spiral of violence. • Let me repeat for a thousandth time that nonviolence is of the … Continue reading Would one European leader say “nonviolence” too?

“We Are All Charlie” – but is that story so simple?

Eleven points as a reflection on the terror in Paris and – not the least – the reactions to it*:

1. What was this an attack on?
Was that attack an attack on freedom of speech as such, on democracy, even on the whole Western culture and lifestyle, as was maintained throughout? Or was it, more limited, a revenge directed at one weekly magazine for what some perceive as blasphemy?

2. Is freedom of expression practised or curtailed for various reasons?
How real is that freedom in the West? Just a couple of days before the Paris massacre PEN in the U.S. published a report – Global Chilling – finding that about 75% of writers report that they are influenced by the NSA listening and abstain from taking up certain subjects or perspectives? Self-censorship, in other words. Finally, most of the political leaders marching in Paris on Sunday January 11 have clamped down on media, such as Turkey and Egypt.

I must admit that I have experienced limitations in the practise of that freedom in my work with Western media and it is decades ago I draw the conclusion that things like political correctness, ownership, commercial/market considerations and journalists’ need for good relations with power – e.g. to obtain interviews – play a role.

I’ve been on the ground in conflict zones and returning home to see reports so biased to tell very little of what I’ve seen myself. And we’ve recently seen lots of cases from the U.S. academic world where there’s been a clampdown on certain views, pulications, courses and professors – not the least in relation to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Or, you look at the proportions between government fund available for peace research and military research in virtually every Western society; free research is a vital element in the self-understanding of the West. But how much of do we have?

3. Freedom doesn’t mean duty.
Is freedom of expression really 100% irrespective of how much the practise of that freedom is hurtful, offending, humiliating or discriminatory against other peoples, religions and cultures? Even if you can express your opinions freely it is not always what we should do.

Continue reading ““We Are All Charlie” – but is that story so simple?”

Udviklingsbistanden og de næste kampfly – fint vi ikke har råd

Så gik SF og EL med til at skære 1,5 milliarder væk fra udviklingsbistanden – ifølge Politiken og DR.

Det er da helt fint. Fra nu af véd vi at der ikke kan blive tale om at bruge 30 milliarder kroner eller mere på nye kampfly som vi kun skal bruge til at bombe andre lande med og skabe endnu flere flygtninge.

Men det er da interessant at det lige netop er udviklingsbistanden, der skal reduceres. Fandtes der slet slet ikke noget andet område man kunne have taget 1,5 milliarder kroner fra?

Jeg ser sådan på sammenhængen: Hvis vi gav meget mere til at afhjælpe millioners nød ville DK fremstå som en generøs stat i stedet for en bøllestat. Og med højnet udvikling overalt ville der være færre spændinger, mindre vold og derfor færre flygtninge i verden.

Nå, men hvis danske politikere – hele spektret – kan gå den gale vej i samlet trop vedrørende international politik, så gør de det jo i disse år. Og hellere en elendig aftale, som EL og SF mener det er, end

Continue reading “Udviklingsbistanden og de næste kampfly – fint vi ikke har råd”

TFF PressInfo! Let it wing into your e-mail inbox

Get TFF PressInfoLet it wing into you e-mail inbox!A rapidly growing peace politics e-mail service. It’s topical, for peace, and well-researched and sometimes provocative. Points you don’t often get in the media.It is free and you can unsub anytime with a click. Why not try it now?Sign up here… Continue reading TFF PressInfo! Let it wing into your e-mail inbox

► ► TFF PressInfo # 288 – Where it all went wrong and lessons were never learnt

TFF PressInfo # 288 – Where it all went wrong and lessons were never learnt Why the “conflict management” and “peace making” by the West during the dissolution of Yugoslavia was much more important for our time and what happens now than anticipated. Much of the terrible crisis we see today was started by policies and principles introduced for the first time in Yugoslavia from … Continue reading ► ► TFF PressInfo # 288 – Where it all went wrong and lessons were never learnt

TFF PressInfo # 285: What submarine in Sweden?

TFF PressInfo # 285: What submarine in Sweden? From Swedish defence force to farce – and boulevard press journalism. Who is playing with our security? Continue reading TFF PressInfo # 285: What submarine in Sweden?

► ► TFF PressInfo 282: Instead of bombing IS (Part B)

TFF PressInfo 282 Instead of bombing ISIS – Concrete proposals (Part B) Lots of proposals, doable and much more efficient than war. Please SHARE, thanks. The alternative to war is not to do nothing, it is to do something else! Continue reading ► ► TFF PressInfo 282: Instead of bombing IS (Part B)

► ► New TFF PressInfo 281: Instead of bombing IS (Part A)

TFF PressInfo 281: Instead of bombing IS (Part A) – Please SHARE It’s easy to be pro-war. It is easy to be anti-war. But we need alternatives to war! The first of two comprehensive pro-peace analyses containing no less than 27 proposals as alternatives to war. This one contains principles, tomorrow’s Part B offers concrete proposals. YOU can get TFF PressInfos too winging into your … Continue reading ► ► New TFF PressInfo 281: Instead of bombing IS (Part A)

Fogh Rasmussen efterlader en verden i kaos

Interview med Jens Malling – Publiceret i Arbejderen Efterlader en verden i kaos Anders Fogh Rasmussen træder tilbage som Natos generalsekretær i dag efter fem år på posten. Aggressivitet over for Rusland og hykleri når det gælder Irak har ifølge fredsforsker Jan Øberg kendetegnet hans sidste år i spidsen for organisationen. Et udtryk for Vestens moralske forfald, mener han AF JENS MALLING ”Verden er et … Continue reading Fogh Rasmussen efterlader en verden i kaos

☮ ☮ World Peace Day on Sunday! ♫♥

☮ ☮ World Peace Day on Sunday! ♫♥ This is the incredible peace symphony by Beethoven that PLAY FOR RIGHTS performs in the Bern Cathedral, Switzerland, Sunday night with my saying a few words about global ethics and positive peace in between the movements. There are many ways to celebrate peace – just being against wars is not enough. We run on merrymaking and mindfulness … Continue reading ☮ ☮ World Peace Day on Sunday! ♫♥

Peace Through The Arts • Frieden durch Kunst

☮ ☮ Peace Through The Arts • FRIEDEN DURCH KUNST by “Play For Rights” Celebrating International Day of Peace on Sunday September 21 in the Cathedral of Bern, Switzerland. An event with Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, dancers and myself speaking words of peace interspersed with the music and the dances. Arranged by Elías A. Fóscolo, my former MA student and friend from Argentina and his “Play … Continue reading Peace Through The Arts • Frieden durch Kunst

Six Steps Short of War to Beat ISIS – the speech Obama should have held!

Six Steps Short of War to Beat ISISBy eminent researcher Phyllis Bennis The speech President Obama ought to have held…based on brilliant intellectual points and the logics of ethics. With that the U.S. could lead. Without it, it just can’t. Continue reading Six Steps Short of War to Beat ISIS – the speech Obama should have held!

☮ ☮ New TFF PressInfo 277 – After all this, what?

☮ ☮ New TFF PressInfo 277 – After all this, what?Messages to NATO – After Yugoslavia? After the fall of the US Empire? After NATO?And After Violence – the world needs something else… Continue reading ☮ ☮ New TFF PressInfo 277 – After all this, what?

“YUGOSLAVIA – WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE ?”

►  A major event in peace and conflict research & policy studies • Three authors with 130+ man years of experience with Yugoslavia • All their writings, equivalent to 2000 A4 pages, written 1991-2014 ► Not a word changed: for anyone to see whose analyses and predictions stand the test of time • Freely accessible for anyone worldwide instead of publishing 7-8 books at exorbitant … Continue reading “YUGOSLAVIA – WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE ?”

Ukraine: Russia’s military is moving in

Ukraine: Russia’s military is moving in – BBC This is extremely serious. It’s a counterproductive way to react to the US regime change in Kiev, NATO’s military build-up and EU membership conditions. TFF is working to find out what the US/NATO is doing in and with Ukraine. There is at least 7 major parties in the Ukraine conflict formation – complicated! This clear violation of a … Continue reading Ukraine: Russia’s military is moving in

Istedet for dansk militær transporthjælp til Irak og kurderne

Som følge af min intensive kritik af Folketingets beslutning den 27. august om at sende et Hercules transportfly til Irak for at hjælpe amerikanerne med at transportere våben og ammunition fik jeg spørgsmålet: Hvad vil du have foretrukket? Og det er da et godt og rimeligt spørgsmål.

På 20 minutter skrev jeg det følgende:

1. Omfattende humanitær bistand med indbygget forsoning og utveydig
undskyldning til det irakiske folk siden 2007.

2. Danmarks brud med de økonomiske sanktioner længe før andre – da de i praksis blev til et folkemord.

3. Tidlig afstandtagen fra USAs måde at administrere Irak på og spille shiiter ud mod sunnier, nedlægge hæren og baath-partiet.

4. En overgangsordning efter besættelsen med peace-building via det international samfund, specielt FN – hvad der havde været brug for ville være måske den største international fredsbyggende indsats siden 1945. Herunder fredsbevarende styrker fra FN-stater, der ikke har specielle interesser i området.

5. Ingen militær støtte fra vest til alt revl og krat i Syrien bare de var imod Assad. Ingen opdeling i to parter og ingen Syriens Venner. Men istedet en ordentlig tilrettelagt fredsprocess med konsultationer og senere forhandlinger med alle parter i Syrien, specielt civilsamfundet – og ikke de fuldstændigt inkompetente “forhandlinger” i Geneve.

Continue reading “Istedet for dansk militær transporthjælp til Irak og kurderne”

Debat med Pelle Dragsted, Enhedslisten, om militærtransporten til Irak og kurderne

Debatten begyndte med mit indlæg på Facebook den 25. august 2014:

“☮ ☮ Trist med et folketing blottet for moral og nytænkning hvor ikke ét eneste medlem tør gå imod tidens vås om humanistiske krige.
OK, danske F16-fly skal vel ikke bombe (endnu) men man ER i krig når man bistår USA og én part i en konflikt med våbentransport så de bedre i fællesskab kan smadre en anden part.

Beslutningen bygger ikke på nogen analyse af hvorfor ISIS er dukket op (USAs og Danmarks besættelse – og dumme administration – af Irak) men derimod på den meget tvivlsomme tanke at man med militære midler og drab på terrorisTER kommer terrorISMEN til livs.

Desuden strider beslutningen formentlig mod Artikel 1 og 33 i FN’s charter.
Jeg véd ikke hvor mange danskere, der synes at fredelige midler er bedre end voldelige, men vi må da være nogle procent? Vi har – som i Libyen – ikke én folkevalgt, der repræsenterer os. Konklusion: Folket må jo så vælge nogle andre.”

Det kommenterer Dragsted således:

Når man beskylder samtlige partier i DK for at mangle moral, så holder jeg op med at høre efter. Har ellers stor respekt for Øberg.

Hertil svarer jeg:

Pelle Dragsted – hvis man efter at have bestemt sig for en humanitær indsats konverterer den til at bringe våben i stedet for mad og medicin – hvad bidrager man så til? Vold og død, ikke overlevelse.
Det er umoral efter DKs erfaring med og i Irak at involvere sig igen i hvad der tjener til regelret krig. Og i krig bliver folk slået ihjel. Folketingsmedlemmerne, dit eget parti inkluderet, vil stemme for drab i s f humanitær hjælp.
I mine to artikler har jeg argumenteret hvorfor dette er at mangle moral. Hvis du er uenig så læs de to artikler og fortæl mig hvad du forstår ved moral. Det er dialog snarere end at du holder op med at høre efter, der vil give resultat. Og jeg kan ikke forstå dig når du bare blir fornærmet uden at uddybe din holdning. Og jeg VIL gerne forstå hvorfor du reagerer som du gør:
http://janoberg.me/…/hele-folketinget…/

Pelle Dragsted:

Kære Jan

Jeg har skam læst dit indlæg. Jeg vil gerne dialogen og jeg vil gerne uddybe. Men et tip: Hvis du reelt ønsker dialog, så tror jeg ikke det er et godt udgangspunkt at beskylde kammerater, der kommer til en anden konklusion end dig i et aktuelt spørgsmål for at være uden moral. Det er ikke fremmende for en dialog.

Nå, skidt pyt med det – her en uddybning af mine synspunkter og nogle rettelser af misforståelser: 

Continue reading “Debat med Pelle Dragsted, Enhedslisten, om militærtransporten til Irak og kurderne”

☮ ☮ TFF PressInfo: Support Richard Branson’s Ukraine dialogue initiative

☮ ☮ TFF PressInfo: Support Richard Branson’s Ukraine dialogue initiativeBy Jan Oberg“We are drifting towards a new Cold War. The reason isn’t substance because there is no reason we should not be able to live in peace in Europe – if we want and educated ourselves in handling problems.No, the reason is the woefully incompetent way in which politicians and media focus on violence and ignore … Continue reading ☮ ☮ TFF PressInfo: Support Richard Branson’s Ukraine dialogue initiative

☮ ☮ UN Official weeps over Gaza bloodshed

☮ ☮ UN Official weeps over Gaza bloodshed Please pay respect to the UN for having such deeply caring people on their staff, people with a heart. And thank you Chris Gunness for not just plaing it cool as so many others. This iconic clip of a UN humanitarian worker will be remembered for long into the future. I have been privileged to met similar … Continue reading ☮ ☮ UN Official weeps over Gaza bloodshed

CNNs journalistic peace versus informed peace!

CNN headline, August 1, 2014
CNN headline, August 1, 2014

With this headline CNN conveys the idea that peace = when direct violence stops (for a while).

This is the classical journalist perspective, not even a minimum definition and makes peace a rest category in between wars and other violence. Deeply unhelpful!

A peace professional would call that peace illiteracy.

Here is how I and many other professional peace researchers see it:

PEACE can be seen as the outcome of a change in the underlying conflict, a decision about the future that all parties have contributed to define and will, therefore, be committed to help implement.

Continue reading “CNNs journalistic peace versus informed peace!”

Hvor har vores krige virket?

Omfattende interview med RÆSON per 1. august 2014: Om situationen i Gaza, om mægling og fred, om Irak, krigen mod terror, Ukrain, en ny kold krig, om hvordan verdensordnen er under forandring, USA på vej ned og hvorfor danske udenrigspolitik må begynde at stille om… Tryk på forsidebilledet: Continue reading Hvor har vores krige virket?

☮ ☮ Where Is The Passion for Peace? Yes,

☮ ☮ Where Is The Passion for Peace? Yes, indeed – where is that passion? Today those of us who struggle for the UN norm of peace by peaceful means are often treated as dangerous or as pariahs. A brilliant, searching argument by professor Walter G. Moss who reminds us that (Western) statesmen of earlier times had values and faith to see peace as the … Continue reading ☮ ☮ Where Is The Passion for Peace? Yes,

Gaza chamber? Zionism must be replaced

Israeli bombs kill 100 Gazans in single day – Al Jazeera English Israel’s leaders seem determined to turn Gaza into what one could call a Gaza chamber. While Israel’s leaders believe they destroy the Palestinian state and people, we are also seeing the possible self-destruction of Israel. When everybody – presumably including the U.S./NATO and the EU – have abandoned Israel as a friend and ally, … Continue reading Gaza chamber? Zionism must be replaced

It’s doable: Peace Israel-Palestine

By Jan Oberg This one has just been published as TFF PressInfo here. I argue that we need to focus on the violence on both sides rather than taking sides among the parties. The article ends with some principles about conflict understand and will be followed-up with some more concrete ideas. I sincerely believe we must try to be constructive, pro-peace and not continue to … Continue reading It’s doable: Peace Israel-Palestine

☮ ☮ Mahatma Gandhi On Palestine, Written in 1938

☮ ☮ Mahatma Gandhi On Palestine, Written In 1938 Since my student years, Gandhi has been one of my inspirations, perhaps the basic one. I have studied his theories and action, I’ve been teaching Gandhi and I walked in his footsteps here and there in India in 2001. No less than 76 years ago he gave us a perspective on what happens these very days … Continue reading ☮ ☮ Mahatma Gandhi On Palestine, Written in 1938

☮ ☮ Some people are exceptional

☮ ☮ Some people are exceptionalBy Jan ObergA short think piece on Gaza 2014 and the moral decay of the West.Written 12 days after Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, after Shejaiya and after 400 people on the Palestinian side have been killed.Go to the article on TFF’s blog. Continue reading ☮ ☮ Some people are exceptional

Interview on RT in early June

In early June I was asked by Russia Today – RT – to do a half-hour conversation about militarism and peace. The only questions that were planned in advance were about the changes in Sweden’s foreign and security policy over the years which I had writen about in TFF PressInfo – here in English and here in Swedish. So it was a free discussion, unedited and … Continue reading Interview on RT in early June

US ambassador to Sweden: Join NATO

This is how pressure is put on other countries and a rare glimpse by media into processes presumably meant to be semi-official and basically hidden to the public. And of course, it is up to sovereign Sweden to decide what to do – but, however, not joining NATO will have a price. See below the ambassador’s formulation and hint at Ukraine’s situation. The truth is … Continue reading US ambassador to Sweden: Join NATO

Syrien – hvad kunne være gjort og hvad kan stadig gøres?

Gad vide hvor mange mislykkede krige vi endnu skal igennem før især politikere og medier opdager det indlysende faktum, at der findes et temmeligt bredt spektrum af handlingsmuligheder mellem at gøre ingenting og at smadre et land når konflikter dukker op?

Det spektrum hedder konflikthåndtering og tilhører et fagområde, der undervises i rundt om på verdens universiteter. Det kræver at FNs medlemsstater etablerer ”styrker” af uddannede konfliktanalytikere, facilitatorer, mæglere, områdeeksperter, forhandlere og forsoningsterapeuter, der kan rykke ud endnu hurtigere end de kan sende krydsermissiler og F-16 fly.

For at dette spektrum kan blive inddraget forudsættes endvidere at regeringer ikke direkte ønsker krig under foregivende af at have gode og ofte humanitære motiver hvor de i virkeligheden har rå interesser.

Med andre ord, man kan gøre noget ved den manifeste konfliktanalfabetisme, der først søger militære løsninger og – som en række danske politikere – hurtigt tilsidesætter folkeretten og FNs fornemste norm, nemlig den at fred skal skabes med fredelige midler og først når de alle har været prøvet og vist sig uden effekt kan man gribe til militære midler, vel at mærke i FN-regi.

Eller anderledes udtrykt: fred kan læres. Når nu de fleste mennesker i verden – også 98% af de civile i konfliktzoner der ikke griber til vold men er dens ofre – ønsker fred skulle man kunne tage demokratiet alvorligt og gøre en kraftanstrengelse for at mindske (ikke afskaffe) militæret, der globalt koster 1700 milliarder dollar eller 30 gange mere end alt FN gør – og i stedet øge konflikthåndteringen.

Eksemplet Syrien – gal diagnose og prognose

Verden har brug for konflikt-lægevidenskab: diagnose, prognose og behandling.

Diagnosen turde være nok så klar: Det handler om endog meget komplekse indre konflikter, den arabiske vår (oprindeligt) men det handler også om hele Mellemøsten og især hér om Vestens ønske om at holde Iran nede og Israel oppe. Continue reading “Syrien – hvad kunne være gjort og hvad kan stadig gøres?”

Globaliseringens skind bedrager

Eller man skal aldrig skue hunden på hårene August 2004 Sidder på KLM til Amsterdam, på vej videre til Nairobi og Bujumbura, Burundi – på mission efter den frygtelige massakre i Burundi i sidste uge. Jeg falder i snak med en snakkesalig englænder – tror jeg på grund af hans impeccable English language and manners. Han viser sig dog at være hollænder. Vi sludrer om … Continue reading Globaliseringens skind bedrager