I am honoured and happy to have been invited by Nancie Zhu of the Chinese Phoenix Television, whose flagship program is “Talk With World Leaders.” It was a delightful conversation over many themes – Trump, EU, NATO, the Golden Dome, China, Greenland, the deep crisis of the West – and alternatives to at least some if it – Phoenix being more geopolitically oriented as you … Continue reading 1046 – On Phoenix Television’s “Talk With World Leaders”
Keynote speech delivered on October 3, 2024, at the Global Changes Centre’s conference in Skopje, Macedonia. Despite the video’s title, this is not mainly about the decline and fall of the United States’ Empire. That will happen without my predictions… Instead, at this truly amazing conference, I present some major points for what I believe will be a much better world – a multipolar or … Continue reading Points for the better – future – world
At rejse er ikke længere at leve, mener præst og udlandsredaktør: ‘Dannelsesrejsen er død’ Engang var dannelsesrejsen kilden til oplysning og autenticitet. Sådan er det ikke længere, lyder det fra to meningsdannere. Jamen sådan står der sgu på Danmarks Radios hjemmeside den 24. oktober 2024. Det handler om åh-så-kendte influencer-veninder, der laver programmet: “Damerne først“ “De tre markante meningsdannere Anna Libak. Anne Sophia Hermansen og … Continue reading Meningsdannende damer uden dannelse
Se detta på Sveriges Televisions nyheter den 30:e januari 2024 – en skammens dag. Såhär bidrar Sveriges regering nu aktivt till ett pågående folkmord – istället för att försöka förhindra det i enlighet med International Court of Justice’s ruling och folkmordskonventionen. Orsak? Ett hitintills odokumenterad, overifierad påstående ifrån Israels sida – regeringen som utfört dessa illdåd: 26 000 döda, närmare två miljoner hemlösa och systematisk … Continue reading Sverige och andra bidra nu aktivt till Gaza-folkmordet genom att pausa UNRWA-stödet.
”It is difficult to make predictions, particularly about the future.”Unknown but wise person’s statement. I do not pretend my predictions below are scientific or based on a sophisticated social science methodology. They are merely intuitive and hypothetical and based on some of my accumulated knowledge and experience about international affairs over more than four decades. You may say they grow out of a Wright Mills-like … Continue reading 37 Global 2024 Predictions
Eller en ny udgave af den forsvundne krigsministerielle fuldmægtig, som ikke klarer virkeligheden men føler sig mest fri inden for det intellektuelle fængsels mure? Jeg kommer ved en tilfældighed til at se at DR’s Deadline den 27. december 2023 har temaet “Vejen til fred.” Tidligere ambassadør, Friis Arne Petersen, født 1952, præsenteres hér som en særligt kompetent og erfaren diplomat med et langt livs erfaring … Continue reading DRs Dead Line: Sig – ikke – de ord du véd om Gaza
I’m happy to announce to my readers here and friends in the United States and Europe that I am scheduled to be on three – for me new – radio programs in the next few days, namely: “Rethinking Heroes” with host Cary Harrison, KPFK 90.7 Los Angeles, June 2 (about 10 minutes about NATO’s expansion and Sweden and Finland joining); “Progressive radio network (PRN.live)” in … Continue reading On two US radio stations, Russian Izvestia and one Swiss +… this week
In case you expect a kind of celebrative champagne toast-like text here, my apology at the outset. For me, this is a very different new year. Perhaps the most tragic new year in my life. Globally speaking, 2022 was nothing to celebrate. My prediction for 2023 is that it will, at best, not be worse. It’s been another year wasted for solving humanity’s most urgent … Continue reading On entering 2023
What a pompous buffoon! In my view, he embodies the intellectual and moral decay of that elite-West which admires him as a leading philosopher and French intellectual in spite of the fact that he is unable to see a complex problem without making it into a black-and-white, good-and-evil thing and the West/US/NATO/France of curse always on the Good side. No matter where he goes. And … Continue reading Philosopher of fake pleasing the declining West
I recently had the joy and honour to speak with the newly established Perspective South which does stories, narratives and perspectives from developing countries of the Global South and which, interestingly enough, uses Instagram and YouTube as its main platforms. Here is what the interview with me looks like on Instagram. Here are just a couple of minutes of a much longer conversation with J. … Continue reading Why are we moving away from dialogue & diplomacy?
• The US military in 2019 was hiding Syria airstrikes that killed dozens of civilians The two attacks in 2019 led to the deaths of up to 64 women and children, a possible war crime The US military called the strikes ‘legitimate self-defence’, and said the victims could have been combatants as some, including at least one child, were armed We should thank the New … Continue reading Two everyday stories about the US’ ongoing militarist perversity and spiritual death
SIPRI – Stockholm International Peace Research Institute – no longer works with peace in any sense of the word. SIPRI is now SIMSI – Stockholm International Military Security Institute. Just browse its program for the 2021 Stockholm Security Conference – not one session devoted to peace, conflict analysis and resolution, reconciliation, future global peace structures, world order change, conversion of military resources to civilian, disarmament, … Continue reading SIPRI – Stockholm International Peace Research Institute – is now SIMSI
I’d like to direct your attention to a new comprehensive analysis from The Transnational Foundation for Peace And Future Research, TFF, called “Behind The Smokescreen: An Analysis of the West’s Destructive China Cold War Agenda And Why It Must Stop” The authors are TFF Associates Gordon Dumoulin, Thore Vestby and I – Jan Oberg. Frankly, we have been shocked to learn – through meticulous research … Continue reading Pathbreaking analysis of the West’s new Cold War against China
Den 9:e juni 2021 höll jag ett kort och lite spontant föredrag om vad fred kan tänkas vara – hur tänker vi och varför har samtalet om fred försvunnit? Det gjorde jag för Rotary-klubben i Drøbak i Norge på invitation av min ven, Thore Vestby, där. Jag lägger upp det här till allmän inspiration – och det finns tillsammans med väldigt många andra föredrag på … Continue reading Vad kan fred tänkas vara?
Igår publicerede jeg min klumme fra Arbejderen “Censuren, meningskontrollens og krænketheden treenighed” men inden Arbejderen havde kunnet trykke den dukkede der to sager op, der understreger hvad jeg sagde. Man vil huske den sorte unge digter Amanda Gorman, der læste sit eget digt på Capitol Hill – “Demokratiets Tempel”, som amerikanske medier ynder at kalde det – ved Joe Biden’s indsættelse som præsident. Hon blev … Continue reading Sort på sort
Welcome to my worldmoires – a word I have invented for the occasion. It means writing about my life in the perspective of global affairs and trends that have influenced my work and myself since I was born in the middle of the preceding century. And the occasion? I’m approaching the 50th anniversary of my work as a peace, conflict and future researcher. The Transnational … Continue reading “Goodbye Peace. Worldmoires Into A Peaceful Future”
Nu er børnebøger ikke den genre, jeg følger mest med i, men forleden faldt min øjne på en overskrift i Kristeligt Dagblad: Pipi Langstrømpe er lige udkommet på dansk i ny udgave på Gyldendal og ordet “neger” er nu fjernet. Jeg skrev samme dag på min Facebook-profil: Politisk korrekt kulturhistorisk rensning (KHR) – Det er naturligvis identitetspolitikkens og krænkelse-pavernes terror. For hvem skal bestemme? Hvem … Continue reading Pippi Langstrømpes bortcensurerede ”neger” og det kønnede museum
Sex har altid været noget, der kunne pirre lidt og sælge meget. MeToo ved alle hvad er. MeOnly vil jeg gerne introducere som betegnelse for den omsiggribende identitetspolitik, der fokuserer på visse individers skelsættende identiteter, selfie-journalistik, krænkethedsfølelser og er udtryk for mangel på solidaritet med den store verden. Begge kan bruges til at give det mediale massageapparat en omdrejning eller to til. Mærkeligt nok er … Continue reading MeToo, MeOnly og nypuritanismens elendighed
August 23, 2019 Yesterday, the US Ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands, tweeted the following: As will be seen below, there were four photos from an event in Copenhagen. The first shows all the people present, including former Danish Prime minister Fogh Rasmussen (also on the 4th photo with the ambassador), the present Danish defence minister, Trine Bramsen (also on the 2nd photo to the right), … Continue reading War without remorse: A callous tweet about a tasteless celebration
And why I am switching balances from the most noble and important – but momentarily meaningless – job to something more rewarding… February 1, 2019 Just yesterday, I posted this extremely important and modest appeal – the Basel Appeal – on our foundation’s homepage, The Transnational, here. It was disseminated to social media, among others, my FB profile, TFF’s and my public figure page. Facebook … Continue reading Peace illiteracy
That’s what New York Times told us on August 6, 2018, here. How sad for a West that no longer believes in its own core values but goes increasingly authoritarian. In the name of the common good, we get the common bad. 1. What a weak, nervous and insecure society it is that cannot tolerate but has to censor a man like Alex Jones. 2. … Continue reading Apple, Facebook, Spotify and YouTube remove Alex Jones and Infowars content
Why is the UN still so important – in spite of having had its Charter violated repeatedly during the last 25 years? Why should we not – cynically – side with the cynical and powerful countries that want to undermine and marginalise the world’s finest organisation with the most Gandhian-like document ever signed by governments? What is the real UN and what does its Charter … Continue reading Why is the UN still so important – while it must also be reformed?
Det er genialt af Skovgaard Museet at bevidst fravælge islamofobiens kendemærker og dermed marginalisere dens tilhængere. Debatten om Muhammed-tegningerne handler jo ikke om ytringsfrihed men om dannelse, indlevelse og respekt (og ville aldrig kunne være ført hvis det var anti-semitiske tegninger). Og om ansvar for hvad man siger og gør – og vælger at ikke sige og gøre. Om ytringsansvar. Den handler om den selvforherligende, … Continue reading Genialt af Skovgaard Museet
I read dozens of articles every day about various conflict zones, commentaries, war reports and – the few times it happens – possibilities of peace. I read about Syria in particular as I have since I visited Damascus and Aleppo in December 2016.
It’s important that one does not, over time, develop the disease called “psychic numbing” – an excellent concept developed by Robert Jay Lifton, a former TFF Associate.
I’m not going to discuss that article but would like to call your attention to this sentence – that Ignatius does not even dwell on:
One knowledgeable official estimates that the CIA-backed fighters may have killed or wounded 100,000 Syrian soldiers and their allies over the past four years.
I fail to understand it. I read it again. I’d urge you to do likewise.
“The Debate” with Jim Walsh, MIT and Jan Oberg, TFF Lund, Sweden – May 30, 2017 Last night “The Debate” on PressTV was devoted to the future of European-US relations in the wake of the NATO Summit, President Trump’s words and omissions and the – historic – words, in particular, of Chancellor Angela Merkel immediately after. Undoubtedly, we are at a turning point in these … Continue reading The future of U.S.-Europe relations
Here I am with my friends Donald, Bibi, Sara and Melania… And speak a little about the stupidity of scapegoating Iran for everything, of giving Saudi Arabia even more weapons – and being bribed by it – of creating the preconditions for more warfare and about the fact that NATO is setting up shop in Kuwait and there are plans to have a Gulf NATO … Continue reading Discussing Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia
Försvarsminister Peter Hultqvist och ÖB Micael Bydén skriver på DN Debatt om “Risk för desinformation om militärövningen Aurora” Och det är då just vad de själva sysslar med. Inte ett ord om att det krävs två till att konflikta med varandra. Inte ett ord om NATO:s expansion stick i stäv med givna löften till Gorbachev. Inte ett ord om den USA-drivna regimförändring i Kiev, relaterad … Continue reading Svenska försvarsmaktens desinformation
“The Debate” of April 16, 2017 on Iran’s PressTV between Richard Millett and myself is important to me. I think it will be for you too in the sense of clarifying two approaches and positions on Syria. Its focus is on the difference in media coverage of the terrible events in Khan Seykhoun and al-Rashideen but there is much more to it. I’ll keep on … Continue reading Syria – two perspectives illustrated
TFF PressInfo # 405 Lund, Sweden – February 24, 2017Failed conflict analysis To analyse a conflict is as necessary as the diagnosis for the doctor: You either get to a solution/treatment or you don’t. If the diagnosis is deficient, you don’t. You instead risk killing the patient. And it’s deficient of you stare only at “evil” cells and blame the patient for a life … Continue reading Keep focus on Aleppo and global dimensions of Syria
A 30 min debate about NATO, Ukraine, Crimea, Yugoslavia, Syria the eternal enemy images and the – obsolete – philosophy on which NATO builds. Time for something new, I argue in the debate with former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defence under Reagon, Mr. Lawrence J. Korb who at the time was in command of 70% of Pentagon’s budget. Here in TFF PressInfo # 403 is … Continue reading Discussing NATO with a former U.S. Ass. Sec. of Defence
During the last two weeks I have received almost 800 friend requests on Facebook and about 1000 new followers. It’s overwhelming and warms my heart beyond words.
Many many thanks for your trust and support – and for not only thinking it but taking time to tell it.
I can only assume that it is all because of my visit to Damascus and Aleppo. Literally thousands have thanked me for my short texts and photos from there – and for taking the risk going there.
Lots of people go to difficult places, be they humanitarian workers, journalists, photographers, UN people, other diplomats or civil society organisations. But – regrettably, I would say – it is not often I’ve met other researchers in war zones.
Those of us who go, go because we feel we have a duty, because we are curious and must see for ourselves and because a visit opens doors to people, to the suffering and to natural human solidarity.
Media focus on all those with weapons in their hands – the warlords. I’ve always felt enriched and grateful to all the others one can meet, wonderful people who stand up and stand together, struggle, help their neighbours – and survive the other main type of people present, the murderers who get all the fame.
I’m no hero. Just that you know. Many (more) could do what I do.
But back to the social media boom, I’ve just experienced.
Here is my take on the July 15 coup in Turkey – why it happened the way it did and what is the least unlikely hypothesis – followed by some examples of regional and international consequences this coup is bound to have. And it ends: NATO comes across as a very tired alliance that should have been closed down or re-invented itself 25 years ago … Continue reading Turkey’s coup – Another example of the West’s disintegration
Commenting on PressTv on July 22, 2016 after yet another tragedy in the Mediterranean. But how much did the media cover that in comparison with the Nice tragedy – and Hollande’s killing of 120 innocent civilians as revenge for Nice (which at the time was not known to have any connections to ISIS or similar). Continue reading EU’s so-called refugee crisis – and what should and must be done
Published on July 8, 2016, the day of the NATO Summit in Warsaw. It’s the 5th in the TFF Series “The New Cold War” Russia and NATO have offensive capacities and MIMACs (Military-Industrial-Media-Academic Complex) but NATO’s is a much larger potential threat to Russia than the other way around Why does an alliance with such an overwhelming superiority shout and scream and see ghosts on … Continue reading Fearology and militarism – But the real enemy is us
This image was generated automatically by Facebook when I posted the link to the article on my profile page – i.e. not something I did deliberately or to provoke.
Secondly, the image is created by a Swedish professional and respected artistic photographer, Matilde Grafstrom – and is part of a project “Nude In The Public Space”.
The article is about an exhibition of these her works at the main square in Copenhagen – for anyone from anywhere in the world to see.
I am myself a PhD in sociology and have specialised during 40+ years in international peace-making and peace research. Have worked or visited some 60 countries on all continents. I am also an art collector and art photographer who has taken many photos of women, young and old – portraits and bodies.
I tell you this because I am not insensitive to the respect we must all show for each other’s cultures and sensitive ethical issues if and when we want to live and work together on this earth.
Very proud to be featured on the front page of Inter-Press Service, IPS, today – the world’s most important alternative media agency with a global focus. And together with brilliant IPS founder Robert Savio and Johan Galtung. No Western mainstram media took my Brexit analysis but IPS and a series of other alternatives did. Great! Thank you, IPS ! Continue reading Brexit analysis on IPS
On June 15, 2016 I participated in a discussion with Mike O’Hanlon from the Brookings Institution on CCTV America – China’s international TV station in the U.S. with up to 75 million viewers. The discussion was lead by Anand Naidoo.You can watch it here. Continue reading NATO’s confrontational policy
For instance EU and other Western mainstream media. But we are getting out! The European Union is about to sign an agreement with non-EU Turkey to get rid of a large part of its refugees – by paying around € 6 bn to Turkey. Amnesty International and many others have pointed out – in strong words – that this agreement violates basic provisions of international … Continue reading If the EU becomes a criminal Union some don’t want you to know
Commenting on NATO S-G Jens Stoltenberg’s wish for dialogue with Russia – a bit odd after all the other provocative initiatives he has spearheaded the last good year or so. I felt like saying something more general about this outdated paradigm – and why it is dangerous for us all – referring also to the Russell-Einstein Manifesto of 1955. You may also see it as … Continue reading NATO outdated – Abolish war
Till Morgan Johansson (S) med anledning av dina kommentarer i Dagens Nyheter 28:e januari 2016: Har du och regeringen gått helt i panik, slutat tänka och försöka bedöma vad som kommer att hända framöver?? “Vi måste även få länder att ta emot sina medborgare”, säger migrationsminiser Morgan Johansson. Vilken värld levar han i? Irak, Syrien eller Afghanistan som de flytt från? Hur … Continue reading Frågor till Morgan Johansson
Detta kan i praktiken bli början till slutet på asylrätten. Slutet på respekten för folkrättens grundkrav och för mänskliga rättigheter.
Slut på den humanism som i årtionden har präglat Sverige och Norden som rika välfärdssamhällen. Ja, vi är rika – rika nog att ställa upp, inte minst när offren för Danmarks och Norges krig och den svenska vapenexporten flyr från helvetet.
Lösningerna?
1. Omorganisera Migrationsverket, Migrationsdomstolen mm som är en skandal – men får lov att fortsätta vara en skandal därför att rättsröta (jag har sett ett konkret fall och det räcker) mm bara drabbar icke-svenskar. Hade det varit ett statligt verk som på samma sätt drabbade svenska folket hade man gjort något radikalt åt det för länge sedan.
2. Arbeta för gemensamma EU-lösningar i stället för att låta Svarta Per gå vidare med hjälp av nationalistiskt panikbeslut. De som inte kan ta sig in i Sverige kommer att försöka att ta sig in i annat land. Smärtan, faran, människosmugglingen kommer att öka. Och utan en gemensam politik kommer Schengen och Dublin att falla ihop – och vad finns då kvar av EU?
Ærlig talt! Hvorfor ikke give 100% af bistanden til Danmark? Vi har f.eks. brug for nye kampfly så vi kan bombe mere – for eksempel i Syrien hvis der da kan blive plads til flere fly i luften og der står mere tilbage at ødelægge på jorden. Så der kommer flere flygtninge. Og de har jo juveler med… Danmark er jo et slags u-land. Vi har bare … Continue reading Danmark bør få al u-landsbistand selv
Min klumme i ‘Arbejderen’ den 26. august 2015. At definere ”vores forsvar” som kun et spørgsmål om våben er og har altid været en grundsten i militarismen, oprustningen og den voldelige konfliktløsning. Tidligere udenrigsminister Martin Lidegaard (R) skriver på TV2 om hvorfor Danmark skal have ny krigsfly. Under overskriften ”Hvad vil vi egentlig med vores forsvar?” indleder han med, at “Vi bakker op om kampfly”, … Continue reading Nye krigsfly? Boykot dem eller brug folkefinanciering
E.U. Seeks U.N. Backing for Military Action to Stop Wave of Migrants Fleeing Horrific Abuse in Libya | Democracy Now!I’ve been around for a long time but I can still get both surprised and angry when I see things like this and try to connect the dots: 1) NATO bombs the hell out of Libya and kills its head of state and many others.2) Predictably … Continue reading Libya, “migrants” and EU military action
Burundi is a country with very special characteristics. It’s always been in the shadow of Rwanda and relatively neglected by the international community. A very very serious crisis is now unfolding because its president, Pierre Nkurunziza, is willing to risk everything to get elected for a third 5-year time which is very dubious according to the constitution. It’s a country with a GDP per capita … Continue reading Burundi – Early warning and violence prevention
