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Wednesday, December 6, 2023
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Gwynne Dyer

Gwynne Dyer is a United Kingdom-based independent journalist who writes a column for The Hill Times.

Just war and the Gaza Strip

  • Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Arab ‘terrorists’ belong to the broader category of ‘guerillas,’ almost all of whom include terrorism in their tactics—and such groups
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | December 4, 2023
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured, and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) both dismiss U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s strenuous warnings about the need to avoid high Palestinian casualties in the renewed bombing as just so much hot air. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Just war and the Gaza Strip

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | December 4, 2023
  • Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Arab ‘terrorists’ belong to the broader category of ‘guerillas,’ almost all of whom include terrorism in their tactics—and such groups

Just war and the Gaza Strip

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | December 4, 2023
  • Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Arab ‘terrorists’ belong to the broader category of ‘guerillas,’ almost all of whom include terrorism in their tactics—and such groups
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured, and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) both dismiss U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s strenuous warnings about the need to avoid high Palestinian casualties in the renewed bombing as just so much hot air. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

COP28 and climate science

  • Climate scientists are unanimously terrified by the speed at which things are moving, but also relieved that the crisis is finally getting some serious
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 30, 2023
Climate scientist James Hansen has returned to tell us that it’s bad news when it comes to how much warming we will get in the long run from doubling the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Photograph courtesy of Chris Bentley/Flickr

COP28 and climate science

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 30, 2023
  • Climate scientists are unanimously terrified by the speed at which things are moving, but also relieved that the crisis is finally getting some serious

COP28 and climate science

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 30, 2023
  • Climate scientists are unanimously terrified by the speed at which things are moving, but also relieved that the crisis is finally getting some serious
Climate scientist James Hansen has returned to tell us that it’s bad news when it comes to how much warming we will get in the long run from doubling the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Photograph courtesy of Chris Bentley/Flickr

Israel-Hamas ceasefire

  • The last thing Hamas wants is a ‘two-state solution’ that divides Palestine between Jewish state and an Arab one. Yet the carnage of the
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 22, 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 18, 2023 Biden urgently wants a permanent ceasefire. Netanyahu wants the war to continue in order to 'complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that there will be no new threat to the State of Israel from Gaza.' Image courtesy of @POTUS

Israel-Hamas ceasefire

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 22, 2023
  • The last thing Hamas wants is a ‘two-state solution’ that divides Palestine between Jewish state and an Arab one. Yet the carnage of the

Israel-Hamas ceasefire

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 22, 2023
  • The last thing Hamas wants is a ‘two-state solution’ that divides Palestine between Jewish state and an Arab one. Yet the carnage of the
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 18, 2023 Biden urgently wants a permanent ceasefire. Netanyahu wants the war to continue in order to 'complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that there will be no new threat to the State of Israel from Gaza.' Image courtesy of @POTUS

The frog, the scorpion, and Hamas

  • Both Hamas and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have always had the same goal: to thwart the ‘two-state’ peace settlement that would have divided
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 16, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured at a press conference on the Hill in Ottawa in 2012. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

The frog, the scorpion, and Hamas

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 16, 2023
  • Both Hamas and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have always had the same goal: to thwart the ‘two-state’ peace settlement that would have divided

The frog, the scorpion, and Hamas

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 16, 2023
  • Both Hamas and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have always had the same goal: to thwart the ‘two-state’ peace settlement that would have divided
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured at a press conference on the Hill in Ottawa in 2012. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Argentina has paid a very high price for its kind of politics

  • The vicious circle in which Argentina is caught must be broken one day, but it won’t be this time around.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 15, 2023
Argentina's presidential candidates Sergio Massa, left, and Javier Milei. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Argentina has paid a very high price for its kind of politics

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 15, 2023
  • The vicious circle in which Argentina is caught must be broken one day, but it won’t be this time around.

Argentina has paid a very high price for its kind of politics

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 15, 2023
  • The vicious circle in which Argentina is caught must be broken one day, but it won’t be this time around.
Argentina's presidential candidates Sergio Massa, left, and Javier Milei. Photographs courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Artificial intelligence summit full of trite portent

  • There will surely be new rules made about AI over the next few years, and the leaders of the tech giants wanted to make
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 9, 2023
Despite global tech leaders opining that AI is an 'existential threat' to humanity, that threat will only arise if the machines were to be endowed with something called 'artificial general intelligence,' which does not currently exists, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Artificial intelligence summit full of trite portent

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 9, 2023
  • There will surely be new rules made about AI over the next few years, and the leaders of the tech giants wanted to make

Artificial intelligence summit full of trite portent

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 9, 2023
  • There will surely be new rules made about AI over the next few years, and the leaders of the tech giants wanted to make
Despite global tech leaders opining that AI is an 'existential threat' to humanity, that threat will only arise if the machines were to be endowed with something called 'artificial general intelligence,' which does not currently exists, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Israel-Gaza war: a question of numbers

  • Qe now have is vivid, constant images of the killing process. The images of Israeli families murdered at breakfast are last month’s news; the
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 6, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured on Parliament Hill in March 2012. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Israel-Gaza war: a question of numbers

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 6, 2023
  • Qe now have is vivid, constant images of the killing process. The images of Israeli families murdered at breakfast are last month’s news; the

Israel-Gaza war: a question of numbers

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 6, 2023
  • Qe now have is vivid, constant images of the killing process. The images of Israeli families murdered at breakfast are last month’s news; the
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured on Parliament Hill in March 2012. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Ukraine: the big push fails

  • If it really has become a war of attrition, Russia’s population is more than three times higher and its economy is 10 times bigger.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 2, 2023
The great Ukrainian offensive, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, finally got through most of the minefields and the ‘dragon’s teeth’ by early September, but they ran out of reserves, writes Gwynn Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/President of Ukraine

Ukraine: the big push fails

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 2, 2023
  • If it really has become a war of attrition, Russia’s population is more than three times higher and its economy is 10 times bigger.

Ukraine: the big push fails

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | November 2, 2023
  • If it really has become a war of attrition, Russia’s population is more than three times higher and its economy is 10 times bigger.
The great Ukrainian offensive, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, finally got through most of the minefields and the ‘dragon’s teeth’ by early September, but they ran out of reserves, writes Gwynn Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/President of Ukraine

Israel-Gaza: Better call Cicero

  • There is some truth in both the narratives, and which one people believe largely depends on their existing loyalties.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 18, 2023
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 18, 2023. Photograph courtesy of @POTUS

Israel-Gaza: Better call Cicero

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 18, 2023
  • There is some truth in both the narratives, and which one people believe largely depends on their existing loyalties.

Israel-Gaza: Better call Cicero

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 18, 2023
  • There is some truth in both the narratives, and which one people believe largely depends on their existing loyalties.
U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 18, 2023. Photograph courtesy of @POTUS

Gaza: creating a free-fire zone

  • Israel has enough global support after the massacres that it can do pretty much anything to the Palestinians in Gaza for the next week
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 13, 2023
An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) tank. The IDF intends is to create a 'free-fire zone' in the northern third of the Gaza Strip where its soldiers can use maximum firepower without killing large numbers of civilians, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Gaza: creating a free-fire zone

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 13, 2023
  • Israel has enough global support after the massacres that it can do pretty much anything to the Palestinians in Gaza for the next week

Gaza: creating a free-fire zone

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 13, 2023
  • Israel has enough global support after the massacres that it can do pretty much anything to the Palestinians in Gaza for the next week
An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) tank. The IDF intends is to create a 'free-fire zone' in the northern third of the Gaza Strip where its soldiers can use maximum firepower without killing large numbers of civilians, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Australia’s referendum will result in further division

  • Australia's Oct. 14 referendum on having enshrining an Indigenous 'voice' in its Parliament is going to fail, and that will hugely damage trust between
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 11, 2023
When you see Australians adapting to diversity, but still treating Aboriginal people the same old way, you realize that it’s a specific situation, not just the Australian version of a general one. If you require confirmation, just look at New Zealand, where Maori is actually one of the national languages, writes Gwynne Dyer. Pixabay photograph courtesy of RebeccaLintzPhotography

Australia’s referendum will result in further division

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 11, 2023
  • Australia's Oct. 14 referendum on having enshrining an Indigenous 'voice' in its Parliament is going to fail, and that will hugely damage trust between

Australia’s referendum will result in further division

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 11, 2023
  • Australia's Oct. 14 referendum on having enshrining an Indigenous 'voice' in its Parliament is going to fail, and that will hugely damage trust between
When you see Australians adapting to diversity, but still treating Aboriginal people the same old way, you realize that it’s a specific situation, not just the Australian version of a general one. If you require confirmation, just look at New Zealand, where Maori is actually one of the national languages, writes Gwynne Dyer. Pixabay photograph courtesy of RebeccaLintzPhotography

Another October war

  • If Hezbollah should be drawn into the war too, we might all be in trouble. It’s still true that Israel cannot lose this war:
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 9, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's promise to rain down on the Gaza Strip is exactly what Hamas wants, the mightier the better. The whole point is to get the Israelis to send its soldiers in on the ground, because that’s when the casualties start going up steeply, writes Gwynne Dyer. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Another October war

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 9, 2023
  • If Hezbollah should be drawn into the war too, we might all be in trouble. It’s still true that Israel cannot lose this war:

Another October war

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 9, 2023
  • If Hezbollah should be drawn into the war too, we might all be in trouble. It’s still true that Israel cannot lose this war:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's promise to rain down on the Gaza Strip is exactly what Hamas wants, the mightier the better. The whole point is to get the Israelis to send its soldiers in on the ground, because that’s when the casualties start going up steeply, writes Gwynne Dyer. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

A short war 50 years ago

  • In the 1970s, Egypt was the only Arab country strong enough to pose a real threat to Israel, but now tens of thousands of
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 5, 2023
Then-minister of families, children, and social development Karina Gould, left, shares a toast with Israel's Ambassador to Canada Ronen Pinchas Hoffman at a celebration for Israel's 75th independence day on May 16, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

A short war 50 years ago

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 5, 2023
  • In the 1970s, Egypt was the only Arab country strong enough to pose a real threat to Israel, but now tens of thousands of

A short war 50 years ago

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 5, 2023
  • In the 1970s, Egypt was the only Arab country strong enough to pose a real threat to Israel, but now tens of thousands of
Then-minister of families, children, and social development Karina Gould, left, shares a toast with Israel's Ambassador to Canada Ronen Pinchas Hoffman at a celebration for Israel's 75th independence day on May 16, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Most Armenians say they don’t expect ever to go home again

  • The Russians are too busy in Ukraine now, so last month the Azerbaijanis collected their winnings. And all the Armenians are leaving without even
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 2, 2023
Nikol Pashinyan, the prime minister of Armenia (the actual country, not the enclave within Azerbaijan that has now been reclaimed by that country) said: 'This is a direct act of ethnic cleansing, something we had long been warning the international community about.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Most Armenians say they don’t expect ever to go home again

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 2, 2023
  • The Russians are too busy in Ukraine now, so last month the Azerbaijanis collected their winnings. And all the Armenians are leaving without even

Most Armenians say they don’t expect ever to go home again

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 2, 2023
  • The Russians are too busy in Ukraine now, so last month the Azerbaijanis collected their winnings. And all the Armenians are leaving without even
Nikol Pashinyan, the prime minister of Armenia (the actual country, not the enclave within Azerbaijan that has now been reclaimed by that country) said: 'This is a direct act of ethnic cleansing, something we had long been warning the international community about.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Pantomime politics in Eastern Europe

  • Why is western media burbling on about a new ‘threat to NATO solidarity’ and ‘support for Ukraine fading’? Because the story will only get
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 28, 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been defending his country against Russia's invasion. Some politicians in Slovakia and Poland are running on pro-Russian, anti-Ukrainian platforms in upcoming elections, but are unlikely to follow through on these promises if they gain power, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/President of Ukraine

Pantomime politics in Eastern Europe

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 28, 2023
  • Why is western media burbling on about a new ‘threat to NATO solidarity’ and ‘support for Ukraine fading’? Because the story will only get

Pantomime politics in Eastern Europe

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 28, 2023
  • Why is western media burbling on about a new ‘threat to NATO solidarity’ and ‘support for Ukraine fading’? Because the story will only get
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been defending his country against Russia's invasion. Some politicians in Slovakia and Poland are running on pro-Russian, anti-Ukrainian platforms in upcoming elections, but are unlikely to follow through on these promises if they gain power, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/President of Ukraine

First prize: two days in beautiful Delhi! Second prize: four days in Delhi!

  • Canada’s allies have all murmured their support in the wake of allegations that India was behind the murder of a Canadian Sikh activist in
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 20, 2023
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc discuss Canada’s intelligence alleging India's involvement in the killing of a Sikh leader in B.C at a press conference in the House of Commons Foyer on Sept. 18. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

First prize: two days in beautiful Delhi! Second prize: four days in Delhi!

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 20, 2023
  • Canada’s allies have all murmured their support in the wake of allegations that India was behind the murder of a Canadian Sikh activist in

First prize: two days in beautiful Delhi! Second prize: four days in Delhi!

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 20, 2023
  • Canada’s allies have all murmured their support in the wake of allegations that India was behind the murder of a Canadian Sikh activist in
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc discuss Canada’s intelligence alleging India's involvement in the killing of a Sikh leader in B.C at a press conference in the House of Commons Foyer on Sept. 18. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Guyana’s oil boom has an expiry date

  • The South American country's fledgling offshore oil industry is on track to overtake Norway's within a decade, but what will the world look like
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 18, 2023
Guyana President Irfaan Ali and his successors must use the next 10 or 15 years of high oil income to transform the country in a sustainable way, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of the United States Department of State/Wikimedia Commons

Guyana’s oil boom has an expiry date

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 18, 2023
  • The South American country's fledgling offshore oil industry is on track to overtake Norway's within a decade, but what will the world look like

Guyana’s oil boom has an expiry date

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 18, 2023
  • The South American country's fledgling offshore oil industry is on track to overtake Norway's within a decade, but what will the world look like
Guyana President Irfaan Ali and his successors must use the next 10 or 15 years of high oil income to transform the country in a sustainable way, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of the United States Department of State/Wikimedia Commons

Lightyears away, another ocean exists

  • It’s a triumph (‘We found life!’), and at the same time no surprise at all (‘What did you expect to find?’).
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 13, 2023
This artist's impression shows the planet K2-18b, its host star and an accompanying planet. Planet K2-18b is 8.6 times bigger than Earth, but it has an atmosphere containing carbon dioxide and methane, both commonly emitted by living things—and also dimethyl sulphide, a trace gas that is definitely a strong ‘biomarker’ for life. Courtesy of ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

Lightyears away, another ocean exists

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 13, 2023
  • It’s a triumph (‘We found life!’), and at the same time no surprise at all (‘What did you expect to find?’).

Lightyears away, another ocean exists

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 13, 2023
  • It’s a triumph (‘We found life!’), and at the same time no surprise at all (‘What did you expect to find?’).
This artist's impression shows the planet K2-18b, its host star and an accompanying planet. Planet K2-18b is 8.6 times bigger than Earth, but it has an atmosphere containing carbon dioxide and methane, both commonly emitted by living things—and also dimethyl sulphide, a trace gas that is definitely a strong ‘biomarker’ for life. Courtesy of ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser

In France, a culinary counteroffensive represents the meat industry’s decline

  • Stand by for Big Meat to launch a long, slanderous campaign against plant-based protein and its rival, ‘farm-free’ food, based on protein produced by
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 6, 2023
The meat industry knows its time is coming to a close, just like Big Oil knew about its own impact on climate change in the 1970s. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

In France, a culinary counteroffensive represents the meat industry’s decline

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 6, 2023
  • Stand by for Big Meat to launch a long, slanderous campaign against plant-based protein and its rival, ‘farm-free’ food, based on protein produced by

In France, a culinary counteroffensive represents the meat industry’s decline

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 6, 2023
  • Stand by for Big Meat to launch a long, slanderous campaign against plant-based protein and its rival, ‘farm-free’ food, based on protein produced by
The meat industry knows its time is coming to a close, just like Big Oil knew about its own impact on climate change in the 1970s. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Thailand: the last rigged election?

  • For more than 20 years, Thailand has been locked in a struggle between the ‘royalists’ and the democrats, and in this past May’s election
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 4, 2023
If you insult King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, or challenge the establishment, you’re in deep trouble, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Thailand’s Department of Public Relations, Office of the Secretariat of the Prime Minister

Thailand: the last rigged election?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 4, 2023
  • For more than 20 years, Thailand has been locked in a struggle between the ‘royalists’ and the democrats, and in this past May’s election

Thailand: the last rigged election?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 4, 2023
  • For more than 20 years, Thailand has been locked in a struggle between the ‘royalists’ and the democrats, and in this past May’s election
If you insult King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand, or challenge the establishment, you’re in deep trouble, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Thailand’s Department of Public Relations, Office of the Secretariat of the Prime Minister

An ideologically confused pope

  • Pope Francis may be hated by those who see him as an ideological enemy of the right, but he is still confused about his
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 31, 2023
Pope Francis condemns the 'obsession' of some Catholics with issues like “abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods” and welcomes transgender Catholics in the Church, but says gender transitioning is a sin and strongly criticizes gender studies, calling it 'dangerous,' writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Long Thiên on Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

An ideologically confused pope

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 31, 2023
  • Pope Francis may be hated by those who see him as an ideological enemy of the right, but he is still confused about his

An ideologically confused pope

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 31, 2023
  • Pope Francis may be hated by those who see him as an ideological enemy of the right, but he is still confused about his
Pope Francis condemns the 'obsession' of some Catholics with issues like “abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods” and welcomes transgender Catholics in the Church, but says gender transitioning is a sin and strongly criticizes gender studies, calling it 'dangerous,' writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Long Thiên on Flickr/Wikimedia Commons

BRICS trundles on without a common purpose

  • This soon-to-be expanded meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa keeps a lot of otherwise idle diplomatic hands busy and out of
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 29, 2023
From left, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photograph by Government of South Africa/Flickr

BRICS trundles on without a common purpose

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 29, 2023
  • This soon-to-be expanded meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa keeps a lot of otherwise idle diplomatic hands busy and out of

BRICS trundles on without a common purpose

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 29, 2023
  • This soon-to-be expanded meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa keeps a lot of otherwise idle diplomatic hands busy and out of
From left, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photograph by Government of South Africa/Flickr

China should heed Russia’s failure in Ukraine

  • LONDON, U.K.—The Ukrainians have been cheering themselves up recently by sending drones to hit targets in Moscow’s business district and the more exclusive western
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 23, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping, pictured in 2017, should learn from Vladimir Putin's mistake, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of the United Nations/Jean-Marc Ferré on Flickr

China should heed Russia’s failure in Ukraine

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 23, 2023
  • LONDON, U.K.—The Ukrainians have been cheering themselves up recently by sending drones to hit targets in Moscow’s business district and the more exclusive western

China should heed Russia’s failure in Ukraine

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 23, 2023
  • LONDON, U.K.—The Ukrainians have been cheering themselves up recently by sending drones to hit targets in Moscow’s business district and the more exclusive western
Chinese President Xi Jinping, pictured in 2017, should learn from Vladimir Putin's mistake, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of the United Nations/Jean-Marc Ferré on Flickr

Zimbabwe and the shifts in ‘ruling party syndrome’

  • The single party that rules for decades and monopolizes all the political space available is a specialty of southern African countries that had to
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 21, 2023
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, pictured at the UN in 2022, and his ZANU-PF party are expected to win the country's general election later this week. Photograph courtesy of UN Photo/Cia Pak

Zimbabwe and the shifts in ‘ruling party syndrome’

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 21, 2023
  • The single party that rules for decades and monopolizes all the political space available is a specialty of southern African countries that had to

Zimbabwe and the shifts in ‘ruling party syndrome’

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 21, 2023
  • The single party that rules for decades and monopolizes all the political space available is a specialty of southern African countries that had to
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, pictured at the UN in 2022, and his ZANU-PF party are expected to win the country's general election later this week. Photograph courtesy of UN Photo/Cia Pak

Potential scenarios for when Trump meets justice

  • The Georgia indictments only added 13 more criminal charges to make a grand total of 91, but Georgia is different.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 17, 2023
Donald Trump pictured on the campaign trail in 2020. While many believe the indictments against Trump are strengthening his support among his 'core' supporters, that won't be enough to win the next general election, writes Gwynne Dyer. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Potential scenarios for when Trump meets justice

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 17, 2023
  • The Georgia indictments only added 13 more criminal charges to make a grand total of 91, but Georgia is different.

Potential scenarios for when Trump meets justice

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 17, 2023
  • The Georgia indictments only added 13 more criminal charges to make a grand total of 91, but Georgia is different.
Donald Trump pictured on the campaign trail in 2020. While many believe the indictments against Trump are strengthening his support among his 'core' supporters, that won't be enough to win the next general election, writes Gwynne Dyer. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Russia’s running the ‘moon race’ again

  • The 1967 Outer Space Treaty established that no nation can own the Moon. The subsequent 1979 Moon Agreement states more specifically that no nation,
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 14, 2023
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty established that no nation can own the moon. The subsequent 1979 Moon Agreement states more specifically that no nation, organization, or private individual can own resources on the moon—but only four countries have signed it, not including the U.S., China, or Russia. Photograph courtesy of JB on Pixabay

Russia’s running the ‘moon race’ again

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 14, 2023
  • The 1967 Outer Space Treaty established that no nation can own the Moon. The subsequent 1979 Moon Agreement states more specifically that no nation,

Russia’s running the ‘moon race’ again

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 14, 2023
  • The 1967 Outer Space Treaty established that no nation can own the Moon. The subsequent 1979 Moon Agreement states more specifically that no nation,
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty established that no nation can own the moon. The subsequent 1979 Moon Agreement states more specifically that no nation, organization, or private individual can own resources on the moon—but only four countries have signed it, not including the U.S., China, or Russia. Photograph courtesy of JB on Pixabay

In Cambodia, another generation of Huns

  • Hun Sen, ruler of Cambodia for 38 years, is a man whose primary purpose was survival. He learned that to survive you must move
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 10, 2023
From youthful commander in the genocidal Khmer Rouge, to Vietnamese puppet, to coup-maker, to dynastic autocrat, the former (official) ruler of Cambodia Hun Sen did it all without ever caring about either ideology or loyalty writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Hun Sen on Facebook

In Cambodia, another generation of Huns

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 10, 2023
  • Hun Sen, ruler of Cambodia for 38 years, is a man whose primary purpose was survival. He learned that to survive you must move

In Cambodia, another generation of Huns

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 10, 2023
  • Hun Sen, ruler of Cambodia for 38 years, is a man whose primary purpose was survival. He learned that to survive you must move
From youthful commander in the genocidal Khmer Rouge, to Vietnamese puppet, to coup-maker, to dynastic autocrat, the former (official) ruler of Cambodia Hun Sen did it all without ever caring about either ideology or loyalty writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Hun Sen on Facebook
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Democracy and the courts

  • If Donald Trump is running behind before next year’s election, he might find it electorally useful to spend a few days in jail. Justice
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 9, 2023
Donald Trump, left, is under five indictments in three jurisdictions, potentially involving up to 10 years in jail, with more indictments to come. Rahul Gandhi, leader of India’s main opposition party, was facing two years in prison for insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Pakistan, former prime minister Imran Khan has just been arrested. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Democracy and the courts

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 9, 2023
  • If Donald Trump is running behind before next year’s election, he might find it electorally useful to spend a few days in jail. Justice

Democracy and the courts

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 9, 2023
  • If Donald Trump is running behind before next year’s election, he might find it electorally useful to spend a few days in jail. Justice
Donald Trump, left, is under five indictments in three jurisdictions, potentially involving up to 10 years in jail, with more indictments to come. Rahul Gandhi, leader of India’s main opposition party, was facing two years in prison for insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In Pakistan, former prime minister Imran Khan has just been arrested. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

El Salvador: ‘the world’s coolest dictator’

  • El Salvador’s murder rate is down from 50 per 100,000 people to only 7.8 per 100,000 people killed annually.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 2, 2023
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, pictured in 2016 when he was mayor of San Salvador, in front of a banner that reads 'ruling with the people,' in Spanish. He is a populist icon throughout Latin America, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Presidencia El Salvador on Flickr

El Salvador: ‘the world’s coolest dictator’

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 2, 2023
  • El Salvador’s murder rate is down from 50 per 100,000 people to only 7.8 per 100,000 people killed annually.

El Salvador: ‘the world’s coolest dictator’

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 2, 2023
  • El Salvador’s murder rate is down from 50 per 100,000 people to only 7.8 per 100,000 people killed annually.
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, pictured in 2016 when he was mayor of San Salvador, in front of a banner that reads 'ruling with the people,' in Spanish. He is a populist icon throughout Latin America, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Presidencia El Salvador on Flickr

Israel: The End of Democracy?

  • Netanyahu’s coalition has the majority support among Israeli Jews, but it has adopted the most extreme goals of ethno-nationalist settlers and religious ultra-conservatives as
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 27, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on charges of breach of trust, taking bribes, and fraud in 2019. He was facing up to 10 years in jail, if found guilty, when he returned to the prime ministership. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Israel: The End of Democracy?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 27, 2023
  • Netanyahu’s coalition has the majority support among Israeli Jews, but it has adopted the most extreme goals of ethno-nationalist settlers and religious ultra-conservatives as

Israel: The End of Democracy?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 27, 2023
  • Netanyahu’s coalition has the majority support among Israeli Jews, but it has adopted the most extreme goals of ethno-nationalist settlers and religious ultra-conservatives as
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on charges of breach of trust, taking bribes, and fraud in 2019. He was facing up to 10 years in jail, if found guilty, when he returned to the prime ministership. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Why won’t Putin go to South Africa?

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin really needs to avoid countries that belong to the ICC and have domestic courts that enforce the rule of law.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 24, 2023
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he won’t be going to South Africa for next month’s summit of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), although all the other leaders will be there. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Why won’t Putin go to South Africa?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 24, 2023
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin really needs to avoid countries that belong to the ICC and have domestic courts that enforce the rule of law.

Why won’t Putin go to South Africa?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 24, 2023
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin really needs to avoid countries that belong to the ICC and have domestic courts that enforce the rule of law.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he won’t be going to South Africa for next month’s summit of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), although all the other leaders will be there. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Spain’s Santiago Abascal could be Franco’s ghost

  • Western European nations tend to dance to the same drummer, so is the rise (if you can call it that) of Spain's Vox party
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 19, 2023
Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spain’s far-right Vox Party, pictured in 2018, is the bogeyman in the July 23 snap election there. Some delusional panic-mongers see him as the Second Coming of dictator Francisco Franco, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Spain’s Santiago Abascal could be Franco’s ghost

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 19, 2023
  • Western European nations tend to dance to the same drummer, so is the rise (if you can call it that) of Spain's Vox party

Spain’s Santiago Abascal could be Franco’s ghost

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 19, 2023
  • Western European nations tend to dance to the same drummer, so is the rise (if you can call it that) of Spain's Vox party
Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spain’s far-right Vox Party, pictured in 2018, is the bogeyman in the July 23 snap election there. Some delusional panic-mongers see him as the Second Coming of dictator Francisco Franco, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Heat waves are carrying us to the point of no return

  • 'It’s the first time in history that it’s more likely than not that we will exceed 1.5°C,' said Adam Scaife at Britain’s Met Office
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 17, 2023
The Chapel Creek wildfire north of Blue River in British Columbia. There are 885 wildfires burning in Canada, and counting. Photograph courtesy of the B.C. Wildfire Service

Heat waves are carrying us to the point of no return

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 17, 2023
  • 'It’s the first time in history that it’s more likely than not that we will exceed 1.5°C,' said Adam Scaife at Britain’s Met Office

Heat waves are carrying us to the point of no return

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 17, 2023
  • 'It’s the first time in history that it’s more likely than not that we will exceed 1.5°C,' said Adam Scaife at Britain’s Met Office
The Chapel Creek wildfire north of Blue River in British Columbia. There are 885 wildfires burning in Canada, and counting. Photograph courtesy of the B.C. Wildfire Service