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Gwynne Dyer

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

An Arab nadir driven by clueless hegemons

  • We are at a point where Trump’s America and Netanyahu’s Israel have established complete domination over the Middle East. 
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 29, 2025
Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu
Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still wants to get the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip, but this may no longer require a confrontation with Donald Trump, writes Gwynne Dyer White House photograph by Daniel Torok

An Arab nadir driven by clueless hegemons

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 29, 2025
  • We are at a point where Trump’s America and Netanyahu’s Israel have established complete domination over the Middle East. 

An Arab nadir driven by clueless hegemons

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 29, 2025
  • We are at a point where Trump’s America and Netanyahu’s Israel have established complete domination over the Middle East. 
Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still wants to get the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip, but this may no longer require a confrontation with Donald Trump, writes Gwynne Dyer White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Trump’s case for invading Venezuela

  • The American president must know that U.S.-bound cocaine comes mostly from Colombia and Peru, while opioids—the real drug plague—come primarily from China and Mexico.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 27, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, is doing everything possible to look like he is serious about overthrowing Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela by force, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trump’s case for invading Venezuela

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 27, 2025
  • The American president must know that U.S.-bound cocaine comes mostly from Colombia and Peru, while opioids—the real drug plague—come primarily from China and Mexico.

Trump’s case for invading Venezuela

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 27, 2025
  • The American president must know that U.S.-bound cocaine comes mostly from Colombia and Peru, while opioids—the real drug plague—come primarily from China and Mexico.
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, is doing everything possible to look like he is serious about overthrowing Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela by force, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Denmark versus the Russia’s shadow fleet

  • The sanctions regime makes it hard for Russia to charter ships from legitimate shipping companies. Instead, it has built a ‘shadow fleet’ of almost
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 22, 2025
Last month, unidentified drones forced Denmark to shut down its airports on several occasions, and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Russian involvement could not be ruled out. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Denmark versus the Russia’s shadow fleet

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 22, 2025
  • The sanctions regime makes it hard for Russia to charter ships from legitimate shipping companies. Instead, it has built a ‘shadow fleet’ of almost

Denmark versus the Russia’s shadow fleet

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 22, 2025
  • The sanctions regime makes it hard for Russia to charter ships from legitimate shipping companies. Instead, it has built a ‘shadow fleet’ of almost
Last month, unidentified drones forced Denmark to shut down its airports on several occasions, and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Russian involvement could not be ruled out. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

American contempt for Latin America on full display

  • U.S. President Donald Trump has interfered in both Brazilian and Argentine politics, and the U.S. Navy continues its strikes off Venezuela’s coast in a
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 16, 2025
In the latest example of American influence, Argentina President Javier Milei, left, has welcomed Donald Trump’s $20-billion bailout even as the American president mused about the country’s elections, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore 

American contempt for Latin America on full display

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 16, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump has interfered in both Brazilian and Argentine politics, and the U.S. Navy continues its strikes off Venezuela’s coast in a

American contempt for Latin America on full display

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 16, 2025
  • U.S. President Donald Trump has interfered in both Brazilian and Argentine politics, and the U.S. Navy continues its strikes off Venezuela’s coast in a
In the latest example of American influence, Argentina President Javier Milei, left, has welcomed Donald Trump’s $20-billion bailout even as the American president mused about the country’s elections, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore 

The coming AI crash

  • Far too much money is being spent on long-odds bets that some new artificial intelligence tech will appear that justifies the current ridiculously high
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 15, 2025
The biggest players in the system supporting AI are spending vast amounts of borrowed money on a technology they don’t even fully understand, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

The coming AI crash

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 15, 2025
  • Far too much money is being spent on long-odds bets that some new artificial intelligence tech will appear that justifies the current ridiculously high

The coming AI crash

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 15, 2025
  • Far too much money is being spent on long-odds bets that some new artificial intelligence tech will appear that justifies the current ridiculously high
The biggest players in the system supporting AI are spending vast amounts of borrowed money on a technology they don’t even fully understand, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

Chimps, war, and us 

  • Jane Goodall’s research revealed chimpanzees were far more like us than anybody had suspected. One aspect was deeply troubling: they fight wars. Like us.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 8, 2025
Jane Goodall, pictured in 2019, died on Oct. 1 at the age of 91. She was also one of the greatest self-taught scientists in history, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Simon Fraser University 

Chimps, war, and us 

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 8, 2025
  • Jane Goodall’s research revealed chimpanzees were far more like us than anybody had suspected. One aspect was deeply troubling: they fight wars. Like us.

Chimps, war, and us 

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 8, 2025
  • Jane Goodall’s research revealed chimpanzees were far more like us than anybody had suspected. One aspect was deeply troubling: they fight wars. Like us.
Jane Goodall, pictured in 2019, died on Oct. 1 at the age of 91. She was also one of the greatest self-taught scientists in history, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Simon Fraser University 

Gaza: the 20-point plan

  • The draft peace plan may not be dead on arrival, but it is extremely vulnerable.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 7, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, has a very short attention span, but he was able to bully Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into at least the opening stages of a ceasefire, writes Gwynne Dyer. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Gaza: the 20-point plan

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 7, 2025
  • The draft peace plan may not be dead on arrival, but it is extremely vulnerable.

Gaza: the 20-point plan

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 7, 2025
  • The draft peace plan may not be dead on arrival, but it is extremely vulnerable.
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, has a very short attention span, but he was able to bully Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into at least the opening stages of a ceasefire, writes Gwynne Dyer. White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Three months later: where are Iran’s fabled nukes?

  • Iran had 408 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, enough for nine or 10 atomic bombs if the regime chose to go that route, and
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 2, 2025
Donald Trump.
Donald Trump.
After the June U.S. bombing on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, President Donald Trump claimed the key facilities ‘have been completely and totally obliterated.’ Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Three months later: where are Iran’s fabled nukes?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 2, 2025
  • Iran had 408 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, enough for nine or 10 atomic bombs if the regime chose to go that route, and

Three months later: where are Iran’s fabled nukes?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | October 2, 2025
  • Iran had 408 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, enough for nine or 10 atomic bombs if the regime chose to go that route, and
Donald Trump.
After the June U.S. bombing on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, President Donald Trump claimed the key facilities ‘have been completely and totally obliterated.’ Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

The United States: calculating things to come

  • I’d be less confident about saying 'no' to an American civil war than I was in the old Soviet Union because there I couldn’t
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 30, 2025
Portland, Ore., residents protest the U.S. president’s deployment of troops to the city to ‘protect’ an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Sept. 28. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/KPTV Fox 12

The United States: calculating things to come

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 30, 2025
  • I’d be less confident about saying 'no' to an American civil war than I was in the old Soviet Union because there I couldn’t

The United States: calculating things to come

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 30, 2025
  • I’d be less confident about saying 'no' to an American civil war than I was in the old Soviet Union because there I couldn’t
Portland, Ore., residents protest the U.S. president’s deployment of troops to the city to ‘protect’ an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Sept. 28. Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/KPTV Fox 12

Unpacking Ukraine’s winning prospects, Flamingos and all

  • The missiles even things up a bit in the David-and-Goliath war against Russia, but the Ukrainian army has been retreating all year.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 24, 2025
American President Donald Trump, pictured, attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a February White House visit, but this week at the United Nations Trump suggested Ukraine could win back its territory. Official White House photograph

Unpacking Ukraine’s winning prospects, Flamingos and all

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 24, 2025
  • The missiles even things up a bit in the David-and-Goliath war against Russia, but the Ukrainian army has been retreating all year.

Unpacking Ukraine’s winning prospects, Flamingos and all

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 24, 2025
  • The missiles even things up a bit in the David-and-Goliath war against Russia, but the Ukrainian army has been retreating all year.
American President Donald Trump, pictured, attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a February White House visit, but this week at the United Nations Trump suggested Ukraine could win back its territory. Official White House photograph

Is it too late for a Palestinian state?

  • For the first time, big Western countries are recognizing the state, but it is not unified and it still controls no territory.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 22, 2025
The cascade of recognitions at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual session in New York is pure gesture politics, writes Gwynne Dyer. UN photograph by Manuel Elias

Is it too late for a Palestinian state?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 22, 2025
  • For the first time, big Western countries are recognizing the state, but it is not unified and it still controls no territory.

Is it too late for a Palestinian state?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 22, 2025
  • For the first time, big Western countries are recognizing the state, but it is not unified and it still controls no territory.
The cascade of recognitions at the United Nations General Assembly’s annual session in New York is pure gesture politics, writes Gwynne Dyer. UN photograph by Manuel Elias

Russia’s air war of flimsy decoys

  • What is President Vladimir Putin’s motive for this bizarre violation of NATO’s borders—especially given that the drones over Poland were not armed?
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 17, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s real goal with the Poland drone strike is to stampede NATO’s European countries into spending large amounts on their own national defence, instead of continuing to send arms to beleaguered Ukraine, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Russia’s air war of flimsy decoys

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 17, 2025
  • What is President Vladimir Putin’s motive for this bizarre violation of NATO’s borders—especially given that the drones over Poland were not armed?

Russia’s air war of flimsy decoys

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 17, 2025
  • What is President Vladimir Putin’s motive for this bizarre violation of NATO’s borders—especially given that the drones over Poland were not armed?
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s real goal with the Poland drone strike is to stampede NATO’s European countries into spending large amounts on their own national defence, instead of continuing to send arms to beleaguered Ukraine, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Same crime, different fate for Bolsonaro and Trump

  • Compared to the 2022 Brazilian attempted coup, the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol was much less serious—yet look at which country is in
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 15, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and former president Jair Bolsonaro.
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Most Republican voters still believe that U.S. President Donald Trump, left, won the 2020 election. By contrast, only 36 per cent of Brazilians doubt that former president Jair Bolsonaro was part of the 2022 coup plot, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Same crime, different fate for Bolsonaro and Trump

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 15, 2025
  • Compared to the 2022 Brazilian attempted coup, the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol was much less serious—yet look at which country is in

Same crime, different fate for Bolsonaro and Trump

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 15, 2025
  • Compared to the 2022 Brazilian attempted coup, the 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol was much less serious—yet look at which country is in
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Most Republican voters still believe that U.S. President Donald Trump, left, won the 2020 election. By contrast, only 36 per cent of Brazilians doubt that former president Jair Bolsonaro was part of the 2022 coup plot, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Qatar strike makes clear Israel has no interest in a ceasefire

  • Israel bombing America's closest ally in the Gulf puts every Arab country on notice that nobody is safe.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 10, 2025
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
With the bombing of Qatar, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it blindingly clear he wants to avoid a ceasefire in Gaza, writes Gwynne Dyer. UN photograph courtesy of Loey Felipe

Qatar strike makes clear Israel has no interest in a ceasefire

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 10, 2025
  • Israel bombing America's closest ally in the Gulf puts every Arab country on notice that nobody is safe.

Qatar strike makes clear Israel has no interest in a ceasefire

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 10, 2025
  • Israel bombing America's closest ally in the Gulf puts every Arab country on notice that nobody is safe.
Benjamin Netanyahu
With the bombing of Qatar, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it blindingly clear he wants to avoid a ceasefire in Gaza, writes Gwynne Dyer. UN photograph courtesy of Loey Felipe

No ‘new world order’ is coming

  • All the hype about the launch of a new ‘Asian century’ founders on the hard, unyielding fact that there is no Asia except in
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 9, 2025
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit was a stage-managed coming-out party for China’s new superpower status, but no actual deals were done, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

No ‘new world order’ is coming

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 9, 2025
  • All the hype about the launch of a new ‘Asian century’ founders on the hard, unyielding fact that there is no Asia except in

No ‘new world order’ is coming

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 9, 2025
  • All the hype about the launch of a new ‘Asian century’ founders on the hard, unyielding fact that there is no Asia except in
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit was a stage-managed coming-out party for China’s new superpower status, but no actual deals were done, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trump’s ‘Gaza Riviera’ is insane but not impossible

  • The leaked U.S. pitch to remodel the wartorn region into a shiny new city built on ruins is both a bizarre and illegal project.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 4, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, held a White House meeting to discuss plans for Gaza’s future, with former British prime minister Tony Blair in the mix among real estate developers and others. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trump’s ‘Gaza Riviera’ is insane but not impossible

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 4, 2025
  • The leaked U.S. pitch to remodel the wartorn region into a shiny new city built on ruins is both a bizarre and illegal project.

Trump’s ‘Gaza Riviera’ is insane but not impossible

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 4, 2025
  • The leaked U.S. pitch to remodel the wartorn region into a shiny new city built on ruins is both a bizarre and illegal project.
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, held a White House meeting to discuss plans for Gaza’s future, with former British prime minister Tony Blair in the mix among real estate developers and others. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Here come the refugees

  • This rage for deportation started in the developed countries, but it is catching on everywhere. 
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 3, 2025
British MP Nigel Farage recently promised that a Reform U.K. government would deport 600,000 people during its first five years in power. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Here come the refugees

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 3, 2025
  • This rage for deportation started in the developed countries, but it is catching on everywhere. 

Here come the refugees

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | September 3, 2025
  • This rage for deportation started in the developed countries, but it is catching on everywhere. 
British MP Nigel Farage recently promised that a Reform U.K. government would deport 600,000 people during its first five years in power. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

America, Greenland, and upending the territorial status quo

  • Outside of the United States and Russia, most governments still uphold the key law about borders, regardless of their domestic political arrangements.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 28, 2025
Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin
Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin
Denmark has accused the United States of running a covert operation in Greenland. The attempt to recruit a few ‘pro-American’ Greenlanders to front the operation suggests President Donald Trump’s regime prefers a non-violent conquest if at all possible, writes Gwynne Dyer. Official White House photograph courtesy of Daniel Torok

America, Greenland, and upending the territorial status quo

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 28, 2025
  • Outside of the United States and Russia, most governments still uphold the key law about borders, regardless of their domestic political arrangements.

America, Greenland, and upending the territorial status quo

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 28, 2025
  • Outside of the United States and Russia, most governments still uphold the key law about borders, regardless of their domestic political arrangements.
Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin
Denmark has accused the United States of running a covert operation in Greenland. The attempt to recruit a few ‘pro-American’ Greenlanders to front the operation suggests President Donald Trump’s regime prefers a non-violent conquest if at all possible, writes Gwynne Dyer. Official White House photograph courtesy of Daniel Torok

Africa needs more than a ‘change the map’ campaign 

  • African economies have grown slowly over the past 50 years, but population growth has meant that real per capita incomes in most African countries
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 26, 2025
People are learning ‘from a distorted map,’ says Speak Up Africa founder Fara Ndiaye, leading to ‘a biased view of Africa’s role in the world.’ Photograph courtesy of Unsplash

Africa needs more than a ‘change the map’ campaign 

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 26, 2025
  • African economies have grown slowly over the past 50 years, but population growth has meant that real per capita incomes in most African countries

Africa needs more than a ‘change the map’ campaign 

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 26, 2025
  • African economies have grown slowly over the past 50 years, but population growth has meant that real per capita incomes in most African countries
People are learning ‘from a distorted map,’ says Speak Up Africa founder Fara Ndiaye, leading to ‘a biased view of Africa’s role in the world.’ Photograph courtesy of Unsplash

Trump’s delusional pitch for the Nobel Peace Prize 

  • The truth is that both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy privately view Donald Trump with contempt, and neither will sign up to a premature
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 21, 2025
Donald Trump, left, and President Vladimir Putin.
Donald Trump, left, and President Vladimir Putin.
The campaign by U.S. President Donald Trump, left, for the peace prize includes pretending he can end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but that conquest is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s heritage project, and he can still keep the war going for years, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trump’s delusional pitch for the Nobel Peace Prize 

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 21, 2025
  • The truth is that both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy privately view Donald Trump with contempt, and neither will sign up to a premature

Trump’s delusional pitch for the Nobel Peace Prize 

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 21, 2025
  • The truth is that both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy privately view Donald Trump with contempt, and neither will sign up to a premature
Donald Trump, left, and President Vladimir Putin.
The campaign by U.S. President Donald Trump, left, for the peace prize includes pretending he can end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but that conquest is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s heritage project, and he can still keep the war going for years, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trump management

  • It’s impossible to be always the last person Donald Trump speaks to, and the effort to be that person soon degenerates into slapstick and
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 19, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
It will take a massive campaign of perpetual flattery for the old NATO countries to keep U.S. President Donald Trump, far right, on side while simultaneously keeping Ukraine out of Russia’s hands, writes Gwynne Dyer.  White House photograph by Daniel Torok

Trump management

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 19, 2025
  • It’s impossible to be always the last person Donald Trump speaks to, and the effort to be that person soon degenerates into slapstick and

Trump management

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 19, 2025
  • It’s impossible to be always the last person Donald Trump speaks to, and the effort to be that person soon degenerates into slapstick and
Donald Trump
It will take a massive campaign of perpetual flattery for the old NATO countries to keep U.S. President Donald Trump, far right, on side while simultaneously keeping Ukraine out of Russia’s hands, writes Gwynne Dyer.  White House photograph by Daniel Torok

The AI crash

  • This is a financial crash of the sort that usually accompanies an exciting new technology, not an existential crisis, but it is definitely on
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 14, 2025
We are probably in the final phase of the artificial intelligence investment frenzy right now, writes Gwynne Dyer. Unsplash photograph by Igor Omilaev

The AI crash

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 14, 2025
  • This is a financial crash of the sort that usually accompanies an exciting new technology, not an existential crisis, but it is definitely on

The AI crash

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 14, 2025
  • This is a financial crash of the sort that usually accompanies an exciting new technology, not an existential crisis, but it is definitely on
We are probably in the final phase of the artificial intelligence investment frenzy right now, writes Gwynne Dyer. Unsplash photograph by Igor Omilaev

Trump and his whooshing deadlines

  • Whatever happens at the upcoming Alaska summit, U.S. President Donald Trump will go on setting deadlines and then missing them.
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 11, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump at the G20 Summit in Japan in June 2019. With no leverage in Moscow, Trump's recent deadline for a Russian ceasefire in Ukraine passed unmentioned, writes Gwynne Dyer. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Trump and his whooshing deadlines

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 11, 2025
  • Whatever happens at the upcoming Alaska summit, U.S. President Donald Trump will go on setting deadlines and then missing them.

Trump and his whooshing deadlines

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 11, 2025
  • Whatever happens at the upcoming Alaska summit, U.S. President Donald Trump will go on setting deadlines and then missing them.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump at the G20 Summit in Japan in June 2019. With no leverage in Moscow, Trump's recent deadline for a Russian ceasefire in Ukraine passed unmentioned, writes Gwynne Dyer. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

The two Netanyahus in the face of famine and genocide

  • One version of the Israeli leader is the amoral master tactician who has no permanent allies. Or the other more sinister character, whose goal
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 6, 2025
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still in power because he’s now a war leader and the courts can’t hold an inquiry into his behaviour until the war is over, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The two Netanyahus in the face of famine and genocide

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 6, 2025
  • One version of the Israeli leader is the amoral master tactician who has no permanent allies. Or the other more sinister character, whose goal

The two Netanyahus in the face of famine and genocide

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 6, 2025
  • One version of the Israeli leader is the amoral master tactician who has no permanent allies. Or the other more sinister character, whose goal
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still in power because he’s now a war leader and the courts can’t hold an inquiry into his behaviour until the war is over, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Major powers resorting to war more often, and doing so without even trying to justify it under the UN Charter rules

  • Maybe so much time has passed that some countries have forgotten what everybody’s objective was at the end of the Second World War: to
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 5, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Not only are major powers resorting to war more often, but they are doing so without even trying to justify it under the UN Charter rules for the use of force: Russia in Ukraine, Israel in Gaza, the United States over Iran.  The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Major powers resorting to war more often, and doing so without even trying to justify it under the UN Charter rules

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 5, 2025
  • Maybe so much time has passed that some countries have forgotten what everybody’s objective was at the end of the Second World War: to

Major powers resorting to war more often, and doing so without even trying to justify it under the UN Charter rules

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 5, 2025
  • Maybe so much time has passed that some countries have forgotten what everybody’s objective was at the end of the Second World War: to
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Not only are major powers resorting to war more often, but they are doing so without even trying to justify it under the UN Charter rules for the use of force: Russia in Ukraine, Israel in Gaza, the United States over Iran.  The Hill Times photographs by Sam Garcia and courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Counting babies in China (and elsewhere)

  • Declining populations almost everywhere should not be seen only as a problem. If we are now heading back down to a population of three
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 1, 2025
Lower birth rates do bring with them problems like a higher dependency ratio, but managing this kind of 'problem' is what governments are there for, writes Gwynne Dyer. Unsplash photograph by Lingchor

Counting babies in China (and elsewhere)

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 1, 2025
  • Declining populations almost everywhere should not be seen only as a problem. If we are now heading back down to a population of three

Counting babies in China (and elsewhere)

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | August 1, 2025
  • Declining populations almost everywhere should not be seen only as a problem. If we are now heading back down to a population of three
Lower birth rates do bring with them problems like a higher dependency ratio, but managing this kind of 'problem' is what governments are there for, writes Gwynne Dyer. Unsplash photograph by Lingchor

The pantomime ends in Gaza

  • Since food distribution to Palestinians is so erratic, deaths from this artificial famine continue to grow. It’s not clear whether this is random malevolence
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2025
All the back-and-forth diplomacy in Gaza over the past six months was just for show, and the only audience that mattered was U.S. President Donald Trump, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

The pantomime ends in Gaza

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2025
  • Since food distribution to Palestinians is so erratic, deaths from this artificial famine continue to grow. It’s not clear whether this is random malevolence

The pantomime ends in Gaza

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2025
  • Since food distribution to Palestinians is so erratic, deaths from this artificial famine continue to grow. It’s not clear whether this is random malevolence
All the back-and-forth diplomacy in Gaza over the past six months was just for show, and the only audience that mattered was U.S. President Donald Trump, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House
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Tunisia, the last Arab democracy, goes under

  • LONDON, U.K.—Tunisia would seem to have everything going for it. Average salaries are the third-highest in all of Africa’s 50 countries, just behind Morocco
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2022
Last July, Tunisia’s usurper president, Kais Saied, dismissed the prime minister, suspended parliament, and began ruling by decree. This week, he emerged victorious in a constitutional referendum that makes all these changes permanent, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Tunisia, the last Arab democracy, goes under

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Tunisia would seem to have everything going for it. Average salaries are the third-highest in all of Africa’s 50 countries, just behind Morocco

Tunisia, the last Arab democracy, goes under

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 28, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Tunisia would seem to have everything going for it. Average salaries are the third-highest in all of Africa’s 50 countries, just behind Morocco
Last July, Tunisia’s usurper president, Kais Saied, dismissed the prime minister, suspended parliament, and began ruling by decree. This week, he emerged victorious in a constitutional referendum that makes all these changes permanent, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Monkeypox is a reminder

  • Monkeypox is very unpleasant and it spreads very fast, but it’s not a real killer: 16,000 cases in 75 countries in just a couple
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 25, 2022
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is manipulating the system in a well-meant attempt to persuade the world to build better systems for containing dangerous emergent diseases in general, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Monkeypox is a reminder

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 25, 2022
  • Monkeypox is very unpleasant and it spreads very fast, but it’s not a real killer: 16,000 cases in 75 countries in just a couple

Monkeypox is a reminder

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 25, 2022
  • Monkeypox is very unpleasant and it spreads very fast, but it’s not a real killer: 16,000 cases in 75 countries in just a couple
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is manipulating the system in a well-meant attempt to persuade the world to build better systems for containing dangerous emergent diseases in general, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Reopening Ukraine’s Black Sea corridor is a humanitarian issue

  • LONDON, U.K.—“Not all issues have yet been resolved, but the fact that there is movement is already good,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 21, 2022
Normally, Ukraine’s Black Sea ports export five to six million tonnes of grain per month, but most are now under Russian occupation and the biggest, Odesa, has been blockaded by the Russian navy for five months, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/dmytrok

Reopening Ukraine’s Black Sea corridor is a humanitarian issue

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 21, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“Not all issues have yet been resolved, but the fact that there is movement is already good,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in

Reopening Ukraine’s Black Sea corridor is a humanitarian issue

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 21, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“Not all issues have yet been resolved, but the fact that there is movement is already good,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in
Normally, Ukraine’s Black Sea ports export five to six million tonnes of grain per month, but most are now under Russian occupation and the biggest, Odesa, has been blockaded by the Russian navy for five months, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/dmytrok

Political leaders and the great multicultural experiment

  • LONDON, U.K.—Here’s an interesting fact. Only 14 per cent of people in England and Wales are Black, Asian, mixed, or other (i.e. non-white). Yet
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 13, 2022
Rishi Sunak, left, Kemi Badenoch, Nadhim Zahawi, and Suella Braverman represent four of the eight candidates vying to replace disgraced British prime minister Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party—and therefore the new prime minister, writes Gwynne Dyer. Chris McAndrew photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Political leaders and the great multicultural experiment

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 13, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Here’s an interesting fact. Only 14 per cent of people in England and Wales are Black, Asian, mixed, or other (i.e. non-white). Yet

Political leaders and the great multicultural experiment

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 13, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Here’s an interesting fact. Only 14 per cent of people in England and Wales are Black, Asian, mixed, or other (i.e. non-white). Yet
Rishi Sunak, left, Kemi Badenoch, Nadhim Zahawi, and Suella Braverman represent four of the eight candidates vying to replace disgraced British prime minister Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party—and therefore the new prime minister, writes Gwynne Dyer. Chris McAndrew photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka’s band of brothers

  • LONDON, U.K.—“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked, in Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 11, 2022
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left, former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and their brother Basil. After 20 years with the Rajapaksa brothers in power most of the time, Sri Lanka today is bankrupt, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka’s band of brothers

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 11, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked, in Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then

Sri Lanka’s band of brothers

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 11, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked, in Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left, former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and their brother Basil. After 20 years with the Rajapaksa brothers in power most of the time, Sri Lanka today is bankrupt, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Cuban Missile Crisis redivivus: Russian rockets in Nicaragua

  • LONDON, U.K.—It was a piece of news so obscure and implausible that I missed it when it first surfaced last month. The news was
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 4, 2022
Russia President Vladimir Putin's much-hyped hypersonic missiles are irrelevant anyway, since ‘hypersonic’ missiles are only useful if a country has good anti-missile defences, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of Flickr/DonkeyHotey

Cuban Missile Crisis redivivus: Russian rockets in Nicaragua

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 4, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—It was a piece of news so obscure and implausible that I missed it when it first surfaced last month. The news was

Cuban Missile Crisis redivivus: Russian rockets in Nicaragua

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | July 4, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—It was a piece of news so obscure and implausible that I missed it when it first surfaced last month. The news was
Russia President Vladimir Putin's much-hyped hypersonic missiles are irrelevant anyway, since ‘hypersonic’ missiles are only useful if a country has good anti-missile defences, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of Flickr/DonkeyHotey

Nukeless Sweden and Finland need NATO

  • LONDON, U.K.—Another 15 million people joined the NATO alliance on June 28. Finland and Sweden, formerly neutral countries but geographically near to Russia, gave
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 30, 2022
The only way Finland and Sweden can get protection from Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear blackmail is to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has three members with nuclear weapons of their own. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Nukeless Sweden and Finland need NATO

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 30, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Another 15 million people joined the NATO alliance on June 28. Finland and Sweden, formerly neutral countries but geographically near to Russia, gave

Nukeless Sweden and Finland need NATO

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 30, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Another 15 million people joined the NATO alliance on June 28. Finland and Sweden, formerly neutral countries but geographically near to Russia, gave
The only way Finland and Sweden can get protection from Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear blackmail is to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has three members with nuclear weapons of their own. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Israel: it’s all about Bibi

  • LONDON, U.K.—There was a rare moment of grace in Israeli politics on June 20, as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 22, 2022
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
The eight-party coalition had one unifying principle: to stop ‘Bibi’ (Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister for most of the past 25 years) from coming back to power yet again. It could only work by concentrating on social issues (where there was some agreement) while preserving the status quo on ‘security,' settler violence and Palestinian rights, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Israel: it’s all about Bibi

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 22, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—There was a rare moment of grace in Israeli politics on June 20, as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid

Israel: it’s all about Bibi

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 22, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—There was a rare moment of grace in Israeli politics on June 20, as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid
Benjamin Netanyahu
The eight-party coalition had one unifying principle: to stop ‘Bibi’ (Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister for most of the past 25 years) from coming back to power yet again. It could only work by concentrating on social issues (where there was some agreement) while preserving the status quo on ‘security,' settler violence and Palestinian rights, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

How did South Africa’s Ramaphosa get so rich?

  • Once upon a time (about four years ago), Cyril Ramaphosa was seen as South Africa’s last, best hope. Since the end of apartheid in
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 20, 2022
Cyril Ramaphosa is one of the richest men in South Africa and is now under attack from all sides, getting tarred with the same corruption brush as predecessor Jacob Zuma, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Government of South Africa

How did South Africa’s Ramaphosa get so rich?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 20, 2022
  • Once upon a time (about four years ago), Cyril Ramaphosa was seen as South Africa’s last, best hope. Since the end of apartheid in

How did South Africa’s Ramaphosa get so rich?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 20, 2022
  • Once upon a time (about four years ago), Cyril Ramaphosa was seen as South Africa’s last, best hope. Since the end of apartheid in
Cyril Ramaphosa is one of the richest men in South Africa and is now under attack from all sides, getting tarred with the same corruption brush as predecessor Jacob Zuma, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flicker/Government of South Africa

The pink tide is rising in Latin America

  • LONDON, U.K.—”Corruption isn’t fought with slogans on TikTok,” complained veteran Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro. But social media can win elections, and a right-wing
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 13, 2022
Going into the first round of the presidential election last month, candidate Gustavo Petro, pictured, was well ahead of the establishment candidate, Federico Gutierrez—but the runner-up was actually Rodolfo Hernández, whose social media skills make him a real threat to Petro, writes Gwynne Dyer. Juan Manuel Herrera/Organization of American States photograph courtesy of Flickr

The pink tide is rising in Latin America

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 13, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—”Corruption isn’t fought with slogans on TikTok,” complained veteran Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro. But social media can win elections, and a right-wing

The pink tide is rising in Latin America

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 13, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—”Corruption isn’t fought with slogans on TikTok,” complained veteran Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro. But social media can win elections, and a right-wing
Going into the first round of the presidential election last month, candidate Gustavo Petro, pictured, was well ahead of the establishment candidate, Federico Gutierrez—but the runner-up was actually Rodolfo Hernández, whose social media skills make him a real threat to Petro, writes Gwynne Dyer. Juan Manuel Herrera/Organization of American States photograph courtesy of Flickr

Boris Johnson: dead man walking

  • LONDON, U.K.—‘Cad.’ ‘Scoundrel.’ ‘Rotter.’ The words that members of the British public used to describe Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the aftermath of last
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 8, 2022
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured Sept. 9, 2020. The words that members of the British public used to describe Johnson in the aftermath of last weekend’s failed attempt by parliamentary members of his own Conservative Party to remove him from office had a weirdly antique ring. Nobody in England really talks like that any more, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Boris Johnson: dead man walking

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 8, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—‘Cad.’ ‘Scoundrel.’ ‘Rotter.’ The words that members of the British public used to describe Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the aftermath of last

Boris Johnson: dead man walking

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 8, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—‘Cad.’ ‘Scoundrel.’ ‘Rotter.’ The words that members of the British public used to describe Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the aftermath of last
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured Sept. 9, 2020. The words that members of the British public used to describe Johnson in the aftermath of last weekend’s failed attempt by parliamentary members of his own Conservative Party to remove him from office had a weirdly antique ring. Nobody in England really talks like that any more, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Jealous gods

  • LONDON, U.K.—As everybody knows, the gods are thin-skinned, both the many gods of the classical pantheons (Greek, Roman, Hindu) and the jealous single gods
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 6, 2022
Nupur Sharma, pictured left, apologized for her remarks about the Prophet Muhammad after she was suspended from the BJP. The BJP’s Delhi media chief Naveen K. Jindal, who tweeted support for Sharma, has been expelled outright. Is the BJP turning over a new leaf? Not at all. It is frantically back-pedalling to assuage the anger of the oil-rich Muslim countries of the Gulf, which provide most of India’s oil and employ millions of its workers. The BJP’s war on Islam is for domestic purposes only, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of YouTube

Jealous gods

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 6, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—As everybody knows, the gods are thin-skinned, both the many gods of the classical pantheons (Greek, Roman, Hindu) and the jealous single gods

Jealous gods

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | June 6, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—As everybody knows, the gods are thin-skinned, both the many gods of the classical pantheons (Greek, Roman, Hindu) and the jealous single gods
Nupur Sharma, pictured left, apologized for her remarks about the Prophet Muhammad after she was suspended from the BJP. The BJP’s Delhi media chief Naveen K. Jindal, who tweeted support for Sharma, has been expelled outright. Is the BJP turning over a new leaf? Not at all. It is frantically back-pedalling to assuage the anger of the oil-rich Muslim countries of the Gulf, which provide most of India’s oil and employ millions of its workers. The BJP’s war on Islam is for domestic purposes only, writes Gwynne Dyer. Image courtesy of YouTube

The codger misspeaks again. Or did Biden blunder on Taiwan remarks?

  • LONDON, U.K.—“Well, my dear, we didn’t know where to look. The old codger was getting away with it again, fielding the questions like a
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 25, 2022
When asked on May 23 if the U.S. would be 'willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?' U.S. President Joe Biden said yes, replying 'that’s a commitment we made. The idea that (Taiwan) could be taken by force, just taken by force, is not ... it would dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The codger misspeaks again. Or did Biden blunder on Taiwan remarks?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 25, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“Well, my dear, we didn’t know where to look. The old codger was getting away with it again, fielding the questions like a

The codger misspeaks again. Or did Biden blunder on Taiwan remarks?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 25, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“Well, my dear, we didn’t know where to look. The old codger was getting away with it again, fielding the questions like a
When asked on May 23 if the U.S. would be 'willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?' U.S. President Joe Biden said yes, replying 'that’s a commitment we made. The idea that (Taiwan) could be taken by force, just taken by force, is not ... it would dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Russia will not disappear

  • LONDON, U.K.—Russian President Vladimir Putin will almost certainly not be in power three years from now. The war he foolishly began in Ukraine has
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 18, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured March 10, 2022. Russia is not a fascist state, just a kleptocracy where the thieves and the thugs have taken power, but Putin’s personal behaviour does begin to resemble Hitler in his bunker in the final days, and Hitler too was very ill. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Russia will not disappear

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 18, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Russian President Vladimir Putin will almost certainly not be in power three years from now. The war he foolishly began in Ukraine has

Russia will not disappear

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 18, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Russian President Vladimir Putin will almost certainly not be in power three years from now. The war he foolishly began in Ukraine has
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured March 10, 2022. Russia is not a fascist state, just a kleptocracy where the thieves and the thugs have taken power, but Putin’s personal behaviour does begin to resemble Hitler in his bunker in the final days, and Hitler too was very ill. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Farewell neutrality: Sweden and Finland

  • LONDON, U.K.—It’s easy to imagine Vladimir Putin coming into the shop marked ‘Sweden,’ breaking some fine china accidentally on purpose, and growling: ‘Nice little
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 16, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Feb. 7, 2022, in the Kremlin in Moscow. The Swedish and Finnish response to his invasion of Ukraine would have surprised Putin. He would see no connection between his invasion of Ukraine, a former Russian imperial possession that needed to be whipped back into line, and two independent countries that have not been in Russia’s sphere of influence for more than a century, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Farewell neutrality: Sweden and Finland

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 16, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—It’s easy to imagine Vladimir Putin coming into the shop marked ‘Sweden,’ breaking some fine china accidentally on purpose, and growling: ‘Nice little

Farewell neutrality: Sweden and Finland

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 16, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—It’s easy to imagine Vladimir Putin coming into the shop marked ‘Sweden,’ breaking some fine china accidentally on purpose, and growling: ‘Nice little
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured Feb. 7, 2022, in the Kremlin in Moscow. The Swedish and Finnish response to his invasion of Ukraine would have surprised Putin. He would see no connection between his invasion of Ukraine, a former Russian imperial possession that needed to be whipped back into line, and two independent countries that have not been in Russia’s sphere of influence for more than a century, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

What’s wrong with the Philippines?

  • LONDON, U.K.—“Bongbong” Marcos didn’t just win the presidential election in the Philippines this week. He won it by a two-to-one landslide, despite the fact
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 11, 2022
'Bongbong' Marcos, pictured in June 2014, won the presidential election in the Philippines by a landslide despite having virtually no accomplishments other than being an entitled son of a former president, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

What’s wrong with the Philippines?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 11, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“Bongbong” Marcos didn’t just win the presidential election in the Philippines this week. He won it by a two-to-one landslide, despite the fact

What’s wrong with the Philippines?

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 11, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—“Bongbong” Marcos didn’t just win the presidential election in the Philippines this week. He won it by a two-to-one landslide, despite the fact
'Bongbong' Marcos, pictured in June 2014, won the presidential election in the Philippines by a landslide despite having virtually no accomplishments other than being an entitled son of a former president, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Fears growing of ‘casual political vandalism’ in Northern Ireland

  • LONDON, U.K.—Four months ago, Jonathan Powell, chief British negotiator of the Good Friday agreement, warned the 1998 deal that ended 30 years of killing
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 9, 2022
Following last weekend's election where Sinn Féin won the largest number of seats in Northern Ireland's history, the party's leader in the North, Michelle O’Neill, avoided triumphalist talk of a referendum on unification with the Republic, and focused instead on bread-and-butter issues, writes Gwynne Dyer Photograph courtesy of Sinn Féin/Flickr

Fears growing of ‘casual political vandalism’ in Northern Ireland

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 9, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Four months ago, Jonathan Powell, chief British negotiator of the Good Friday agreement, warned the 1998 deal that ended 30 years of killing

Fears growing of ‘casual political vandalism’ in Northern Ireland

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 9, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Four months ago, Jonathan Powell, chief British negotiator of the Good Friday agreement, warned the 1998 deal that ended 30 years of killing
Following last weekend's election where Sinn Féin won the largest number of seats in Northern Ireland's history, the party's leader in the North, Michelle O’Neill, avoided triumphalist talk of a referendum on unification with the Republic, and focused instead on bread-and-butter issues, writes Gwynne Dyer Photograph courtesy of Sinn Féin/Flickr

Ukraine and the Orcs

  • LONDON, U.K.—My wife and I were talking recently about how clever the Ukrainians had been to call the invading Russian troops “Orcs” even before
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 5, 2022
President Vladimir Putin's Russia is not Mordor, writes Gwynne Dyer. It is a second-rate great power that must be respected because it has a lot of nuclear weapons, but it poses no serious threat to the security of the rest of Europe or to democracy. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ukraine and the Orcs

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 5, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—My wife and I were talking recently about how clever the Ukrainians had been to call the invading Russian troops “Orcs” even before

Ukraine and the Orcs

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 5, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—My wife and I were talking recently about how clever the Ukrainians had been to call the invading Russian troops “Orcs” even before
President Vladimir Putin's Russia is not Mordor, writes Gwynne Dyer. It is a second-rate great power that must be respected because it has a lot of nuclear weapons, but it poses no serious threat to the security of the rest of Europe or to democracy. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

China and COVID: the cost of infallibility

  • LONDON, U.K.—Even the Pope claims to be infallible only on matters of faith and doctrine. On the chance of rain or the speed of
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 2, 2022
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping has made victory over COVID his signature achievement, so there can't be any doubt, especially when he is planning to make his dictator-for-life status official, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

China and COVID: the cost of infallibility

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 2, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Even the Pope claims to be infallible only on matters of faith and doctrine. On the chance of rain or the speed of

China and COVID: the cost of infallibility

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | May 2, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Even the Pope claims to be infallible only on matters of faith and doctrine. On the chance of rain or the speed of
Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping has made victory over COVID his signature achievement, so there can't be any doubt, especially when he is planning to make his dictator-for-life status official, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ukraine: the reversal of expectations

  • LONDON, U.K.—Two months ago, when Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine, every message from Washington or NATO about the invasion included a prominent passage
Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | April 28, 2022
In a press briefing at the Polish border last week after a quick visit to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said the U.S. wanted to see Russia 'weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invade Ukraine.' The official U.S. goal now is to reduce Russia to a state so weak that it cannot credibly threaten Ukraine, and keep it there, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ukraine: the reversal of expectations

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | April 28, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Two months ago, when Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine, every message from Washington or NATO about the invasion included a prominent passage

Ukraine: the reversal of expectations

Opinion | BY GWYNNE DYER | April 28, 2022
  • LONDON, U.K.—Two months ago, when Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine, every message from Washington or NATO about the invasion included a prominent passage
In a press briefing at the Polish border last week after a quick visit to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said the U.S. wanted to see Russia 'weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invade Ukraine.' The official U.S. goal now is to reduce Russia to a state so weak that it cannot credibly threaten Ukraine, and keep it there, writes Gwynne Dyer. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

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