[haw-info] HAW Notes 4/24/14: May 3 conference on World War I and present-day dangers; links to recent articles of interest

To members and friends of Historians Against the War,

The American Friends Service Committee and several other groups are sponsoring a free conference in New York on Saturday, May 3 relating the centenary of World War I to the danger of a great-power war in the present day. At the end of this message, please find the text of a flyer for the conference, including links to the full conference agenda and registration.

Links to Recent Articles of Interest

"Ukraine: From Crisis to Catastrophe"

By Patrick Cockburn, CounterPunch.org, posted April 22

An argument on "the perils of intervention" based on recent history in Iraq and Afghanistan

"How Torture Became Normalized in America"

By Rebecca Gordon, Informed Comment blog, posted April 22

Based on the author's newly published book, Mainstreaming Torture

"Too Big to Jail: Why Kidnapping, Torture, Assassination, and Perjury Are No Longer Crimes in Washington"

By Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch.com, posted April 21

On the erosion of accountability, except for the one crime of whistleblowing

"Is the Only Solution to the Ukraine Crisis an Appalling One?"

By Cynthia Hooper, History News Network, posted April 20

The author teaches Soviet and post-Soviet history at College of the Holy Cross.

"What Do You Call It When a Big Country Takes a Chunk of a Smaller One? Greed (And We Should Know)"

By David Lee McMullen, History News Network, posted April 20

The author teaches history at the University of South florida.

"The Ukraine Imbrogio and the Decline of the American Empire"

By Arno J. Mayer, CounterPunch.org, posted April 18

The author is a professor of history emeritus at Princeton University.

"Unconditional Palestinian Surrender"

By Zeev Sternhell, Haaretz, posted April 18

Pessimistic argument on the trajectory of internal Israeli politics regarding Palestinian rights

"Why Germans Are More Ambivalent about What's Happening in Ukraine than Anybody Else"

By Julianne Fuerst, History News Network, posted April 13

The author teaches history at the University of Bristol, U.K.

"US Sent CIA Director as Ambassador to Tehran after CIA Overthrew Iran's Democratic Gov't (US Now Complaining about Hostage-Taker Amb.)"

By Juan Cole, Informed Comment blog, posted April 13

The author teaches history at the University of Michigan.

"The Seductive Allure of Wars We're Not Winning"

By Andrew J. Bacevich, Washington Post, posted April 11

The author teaches history and international relations at Boston University.

Thanks to Mim Jackson, Steve Gosch, and Rosalyn Baxandall for suggesting articles included in the above list. Suggestions can be sent to jimobrien48@gmail.com.

Flyer for May 3 conference:

"Facing the Dangers of 21st Century Great Power War - A Conference on the Centenary of World War I"

Saturday, May 3, 2014, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Assembly Hall, Judson Memorial Church

229 Thompson St., Manhattan, South of Washington Square Park

This conference will provide an opportunity for reflection and discussion on the world wars of the last century, and about the risks of great power war today.  The conference will be held alongside the 2014 preparatory committee meeting for the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. We hope as well to spark discussion and awareness about the dangers posed by nuclear weapons in the context of new rounds of great power competition and arms racing. 

 

The conference will bring together activists and academics with knowledge and experience relevant to emerging dangers in key regions, from wars, resource conflicts and profound ongoing political realignments in Ukraine, Russia and Europe, and in the Middle East, to growing tensions in the Western Pacific over territory and resources, as well as the U.S. strategic "pivot" to Asia.  Speakers will address the risks of great power war, the implication of those dangers for peace and disarmament efforts, the lessons to be learned from chemical and other arms control growing out of World War I, and the kinds of movements we will need to build to forge a path to a more peaceful world.

 

Speakers include Michael Klare, Irene Gendzier, Paul Walker, Erhard Crome, Andrew Lichterman, M.V. Ramana, Joseph Gerson, Emira Woods, Zia Mian and others with knowledge and insight.  For the program and a full list of speakers, see

http://afsc.org/story/conference-speakers-and-agenda-facing-dangers-21st-century-great-power-war

 

For the call to the conference, see

http://afsc.org/story/new-york-city-may-3-2014-facing-dangers-21st-century-great-power-war

 

Registration information:  There is no charge for the conference.  An inexpensive lunch will be available on site at cost. We would appreciate pre-registrations indicating whether people wish to purchase lunch.  Please indicate whether you would like a vegetarian meal. Register by writing to Jennifer Sherys-Rivet at JSherysr@afsc.org. For more information, call 617-661-6130. 

Conference conveners and sponsors: American Friends Service Committee, Peace and Economic Security Program; International Peace Bureau; the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation;  and the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms and its U.S. affiliates, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy and Western States Legal Foundation.

 

Endorsing organizations:  Peace Action, Abolition 2000 Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons.  Our intention is that the Facing the Dangers conference will contribute to discussion and planning at the Abolition 2000 annual general meeting  to be held the next day, Sunday, May 4. See http://www.abolition2000.org/?p=3225