CounterCurrents: Let's Do Peacemongering

Dear Friend,

The nuclear pendulum in the Indian subcontinent swings from hopeless to despair. If the current tenuous situation gets out of hand it can explode into a full blown war, bringing the war ready 200 odd nuclear war heads into the bargain. With each day, it seems we are falling more and more into the hell hole. Last night there was an attack on army camp in Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir. One army man was killed. It seems it was a retaliation to the cross border attack by the Indian army. How long will this low intensity warfare continue? Don't we have a way out? War hysteria is being pumped up by the media and politicians. What can we do? Ramp up the peace initiatives. Let's do peacemongering! 

Colombian people said NO to peace initiatives to the decades old civil war by a narrow margin. President Santos reiterated that he'll push forward for peace. 

Gunther Ostermann asks "Is There A Future For Our Species ?" He bluntly puts it "simply stated – every lie and deception for money in society, politics or business is costing our planet irreplaceable natural resources, which are squandered in wars and needless competition, and is stolen from future generations."

This brings us to the question of managing our commons for the future generation. Ottmar Edenhofer, Christian Flachsland & Bernhard Lorentz envision the atmosphere as "A Global Commons". Perhaps that's the solution to the looming climate catastrophe. 

And also more stories from around the world. 

If you don't mind, and if you think the content of this news letter is critical for the dignified living and survival of humanity and other species on earth, please forward it to your friends and spread the word. It's time for humanity to come together as one family! You can subscribe to our news letter here http://www.countercurrents.org/news-letter/. 

In Solidarity

Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org




India – Pakistan Tension Continues To Mount After Terrorists Attack Indian Army Camp

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/india-pakistan-tension-continues-to-mount-after-terrorists-attack-indian-army-camp/

Tension between nuclear armed South Asian neighbours India and Pakistan continues to mount after terrorists on Sunday night attacked an army camp in Baramulla in Northern Kashmir killing constable and injuring another. There are also some efforts de-escalate the tension between the two countries. The National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan talked today morning to reduce tension between the two neighbouring nations along the Line of Control. Pakistan’s NSA Nasser Janjua and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval talked to diffuse tension between the two countries




The Looming India/Pakistan Crisis – Who To Blame?
by Professor M Adil Khan 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/the-looming-indiapakistan-crisis-who-to-blame/

The short answer to the above question is, both! Both must know by now that there is not much joy in throwing stones at each other when the houses they live in are made of glass!





Surgical Strikes And After
by T Navin 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/surgical-strikes-and-after/

The heightened atmosphere provides yet another opportunity to the political elite to deviate people from the real issues concerning the people. The rising prices, the unemployment, the poverty, issues of justice, issues of food shelter and clothing become meaningless. The jingoism becomes the basis for creating a vote bank for upcoming elections to a large Indian state.





A Case For Third Party Mediation On Kashmir
by Abdul Majid Zargar 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/a-case-for-third-party-mediation-on-kashmir/

Third party mediation or facilitation on Kashmir can move forward only if there is a mutual will to settle the issue. Both India & Pakistan  have  everything to gain and  nothing  to lose in the event of third party mediation.





The Atmosphere As A Global Commons
Co-Written by Ottmar Edenhofer, Christian Flachsland & Bernhard Lorentz

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/the-atmosphere-as-a-global-commons/

We are only gradually beginning to realize that global common-pool resources are assets to humankind that should be managed as commons. Wasting them would be disastrous. We are trustees of these assets and thus, trustees for future generations. We have the duty to invest so as to increase or at least maintain these assets. 




Is There A Future For Our Species ?
by Gunther Ostermann 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/is-there-a-future-for-our-species/

Simply stated – every lie and deception for money in society, politics or business is costing our planet irreplaceable natural resources, which are squandered in wars and needless competition, and is stolen from future generations.





No To Peace In Colombia?
by Justin Podur 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/no-to-peace-in-colombia/


In the four years that it took to negotiate this peace deal, Colombia has been moving inexorably towards October 2, the day that the people could have their say about the deal that would end the five-decade long war.  The ‘No’ won with 6,422,136 votes, defeating the ‘Yes’ who came in with 6,361,762. A difference of 60,374 voters. A difference of less than half a percentage point of the 12.8 million who voted





Bayer’s Trojan Horse: Criminal Prosecution Required To Stop GM Food Crops Fraudulently Entering India
by Colin Todhunter 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/bayers-trojan-horse-criminal-prosecution-required-to-stop-gm-food-crops-fraudulently-entering-india/

The decision whether to allow the commercialisation of the first genetically modified (GM) food crop (mustard) in India is close. Serious conflicts of interest, sleight of hand and regulatory delinquency – not to mention outright fraud – could mean the decision coming down in favour of commercialisation.




Unreliability, Spinelessness Of The Western ‘Left’
by Andre Vltchek 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/unreliability-spinelessness-of-the-western-left/

For years and decades, the so-called ‘left’ in the West has been moderately critical of North American (and sometimes even of European) imperialism and neo-colonialism. But whenever some individual or country rose up and began openly challenging the Empire, most of the Western left-wing intellectuals simply closed their eyes, and refused to offer their full, unconditional support to those who were putting their lives (and often even the existence of their countries) on the line.





The Curse Of The Honorary Doctorate: The John Howard Case
by Dr Binoy Kampmark 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/the-curse-of-the-honorary-doctorate-the-john-howard-case/


The decision of Sydney University to award him an honorary doctorate  to former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard was initially going to be one of those dull affairs.