Showing 1 - 10 of 11
Trump's threat to exit Nato forces rethink
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 04/04/2026
» As Washington abandons the transatlantic pact following an unprovoked attack on Iran, Europe must prepare for a future without US security guarantees.
Kingdom of Denmark vs the Shadow Fleet
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 25/10/2025
» Back in the 16th and 17th centuries, two-thirds of the Danish kingdom's income came from taxes paid by every ship passing through the Øresund ('The Sound') Strait, the only exit from the Baltic Sea. Each ship had to declare its cargo -- and if the Danes thought they were undervaluing it, Denmark had the right to buy it at the declared price.
EU leaders must master Trump management
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 19/08/2025
» It's like one of those slapstick comedies from the early days of silent films: the "Keystone Cops" movies, perhaps, or Buster Keaton's various efforts. Lots of people rushing around, constant reversals of fortune, and many pratfalls.
The bigger game: Israel and Saudi Arabia vs Iran
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 22/06/2024
» Gaza, IDF, Hamas, Mr Netanyahu, famine, terrorism, genocide, and on and on: the loud, incessant clatter of local issues and tactical moves almost drowns out the low, grinding noise as the Middle East shifts inexorably into a new strategic alignment. But it's happening, and it's still about oil, sort of.
Israel vs the ICJ: Is this a waste of time?
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 18/01/2024
» The two sides have had their day in court -- one day each, actually. The 17 judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have now retired to consider what interim decisions they should make on South Africa's accusation that Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip amount to the crime of genocide. Is this just a waste of time?
The Quad wakes up ... to take on threat of China
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 17/03/2021
» It has been quite pleasant living on a planet where most of the great powers were not locked up into two hostile nuclear-armed alliances, but nothing lasts forever. Creeping shyly on to the stage via Zoom, the successor to Nato emerged into public view last Friday.
English speakers feel Covid's wrath
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 26/02/2021
» To those who obsessively followed Covid websites over the past 11 months, one thing demanded an explanation above all: Why were the worst death rates-per-million in the richest, most developed countries, and in the United States and the United Kingdom most of all?
Reopening our economies is a balancing act
Oped, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 18/04/2020
» Wuhan, the Chinese city where it all started, was locked down for 79 days before the restrictions on movement were finally lifted last week. A bit over-cautious, perhaps, but in China the coronavirus does really seem to be under control -- not totally eradicated, but controllable without extreme measures.
Donald Trump the promise-keeper
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 19/02/2019
» Donald Trump is a man of his word, and he promised his "base" to build a wall on the US border with Mexico to stop an "invasion of gangs, invasion of drugs, invasion of people". It turns out that Mexico isn't willing to pay for it after all, but a promise is a promise. So he has declared a fake "national emergency" to get his hands on the money he needs.
Long trek to democracy in SE Asia
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 03/08/2018
» A quarter-century before the Arab Spring of 2011, there was a democratic spring in Southeast Asia: the Philippines in 1986, Myanmar in 1988, Thailand in 1992 and Indonesia in 1998. The Arab Spring was largely drowned in blood (Syria, Egypt, Libya), but democracy really seemed to be taking root in Southeast Asia -- for a while.