Of Tithes and Nukes, Lebanon Motorbike Crackdown, US-China AI, and More
The latest at Inkstick Media.
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Since the civil war broke out in 2011, Syrian refugees who fled the bloodshed have faced hardships in countries across the world. In neighboring Lebanon, they have long endured discrimination, violence, and the threat of expulsion. For many, a new crackdown on unregistered motorbikes, as Madeline Edwards reports, is the latest attempt to target Syrians over their nationality.
Meanwhile, the Church of the Latter-day Saints once held a moral opposition against complicity in weapons of mass destruction, with Spencer W. Kimball decrying the bombs the US dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Yet, in a new longform deep dive, Inkstick’s Taylor Barnes looks at the LDS investment in Northrop Grumman stocks.
Speaking of threats to our existence, nuclear weapons and climate change have put the planet on the brink. The US-China rivalry doesn’t lessen those threats, as Sofia Guerra and Carla Montilla argue – and that’s exactly why Washington and Beijing should pursue nuclear and climate diplomacy before the clock runs out.
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“The US and China Are Up Against Nuclear and Climate Clocks” by Sofia Guerra & Carla Montilla (June 3)
Nuclear proliferation and climate change are twin threats with similar consequences: environmental degradation, public health crises, and heightened risk of conflict. When it comes to US-China relations, Washington should pursue nuclear and climate diplomacy to address the two biggest threats humanity faces.
“For Lebanon’s Syrian Delivery Drivers, a Motorbike ‘is Everything’” by Madeline Edwards (June 3)
For many Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a motorbike offered a chance at employment as a delivery driver and a taste of freedom. But as the tide again turns against Syrians, Lebanese authorities have cracked down on unregistered motorbikes, a fact that puts refugees at heightened risk.
“Cracks in the Sin Screen: The Link Between Mormon Tithes and Nuclear Weapons” by Taylor Barnes (June 4)
In the past, the Church of the Latter-day Saints took a stand against weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. Nowadays, the church-owned Ensign Peak Advisors fund holds stock in Northrop Grumman, one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers.
“In Gaza, the Specter of Death is Everywhere” by Joshua Frank (June 4)
Depending on how Israel’s post-Oct. 7 blood-soaked incursion into Gaza is evaluated, the military operation has either been a complete disaster or a monumental success. If the destruction of Gaza and the slaughtering of Palestinians was the intent, then Israel has certainly succeeded.
“North Korea’s Incremental Empowerment of Women” by Kyung-joo Jeon (June 5)
The recent repeated appearances of Kim family women at North Korean political events have garnered the attention of many Korea watchers. Yet, while some hope exists, there is little evidence to suggest that female leadership in North Korea would be empowered to develop more inclusive political dynamics.
“Why the US and China Should Work Together on AI” by Hadley Spadaccini (June 5)
Much of the zero-sum thinking around AI comes from the fact that both China and the US see AI as essential for enhancing their military capabilities, economic competitiveness, and influence on the world stage. Despite the rivalry, cooperation on AI offers the best path forward.
“Deep Dive: The Real Meaning of ‘Never Again’” by Emily Tamkin (June 6)
Published in The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, a new paper looks at the parameters and weaknesses of the long-standing slogan “never again.” The phrase, they point out, means different things to different people – which, they argue, “oversimplifies the complexity of mass atrocity prevention and creates an unrealistic goal.”
“A Century-Old Election Helps Explain the Danger of Germany’s Modern Far-Right” by Marc Martorell Junyent (June 6)
Can the history of the Weimar Republic help us understand Germany’s current political crisis? There are strong reasons to believe so, and ignoring the historical record only because we live in different times would be short-sighted.
“Workers at Defense Contractors Navigate Dissent over Gaza War” by Taylor Barnes (June 7)
Dissent over US support for Israel’s war on Gaza has rocked workplaces across the country, where firings, rescinded job offers, canceled assignments, and workplace retaliation have become routine. In the defense industry, workers with dissident views are now trying to navigate the political climate.
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.
Photo: Men stand outside a convenience store near their motorbikes in Beirut, Lebanon (João Sousa for Inkstick)