Mexico Militarization, Gaza’s Deadly Aid Crisis, Sanction Warfare, and More
This week at Inkstick Media.
Hello, everyone.
Rather than opposing the expansion of the Mexican military in civilian life and standing up for the rights of Mexican citizens, the US has encouraged the trend. As James Chabin argues, 20 years of failed policy pushing Mexico toward militarizing its security, tourism, and immigration demonstrate why the US would be wise to reconsider its approach to relations with its southern neighbor.
But it’s not just Mexico where US policy’s shortcomings are evident. In Iran, US policy has amounted to warfare by a different name. As Assal Rad notes, Washington’s sanctions-based policies toward Tehran have had a devastating impact on everyday people.
In the Gaza Strip, where Israel’s war is nearing the six-month mark, widespread hunger and a deadly shortage of basic necessities have taken root. Mohammed Ali*, a journalist who writes for Inkstick under a pseudonym, reports on the tragic transformation of aid distribution sites into scenes of mass death.
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“How the United States Fuels Militarization in Mexico” by James Chabin (March 18)
Between 2006 and 2021, the Mexican military took over 246 civil functions, including some in health, education, and social programming. US policy has helped drive the militarization of Mexico and its society. And yet, some US politicians have refused to learn the lessons of the past, now calling for an invasion of Mexico to tamp down on cartel violence.
“Fika and Feminism: Part 1” by Laicie Heeley (March 18)
This season on the Things That Go Boom podcast, we’re on a mission to figure out this new thing spreading like wildfire across the world: feminist foreign policy. We’re calling this season, “The F Word.” And on this episode and the next, we take a deep look at the chasm that caused Sweden’s feminist foreign policy to break in two.
“It’s Time for Foreign Policy to Go Local” by Thomas Brodey (March 19)
The United States urgently needs to restore the legitimacy of its foreign policy. A solution to this intractable issue is to democratize foreign affairs, taking it out of smoke-filled rooms and extending it into arguably the purest form of representative politics — state and local governments.
“Let’s Face It: Sanctions Are Warfare by Another Name” by Assal Rad (March 19)
At first glance, sanctions may appear like a useful alternative to war. But a deeper analysis of sanctions shows a starkly different picture. Published by Stanford University Press, a new book seeks to explain how sanctions work – and how they often harm the wrong people.
“Virtual Reality Brings Nuclear Catastrophe to Life” by Sarah Papazoglakis (March 20)
Today, more than two years into its war with Ukraine, there is a threat of nuclear war. A new virtual reality documentary offers an important perspective on the human impact of nuclear armament and delivers a call to action worth revisiting as the threat of nuclear disaster, once again, looms large.
“The Crisis in Sudan and the Unseen Resilience of Mutual Aid” by Fatima Qureshi (March 20)
While it may seem bleak and beyond hope, a global, self-organized, grassroots movement is meeting the survival needs of civilians on all fronts. Sudanese volunteers in the diaspora are collectively organizing mutual aid efforts by fundraising from the diaspora and leading on ground provisions by distributing food, shelter, and life-saving psychosocial services.
“Deep Dive: European Skeptics for Russia” by Emily Tamkin (March 21)
European support for Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s full-scale invasion remains strong, albeit not equally distributed across the continent. What determines which countries and parties are more supportive? A new paper seeks to shed light on this question.
“Gaza’s Quest for Aid: Nightmares of Delivery and Death” by Mohammed Ali* (March 21)
As Israel’s war on Gaza continues to drive up the number of Palestinians killed and injured, aid distribution sites have become dangerous sites. In recent weeks, roundabouts that were once bustling pedestrian areas have turned into scenes of mass violence.
“From Gojira to Godzilla: How Our Nuclear Imaginaries Have Evolved” by Sayaka Shingu (March 22)
The year 2024 marks the 70th anniversary of the creation of the 1954 "Gojira" movie. It is also the 79th anniversary of the use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There is a growing sense of urgency to achieve the goal of a world without nuclear weapons.
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.