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One year ago on an October morning InPEC went live. What began as a forum for discussing international politics evolved into a platform for bringing contributors together from across the world. During this period we have published 128 articles from 33 different authors. Thank-you all for making this possible and for your continued participation in the InPEC project. We have reached our first milestone and hope to have many more.

The InPEC Editors, 8th October, 2012

InPEC Exclusive: Latest US Presidential Debate Polling Data

By jmhamilt

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United States, US Presidential Election 2012

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InPEC has obtained the first polling data from the host of the first US Presidential debate, the University of Denver. This is the first website outside of the US to break this polling data.

NEW UNIVERSITY OF DENVER POLL:

OBAMA HOLDS NARROW LEAD IN COLORADO; VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY SAY ROMNEY WON FIRST DEBATE

Strong Debate Performance Improves Voters’ Impressions of GOP Nominee

DENVER – The University of Denver, host of the first Presidential debate on Oct. 3, today released poll results that found President Barack Obama leading Governor Mitt Romney among likely voters in Colorado, 47-43. Four percent said that they would vote for someone else, and five percent noted that they remain undecided. The poll also found that President Obama is currently leading among independent voters, 48-31.

Despite President Obama’s current lead in Colorado, respondents have improving impressions of Gov. Romney. Those who said that they watched or heard about the debate believe that Gov. Romney won by a huge margin, 68-19. That includes almost half of Obama supporters (47 percent), with just 37 percent of the President’s supporters saying he did the better job. In addition, 38 percent of likely Colorado voters said their impression of Gov. Romney is improving, while 18 percent of respondents felt the same way about President Obama.

Photo Essay: Tradition and the Sahel

By jmhamilt

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Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Culture, Nigeria, Photo essays, Sahara, Security, Terrorism

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The Sahel is in the headlines. As the death of US Ambassador Chris Stevens in Libya is linked to pan-Sahelian terrorist organisations and terrorism in Nigeria and Mali drifts further towards the front pages of western newspapers there is a need to look at some of the stories emerging from the region. This collection of photos, taken by Jack Hamilton, looks at the changing nature of tradition in Mali, Nigeria and Senegal.

By Jack Hamilton, 4th October, 2012

Are Advances in Technology the Only Force for Tackling Climate Change?

By jmhamilt

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Climate Change, Energy, Energy, Essays, global governance, International Politics

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This essay puts forward the argument that without several revolutionary ‘black swan’ innovations, technological advances will need to be supported by strategic planning and a restructured energy market to tackle climate change. The current market ‘lock in’ of high-carbon energies and high cost of low-carbon technologies mean that the potential for new technologies to gain widespread adoption are highly restricted.

by Jack Hamilton, 24th March, 2012

‘Environmentalists are fiddling while Rome burns’. This is the claim of Vinod Khosla, the founder of Khosla Ventures, a venture-capital firm that is currently investing over $1 billion into low-carbon technologies in the hope that a ‘black swan’ innovation will be a key to tackling climate change. In Khosla’s estimations the green technologies of electric cars, wind turbines and smart grids will not be enough and rather there needs to be a ‘1000%’ change if the whole world is to enjoy the energy-rich lifestyle of the Western world. Until the green technologies are available at a price which is affordable in the developing world, ‘everything is a toy’[i]. Others maintain that existing technology will be sufficient if market factors facilitate its widespread adoption. Joseph Romm, the editor of Climate Progress, argues that the way to tackle climate change is through the ‘accelerated deployment of existing technologies’ in order to move down the cost curve more rapidly than a breakthrough[ii]. These two opposing views set up two fundamental questions: are advances in technology alone able to tackle climate change and if this technology exists why has it not been adopted?

Should the ‘new wars’ be seen as a continuation of economics by other means?

By jmhamilt

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Clausewitz, Essays, Greed Thesis, International Politics, Intervention, New Wars, Political Economy, Security Studies, Terrorism

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In this essay the author attacks the idea that modern conflicts are more driven by economic motivations than those in the past. Romantic ideals of gentlemanly European conflicts have masked the harsh realities of war. Even in the most egregious cases of greed and ‘warlording’, the political motivations can never be fully amputated from the criminal behaviour.

If modern conflict is to be understood the language of ‘new wars’ must be avoided. In the case of the Lomé Peace Agreement, the concept of economic determinism was taken to the extreme and led to the subsequent collapse of the peace. Future peacemakers must keep this simple message in mind: money is not the only form of power.

By Jack Hamilton, 4th May, 2012

In 2007 the Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers described the links between economics and politics in conflict regions as ‘something out of Dickens: you talk to international relations experts and it’s the worst of times. Then you talk to potential investors and it’s one of the best of all times’ . This idea that modern warfare has evolved into a new era in which economic motivations have overtaken political ambitions has become popularised in the post-Cold War era. The notion has led Carl von Clausewitz’s aphorism to be rephrased to claim that ‘war has increasingly become the continuation of economics by other means’ . This substitution of ‘politics’ in favour of ‘economics’ poses the question: have economic incentives created a situation in which there is now more to war than winning?

Hostage Crisis in Nigeria: Did the Terrorists Win?

By jmhamilt

March 10, 2012

Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Counter-terrorism, Intervention, Nigeria, Sahara, Security, Terrorism

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Bullets holes in the Wall of the Compound.

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In this article the author addresses the prevailing narrative that Boko Haram carried out the kidnapping and executions of two Europeans in northern Nigeria yesterday. By taking all of the evidence into account, the involvement of Boko Haram is one of several possibilities and to immediately place the blame on this group could be playing into the hands of the terrorists.

By Jack Hamilton, 9 March, 2012

In May 2011 two European construction workers were kidnapped in Kebbi, north-west Nigeria. Yesterday both of these men were killed in a botched rescue mission in Sokoto, northern Nigeria. Despite some bold assertions by the British and Nigerian governments, what exactly happened to the 28 year old Englishman, Christopher McManus and the 47 year old Italian engineer, Franco Lamolinara, and who they were taken by remains unclear.

Stop Kony and Stopping Joseph Kony – Relationship Status: It’s Complicated

By jmhamilt

March 8, 2012

Africa, ICC, International Politics, Intervention, Invisible Children, Kony 2012, Protest, Security, Uganda

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In this article, the author addresses the criticisms of Invisible Children and the Kony 2012 campaign to highlight the success of the project as an advocacy movement. Sharing a video on Facebook is not tantamount to donating to Invisible Children. Equally, discrediting a video on Facebook is not tantamount to providing a solution. The primary ambition of advocacy must be to highlight the issue. Invisible Children, and their detractors, have been successful in this respect.

By Jack Hamilton, 8th March, 2012

A new human rights campaign has spread across the internet with a solitary aim: make Joseph Kony famous. The idea is that fame will enable Kony, the leader of the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda, to be brought to justice.

The film was created by the group, Invisible Children, a charity set up to combat the use of child soldiers by raising awareness of the issue and making slick videos fit for popular consumption. This method, as well as the background of charity, has been questioned by other activists following the unprecedented social media success of the #Kony2012 and #StopKony campaign.

StopKony has been trending worldwide since Tuesday and to date ‘Kony 2012’ has over 32 million views on Youtube and Vimeo combined. This article outlines the intentions of the campaign before looking at the ripostes. The key message is, whatever the failings of Invisible Children and their campaign, the ‘tipping point’ of hope and inspiration rings true.

A Pocket Guide – The 1942 US Army Booklet on Northern Ireland – Part 2

By jmhamilt

February 9, 2012

Articles, Culture, Europe, History, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, United States, War

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This is the second in a series of articles compiling the US Army guide to Northern Ireland during World War Two. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor the US agreed to take over the defence of the region to free up British troops to fight in North Africa and the Middle East. It also gave the US the time to complete invaluable military training before entering the war in Europe. This was the manual given to the first officers to arrive in Belfast on 23 January, 1942.

The first article outlined the differences between the North and South of Ireland as well as the two key rules for any visitor:

(1) Don’t argue religion
(2) Don’t argue politics

This excerpt describes the country: the geography, climate and feel of living in Northern Ireland.

This guide was prepared by the Special Service Division, War and Navy Departments, Washington DC
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By Jack Hamilton, 9 Feb, 2012

A Pocket Guide – The 1942 US Army Booklet on Northern Ireland

By jmhamilt

February 7, 2012

Articles, History, International Politics, Military, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, United States

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Front Cover - A Pocket Guide to Northern Ireland

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This is the first in a series of articles compiling the US Army guide to Northern Ireland during World War Two. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor the US agreed to take over the defence of the region to free up British troops to fight in North Africa and the Middle East. It also gave the US the time to complete invaluable military training before entering the war in Europe. This was the manual given to the first officers to arrive in Belfast on 23 January, 1942.

This guide was prepared by the Special Service Division, War and Navy Departments, Washington DC

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By Jack Hamilton, 7 Feb, 2012

The Cartography of Insecurity – What Does ‘The Sahara’ Mean?

By jmhamilt

February 2, 2012

Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Counter-terrorism, Poverty, Sahara, Security, Terrorism, Uncategorized

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In this article the author assesses the aggressive language used to describe the Sahara Desert. The tropes of terrorism and poverty have defined the region as an ‘impending Afghanistan’ but the reality isn’t so bleak.

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By Jack Hamilton, 2 Feb, 2012

In the words of comedian Dara O’Briain, ‘we all have list of countries inside our heads and each of these countries has one or two words attached to them. We can’t all have fully formed opinions of every country in the world’.

It generally narrows down to a few choice phrases. Ask a wide audience how they would define the Americans and the French and you will receive a narrow range of answers. But when happens if the country is less globally visible?

O’Briain jokes that characteristics can be arbitrarily ascribed such as the ‘vacuous people of Vanuatu’ and the people of Swaziland who are ‘terrible at small talk’. The reality is not so random.

What is Happening in Nigeria? Blood and Oil (Subsidies)

By jmhamilt

January 14, 2012

Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Articles, Capitalism, Counter-terrorism, Energy, Nigeria, Protests, Security, Terrorism

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In this article the author looks at the current wave of political and economic turmoil sweeping Nigeria. With a potential oil shutdown sending waves of panic across Brent Crude prices and terrorism forcing the closure of the borders the state is facing its largest crisis since its return to civilian rule in 1999.

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by Jack Hamilton, 14 Jan, 2012

In 2010 the BBC released the controversial docudrama: ‘Blood and Oil’. It depicted a Nigeria crippled by corruption, protests and terrorism and was slammed for the tropes of endemic sleaze and violence. Executions, inhumane oil politics and the collusion of leading politicians in these atrocities were seen to reflect the Nigeria of the past. This is now the Nigeria of the present and it could be about to get a lot worse.

Securing Emptiness: The Sahara Desert and the Global War on Terror

By jmhamilt

December 23, 2011

Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Articles, History, International Politics, Intervention, Sahara, Security

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“So Geographers in Afric-maps With Savage-Pictures fill their Gaps” – Jonathan Swift

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This article is the introduction to a series of pieces on the Sahara Desert. In this piece the author assesses the idea of emptiness and how this has come to be seen as a threat in international politics. In the words of Jonathan Swift, “So Geographers in Afric-maps With Savage-Pictures fill their Gaps”

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By Jack Hamilton, 23 Dec, 2011

Emptiness is both romanticised and feared. In this sense deserts serve as a geographical blank canvas upon which cultural and political views can be painted. It is this fear of the unknown that ebbs into contemporary political and cultural tropes on the Sahara Desert.

Grazing from Mauritania in the West through the hinterlands of Mali, Algeria and Niger, to the Tibesti mountains of Chad towards the northern states of Nigeria, this is the land which has been described as the ‘swamp of terror’: the Sahara-Sahel. The narrative of this terrain has drifted from romantic imaginings of nomadic caravans and peaceful Sufism towards depictions of drug smuggling routes and sandy bastions of violent Islamism threatening the West. When did the ‘nomads’ become ‘terrorists’?

Photo Essay: 6 Reasons Why Terror is Gaining Momentum in Northern Nigeria

By jmhamilt

December 14, 2011

Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Economics, Nigeria, Photo essays, Political Ecomomy, Poverty, Sahara, Security, Terrorism

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The state of Nigeria is facing its largest crisis in over a decade. As the ferocity and popularity of the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram rises, the very unity of the state is being challenged. This collection of photos assesses the reasons why the group is becoming increasingly attractive to the disaffected population in the north despite their gruesome tactics.

By Jack Hamilton, 14 Dec, 2011

Democracy is for Losers: Why Do Democratic Counterinsurgencies Fail?

By jmhamilt

November 16, 2011

Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda, Counter-terrorism, Counterinsurgency, Essays, International Politics, Intervention, Iraq, Northern Ireland, Terrorism, United States

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In this article the author assesses the view that democracies can never be successful in fighting a counterinsurgency. Taking the case studies of Afghanistan and Northern Ireland it is clear that the power of the propaganda war inhibits the capacities of democracies to act freely and that every military leader must understand that their actions will be perceived as an act of political warfare.

By Jack Hamilton, 16 Nov, 2011

General Sir Gerald Templer claimed of counterinsurgency that “the shooting side of this business is only twenty five percent of the trouble”[i]. Due to the nature of democracies and modern warfare, counterinsurgency may well now be one hundred percent political.

The political vulnerability of accountable democratic leaders, omniscient media presence and the potential propaganda exploitation of all combat actions mean that military officials at every level now need to understand that their every action can be construed as an act of political warfare in which political outcomes are more important than battlefield success. This issue creates huge problems for democracies when engaging in counterinsurgencies but can also open up opportunities.

This essay will posit that the inherent challenges that democracies face when engaging in counterinsurgencies can be turned into opportunities by using the democratic nature of the state, the local population and the open media to their advantage. However, these practices have their limits and the overemphasis on any one of these factors has the potential to seriously undermine the counterinsurgency effort.

The State of Terrorism in Nigeria: The Rising Threat of Boko Haram

By jmhamilt

November 14, 2011

Africa, al-Qaeda, AQIM, Articles, Counter-terrorism, Intervention, Nigeria, Terrorism

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In this article the author assesses the rising threat of the Nigerian terrorist organisation, Boko Haram. The most recent spate of bombings and executions has raised questions over the unity of the Nigerian state and the future of security on the continent. It is therefore necessary to understand why Boko Haram is increasing in popularity as their attacks become increasingly barbaric.

By Jack Hamilton, 14 Nov, 2011

Brutal attacks in Nigeria over the past week have left over 100 people dead. A single small religious group has transmogrified into a dynamic terrorist organisation capable of rapidly changing tactics and targets in a pattern of violence responsible for over 1000 deaths in northern Nigeria since 2009.

Last week the gunmen wandered around the northern town of Damaturu killing any Christian who could not recite the Islamic creed on the spot. Nigeria’s Defence Minister Bello Halliru Mohammed has stated that the security forces once again have control and that there is nothing to fear but his words have assured few.

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics: Africa’s Statistical Tragedy

By jmhamilt

November 3, 2011

Africa, Articles, Capitalism, Kenya, Nigeria, Poverty, Statistics, United Nations, World Bank, Zambia

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In this article the author assesses how flawed statistics may be exacerbating poverty in Africa

By Jack Hamilton, 3 Nov, 2011

This week the UN has declared that there are 7 billion people in the world. It is impossible to verify this statistic but the reasoning behind the declaration is clear. It raises awareness of population growth and draws attention to future development issues. But what of the more dangerous statistics that have been exacerbating poverty? In Africa especially poverty estimates have been based upon flawed data with potentially disastrous consequences. With so much being written now about African growth, the data behind it must be questioned to reveal the statistical tragedy of Africa.

Life After Gaddafi – The Future of Foreign Intervention

By jmhamilt

October 23, 2011

Arab Spring, Articles, Gaddafi, International Politics, Intervention, Libya, Middle East, NATO, Syria

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In this article, the author assesses the precedent of Libya in foreign intervention after the death of Muammar Gaddafi. In a world in which there are now increased calls for intervention and isolationism the case of Libya is being presented as both an example of a successful intrusion and a reason to reform the UN Security Council. Military capabilities and the tensions within NATO may act as a check to the boisterous rhetoric in the wake of Gaddafi’s death but the key lesson may be the message it has sent to those who are still clinging to power.

By Jack Hamilton, 23 Oct, 2011

Today the Libyan transnational government has declared national liberation before a triumphant crowd in Benghazi, the city where the fight against Gaddafi began.

There are scenes of jubilation in Libya and NATO offices around the world. Muammar Gaddafi is dead and attentions are now turning to the future of the Maghreb state and the implications of NATO’s intervention in the broader Arab Spring. In such a celebratory atmosphere what will be the future response to rebellious populations rising up against murderous rulers?

Occupy America – As Occupy Wall Street Spreads We Ask: Who Are the 99%?

By jmhamilt

October 12, 2011

Articles, Eurocrisis, International Politics, Occupy Wall Street, Protests, United States

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By Jack Hamilon, 12 Oct, 2011

The ‘Occupy’ movement started four weeks ago on Wall Street and more than 100 solidarity movements have since sprung up across the country as activists have taken to the streets to oppose what they perceive to be the injustices of the corporate and financial sectors.

Contrary to some media attention the protests are not solely comprised of ‘hippies in hoodies’ and ‘tattooed vandals sporting Guy Fawkes masks’. I met with nurses and military veterans, fire-fighters and lecturers, librarians and libertarians. It is not an explosion of violence as a result of disenfranchisement or a day in the park but an ongoing event which seeks to focus attention on the issues of jobs and financial reform. There are also some crazy people there who I will come back to. For now it is important to focus on the goals of the ‘Occupy’ movement and the tactics through which they seek to achieve them.

The Lighthouse in the Desert

By jmhamilt

October 9, 2011

al-Qaeda, AQIM, Articles, Counter-terrorism, Culture, International Politics, Niger, Sahara

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By Jack Hamilton, 9 Oct, 2011

Folklore spills across time creating and undoing history as it ebbs. Whole identities can be constructed and deconstructed in these stories but it is rare in these ages that entire maps can be reimagined due to a single small tree. The old addage “so geographers in Afric maps, with savage pictures fill their gaps” has long since faded but this is a story about one such ‘gap’, the one piece of life within it and the price of life that goes with it.

A Nobel Intervention?

By jmhamilt

October 7, 2011

Articles, International Politics, Intervention, Liberia, Nobel Prize, Northern Ireland

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Why did the Nobel Committee Award the Peace Prize to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf one week before the Presidential election?

By Jack Hamilton, 7 Oct, 2011

Today’s award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has stirred controversy. The ‘Iron Lady’ said this morning that she is humbled by the award and has stated that it is an award for the people of Liberia. However, the timing of the award, coming one week before the Presidential elections in Liberia, has brought forth claims of the Norwegian-based Nobel Committee interfering in the internal politics of the West African state.

President Sirleaf’s main rival in next weeks’ election, Winston Tubman, has lambasted the decision of the Nobel Committee instead declaring that “She brought war here, she is a warmonger” to the BBC Voice on Africa programme.

Such vitriol is nothing new to the first elected female leader in Africa having risen to prominence in 2005 following a civil war that left a quarter of a million people dead and the Liberian economy in tatters. This is not the issue. Rather it is the question of the timing of the award in such close proximity to the election.

—InPEC – International Politics, Energy & Culture

An independent journal on international politics, energy and culture.

Archive

Author Archives:

InPEC Anniversary: Today is InPEC’s First Birthday

InPEC Exclusive: Latest US Presidential Debate Polling Data

Photo Essay: Tradition and the Sahel

Are Advances in Technology the Only Force for Tackling Climate Change?

Should the ‘new wars’ be seen as a continuation of economics by other means?

Hostage Crisis in Nigeria: Did the Terrorists Win?

A Pocket Guide – The 1942 US Army Booklet on Northern Ireland – Part 2

A Pocket Guide – The 1942 US Army Booklet on Northern Ireland

The Cartography of Insecurity – What Does ‘The Sahara’ Mean?

What is Happening in Nigeria? Blood and Oil (Subsidies)

Securing Emptiness: The Sahara Desert and the Global War on Terror

Photo Essay: 6 Reasons Why Terror is Gaining Momentum in Northern Nigeria

Democracy is for Losers: Why Do Democratic Counterinsurgencies Fail?

The State of Terrorism in Nigeria: The Rising Threat of Boko Haram

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics: Africa’s Statistical Tragedy

Life After Gaddafi – The Future of Foreign Intervention

Occupy America – As Occupy Wall Street Spreads We Ask: Who Are the 99%?

The Lighthouse in the Desert

A Nobel Intervention?