A tough year but business as usual
‘Tough year’ doesn't quite capture the extent to which our lives have been shaped by crises in 2020. Militarism, however, has not been locked down. Here is some of what we have been keeping an eye on this year...
Creating barriers to justice
We take a look at the extensive criticism that the controversial Overseas Operations Bill is gathering as it makes its way through Parliament and how, without serious challenge, this self interested legislation will create barriers to justice...
The Overseas Operations Bill: A Tale Of Two Militarisms?
The Labour party is finally engaging with a bill that could rewrite the law around prosecutions for actions in war and the derogation from the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to overseas operations.
The UK military admits it has a racism problem, but can it be decolonised?
Without the political will to face our colonial past and abandon the violent obligations of a junior partnership with the US, decolonising our military seems unlikely, writes Joe Glenton for Ceasefire magazine.
December 2020
Vacancy
ForcesWatch Coordinator
Would you like to be part of our small team researching and campaigning for peace and human rights and challenges militarism?
ForcesWatch is recruiting a new member of staff who will provide direction, skills and passion for the next period of our work.
Closing date: 6pm on Monday 18 January 2021
A new film about recent militarism and the battle for the hearts and minds of young people in the UK. The film follows the stories of Ben Griffin, former SAS soldier and founder of Veterans for Peace UK, and Quaker activist Sam Walton, and features the work of ForcesWatch and partner organisations.
See here for screenings and how to organise one. See war.school.
get involved
Should the armed forces encourage young people to interact with weapons and military vehicles? We explore why this is happening and how can it be challenged?
Thread on important parliamentary inquiry on experience of women in the armed forces.
It's what many have been saying for years.
4000 (!) women have now given evidence about their negative experience of serving & making a complaint, 40% still serving.
https://t.co/oRACcQFCal
1. Recent UK defense spending increase is highest % rise since Korean War 70 yrs ago
2. Huge reduction in overseas aid
3. Far smaller amount for reducing carbon emissions
All decisions reflect 'a highly militarised response to international security problems.'
#humansecurity
