Iraq | openDemocracy

“Only war makes it possible to mobilize all of today’s technical resources while maintaining the property system.”

- Walter Benjamin, 1936

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Ten

Unknown Soldier 28 May 2011

We present the final episode from a brutal novel about life as a British squaddie, by an acclaimed British author

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Nine

Unknown Soldier 21 May 2011

We present the penultimate episode from a brutal novel by an acclaimed British author

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Eight

Unknown Soldier 14 May 2011

We present the eighth of ten weekly episodes from a brutal novel by an acclaimed British author

America’s military: failures of success

Paul Rogers 12 May 2011

The afterglow of Osama bin Laden’s killing fuels the United States’s confidence in its shift towards integration of military and security policy. But it is another grand illusion and missed opportunity.

Iraq and the April Spring: Maliki’s last chance

By an Iraqi 8 May 2011

Just as Iraq’s Prime Minister was putting the finishing touches on an authoritarian edifice in the best Arab tradition, the whole model comes crumbling down.

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Seven

Unknown Soldier 7 May 2011

We present the seventh of ten weekly episodes from a brutal novel by an acclaimed British author

Common sense before troops to Libya

Lambrecht Wessels 5 May 2011

We should focus on strengthening democratic and non-violent processes to stabilise Libya long-term.

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Six

Unknown Soldier 2 May 2011

We present the sixth of ten weekly episodes from a brutal novel by an acclaimed British author

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Five

Unknown Soldier 23 April 2011

We present the fifth of ten weekly episodes from a brutal novel by an acclaimed British author

What Egypt should learn from Iraq

Zaid Al-Ali 21 April 2011

The Iraqi experience of creating a new constitution from political and social ruin offers lessons for Egypt, says Zaid Al-Ali.

Drug-taking, racist bullies led by lazy bigots?: a defence of The Skinback Fusiliers

Unknown Soldier 18 April 2011

openDemocracy is seriliasing The Skinback Fusiliers, a controversial new novel about life as a British squaddie. The book has already provoked fierce debate, on our own and other websites. Here, the author responds to some of these comments, clarifying his position and the nature of the novel.

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Four

Unknown Soldier 16 April 2011

We present the fourth of ten weekly episodes from a brutal novel by an acclaimed British author

Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Three

Unknown Soldier 9 April 2011

We present the third of ten weekly episodes from a brutal novel by an acclaimed British author.

Inching closer towards moral breakdown

Ahmad Barqawi 4 April 2011

The truth about western humanitarian interventions is a moral truth

The Skinback Fusiliers, Episode Two

Unknown Soldier 2 April 2011

openDemocracy and Our Kingdom are proud to serialise The Skinback Fusiliers, a fast, funny and deeply disturbing novel about life in the British army today seen through the eyes of three young men. The book is available on Kindle and through Amazon here.

This week's editor

Niki Seth-Smith is a freelance journalist and co-editor of OurKingdom.

Europe from the bottom up

European Union stars in Paris. Flickr/notarim. Some rights reserved.

A new Europe can only come from the bottom up
Etienne Balibar

A social Europe must be a political Europe
Bo Stråth

As Europe is provincialized: a reply to Etienne Balibar
Sandro Mezzadra

European debate

A republican call for a basic income
Daniel Raventos and Julie Wark

Nuclear non-proliferation

Women and the Arab Spring

oDRussia at journalismfestival .com

Mali - the plot thickens

Remote control war

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Conference coverage from 50.50

Conference. Moving beyond Militarism and War to a Nonviolent World: A Forum Devoted to Sharing Women-Driven Solutions

Articles exploring the themes of the fourth international Nobel Women's Initiative conference May 28-31. Jennifer Allsopp and Heather McRobie will be reporting for 5050

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Lis Howell On broadcasting

Dan Hancox Revel, Riot and Rebellion

Martin Rose Bliss Was It in that Dawn to Be Next Door

Vron Ware Up in Arms

Jim Gabour Sunday Comics

James Warner Standing Perpendicular, as books do

Markha Valenta Inter Alia: religion, politics, culture

Paul Rogers on Global security

Mary Kaldor on Human security

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Arab Awakening

In the months following the start of the Arab Revolutions, articles and analysis poured into openDemocracy from contributors across the Middle East and Europe. Gradually, the impact of Tahrir Square began to extend well beyond the Middle East as democratic inspiration travelled from east to west. Arab Awakening tries to capture that inspiration and use it to help us read a rapidly changing world.

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