Author: TheConversation

Boots on the ground: What international law says about British troops operating in Ukraine

By Christoph Bluth, Professor of International Relations and Security, University of Bradford Leaked communications involving high-level German government and military figures appear to confirm that British army personnel are engaged on the ground in Ukraine. An unencrypted telephone call intercepted and leaked to Russian broadcaster RT suggested British troops were helping the defending forces in the use of Storm Shadow cruise missiles the UK has supplied to help Kyiv’s war effort. In response, the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, confirmed that there are a “small number” of British army personnel “supporting the armed forces of Ukraine.” But he added...

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Cost of not investing: Why rebuilding Ukraine becomes more expensive each day of Russia’s occupation

By Jeffrey Kucik, Associate Professor at the University of Arizona, University of Arizona U.S. military assistance is finally on its way to Ukraine after months of being held up in Congress. Reactions to the US$61 billion spending package, signed into law by President Joe Biden on April 24, 2024, have ranged from applause to indignation. While few people could deny it includes ammunition and equipment that Washington’s besieged Eastern European ally sees as crucial in its war with Russia, critics of the package say that money is better spent on domestic priorities. But if that $61 billion seems like...

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Emancipation Memorial: What the statue of a kneeling enslaved man from 1876 says about U.S. history

By Virginia Raguin, Distinguished Professor of Humanities Emerita, Visual Arts, College of the Holy Cross The striking Emancipation Memorial statue in Washington DC, shows Abraham Lincoln standing, while a man wearing only a loincloth is appearing to rise from a kneeling position. The face in the memorial is that of Archer Alexander, who had escaped slavery in 1863 by fleeing to St. Louis, Missouri. Fundraising for a memorial was launched in 1864 by Charlotte Scott, who had been enslaved in Virginia before moving to Ohio. She did not design the monument, however. As a historian of art, I argue...

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Constitutional Oath: Why U.S. military personnel swear allegiance to serve the American people

By Joseph G. Amoroso, Assistant Professor of American Politics, United States Military Academy West Point; Lee Robinson, American Politics Program Director, United States Military Academy West Point In general, Americans do not trust their government institutions as much as they used to, and that includes the military. In part, that’s because the military can be used as a tool to gain a partisan advantage rather than as a professional group that should be trusted by both parties. For instance, the day he was inaugurated as president, Donald Trump spoke at a luncheon and pointed to retired Marine four-star generals...

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Vicious Cycle: Survivors of domestic violence often seek shelter from a system that leaves them homeless

By Nkiru Nnawulezi, Associate Professor of Community Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Lauren Cattaneo, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, George Mason University About 1 in every 3 women, and 1 in 4 men, will experience domestic violence over their lifetime. Since domestic violence can escalate to the point of serious injury or murder, survivors must take action to increase their safety – potentially even fleeing their homes. Of the total homicides that occurred in the U.S. in 2020, 34% of women and 6% of men were murdered by their intimate partners. Research has clearly shown the connection between...

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Grief tourism: The growing popularity of visiting Normandy beaches and spending holidays in hell

By Liz Sharples, Senior Teaching Fellow (Tourism), University of Portsmouth As Europe commemorates the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, visitors have traveled in large numbers to pay their respects at the Normandy beach landing sites. The event in 2024 takes place in a very different world than the 75th anniversary five years before. Donald Trump is facing numerous criminal charges from rigging the 2016 election to become president to the January 6, 2021 coup and insurrection to stay in office after he lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden. Trump’s benefactor, the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin,...

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