Westminster Round-Up Podcast | April 2019

29 April 2019

The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen discuss the latest developments in UK defence and security policy.

This month's big story is Gavin Williamson's announcement of a new UK Centre of Excellence for Human Security.

Music by Bensound

Image credit: ResoluteSupportMedia/Flickr.

About the discussants

Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen is a Research and Policy Assistant at ORG’s Remote Warfare Programme.

Liam Walpole is a Senior Advocacy Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme.

Latest

Trump administration’s move away from transparency may undermine US military operations

In early March, President Donald Trump caused a furore when he revoked a requirement for the US intelligence community to report on civilian casualties in airstrikes outside war zones. The decision is the latest in a larger trend of the Trump administration’s undermining the mechanisms of oversight for the use of force abroad.
RWP Submits Parliamentary Evidence to Liaison Committee

In a written submission to the UK Parliament’s Liaison Committee the Remote Warfare Programme argues that Defence Committee members’ limited access to classified information, as well as no mechanism for legislative scrutiny of the UK’s special forces, impedes the effectiveness and influence of select committees over executive decision-making.
Tipping to Rebellion: Action and Reaction on Climate Science

Global climate change is happening faster than most models have predicted and the consequences are likely to be ruinous on a global scale. Yet, as the Extinction Rebellion protests demonstrated, there remains a gulf between an increasingly informed and activist public and established political, security and economic interests.
Westminster Round-Up Podcast | April 2019

The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen discuss the latest developments in UK defence and security policy.

Trump administration’s move away from transparency may undermine US military operations

In early March, President Donald Trump caused a furore when he revoked a requirement for the US intelligence community to report on civilian casualties in airstrikes outside war zones. The decision is the latest in a larger trend of the Trump administration’s undermining the mechanisms of oversight for the use of force abroad.
RWP Submits Parliamentary Evidence to Liaison Committee

In a written submission to the UK Parliament’s Liaison Committee the Remote Warfare Programme argues that Defence Committee members’ limited access to classified information, as well as no mechanism for legislative scrutiny of the UK’s special forces, impedes the effectiveness and influence of select committees over executive decision-making.
Tipping to Rebellion: Action and Reaction on Climate Science

Global climate change is happening faster than most models have predicted and the consequences are likely to be ruinous on a global scale. Yet, as the Extinction Rebellion protests demonstrated, there remains a gulf between an increasingly informed and activist public and established political, security and economic interests.
The WarPod Ep #1: Building Partner Capacity in Africa

The Remote Warfare Programme are joined by Nic Marsh and Marie Sandnes of the Peace Research Institute Oslo to talk security assistance and building partner capacity in Africa.
Emily Knowles speaks at Exeter Centre for International Law

From 8–10 April 2019, Emily Knowles, the Remote Warfare Programme’s Director, presented at the University of Exeter.
ORG Explains #9: The Responsibility to Protect

This primer explains the Responsibility to Protect concept, including its origins, applications and critiques.
Improving the UK offer in Africa: Lessons from military partnerships on the continent

Based on field research conducted in Africa with British and international military personnel, this brief focusses on the military contribution to UK efforts in Kenya, Mali and Nigeria.
The Military Intervention in Mali and Beyond: An Interview with Bruno Charbonneau

Distinguished scholar and Sahel specialist Bruno Charbonneau critically examines the 2013 French military intervention in Mali and the peacekeeping initiative which followed.
BISA Event Podcast: Roundtable on AI and the Future of Remote Warfare

From 28 February to 1 March, the Remote Warfare Programme held a two day conference entitled ‘Conceptualising Remote Warfare: The Past, Present and Future’. This roundtable looks at how Artificial intelligence will effect the future of remote warfare.
BISA Event Podcast: Sir Hew Strachan Keynote Speech

From 28 February to 1 March, the Remote Warfare Programme held a two day conference entitled ‘Conceptualising Remote Warfare: The Past, Present and Future’. Introduced by Abigail Watson, Sir Hew Strachan delivered the event's keynote speech discussing strategy and democracy.

The Role of Youth in Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities

Young people are frequently ‘othered’ in discussions about conflict. This is a dangerous practice as youths can play a very positive role aiding peacebuilding in societies recovering from conflict.
Making Bad Economies: The Poverty of Mexican Drug Cartels

Some stories say that local economies benefit from cartels in Mexico. But research suggests that the areas most plagued by drug-related violence have seriously suffered economically.
ORG's Vision

Oxford Research Group (ORG) is an independent organisation that has been influential for over 35 years in pioneering new, more strategic approaches to security and peacebuilding. Based in London since 2006, ORG continues to pursue cutting edge research and advocacy in the United Kingdom and abroad while managing innovative peacebuilding projects in several Middle Eastern countries.
Remote Warfare: Lessons Learned from Contemporary Theatres

This report is a first attempt to identify some of the factors that have helped or hindered the UK’s current approach to remote warfare.
Weavers of Peace: The Higaonon Tribe in the Philippines

The Higaonon, an indigenous tribe in Northern Mindanao in the southern Philippines, have preserved an ancient system of conflict resolution which has enabled them to be a truly peaceful community. However, there is a need to ensure that this knowledge is not lost in the future.
The Cyprus Problem: Why Solve a Comfortable Conflict?

Several diplomatic efforts have been made both domestically and internationally to enhance peaceful unity since the start of the Cyprus Problem. Despite the shortcomings of past efforts, it is still desirable not only to resolve the issue, but also to do so in a timely manner.
Why Does UN Humanitarian Intervention Remain Selective?

Over the past two decades, the United Nations Security Council has responded more strongly to some humanitarian crises than to others. This variation in Security Council action raises the important question of what factors motivate United Nations intervention.
The UK and UN Peace Operations: A Case for Greater Engagement

This report supports an enhanced role for Britain in UN peace operations and sets out a case for greater engagement.
The Politics of Coltan: An Interview with Michael Nest

In this interview, Dr. Michael Nest discusses the political, environmental, ethical and social issues surrounding the mining of columbite–tantalite (coltan).
The Expanding Role of Chinese Peacekeeping in Africa

China's increased involvement in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping in Africa reflects a broader trend of the country taking a more proactive approach to foreign policy.