An Independent Palestine | China's World Order | EU Survival | August 2024 Q&A Part II

[@A_kiwis_view]

The discussion on secession omitted the internal conflict within Indonesia where Papua New Guinea natives are fighting for independence, likewise the people of New Caledonia not wanting to be part of metropolitan France. Both are aiming to be sovereign states.

[@timhocking529]

Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬 is a sovereign state. It gained independence in 1975 as a merger of the Australian Trust Territory of New Guinea and Australian territory of Papua. Do you mean Indonesian administered Papua currently administered as six Indonesian provinces of Central Papua, Highland Papua ,Papua, South Papua, Southwest Papua and West Papua?

[@Todd.B]

thx Prof. Your knowledge has never been more important than in this current time and we can't thank you enough for sharing that knowledge with ordinary people like me.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks so much, Todd. I really and truly appreciate all your support. What makes it all worth it is the debate and discussion we often have here. I learn so much. I know that sometimes the comments can be unpleasant, especially on certain topics, but I do think there's a great community too.

[@EamonCoyle]

As a collective body I think the AU would best be suited as an economic and infrastructure development agency that connects together the many countries and resources of the Continent and allows them to establish larger industries that add value to those natural resources. There is a definite benefit to having a collective body to deal with conflicts and can arbitrate the many domestic and cross-border wars across Africa. The major area where I think the EU model doesn't bring benefit is in the areas of legislative alignment and sovereign laws because as a Continent there is too much disparity between nations and the nations themselves in many cases are still building their own identities as independent states which I think should be allowed to continue.

[@stevenpace892]

This makes a lot of sense in Africa because of the issue of lack of sea ports in most of Africa. Cooperation would be very beneficial.

[@shryggur]

I think (most possibly naively) that Africa should strive for a more multi-layered structure. Federalized states to ease internal tensions, stronger regional communities (the likes of EAC or ECOWAS) for further economic integration, and the AU as a referee and facilitator for bigger projects. It's much easier said than done, though :(

[@RS-uh7rz]

Thanks for the great set of discussions. Re. achieving an independent Palestine, I don't think I've ever seen how a lessons-learned analysis of President Clinton's year 2000 initiative might help inform yet another, hopefully more successful, attempt.

[@seneca983]

15:45 Aren't you ignoring South Sudan here? It's independence was preceded by a long armed struggle (much longer than the Bangladesh Liberation War) so it's not like it was just granted independence through negotiations. It had to earn it's independence through spilled blood.

[@dengbona4406]

Thank you 🙏🏾 am actually a South Sudanese.

[@adamski-l5w]

I love this channel btw. In Australia the episodes tend to be visible first thing on a Saturday morning. Great way to start the weekend!

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks so much! :-) It's brilliant to think that the videos are being watched in so many places. I hope all is well at that end.

[@adamski-l5w]

@@JamesKerLindsay I’m never going to complain about our lot here in 🇦🇺. That’s not to say that questions of statehood never arise. Notice the referendums in the last quarter century. One pertaining to a special First Nations voice to parliament and the other about becoming a republic. Neither was successful. Compulsory voting means that a genuine broad based consensus needs to be built before any motion is successful. I think the interesting thing is how peacefully even really contentious issues can be engaged with in a functioning democracy. I don’t think either issue is dead for their respective proponents. Nevertheless I doubt any issue is likely to lead to instability. I could be wrong. Apart from the high functioning electoral system low unemployment also has an incredibly stabilising effect. It could just be that….

[@dania201]

Would you consider doing a series on international “unions” - helping us understand which ones are more effective than others (e.g., EU vs OAS vs EAU vs CIS, etc.)?

[@dania201]

Oh and why the UAR failed, for example

[@shryggur]

Or why there are so many of them and almost all of them failed

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks so much. Great idea. In fact, I am doing something along these lines this evening. I am going to take a look at the BRICS.

[@dania201]

@@JamesKerLindsay I love it! Thanks Dr Ker-Lindsay!

[@Trofusky]

Thanks for these videos, professor. You’re a great listen. I hope you’re able to do this more regularly in the future

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks so much. I really hope so. I am planning some changes for the channel, and doing more of these will hopefully be a part of that. :-)

[@ronald3836]

Funny fact about the UN and the USSR is that the Belarusian and Ukrainian SSRs were founding members of the UN (and the Russian SSR was not).

[@ka3axka370]

More funny thing is America and UK illegally recognised Russia as successor to USSR when I n reality Russia left USSR by braking its constitution Kazakhstan got robbed by America and UK big time like no one ver in human history

[@ka3axka370]

That seats belongs to Kazakhstan not Russia . Ruzzia left USSR Kazakhstan didn’t USA and UK illegally recognised Russia

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Indeed! In fact a did a video on this in the early days of the channel.

[@ronald3836]

@@JamesKerLindsay It is possible that this is why I am aware of it! 😂

[@JamesKerLindsay]

@ronald3836 Haha! :-)

[@markopinteric]

Thanks for the answer! The disintegration of Yugoslavia: I think that an important part of the succession decision could be due to the conclusion of the Badinter's Commission ("Arbitration Commission of the Peace Conference on Yugoslavia", an international commission of legal and constitutional experts) that Yugoslavia simply ceased to exist (or in legal terms that the ongoing process was "dissolution" and not "secession").

[@thomasjohnson2862]

Great question and you got a great answer! Question: what was in it for Serbia to be recognised as the continuator state of Yugoslavia? Russia got the Soviet Union’s seat on the security council, but what benefits would Serbia have gained from being recognised as the continuator (successor) state to Yugoslavia?

[@markopinteric]

@@thomasjohnson2862 Thanks. I will answer you as best I can - but note that I am not a legal expert, but speak as a layman who has observed the process of Yugoslav disintegration from the inside. In my opinion, the term continuator state more or less refers to relations with third countries and the international community as a whole. If Serbia were a continuator state, it would receive all the assets of the previous state in the foreign banks and take responsibility for all the loans of the foreign banks to the previous state. It would also by default receive other assets abroad, like the embassies and consulates, etc. In contrast, I think that by default domestic assets are distributed according to the territorial principle, regardless of the existence of a continuator state. So if a state falls apart, everything that belong to that state and is on the territory of one of its parts at the moment of the break-up is considered to belong to that part from that moment on. Even if there is a continuator state.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks, Marko. I didn't go into the Badinter Commission. But it was important. (Crucially, though, it also determiend that Kosovo didn't have the right to independence.)

[@markopinteric]

@@thomasjohnson2862 My comment was deleted for some reason, so I will start again here. Disclaimer, I am not a legal expert, just a layman who observed the breakup of Yugoslavia from the inside. In my opinion, the term "continuation state" refers primarily to the relationship (rights and obligations) of that state to third states and the international community as a whole. So if Serbia were a continuation state, it would inherit all Yugoslav assets and loans in foreign banks, as well as all Yugoslav consulates and embassies. Serbia would also not have to reapply for UN membership. On the other hand, domestic property is by default divided according to the territorial principle. For example, all Yugoslav state property located on Croatian soil at the time of dissolution becomes Croatian property, regardless of whether Serbia is a continuation state or not.

[@philsidock]

This was a very interesting video, especially the content on continuation states. As a Canadian moving to Serbia, the topic of statehood is absolutely top of mind because I'm very keen on learning what happened in the Yugoslavian region in the 1990's. What's more, countries have quite different interpretations of events (I'm in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a month). Thanks again for another great video! 👍

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks so much. Being in Serbia will be fascinating. I know the country well and have spent a lot of time there. I’m actually very fond of it. But Kosovo has really done something to them as a country. I was critical of the way Kosovo gained independence, but Serbia has never really confronted the developments leading up to it. They just seem to believe that NATO had a lot to take it away and just started bombing Serbia. There is no introspection. And no sense that Kosovo’s independence is actually good for the country. What they’re really angry about is the way it was done. Anyway, it’s a long and complex story. I just really hate the victim mentality that’s crept in that sees Serbia separate from rebate of Europe. They think the EU has it in for them. It doesn’t. Anyway, it would be great to hear your thoughts when you get settled over there.

[@philsidock]

​@@JamesKerLindsay One thing I point out to people in Canada is that Serbia does not discuss any historical activities between 1980 to March 1999, and June 1999 to now. There are no museums that cover this period, guided tours skip over these timelines, and a Belgrade native with a PhD in history told me that Serbia *should* have a museum for those years, but it's unlikely to happen anytime soon. I did spend three months in Serbia this year, and my opinion is that people are unwilling to openly discuss the past 44 years in Balkan politics outside of saying that NATO bombed Serbia in 1999 for an internal conflict. Aa someone who's looking to move to a (very) different country for a long time, I'm not looking to criticize Serbia incessantly. I'm very grateful that the people there are warm and hospitable towards me, and they have immigration rules that are favourable to entrepreneurs. I'm very excited to moving to Belgrade permanently next year, and I hope that they continue to maintain good relationships with other countries. I've also heard that leadership in Serbia is patiently waiting to see who wins the U.S. elections, so November to February could see some interesting developments, especially when it's been quiet in Serbia over the past few months. Thanks again! -Phil Sidock

[@nearly_epic]

Hey Prof Thanks for choosing one of my questions for your video 🙌🏽🙌🏽 Your knowledge and insights are very valued

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks so much for such a great question!

[@subcitizen2012]

Brexit, Russia, and paradoxically, Euroskepticism itself has gradually and suddenly given rise to a nascent Euro nationalism - for better or worse.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks. I think there is an element of this. I’m not sure how deep it is yet, though. One thing I have noticed is that it has given rise to a very interesting and militant form of Euronationalism amongst Irish nationalists. There’s an actually large group on Twitter who see Brexit as a chance to kick the UK. They have become self-appointed guardians of EU rules and purity as a way to stop Britain getting closer to the EU again. It’s fascinating, especially as Ireland is now one of just four EU members that aren’t in NATO, which is really vital for European defence and security. Strange times.

[@moustaphadiallo600]

​@JamesKerLindsay I don't see what Ireland could contribute to NATO given its population. The only potential threats to Ireland, given its location, are NATO members.

[@walshaland]

Balanced and informative as always. Thank you.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you so much! Have a great rest of the weekend.

[@stafverstegen2408]

I always find that your Q&A sessions are extremely interesting, perhaps even more than the regular videos. Keep up the great work!

[@thomasjohnson2862]

One point from last video on question about France and Germany working together economically to create peace having been adversaries. You could argue that the conditions for this new partnership were only created once both sides had absolutely battered each other into positions of significant weakness, and that while either side was in a position of strength, the kind of collaboration we see today wasn’t going to happen. I think there’s a question of whether these kinds of collaborative relationships can only happen once countries have been resoundingly militarily defeated out of ambitions of domination over Europe or the global order etc. Love the Q&As as always James!

[@AB-zl4nh]

Maybe but Britain (UK) and Ireland (ROI) have a Common Travel Area allowing citizens of each island to work, study, and retire in the other despite the UK being much stronger and bigger. The United Kingdom even helps patrol the airspace for the Republic of Ireland and gave a generous loan to Ireland during the 2008 - 2010 European debt crisis.

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

You'll soon be reaching 200k, congratulations, well deserved.

[@IAmTheOnlyLucas]

Great Q&As Professor! I’ve recently become a moderator of the NonCredible Diplomacy subreddit. Would recommend to all regular channel viewers to check out the antics we’re up to there! 😆

[@jb76489]

For the life of me I cannot imagine what would compel someone to admit to using Reddit, much less a moderator

[@IAmTheOnlyLucas]

@@jb76489 Thank you for that rude comment. Do you speak to people in real life like that?

[@ericchang1281]

I really enjoy the antics at Noncredible Diplomacy, especially the is X dead yet? memes 💀

[@jb76489]

@@IAmTheOnlyLucas if they said what you said, yes

[@citizenenak]

My letter to the VP of America in hopes of reviving democracy to its rightful place in our hearts and minds: I'm texting you as you asked me too. I'm sorry I missed you in Douglas, had I known I would have stuck around to see you. Maybe I could have shared my understanding of Democracy and its divinity. Everybody talks about it but words are inexpensive and nobody breaks it down. Saying democracy is Devine is little more than a platitude anymore but breaking it down can be done. One could easily imagine that having an explanation that lucidly ties democracy to Christianity, Buddhism...and all religions more or less can and would serve a purpose in this moment that we face as a nation/world of lost unmoored minds. We individually live in a state that makes this hard to see. Understanding a big picture is a bit like understanding one of those big homes. To see and understand its layout clearly you have to walk through all the rooms one by one to make up the whole picture, it takes a moment or two. However, using the analogy or metaphor of democracy aids and moors the mind into a framework that can assist in holding a space in one's mind in the same way a walkthrough in a big house can. This can be done through the realization of democracy where democracy is akin to the house, we can know it. The problem we face is nobody sees democracy. We see it but that isn't knowing it anymore than a self professed Christian knows the mind and heart of Christ while they support taking a child away from their mother. It's self evident we are lost and unmoored. My singular aim is to make a few bridges and clear the confusion generally so as to form a more perfect Union. The strings binding our Union have been eroded and are breaking. Look no further than a Governor pardoning a murderer where the citizens chose to lock him up for fear of their life. The Governor of Texas decided his will was what he was going to serve and to add insult to injury the killer was a bigot. Imagine that, a governor spitting in the eyes of the citizenry telling them I don't like some of you and your skin color so I'm going to set him loose to kill again? Do you see? Do you see how deeply anti Union this is? I think the Christian Bible describes it as dividing. What's that called? What if there was a force unleashed on this earth that cast peoples minds about and divided them, what would you do? If you're not seeking to buttress democracy then you're living for yourself alone and do not see what you are a part of, it's unbeknownst to you. Let's show people what they are a part of and moor the younger generations' minds into something that cannot be taken from them like Donald Trump and the GOP are currently attempting to do. These people cost me over a hundred thousand of my neighbors who are now dead, does that bother you? Do you see a problem? If so, let's start a broader conversation. I leave it to you. If you're curious enough to look further you can read comments I've posted over the last several years where most of it is just political ranting but mixed in are some of the deepest insights around given. There's over a novels worth mostly. It would appear to be wasted online. The Secretary of the Interior knows by some measure about what is spoken too. Her ancestors know exactly what is being spoken too. I however do not know her personally but I see the Indigenous and what the unbreakable identity they rest in means. What they rest in is a bed of roses given to them by their elder Holy people. Their minds will never wander from what they are through the teaching of the Holy ones. The younger generations are losing this connection by some measure and are getting lost in thought and are not able to discern the difference. Let's bring it back shall we? Can you have a conversation about this? I'm speaking to all of us, do you see that or do you only see what's in your mind?

[@zakariyashakir4091]

James do you think a Kurdish state is possible?

[@Mesopotamia-v6d]

No

[@MikeMW87]

No THE END Palestine also no THE END

[@zakariyashakir4091]

@@Mesopotamia-v6d basically Arab logic

[@zakariyashakir4091]

@@MikeMW87 you will see it one day

[@dev.0122]

Yay! I have been waiting for this for so long! This is an indepth analysis, its opinion, but grounded in login and facts! The best thing about this.

[@stig-akeeriksson4142]

Thank you for so much information. Enlightening as usual!

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks. I really enjoyed making it. It had been too long. I’m glad it was interesting. :-)

[@andrewsarantakes639]

In order to maintain the construct of liberalism in international relations & to deter revisionist states like the PRC & Russia an aspect of realism needs to be used, and that is robust military deterrence. As we have all seen by the disaster in Ukraine, paying for robust deterrence in peace is much cheaper than the cost of war in both blood & treasure. Thanks for the pod cast & taking the time for questions from podcast viewers. The podcast is an excellent platform for positive dialog & discussion. Thanks again.

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

Regarding a Chinese world order.....For better or worse (probably for better), this won't really be a Chinese order so much as likely a Global South order. I don't know that the lack of an ideology is a bad thing, Global Liberalism has been an incredibly effective excuse to plunder the world of resources (see the reactions to Indonesia's ore export ban for example), so dispensing with this wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for most of the world. I also don't see China being able to take on the role of World Policeman particularly with regard to global shipping. They have a giant navy but it is mostly built for local and coastal waters. I do think China will want a lot of credit for the new world order and their support economically will be vital (One Belt One Road has been incredibly positive here in Indonesia). We shouldn't want to go from one hegemonic world order to another. A more inclusive order where Western countries don't exercise a stranglehold on funding to less developed countries through a combination of the iMF and World Bank would be a good thing and China has already helped this to come to pass. An order where countries are free to decline to sell natural resources at fire-sale prices to Western countries (see the Indonesian ore export bans) is a good thing also for most of the world. Perhaps SWIFT could be replaced by a UN cooperation agency (let's call it the International Banking Union and sanctions could require UN Security Council; approval). That would remove the need for every country to build their own SWIFT workalike. On top of this I suspect some senior partners in this endeavor would put a lot of effort into institutional architecture and security architecture. What those institutions would look like is anybody's guess. In the end, the West's influence is fading. For better or worse, the geopolitical center of the world is shifting to Asia. China is one example, but so is India and, as much as you might not like this, Russia. I suspect Indonesia is also growing into a major role also. Where the EU fits into this will be anybody's guess.

[@Bulgarian021]

Enjoy being watched what you say/do by a cruel government and also enjoy your citizen credit evaluation then ... It is up to you. Then again, no matter who is rightabout the future - you can always go live in China or Indonesia of course, if you think they are the next centre of the world.

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

@@Bulgarian021 As opposed to being disappeared by US-backed dictators and death squads?

[@BluffyMoo]

For the algorithm! Great discussion as always, James.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Brilliant. Thanks so much! :-)

[@janetmontgomery-r6j]

Fascinating as always. Thank you.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you so much!

[@numberuno9015]

Hello prof, Could you elaborate current tension between Somalia and Ethiopia please.

[@louisgiokas2206]

James, I really appreciate these Q&A videos. I appreciate all of your videos, but these bring up some very interesting questions. On the Ukraine situation, especially as regards the question about secessionist movements, I find my own evolution in thinking about this is instructive. Part of the issue goes back the Russification activities going back to the time of the czars and continuing in the Soviet Union. First, with Crimea, that situation seemed historically ambiguous, at best. Then there was the Donbas. There were lots of reports and videos about Russian speakers fleeing the conflict with the Ukrainians that elicited a lot of sympathy. Of course, the actions of the Russians and the clear propaganda manipulation belies a lot of what seemed clear prior to the 2022 invasion. Then there is the issue of recognized state borders. Frankly, there are lots of borders in Europe that were decided after WWI and WWII and some that are the leftovers from pre-nation state times (the age of kingdoms, principalities and empires). I have to wonder about the future of many of the nation states around the world. I mentioned the situation in Europe, but of course there are the situations, some of them similar to the European situation while others are the result of European imperialism all around the world. Woodrow Wilson, in his fourteen points seemed to prefigure some of the issues we face today. There was a lot in there about borders and nationalities (not states). Even back then he recognized that this was an issue.

[@ComedyJakob]

With the greatest respect, what does the UN do? And, furthermore, do you truly think that the US and UK invading Iraq really made a difference in Putin's willingness to conquer countries at will? It doesn't seem to have done anything to stop the US and UK from taking just as hard a stand against it as they would have otherwise, nor has it seemingly encouraged China or India to move off the fence to supporting such actions any more than they otherwise would. Unless you can find a country with no economic or political ties to one of the security council members then there is essentially nothing the United Nations can do to solve a problem, it seems to me. Would you say that the value of the UN is simply preserving the unrealized idea of international cooperation and dialogue even if it results in nothing at the moment?

[@AL-lh2ht]

The only real goal of the UN is preventing WW3, after that they have good vaccine programs and food programs, everything else is a crapshoot

[@Bulgarian021]

Oh my, ...again... Well, YES, when the USA invaded Iraq- it was wrong but it was different. Then again, even if it is the same thing--does it mean that by this logic any country should invade anyone due to the USA invading Iraq in the past _?

[@thomasjohnson2862]

Question: what was in it for Serbia to have been recognised as the continuator state to Yugoslavia? Russia had its place on the security council maintained, but what benefits would Serbia have gotten by being recognised as the continuator state to Yugoslavia?

[@roddychristodoulou9111]

Good morning professor , I would like to point out that the Knesset in Israel recently passed a motion saying the one state solution is the only solution that would be acceptable . This in effect kills off the two state solution for good . Some observers are alluding to this war in Gaza and now the West Bank being the last as the one state solution has been accepted by both sides so if true it's just a matter of time . As for the EU I have no doubt it will survive indefinatley as there is a queue of countries waiting to join . I also have no doubt that at some point in the future The UK will rejoin the bloc . I would like to see a confirmatory referendum in the UK because the latest polling suggests around 60% of the electorate would in fact like to rejoin .

[@brendan9635]

The stance of the Knesset is only current with the approval of the US leadership. If that approval changed, the Knesset would have to follow. It's been a proven reality in history, so it can indeed change, if the political stand of US leadership becomes conditional on international law adherence or Abrahamic adherence or even two state adherence.

[@juliansebastian]

On the topic of international law and the UN - There is an interesting movement called Atlas which was created by founding members of the pan-European party Volt. They are pushing for a democratic process for electing the UN Secretary General as well as further reform. Would be super interesting if you interviewed them for your channel!

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks so much. Great suggestion. Volt are a really interesting group. I must look into it.

[@juliansebastian]

@@JamesKerLindsay Thank you so much for your response! I find your videos so well-made and informative and would be thrilled to see you cover some movements to reform politics from a democratic governance-perspective. Volt has been quite successful in Germany and is even part of several local governments here. Atlas is really new but their ambitions are huge and so far I have not seen comparable efforts to reform the UN.

[@FairyCRat]

I'm glad that support for remaining in the EU has risen again recently. In the few years following the Brexit referendum, I was really afraid that our emboldened far-right in France would push further towards Frexit, even recently I was still considering looking towards getting another EU citizenship.

[@muhammadtahir3327]

31:05 Prof the greatest reason for our incompetence when we come to discuss the world order of China is that most of us don't know the Chinese language. Out of the three living civilizational streams of Dharmic, Abrahamic, and Confucian, the least known to the wider world is the Confucian world perspective. I am from Pakistan, we have a great friendship with China, and I have many Chinese Friends. To be honest, the Chinese world order is egoistic and humble at the same time. This idea of conciliation of opposites is present in all the Chinese order because of the Taoist concept of yin and yang. Chinese World Order has no aggressive approach when it comes to pushing forward its propaganda but at the same time Chinese Civilizational Order focuses on gradual and thorough assimilation of other societies. There are some interesting facts which I came to know, if you like then I would share some other insights as I perceived them.

[@BlackLabelExpat]

I think New Caledonia is close to separating from france

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks. I’m not so sure. France has been cracking down on pro-independence sentiment. I did a video on it a few months ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKTEYnaanJaYnacsi=UpfEniU-SMn5fvTv

[@SdbiblestudyChurch]

It's hard to cover the war in the Levant openly. This is like East Timor all over again.

[@stevejurgens9836]

@JamesKerLindsay International law is what the major powers (mainly the US) want it to be. Laws are only meaningful when they are enforced and this is where hard power comes into play (which the US still has in spades).

[@skank2906]

Is South Vietnam or Cochinchine possible, Professor?

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Great question. Thanks. I really should look into this at some point. I’ve made a note.

[@tayyebodeh5903]

the core of palestinian struggle is to above all achieve the right of return for palestinians israel has never truly allowed that or was ever willing to compramise i believe that if the right of return is granted the way to peace is way smoother

[@SdbiblestudyChurch]

I think you did a good task of explaining why Brexit was bad for the United Kingdom overall.

[@hisdadjames4876]

James, you invited views on China. I favour courting and embracing China as a respected partner in the international community. Despite the ‘threat’ that China poses to US economic hegemony AND their different view of the least-bad governing system AND their publicised transgression of our view of human rights…..one can also call out their superb economic growth, contribution to technology, internal political stability, minimisation of local poverty and non-aggressive conduct internationally these last 60 years. They could also counter-accuse the West of the failings that we hold against them. I like to think that their growing wealth can progressively bring greater moderation and attention to higher-order positive objectives for the whole world and not just for China. Isnt that what tends to happen? What is the problem, then, if they become more like us and we become more like them?? The alternative, I fear, is catastrophic global conflict. If we treat them as enemies, then they will surely act as enemies. That is dangerous as, imo, they are already too powerful and have too much momentum to be stopped. So. Both philosophically and pragmatically, I believe that we should try to build closer ties of all kinds with China and to work with them rather than against them - the strategic opposite of the policy that we seem to have pursued these last 5-10 years.

[@nikoRo75]

As always, super interesting

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you so much!

[@mahamedaden4919]

Freedom for Palestine

[@howmanybeansmakefive]

People mistake the EU for developing the rule of law, which gets things the wrong way round. If you look at the how the EU developed from the initial economic treaties to what it is today, it was an organic, somewhat idiosyncratic process, based on the interaction of the rule of law of founding member states, and their functional dialogue with the ECJ, along with deep political determination to make it work while the legal doctrines developed. There had to already be functioning rule of law in member states for the union to develop and EU law to take root, not the other way round. Particularly in the earlier stages. It's only now in its more mature stage that it sees itself as encouraging/protecting RoL in member states (with mixed results).

[@elviswisdom9365]

Thank you for another great video! While I don't expect expect another Q&A for a while, I have had a question in mind for a long time that I'd be really interested to hear your opinion on at some point: a 1.5 state solution for Israel-Palestine, or more seriously, a bi-federal solution. While it is difficult to imagine Israelis and Palestinians sharing a polity constructively at the present state, I find it no more difficult than a functioning 1 or 2 state solution. While you have previously discussed the many issues arisen by such a solution in Bosnia, you seem rather positive toward implementing such a system in Cyprus. In the most general terms possible: One bi-national state "from the river to the sea" with one single military but essentially all matters of taxation, policing, courts and cultural issues left to the separate entities. Jerusalem could be a shared capital and special minority rights would be afforded to the populations living in the others administrative area. With such low trust between the communities there would be no shortage of controversial issues that need to be solved, but I wonder if you think this would be a desirable solution in a 20-40 year time frame. Thanks!

[@Hidfhjccbxcbhc]

Mohamed Somali prof James a Question-Can we change borders and takeback our lost territories during western colonial time in Africa, As a Somali Ultra-nationalist ideologist, i am planning to regain back that 2 regional territories kenya and Ethiopia handed over by British and italy, it will comeback through military actions and want to change the borders. Will the rest of the world recognizes. Thank you.

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

What would a frozen conflict in Ukraine even look like? A Kosovo-like semi-independent Donbas protected by Russia?

[@otngomot9929]

You're very welcome to return, Professor! Always fantastic and excellent in-depth analysis.🎉❤

[@VivianKreimer]

@@otngomot9929 TOTALLY AGREE

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you so much! :-)

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

Regarding the EU's future... I think there are some big issues that Mark Blyth has talked about in terms of how wealth transfers happen within the EU. I think there are big reasons to think that big fault lines will eventually emerge sooner rather than later which easily could cause a catastrophic disintegration of the EU. I think immigration policies, refugee resettlement policies (where frankly the EU is often expected to pick up the tab for the human cost of US geopolitical engineering experiments). Especially as Africa becomes more assertive, this is going to put major economic pressure on France. And efforts at pushing through more and more requirements for military spending will similarly cause problems. However..... The EU is so important to everyone involved that even if it falls apart, it will rise back from the flames perhaps in a slightly different form. Lessons will be learned. And a new union will be born.

[@georgejungle4490]

I think that Russia controlling parts of Ukraine in perpetuity while the front line is frozen in some sort of cesefire and Ukraine sighning those territories away in a peace treaty is the same thing. Maybe it matters to diplomats that something was formally given up, but to me as a layman it appears that diplomacy is merely the makup on the face of hard power. Whether something is regonized internationally is superfluous, what matters is whether it is accepted in practice.

[@mat3714]

There's no way Ukraine comes out of this intact but it doesn't have to be. I believe that a dmz with no official recognition could be viable and even set the conditions for a "west germany miracle" like scenario. But western societies need to have open discussions about deterrence and readiness to make it work.....and Haris absolutely needs to win to prevent a scary step towards "might makes right" territory.

[@timor64]

23:40 On this topic - did you have misgivings about NATO bombing Serbia, and for Kosovo's international recognition at the time, for these reasons? Or was the imperative so strong to protect the Kosovar Albanians so strong that it seemed like a small hypothetical risk worth taking? Also this is the first time I think you have spelled out that international law will take a potentially fatal blow if Russia wins the war in Ukraine. Oh and wow - you answered my question right at the end. Thank you so much !!

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Yes, saved the best and most difficult for last. :-) Thanks so much again for such a great question. Looking back on 1999, I think the debate was very different. Russia wasn't seen as a challenge. I think this made the West too confident in its ability to bend - if not break - international principles and not face any longer-term consequences. How wrong it was. The problem is that having intervened in Kosovo, there was no way it could walk away and hand it back to Serbian control. It would have led to a new war. However, remaining in Kosovo indefinitely would have seen an insurgency against UN and NATO control. Independence became the only viable option. That said, I also have to explain to Serbs that they need to remember and understand the broader context of 1999. Everyone was fed up with Milosevic. Even Russia had had enough of his troublemaking. When Kosovo erupted, everyone saw it as Milosevic up to his old troublemaking. There wasn't a lot of sympathy for Serbia, especially as it had given little thought to Bosnia and Croatia's territorial integrity just a few years earlier.

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

Regarding the UN, I think people who suggest getting rid of the UN have a very simplistic sense of what the UN does. I would argue that there are very good parts of the UN (the ITU, the IPU, and more controversially, I would include the WHO in that list). There are also pieces of the UN which seem to act as proxies for Western interests and this is mostly present in aid arms. For example UNICEF treats lack of internet access in rural parts of Botswana as a larger deprivation than food insecurity in the US. And then there are the diplomatic bodies of the General Assembly and the UNSC. The UNSC has one job and a record of doing that job with a perfect success rate: keep us out of nuclear war. I think there are things the UNSC does poorly here (they cannot keep a P5 member from invading another country as we saw with Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Ukraine). And they have limited power in other conflicts. But they provide a structural limit on certain machinations by the P5 countries to keep us out of nuclear war. The General Assembly is a body which can make general pronouncements and engage in some agenda-setting, but mostly functions as a place for exchange of perspectives so that countries an coordinate better. I agree the UN should not be abandoned. And I would say it should be made less rather than more Western-centric.

[@salmalucas7071]

Great video! Would you make a video on CARICOM? Thanks

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks. Great suggestion. I have wanted to explore international organisations in more detail. This would be a great one to do.

[@Daniel-or3vf]

There are geopolitical talking heads like Peter Zeihan, who are pessimistic on the EU and Germany in particular, specifically on demographics and general tech/AI industry. Generally speaking, Zeihan comes to the opposite conclusion in that, even if the EU manages to hang to together, it'll be become increasingly more irrelevant and dysfunctional (his words/sentiments etc). I don't expect you to directly contradict him etc, just wondered on those general points whether you agree with him, that there are ominous trends for the EU which could spell a gradual unwinding or add/expand to what you said in this video? I am of the opinion, it will probably hang together, whether its for better or worse. There does appear to be political will to make it work within the EU. Interesting video, thank you!

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks. Zeihan has a rather different approach and outlook to international relations to me. The EU is diverse, but so is the USA. I think that the small countries of Europe see the advantages of cooperation. It gives them durability, and even viability, in a world dominated by certain actors and blocs. Certainly, it is still in a learning phase. But was talking with one of my oldest friends yesterday, another IR prof, and we agreed that the EU’s soft power and its economic strength, make a potentially more serious actor than many in the US might realise. In fact, I’ve always been rather amazed at how often US analysts seem to analyse Europe and EU members without even referring to the EU. I was speaking at a State Department event many years ago. We had a whole day of discussions on a particular EU member and the EU wasn’t mentioned once by the US participants. Yes, Germany has its problems at the moment. But that doesn’t mean the EU is going to collapse. If nothing else, Brexit has been extremely beneficial for reinforcing the value of the EU on the remaining members. Again, though, I accept that I may be on the more optimistic end of the scale.

[@Daniel-or3vf]

@@JamesKerLindsay Thank you for the comprehensive answer! I've been wondering for a while, if Peter was of a certain US mindset that may overlook, the collective, perhaps understated, slow and methodical drive towards solutions in the EU. Roughly 10-15 years ago the demise of the Euro seemed imminent according too many, maybe Zeihan included and yet it is still here. I think the strength of agriculture in the EU, always seems to be overlooked by US commentators too, which is an essential industry, before one looks at tech and AI industries. Thanks again!

[@existentialvoid]

Great analysis as always: For Palestine - I agree that it is basically impossible to see a path forward. I am of the mind that the chance for a Palestinien state has passed. It may be best to start thinking of some kind of one state with many Palestiniens being given a choice to go to Jordan. It’s not ideal - but since Oct.7 - there is no chance. Remember too - Israelis have no faith in the ICC, the UN or any international system. As for China, there is a history here that really needs to be understood. And I appreciate you going as far as you can before backing away. If you are ever curious - I know quite a few China experts who would be happy to chat about it. As for Ukraine - I agree. If Russia wins anything in Ukraine - then it will become a multipolar world with no more international law or fundamental international agreement. The ramifications of this will be far and wide. I may not agree with everything - but I agree it is a solid world view.

[@AL-lh2ht]

Jordan hates Palestinians more then Israel.

[@siviweslara1023]

I keep hearing this idea that the chance for a Palestinian state has passed? Why? Because we think ISRAEL can not be made to dismantle their settlements?

[@existentialvoid]

@@siviweslara1023 I recommend you give a listen to a recent interview N. Ferguson gave in London (this summer) which ended up being about Israel and the Palestinians. "The World In 2024 With Niall Ferguson: Crisis, Conflict And The New Axis of Evil" To quickly summarize from Ferguson: The era after WW2 with the rapid foundation of so many nations was unprecedented - not every people gets a nation. To get a nation is almost a historical accident and is a combination of chance and leadership. The Palestinians are remarkable because they have had 2 solid opportunities to have a state - first in 48 and second in 2000. In 48, the idea of partition was rejected (some still reject it) and in 2000 Arafat walked away from a shared Jerusalem and 67 boarders (what people who support the 2 state want to see.) Some people will argue that Gaza was the test-case for peaceful co-existence - which obviously failed spectacularly. Settlements are a direct result of Palestinian leadership failing to settle for peace and that window was always shrinking as Israel shifted from the left (land of peace) to the right (greater Israel) - it was a decades long process which I personally witnessed in friends in Israel - all left wing and pro-peace in 1995 and now very anti-2 state. Oct. 7th was the deathblow for a Palestinian state - for at least 2 generations. . . and Israel will not forget easily. So that is why a lot of people think the 2 state solution and Oslo is basically dead and a new roadmap that protects Palestinian rights as Israeli citizens needs to be imagined. . . but it's tricky. What I have been saying since 2000 is this - the longer this goes on, the more the Palestinians will lose. It is on them to get rid of Abbas (18 years into a 4 year term) show some real democratic process and elect a new generation of leaders who are realistic about what peace can look like and negotiate.

[@tolgaayan6698]

Thank you for this great video

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you! 🙂

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

I think the question of whether Europe can defend itself without the US is a complicated one. The EU is structured in a way which discourages military spending structurally, and this was partly the point. War between France and Germany needed to be "not merely unthinkable but materially impossible" in the words of the Schuman Declaration. Europe can patrol its skies and seas generally without US backing, for sure. There are even some small expeditionary forces for force projection. However the EU has no ability to go onto a war footing without new treaties specifically enabling that. This is structurally baked into the EU quite deliberately. That means that "defend itself" could mean a bunch of things. In some ways they can. In other ways they can't. Ideally they should make sure they don't need to via building security architectures with all their neighbors including Russia.

[@yogikarl]

Is there any other existent state ? that has two separate territories like the 1967 Palestine ?

[@rathersane]

Azerbaijan comes to mind, and then there was Pakistan prior to Bangladeshi independence.

[@GRAndreas7]

@@yogikarl Germany, Russia are two other examples

[@jonasloe4926]

@@yogikarl Brunei

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Great question. People have pointed out several others. The US is another good example. Alaska is of course separated from the rest of the US by Canada.

[@DjordjeBelic-c3r]

Always a big Support to you!

[@stevenpace892]

Regarding future and China; we appear to be headed toward the third worldwide conflict between oligarchy and democracy. The first was centred on Greece, in the time around the Peloponnesian war. As in the past two cold wars, internal and external conflicts will play an important role. Of course self interest will also pop up within the ideological struggle.

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

I think we are in a struggle between a hegemonic power today in the form of the G7 and the rest of the world.

[@drrawadsamarani]

Always great to watch you videos. I would like to have your input about applying federalism in Lebanon to overcome the confessional sectarian conflict that is crippling the central government

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you so much for such a great suggestion. This is a fascinating idea. Let me think about it and see if I can do something on it.

[@bilic8094]

James is looking younger these days with the tan and sharp looking cut the better climate always helps i can attest.

[@熊唯嘉]

Since China is both an indispensable part of the US-led free-market world economy and an outcast of the US-led liberal international order, a future China, after replacing the US as the world leader, must weigh the costs and benefits of upholding America's legacy versus creating a new world system centered around itself, with the latter option probably demanding much more input than possible gain in the short run. In the near future, when the Western powers would still hold much sway over significant parts of the world market, China would probably push for a sovereignty-based multipolar international order, with itself content with being the "first among equals", and would strive to maintain regional and global balances of power, without getting too close with any regional power, while tolerating no global power, not even China itself. In this stage, China's foreign relations would resemble the British approach of "splendid isolation" toward continental Europe, but on a global scale, with the integration of Southeast Asia and the prevention of an American-European alliance as its primary tasks.

[@moustaphadiallo600]

Isolation? Those self serving bastards interfered in European conflicts at every opportunity to shape the balance of power in their favor. Joined a war to contain whatever they saw as the strongest mainlander.

[@sheldonwheaton881]

Did the Bolsheviks accept Brest-Litovsk afterwards?

[@serpilozugurlu8812]

thanks, professor

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you so much! Have a great rest of the weekend.

[@olderchin1558]

I would suggest a different way to look at politics and succession. Human nature to both congregate and divide. And geography influence on survival and fight for survival. The present western societies are very divided but have congregated to survive. Most are too small or badly endowed to survive on its own. It is in its nature to use similarity to unite, as well as manufactured threats from others. I tend to look at human nature and the forces internally and externally to predict trajectory.

[@GNARGNARHEAD]

brilliant, thanks

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thank you!

[@dunnowy123]

I also think that China being so defensive about territorial integrity, giving its own problems with secessionist and separatism, and being the world's other superpowers makes it unlikely as well. China isn't keen about supporting secessionist movements ala the USSR. So right now the US and China are skeptical of secessionist movements, so I agree it's probably going to be a down time for the globally.

[@krakhedd]

Re: China - I saw a quote somewhere but have since had trouble finding it, about some CCP luminary saying decades ago they were going to bleed the capitalists dry to build their communist Utopia, and it would be by building factories to basically take over manufacturing i.e. much the same as what we see today. I think their corruption was so bad for so long that they never had a real hope of capable & competent management, and were bound for the demographic and economic failures they're experiencing. I think watching Russia lose its buyers was a huge wake-up call, and China has been exerting pressure everywhere it can but will back down regarding secondary sanctions, for example. Xi was using Putin all along to test the waters and could have jumped right in if things went well, or backed off if they didn't (yes, we owe Ukraine for WW3 remaining otherwise largely a continuator of the Cold War, embers flaring back up)

[@John-.-Smith]

If you ask Jeffrey Sachs, he'd tell you that China has the most effective management team. And if China is as bad as you think, would you please explain to me how come China's GDP had increased 12-fold between 2000 and 2020, which I believe is a world record, if not a record in human history?

[@Bulgarian021]

"Can the EU Survive in the Long Run?" I think thousands of people care about this question. But what the British might find hard to grasp is that the cultural differences might be actually the elephant in the room. It is about the economics in theory BUT the cultural difference is what matters in the long run. The way Romanians and Bulgarians see modern ideas about certain aspects of human rights and inclusivity is very different than the British way. And the degree this is important for the future is ignored by western political figures and even academics. People are often subjetive and might not care about numbers and simple facts. Imagine if one of those with the wrong mindset becomes a leader. . . Well such a guy did become one ! Look at Orban... Now you have the problem of including anyone in the EU but then not having a way to remove them from the EU if criteria for removal are met. Of course, we have no criteria officially

[@stephenchappell7512]

Don't believe the hype Remember the result was only 52/48 in favour of leave which matches Norway's own EU rejection

[@WalterBurton]

I think we're in a novel situation. I think we don't know what to do to do. And I hope people smarter than me have gamed all of this out. One of the 2 nuclear giants is asserting its nuclear option as a weapon in a war of conquest. I think people that criticize incrementalism are understandable and I sympathize with you but YOU ARE GETTING TIRESOME. EDIT: I do not mean to imply that the professor is one of those. Not at all. Quite the contrary. I value his balanced insight, and have become frustrated, particularly of late, with cheerleaders pretending to be analysts. I apologize. Venting. Thank you.

[@Mikeschool10000]

On China's rise I see them being a major player in Africa based on money. Traditional great power status has been muted since the rise of nuclear weapons. Until a concrete anti-missle defense system could shoot down everything, major conflict is unlikely. China seems content in its current state, aside from the Taiwan issue. Just because a nation rises in stature at this point it doesn't mean there will be substantial change geopolitically. Myanmar could be manipulated by China but China has not seen it fit to do so. I don't see any substantial changes happening.

[@CedarHunt]

China has territorial disputes with practically all of its neighbors. There are many terms to describe Chinas feelings about their current situation and "content" is not one of them.

[@AL-lh2ht]

Also china has massively decreased investment outside of China and especially in Africa

[@John-.-Smith]

@CedarHunt OK.Tell me what territorial dispute China has with Russia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyrstan, Myanmar, Laos, Mongolia. China has 14 neighbors. Nine are listed above. Tell me, what territorial dispute does China have with those nine countries.

[@Mr_Stav]

Forgetting South Sudan & Eritrea

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks. Not forgotten. But neither was a case of unilateral secession. In both cases, their independence was accepted by the country they broke away from. I’ve done videos on both cases (some of my earliest videos): Eritrea kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3SlfHiKitxoic0si=oNXdczGuO7Knrfdl South Sudan kzbin.info/www/bejne/rX67c4aBg6yge6Msi=eVQv13YY4g-Q7EJx

[@Mr_Stav]

@@JamesKerLindsay Thanks for the reply

[@asgharmhi4130]

Very good news

[@redjacc7581]

if the international borders topic within the eu was being upheld, why didnt they stop russia annexing crimea?

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Ukraine isn’t an EU member. Secondly, did you expect the EU to go to war with Russia? That’s not how international relations works. The EU imposed sanctions on Russia. Those have since been increased. And the EU has been very clear that the annexation was wholly illegal and not recognised.

[@jonathanplatnick9334]

Surprisingly, you missed one successful post WW2 succession: East Timor/Tiimor-Leste.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks, Jonathan. Interestingly, East Timor was not a case of secession. (This is a common mistake. Several others have raised it as well.) It falls into a different category in international relations, alongside Palestine and Western Sahara. It was a case of thwarted decolonisation; a colonial territory invaded and occupied when the coloniser left. Under international law, it had a right to self-determination and independence. The question was how to get Indonesia to end its occupation. I actually did a video on it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKCaZmWLm7uqj80

[@jonathanplatnick9334]

@@JamesKerLindsay A very informed distinction. So it has accomplished what Ihe other two Thwarted Decolonized Territories have not, - and, in the forseeable future, will not - be able to do.

[@syedmaricar9946]

Walkaway from UN as long as it doesn't change the UNSC.

[@WorldTravelerCooking]

And by change, you mean add India and Pakistan to the UNSC? Or kick out countries we don't like?

[@WalterBurton]

We have to come up with a better term than "videos." I'm going to start repeating that. This is not just a "video." Is it just me?

[@AchyutChaudhary]

*From Western Balkans to Ex-Soviets to Türkiye from 1987, whom do you think are the Most & Least-likely Candidates to join the 🇪🇺EU?:* 🇦🇱🇧🇦🇬🇪🇲🇩🇲🇪🇲🇰🇷🇸🇹🇷🇺🇦

[@seneca983]

Most likely: North Macedonia (but this is just an uneducated guess)

[@fra604]

I think the usual answer is that they'll join someday (except for Turkey and sometimes even Serbia), but at different times. The undisputed lead would go to Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia. Depending on when their respective political issues can be resolved, we may see Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Moldova in any order really, then Ukraine, Georgia and at last (if it ever joins) Turkey. Ukraine is big but there's a political will to let it join, with Turkey it's non-existent and its structural issues are even worse, but anything could change.

[@bilic8094]

Most likely 🇲🇪 least likely 🇹🇷 as for the others no idea.

[@junoaaa]

Montenegro, Albania, and Macedonia(in no particular order) probably the most likely

[@அவானிஉயர்ந்தது]

@@fra604Armenia is in line after Georgia and Ukraine . Turkey and Russia might join Turkic Union provided Russia/ Ukraine war will come to the end amicably

[@merxho95]

You forgot to mention South Sudan who breaked up from Sudan and sucessful joined the UN as an sucessful example of joining the UN.

[@williamlloyd3769]

Work in progress at best

[@FlamingBasketballClub]

James also forgot about China being a integral part of BRICS. 😂😂😂

[@elviswisdom9365]

I think it's because he was focusing on unilateral secession, while the Sudanese secession was agreed by the parent state

[@AL-lh2ht]

@@FlamingBasketballClubBRICS has no relevance

[@FlamingBasketballClub]

@@AL-lh2ht Your response has no relevance to our current geopolitical landscape. 🤡🤡🤡

[@jeraldleung6009]

Yugoslavia was very strong in industries in USSR Era. Breaking up Yugoslavia will be manageable and dormination of West and US would be challenged.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

It was relatively strong industrially. But really not nearly as strong as you suggest. I’ve heard all sorts of conspiracy theories about how the West wanted to break up Yugoslavia. It didn’t. It collapsed because of well known internal reasons; although there is a debate about which of these factors was more important.

[@jeraldleung6009]

Russia T72 advanced tank at that time produced in Yogo n cze, both broke up. Used all progand how good if overthrew USSR, one happened locked all borders with Russia, that why Putin rises. US n West complicit in Pal, does not care of humanitarian sufferings and law or moral duty.

[@alibulle6251]

It is either a one state or 2 state. Anything else is war.

[@MrHdaod]

Just very simple, this is used to be Palestine I state Knowing to almost all the world. Palestine is called the holy land, Palestine get and world Atlas, and you will see Palestine, and before the English went out they divide it, and give it to other people whose not from the land just a simplest thatPalestine

[@marcussassan]

Nice!

[@sufthegoat]

I pray for peace in gaza you did a great job professor as always thank you 😊

[@adamski-l5w]

Interesting juxtaposition of topics in the questions today. Does the PRC actually fit the definition of Statehood? Notionally yes of course. However in some respects it is more like a supranational institution given that China is more a civilisation (and amongst humanity’s great ones at that) than a mere state. Conversely political life is suppressed to such an extent that it is just a one party state. Which by itself doesn’t preclude passing the statehood definition. There’s lots of one party states around the world. They do tend to fill the ranks of failed states.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Thanks. This is a really fascinating point. China is indeed far more heterogeneous than many people realise. There are interesting internal issues that perhaps make it less stable than it seems. I have wanted to cover this for a really long time. I must do something on it!

[@adamski-l5w]

@@JamesKerLindsay I think your contribution would be very welcome. I certainly look forward to it. Thank you for the reply. 😀

[@benjauron5873]

Russia's seat on the security council should be rotated between all former members of the Soviet Union, since all Soviet Republics were, on paper, equal members of the USSR.

[@josephknott6174]

Technically that would be fair but you’ve got to remember that the decision of the security council only matters because other countries will listen to them, Venezuela doesn’t care about what Kyrgyzstan thinks of Guyanas territorial integrity, but it might care about what Russia thinks

[@ka3axka370]

Not really the seat belongs to Kazakhstan since Kazakhstan never left USSR all other exited ( illegally )

[@SSMasseus]

@@ka3axka370 Kazakhstan against russian communist kazakhs were proud our idenity !!!!.

[@ka3axka370]

@@SSMasseus yes Kazakhstan against Communist and the rest the point is my grandfarthers sacrificed there lives for European war and we lost big time Kazakhstan got robbed !

[@ka3axka370]

@@SSMasseus I advise you to also remember the financial loss which in real numbers equates to trillions with a T

[@omar7396]

The problem is that the un and the west not supporting its creation enough to actually make israel live in peace with its neighbors instead of destabilizing the region with this issue.

[@mycellphone4437]

Thanks prof

[@AuwalEngineer-fg9eh]

Two states is not possible under the international law

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Perhaps explain. It is perfectly possible, for all sorts of legal and political reasons. But I’m keen to hear alternative arguments if you disagree.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

Here's the second part II of the Q&A video. I hope you enjoy it. If so, please give it a quick like and leave a comment. It really helps! In the meantime, I hope to return with a regular video next week.

[@FlamingBasketballClub]

When are you planning on doing a video discussing the intersectionality of medical freedoms and human rights?

[@FlamingBasketballClub]

​@@FC-vp9ejJust remember. He still believes Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. 💀💀💀

[@CedarHunt]

Thank you for the interesting video, professor.

[@shk439]

Where could I submit a question for the next Q&A?

[@JamesKerLindsay]

@skh439 It had been a while since I last did one. But hope do them more often. I usually post a call on my community tab.

[@robcameron9096]

On the issue of the Ukraine war, I have been following the analyses of Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University and Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago. I am certainly unable to express the entirety of the views of either of them, but would hope to hear your answers to these questions. With the eastward expansion of NATO in contradiction of the expressed assurances to Gorbachev and Yeltsin, is the United States not largely responsible for the Ukraine crisis, as I think Professor Sachs would suggest? How can there be an international system based on agreed norms in which a rogue superpower (United States) refuses to submit to most international treaties and feels free to launch regime change operations whenever and wherever it seems fit? If the United States has the right to demand that Cuba be free of nuclear-capable missiles as John F. Kennedy demanded, why is it not the right of Russia to demand the Ukraine be free of similar NATO weapons, as John Mearsheimer argues?

[@John-.-Smith]

They blame NATO/US for not keeping the "not one inch eastward" promise. At least one of them also mentioned the Russia's naive attempt of applying to joining NATO.

[@redjacc7581]

Russia did NOT secede from the soviet union. the soviet union stopped existing. In order to secede the soivet union would have still existed and it didnt.

[@JamesKerLindsay]

It's an interesting point. The USSR did collapse, but one could argue that this was because Russia did, in effect, secede. By announcing its decision to leave the USSR, the USSR couldn't exist any longer. Crucially, though, the other republics all agreed to let it go on its way, inheriting the rights and responsibilities of the USSR. It's a really interesting story.

[@asgharmhi4130]

Asghar from Kashmir

[@michaelschneider4837]

The Oslo Accords were about a state for them. Now we just want their Arab colonial occupation to end. Our ancestoral homeland in Judea & Samaria are occupied by them. They occupy villiges with Hebrew origin names. They got independence in Gaza and look what we got in return.

[@sheldonwheaton881]

We Americans just want the Europeans to meet their NATO obligations.

[@John-.-Smith]

And what is the NATO obligations you're talking about? Could you be more specific? The wording of Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty is very vague. It certainly doesn't mention military budget being 2% of GDP as Trump demanded.

[@stephenchappell7512]

NATO should have been ditched the same time as the Warsaw Pact as its continued existence is a genuine threat to European and World stability

[@NJIT22]

Not possible, because they themselves don’t want it, unless they will destroy the neighbors. They want revenge and destruction. Blood thirst is overflowing their minds

[@legoshi7350]

11:38 Bougainville?

[@JamesKerLindsay]

I really must do a video on Bougainvialle soon.

[@AbdulMajid-bc6xf]

Palestinian were the owner's of Israel. It was a long time ago when all this place was run by Palestinian.