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This week's debate has revolved around right and wrong in conflict and aid policy. Collage: Canva.

Current debate

Week 40: An unethical budget, the morality of war and the blame for developments in the Middle East

Today, one year has passed since the events in Israel the material moisture meter shows you the October 7, 2023 and in the past week has developments in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine been constantly present in the debate. A debate which revolved around ethics, morality and guilt.  

Like most weeks, the previous week has been characterized by discussions about the war in Ukraine and developments in the Middle East. In the debate on global issues, social democratic representatives have been particularly active and have commented, among other things, on Afghanistan's diplomatic relations with the Nordic countries in Svenska Dagbladet and the government's aid budget.  

- The only ones who benefit from reduced aid are authoritarian regimes in the world who get a free play to undermine democracy, human rights and peace, write Sara Kukka-Salam and Jesper Eneroth, both active in Social Democrats for Faith and Solidarity, in Today's ETC.  

Kukka-Salam and Eneroth have certain ethical concerns about the government's decision to reduce the aid framework in the autumn budget at the same time as lowering taxes for the richest. IN same newspaper LO's first vice president, Louise Olsson, does not mince words in her criticism of the aid policy pursued.  

- The government's indolence and frivolous management of authorities have worsened Sweden's international reputation and damaged relationships and contacts that serve Sweden well, she writes. 

If the government favorr trade through aid, trade union organization and good working conditions in other countries are something that in the long run strengthens Swedish competitiveness, according to Olsson.  

In a kind of meta-reflection on lessons learned from the culture ponders Dagens Nyheter lead writer Erik Helmerson about his lessons from the film "Tea with Mussolini" and how the characters in it i in turn applies moral lessons from literature. Lessons that he believes many are drawn to far-right leaders would benefit from today. About the boy Luca who grows up surrounded by the British in Mussolini's Italy, Helmerson writes: 

- He gets the love of culture, in a double sense - partly in the form of Shakespeare, Byron and Botticelli, partly in the form of civilization, fellow humanity, the ability to speak out when black-clad goblins spread terror with muscle power. 

I same newspaper reflects Isobel Harley-Kamptz on the fact that Ukraine is perhaps the first country ever to fight moral warfare, by following to a greater extent the "laws of war" formulated in the Geneva Conventions.  

Discussions about so Well, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East this past week have to some extent revolved around debt. IN Expressen says Gunnar Hökmark, from the think tank Frivärld, that those who blame Israel for the escalation in the conflicts between Israel and Lebanon and Iran are wrong. The leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad are oppressors of their populations and must also be regarded as such by the outside world, he believes. Terror researcher Magnus Ranstorp also reflects on the actions of Israel and its army (IDF).  

- The IDF's limited ground invasion of southern Lebanon is necessary, as is a powerful military response to Iran's decision to fire a number of ballistic missiles at Israel, he writes in Svenska Dagbladet.  

Ranstorp defends what he terms Israel's limited ground invasion of South Lebanon. Going forward, he wants to see a demilitarized zone between the two countries and a demilitarization of Hezbollah.  

While neither Hökmark nor Ranstorp are asking for ceasefires, accuse Today's News editorial board, as well previous week, that peace and security for Israel cannot be achieved with arms in hand.  

- Conditions for a new balance in the Middle East that gives Israel security cannot, however, be achieved on the battlefield, but requires a willingness to also give security to the Lebanese and Palestinians, writes Dagens Nyheter's editorial board.  

I Aftonbladet asks Kalle Sundin that Sweden's government takes a clearer stance against Israel's actions. He argues that the media and those in power have acted evasively in relation to Israel's warfare.  

- Israel has an obvious right to defend itself against Islamist terror, but not through the gross violence against civilians that we have seen over the course of a year, says Sundin.  

 

The situation in the Middle East 

The ground offensive will not bring security to Israel 

The editorial staff, Dagens Nyheter 

Great success for Israel against Hezbollah 

The editorial board, Svenska Dagbladet 

The civilian population pays the price when the men in power implement their ideas 

Somar Al Naher, Today's ETC 

"Do not give in to the demands of the Taliban" 

Alexander Abozar, political scientist and social democrat, Svenska Dagbladet 

Difficult for both Israel and Iran to back down 

Principal, Sydsvenskan 

Malmer Stenergard is vague about the war 

Kalle Sundin, Aftonbladet 

If there is to be peace, the ayatollahs must go 

Magnus Ranstorp, Svenska Dagbladet 

 Super election year 2024 

Austria's brown history became the election winner 
Principal, Sydsvenskan 

Georgia's choice of path concerns all of Europe
Mattias Svensson, Svenska Dagbladet 

 The war in Ukraine 

Russian regime change is required for peace
Olof Ehrenkrona, Svenska Dagbladet 

Elon Musk's time, everyone should learn Shakespeare and the difference between right and wrong
Erik Helmerson, Dagens Nyheter 

There is a habituation to every Russian war crime
Stefan Hedlund, professor at Uppsala University, Expressen 

Ukraine is forced to fight the world's first moral war
Isobel Hadley-Kamptz, Dagens Nyheter 

Has the Economist completely lost it about Ukraine?
The editorial staff, Dagens Nyheter 

The future of aid 

EKN: We promote responsibility and sustainability in the mining sector
Trésor Singbo, founder of Hope for Kinshasa,
Tommy Jensen, professor of business administration at Stockholm University,
Today's ETC 

Stupid to cut aid
Sara Kukka-Salam & Jesper Eneroth, Social Democrats for Faith and Solidarity, Today's ETC 

Sweden's status is damaged by the government's aid failure
Louise Olsson, LO's first vice-chairman, Dagens ETC.  

 

 

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