CenPEG’s 4th Roundtable: Canadian professor talks on ‘globalization of war’

CenPEG’s 4th Roundtable: Canadian professor talks on ‘globalization of war’
CenPEG News
Oct. 20, 2014

Michel Chossudovsky, emeritus professor at the University of Ottawa, spoke on the “globalization of war” at CenPEG’s fourth Roundtable Discussion on Oct. 14, 2014, at the University of the Philippines’ Asian Center, Diliman campus.

The discussion-forum was the fourth of CenPEG’s series of roundtables to commemorate its 10th founding anniversary this year. The first three included two discussions on China with invited speakers such as China observers Chito Sta. Romana, now president of the Philippine Association for China Studies (PACS) and Eric Baculinao, former UP student council president and now bureau chief of the NBC TV in Beijing. The third was CenPEG’s 6th State of the Presidency (SOP), titled “A damaged presidency, a besieged administration.”

Michel Chossudovsky (right) stresses as point as CenPEG's Temario C. Rivera listens. (CenPEG photo)

Chossudovsky is also an award-winning author and founding director of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG www.globalresearch.ca).

Center of Chossudovsky’s talk was the globalization of war led by the U.S. which, he said, had figured in at least 50 “wars of intervention” throughout the world since the end of World War II. In recent years, the Canadian professor said, the U.S. is strengthening its defense alliances, war technology and sanctions in wars that have involved collaboration with extremists including neo-Nazis in Ukraine.

The latest terrorist group, ISIL, was a CIA brainchild and supported by some Middle Eastern countries, Chossudovsky said. “The world is now at a crossroads” – the beginning of a third world war under which the U.S. maintains a pre-emptive strikes policy including the use of tactical nuclear weapons, he said.

Chossudovsky’s talk was followed the following days by a forum at the University of the Philippines in Manila, a press briefing at the National Press Club also in Manila, and another forum at the University of Makati.

The Oct. 14 roundtable was in cooperation with the Office of Dean Eduardo Gonzalez of Asian Center, and the Center for Integrative Development Studies (CIDS) headed by its executive director, Prof. Edna Co, under the auspices of the Office of the UP President. It was coordinated with the Institute of Political Economy (IPE) and IBON International of the Ibon economic think tank.

It was attended by members of the academia and students, as well as representatives of think tanks, Partylist groups, activists, and media. Moderating the discussion was Prof. Temario C. Rivera, CenPEG’s Board chair. Chossudovsky was introduced by Pio Verzola of the IPE/IBON International.

CenPEG’s previous roundtable discussions were held in partnership with the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG), the UPAA Boardroom, REDO of the College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD), and the Office of the UP President.

Chossudovsky has taught as visiting professor in Western Europe, Southeast Asia, the Pacific and Latin America. He has served as economic adviser to governments of developing countries and has acted as a consultant for several international organizations.

Roundtable discussants (CenPEG photo)

He is the author of 11 books including The Globalization of Poverty and The New World Order (2003), America’s “War on Terrorism” (2005), The Global Economic Crisis, The Great Depression of the Twenty-first Century (2009) (Editor), Towards a World War III Scenario: The Dangers of Nuclear War (2011). He is a contributor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. His writings have been published in more than 20 languages.

Chossudovsky is a member of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission (KLWCC) which initiated the indictment against George W. Bush, et al, “for crimes of torture and war crimes.” (Judgement of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal (KLWCT), 11 May 2012) and on “crimes of genocide" against the State of Israel (Judgement of the Tribunal, November 25, 2013).

In 2014, Michel Chossudovsky was awarded the Gold Medal for Merit of the Republic of Serbia for his writings on NATO's war on Yugoslavia.

He is publishing his latest book in e-format, America’s “Long War” against Humanity. CenPEG News