War theater: Black Watch

Rahul Rao reviews the play Black Watch, which has become one of the most celebrated contemporary "war plays" since it first opened in 2006.

By Open democracy

/ 17 Jan 2011

Kettling - an attack on the right to protest

The British police have developed a controlling method of containing demonstrators in addition to their usual techniques. But up against large numbers and used as collective punishment it is a threat to liberty

By Open democracy

/ 29 Dec 2010

Licensed to kill: the culture of impunity that shaped Bloody Sunday

Bloody Sunday was only part of a wider culture of impunity on the part of the army in Northern Ireland that needs to be examined if similar events are to

By Tom Griffin

/ 29 Jul 2010

Britain’s Child Soldiers

The British army is one of the few in the world that recruits under 18s. The forthcoming Army Bill offers the opportunity for the Coalition to end this egregious practice.

By Open democracy

/ 10 Jul 2010

A Soldier's Tale

openDemocracy Russia now puts together in one document the 9 letters written by Tolya (probably not his real name), a private in the Russian army. Tolya preferred to serve in the army rather than study at university. These letters were written some time ago, but few publications give such a clear

By Open democracy

/ 29 Mar 2010

America and Israel: a historic choice

The serious row between Washington and Tel Aviv is about far more than the construction of homes in east Jerusalem; it goes to the heart of the close military alliance between the two states. (This article was first published on 18 March 2010)

By Paul Rogers

/ 22 Mar 2010

Dedovshchina: bullying in the Russian Army

While bullying (see our Soldier’s Tales) is common to all armies, the aberration that is dedovshchina in Russia’s army has a specific history and causes, argues Rodric Braithwaite. Military reform is needed to root it out.

By Open democracy

/ 9 Mar 2010

We don't live in a police state, but we are going to be watched by aerial drones

Extraordinary plans by police in the UK to use unmanned spy drones to monitor antisocial motorists, protesters, agricultural thieves and fly-tippers

By Open democracy

/ 25 Jan 2010

The politics of poppy day

Following the threatened demonstration of Islam4UK in Wootton Bassett, Lucy Noakes explores the fraught history of war remembrance. The article launches Lest we forget: remembering historic conflicts, openSecurity’s new editorial project in association with History & Policy, asking historians to r

By Open democracy

/ 25 Jan 2010

Security sector reform - a global challenge