- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
- Hits: 19
Original image by Royal Court of Iran.
In September 1990 my book ‘The Economic Consequences of the Gulf War’ was published by Routledge. In this book, I clearly and soundly debunked the myth of rapid rises in military expenditures and the buildup of fancy/expensive military hardware as the passport to power and security.
Driven by soaring petrodollars following the 1973 oil crisis, the Shah rapidly escalated Iran's military spending. The defense budget increased more than tenfold over the decade. This massive military buildup became a primary catalyst for the 1979 revolution, severely destabilising the Iranian economy and the regime, fueling widespread public outrage, and raising revolutionary fervor.
- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
- Hits: 117
Militarisation is a lie and deceptive illusion and it cheats the masses
Photo credit: Blakiston’s
Lying to Ourselves is the Cardinal Sin and the Ultimate Act of Self Harm
Trust is Foundational to What it Means to be Human
To prioritise the military over human well-being is a crime against people everywhere.
Unlike the untrustworthy and self-centered political leaders (here today, gone tomorrow), the common men and women of this country with high moral compass, know that true security is defined not just by borders, but by access to healthcare, education, efficient and fairly priced public transport, affordable housing, clean and safe drinking water and clean air to breathe, as well as reverence for Mother Earth, in the recognition that we are deeply interconnected with the planet that sustains us, to name but a few.
They also know that security flourishes when there is a sense of economic justice and fairness, not when their governments lead an economic policy of socialism for the 1% and capitalism for the rest. Moreover, they also know that it is an act of folly and a clear sign of amorality to drastically increase military expenditure when the UK’s families are getting poorer, with record numbers of people classed as in “very deep poverty”—meaning their annual household incomes fail to cover the cost of food, energy bills and clothing, and more—and when many of the country’s future leaders, today’s children, are lonely, anxious, depressed, isolated, hungry, neglected, and at risk.
- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
- Hits: 120
Dear Andy Burnham,
I am sure you are already receiving advice from many seasoned advisers on how to deal with the socioeconomic and political matters that you will soon be in charge of taking action upon arriving at 10 Downing Street.
My plea to you today is different from others. I am not going to tell you about the bond markets, climate change and global warming, immigration, inflation, the cost of living, the Strait of Hormuz, or your possible relationship with Trump, Europe, China, Russia, and suchlike, as important as those issues are. No, my plea is about something far more important and more fundamental: trust, honesty and truthfulness, kindness, compassion, empathy, fairness, equality, hopes and dreams, without which all other advice you are getting will not have a chance in hell to succeed.
- 10 years on since the Brexit Referendum: Time is Now for Truth
- My Poem of the Month: June is the Month of Summer Solstice, Dreams, Love, Romance and Marriage
- Ode to Gardens: “In Paradise a garden lies”
- What would make the world a better place to live, thrive and prosper?
- In praise of birds, the humanity’s singing ambassadors, on Sunday 3 May 2026