Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The Institute of World Politics on unethical conduct, foreign propaganda, deception and covert political influence

Anthony Watts has posted an article on his blog announcing the existence of yet another secret UN organisation (archived here) called the "UN Climate Change Commission". David "funny sunny" Archibald claims this previously unheard of UN entity is "on a path to rule the world ".  (David is a science denier who, like many deniers, is prone to paranoid conspiracy theories of this type.) I'm guessing this UN entity is known only to a select few at the Institute of World Politics. Maybe only to one person - David "funny sunny" Archibald.  The "UN Climate Change Commission" is not listed on the United Nations list of UN Climate Change Organizations and Programs.


The Institute of World Politics


David Archibald promotes himself at WUWT as a Visiting Fellow, Strategic Energy Policy at the Institute of World Politics. He is described on the Institute's website as:
a Perth, Australia-based scientist working in the fields of oil exploration, climate science, energy and geostrategy

Now I don't know much about the Institute of World Politics or its agenda. Here is what I do know. The Institute states on its website that it encourages "a free and open atmosphere to support the search for truth, the heart of the academic enterprise".

Searching for "truth" is a laudable goal but will raise red flags by those of us who are a tad cynical. When I think of a university I think of knowledge creation and development of ideas, rather than a place where anyone will find some immutable "truth". When someone talks about "truth" I admit to a tendency to wonder what they are hiding. (Does that make me a right wing authoritarian follower?)

In any case, it's clear that "truth" is not high on the selection criteria at the Institute of World Politics" when comes to appointing faculty or presenting its staff. That's obvious by its appointment of David Archibald as a Visiting Fellow and its presentation of him as "working in the field of ...climate science".

Therefore I admit to having doubts that anyone who enrols at The Institute of World Politics will easily find "truth".


David Archibald and the secret "UN Climate Change Commission"


Which brings me back to this latest announcement by David Archibald. According to him there is a mysterious, secret "UN Climate Change Commission" and this secret entity is "on a path to rule the world and mere facts are not going to get in its way".

If anyone knows of this "UN Climate Change Commission" I suppose it would be a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of World Politics, which has as its mission:
The Institute of World Politics is a graduate school of national security and international affairs, dedicated to developing leaders with a sound understanding of international realities and the ethical conduct of statecraft, based on knowledge and appreciation of the founding principles of the American political economy and the Western moral tradition. 

The Institute also has a reason for existing, which it calls a "Raison D' Etre". The  Raison D' Etre includes this statement:
Defense against foreign propaganda, deception, and covert political influence operations is a related neglected field.  

Why was David Archibald appointed to the Institute of World Politics?


I'm wondering if the Institute appointed David "funny sunny" Archibald to provide a living example of foreign propaganda, deception and covert political influence. He meets some of the requirements. He is a foreigner (being Australian). Deception is his middle name with his execrable and wrong books, papers and articles at WUWT.  His political influence is evident. I don't know about his covert influence, but he does wield overt influence in Australian politics. For example one of his acolytes is Maurice Newman who is the Chair of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's Business Advisory Council.

All of which raises the question of the role of the Institute of World Politics in covert political influence operations. Maybe someone from the Institute of World Politics could advise.


Afterthought


I've been reading up on The Institute of World Politics and reading between the lines on its website.  The flavour I'm picking up suggests to me that it's just another organisation grooming right wing ideologues. Here - its President is presenting to The Heritage Foundation. I'd like to be wrong.


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7 comments:

  1. You're not wrong.

    Archibald's presence at this outfit sounds like pretty standard wingnut welfare. He needed a job, they pay him and then fluff up his qualifications to mutual benefit.

    The commission referred to is clearly the UNFCCC. I'm not sure what point there is in confusing the name.

    Thanks for looking into the IWP.

    BTW, is there anything to the claim that Archibald has energy policy qualifications?

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    Replies
    1. Steve, I haven't even scraped the surface (yet).

      In regard to David's so called "energy policy qualification" it not an educational qualification. He works in fossil fuel exploration companies, that's all. Media Matters looked into him and wrote that his one and only educational qualification is a B.S., Geology, Queensland University (1979). So he must be one of the few people anywhere that has managed to get some so-called "graduate school" to give him a Visiting Research Fellowship, while not having a higher degree of any kind.

      Misrepresentation of a high order from the Institute. Just which "Western moral tradition" does this shonky Institute promote, I wonder?

      Delete
    2. The right wing western moral tradition, which as we all know is superior to any other moral tradition.

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    3. The right wing western moral tradition, which as we all know is superior to any other moral tradition.

      Delete
    4. RN - have you tried clearing the browser cache? :D

      Delete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  3. 'The Institute also has a reason for existing, which it calls a "Raison D' Etre".'

    I think that should be 'The Institute also has a reason for existing, which it calls a "Raison D' Erre".'

    :-)

    ReplyDelete

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