Militarism examined

This category looks into militaries and militarism, with a focus on Great Britain. From how the UK became one of the world’s leading arms exporters, to why we continue to export to nations with serious human rights concerns, to investigations into the UK’s armed forces, it seeks to challenge the contradictions and failures of British militarism, and the failure of other nations militaries, today.

26 Apr 2022
As the UK’s ‘lethal aid’ increases, its humanitarian funding takes a hit – and why this matters
Eden Elouisa Spence asks: why has the UK government's focus on defence been at the detriment of humanitarian aid?
26 Apr 2022
Tolerating intolerance? Is the UK military failing its LGBTQ personnel?
Murray Jones reports on the Government’s failure to offer information on its acquiescence to the repressive rules of foreign militaries
25 Apr 2022
The ‘madman despot’ theory only serves to embolden Vladimir Putin
This article explores how accusations of insanity serve to strengthen the Russian President’s hand in Ukraine
14 Apr 2022
18 images that helped define modern conflict
The war photographer James Nachtwey described his career as “I have been a witness, and these pictures are my testimony. The events I have recorded should not be forgotten and must not be repeated.” Here AOAV looks at some iconic war images and how they have shaped our own view of conflict.
16 Feb 2022
UK arms export fines quadruple in two years
Campaigners criticise the Government as the number of infringements committed by military exporters rises dramatically
3 Feb 2022
Questions raised about the diversity deficit in the upper ranks of the British Army
New data about the lack of black representation in top army positions raises concerns about how much the British military reflects the population it serves to protect
31 Jan 2022
Bloody Sunday remembered
Fifty years ago, on 30 January 1972, 13 people were shot dead by British soldiers during a march in Londonderry.
22 Nov 2021
Toxic banter on military forum over Kenyan woman’s death exposes misogyny in British armed forces
An investigation into posts made in wake of the murder of a Kenyan sex worker Agnes Wanjiru include discussions of how the army will brush the death ‘under the carpet’
11 Nov 2021
British Special Forces hid evidence of Afghan killings
Senior military officers buried evidence that British troops were executing detainees in Afghanistan, the High Court has been told.
11 Nov 2021
Almost three-quarters of asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Iraq rejected by British government, study shows
The UK Home Office has rejected thousands of applications from Afghans and Iraqis over a decade of fleeing war, a review of British government asylum data has revealed.
26 Sep 2021
AOAV’s report on UK compensation payments for civilian deaths in Afghanistan garners global coverage
AOAV's report in British forces compensation payments for the deaths of at least 289 civilians in Afghanistan is cited worldwide
23 Sep 2021
Blood Money: UK Compensation Payments for Afghan Civilian Harm Examined
British forces paid compensation for the deaths of at least 289 civilians in Afghanistan, including as many as 86 children, during their combat mission, according to new analysis by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV).