Published in Overland Issue 210 Autumn 2013 · Uncategorized Editorial Jeff Sparrow When Statesmen gravely say ‘We must be realistic’, The chances are they’re weak and, therefore, pacifistic, But when they speak of Principles, look out: perhaps Their generals are already poring over maps. We go to print almost exactly on the tenth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, a historic crime that perfectly illustrates Auden’s point, given the unctuous, oily rhetoric of that time cloaking all the war’s most grotesque atrocities in the vocabulary of humanitarianism. This edition of Overland contains much terrific writing – in the essays, as well as the stories and the prize-winning poems in the Overland Judith Wright competition. Our contributors focus on the most pressing issues of the era, from environmental crisis to the resurgence of fascism, and from the war on terror to the oppression of Tibet. Collated under the one cover, these essays paint a picture of the massive challenges facing our generation. The problems can seem overwhelming, especially since, in many instances, no obvious solutions present themselves. Then again we are past the time for comforting illusions. A decade ago, our leaders proclaimed a new kind of politics, even as they confidently hitched their principles into the service of lies. Today, in the wake of Iraq (and, after it, the GFC), we hear less of the rhetoric of interventions and civilisational clashes, precisely because the politicians of today feel so much weaker. That’s a good thing, as anyone who looks at the record of Iraq will know. But it does foster a broader perception that alternatives to the status quo are in short supply. Today, there’s a chance for the Left to rearticulate its own principles, to outline a way forward not based on crisis and violence. But that means beginning with the world as it is, not as we’d like it to be. That’s what this edition’s about. Jeff Sparrow Jeff Sparrow is a Walkley Award-winning writer, broadcaster and former editor of Overland. More by Jeff Sparrow › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 1 First published in Overland Issue 228 28 September 202328 September 2023 · Cartoons Ban cars from the city Sam Wallman Sam Wallman makes the case for closing the streets off one by one. 1 First published in Overland Issue 228 27 September 2023 · Sport When the sport circus comes on Country Jenny Fraser The next huckster in the carnival of sport is the upcoming 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. If we want aspects of it to be in line with Aboriginal protocol, we need action from across the four winds of the world. If it’s not done right we need solidarity and protest just the same. We are each other’s safety net in this theatre of sport. As a senior Aboriginal woman activist once told me, ‘we are all only as good as we negotiate’.