According to the United Nations, Afghanistan is responsible for ninety percent of the world’s opium supply, despite improved eradication efforts. Opium cultivation has risen 7% in 2011 over last year and production has increased by 61%. Growers site economic hardship and high prices for opium crops as key reasons for growing poppy crops that eventually become opium.
Government attempts at eradication are seen as attacks on farmers livelihoods in the absence of a replacement crop that provides a similar revenue stream and has created a source of recruits for the Taliban. Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2011/1011/Afghanistan-still-world-s-top-opium-supplier-despite-10-years-of-US-led-war
No country wants to be known as a narcotic state, given all the problems opiates bring upon society, but without a meaningful alternative, what does the international community expect? In places like Afghanistan, survival is the name of the game, and if growing and cultivating opium will give you, as a peasant farmer the best chance to survive, why would you change?
This is a government issue, either search for meaningful crops that provide livelihoods or shut up about opium plants within your country. At the end of the day, its’ all about making a living and surviving.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Underwear Bomber
Perhaps illustrative of my above point about Africa being a potential terrorist recruiting ground of the present and future. The “Underwear Bomber” pleaded guilty in a federal courtroom last week for attempting to blow up a jetliner over Detroit, Christmas Day 2010.
Though, I’m certainly not going to shed a tear for the underwear bomber, I think this case speaks to larger problems that we as a country have yet to meaningfully address.
Despite our best security, he still found a way onto a commercial airliner and could’ve brought down a plane with 250 passengers onboard. This is indicative that even with the world’s greatest security measures, the terrorists can always find a hole.
My larger point, is the terrorist breeding ground that is Africa. Africa is plagued with bad governance, lack of jobs, lack of education, and just a general lack of opportunity. Terrorist groups prey upon the margins of traditional society, exploiting the isolated and giving them something to believe in.
The “Underwear Bomber” may have failed in his ultimate goal, thankfully, but that doesn’t mean that there are not other disaffected souls around the world, under the sway of terrorist ideology seething at the thought of finishing the Underwear Bombers work and creating their own legacy.
Though, I’m certainly not going to shed a tear for the underwear bomber, I think this case speaks to larger problems that we as a country have yet to meaningfully address.
Despite our best security, he still found a way onto a commercial airliner and could’ve brought down a plane with 250 passengers onboard. This is indicative that even with the world’s greatest security measures, the terrorists can always find a hole.
My larger point, is the terrorist breeding ground that is Africa. Africa is plagued with bad governance, lack of jobs, lack of education, and just a general lack of opportunity. Terrorist groups prey upon the margins of traditional society, exploiting the isolated and giving them something to believe in.
The “Underwear Bomber” may have failed in his ultimate goal, thankfully, but that doesn’t mean that there are not other disaffected souls around the world, under the sway of terrorist ideology seething at the thought of finishing the Underwear Bombers work and creating their own legacy.
Should the United States move against The LRA?
100 US Special Operations Forces began deploying to Africa in order to assist local military leaders in their quest to capture the brutal Joseph Kony head of the Lords Resistance Army who has killed thousands of civilians, raped women, and abducted children for use as child soldiers.
The soldiers will fan out throughout Uganda, Central African Republic, Congo, and the newly minted South Sudan. Their role is to act in an advisory and intelligence capacity unless forced to defend themselves. This is another example of Barack Obama’s military strategy: smaller numbers of more specialized forces and greater use of targeted drone strikes. The question: Is it the right strategy?
Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2011/1015/What-US-manhunt-for-LRA-leaders-reveals-about-Obama-s-war-strategy
President Obama has defined this mission in terms of America’s national security interest. While that claim is disputed by some, the Pentagon has added “preventing of human suffering due to mass atrocities” to its’ list of priorities outlined in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. The L.R.A. most certainly fits that definition, meaning that such action is indeed warranted. Furthermore, the President was given a 2010 Congressional mandate to deal with the L.R.A.
Obviously, a big military buildup is out of the question given other commitments, but something small and directional is warranted given our human rights stances and the fact that Africa is considered by many experts to be the next terrorist hotspot.
I’m further struck by a lack of alternatives: we shouldn’t sanction an already economically fragile region for 300-400 L.R.A operatives. Doesn’t it make us appear heartless and cruel to let more people die?
The soldiers will fan out throughout Uganda, Central African Republic, Congo, and the newly minted South Sudan. Their role is to act in an advisory and intelligence capacity unless forced to defend themselves. This is another example of Barack Obama’s military strategy: smaller numbers of more specialized forces and greater use of targeted drone strikes. The question: Is it the right strategy?
Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2011/1015/What-US-manhunt-for-LRA-leaders-reveals-about-Obama-s-war-strategy
President Obama has defined this mission in terms of America’s national security interest. While that claim is disputed by some, the Pentagon has added “preventing of human suffering due to mass atrocities” to its’ list of priorities outlined in the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. The L.R.A. most certainly fits that definition, meaning that such action is indeed warranted. Furthermore, the President was given a 2010 Congressional mandate to deal with the L.R.A.
Obviously, a big military buildup is out of the question given other commitments, but something small and directional is warranted given our human rights stances and the fact that Africa is considered by many experts to be the next terrorist hotspot.
I’m further struck by a lack of alternatives: we shouldn’t sanction an already economically fragile region for 300-400 L.R.A operatives. Doesn’t it make us appear heartless and cruel to let more people die?
Monday, October 17, 2011
Good luck to the Rock Valley College MUN
Just wanted to take a few minutes to wish the Rock Valley College Model United Nations Team good luck at their conference in Washington D.C. later this week. You’ve worked hard for months, now all that hard work will pay off in just a few days time. There’s not much else to do from here, you just have to believe in yourselves and everything else will fall into place.
To the young members of the team, this is a positive because it means that someone has high expectations of you. Trust me it beats the alternative. For the more experienced members of the team, drink up the experience, things like this don’t come around too often. To the advisors, have confidence in the people you’ve chosen because they will come through for you, with flying colors.
To the young members of the team, this is a positive because it means that someone has high expectations of you. Trust me it beats the alternative. For the more experienced members of the team, drink up the experience, things like this don’t come around too often. To the advisors, have confidence in the people you’ve chosen because they will come through for you, with flying colors.
Serbia’s EU Bid: It’s About Kosovo
While praising many aspects of Serbia’s development in a report released last Tuesday, the European Commission (EC) identified Kosovo as a key issue preventing the launch of membership talks.
Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia considers the region a breakaway state. Belgrade runs “parallel structures” within Kosovo mostly inhabited by Serbs with governments and courts. The EU itself supports independence and provides support to Pristina government. Serbian president Boris Tadic facing election next year, can’t be seen as weak on EU membership or Kosovo, given the large Serbian population that still live there. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/1012/European-Union-Kosovo-stands-between-Serbia-and-EU-membership
Genocides die hard. Given that the EU and the US have already blocked the idea of a partition. Would the respective governments agree to something of an amnesty program? A set period of time where Serbs within Kosovo will have to decide whether they belong to Kosovo or Serbia. After this period of time, Serbia would renounce all claims to territory within Kosovo are recognize the rights of an independent Kosovo.
An independent Kosovo is really the bottom line, either Serbia accepts it, or else it never gets the acceptance in the EU that is clearly covets. While resolving Kosovo won’t lock up an EU invite, failure to do so may derail any hope of an invite.
Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia considers the region a breakaway state. Belgrade runs “parallel structures” within Kosovo mostly inhabited by Serbs with governments and courts. The EU itself supports independence and provides support to Pristina government. Serbian president Boris Tadic facing election next year, can’t be seen as weak on EU membership or Kosovo, given the large Serbian population that still live there. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/1012/European-Union-Kosovo-stands-between-Serbia-and-EU-membership
Genocides die hard. Given that the EU and the US have already blocked the idea of a partition. Would the respective governments agree to something of an amnesty program? A set period of time where Serbs within Kosovo will have to decide whether they belong to Kosovo or Serbia. After this period of time, Serbia would renounce all claims to territory within Kosovo are recognize the rights of an independent Kosovo.
An independent Kosovo is really the bottom line, either Serbia accepts it, or else it never gets the acceptance in the EU that is clearly covets. While resolving Kosovo won’t lock up an EU invite, failure to do so may derail any hope of an invite.
Why Slovakia Said No
Slovakia’s parliament voted against the expansion of the European bailout fund, the EDSF that would’ve gone to bailout Greece. Not only does this vote have consequences for Europe at large, who is struggling to contain a far reaching debt crisis, but also caused the collapse of Slovakia’s coalition government.
The Freedom and Solidarity party failed to support Prime Minister Ivetta Redicova arguing that Slovakian taxpayers should not have to bail out Greece because Slovaks don’t make much more than Greeks on average and furthermore Slovakia implemented austerity measures Greece didn’t. The measure will likely pass on the second vote, with the opposition having accomplished its’ goal of bringing down the government.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/1012/The-mouse-that-roared-How-tiny-Slovakia-could-prolong-Europe-s-massive-debt-crisis/
There is something to be said in my view for smaller countries not wanting to bail out bigger countries. Smaller countries typically have less money to spend and have instituted austerity measures. Meanwhile, bigger countries because of their size have engaged in a culture of “spend baby spend”!
As time goes by, it’ll be interesting to whether other countries follow Slovakia’s example and say no to the big guys. This was the beauty and miscalculation of the eurozone. It gives everyone an equal voice, but one country, even tiny Slovakia can hold a European powers fate in its’ hands.
The reason Slovakia said no this time, appears domestic…will Europe be this lucky next time.
The Freedom and Solidarity party failed to support Prime Minister Ivetta Redicova arguing that Slovakian taxpayers should not have to bail out Greece because Slovaks don’t make much more than Greeks on average and furthermore Slovakia implemented austerity measures Greece didn’t. The measure will likely pass on the second vote, with the opposition having accomplished its’ goal of bringing down the government.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/1012/The-mouse-that-roared-How-tiny-Slovakia-could-prolong-Europe-s-massive-debt-crisis/
There is something to be said in my view for smaller countries not wanting to bail out bigger countries. Smaller countries typically have less money to spend and have instituted austerity measures. Meanwhile, bigger countries because of their size have engaged in a culture of “spend baby spend”!
As time goes by, it’ll be interesting to whether other countries follow Slovakia’s example and say no to the big guys. This was the beauty and miscalculation of the eurozone. It gives everyone an equal voice, but one country, even tiny Slovakia can hold a European powers fate in its’ hands.
The reason Slovakia said no this time, appears domestic…will Europe be this lucky next time.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Soviet Collapse by Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev gave a far ranging interview where he talks about regretting the collapse of the Soviet state, blaming the United States for not being more supportive of his efforts to reform the Communist system, and worries that Vladimir Putin is dragging Russia backwards into a state of plundered resources…a recap of the interview is available here: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/1013/Mikhail-Gorbachev-We-should-have-preserved-the-Soviet-Union
I want to react to his thoughts about The United States not being supportive enough of his economic and political reforms. I have a lot of personal respect for Mikhail Gorbachev not being another Soviet leader who left in a casket, and for making a legitimate attempt to better things for his people, but he’s off base in his criticism of the United States.
Some Russians regard Gorbachev as an agent of the West, implanted to bring down the Soviet system offering him more U.S. support only would’ve leant support to this view. Furthermore, the Soviet system spent sixty years demonizing the United States, how does us supporting you further, help you exactly?
Furthermore, all legitimacy is created domestically. By attempting such radical though necessary reforms in the face of such opposition is bound to create questions of legitimacy and if the Communist party couldn’t be unified than the mechanism of governing has been effectively broken.
The planned economy of the Soviet state was failing and Gorbachev was being attacked from all sides: the old school communists who wanted to preserve the Lenin system, and the liberals who felt that he didn’t go far enough in his reforms. It was his own communist brethren that brought him down because he couldn’t control the elements within the Soviet communist party.
None of these, where the fault of the United States.
I want to react to his thoughts about The United States not being supportive enough of his economic and political reforms. I have a lot of personal respect for Mikhail Gorbachev not being another Soviet leader who left in a casket, and for making a legitimate attempt to better things for his people, but he’s off base in his criticism of the United States.
Some Russians regard Gorbachev as an agent of the West, implanted to bring down the Soviet system offering him more U.S. support only would’ve leant support to this view. Furthermore, the Soviet system spent sixty years demonizing the United States, how does us supporting you further, help you exactly?
Furthermore, all legitimacy is created domestically. By attempting such radical though necessary reforms in the face of such opposition is bound to create questions of legitimacy and if the Communist party couldn’t be unified than the mechanism of governing has been effectively broken.
The planned economy of the Soviet state was failing and Gorbachev was being attacked from all sides: the old school communists who wanted to preserve the Lenin system, and the liberals who felt that he didn’t go far enough in his reforms. It was his own communist brethren that brought him down because he couldn’t control the elements within the Soviet communist party.
None of these, where the fault of the United States.
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