Richardson the Diplomat

Bill Richardson, bold, brash, aggressive, Latino, reminds me of someone I know...

NY Times article on diplomatic efforts

POLS 284 Review

Review session will be at 1pm on Thurs, BSB 385.

Climate Change and War

NYTimes just listed climate conflict as an important new idea of 2007

December 9, 2007

Climate Conflicts

"It took years for a consensus on the existence and causes of climate change to emerge. But it took no time at all, it seems, for leaders around the world to latch onto the notion that global warming will bring war. In the spring, a report by retired U.S. generals and admirals called on Washington to incorporate climate change, especially its destabilizing effect on weak states, into the United States’ national defense strategy. Soon after, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wrote in The Washington Post that the origin of the brutal fighting between herders and farmers in Darfur was an extended drought that was tied to the warming of the Indian Ocean — itself the product of new weather patterns driven by human activity. And then Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize in part for his climate-change documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth.” What does global warming have to do with peace? In the view of the Nobel panel, it “may induce large scale migration and lead to greater competition for the Earth’s resources ... [and] increased danger of violent conflicts and wars, within and between states.”

It stands to reason that the consequences scientists expect from global warming (droughts, floods, failed crops) would worsen the problems that can lead to conflict (poverty, inequality, refugee flows). But Idean Salehyan, a political scientist at the University of North Texas, warns against making too much of that point. There’s little empirical data linking scarcity to conflict, he argues; if anything, people tend to fight over the abundance of resources."

Iran

One of the most interesting political developments in the last few years. This report derails the call for war, sanctions, call into question the policy of preemption, and suggestions that Iran is a rational actor. Pretty much groundbreaking all around.

NIE Iran Report 2007

Although I do fail to see how this is a victory for Iran. Basically it just says, fine, we believe you.

IR as a field

Here are some stats about the field.

Top journals
JCR, IO, and JPR are the top three.

Top papers published in the last two years

Heavily slants towards Civil Wars.

Top 20 papers overall
IPE/conflict and dem peace papers are well represented.

Who Killed Chavez?...No One

Chavez is more paranoid than I am.

"Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday CNN may have been instigating his murder when the U.S. TV network showed a photograph of him with a label underneath that read "Who killed him?" The caption appeared to be a production mistake -- confusing a Chavez news item with one on the death of a football star. "
I want the state prosecutor to look into bringing a suit against CNN for instigating murder in Venezuela," he said. "... undoubtedly it is part of the psychological warfare."

ESPN on Gore's Peace Prize

Even ESPN is getting in on the act.

"Those Hollywood Searchlights Around Gore's Home Sure Eat Power: Gore wasn't the first quack to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and history suggests he will not be the last. Gore spent eight years in the White House, and in that time took no meaningful action regarding greenhouse gases. The Clinton-Gore administration did not raise fuel economy standards for cars and trucks or propose domestic carbon trading. Though Clinton and Gore made a great show of praising the Kyoto Protocol, they refused even to submit the treaty to the Senate for consideration, let alone push for ratification. During his 2000 run for the presidency, Gore said little about climate change or binding global-warming reforms. In the White House and during his presidential campaign, Gore advocated no consequential action regarding greenhouse gases; then, there was a political cost attached. Once Gore was out of power and global-warming proposals no longer carried a political cost -- indeed, could be used for self-promotion -- suddenly Gore discovered his intense desire to demand that other leaders do what he had not! It is a triumph of postmodernism that Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for no specific accomplishment other than making a movie of self-praise. Gore caused no peace nor led any reconciliation of belligerent parties nor performed any service to the dispossessed, the achievements the Peace Prize was created to honor. All Gore did was promote himself from Hollywood, and for this, he gets a Nobel. Very postmodern."

Are You Experienced?

Here are a few of my favorite lines from this Dowd NYTimes article on Hilary.

• "She went on some first lady jaunts and made a good speech at a U.N. women’s conference in Beijing. But she was certainly not, as her top Iowa supporter, former governor Tom Vilsack claimed yesterday on MSNBC, “the face of the administration in foreign affairs.”
• Obama’s one-liner evoked something that rubs some people the wrong way about Hillary. Getting ahead through connections is common in life. But Hillary cloaks her nepotism in feminism.
• “With all due respect,” she told a crowd in Iowa. “I don’t think living in a foreign country between the ages of 6 and 10 is foreign policy experience." But is living in the White House between the ages of 45 and 53 foreign policy experience?"

Decline of Tenure Faculty

NY Times on the increase of adjunct faculty. Notice how poli sci is not include as a field that can benefit from adjuncts.
"Professors with tenure or who are on a tenure track are now a distinct minority on the country’s campuses, as the ranks of part-time instructors and professors hired on a contract have swelled, according to federal figures analyzed by the AAUP. Mark B. Rosenberg, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, said that part-timers can provide real-world experience to students and fill gaps in nursing, math, accounting and other disciplines with a shortage of qualified faculty. He also said the shift could come with costs. Adjuncts are less likely to have doctoral degrees, educators say. They also have less time to meet with students, and research suggests that students who take many courses with them are somewhat less likely to graduate."

Why to avoid non-Ph.D. adjuncts:
Not connected with the currents of research and scholarship in the fieldNo time to prepare classes
Not trained in the basics of the field
Letters of recommendation carry little weight
No time to help students
Little authority as a part time worker
Lack of support staff and TAs
Degrees represent little extra time in the classroom

Iran and the Election

Interesting fact from the recent NYTimes election poll
"Just 4 percent of Democrats in Iowa and New Hampshire would favor a candidate who advocates using military action soon to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons; 38 percent of New Hampshire Republicans and 31 percent of Iowa Republicans would support such a candidate."

Extra Credit

International Security
Extra Credit Assignment

You may choose to either write a report on a movie or a book for extra credit. This report is due when you turn in your final test. The movie review will be worth up to 10 points; a book review will be worth up to 20 points.

Details:
Movie: The movie must deal with international security issues including anything we have covered in class. Foreign policy, war, conflict, arms, and historical animosity are all included. No movies on interpersonal relationships or tenuous connections to international events will be accepted (Borat). The movie can come from any time period. It would be best to get the movie approved before you watch. You must write at least a 4 page paper that will include one half review of the movie and the issues it covers. The second half will consider how it is relevant to the class and what lessons we can take from it. This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 10 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the movie.

Book: The book must deal with contemporary international security issues. It should be published after 9/11. The same issues mentioned in the movie option are fair game. It would be best to get the book approved by me before attempting to write a review. Your review must be at least 7 pages. It should be completed as your normal required book report (1/3 review, 1/3 connection to international security, and 1/3 criticisms or support). This assignment will be graded like any other essay, 20 points are not guaranteed. I do NOT want a recap of the book.

"Why don't you shut up?"

Way too much diplomacy lately.
"Spanish King Juan Carlos, seated next to Zapatero, angrily turned to Chavez and said, "Why don't you shut up?"

International Security

Here is the schedule for the remaining classes.

Nov 13 Territoriality and Territorial Issues

Nov 15 Alliances and Arms Races

Nov 20 Kantian Tripod

Nov 22 Thanksgiving

Nov 27 Tragedy, Nov 29 Bare Branches, Dec 4 Vulcan's, Dec 6 Assassin's

Final, Dec 14, 10:30am

IPSA

As I mentioned, I will be giving two presentations this weekend. If would prefer students looking for extra credit to attend the session on violence. Conference will be in the Student Center East on Hasted, I think both presentations are in the White Oaks A room.

SESSION II: 10:45-12:00 noon
PANEL I Session Title: Violence in the System
Organizer/Moderator: Brandon Valeriano
Location: White Oaks A
Topics & Presenters • Russia and the United States, 1991-2005: Regime Change and the Transformations of an Interstate Rivalry Vitaliy Voznyak and Brandon Valeriano, UIC •

Using a Fuzzy Future Model to Analyze Violence In Iraq Ribhi I. Salhi, Roosevelt University •

Been There, Done That: The Navajo War and Experiments in Navajo Nation-Building Chris Newman, Elgin Community College •

Terrorism at the Doorstep? A Comparative Look at Issue Salience for Local versus National Level Candidates Catherine Griffiths, UIC
Discussant: Brandon Valeriano, UIC

SESSION IV 3:45 – 5:00 p.m.
PANEL I Session Title: Urban Politics II: Race, Elections, and Inequality
Organizer/Moderator: Susan Gaffney, Governors State University
Location: White Oaks A
Topics & Presenters • The Influence of Public and Private Sector Development on Inequality in the Urban Spatial Structure Anthony Paul Andrews, Governors State University •

Conflict, Cooperation, or a Colorblind Environment? What Local Lawmakers Say About the Experience of Blacks Serving on City Councils Gregory Neddenriep, Northeastern University •

Competition for Office: Mayoral Elections Andrew McNitt, Eastern Illinois University and Chris Newman, Elgin Community College •

Latino Cultural Assimilation, Divided Loyalties, and World Cup Television Ratings Brandon Valeriano, UIC

Territory and the Arctic

As some of you know, I was just in Canada. Read this while I was there, which goes over the coming territorial dispute over the rights to the Arctic.

Treading on Thin Ice

"In recent months, a Cold War-style game of imperial conquest has developed beneath the ice of the Arctic Ocean and the Northwest Passage, a submarine-driven dispute involving the United States, Norway, Denmark and especially Canada and Russia. Mr. Harper used this week's Throne Speech to signal the federal government was stepping up its presence in the Far North, pledging a bold and expensive military campaign to assert sovereignty over territory claimed by Canada, and areas of the Arctic that are still in dispute."

WWIII

I couldn't agree with the following more:

Avoiding WWIII
"Despite the very real causes for U.S. complaint, the escalation of American threats against Iran is unwise. It is grossly premature. It is dangerous, as it greatly increases the likelihood of accidental escalation into a preventable war. It is alarmingly ill-timed, as an isolated United States wages simultaneous ground wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and both conflicts are going badly. And it is diplomatically counterproductive. Congress and U.S. opinion leaders should slam on the brakes -- if they can."

Preemption Gone Bad

Semi-old NY Times article

Pre-emptive Caution: The Case of Syria

By DAVID E. SANGER

Published: October 15, 2007

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 — It was President Bush who, a year after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, rewrote America’s national security strategy to warn any nation that might be thinking of trying to develop atomic weapons that it could find itself the target of a pre-emptive military strike.

But that was the fall of 2002, when the world looked very different from how it does in the fall of 2007. Now, the case of Syria, which Israeli and American analysts suspect was trying to build a nuclear reactor, has become a prime example of what can happen when Mr. Bush’s first-term instincts run headlong into second-term realities.

Five years later, dealing with nations that may have nuclear weapons ambitions — but are also staying within the letter of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty — looks a lot more complicated than it once did.

This time it was the Israelis who invoked Mr. Bush’s doctrine, determining that what they believed was a nascent Syrian effort to build a nuclear reactor could not be tolerated.

In a curious role reversal, some of Mr. Bush’s own top advisers were urging restraint before Israel bombed the site on Sept. 6, raising questions about whether the threat was too murky and too distant to warrant military action. Those are precisely the kinds of questions Mr. Bush’s critics say should have been raised about Iraq.

Minority Fellow

Interested minority undergrads should apply, and come see me.

Minority Fellows Program APPLICATION DEADLINE APPROACHING: October 26
The APSA Minority Fellows Program, which was established in 1969 as an effort to increase the number of minority scholars in the discipline, has designated more than 300 fellows and contributed to the successful completion of doctoral political science programs for dozens of ndividuals. Fellows with stipends receive a $4,000 fellowship that is disbursed in two $2,000 payments--one at the end of their first graduate year and one at the end of their second--provided that they remain in good academic standing. Additional applicants who do not receive funds from the Association may also be recognized and recommended for admission and financial support to graduate political science programs. Awards are based on students' undergraduate course work, GPA, extracurricular activities, GRE scores, and recommendations from faculty.

The Minority Fellows program is designed primarily for minority students applying to enter a doctoral program in POLITICAL SCIENCE for the FIRST TIME. Additional eligibility criteria include:

• Applicants must be members of one of the following racial/ethnic minority groups: African Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, Latinos/as, and Native Americans (federal and state recognized tribes);
• Applicants must demonstrate an interest in teaching and potential for research in political science;
• Applicant must be a US Citizen at time of award; and
• Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
  

For more information, see www.apsanet.org/section_427.cfm. For more information, contact: Kim Mealy at kmealy@apsanet.org.

Is this an Alliance?

Lets see if everyone was paying attention in class, is this an alliance?

Gore and Peace

As some of you know, I am really upset that Gore got the Nobel Peace Prize. Mainly because work on global warming has nothing to do with peace. The link is tenuous at best. This economist article makes some good points.

"IF THE Nobel Peace Prize were awarded for making the world a more peaceful place, then this year’s winners—Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)—would be a bizarre choice. But two out of the previous three peace prizes went to people and organisations who had nothing to do with peace.
Evidently the committee has decided to redefine the award as the Nobel Prize for Making the World a Better Place in Some Unspecified Way."

The New York Times notes, "there will be skeptics who ask what the Peace Prize has to do with global warming. The committee answered that unhesitatingly with its warning that climate change, if unchecked, could unleash massive migrations, violent competitions for resources and, ultimately, threaten the “security of mankind.”

I don't really appreciate being label a skeptic. I am an empiricist and there is little to no evidence of what the Nobel prize committee claims will occur. Resource wars have been rare to non-existent throughout international history. Migrations have not lead to widespread conflict, even refugee movements (although they are obviously harmful to the well being of peoples). I fail to see how the security of mankind is threatened through an increase in violence by global warming. Global warming is clearly an important problem, but it is a peace/war problem?

Why I hate 'The War."

Oh PBS, how you have failed me. I remember the 'Civil War' fondly. Incredible documentary that covered both the human side of the war and the grand scope of history. 'The War' is simply confused, confusing, trivial, and misguided.

I feel compelled to watch, I can't turn away. Yet, Ken Burn's 'the War' is tedious and boring. Very little new or interesting is presented. The documentary has many internal contradictions. For example, it state's that the Pearl Harbor attack was a surprise, then later details how the American's knew there would be an attack somewhere. Elsewhere, the documentary jumps around in time and places. Talking about Midway one minute, then the attack on North Africa the next. I didn't know where we were fighting or when half the time.

It very rarely details the diplomatic battles taking place, everything is either simply about the fighting or the people involved. I don't really care that some guys dad drove him to be shipped off to war. I wasn't very moved. I haven't even mentioned the lack of diverse perspectives in the film. Sure, they cover Japanese American's, but very briefly. Where are all the blacks and Latinos? This is needed especially if they are going to cover Alabama and California. Talk about "whitewashing" history.. Are you telling me there were no black soldiers that could have been profiled from Mobile?

Burn's seems to have something out for MacAuther. Is this to set up his return later? Who cares really. They didn't even mention why he was in the Philippines in the first place. I just think its funny he is the whipping boy for the failure in the Philippines. Burn's makes it seem like he was reading my pet goat, like Bush was during 9/11, during the Japanese attacks.

Notice how the photos are blurred so you don't see faces or wounds? I am sure this is to keep this show for family viewing, yet it decreases the impact. You can hardly tell the images are blurred. I didn't notice for a bit until I looked closely, and consider I am watching in HD. Besides, the point is that war is brutal and devastating. We never get that point since all the images in the film are blurred, just like the whole enterprise. But then again, did we really need to see a dead starved baby? Why can't you show dead soldiers yet a dead baby is ok?

Why he did choose to point out that some solider was peeing in a photo? Why did they have some creepy 'junglevision' camera work that was mixed in with old photos?

More to come...I am going to keep watching because its my job. But really, I would rather watch Two and Half Men at this point. Its more intellectually engaging.

Extras
Are you kidding me? The extra Latino coverage started out great with a focus on the Marine Raiders, my grandfathers old unit. But did they really have to focus on the atrocities or the fact that the Latino guy wished his best friend would die from his wounds (he didn't know it was his best friend at the time and he was screaming, preventing the unit from sleeping). Thats like making OJ or the KKK the main contributions of black and Anglo culture in a documentary 100 years from now.

Nice NYTimes article that makes fun of the American-centric perspective of the documentary.

Iran Vacation Fall 07?

It should not be surprising that the USA is planning on attacking Iran. Even France is warming to the idea. What is surprising and disheartening the lack of support internally for an attack and also that it seems this will be an Air Force only plan. Limited wars do not work!

"The US president faces strong opposition to military action, however, within his own joint chiefs of staff. “None of them think it is a good idea, but they will do it if they are told to,” said a senior defence source."

Domestic Politics

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/opinion/15skinner.html?pagewanted=print

Al Qaeda Franchising

Apparently Al Qaeda is into franchising. Pretty scary article, but I wonder if by claiming so often how dangerous the group is, the United States is making Al Qaeda into a more a potent attack force by branding alone.

"Some of those groups have jumped at the chance to align themselves with the Al Qaeda "brand name," which has soared in popularity because of its increasingly sophisticated multimedia campaigns and widespread opposition to U.S. foreign policy, particularly the war in Iraq, the officials and private experts say."

America the Textbook

Grad school colleague of mine has been using Jon Stewart's America as a textbook in Intro to American Politics. Now he seems to be getting some interesting press. Don't anyone get any ideas, movies are enough of a stretch for me.

Isreali Lobby

Dr. Walt and Mearsheimer made the NY Times with their new book. Lets all look at their picture.

French Education System

This video makes Teen South Carolina look good. I still don't know if this is real or if the audience flubbed the question on purpose. Either way, its pretty funny. On that note, geography quiz next week students.

APSA

For those in the graduate course, I am strongly recommending that you attend an APSA panel this week. Here is a listing of all the panels by subject. Anything from 18 to 21 (preferred) is suitable. Locations will not be posted online. Ask me by email sometime after Wed. You can also search by name or keyword here.

Syllabii

The Syllabus for 284 (International Conflict/Security) is here
The Syllabus for 571 (PhD IR Core) is here

How to Download Articles

Here is how you download an article, important for both classes.
For example:
Gartzke, E. and M. Simon (1999). "Hot Hand: A Critical Analysis of Enduring Rivalries." Journal of Politics 61(3): 777-98
So the journal is Journal of Politics, 1999, Issue 3
Go to:
http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/reference/resources/journals/
Search for the Journal of Politics in the open field
Since the article was published in 1999, pick link one, Jstor
At this point you need to log in with your UIC netid
The simple thing to do now would be to just search the journal for the title of the article, in this case Hot Hand. It comes up as the first link, download and print.
Let me know if anyone has any further questions.

Pig War II

The last pig war, Austria vs. Serbia in the early 1900's...Pig War II

Russia Territorial Question

North Pole
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070801111151.7ie3xna9&show_article=1
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=R4YA22ACPBC1TQFIQMFCFF4AVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2007/08/01/wpole101.xml

Lets go invading

And I was starting to like Obama but invading a sovereign country is probably not the best idea.

Scary Japan

http://www.iht.com/bin/print.php?id=6770304

Hating Michael Moore

Its odd to hate some of the people you agree with. This happens quite often with me - Dems in Congress, Michael Moore, and the American national soccer team. This article details why someone should avoid all things Michael Moore.

Axis of Evil, Part Duex

I really need a one/two word name for this blog. How about Axis of Disunity? Loving Chavez? This article details the recent Alliance formed between Hugo Chavez and Iran. Good times...
Axis of Unity...

Hamas Mickey

Hamas Mickey Mouse killed by a jew. If only sesame street would tackle these issues. Which character would play Mel Gibson? The grouch?
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/2357.html

Restrain this

I always said England's support during the recent wars was an example of a restraining alliance.

"Christopher Meyer said that fear explained why Prime Minister Tony Blair chose to stand with US President George W. Bush in his decision to invade Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks -- to temper his aggressive battle plans."

Fog of War Report

The Fog of War report is due on June 28th. It should be between 5-7 pages. There is no length requirement but you obviously need a certain amount of space to complete the assignment.

Assignment:
Propose a documentary movie based on an interview with one person or a group of people. Outline who you are choosing and why. Then explain how you would conduct a critical oral history interview of the subject(s). What lessons from the Fog of War book would be useful in examining this case? Why? What new lessons might be learned? How did the Fog of War influence your choice of subject and goals? (Do not pick a President or similar leader of a state. Stay away from any event since 9/11.)

I really hope this is a joke

Gay bomb...yes, really

"As part of a military effort to develop non-lethal weapons, the proposal suggested, "One distasteful but completely non-lethal example would be strong aphrodisiacs, especially if the chemical also caused homosexual behavior."

Someone got fired

Change in Iraq policy? Didn't the media think to notice this?

"The man chosen by President Bush to become his new "war czar" told Congress on Thursday that national security advisor Stephen Hadley would no longer be responsible for Iraq policy, indicating the administration has quietly engineered a significant change in foreign policy leadership that could directly affect U.S. war strategy."

Lets Split Up Families

I am a little upset that conservatives always seem to go back and forth on their principles when it involves Latinos. Lately they have been against family provisions typically involved in Visa applications. The whole point was to keep families together. I though the traditional family unit was important for conservatives. I guess that only applies to people who are not Brown.

"He also said he will walk away if Menendez and Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) win passage of an amendment that would more than double the number of green cards available under the bill for the parents of U.S. citizens. Kyl said conservatives believe today's family unification system is being misused by illegal immigrants, whose U.S.-born children are citizens."

Should I even remind everyone that 'amnesty' was originally signed into law and supported by the great Republican icon Ronald Regan?

Lets Sue OPEC

Who thinks its a good idea to sue OPEC, the group of countries that controls oil supplies? Apparently the House does, which reminds me why Congress should not be making foreign policy decisions.
"But the White House said such suits could spawn retaliatory measures by oil-producing countries and "lead to oil supply disruptions and an escalation in the price of gasoline, natural gas, home heating oil." The administration urged "diplomatic efforts ... rather than lawsuits in U.S. courts" to address global oil production. "
So thank your local congressman/women for the higher gas prices to come.

Clinton's Strategy?

Does Hilary Clinton have a foreign policy strategy?
I would define a strategy (grand strategy or vision to be simple) as your plan to deal with all current and future military threats and challenges, whether they be military, political, or economic.
For all the faults of the Bush Admin (of which there are many, particularly foreign policy ones) at least they had a vision. Most would suggest their strategy was one of preemption or offensive realism. The plan would be to confront threats before they reach our shores. We all now know how dumb this strategy was, attack a potential threat and you miss the actual threats (Iran and NK). You also make new ones (unstable Iraq, embolden Iran). Its the "Minority Report" version of international affairs. Bad movie, bad policy. But what alternative does Clinton offer?

Now, am I unfairly picking on Hilary? Maybe. But she is the front runner for the Dems who are likely to win this round. She also consistently attacks Bush's mistakes, so it is only fair to ask what guidance and views would she put forth if elected?

To start off, most international history books now cite Bill Clinton as an extreme foreign policy failure. From his reluctance to get involved in genocide (Rwanda) and other human rights disasters (Haiti) to his half-hearted attempts to deal with our future enemies (Iraq and NK) and weak attack on Kosovo that limited military options, he failed all around. Lucky for him, this whole Iraq thing has done more damage than Bill ever did, so no one seems to mention that anymore. So if she is running on this nostalgia for the good old Bill days, I am of course going to be critical.

So does she offer anything new or different for the future?

On Iraq
"Asked in Red Oak how she would disengage from Iraq, she gave a precise, nuanced and up-to-the-minute answer: Withdraw the troops from the areas of sectarian conflict like Baghdad, keep a small force fighting al-Qaeda in al-Anbar province, move some troops to the Turkish border, protect the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and other civilian facilities, maintain a special-operations capability. And then, instead of the usual lip service to training Iraqi forces, she said, "We may also leave some forces to help train the Iraqis if there seems a chance this Iraqi government will get any better. But I'm doubtful about that."
I would think Turkey might not like the above idea. Also, leaving only troops to protect the embassy might make them consistent targets.

"Sen. Clinton has explained that she is not sorry for voting as she did; she only regrets "the way the president used the authority."
I am not really sure how you can regret the way Bush used his authority. You give someone the authority to go to war, they go to war, and then you are upset with them?

"After all, she has long supported using the U.S. military to serve humanitarian aims, and it's logical to conclude that the experience in Iraq has done little to shake her faith."
This statement is consistent with what I have been saying for years, failures are never learned. People only learn from success. How can you be for humanitarian efforts yet against Iraq? Wasn't the whole issue humanitarian in the first place (before the WMD thing)?

It has been stated that her service on the Armed Services Committee gives her unparalleled national security expertise. I don't see how this can be the case. Look at the bills passed during the last Congress. It doesn't really seem like they are debating issues relevant to foreign policy. Her own Senate webpage on her national security/foreign policy successes/initiatives is largely bare of real foreign policy issues. Where is her position on Iran, North Korea, or even Russia?

The best case we have for Clinton's foreign policy strategy comes from a 2006 speech. Things did not go well from the begging when I read this quote:
"We need the founders' understanding that a stronger America comes from strengthened bonds with other nations"
Which is funny if one remembers Washington's quote about avoiding alliances or how American screwed over France to make peace with Britain after the Revolution.

"We need new vision and leadership in the global fight against terrorism."
Agreed, so what your vision?

So here it is, wait for it...
"They include our enduring friendship with Israel, our firm commitment to the security and well-being of our own people, our friends and our allies, and a belief that dreams of democracy and human rights are ones that America can and must help make real."
So what new vision does she propose? That we remain friends with Israel, protect ourselves, and advance the course for democracy and human rights (isn't that what we did in Iraq?). Stunning reversal.
It seems like we will stay the course in the Middle East, plus try to piss off some other states like Saudi Arabia.

What changes does she propose?
"We have to be conscious of the humility that is necessary in the exercise of power."
Good idea, too bad the whole Iraq war and the world's hatred of the US makes this a moot point.

I just love this part
"I don't believe you face threats like Iran or North Korea by outsourcing it to others and standing on the sidelines...U.S. policy must be clear and unequivocal. We cannot and should not — must not — permit Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons. In order to prevent that from occurring, we must have more support vigorously and publicly expressed by China and Russia, and we must move as quickly as feasible for sanctions in the United Nations."
So to solve the problems in the world in the face of 'outsourcing," America will outsource our issues to China, Russia, and the UN. Way to stay away from the flip flopping thing Hilary.

Overall, I am not convinced that Clinton can provide the foreign policy leadership required now. This is not to say that I see someone better, I just don't like the idea that she might be the solution. Candidates need to propose a real vision, not a bunch of criticisms and banal statements that no one would object to.

McCain is actually funny

McCain is coming up big with me lately. First off all, he actually seems to have a sense of humor and a good memory of facts. I thought the whole "Maybe his solution will be to get out his small varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" comment directed towards Romney was just a joke. I didn't know there was background to the whole incident.

"Then, with a chuckle, he made his cutting quip that referenced two embarrassing episodes for Romney in the past six months.

Romney has faced criticism for calling himself a lifelong hunter even though he joined the National Rifle Association in August and officials in four states where he has lived said he never took out a hunting license. Defending himself, he said in April, "I've always been a rodent and rabbit hunter, small varmints, if you will."

Also, The Boston Globe reported late last year that several illegal immigrants, including at least one from Guatemala, worked at the lawn care company that worked on Romney's two-and-a-half acre property in a Boston suburb for a decade. His aides have said that Romney was not aware of the workers' status, and that the owner was in the country legally."

Btw: I am not happy with the Dems for delaying the bill in the Senate. The more time this takes, more ridiculous amendments will be added to the bill.

Quantifying Progress in Iraq

Everyone knows how much I love quantification. So how do we know if there is progress in Iraq? The Brookings Institute (which is supposed to be bipartisan or right leaning) seems have come up with a novel way to do so.

"The Iraq Index is a statistical compilation of economic, public opinion, and security data. This resource will provide updated information on various criteria, including crime, telephone and water service, troop fatalities, unemployment, Iraqi security forces, oil production, and coalition troop strength. The index is designed to quantify the rebuilding efforts and offer an objective set of criteria for benchmarking performance. It is the first in-depth, non-partisan assessment of American efforts in Iraq, and is based primarily on U.S. government information."

Lets all bomb Iran!

Threat begets threat which then begets more threats. This is the story of international history, things do not change. We are seeing the same process today. American attacks Iraq which makes Iran pursue nuclear weapons all the more quickly. Iran succeeds in enrichment of uranium and American threatens again. The cycle will continue until one side is defeated, yet it is the people who will suffer the most.

Mr. John Bolton is at it again, rattling the sabers.
"Iran has "clearly mastered the enrichment technology now...they're not stopping, they're making progress and our time is limited", he said. Economic sanctions "with pain" had to be the next step, followed by attempting to overthrow the theocratic regime and, ultimately, military action to destroy nuclear sites."

Immigration Reform

Lots of news today regarding a new immigration reform initiative.
"Immigration is a tough issue for a lot of Americans," Bush said. "The agreement reached today is one that will help enforce our borders, but equally importantly, it will treat people with respect. This is a bill where people who live here in our country will be treated without amnesty, but without animosity."

I am not sure how all this is going to pan out since the bill still needs to be composed in a final form and voted on. At least if the Reps and Newt are pissed, something good must be happening.
"The pact could shatter at any moment. Immigration is among the most complex and emotional issues that Congress confronts. Senate debate, scheduled to start Monday, will determine if the bipartisan coalition can fend off Republicans opposing legalization and Democrats wary of a massive new temporary worker program that would start at 400,000 low-skill workers a year and could rise as high as 600,000."

Some suggest this is proposal will weaken American security, yet when was the last time a terrorist has come through the Mexican border?
"The president is so desperate for a legacy and a domestic policy win that he is willing to sell out the American people and our national security," Tancredo said."

"Mr. Dobbs opened the program by calling the deal an apparent victory for “the pro-illegal-alien lobby.” The administration was “hellbent on creating a North American union without the consent of the American people,” he said, and the plan could “threaten national sovereignty and security as well.”

But the idea of a points systems for skilled labor seems to ignore the need in America for unskilled labor. Bringing only those with an education will make it tougher for American workers to get high paying jobs. Bringing unskilled laborers fills a demonstrated need.
"The proposal also would shift the criteria for permanent residency away from immigrants with family in the U.S. and toward those with skills that could help the economy. About 40 percent of "guest worker" visas would be earmarked for applicants with in-demand skills or job experience, advanced degrees and English language skills who would be expedited ahead of others seeking a work visa. "

It also seems unfair that those who want to be become permanent citizens in the future will have to return to their home countries for a year. I would think that we should want the money and the industry of these immigrants to contribute to the American economy, not their homeland.

"David Guerra wants to be legal, but he says the path to citizenship offered by the Senate on Thursday would be too risky and too expensive, and could end up driving him deeper into the shadows. Guerra's wife and children in El Salvador depend on the $300 he sends home each month from his job as a day laborer. Key provisions of the legislation would require him to return home to apply for residency, pay a $5,000 fine and spend thousands more in application fees."



Overall, there seems to be lots of contradictions and bad ideas, but something is better than nothing...right?

Immigration FAQs

Details of immigration proposal

United States is the 4th Reich?

It is not everyday America gets compared to the Nazi's (well maybe it is).

"We do not have the right to forget the causes of any war, which must be sought in the mistakes and errors of peacetime," Putin said. Moreover, in our time, these threats are not diminishing," he said as he delved into what one expert said was clearly an allusion to U.S. foreign policy. "They are only transforming, changing their appearance. In these new threats - as during the time of the Third Reich - are the same contempt for human life and the same claims of exceptionality and diktat in the world."

ps. Good thing I just finished an entire academic paper on this subject.

Mental Health and the Military

This seems to be buried in the news. This report was released on a Friday, during primary elections season...maybe someone does not want to some information to get around. Information like the fact that length of deployment and separation from family may be a signficant factor in the deterioration of someone's mental health. Mental probelms lead to increased anger and 10 pecent of all surveyed admitted to mistreating a civilian or civilian property. Just a thought, maybe someone should be looking at the mental and physical health of our military men before we have a 'lost generation' on our hands.

Read for yourself here.

Intro to IR Review Session

The review session will be on Tuesday, May 8th at 1pm in room BSB 1171.

Dipomat Speaker

This is not an extra credit event:

Careers in International Affairs

Anthony Benesch

Diplomat in Residence

Come listen to the U.S. State Department’s Diplomat in Residence discuss career opportunities in government service. Internship programs and fellowship opportunities (language programs) will be also be discussed.

May 3^rd (New Day and Time)

Noon, BSB 140

Presented by the UIC Political Science Department

Pizza will be served!

Lecture: Children and War

Panel Discussion on the Recruitment of Child Soldiers Worldwide

Ishmael Beah, author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
Jo Becker, Human Rights Watch;
Bernardine Dohrn, Northwestern University;
Lynette Jackson, University of Illinois-Chicago

Thursday, May 3rd, 6:00 pm

University of Illinois at Chicago, Student Center East Room 302
750 South Halsted

COST: FREE

Israel Report

Here is the link for the Israeli government's report on the recent war in Lebanon.

The Devil Made Me Do It

Do you know why Latinos are coming to America? It is not because of the jobs, schools, or great tv shows like Grey's Anatomy, but because the devil made them do it. It is all part of his insidious plan to bring down America from the inside. Nevermind that most Latinos are devoutly religious...And students ask why I study International Relations instead of internal domestic politics, I present exhibit number one.

Satan behind illegal immigration, Utah County Republican claims
"In order for Satan to establish his 'New World Order' and destroy the freedom of all people as predicted in the Scriptures, he must first destroy the U.S.," his resolution states. "The mostly quiet and unspectacular invasion of illegal immigrants does not focus the attention of the nations the way open warfare does, but is all the more insidious for its stealth and innocuousness."

RIP David Halberstam

David Halderstam just died and I wanted honor and support the work of a man who wrote on two subjects close to my heart, politics and sports. I will never forget reading the Fifties as an undergrad, one of the first 'textbooks' I ever enjoyed reading.

New Approach to Diversity in Faculty Hires

Typically when we seek to hire diverse candidates, a hiring committee adds a name to the short list of someone who might be a minority. This new approach sounds like the best option, instead department should seek to hire any minority they deem of suitable quality, regardless of field. In this way departments might be able to increase the numbers of minority profs (which is important if the student pool is diverse) who have a better chance at tenure.

New Approach to Diversity

"Which is more important — that a department have all of its disciplinary subfields represented or that it diversify its faculty?...But as a small liberal arts university in a rural setting, Colgate has a hard time holding on to minority professors — and so needs to keep hiring them as well as trying to encourage more of them to make their careers at the university. Roelofs has asked departments to flop the second and third criteria. Excellence will stay on top, but diversity would generally trump subfield choice."

Last time I picked on France so I guess its fair I pick on England now. I happen to like the country since lately I have been hooked on English tea, Manchester United, and the Kaiser Chiefs. In any case, I am definitely going to read this book.

The Evil Empire: 101 Ways England Ruined the World
"They invented slums. They invented child labor. They put Saddam Hussein in power. They burned Joan of Arc at the stake, and they enslaved the globe to get their tea fix. We're talking about England, of course, and the terrible evils they've set loose on the world. In The Evil Empire, American author Steven Grasse documents the 101 worst atrocities of Mother England everything from foxhunting to the invention of the concentration camp. With an irreverent mix of historical facts, smart commentary, and red-blooded American arrogance, Grasse offers a devastating critique of the country that gave us the machine gun, factory labor, and the metric system. Publishing just in time for the Queen's birthday (April 21), The Evil Empire is essential reading for true-blue Americans and others oppressed by the English throughout history."

Chomskey and Zinn on Vietnam, Iraq, and History

Seems like an interesting interview. Conservatives probably should not read this for fear of heart attacks.

In Rare Joint Interview, Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn on Iraq, Vietnam, Activism and History

Miss Mexico

I don't even know where to begin with this one.

Reading for Rivalry

Leskiw and Valeriano reading for next week is located here

The Hensel, Diehl, and Goertz article can be found here

Intro to IR Schedule

Here is our schedule for the rest of the semester:
April 19: International Law
April 24: Balance of Power
April 26: Democratic Peace
May 1: Concerts and Collective Security
May 3: Diplomacy

Final Exam: Thursday, May 10 10:30-12:30

Russia!

Russia threatening new cold war over missile defence

Mr Bean!

If you call me Mr. Bean, I swear I won't cry...maybe.

I'm sorry for selling my story, says Iran hostage Mr Bean

"Seaman Batchelor's claim that he cried himself to sleep after his Iranian captors likened him to the comedy character Mr Bean made him a laughing stock.
One serving soldier posted: "Batchelor didn't do the reputation of servicemen much good either! Being broken by being called Mr Bean FFS! - that must be on a par with Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition and the comfy cushions."

"Another angry contributor wrote: "They should be expelled from the Armed Forces. Maybe HMS Cornwall could make a series like The Loveboat or be used for Big Brother? The Royal Navy seems intent on becoming a complete laughing-stock."

Diplomat Event

Careers in International Affairs

Anthony Benesch

Diplomat in Residence

Come listen to the U.S. State Department’s Diplomat in Residence discuss career opportunities in government service. Internship programs and fellowship opportunities (language programs) will be also be discussed.

April 17^th

Noon, BSB 140

Presented by the UIC Political Science Department

Pizza will be served!

Next?

What goes up, must come down. But who will be the next world power. Cracked.com has a few ideas.

"Now, several other countries are poised to snag the title of “International Big Dog” from the reigning champ, so we've compiled an “it” list of the contenders. Only time—and World War III—will tell!"

War for Oil?

It is pretty hard to argue that the United States went to war in Iraq to grab oil if the United States fails to get any oil out of the deal. Also, don't forget the price of oil has jumped considerably because of the conflict in Iraq.

And Iraq's big oil contracts go to ...

"Despite claims by some critics that the Bush administration invaded Iraq to take control of its oil, the first contracts with major oil firms from Iraq's new government are likely to go not to U.S. companies, but rather to companies from China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia."

Why did Iran take the British hostage?

There is always a reason why things are done in the world of international politics. Apparently Iran was upset with American attempts to take a few Iranians hostage so they retaliated.

The botched US raid that led to the hostage crisis

"Better understanding of the seriousness of the US action in Arbil - and the angry Iranian response to it - should have led Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence to realise that Iran was likely to retaliate against American or British forces such as highly vulnerable Navy search parties in the Gulf. The two senior Iranian officers the US sought to capture were Mohammed Jafari, the powerful deputy head of the Iranian National Security Council, and General Minojahar Frouzanda, the chief of intelligence of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, according to Kurdish officials."

South Park Rivalry

Last week South Park covered rivalry in that the British were behind the 'snuke' (suitcase nuke) that was, ummm, placed in Hilary. The point being that American's tend to forget their oldest enemy, British (which was an enduring rivalry.)

"An episode of South Park featuring the Queen committing suicide is provoking outrage. But if the show is famous for anything, it's for going too far."

Lecture on India-U.S.

I am delighted to invite you to an upcoming event that is part of our series, The Global Affairs Forum. Our guest speaker will be Indian Consul General, Arun Kumar. Consul General Kumar’s topic will be The Indo-US Relationship in the 21st Century. The event will consist of a presentation by Consul General Kumar, followed by a question and answer session with UIC students and faculty.

Consul General Kumar has served India as a career diplomat for more than 30 years. He has served in Italy, Tunisia, Ghana, Zaire, Dubai, and Yugoslavia. Mr. Kumar served as Joint Secretary in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and has conducted international policy research in India and abroad. Consul General Kumar has always advocated building strong connections between the next generation of leaders in India and their counterparts in the United States.

This program will take place on Wednesday, April 18, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Fort Dearborn Room, on the 3rd floor of UIC’s Student Center East building at 750 S. Halsted Street. Light refreshments will be served.

Kindly confirm your attendance at The Global Affairs Forum by responding via e-mail by Wednesday, April 11th. Please address your e-mail to Katya Nekrasova at enekraso@uic.edu. Space is limited and reservations are required.

Borders and War

In addition to territory being a common cause of war, it might also be interesting to look at the proportion of border incidents that become international incidents.

A Deadly U.S.-Iran Firefight

"U.S. soldiers [and] Iraqi forces on a routine joint patrol along the border with Iran, when they spotted two Iranian soldiers retreating from Iraqi territory back into Iran. A moment later, U.S. and Iraqi forces came upon a third Iranian soldier on the Iraqi side of the border, who stood his ground. As U.S. and Iraqi soldiers approached the Iranian officer and began speaking with him, a platoon of Iranian soldiers appeared and moved to surround the coalition patrol, taking up positions on high ground. At that point, according to the Army's statement, the Iranian captain told the U.S. and Iraqi soldiers that if they tried to leave they would be fired on. Fearing abduction by the Iranians, U.S. troops moved to go anyway, and fighting broke out.

France Lecture

Friday, May 4, 2007 12:00 PM NEW!
France and the United States: Perspectives on the Past and Prospects for the Future
Jean-David Levitte, French Ambassador to the United States
The Chicago Club
81 East Van Buren
Chicago, IL 60605
Members: $35
Nonmembers: $45

Myspace Israel

Yup, diplomacy is dead. Israel is the hip-new cool place to be on Myspace. I only wish I had a page so I can make Israel, Mexico, and England my top three friends.

Israel goes on the virtual offensive
"We saw that we had a problem with the age group of 18 to 35, and the reason is that this group doesn't see Israel as relevant. So we have to talk to them in their language, in platforms that they are using, and the new media is one of the ways to do so." In addition to the MySpace page, the state of Israel also now has its own blog -- the first country-as-a-whole to have one, according to Saranga. The blog is called "isRealli" so as to incorporate the word "real." It also sports the slightly odd subtitle, "The New Blog of Israel."

Why Blog?

I keep getting this question, why blog when you are untenured? The reasons are simple:
I want to post news articles for my students to read.
I want to link to important and interesting research.
I want to highlight local talks and events that might be of interest to my students.
I like to be funny sometimes and AIM is boring now.
I won't quit because I never do that.

So its that simple. This whole blog thing does not take much time. Link an article, add a snarky comment, find a funny photo...done, 10 minutes tops.

Ninjas! Military!

I really got more excited about this article than I needed to be.
Angola sends 2500 'ninjas' to Zimbabwe

Speaking event

Speaking event for extra credit.

Solving the Darfur Equation

The past four years have seen hundreds of thousands of Darfuri civilians killed, and millions more subjected to displacement, starvation, and rape by the Janjaweed militia. The Sudanese government is accused of supporting this militia, so what are the real prospects for resolving the conflict in Darfur? Does the solution fall to outside forces? What are the consequences of the conflict spilling over Sudan’s borders?

Please join the GOAt audience in welcoming these experts to the Schubas’s stage to discuss this important issue…

Schubas

3159 North Southport
Chicago, IL 60657

6:30 p.m. – doors open
7:00 p.m. – talk/audience Q&A following discussion

$10 – members/nonmembers

Would the last NeoCon to leave Washington Please Turn Out the Lights

Moderation in foreign policy, what a shocking concept.

Sensing Shift in Bush Policy, Another Hawk Leaves

Robert Joseph is the latest to leave an administration that some conservatives say has lost its clarity of mission.

Facts on File

Here is the link to the Facts on File resource
*only for UIC students. Use this instead of Wikipedia or random newspapers of dubious quality.


And here is a pic of some dogs I have been wanting to put up just for the heck of it.

http://www.2facts.com.proxy.cc.uic.edu/stories/digest-home-feature.asp

Our crazy North Korean Uncle

Lots of rivalry stuff in this article.

Cleaning Up the 20th Century

Asian history runs deep in the negotiations to disarm Kim Jong-il.
"History can be omnipresent or repressed in northeast Asia, but nearly everyone agrees it is festering and unresolved. Historic resentments and nationalist anger are volatile and easily inflamed, as evidenced by the outrage that followed recent comments by Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, about Korean “comfort women” in World War II. Yet, most often, that anger is compartmentalized to protect the hum of commerce. China and Japan conduct record bilateral trade even as public attitudes in both countries can range anywhere from mutual distrust to open loathing. North Korea is a bit like the crazy uncle whose refusal to stay locked and quiet in the region’s attic has forced everyone to the same table, with historic baggage and contemporary rivalries in tow."

French History of Warfare

France, not so good on the war thing. I have no idea if the following is a complete record of France's involvement in war. I could check but that is just putting way too much effort into this whole blog thing when I should be publishing.

France 4 - World 28
- American Revolution
- In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as "de Gaulle Syndrome", and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare; "France only wins when America does most of the fighting."

- French Revolution
- Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French.

We Are Going to Hell

I knew I was going to hell for something, I didn't think it would be capitalism.

Chavez launches biting US attack
"Those who want to go directly to hell, they can follow capitalism," Mr Chavez said in the town of Trinidad in Bolivia. "And those of us who want to build heaven here on earth, we will follow socialism," he added"

PS: The Mayans are a little insulted that Bush came to town:
"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture,"