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A Brief Analysis of Iranian Global Relations Part II: China, India, IAEA

April 20, 2012 by Emily Leave a Comment

In my previous post, I discussed two groups dealing with the Iranian nuclear problem: that which actively supports sanctions and that which objects to them. The issue, however, is not black and white: between the countries that actively support unilateral and multilateral sanctions and those that staunchly condemn them lies a third group of quasi-supporters that privately limit their financial interaction with Iran, despite public condemnations of Western sanctions. China and India (two of the five BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Brazil, China, EU, Government, human rights, India, Iran, nuclear, nuclear weapons, oil, reform, Russia, sanctions, South Africa, trade

Upcoming Iranian Elections Pose New Questions about Country’s Press Freedoms Part 2: The Western Response

February 22, 2012 by Emily 1 Comment

The Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei

Iranians may wonder about all the fuss of SOPA and PIPA if they accessed foreign news. Unfortunately, most foreign media is blocked in the country. Most domestic media is either blocked or propagandized. One of the worst instigators and promoters of state-run oppression is the government’s Fars news agency, which proliferates false information about the upcoming elections. According to Saeed Dehghan’s article in the Guardian on January 10, the Fars news agency reported that “more than 1200 reformists had put their names forward for the elections … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: blogger, Candidates, democracy, election, Government, human rights, internet, Iran, Islam, law, media, reform, sanctions, war

Upcoming Iranian Elections Pose New Questions about Country’s Press Freedoms Part 1

February 20, 2012 by Emily 4 Comments

By Milad Avazbeigi (DSC_6986_resize) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

SOPA. PIPA. ACTA. PCIP. In the United States, any piece of legislation designed to restrict first amendment rights is certain to be met with the cries of enraged protesters pouring down crowded city streets. Public demonstrations in response to such acts, such as those staged by Wikipedia and Google in the past month, have raised awareness and concern about America’s increasingly draconian Internet regulations. Do these bills indeed violate American press freedoms or do they truly serve “to promote prosperity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Candidates, community, Corruption, election, Government, internet, Iran, Islam, law, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, media, Political Participation, United States

Too early for Taliban negotiations?

January 30, 2012 by Emily 2 Comments

“Our jihad has two targets. One is America and the other is the Foreign Ministry of the Taliban.” In his statement before the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden exemplified the incongruity between Taliban members who once harbored bin Laden and members of their Foreign Ministry, the branch which with the U.S. has historically negotiated. Today, America is once again hoping to engage the Taliban through negotiations with the Afghan government. Given the reality of America’s past attempts with the Taliban, it may seem rash to restart negotiations, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: 9/11, Afghanistan, Government, Guantanamo Bay, Islam, Middle East, NATO, Obama, Pakistan, Peace, security, Taliban, terrorism, United States

Recent summit raises questions about North Korea’s growing nuclear program

January 13, 2012 by Emily 1 Comment

A summit the week of January 9 between South Korea and China raised discussion about a free trade agreement, diplomatic relations, and perhaps most importantly, North Korea’s nuclear program. As the two countries discuss the importance of a bilateral trade agreement, they will undoubtedly examine ways to confront the growing problem of North Korean nuclear proliferation. While both countries want peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula, their views diverge on how to achieve these goals. Beijing’s foremost concern is protecting its own … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: aid, China, Food Aid, free trade, Government, humanitarian aid, Japan, North Korea, nuclear, nuclear proliferation, Peace, policy, refugee, Russia, sanctions, United States

U.S. Foreign Policy Alternatives in Iran Part 2: expanding upon recent success

January 9, 2012 by Emily 1 Comment

While President Obama’s new economic sanctions have already hit Iran’s oil sector, America and other states - both in the West and the Middle East - must continue to apply pressure if they wish to halt the growth of Iran’s nuclear program. First, America should continue to target specific financial institutions that directly support Iranian nuclear proliferation or terrorist groups. For example, America needs to pursue sanctions on banks Melli, Mellat, Saderat, and Sepah that financially support Iran’s nuclear program and the Qods Force, a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Bahrain, dialogue, EU, foreign policy, Government, Iran, Islam, Middle East, military, nuclear, nuclear proliferation, Obama, sanctions, Saudi Arabia, security, terrorism

U.S. Foreign Policy Alternatives in Iran Part 1: From Carter to Obama

January 8, 2012 by Emily 1 Comment

On New Year’s Eve, President Obama enacted new sanctions against Iran in a repeated effort to halt the growth of Iran’s nuclear program. The imposition of sanctions, however, has long fueled controversy among American foreign policy officials. Recent failures, combined with the Carter administration’s failed attempt to resolve the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979 and the subsequent failure of the Reagan administration to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, have cast a shadow over American foreign policy in regard to the nuclear crisis. Some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: diplomacy, economy, EU, Europe, foreign policy, Government, human rights, India, Iran, military, nuclear, Obama, oil, sanctions, technology, United States

Re-evaluating US-Pakistan relations

January 5, 2012 by Emily Leave a Comment

While Islamabad and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have historically served as American allies, Pakistan’s tense relations with the American government and military as well as with the Karzai regime have forced America to reevaluate U.S.-Pakistan relations. America’s approximately $20 billion in military and economic aid since 9/11 have served to support Pakistan’s weak government, incentivize Pakistan and its intelligence agency to combat terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban, deter nuclear war between India and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: 9/11, Afghanistan, aid, foreign aid, foreign policy, Government, India, military, NATO, nuclear, Pakistan, Taliban, terrorism, war

Where one bipartisan committee fails, another may prove successful

December 2, 2011 by Emily 1 Comment

The recent failure of the Super Committee to cut $1.2 trillion in federal debt over ten years will trigger automatic cuts of the same magnitude ranging from domestic and entitlement programs to defense spending at the beginning of 2013. As these cuts will inevitably affect the activities of the Pentagon, a debate has arisen over whether these cuts will undermine the effectiveness of national security, in particular the U.S. military overseas. President Obama is under pressure from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and many Republicans - in particular, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Afghanistan, Congress, federal budget, Government, military, national security, Obama, super committee, war

Qaddafi Out, US In

August 25, 2011 by Patrick McDermott Leave a Comment

There have been a lot of news stories that have dominated the headlines this week. An East Coast Earthquake that shook all of DC and went as far north as Toronto, Steve Jobs resigning as CEO of Apple (particularly sad for an Apple geek like me), and the anticipation about where Hurricane Irene will make landfall. However, the one headline I believe has the most impact of all of them is how the Libyan rebellion forced Muammar al-Qaddafi out of Tripoli. The rebellion hasn't found him yet, but they believe he is hiding in his hometown of Sirte. And if the … [Read more...]