AIDemocracy.org | security

North Korea: Crazy or Strategic Savants?

March 18, 2013 by Robin Schwartz Leave a Comment

Malicious and threatening chatter has been making its way out of North Korea for the last few weeks. As is typical, the United States and South Korea are being threatened by North Korea with their (insisted) developing missile technology. Unlike some past situations, North Korea actually held artillery drills on a disputed sea border with South Korea. As a result, the U.S. is announcing its intent to deploy more ground based missile interceptors, likely to Alaska. These actions are becoming all too familiar and the time has come for our leaders to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Missile Defense, North Korea, security

“Incoming!”…Or, Perhaps Not

October 9, 2012 by Robin Schwartz Leave a Comment

On the heels of an announcement just days ago wherein the US and South Korea reached a deal permitting South Korea to extend its missile range, North Korea has retaliated with threats that the nation possesses a long-range missile which can reach the US mainland. The new deal between Washington and Seoul revised the range of missiles from 300 kilometers to 800 kilometers, thus extending the range of South Korea's ballistic missiles to include the northern peninsula of North Korea. Do we start scanning the skies for incoming North Korean missiles? Will … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less Tagged With: Missile Defense, North Korea, security, South Korea

Rio 2012, Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship PART II: The Solutions

July 10, 2012 by Ana Ila 1 Comment

The Rio + 20 Conference is not expected to have a strong impact on the environment. The agents of change – our global leaders, scientists, and those in attendance at the conference – have so far not produced needed changes to the environmental degradation. Indifference to change, however, can be combated through a better sense of interconnectedness provided by global citizenship. Different approaches to global citizenship also deal with environment. McGill summarized and categorized them according to the philosophy they subscribe to: 1. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Climate Change, Security Tagged With: Alexander Wendt, global citizenship, globalization, security, Waltz Kenneth

A Brief Analysis of Iranian Global Relations Part I: EU, Brazil, Russia, South Africa

April 12, 2012 by Emily Leave a Comment

America’s recent responses to Iran’s nuclear program have stirred debate in the international community. Some condone America’s struggle with the Islamic Republic by supporting sanctions and oil embargoes; others denounce American imperialism and refuse to support sanctions. The European Union countries and, surprisingly, the previously Iran-backing countries of Brazil and South Africa, belong to the first group that condemns Iran’s nuclear program. In an April 6, 2012 Al Arabiya article, “Iran’s Moment of Truth,” Hassan Barari discussed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, economy, EU, Europe, foreign policy, Greece, human rights violations, Iran, Latin America, Mexico, nuclear, oil, Russia, sanctions, security, South Africa, trade

American multiculturalism in danger?

March 23, 2012 by Ana Ila 1 Comment

In 1982, a young Chinese man named Vincent Chin was murdered on a racial and ethnic basis. The cause of Japanese growth and exports to the USA. The new culprit, besides Islam, seems to be China. Similarly to Japan in the 1970’s, China has recently experienced an unprecedented level of economic growth and exports to the USA. However, the USA is suffering from a recession, which has led many young Americans to view China as a threat. Among threats to the US, China is seen as being one of them. According to the 2012 study by Generation Opportunity, 6 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: anti - Chinese sentiments, China, multiculturalism, security

Small Yet Agile; The US Military in 2020

February 4, 2012 by Ana Ila 2 Comments

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced plans for changes that the US military will undergo due to the current budget cuts. According to Secretary Panetta, US forces will be more tech-centric and more rapidly deployable. As previously announced, the Pentagon will decrease spending by $487 billion over the next ten years. Savings would start in 2013, and defense budget would be cut every year, adding up to the $487 billion by the tenth year. The military will undergo several changes, the first being an increase in mobility. The US military … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Aid Workers, economy, Europe, military, security, Somalia, terrorism, US military, war

Cyber Security: Who owns the DoD’s networks?

February 3, 2012 by Ron 1 Comment

Cyber Security: a frequently discussed buzz word that everyone seems to have a general understanding of in today's internet-savvy world. What does cyber security mean? Well if you ask most people, it means protecting networks from hackers, viruses, malware, etc. They would be correct. Operation Buckshot Yankee in 2008 resulted from the largest hack of a government information system to date. So clearly, there's a threat. What you don't hear about is the other burgeoning threat to the US's cyber security: ownership of the networks. Private companies … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: cyber security, department of defense, internet, network, security

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

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

From Fortress Lids to City Grids: trust, economics, and security

January 2, 2012 by remi Leave a Comment

The images below are aerial views of Berlin, the capital of Germany, and Groningen, a city on the road from Germany to the Dutch republic. What is notable about Berlin is that during a good portion of the Enlightenment it did not have the increasingly complex fortifications present in Groningen. Star Fortresses popped up all around Europe starting in 1500, getting to the point that Sienna went bankrupt simply to afford her city walls. This presents rather nicely the relationship between two of the most powerful forces in the world today: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: policy, security, trade