Protesting in Iran June 22, 2009 12:54 PM
Unrest and uncertainty continues in Iran following their presidential election and claims of fraud in the reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "[M]ore details emerged of election irregularities and the government stepped up accusations against the West and the media for fomenting violence. Until now, the government has employed police and ideological militia to quell protests. But now Iran's Revolutionary Guard have vowed to weigh in. It ordered protesters to "end the sabotage and rioting activities" and warned them to be ready for a 'revolutionary confrontation with the Guards, Basij, and other security ... and disciplinary forces' if they dared to gather in public again," reports the Christian Science Monitor.
Share your thoughts on the situation in Iran and teh broader Middle East in our Forums.
-- Association of Young Americans
Iran, Middle East | Comments (0)
Israeli Troops into Gaza January 4, 2009 12:10 PM
After a week of airstrikes, Israeli troops entered Gaza with the stated purpose of ended rocket attacks from the area into Israel. "Israel's stated goal was to destroy the infrastructure of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls Gaza's government, and to significantly decrease the threat to southern Israel from Palestinian rocket fire," the New York Times reports. "Even with Israeli forces on the ground, though, Hamas continued its rocket fire. About 25 rockets were launched at southern Israel by Sunday afternoon, the military said. One hit a house in the Israeli border town of Sderot."
Commenting on the recent violence, President Bush, in his weekly radio address blamed Hamas for the violence. "This recent outburst of violence was instigated by Hamas -- a Palestinian terrorist group supported by Iran and Syria that calls for Israel's destruction. Eighteen months ago, Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in a coup, and since then has imported thousands of guns and rockets and mortars. Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, but Hamas routinely violated that ceasefire by launching rockets into Israel. On December 19th, Hamas announced an end to the ceasefire and soon unleashed a barrage of rockets and mortars that deliberately targeted innocent Israelis -- an act of terror that is opposed by the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people, President Abbas."
What are your thoughts about the situation between the Israeli's and Palestinians? Do you agree with the statement of President Bush? What do you think President Obama should do as he deals with the situation in the fist year of his presidency? Share your thoughts in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
US Embassy Attacked in Yemen September 17, 2008 12:52 PM
A car bomb was detonated at the US embassy in Yemen, earlier today. "There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Yemen is the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaeda has maintained a steady presence here, especially as fighters from the militant group return from Iraq. The first explosion, at 9:15 a.m., resounded for miles and sent a plume of black smoke over the city. " reported the Washington Post. In the waters off of Yemen, the USS Cole was attacked in 2000.
How do you think the War on Terror has progressed in the last few years? Do you think it has been successful or not? Share your ideas and concerns in our Forums.
-- Association of Young Americans
Middle East, Terrorism | Comments (0)
Al Qaeda's Growth in Pakistan June 30, 2008 12:35 PM
Almost 7 years since the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and western Pennsylvania, Osama Bin Laden remains at large and Al Qaeda has apparently reconstituted itself in Pakistan. A detailed article on the front page of today's New York Times states the following:
- Just as it had on the day before 9/11, Al Qaeda now has a band of terrorist camps from which to plan and train for attacks against Western targets, including the United States. Officials say the new camps are smaller than the ones the group used prior to 2001. However, despite dozens of American missile strikes in Pakistan since 2002, one retired C.I.A. officer estimated that the makeshift training compounds now have as many as 2,000 local and foreign militants, up from several hundred three years ago.
- Current and former military and intelligence officials said that the war in Iraq consistently diverted resources and high-level attention from the tribal areas. When American military and intelligence officials requested additional Predator drones to survey the tribal areas, they were told no drones were available because they had been sent to Iraq.
- Even critics of the White House agree that there was no foolproof solution to gaining control of the tribal areas. But by most accounts the administration failed to develop a comprehensive plan to address the militant problem there, and never resolved the disagreements between warring agencies that undermined efforts to fashion any coherent strategy.
The full article is available here, on the NYTimes website, and is worth reading for those concerned about the threat Al Qaeda poses to the US. Are you concerned that a terrorist group will launch another attack on the U.S.? What do you think we should be doing as a nation to prevent such an attack? Share your thoughts and concerns in the Terrorism Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
Foreign policy, Middle East, Terrorism
President Bush in Middle East May 19, 2008 8:44 AM
Yeterday President Bush copncluded a 5 day trip through the Middle East with a speech at the World Economic Forum. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the following exerpts from the speech
- "Too often in the Middle East, politics has consisted of one leader in power and the opposition in jail, [...] America is deeply concerned about the plight of political prisoners in this region, as well as democratic activists who are intimidated or repressed, newspapers and civil-society organizations that are shut down, and dissidents whose voices are stifled."
- "I call on all nations in this region to release their prisoners of conscience, open up their political debate, and trust their people to chart their future."
The President also called for the creation of a Palestinian state. What do you think about the stability of the Middle East and what role do you think the U.S. can play in helping the peace process. Share your thoughts in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
Oil over $100 a Barrel February 20, 2008 8:59 AM
The price of oil closed yesterday over $100 for the first time. "The price hit a new high of $100.10 a barrel before settling at $100.01 a barrel, up $4.51, when the market closed at 2:30 p.m. The price in late electronic trading dropped only slightly, to $99.99 a barrel," reports the Washington Post. Supply concerns and flat US consumption appeared related to the price increase. "The president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Chakib Khelil, said last week that there was no need to boost production to dampen high prices. Instead, he and other oil ministers have suggested that OPEC might even cut output at its March 5 meeting to make sure that an economic slowdown in the United States doesn't lower prices. In addition, traders fretted that political violence in Nigeria and Iraq could disrupt exports from those nations. But with U.S. stocks of crude oil and refined products comfortably within historical ranges, and with signs that U.S. gasoline consumption has stopped growing, analysts said yesterday's jump in prices was caused by financial factors as much as supply."
How have higher gas prices impacted your spending and energy use? Share your thoughts and concerns in the Forums. Learn more about energy and oil in our Addicted to Oil issue paper.
-- Association of Young Americans
Addicted to Oil, Economy, Middle East
Pakistan Election Results February 19, 2008 9:24 AM
After being postponed following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, elections were held in Pakistan with parties opposed to President Pervez Musharraf winning. "Pakistan's ruling party conceded defeat Tuesday after opposition parties routed allies of President Pervez Musharraf in parliamentary elections that could threaten the rule of America's close ally in the war on terror," reported Yahoo News. "With the support of smaller groups and independent candidates, the opposition could gain the two-thirds majority in parliament needed to impeach Musharraf, who has angered many Pakistanis by allying the country with Washington in 2001 to fight al-Qaida and the Taliban after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States. Musharraf has promised to work with whatever government emerges from the election. But the former general is hugely unpopular among the public and opposition parties that have been catapulted into power are likely to find little reason to work with him particularly since he no longer controls the powerful army."
Share your thoughts on Pakistan and the War on Terror in our Forums. And don't forget to complete the National Issues Survey as to what issues are most important to you.
-- Association of Young Americans
Middle East Peace Process June 19, 2007 9:42 PM
With the conflict between Palestinian factions, the US and other interested countries are making a new push for a Middl East Peace Plan. "The change comes as the split between the Palestinians of Mr. Abbas's Fatah organization in the West Bank and those in Hamas-controlled Gaza hardens unexpectedly giving Israel a 'partner' in the West Bank with which to test the negotiating waters. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who met with President Bush on Tuesday, says he sees in an Abbas who is free from association with Hamas the partner Israel needs for moving toward peace," reports the Christian Science Monitor. "Among the 'not insignificant' issues that have to be tackled before any serious peace process could be relaunched, Ambassador [Edward] Walker says, are Abbas's authority over the West Bank and a stabilization of that part of the territories not to mention the direction Hamas takes in Gaza, relations between the two Palestinian authorities, and how the international community deals with the split." What do you think of the prospects for progress on a Middle East Peace plan? What do you think are the necessary steps in the process? Share you thoughts in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
Hezbollah Leading Reconstruction Efforts August 16, 2006 2:29 PM
With the cease-fire a few days old, Hezbollah has taken the lead role in working to rebuild Lebanon, "with a torrent of money from oil-rich Iran," reports the New York Times. In a speech on Monday, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, "offered money for 'decent and suitable furniture' and a year's rent on a house to any Lebanese who lost his home in the month-long war." Do you think Hezbollah has emerged from the last 5 week as a more significant force in the region? How do you view Iran's involvement? Share your views in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
U.N. 3-day Cease-fire Rejected July 29, 2006 9:58 AM
Israel rejected the U.N. call for a three day cease-fire to permit humanitarian aid, and allow civilians to leave war torn areas. The New York Times cited an Israeli government spokesman as saying that "Israel already has opened safe corridors across Lebanon for such shipments and that Hezbollah guerrillas were blocking them to create a humanitarian crisis." Prime Minister Blair and President Bush spoke yesterday at a joint news conference of the need for a lasting cease-fire. Share your thoughts and concerns about the continuing crisis in the Middle East in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans