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Author Archives: Nicolai
Copenhagen Diary: “Martial Law Is The Only Answer”
When I picked up my newspaper this morning, I was met by a startling front page headline: “Permanent political martial law is the only viable answer to the climate catastrophe”.
The headline belonged to the Danish newspaper Information which today released a mock issue from the year 2059. Combining humor and horror, the issue was written as if the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Conference (COP15) had been a failure 50 years earlier.
The Problem with Democracy
The funny (or tragic) thing… Read More
Tagged climate change, congress, democracy, obama
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The PR Challenge of State Building
Last week, General Stanley McChrystal submitted his review of the war in Afghanistan. While it’s classified, much of its contents can be guessed based on the General’s recent statements.
It recommends an increase in Afghan troops and police, stronger emphasis on military-civilian coordination and efforts, and more focus on protecting Afghan civilians rather than hunting Taliban. By large, the review follows General Petraeus’ counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy. It’s also state building by any other name.
Critics have claimed that the COIN… Read More
I Don’t Have A Clue What Will Happen In Iran
The unrest in Iran is approaching its third week. Traditional news media have been barred from the country. What we know about the situation stems from online images and reports from the Iranian people. Information has been scattered and tainted by rumors and hearsay.
Still, it is clear that much of the country is in a state of chaos. Millions of protestors have taken to the streets, challenging the unlikely election results. The Iranian ruling elite has repressively responded by… Read More
Once More Unto The Breach, Mr. President
“This is the last chance for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.”
Since 1977, this has been said every time an American president tries to broker a peace agreement between the two. And now, it’s being said again.
This statement is actually quite a paradox. Since peace has not been achieved, the assertion is not false. Yet, since we don’t know whether it will happen, it is also not true. Or put differently, last chances always happen. (Schrödinger, anyone?)… Read More
Tagged israel, middle east, obama, palestine
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With “Friends” Like These
Last week, President Obama held a trilateral summit in Washington with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. The intention was to increase cooperation on fighting al Qaeda and the Taliban in South Asia. Given the laundry list of challenges upfront, there must have been many an awkward moment.
To begin with, all three presidents greatly distrust each other:
Karzai and Zardari fear that the US will abandon them in the face of mounting political pressures. (It… Read More
Obama Throws Another Ball In The Air
During his first 100 days in office, few would accuse President Obama of indolence. Which is why it is all the more impressive that at the Fifth Summit of the Americas, he reasserted his intention to reform the US immigration system by the end of the year.
His announcement could not have been more timely. Our current immigration system is broken. We have roughly 12 million illegal immigrants in the US. Illegal labor has become an unrecognized but integral… Read More
