The Loomis Chaffee World Bulletin

Bringing the World to the Island

The Foxconn-iPhone Controversy

The Future of De Beers

Fraud in Russian Elections

Japan: One Year Later

Tales of a Thai Scholar

Perspectives on the “Occupy” Movement

Winter 2011-12

2

from the Editors-in-Chief

A letter to our readers: Legato del Mondo

Best known for his military genius, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was also a master architect. He managed to transform Paris, once a despicable slum, into a metropolis of grandeur. Like a musician tuning his violin, the emperor rebuilt his city by perfecting every aspect—economic, political, cultural—of his territory. Paris became not only the center of European imperial power, but also the birthplace of beautiful poetry and soaring landmarks. Under Napoleon, statecraft merged with art. The Frenchman converged different aspects of human civilization not only to create order but also to innovate.

Today, an interest in international affairs requires an interactive perspective similar to that of Napoleon, a perspective that is able to transcend borders and biases. The global economy, volatile and interconnected, shifts unexpectedly. From Occupy Wall Street to the revolutionary Arab Spring, monumental events are occurring right and left; in this age of globalization, we can no longer turn a blind eye to the happenings in the international community. Facing a world overwhelmed by such chaos, individuals have to embrace foreign affairs with a multifaceted understanding of other countries and cultures. By embracing different peoples and ideas, we can begin to grasp the catalysts of a global phenomenon, comprehending their significance on the global stage. Observing ourselves in the world and drawing our own conclusions about the current spider web of international affairs allows us to establish order among discord. Acknowledging multiculturalism and international diversity permits us to discover new ideas that can further benefit the world.

The Loomis Chaffee World Bulletin hopes to instill this passion for global awareness in its readers. This principle is best expressed as Legato del Mondo, “the world tied together.” In music, legato represents a transition, a tie, between two notes, allowing different tones to merge and create melodic continuity. The articles in this issue, their topics ranging from the

establishment of Al Jazeera to renewable energy in Africa

to political reform in Burma, emphasize the holistic and interactive

nature of international affairs. It is through recognizing the many, many characters integral to the global community that we unearth new connections and ideas to make this whole stage our own territory. Sincerely, Samson Chow and Liana Fernez

Winter Term 2011-12/Volume 3, Number 1

EDITORIAL STAFF: Arianna Calabrese ’13 Samson Chow ’12 Liana Fernez ’12 Woo Jin “James” Lee ’13 Patrick Kennedy-Nolle ’12

FACULTY ADVISER/LAYOUT & DESIGN: Rachel M. Engelke

3

Contents Winter Term 2011-12/Volume 3, Number 1

2 | To Our Readers: Legato del Mondo-Samson Chow ’12 and Liana Fernez ’12

Europe

4 | The European Financial Crisis Explained-Jaewon Kim ’14

6 | The HMS Victory and the Cost of Preserving History

-Michael Basmajian ’13

6 | Russian Parliamentary Elections: Fraud Goes Too Far

-Ekaterina “Kath” Kryuchkova ’13

Africa

8 | Are Diamonds Really Forever? The Future of DeBeers

-Samson Chow ’12

10 | South Africa’s Renewable Energy Industry- Naphisa “Pim” Senanarong ’13

Asia & Oceania

11 | Mingalaba to Reform!- Arianna Calabrese ’13

13 | Post-Tsunami Japan: Reconstruction or Abandonment?

-Ji Hee Yoon ’13

15 | Korean National Assembly: A Place for a Brawl?

-Woo Jin “James” Lee ’13

16 | Made in China-Ana “Izzy” Fleming ’13

18 | Tales of the Thai Scholarship-Chate Khemakongkanonth ’12

19 | Assimilation in Australia-Krishna Kulkarni ’13

Middle East

21 | Time For U.S. Support in Saudi Arabia-Paul Han ’12

22 | The Al Jazeera News Network-Samuel Verney ’14

23 | Growing Tension in Iran-Fred Mun ’14 and Charles Shotton ’14

The Americas

25 | Chávez, López, and the State of Venezuelan Politics in 2012

-Riley Clark-Long ’12

26 | The American Way?-Jamie Neikrie ’13

27 | Election 2012: Triumph of the Least Awful-Liana Fernez ’12

29 | Voices from the Occupation-Arianna Calabrese ’13

32 | Occupy Wall Street or Preoccupied?-Ezra Kauffman ’13

—

33 | Farewell: Judge, Journalists, Politicians, and Playwright

34 | Image Sources

35 | Also in the News

4

The European Financial Crisis Explained by Jaewon Kim’14

EUROPE

Since the Global Credit Crunch of 2008, Europe has fallen into a financial void that might threaten the entire continent. However, despite the drastic impact this crisis has on the global economy, many are still not

as informed or aware of this situation as they should be. In order for us to understand the economic measures that the European Union has undertaken and its influence on the continent’s politics, we should first recognize

the historic background of the European Union and the economic causes that spiraled Europe into financial destruction.

When World War II ended in 1945, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Holland, Italy, and West Germany founded the European Union in hopes of stimulating economic growth through political integration. Since the creation of the EU, membership has blossomed from six nations to 27. The continent witnessed the creation of the European Central Bank (ECB) in 1998, which administers the euro, the common currency among European countries. It is important to note that only 17 members of the EU utilize the euro; they are collectively known as the Eurozone. Although the founding of the euro led to a collaborative revitalization of the European economy, the currency itself poses a certain risk. As the currency interconnects all European economies, the financial collapse of one country would induce the downfall of another. Therefore, the Eurozone crisis can be categorized as a victim of the domino effect.

Greece was the instigator of this chain reaction.

Although the largest economy of the Balkans and “the fastest growing Eurozone economy” (according to the World Bank, 2007), Greece became the first to dig and fall into a financial hole of despair. Under then-Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou, the Greek economy prospered through heavy borrowing and cheap credit. When the mortgage crisis of 2008 unleashed in the United States, which led to the degradation of Greek government bonds, Greece found herself trapped in a sovereign debt crisis. By 2009, Greece owed approximately $367 billion to other European nations. Possibilities of a “Greek bankruptcy” thus shook the EU as the destruction of Greece would lead to widespread social and economic difficulties across the continent. As a chain reaction, the EU and the ECB rushed to fill in the expanding hole that Greece has plunged herself into.

In 2010, the ECB announced that the members of the EU had agreed upon the creation of the European

Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), a legal entity that provides financial assistance to Eurozone nations under economic distress. France and Germany, two countries with the strongest economies in Europe, immediately lent 110 billion euros to Greece and other European countries. However, despite their

endeavors to establish economic recovery, financial fiasco continued to spread across the continent. Hence, the EFSF augmented the original amount of economic stimulus by seven times; however, the rescue kit will likely be ineffective in the long run, as it will end in 2013. On the other hand, private banks across the world, already weakened by the declining economy, became hesitant in loaning further funds to Greece, which was sinking deeper into the hole of Eurozone crisis. The ECB was thus forced to take action. Even though the institution was founded on

JAEWON KIM, from Seoul, South Korea, lives in Flagg Dormitory and is a member of the Debate Society, Model United Nations, the Pelican Service Organization (PSO), and the JV Squash team. This is Jaewon’s first article in the World Bulletin.

Demonstrators protest against government austerity measures outside the Greek Parliament in Athens in December.

5

the basis on avoiding direct interference into the economic matters of European countries, it finally decided to lend money to the Greek government due to the contagion of the financial chaos.

By the end of 2011, all efforts seemed null. While frustrated at the Greeks’ inability to stabilize their own economy, the French and Germans were also

finding themselves besieged by economic difficulties. The Greeks thus decided to take their problem into their own hands. One of Greek government’s solutions was to privatize the country’s public sectors, selling shares of its state businesses such as the postal service and proposing a savings package to stimulate the domestic economy. All of these efforts caused great social unrest and national riots, as Greeks voiced their anger towards the mismanagement and lack of ability

of their own government. The hole became even larger and more countries found themselves plunging into this abyss of chaos. Burdened with sovereign debts over a trillion dollars, Italy and Spain became incapable of providing help to the distressed members of the EU. France and Germany, once perceived as the vanguards of Eurozone recovery, have started to

realize the limits of their financial muscle and growing possibilities of their inability to pay back their own credit.

The Eurozone is now left with only one solution: ask for economic aid from other countries, such as China. This decision, however, does not appeal to many members of the EU, in that it creates the impression that Europe cannot solve its own economic problems, inducing a serious impact onto the already-weakened global economy. However, the solution could be an effective response amidst the almost insurmountable crisis. The euro crisis can also be seen as a challenge to both the EU and the ECB and their ability to preserve its original goals while adopting new situations. As members of the EU face their own economic difficulties, they begin to stand aloof from the basis that this

political institution was built upon: collaborative progression. By upholding this ideal, the current crisis can be solvable and Europe will experience growth once more. If the members of the Eurozone decide to stand alone, the European Union will perish. Therefore, in order to get everyone out of the hole, European nations will have to stop fostering strong distrust and stick together.

6

Russian Parliamentary Elections: Fraud Goes Too Farby Ekaterina “Kath” Kryuchkova ’13

On Sunday, December 4, 2011, Russian parliamentary elections commenced. The official results demonstrate a high turnout for United Russia, the governing party, with almost 50% of the votes. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation managed to earn second place, garnering about 20% of the votes. Although the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and A Just Russia finished third and fourth, respectively, they also

managed to earn seats in the State Duma, the Russian Parliament.

Few can doubt that United Russia, the party of former president and current prime minister Vladimir Putin, exploited the electoral system and engaged

in political fraud. After the election, many voters reported an outrageous number of falsification cases. The voters proclaim that United Russia bribed and blackmailed public system representatives for support. During the election, the government gave members of Nashi, a youth movement heavily sponsored by the Kremlin, the privilege to vote multiple times. The Central Election Commission was also declared an accomplice, as it curved the number of votes and distorted the results for United Russia. In fact, a television report in the Rostov region showed that the total percentage of the votes added up to 146%. Despite the uproar, the government openly neglected the complaints of the voters. In short, this election revealed a collection of hideous crimes against the Russian constitution.

Sadly, Russians have

KATH KRYUCHKOVA, from Moscow, Russia, enjoys volunteering with the community service program and playing guitar. A resident of Ammidon Dormitory, Kath is a member of the Foreign Policy Association and the Model United Nations. She wrote an article entitled “The Cult of Putin” for the Spring 2011 issue of the World Bulletin.

Vladimir Putin (left) and Dmitry Medvedev

The HMS Victory and the Cost of Preserving History by Michael Basmajian ’13

Defined as the flagship of British naval power since 1895, the HMS Victory has been preserved for over two hundred years. The ship has since then frequently required costly repairs, consuming almost £2 million (approximately $3 million) in the yearly budget of Great

Britain’s Ministry of Defense. However, as the small holes rot and mold proliferates, HMS Victory starts to beg for more comprehensive and expensive repairs. The British population was willing to meet these needs, even though money used to preserve the vessel doubled, with almost £16 million projected to be spent in the next five years.

While the HMS Victory is a very popular tourist attraction, the

enormous cost of the repairs suggests that there is a motivating force behind maintaining the glory of the warship; an incentive is much stronger than merely a material desire to sustain this crucial asset in the British tourism industry. The ship holds a place in the history of England and, therefore, its preservation would draw a sense of patriotism from the public. Furthermore, it must be noted that only a very small portion of this ship is original wood. If the warship is no longer the same vessel that defended the

country from French and Spanish forces for centuries, then it serves merely as a

symbolic relic of the glorious Royal Navy. HMS Victory is a gigantic symbol of British history, heritage, and work ethic (on this ship ran the historic motto: “England expects

every man to do his duty”). To spend tens of millions of pounds on

what has become a phantom of the original must require a great deal of patriotism.

MICHAEL BASMAJIAN is a day student from Torrington, Connecticut. He is a peer counselor, co-president of the LC Conservatives, and vice-president of the Stock Market Club. This is his first article for the World Bulletin.

Since 1895, the HMS Victory has been a symbol of naval prowess in British history.

7

become accustomed to corruption in the Kremlin; no citizen of Russia feels even a hint of surprise. However, the exposure of political fraud in the election reveals that for the first time in 20 years, since the collapse of communism and the end of the Soviet Union, the nation is actually openly and efficiently expressing its anger towards the government. Like the Arab Spring demonstrators earlier in the year, Russian bloggers and protesters used social media to formulate their plans, posting videos of the voter fraud on YouTube, coordinating demonstrations, and publishing their frustrations about the state of politics under Prime Minister Putin and his United Russia comrade, president Dmitry Medvedev. After the official declaration of the results of the parliamentary elections, large cities found their streets flooded with people carrying signs proclaiming, “We were cheated!” and chanting oppositionist slogans. Although these crowds did not show any instances of violence, the police arrested a large number of protesters under various pretexts. The domestic uproar eventually expanded to an international scale. Rallies developed in front of Russian embassies all over the world. In one instance, Russian citizens in London held protests by holding a dramatized “funeral of Russian democracy.” All of these individuals in this democratic movement wore white ribbons as a symbol of justice and unity with their fellow participants.

The Kremlin gave an immediate response. Pavel Durov, the founder of Russia’s most popular social media website vkontakte.ru, received a formal accusation from a government official and was forced to close down the protesters’ largest group page. On December 10, 2011, the Ministry of Education scheduled an obligatory Russian language practice exam in order to keep high school students away from a large rally planned at Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square.

Current leaders in the Russian government seem to believe in the impossibility of a genuine public voice. In spite of criticism at home and abroad, Dmitry Medvedev, awkwardly denied the falsification and declared the elections “honest, just, and democratic,”

while Vladimir Putin addressed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s concerns about the injustice of the elections, calling them nothing more than absurd accusations. In the face of Clinton’s proclamation that United Russia was infringing the basic rights of Russian citizens, Putin announced that the U.S. government was actually bribing the masterminds of the protests.

At the December 10 Bolotnaya Square rally, attended by tens of thousands of people, slogans such as “Liberty!” and “Reelections!” echoed across the Russian capital. These Moscow activists specifically listed political compromises and gave the Kremlin two weeks to respond. They demanded cancellation of the

election results, dismissal of the chairman of the Central Election Commission, investigation of all vote falsifications, discharge of all political prisoners and, of course, called for new elections. In essence, these protesters sought to end the long-standing reign of Vladimir Putin in the Russian government.

It is important to understand that not all protesters were rebelling against Putin personally.

While he does personify the Kremlin’s abuse of power, he is not the root of the trouble. Devastating corruption in Russia did not suddenly appear because of his policies, but rather have existed since even before the Soviet era (1917-1991). Corruption grew more rampant during the Boris Yeltsin decade (1991-2000), and has only continued to evolve under Putin (2000 to the present). The fact that major opposition parties did not speak up for the last 20 years also contributes to Russia’s political paradox. Due to the absence of a dissident culture in Russian politics, many are reluctant to voice their opinions against the oppressive policies of United Russia. The lack of worthy, alternative, political parties outrages the nation more than the perpetual rule of United Russia. The popular political slogan of early 2000’s, “Certitude in the Future,” teased the citizens with its irony. They do not rebel against Putin. They rebel against the neglect, the method, the system as a whole. Putin plays only one part of that.

Members of Nashi, a pro-Kremlin youth group, celebrate the victory of United Russia in December 2011

Thousands of anti-Kremlin Russians participate in a massive domestic uproar after the December parliamentary election.

8

Are Diamonds Really Forever? The Future of De Beersby Samson Chow ’12

AFRICA

On April 25, 2003, Jonathan Oppenheimer, scion of De Beers, stated to The New York Times that he had “some huge things on [his] plate” that he had to deliver to the diamond market.” The heir-apparent to the world’s largest and most influential diamond company, Mr. Oppenheimer showed bustling ambition for his future enterprises.

Eight years later, it seems that Mr. Oppenheimer will not be able to achieve his dreams.

On November 4, 2011, diamond market analysts

were shocked at the headlines. Anglo American Plc., the world’s fifth largest mining corporation by revenue, announced that it had acquired the Oppenheimer family’s 40% stake in De Beers. According to Andrew Hooters from Dow Jones Newswires, Anglo American had bought the Oppenheimers’ interest for a whopping $5 billion U.S. dollars. Having previously owned 45% of De Beers, Anglo American has now established control in the company with an 85% interest. Hooters also proclaimed that this transaction marks the “end of an era,” terminating the Oppenheimers’ 80-year of reign in the diamond market.

This recent acquisition is not the only time a staggering transition of ownership in De Beers has occurred. Cecil Rhodes, the British colonialist, founded De Beers during the 1871 diamond rush in Kimberly, South Africa. Rhodes died in 1912, and Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, an ambitious diamond dealer, acquired chairmanship of De

Beers in 1927. Under Oppenheimer’s leadership, the company controlled 90% of the world’s diamond production. An exponential path towards prosperity followed. Oppenheimer’s son, Harry, oversaw the marketing campaign of De Beers’ famous slogan “Diamonds Are Forever” during the 1950s. Nicky Oppenheimer, Ernest’s grandson, announced a retail joint venture with French fashion titan LVMH SA during his tenure as chairman, thereby establishing a luxury jewelry chain with more than 50 outlets across the world. Under the reign of the Oppenheimer Family, De Beers flourished through its momentous profits and influence in the diamond market.

But even the most perfect diamond has its breaking point. In 2000, rising companies such as Russia’s Alrosa and Australia’s Rio Tinto began to dissolve the De Beers’ diamond monopoly. Due to mounting competition, De Beers’ possession of world reserves dwindled from 85% to 50%. Facing pressure from the company’s investors, Nicky Oppenheimer privatized the company. This transaction, according to Peter Major of Cadiz Corporate Solutions Ltd, foreshadowed De Beers’ decline in power.

Ironically, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer was also the founder of Anglo American plc., having created the corporation in 1917 with American financier J.P. Morgan. But the Oppenheimer family’s authority over the mining company dwindled during the 1990s, when then-chairman Julian Thompson reduced the

Oppenheimers’ stake in Anglo American to a mere 2%. The privatization of De Beers eventually led to Anglo American’s acquisition of 45% interest. When the 2008 American credit crisis besieged the global economy, diamond sales plummeted and De Beers faced a series of

SAMSON CHOW, a native of Hong Kong, is a member of the Foreign Policy Association and participated in the Model UN this winter at Yale University. A resident of Warham Dormitory, Samson is also a four-year devotee of the NEO stage. Previous articles for the World Bulletin include “The Juggernaut of Black Gold: An Introduction to OPEC” (Spring 2011) and “A Briefing on BRIC” (Winter 2011).

Ernest, left, and Harry Oppenheimer

9

great losses. It was then that Nicky Oppenheimer, now the last Oppenheimer chairman of De Beers, decided that an ownership transfer was best way to be protected from the possible demise of his grandfather’s treasure.

The timing of Anglo American’s acquisition seemed right. Although the luxury industry has suffered from the economic crisis, raw diamond prices recently began to rise, allowing jewelry profits to rebound. Cynthia Carroll, CEO of Anglo American, proclaims that the mining company must “increase its exposure to diamonds,” as she believes that the diamond industry represents one of the most “rapidly evolving” markets in the world. The economic rise of BRIC nations such as India and China has led to an increase in the disposable income of their citizens, and these countries have become hot spots for jewelry retail. Carroll projects that by 2015 diamond demand in China and India will outrank that of the United States, currently the world’s largest consumer of diamonds.

Additionally, Anglo American’s new ownership of De Beers represents entrepreneurial prudence. Already possessing lucrative trusts in copper, steel, and coal mining, Anglo American will diversify its portfolio by turning to diamonds. Carroll proclaims that she will morph De Beers’ diamond distribution into a more open process. Under the Oppenheimer Family, De Beers only allocated its resources to sightholders, exclusive diamond cutters and polishers. Patrick Evans, Chief Executive of Toronto-based Mountain Province Diamonds Inc., muses that by eliminating the sightholder system, De Beers will create a more transparent auction system that will allow for higher-priced diamonds.

There has been an immediate global reaction to Anglo American’s ownership acquisition. The Republic of Botswana, the world’s top diamond-producing country and now a 15% shareholder in De Beers, has called for a reassessment of the company’s business structure. Due to preemption rights (the attainment of property according to others), Botswana, De Beers’ second major shareholder, must comply with Anglo American’s increase in stock. Botswana has also announced that it will consider participating in Anglo American’s deal with the Oppenheimer family, thereby increasing its shares in De Beers. Analysts predict that Botswana may raise its interest from 15% to 25%. The transaction is expected to close in

the second half of 2012. In light of the burgeoning authority of Anglo American in De Beers, Botswana’s government has voiced its agreement to the mining corporation’s actions. Dr. Ponatshego Kedikilwe, the country’s Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, proclaimed that this transaction ensures a “secure step for Botswana’s economy.” De Beers and Botswana have also formed a ten-year partnership on diamond supply, demonstrating a mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties.

Botswana’s compliance, however, illuminates a darker facet of Africa’s economy. Relying mostly on oil and natural resources for economic revenue, the continent’s industrial assets are disproportionately balanced, limiting its economic power. Countries like South Africa and Botswana are dominated by

oligarchs and corrupt officials, prohibiting real political and financial growth. De Beers and Anglo American also sustain London’s legacy of African colonialism; according to Business Week, De Beers was reported to have been involved in the trading of so-called blood diamonds (diamonds sold by African warlords to finance their guerrillas). Immorally, Anglo American has launched its miners into unsafe working

conditions. As the Oppenheimers bid adieu to De Beers, the diamond industry illustrates the frailty of the family-business model in the face of globalization and international corporate transactions.

No longer the controllers of De Beers, the Oppenheimer Family is now seeking other business opportunities. James Teeger, the managing director of the Oppenheimer & Son International Ltd., the Oppenheimer family’s investment arm, states that the family has decided to invest in other businesses in Africa, particularly in the consumer goods industry of Nigeria. The Reuters news agency recently reported that the Oppenheimer family and Singaporean financial powerhouse Temasek Holdings have established private equity joint ventures, investing in Nigerian agricultural, media, and health care industries through a fund called Tana Africa Capital. Despite their loss of the diamond trade, the Oppenheimers now have a chance to explore other facets of the world economy. Despite their replacement in De Beers, the name Oppenheimer will still remain a considerable force in the diamond market, as it was once synonymous with the forever appeal.

10

South Africa’s Renewable Energy Industry by Pim Senanarong ’13

Previously known for its strong dependence on fossil fuels and on biomass for energy, South Africa is now headed towards an era of change and development. Reportedly, South Africa has recently seen the largest percent increase in terms of investment regarding renewable energy. The investment signifies much for South

Africa’s poor, who previously had to rely on the burning of biomass energy, a process that contributes to an unclean environment. Only a small percentage of South Africans in rural areas currently have electricity.

Approved in April 2010, the Eskom Investment Support Project is one of the many new financial initiatives taken to support the increase of renewable energy in South Africa. Part of the project constitutes the Upington Renewable Project, aimed toward increasing the use of solar power, and the Sere Renewable Project, primarily focused on wind power as a cleaner, more effective energy source. The Upington project’s initiative proposes the installment of a solar power plant in the Northern Cape province. Aside from potentially reducing 9 million tons of carbon dioxide gas per 20 years, the project also presents itself as a significant economic boost by providing job opportunities for approximately 100,000 citizens. South Africa aspires to meet at least 42% of the national demand for power by utilizing the newly implemented sources of renewable energy.The Upington Project’s expected launch remains vague in the year 2012 and is predicted to elevate the solar power industry in South Africa, making it a major employer for the continent. Meanwhile, the Sere Project, aiming to generate wind power for the country, should be fully functioning during the summer of 2013. Although the South

African economy is one that has traditionally relied on carbon energy, the implementation and increase

of such projects by organizations like the World Bank and other private sectors promises not only to cut down the carbon emissions of the country but also to produce job opportunities. Hopefully this cleaner and more efficient energy initiative will assist in alleviating some of the continent’s poverty.

PIM SENANARONG, from Bangkok, Thailand, made her World Bulletin writing debut last spring with an article entitled, “Rising Anxiety on the Korean Peninsula.” A resident of Ammidon Dormitory, Pim is the Features Editor of the LOG, vice-president of the junior class, and she participates in the community service program.

The Sere Wind Farm Project was funded by a $365-million African Development Bank (AfDB) loan to South African power utility Eskom.

11

Ali stands, eyes cast down. An uneducated Akah farm boy, he left his family to work in the city for a boss who now beats him. He has never been offered a gift. He thanks each of us, respectfully holding his elbow as he shakes our hands.

“So, Ali, how do you like everything? Is it okay? Are the shorts okay?”

“Uh,” Ali hesitates, “Everything is good. But I no wear shorts.”

After some encouragement, Ali pulls up his pants and reveals his leg. He once brushed past a tree possessed by an evil spirit; as a result the dark skin and muscles of his calf look burned, almost eaten away --- a lake of scar tissue, a thick black shore. He has never shown it to the village medicine man, never taken any medicine, never mentioned it. Only when we prodded did he reveal the incredible pain he experienced. Like the residents in House M.D., we consulted our own detached doctor, an American physician who said crisply, “necrotizing cellulites,” a horrific infection by a flesh-eating bacterium.

Quite common for the Burmese and for all of Burma’s ethnic minorities, Ali has never had medical care. The thought of it never occurred to him, despite the pain, the oozing, the disfigurement. In Burma, there is no medical care for the common man, and there is no one who would dare complain about it. A word against the government guarantees imprisonment.

It is difficult to imagine that a nation so exquisitely beautiful, so breathtakingly pristine, so rich with

natural resources, could resemble the country in George Orwell’s 1984. The Burmese government monitors its citizens’ every move, censoring phone calls, newspapers, media, internet. All products are local; foreign brands are illegal. Sputtering trucks from the 1940s wind down dirt roads, stopping every couple of miles at military checkpoints. These check points embody the complete control and influence of the Tatmadaw, the country’s armed forces. Wealthy businessmen and struggling farmers constantly pay off the Tatmadaw in order to pass through and avoid unreasonable arrest in cash, as there are no credit cards in Burma. The Tatmadaw create a fortress of wealth and privilege around themselves, contributing to the highest levels of corruption in the world. They will even arrest you for taking a photo of them. Most of the country is a “black zone,” a territory that bans foreigners for fear of foreign media and outsiders that may witness the wretched conditions and struggle of the citizens in Burma. Riddled with human rights violations, from human trafficking to child labor to lack of freedom of speech, Burma has perfected deprivation and keeps its citizens on the edge of death. The Burmese whisper that one person out of every ten is a spy. Thus, all Burmese know how to cast their eyes down. Signs the length of our SNUG warn that “All Tatmadaw shall never betray national causes”; signs the length of a piece of paper threaten that various crimes result in cruel and unusual punishments such as the loss of one’s tongue. Is it any wonder that the Burmese have learned to submit so completely?

Burma’s tyrannical military junta dissolved after 49 years of power in a general election earlier this year, handing the power to a civilian government. However, strong military power pervades the constitution and most elected officials are members of the military. The president, Thein Sein, is a retired general. Due to some of the world’s worst human rights abuses, Burma has endured strained foreign relations, particularly

ARIANNA CALABRESE, of Vernon, Connecticut, is a resident of Mason Dormitory. She is captain of the JV Field Hockey team, plays JV Lacrosse, is co-president of the Italian Club, and is a member of the Foreign Policy Association. Arianna’s debut article for the Spring 2011 World Bulletin was entitled “Quashing Ignorance: Islam in America.”

Asia & oceania

Mingalaba to Reform! by Arianna Calabrese ’13

A child soldier in the Burmese Tatmadaw

12

with the west. The United States placed a ban on Burmese investments and imports in 2003. Human rights abuses have been aggravated by the longest civil war in history. The Burmese have undertaken ethnic cleansing, trying to eradicate the Shan tribe, the Karen tribe and several other ethnic minorities. The Karen and Shan people had been granted their own land in the Panlong Agreement of 1947. However, the Burmese government has never honored this agreement and these tribes fight daily for their autonomy and for their lives.

In the past year, the Burmese government has realized that the time for change has come. Fearing dependence on China, Burma has had enough with international isolation and seeks to establish concrete foreign relationships. Burma can no longer ignore the world that surrounds it. The Burmese government has sought to earn a degree of international respectability through political reforms leading up to and following recent visits by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Clinton challenged the Burmese government to expand its reforms, promising rewards such as the development of a relationship between the U.S. and Burma. However, she made clear in her press release that America would wait for action and proof of

reform before opening a formal connection.And Burma really is taking small steps towards a

democratic system. Most notably, President Thein Sein recently signed a peace deal with the Shan Army, offering cease-fire, developmental assistance and a national conference to discuss political grievances. The Burmese government listened to the key demands of western nations, striking up a peace agreement between the ethnic groups. However, this type of deal is difficult to secure with all of the contrasting ethnic minorities—the groups have different cultures, traditions and goals for their people. The rebel groups take steps toward cease-fires cautiously, understanding the risks in dealing with their government. Burmese officials have tried to appease these ethnic concerns by establishing a National Human Rights Commission. In fact, Burma has released almost 200 political prisoners, including noted pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her political party National League for Democracy. She will also be running in the nation’s next elections. However, some claim that the human rights violations in rural areas are getting worse and worse, even as the reforms continue.

These reformative steps have been considered “flickers of progress.” While there has been improvement in the protection of human rights and in the attention to the people, there is still much to be done. The Burmese government continues to discriminate against ethnic minorities, allowing citizens to peacefully protest while neglecting to release previously imprisoned citizens for peacefully protesting; much to western dismay, thousands of political prisoners remain in jail.

No one expects a “Burmese Spring” to happen overnight. At this point, the Burmese are moving forward slowly and with guarded optimism. They struggle to take the advice of Aung San Suu Kyi to “forget the past and have faith in Thein Sein.” However,

she also announces, “If we move forward together, I am confident there will be no turning back on the road to democracy.” And so the world waits for the Karen and Shan tribes to be offered peace, for an uprising of the common people, and for the emergence of hope in the hearts of all Burmese.

Aung San Suu Kyi welcomes U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to her home

Burmese rice fields—photo by Arianna Calabrese

13

After experiencing a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a tsunami with 124 feet waves, Japan was utterly distraught. As if the main character in a Greek tragedy, Japan was struck with a calamitous reversal of fortune. Accompanying these natural disasters was a rapidly plummeting economy, and the country’s political muscle in the global economy beginning to weaken. The events of March 11, 2011 forced the traditionally frugal island nation to increase its health care expenditure by millions. The radioactive leakage from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, the most horrifying Japanese nuclear disaster in seven decades and one of the largest power plant catastrophes since Chernobyl in 1986, led to even greater conflicts.

Since that fateful day one year ago, the Japan has attempted to rebuild and to reinvigorate the towns that are now vacant because of the nuclear crisis. The government announced that, due to the current economic situation, the public does not have the economic luxury of abandoning their polluted lands. However, critics argued that the Japanese government’s dismissal of possible health-related predicaments mirrored the Soviet Union’s desertion of areas affected by Chernobyl. The officials responded by placing the two nuclear crises in different contexts. Japan’s severely contaminated radioactive areas cover more than 8% percent of its entire landmass. In a country that is smaller than California, that amount of land would be an enormous loss. The Japanese government desired to revamp these evacuated towns, using the areas’ rehabilitation to signify that the country’s economy, the third largest in the world, remains strong and influential. On the other

hand, some Japanese citizens believe that this restoration would symbolize a revival of the old Japan, a rebirth of the prosperous country before the tsunami. The superior technological skills and scientific knowledge required of Japan’s redevelopment would demonstrate the country’s distinguished ability to solve its own problems and thus reestablish its position as a distinguished entity in global politics.

However, not everyone in Japan desires to return to the past. The dangers of being exposed to the

JI HEE YOON hails from Seoul, South Korea. She is a resident of Palmer Dormitory and is very active in the Debate Society and Model United Nations. In addition, Ji Hee is a member of the Foreign Policy Association and the Pelican Service Organization. This marks Ji Hee’s writing debut for the World Bulletin.

Post-Tsunami Japan: Reconstruction or Abandonment?by Ji Hee Yoon ’13

14

intoxicated land are unpredictable to its future inhabitants. Current demographic trends reflect the influence of the natural disasters. Japanese real estate listings reveal a decrease in the purchase rate of houses near the bay areas and Fukushima, whereas the sale of apartments in the hills and on the mountains has significantly increased. A specialist reported that the levels of radiation exposure were still higher than the international safety standards, despite thorough local cleanup by the government. Much of the Japanese public doubts the necessity of a pricey reconstruction, while others fear that the operation itself is too costly in time and revenue. Not only would the planned restoration cost billions of dollars, but it would also not cease until all the contaminated regions’ dirt is replaced by pure, unaffected soil which, according to experts, would amount to the total topsoil that covers the whole state of Connecticut. For the polluted towns once again to sustain healthy life, buildings must be rebuilt and natural fixtures such as forests and

Workers replaced soil as part of a decontamination effort at Soma agricultural high school in Fukushima.

mountains would have to be decontaminated by complete eradication or meticulous purification. In spite of the government’s diligent revamping and extensive funding, some inhabitants remain reluctant to risk their future, choosing instead to abandon their homes.

Soon, Japan will have to make a decision about what to do with

its contaminated lands. In the meantime, continued international support and best wishes are being sent to Japan as it recovers from the recent devastation. One thing is yet certain of Japan’s future: regardless of the final solution, both the government and the citizens will have to collaborate to rehabilitate the territories. To rebuild or to abandon --- that is the question that shakes this Eastern Asian island.

Moladi Communities, a construction company in Japan, offers this artist’s rendition of a newly rebuilt village after the earthquake and tsunami.

15

As the 18th National Assembly of South Korea, elected to a four-year term in April 2008, ambitiously kicked off 2011 with an oath to create a “respectable Congress,” Koreans ridiculed the superficiality of the statement.

Not surprising is the public’s low expectation toward the Congress in

recent years. In 2008, delegates from the

Grand National Party (commonly

known as the Conservatives) who held the majority seats built barricades to prevent the D e m o c r a t s from entering

the assembly. Through 2009

and 2010, the pitiful scene in the

assembly continued to embarrass the country with violence and rants traveling

all across the chamber. And in June 2011, without surprise, the Congress housed another fierce brawl between the two ruling parties.

Protesting against the proposed Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the Democrats built barricades and used fire extinguishers to stop the Conservatives’ passage of a bill that would essentially eliminate tariffs. The Democrats called for the renegotiation of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement clause,

which grants investors the right to initiate dispute settlement proceedings against foreign governments. However, the Conservatives sharply refused. Because the Congress failed to address its problems professionally, the whole government branch was shut down for a month to let both factions regroup.

Despite the “time out,” the childish antics of the South Korean Congress resumed as soon as its session began again. The Conservatives refused to debate with the “pigheaded” Democrats, while the Democrats were busy hurling diatribes against the “renegade” Conservatives. A year has passed and the two sides are still engaged in this immature name-calling. Notwithstanding the violent resistance in November in which the Democratic Labor Party attacked with a tear gas canister, the FTA was finally passed in a confidential assembly, without Democratic representation. Unsurprisingly, the Democratic Party’s chairman Sohn Hak-kyu called the ratification a coup d ’etat and named the Conservatives “rebels against democracy.”

This childish and long drawn-out debate is not necessarily an indicator of long-term failure, however. The United States Congress, arguably one of the exemplars of legislative action over the past

two centuries, had itself been wrought with such immature antics during its early years. For instance, in 1798 a member of the House of Representatives, Matthew Lyon, spat on his fellow congressman, Roger Griswold. Half a century later, the dynamic was no better; in fact, it had become worse. In 1856, South Carolina Congressman

Preston Brooks raided the Senate to sabotage

JAMES LEE, from Seoul, South Korea, is on the JV tennis team, the Student Council, and is a member of the Foreign Policy Association and Model United Nations. A resident of Taylor Dormitory, this is James’s first article for the World Bulletin.

Korean National Assembly: A Place for a Brawl?by Woo Jin “James” Lee ’13

John L. Magee created the lithograph Southern Chivalry – Argument versus Club in 1856, depicting Preston Brooks’ attack on Senator Charles Sumner.

An opposition lawmaker detonated a tear gas canister near the chairman’s seat at Seoul’s National Assembly in November.

16

Tightly clustered together, a family of iPhones sits neglected on a table, vibrating rhythmically. All around them, swarming students are buzzing with their own iPhone activity. To the left resides a ferocious game of Angry Birds; to the right, a heated argument is

being resolved over a suspenseful Google search. Straight ahead, a clan of girls giggles over a text, and far off in the distance students entertain their friends by proving their case is “unbreakable.” Such a common piece of technology no longer receives the awe that used to accompany its presence at Loomis Chaffee. Paying it neither attention nor care, few would know that inscribed flawlessly on its back are the words “Made in China.”

Thousands of miles away, in Chengdu, China, a banner reading “Work Hard on the Job Today, or Work Hard to Find a Job Tomorrow” hangs high for the hundreds of fatigued workers in the Foxconn factory to see. Situated in rows of backless chairs,

the Chinese workers labor endlessly as near-robots, efficiently producing the millions of Apple products demanded worldwide today. As China’s largest exporter and as the site where an estimated 40% of the world’s consumer electronics are produced, Foxconn Technology employs approximately 1.2 million people throughout its various factory locations throughout China. Americans’ demand for these luxurious, useful, and amusing products continues to expand as expectations grow. With Americans insisting on better

quality and a further expanse of

features, who is willing to meet these seemingly impossible demands? With a manufacturing system more sophisticated and efficient than any other on earth, China is the winner. Solely concentrated on increasing product

IZZY FLEMING, a new junior and resident of Mason Dormitory, is originally from Middlebury, Vermont. She is involved in the community service program, competes on the track team, and attended the Model UN conference at Cornell University. This is Izzy’s first article for the World Bulletin.

Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, starting a brawl that practically turned Congress into a wild boxing ring. This ridiculous government spectacle stemmed from Brooks’s desire to defend his family’s honor against the ridicule and mockery that Sumner had brought upon them in his scathing anti-Southern, abolitionist speeches. After these incidents, many representatives carried canes and guns to protect themselves against unprovoked physical attacks.

While it can be argued that the U.S. Congress does still behave in a juvenile manner at times—the all-time low approval ratings of the recent congresses are an indication of this—and there’s still quite a lot to be desired when it comes to respecting the viewpoints of a congressman across the aisle, physical violence has long been outlawed. In response

to actions such as the Brooks-Sumner incident, the Senate created specific rules about members’ conduct and behavior in the Congress. The U.S. Congress

is far from the most perfect legislature; but its principles of civility and order are worthy of recognition. To form a peaceful working environment, Korean officials must stop utilizing violence, tossing tear gas into the room, and building barricades in front of the National Assembly. If both sides continue to refuse the other, compromise will

remain impossible and the cycle of argumentative disturbances will continue. Korean political parties must acknowledge declining public opinion, requiring members from parties to take a step back, re-evaluate their democratic ideals and solve their problems with flexibility and calm.

Made in China by Ana “Izzy” Fleming ’13

17

quality and on decreasing production costs, factories located overseas are willing to take drastic measures to get your much-anticipated iPad delivered to your front doorstep by Christmas Eve. Willing to replace their supplies with cheaper, often more dangerous alternatives, and prepared to push their workers to their ultimate limit, Chinese manufacturers have allowed the country to violate labor laws that we Americans take for granted.

Following the discovery that an extremely toxic chemical, n-hexane, evaporates three times faster than rubbing alcohol, Chinese factories have recently adopted this new solution to clean the screens of iPhones—resulting in over a hundred injuries involving nerve damage and paralysis—purely for the hope that more iPhones will be cleaned per minute. Employing under-aged workers, disposing hazardous waste improperly, allowing excessive overtime, failing to provide protective equipment, and paying less than minimum wage, these factories create conditions that are not only intolerable, but are dangerous as well. Crowded inhumanely into compact dorms, constantly covered in aluminum dust, and forced to stand on their feet for insufferable periods of time, a growing number of workers have threatened to commit suicide. In 2010 a cluster of 18 suicide attempts occurred on the premises of Foxconn factories, resulting in 14 deaths.

Apple reigns as one of the leading corporations worldwide. After being informed of these factory conditions overseas, it has made significant strides to improve these problems. By establishing a supplier code of conduct and claiming that if violations are uncovered, compensation will be demanded, Apple claims to be exerting much sweat over the issues. But, behind the scenes, others view the situation differently. Former Apple executives confess that finding new suppliers is not only time-consuming,

but costly, and the question arises if Apple is truly willing to discontinue its link to valuable suppliers that sacrifice safety to meet the company’s demands. Even though hundreds of violations have been found within these factories, few have been acted upon and seriously changed. As the company continues to take advantage of China’s willingness to perform such flexible practices, there is no denying the fact that Apple cares more for Siri than for the treacherous lives of the workers in China. After 56% of people polled in a study declared they could not think of anything negative about Apple, the recent outbreak of information may have a permanent effect on Apple’s reputation, and possibly even its business.

In February 2011, as Steve Jobs sat across from President Barack Obama at a dinner at the White House, he was hit with an aggressive question from the man who runs this country: “What would it take to make iPhones in the United States?” The answer was simple, yet frustrating. No American factory could compete with the speed, work ethic, and efficiency of Chinese factories. A simple example of why developing jobs in this country is so difficult nowadays, the “Made in the U.S.A” sticker seems to be a rare, and a special prize to find. In February 2012, half a dozen petitions were presented to various Apple stores around the world with the signatures of 250,000 people protesting the work conditions of the laborers producing Apple products. Taking gradual steps towards change, Apple will have to approach this problem more aggressively if public awareness continues to rise. As a current Apple executive said, “You can either manufacture in comfortable, worker-friendly factories, or you can reinvent the product every year, and make it better and faster and cheaper.” Now the question arises: what is more important?

A production line in Foxconn City in Shenzhen, China. The iPhone is assembled in this vast facility, which has 230,000 employees, many at the plant up to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

18

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch” best describes the situation of all Thai Scholars, students carefully chosen through both examinations and interviews to earn the prestigious scholarships. Although Thai Scholars are financially supported by either the

government or its associates, we also bear the obligation to contribute back to our country. Moreover, we have to bring benefits to the Thai citizens whose tax money

subsidizes our education.The advantages of all Thai Scholars are monthly

allowances as well as annual money for clothes, school supplies, and miscellaneous expenses. The other advantage is receiving high-end education throughout the globe. There are two types of scholarships: the King Scholarships and the regular Thai Scholarships. Students eligible for the King Scholarships are not required to work for the public organizations that support their finances. However, after graduation in the U.S. through undergraduate or higher education, they will have to return home and work in either government affiliates or private companies.

The recipients of the other type of award, the “regular” Thai Scholarships, are required to take certain jobs that have been qualified in the first place. Because these people are going to be working in government service, they will earn lower salaries than those of the King Scholars, who most often choose to work in private firms. Within this seemingly disadvantage actually exists a benefit because

the government most certainly subsidizes its employees’ expenditures through the Health System covering all the medical costs. On the other hand, those King Scholars working in private companies would face more intense competition and spend their own money on medical expenses.

The other benefit all Scholars could get from studying in the U.S. is the access to liberal arts colleges that once existed in Thailand but collapsed later. In Thailand, a student chooses his major in the first year, giving him a chance to take only a few unrelated courses. This lack of other interests might pose a stumbling block against the development of a well-rounded individual created in the U.S., fostered especially in the liberal arts schools.

Beyond certain requirements written in everyone’s contract is the expectation of contributing to Thailand in the future. In Thailand, the tuition fee is merely $350 for public colleges and about $3,000 for international programs. Compared to Thailand’s, American education fees in private colleges exceeds $40,000. Imagine paying this amount of money to 50 Thai Scholars each year! This whole business causes a great financial burden to the Thai government. A friend of mine, Thipok Rak-amnuaykit, admitted that, “The price of sending one student to study in the U.S. might not be worth the exorbitant price. That’s why we Thai Scholars have to do our best and figure out what to do in the future.” At our recent reunion at New York, I found his words triggered my memory of my true obligation.

Some Scholars are not even sure what to do because their interests and the requirements set by the government do not actually match. One of the previous Thai Scholars who came to join us during Christmas

CHATE KHEMAKONGKANONTH, a Thai Scholar from Bangkok, resides in Taylor Dormitory this year. He is a member of the Math Team, and has enjoyed participating in the community service program all three terms. This is Chate’s first article in the World Bulletin.

Tales of the Thai Scholarship by Chate Khemakongkanonth ’12

19

Australia began as a penal colony for the British Empire, and now has a population of about 22 million people, 26% of whom are foreign-born. This diverse population comes with a caveat, however; xenophobia lies hidden in the Land of Oz, under the façade of a harmonious and friendly country.

Starting at the beginning of Australia’s story is the key to understanding the theme of racism that has developed to the present day. Before Europeans began to settle Australia in the late 18th century, there was a large and diverse population of Aborigines, who had inhabited the land for around 40,000 years. Much like the Native Americans, the Aborigines were a peaceful culture with a hunter-gatherer based lifestyle. Similar to the Native Americans, they were devastated by infectious diseases brought to Australia from the British convict ships. The Aboriginal population steeply declined, and the survivors were thrust into the vast central deserts of the continent, away from the fertile land that lined the coast. The

Aborigines suffered greatly from the mass influx of immigrants who later came searching for gold and other resources.

Today, Australians are increasing efforts to integrate the Aboriginal population into schools in order to give them higher self-sufficiency. But the concept of integration is a relatively new idea, even in cosmopolitan cities like Sydney. While I was taking a tour of a school in Sydney, the guide began to boast about how there were a grand total of three students of Aboriginal descent at the school, and that they were being taught “social skills” in a building completely separate from the main building. Another example

lies on the footsteps of the legendary Sydney Opera House, where three “traditional”

Aboriginal men sit on the ground playing a didgeridoo for tourists. I

also learned about a program that takes Aboriginal children from their mothers and sends them to adoptive parents in urban areas, in order to assimilate them into

white Australian culture.Australia also faces the challenge

of immigration from Asia, from where many students seek opportunities in the

prosperous island nation. A student’s parent once said to my dad that he “hated those damned Asians who take Australian jobs and mooch off our

KRISHNA KULKARNI, from West Hartford, Connecticut, is a prefect in Kravis Hall. Krishna has lived in several countries, including Australia, India, and the United Kingdom. He is a member of the Cross Country team, Model UN, and he plays the saxophone. This is Krishna’s first article for the World Bulletin.

Assimilation in Australia by Krishna Kulkarni ’13

Break told me that she wants to become a physics teacher, while her future career probably will be a physics researcher. There is also a problem about using the opportunity in the U.S. efficiently. Undergraduate education in the U.S. has been well known for its broadness in every branch of knowledge. However, every scholarship, except the King Scholarship, demands that the Scholars focus on one specific aspect, for example, telecommunication economics, like mine, or human resources management, for some others. Focusing in one aspect unintentionally erases

other possible interests that might develop from taking variety of courses because the student will choose to adhere to his destined major.

Seemingly having a free lunch like a privilege over others, we Thai Scholars also have duties to fulfill and problems to deal with. A Scholarship becomes binding for a lifetime but is also a method to repay the country. It becomes a signature of a lifetime achievement worth our intense effort and a symbol of hope for a better future.

Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge

20

are generally characterized in Australia by three things: George Bush, McDonalds, and the American accent. Kids I went to school with in a suburban area with

many ‘traditional’ Australian families inherited from their parents a hostile view of Americans. They never had any specific reason for hating the U.S., but the fact that everyone else in Australia was opposed to everything from America gave them justification to oppose me as well. The epithet

of “stupid American” followed me everywhere, especially whenever I responded to their criticisms of my country. When Michael Phelps crushed the famed Australian swimming team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, people at my school were so upset that they screamed in the hallways, suggesting Phelps was on steroids and shouting strings of curses to him and the U.S. Even the teachers made jokes about their perception of the U.S. as a haven for criminals and mass-murderers (ironic, huh?). Experiencing genuine racism was an upsetting experience, but it made me appreciate my life at home in the U.S. much more, where I can go to school and not stick out like a sore thumb when I ask a question. To be fair, this view of Australia is coming from a very conservative part of Sydney, in a suburb far from the city itself; I think that many of the younger generation of Australians are much less prejudiced, even though racism still lies just underneath the surface.

Australia’s history of isolationist policies made it inexperienced in dealing with other cultures, and now its prosperous economy makes it a magnet for students, as well as a big financial player in the Pacific rim. Many are tantalized by the image of the Land Down Under as country filled with tasty food, exotic animals, and fantastic beauty, and it is; Australia is an incredible place, but it is still plagued by its history, and will likely continue to be for many years to come.

country’s prosperity.” For a long time, Australia had been extremely isolated from the rest of the world, and the ‘White Australia Policy’ illustrates their isolationist attitude. The White Australia policy was enacted in 1901 to “keep [Australia] white and not allow its peoples to be faced with problems that at present are practically insoluble in many parts of the world” (Prime Minister Stanley Bruce, 1925). No immigrants of color were allowed into the country until after the policy was dismantled in 1973. The 72 years of all-white immigration has left its mark on Australia, which is now unprepared to deal with the enormous amounts of Chinese and Indian students seeking Australia’s economic prosperity. In most of these students’ home countries, they have a choice between poverty and starvation or relocation to an alien culture with the possibility of education and employment.

In 2009, attacks began occurring on Indian students in Australian cities. These students usually lived in poor suburbs because of the exorbitant cost of living in the city. After these attacks spurred widespread protests in Australia and in India, some of the students opened up about themselves and their immigrant experience. They said that they were drawn to Australia by student recruiting agencies, which published posters of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge to tantalize Indian students into coming to Australia. The country’s tertiary education is a $15 billion industry, and many of these students are completely exploited when they arrive in Australia. The Indians claimed that they received an education unequal to that of the Australians, and the homes that they bought through the agency were nothing more than run-down shacks. Many students canceled their admission to Australian schools because they feared the violence that could greet them. When I was living there, I had a number of encounters that were racist to either my appearance or my nationality.

My impression from living there is that Americans

21

MIDDLE EAST

For much of the past year, the Middle East has been shaken constantly by the force of the Arab Spring. People have raged, dictators have been toppled, and new governments have risen from the ashes of the old. Despite all the triumphs, there have been some failures: namely, the lack of American support. Since Woodrow Wilson’s vision of “making the world safe for democracy,” the United States has promoted itself as the paragon of this ideology, advocator of global liberty, and bulwark against despotism. But its current actions suggest the opposite. During the events of the Arab Spring, the United States gave support to only specific nations, while ignoring the plight of other countries in the Middle East, especially when intervention held potential economic risks.

Saudi Arabia has been host to one of those “failed” revolutions. Utilizing the other Arab Spring protests for inspiration, many Saudi Arabian citizens began to dissent in a similar fashion. On January 29, 2011 hundreds of protesters in Jeddah gathered for the first demonstration in decades, criticizing the poor quality of the Saudi infrastructure. Subsequently, on February 10, ten Saudi citizens of different backgrounds formed the first Saudi political party in over a decade. And finally on March 11, the “Day of Rage,” protesters gathered in great numbers for the biggest planned public rallies of the Saudi Arab Spring. Thousands assembled in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Qatif, in defiance of the ban against organized protest, but they were met with a strong response by the Saudi government and were helplessly quelled in less than a week. In fact, before the protests even started, policemen patrolled the planned sites and arrested people seeking to take part in the demonstrations. Once they actually did begin, the response was swift and cruel. Saudi police reacted

with force, brutally dispersing the protesters with live ammunition. They even stalked hospitals, seeking to arrest the wounded. The United States didn’t even bother to respond to the violence.

Why do we call for United States’ involvement? Why should it spend more resources intervening in another Middle Eastern country? The primary reason lies behind the fact that the United States is one of Saudi Arabia’s strongest and most vital allies. No other nation holds the power and the position to influence Saudi Arabia in any meaningful way. History has shown that conservative Saudi Arabia views American influence as western attacks against the Muslim world, but that also serves as a reason for the U.S. to act. All the recent clamors for activity has risen from the Saudi people themselves,

not from the west. The average Saudi citizen views the U.S. as a hostile force, but what if it was to become a protecting force? America should capitalize on those grassroots passions and further pressure the Saudi government to cease violence. The U.S. could surely impel the Saudi government to gradually develop reforms. If America

should promote democracy anywhere, it should start with its own allies. It would be hypocritical for America to support one of the most repressive regimes in the world without also pushing it to change. It is most important to note that liberty is not a right solely reserved for western nations; it belongs to all people of the world.

PAUL HAN, a resident in Warham Dormitory, lives in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He is a co-president of the Debate Society, and a member of the Foreign Policy Association. This is Paul’s debut article for the World Bulletin.

Time for U.S. Support in Saudi Arabia by Paul Han ’12

A protest in al-Qatif, Saudi Arabia in March 2011, in defiance of a ban on demonstrations demands the release of prisoners said to be held without trial.

22

The Al Jazeera News Network by Samuel Verney ’14

Watching television in the Middle East used to be, for the most part, a censored, uninformative viewing experience. Unfortunately, the oppressive regimes of these countries seized broadcasting networks, quashing increased awareness of the problems and injustices

of their societies.Things have slowly begun to change. One Arabic

television network called Al Jazeera has managed to rise up against this suppression. Originating in the small nation of Qatar, Al Jazeera has set a standard for sincere and open television journalism in the Middle East. Al Jazeera, also known as “The Peninsula,” rose from the ashes of a failed attempt by the British Broadcasting Cooperation (BBC) to establish a dominant television network in the Middle East.

In 1995, when Qatar’s Crown Prince Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani overthrew his own father, the prince hoped to turn his country into a more fair, just, and modern nation. He therefore decided to establish a television network that would essentially discuss public affairs in the Middle East. Hearing of the failed BBC project, Khalifa recruited 120 members from the BBC and founded Al Jazeera. The network first went live in 1996, drawing instant attention for its daring departure from censorship found on other Middle Eastern news networks.

Although Al Jazeera gradually grew in both size and fame, the network managed to escape the

gaze of the western eye until September 11, 2001. America’s attention to the network began as overwhelmingly negative, to the point of near demonization by the Bush administration. This negative attention stemmed, in part, from the fact that Al Jazeera chose to broadcast Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda videotapes. Even though the network merely broadcast the videos to accurately portray their reports, many jumped to the conclusion that Al Jazeera echoed the ideas expressed in the tapes. Moreover, other negative attention stemmed from the network’s decision to broadcast gruesome images of the American

wars in the Middle East. Subsequently, two Al Jazeera offices—one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq—were struck by American missiles. The American forces claimed that both attacks were mistakes, though many authorities question the truth of these claims.

In the past few years, Al Jazeera has placed an emphasis on expansion, with the launching of multiple websites and an English-speaking television program. In total, estimates place

Al Jazeera as currently reaching 40 million people. This year, Al Jazeera has exercised power more so than in years past, once again gaining the full attention of the West. Currently, some accuse Al Jazeera of supporting Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Some even say that Al Jazeera purposely downplayed the rebellion in Egypt at the behest of the Qatari royal family. Nevertheless, Al Jazeera seems to be in control; their honest journalism should, in the end, reap benefits.

SAM VERNEY is a day student from West Simsbury, Connecticut. He is a two-year veteran of the Club Soccer program, he sings in the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, and this winter he made his NEO debut as Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray. This is Sam’s first article for the World Bulletin.

His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned are greeted by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales in London in October 2010.

23

Relations between Iran and the Western hemisphere soured in early December after an attack was staged on the British Embassy in the Iranian capital, Tehran. Subsequently, the Iranian government refused to return an American spy drone that was downed in the Islamic Republic. While these events may signal a low point in Anglo-Iranian connections, the United States and Iran have, in the past, shared an affable relationship.

Before 1979, when the Iranian Revolution erupted, the United States and Iran enjoyed friendly relations. In fact, the United States actively supported Iran’s pro-American leader, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s (also known as the Shah, or king), decision to remove Iran’s prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddegh, from power in 1953. However, Iranians resented the Shah’s methods. When the Shah dissolved his parliament in 1961, he was met with sharp criticism, and his unpopular moves triggered a revolution in 1979, resulting in an Islamic Republic under a devout Muslim cleric, the Ayatollah Khomeini. Unfortunately, after the establishment of this new theocracy, the tension between the U.S. and Iran exacerbated. When the United States allowed the former, ailing, Shah entry into the U.S. in 1979 to receive cancer treatment, a group of Iranian activists attacked the American Embassy in Tehran and took the American diplomats hostage for 444 days, refusing to release them until 1981.

The situation further aggravated when Iranian President Ahmadinejad was popularly elected in 2005. Ahmadinejad, extremely critical of Israel, and of the U.S. relationship with Israel, has refused to negotiate with either country. In a now-infamous speech delivered on October 26, 2005, entitled “The World Without Zionism,” President Ahmadinejad called for the Israeli regime, the Jewish-Zionist state occupying Jerusalem, to collapse. On top of this diplomatic failure, in 2011 the Iranian Nuclear Program raised international fears about whether or not Iran had hopes of developing nuclear weapons. Iran

strongly denied any suspicions, but Western powers immediately placed stringent sanctions on Iran and on its economic institutions.

In what seemed to be a response to Britain’s new policies implemented to combat the Iranian nuclear program, students, in an attack eerily similar to that on the American embassy in 1979, stormed the British embassy in Tehran. The Iranian attack not only caused damage to the embassy itself, but also wounded the Anglo-Iranian relationship.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described the incursion as “outrageous and indefensible,” demanding that Iran immediately ensure the safety of all British Embassy personnel (CNN). A few days later, during a speech to the House of Commons, British foreign secretary William Hague announced that all Iranian diplomats had 48 hours to leave the United Kingdom; he also declared the closure of the

Iranian embassy. Both the United Nations Security Council and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the attacks and expressed sympathy towards the United Kingdom. Several countries, including Norway, France, Germany, and the Netherlands recalled their ambassadors to discuss the possibilities of closing embassies in

the unstable and unsafe country.After the attack, many suspicions arose as rumors

claimed that the Iranian government had hired the students. The government professed its innocence, declaring, “The actions were a spontaneous reaction of revolutionary students and were not ordered by any state organ,” but the question still remains

FRED MUN, from Iowa City, Iowa and Seoul, South Korea, is on the swimming and water polo teams, and he participates in the Model UN program as well. CHARLIE SHOTTON, from New Canaan, Connecticut, plays the saxophone and is also on the swimming and Model UN teams. Both Fred and Charlie live in Longman Dormitory.

Iranian students attack the British embassy in Iran

Growing Tension in Iran by Fred Mun ’14 and Charles Shotton ’14

24

unanswered. In fact, according to a report that appeared

in The Economist, the Iranian police supposedly “stood back and let the protesters make their way into the compound.” The magazine also noted

through several exterior news reports that, “This

[attack] was in the centre of the capital city . . . If the police had wanted to stop this, they could have flooded the compound with officers and rescued the British. The police,

and whoever was pulling the strings behind the attack, chose not to intervene for a long while.”

Furthermore, in recent news, Iran triumphantly showed off a “captured” and “taken down” U.S. drone.

Very reluctantly, President Barack Obama asked for its return after remaining silent for several days. The drone that had invaded Iranian air space had supposedly been on a C.I.A. mission to track down nuclear power plants.

As the relationships between Iran and Western powers such as the United States and Great Britain reach unprecedented lows, many diplomats and politicians are being forced to ask a difficult question: are these actions a prelude to another war in the Middle East?

British Prime Minister David Cameron

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

25

the americas

The self-proclaimed modern incarnation of Simón Bolívar, the revered early-19th century South American freedom fighter, will likely face one of Bolivar’s actual descendants in Venezuela’s upcoming election. This modern day “liberator” is none other than Hugo Chávez, arguably the most controversial figure in modern Latin American politics. He is up against the

popular, personable American-educated Leopoldo López, Bolivar’s distant nephew and the great-great-great grandson of the country’s first president, Christóbal Mendoza.

Inaugurated on February 2, 1999, Hugo Chávez has reigned over Venezuela for more than 12 years. Although the winner of two ostensibly free elections (in 2000 and 2006), Chávez governs a country where government officials offer bribes and threats, try to suppress opposition media, and prevent opposition candidates from entering races. Despite these efforts, accusations against the Venezuelan government continue to gain widespread attention—the most recent claiming that Leopoldo López is being illegally, and unconstitutionally, barred from competing in the 2012 election. López, a 1993 graduate of Kenyon College, earned a Master’s in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in 1996. The economist, political scientist, and opposition leader served as the mayor of Chacao from 2000 to 2008. The Chávez-led government, realizing the threat that such a young and charismatic leader posed, banned López from participating in any political elections

until 2014. Its publicized reason for prohibiting his political participation was the “allegations of misuse of funds” against Lopez.

Although support has rallied behind his opposition countless times before, no one has gained as much national and international attention as López has this year. He has mounted a multi-year campaign to remove himself from the “electoral blacklist” created by the Venezuelan government. López recently said in an interview, “They are afraid of me because I can win.” Opposition has progressively been blocking more and more key pieces of legislation as Chávez’s Socialist party’s votes slipped in recent elections despite high approval ratings (higher than our very own President Obama’s). Although the Inter-American Court on Human Rights, a judicial entity of the Organization of American States (a pan-national political a s s o c i a t i o n of North and South American countries), ruled that López had every right under the Venezuelan c o n s t i t u t i o n to run in 2012, in October the Supreme Court of Venezuela upheld the ban, effectively stalling Lopez’s opposition bid for the time being.

And López is not the only threat that Chávez is facing. On a trip to Cuba this past summer, Chávez mysteriously fell ill. Only a few days afterwards, he

RILEY CLARK-LONG, a boarder from Storrs, Connecticut, is a member of FPA, a resident of Batchelder Dormitory, and a member of LC’s first competitive Ultimate Frisbee team. Riley wrote an article about the elections in Ivory Coast for the Winter 2011 World Bulletin.

Chávez, López, and the State of Venezuelan Politics in 2012 by Riley Clark-Long ’12

Opposition candidate Leopoldo López

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez

26

At what point did it become acceptable for the U.S. government to murder people? This question has been raised periodically, most recently with the assassinations of Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi.

While Gaddafi’s death did not result from any American mission, per se, the resounding relief and approval from the American public raises questions

about the morals and integrity of our country: what is “the American way?”

Times have changed; it seems that somewhere between Iraq and Afghanistan, the American moral code shifted. After World War II, the Nuremberg Trials brought justice, and the Nazis had to pay for their crimes. Once upon a

time, torture was rare, a measure only sought during desperate situations. But ever since John Yoo, a former official in the Department of Justice, claimed that water boarding does not constitute torture, we have resorted to “torture” time and time again. Fifteen years ago, suspending habeas corpus, which protects American prisoners from “unlawful detention,” was immoral, if not illegal and impossible. Although the post-9/11 terrorist era has created a new, more complex enemy, does that give us the right to abandon the basic rights of a man, the American virtues that have stood for centuries? According to Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations mandate of natural human rights, it doesn’t. The mandate states that, “Everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal.” According to policies implemented during the second Bush Administration, the U.S. can arrest and detain people on and off U.S. soil without an attorney, without a trace.

However, not everyone feels that Bush deserves to shoulder all the blame. Some have gone so far as to accuse President Obama of war crimes for denying a trial to bin Laden. The problem stems from the fact that the United States classifies this operation as an act of war, even though it took place in a country with whom we are not at war. The situation becomes even more complex when you question whether bin Laden resisted and, therefore, classify his death as an impromptu act of self-defense. Attorney General Eric Holder took the matter a step further, arguing that, “The operation against bin Laden was justified

JAMIE NEIKRIE is a day student from Glastonbury, Connecticut. A member of the Varsity Lacrosse team and a veteran of the Model UN program, Jamie makes his World Bulletin writing debut with this article.

announced that he had a cancerous tumor removed from his body. Although he announced in September that he was completely cancer-free, outside physicians once close to the vulnerable leader claimed that he had only two more years to live. Doubts have arisen about his ability to effectively rule while suffering from a potentially debilitating cancer. These strong doubts linger, particularly in regards to Chávez’s, the once spry and youthful president, ability to run against the fierce competition.

This election will determine the future of not only Venezuelan rule but also the distribution of power in South America. Chávez was the first of many democratically elected socialist leaders in South America. The wave of leftism (sometimes referred

to as the “pink tide”) has pulled several leaders into its current: Bolivian president Evo Morales, Peruvian president Ollanta Humala, Ecuadorian president Mauricio Funes, and others. Because of Venezuela’s giant oil and natural gas reserves, it is arguably the most powerful and influential left-wing country.

So, we can only wait and see how López and other opposition candidates fair against the leader of the “Bolivarian Revolution” this fall. Whether or not Chávez serves another term will shape the future of South American democracy. The future of his “21st Century Socialism” will have a greater impact than most imagine, and it is clear that the West simply wants a stable, democratic Venezuela.

The American Way? by Jamie Neikrie ’13

Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi

27

The GOP has its work cut out for them. After a lukewarm four years in office, President Obama should have to fight for reelection, to get down and dirty to convince America that Yes He Did; after four months of Republican primaries, Obama has developed a much less taxing campaign strategy. Says the incumbent Commander-In-Chief: “We may just run clips of the Republican debates verbatim. We won’t even comment on them; we’ll just run those in a loop.” But why does he have it so easy? Democrats are relatively unhappy, Republicans are very unhappy, and Congress is too busy tweeting their Weiners to pass a bill. Presidents are prone to experiencing public disillusionment; 300 million+ people can be a fickle group to please, and times of economic crisis historically garner the least amount of public support for the current president and his party. The truth is,

the Republicans are the ones who should have it easy. Obama’s first term has given them plenty of opportunity to capitalize on disappointing mediocrity to take back the White House. After a baffling comedy of errors that has been the Republican primaries, however, whoever gets the nod is going to have to spend more time apologizing for his and his fellow candidates’ campaigns than winning his own.

LIANA FERNEZ is a “day/boarder” from Bolton, Connecticut. In addition to her work with the Foreign Policy Association, Liana is a peer counselor and tour guide, a 4-year veteran of the NEO Theater, a member of both the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, and this spring will appear in the Musical Revue. Liana’s previous articles for the World Bulletin include features about Hugo Chávez (Spring 2011) and Middle East politics (Winter 2011).

as an act of national self-defense. It’s lawful to target an enemy commander in the field.” However, one of bin Laden’s daughters complicated matters even more when she claimed that her father was an “hors de combat,” a term used in diplomacy and international law to refer to soldiers who are incapable of performing their military function. If this allegation were found to be true, the U.S. would be in violation of the Geneva Convention. Clearly, the situation is thorny, and no one is rushing to condemn President Obama; but, in killing bin Laden and supporting the death of Gaddafi, did the President lead us further way from our founding values? In the eyes of most of the American public, he did not.

According to an Associated Press poll conducted just after his death last May, nine out of 10 Americans approved of the killing of Osama bin Laden. Further, President Obama’s approval rating spiked from 53% to 60% in the wake of bin Laden’s death and earned a bump after Gaddafi’s as well. Overall, Americans seemed to support the operations, with 45% of the public agreeing the country is heading in the right direction, as opposed to 35% prior to bin Laden’s death. The operation that eliminated bin Laden, code named “Operation Neptune Spear,” was supported by powerful organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, and NATO. However, it was also questioned by others, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. On May 3, 2011 Ken Roth, the executive director of Human

Rights Watch tweeted, “It’s not ‘justice’ for [bin Laden] to be killed even if justified; no trial, conviction.”

The bottom line is that bin Laden’s and Gaddafi’s deaths signify much more than simply the deaths of a terrorist and a dictator. Gaddafi’s death provoked chaos in the Middle East and fighting that has resulted in thousands of deaths. In Libya, Gaddafi’s death has created turmoil as the country attempts to stabilize itself. And while it has severely paralyzed Al Qaeda, bin Laden’s death might actually incite other terrorist attacks and organizations. But most importantly, the deaths of these two men raise questions of American morals and policies. If we can simply invade other countries and enact military operations, especially ones that end in highly publicized deaths, then where can we expect other countries to draw the line? Morally and politically, a killing without due process should not be tolerated, no matter how evil the criminal. Just and equal representations are the fundamental rights on which this country was founded, and we must always uphold those standards. So remember that, while the world is better off without Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi, their deaths may have cost us more than we realize.

Osama bin Laden

Election 2012: Triumph of the Least Awful by Liana Fernez ’12

28

universal health care plan (but that won’t win many Republican votes). He did save the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002, which is a major selling point for Mitt: it has nothing to do with his stand on the issues. On his official website, Santorum boasts, “Rick is most proud of his role as a husband and father.” He is the “True Conservative,” dedicated to preserving the family and making sure all babies are born. Vehemently pro-life, Santorum runs a strong Republican platform capable of fighting Obama in 2012. He has addressed the Democratic president’s pro-

choice flaw, determining, “I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say ‘now we are going to decide who are people and who are not people.” He didn’t mean it the way it came out (we hope). As a captain in the Air Force, Rick Perry demonstrated his devotion to America, and as the Governor of Texas, following current American and international hit George W. Bush, Perry created jobs, passed medical liability reforms, and… what was that third thing he did? Oops. Gingrich doesn’t believe in strict child labor laws, but he does believe in the value of work, and jobs are something that all of America wants to get its hands on. He also believes in the value of a child’s education, wishing to strengthen the public school system, evaluate teachers’ performances more thoroughly, and enrich the American math and science curriculum to compete with China and India. If only there was some way to prevent children from dropping out of school before age sixteen to find an unrewarding, minimum wage career. Oh right, there is: strict child labor laws.

Romney, the current frontrunner, has got to capitalize on his most redeeming qualities, and quickly. Defeating Obama is going to take a lot more than blaming him for not being the American savior Democrats made him out to be in 2008. Maybe that was all it would have taken before the candidates began their debates, but now their credibility (or lack thereof) outweighs their credentials.

[Editor’s Note: This article was written during the height of the GOP primary season; Mitt Romney has since secured the Republican presidential nomination.]

The Republicans are fundamentally divided, as the chasm between the moderate right and the conservative right widens by each passing debate. Mitt Romney is a moderate, but that’s his party’s problem; Republicans can’t tell whether or not Romney is really a Republican. Rick Santorum, who removed himself from the race to tend to his ailing daughter before he could give the Tea Party a heart attack, has been accused of being a bigot and a racist, while Rick Perry, long-eliminated from the presidential race, aired an advertisement illuminating that, “you don’t need to be in the pew every Sunday to know that there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.” Highlighting the excessive wages of New York City’s public schools’ janitorial staffs, Newt Gingrich suggested that poor children replace the custodians to instill in them a work ethic to combat the fact that “really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and have nobody around them who works. So they literally have no habit of showing up on Monday.” Jon Huntsman refused to campaign anywhere but New Hampshire, and the jokes were so easy to make that even the unfunny Saturday Night Live wrote a sketch about it.

That isn’t to say the Republican candidates don’t have redeeming qualities. Romney, when he was the Governor of Massachusetts, passed a statewide

(L-R): Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul

29

December 17, 2011.#D17, the three-month anniversary of Occupy

Wall Street. Signs broadcasting “I left my heart at Zuccotti

Park,” “Occupy the American Dream,” “You can’t evict an idea whose time has come,” waving through the air.

A couple hundred people crowd the square: hipsters, Rastafarians, homeless, men donning Guy Fawkes masks, businessmen, doctors, reporters.

A vibrant musical of chanting, singing, and dancing.Protesters pass out all sorts of handouts—

newspapers, flyers, pamphlets—to educate others on the movement. Everyone is talking with each other. Everyone has a voice.

These were my questions. These are their answers:

What are your motivations for your involvement in the Occupy movement?

Matt: It’s just the incredible inequality in this country; we are sick and tired of seeing corruption. And, the overall system that only benefits those on top. We want to make sure that we have a democracy and a capitalist system that benefits everyone, and more and more the middle class and the working class are taking the brunt of the economic crisis [while] those on top aren’t paying their fair share.

Couple: Well, the concerns of the movement are the concerns of us—economic inequality, too much moneyed influence on government, too much influence of involvement with political campaigns, with money and corporations. You will see some people calling for “get rid of rich people” or “eat the rich” or “tax the rich.” But, I mean, if we are all going to live in the society, we should all pay tax fairly…whatever the law is—do it. In my opinion, for example, and for most of the people that I know, if someone gets rich—great! If someone benefits or profits—great! Let them do it legally, fairly, and let them contribute to the society. We don’t want 99% and a separate 1%. We want 100% going together. That’s the thing. But right now the 99% of people have to realize “Oh wait, I’m not just this one suffering person. There are a lot of me and if we all work together, we can do something to help everybody. It’s not about knocking somebody off their pedestal; it’s about having no pedestal. Let everybody be together.

Karen: Well look, there are so many things to talk about here, right? Of course, you could start by talking about the kind of lack of accountability, literally, on

Wall Street that I feel came from deregulation. But the cause of that deregulation is incredible corporate power, incredible power in the hands of the wealthy. That’s the cause of the deregulation; that was the cause of the economic crash. So, when you start to dig into that, you start to realize that inequality causes of a lot of problems—in education, in all kinds of different areas. I’ve seen that slide for a long time, and I’ve seen also an incredible cynicism come into this country that becomes, really, more and more rampant each year. I’ve wondered whether Americans were going to do anything about it, and what there was to be done, and I myself felt apathetic for a long time. So, when I saw people trying to do something about it, again, I came out of a sense of duty. I felt that, if they are going to try and do it, then I better try to make it functional and make it right. It has been such

a growing experience to be here and to see how many people are really brilliant, very well educated, very awake about how the system works, and to see what they are trying to do about it.

Mark: Just seeing friends, ya know, just having conversations with people in your communities and everywhere that you know aren’t happening enough. Everyone knows someone who has been laid off, is unemployed, has to pay more for their health insurance premiums, is working longer hours for less. I mean there isn’t anybody [who hasn’t been] affected. The latest census bureau was the most striking thing to hear, that basically 1 out of 2 Americans are living at poverty levels and low incomes. So, it’s a conversation everyone should be having, but we are actually having in public. We need to have even more of this. This is what it is all about.

Mike: I think it is really important right now for this

Voices from the Occupation by Arianna Calabrese ’13

Protesters affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement rally in Foley Square before marching though Lower Manhattan on October 5, 2011.

30

movement to have physicality. The Occupy movement is about demonstrating that we all have power, we all have agency, that we all can do something to affect change and to create the world that we want to live in. I think that that is what this is about. It’s one of these things that I found really shocking when this whole movement started, that all the news media was saying was why haven’t they released their list of demands? As if we had to petition someone else to change the world for us…but really, we have that power, and we can all do something to create the world that we want to live in. That’s what this is about.

Goldie: It’s a big therapy session for me. I come down here to be with like-minded people and to actually have a voice because I don’t have a voice in my government, at all. Down here you can say what you want and people will actually listen to you. It’s a new-branded democracy that’s not representative democracy because representative democracy does not represent us. And I’m amazed that everyone—that anyone can come here, first day, and have a voice in this system. I can’t get my congressman on the phone. It doesn’t seem to really work out any other way. So I’m just happy to be able to talk.

What is your response to the criticisms of the media that Occupy Wall Street (OWS) is a leaderless movement, that Occupiers have no goals, no direction?

Matt: Well it’s a springboard for activism, so you should never expect Occupy Wall Street to have one set list of ideas. Rather, OWS invigorates people to come out and to demonstrate around one broad idea.

Stacy: Why does it have to be this comparison of having a leader, not having a leader? I feel like it’s more about people getting involved—accountability—each person being involved in the process. For me, there is nothing necessarily bad about having a leader or not having a leader...it’s about people getting together and being involved and questioning and getting out there and for me, picking money out of—taking finances out of the political process and that’s more the root of the issue for me rather than about whether who’s in charge. Because we could have good people in charge if they were beholden to these big moneyed institutions. Besides the fact that this is full of leaders. There are leaders popping up across the country because of this movement.

Karen: Well, we are full of leaders. We talk about that, about being a leader-full organization. I mean,

everyone here feels like it is their responsibility to take leadership; but, we feel like what we don’t have is hierarchy, so no one can order us to do one thing or another. That can lead to what is perceived as a lack of organization. I don’t think that there is a lack of goals, at all. I think that all together we could agree as to what our goals are, but I don’t think that we’ve have the imperative to do that. If somebody asked me: “What if Obama invited you guys to his office with a list of demands he would be willing to meet, ya know, what would they be?” Now, we don’t have those demands in place, but I know for sure that we would be able to have them in place if that were possible. [Occupy Wall Street is an umbrella organization. The call: act locally. Protesters are reaching their goals step by step.] There is a group called “Occupy The Polls” that is working on trying to get people, to get the 99% educated about voting, get them registered, and then get them to run for offices and as candidates. There are groups working on all these little things; in the smaller groups, people are very clear as to what they are shooting at.

Hunger striker: I think it’s honestly an advantage that we don’t have leaders and that we don’t have specific demands. It….keeps the conversation going, it keeps politicians under pressure.

Couple: Anybody in the media who says that is doing so for their own agenda. No one is clueless as to what our demands are. The demands are

universal. The demands are understood by anybody. If you ask any individual “what do you think Occupy Wall Street is about?” they will give you accurate answers. The thing is the press tells the story that they want to tell. The day that Zuccotti Park was supposedly going to be cleaned and everyone was supposedly going to be kicked out, a lot of us went down there [to Zuccotti Park] to literally scrub the ground and sweep and all that. I saw all these reporters come around, and I saw them go straight to one guy lying on the ground who looked like a homeless guy. Nobody was taking my picture because I am a middle-aged white woman who is well dressed and because I was sweeping and cleaning. No one took my picture. They focused on one guy lying on the ground to say, “Oh, look at these dirty people.” The media also thrives on polarity. So, the media only has a job if they have a polarized society. Occupy Wall Street is not interested in creating a polarized society at all; we are as inclusive as any group can be. So, by being an inclusive group

31

and a non-polarizing movement, we are not news. Unless they create the news of polarization.

Mark: The idea that OWS is leaderless is ludicrous. We look to everyone for leadership. Like you could be a leader, if you go home and you listen to this and it resonates with you, you could get your friends together and maybe you’ll be at the next rally. That’s how we educate. The educators in this society aren’t doing anything to educate us. So they have to do what you are doing right now and bring it here. You are in the middle of what’s going on—you are not reading the New York Post and have them give you some bull**it about what’s going on.

What would your ideal future look like for the United States and for yourself as a citizen of the U.S.?

Matt: A world where people can work with dignity, where, if you are working 12 hour days, you at least have health care, and where you have a fair shot, ya know?, where the ideals of the “American Dream” are actually accessible to people instead of being saddled with debt the moment you are born.

Couple: For me, we need to return the democracy to the people and basically take the government out of the hands of the corporations and of the lobbyists. We have lost a say, as a person, in our democracy. The choices that we have to elect are already not representing us because they are funded by corporations in order to forward their agendas; so, basically, we are given a choice of Pepsi or Coke every time we vote. I don’t want Pepsi or Coke—I want pure spring water. It’s that simple. We want to take the corporations out of the government. I think there should be campaign finance reform. My ideal would be that [each candidate] gets the same amount of money, the same amount of air time: A recent interview with the Congress says that they spend 2/3 of their time raising money and 1/3 of their time working for the constituency. Most of their staff is involved in raising money.

Karen: It’s a very good question. I would say that a lot of people in this movement are looking way beyond the system that is in place to a much more egalitarian kind of society. I think that is a great idea, but I personally hope for more compassion in capitalism. I really hope for a society where you can’t be demonized for thinking that paying taxes is

patriotic, even if paying taxes means that you will be paying for someone’s food stamps. So my future would be one where that that’s not possible, where there’s a really vibrant left to defend justice. And for myself, I hope to have a job where I can support myself, and I hope to have health insurance and not be terrified to die without it.

Goldie: Take this direct democracy system and implant it into the government.

Mark: Money out of politics. And humanity—restore humanity into politics. And people caring about one another and not having fights over health

care—should we have health care or should we have social security? Of course we should. And we should have a lot more. We are the wealthiest nation in the world. We have resources and technology now; no one should be hungry; no one should be left out and marginalized. It’s very simple stuff.

Matt: I think wealth in this country is something fantastic, but we just need to

make sure that we have the right rules and regulations. When we can’t even close corporate loopholes, when we can’t even raise the wealthiest Americans’ taxes by 1%, then there is definitely something wrong with this country, especially when we are cutting so many services that would benefit working class Americans.

Michael: That’s a really tough question. Right now, what I would like to see is more people having conversations, more people actually talking about it, instead of just kinda of leading their lives, isolated from everyone else, and they sort of except “oh well I am unhappy with this—oh well:” we can all do something. The more we spread that word, the more we have conversations—that is what we need right now and in the long term. Overall, Occupy Wall Street is mostly about educating each other and that’s just through conversation, so everyone is welcomed, no matter who you are, conservative—whatever!

Do you have any advice for a high school student who wants to get involved in his/her government, who wants to see change or at least take a stand for something he/she believes in?

Matt: Run for city council, vote for someone on your city council, start a local occupy chapter, get online, blog, it’s so many different things but the more we keep speaking out, the less those in charge

Police arrest a protester on New York’s Brooklyn Bridge on October 1, 2011 during a march by Occupy Wall Street.

32

“What do you stand for?” The question gripped my brain as I thought of the answer. I stood in the Rotunda of the National Archives swarmed by people fighting for a chance to look at the powerful documents that give us rights.

Last Wednesday, I went on my odyssey, a solitary reflection assignment in the Ethics and Leadership course at SEGL. I was assigned

three places to go, with questions to reflect on at each stop. My second stop was the Archives, where I looked at the question on the tiny sheet of paper, and slumped on a bench, without any clue how to answer it.

I started to think about issues as I sat in the voluminous dome. My eyes slid over to the Bill of Rights, where eager Americans stood in awe, faces pressed up against the glass. As I watched the tourists, I realized that Americans are allowed to express their rights. From the recent “Occupy” protests, I’ve seen citizens exercising their first amendment rights by blaming the government. I realized that the government isn’t the largest problem; it’s the American people’s lack of responsibility that goes along with their freedoms. The problem may be less about occupying Wall Street but more our preoccupation with the latest trend or

reality television episode. The results of a March 2011 Newsweek poll of 1,000 U.S. citizens are staggering: 29 % couldn’t name the vice president; 73% couldn’t correctly say why we fought the Cold War; 44% were unable to define the Bill of Rights; and 6 % couldn’t circle Independence Day on a calendar. (Just in case you’re wondering, the correct answers are: Joe Biden, to defeat communism, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, and July 4.)

Americans demonstrate their ignorance by not putting in the effort to know about their government. With a presidential election just around the corner, we see that just 62% of eligible voters voted in the 2008 presidential election. While Americans lack initiative, citizens in Tunisia killed each other last spring for the chance to vote! When it comes to rights, Americans live in a utopia.

In addition to not knowing much about their own country, many Americans don’t realize what goes on in the other hemisphere. By hemisphere, I’m referring to Asia, not Texas. In the Middle East, for example, some countries don’t grant decision-making rights to its citizens. In Saudi Arabia, women cannot drive cars. Think about that the next time you go to the supermarket. Some Middle Eastern countries have been oppressed for decades. During the Arab Spring the citizens were waiting at the edge of their seats to fight authoritarian regimes. Nearly 40% of Americans can’t get out of their seats to go vote. Unlike us, these motivated citizens in the Arab world took action and were, to varying degrees, successful. The rebels in the Middle East deserve democracy because they care, and will fight for it. Americans fought for democracy (or was it independence?) once, but we have forgotten

EZRA KAUFFMAN, from New York, New York is a member of the Arab World Affiliation and Project Green. A resident of Batchelder Dormitory, Ezra is a tour guide, and he enjoys singing with the choir. Ezra attended the School For Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington D.C. in the fall term. This article, his debut feature for the World Bulletin, is based upon that experience.

of our government are going to be able to ignore us. It’s awesome. Ultimately, we set the goals; we set the standards for what kind of society we want to live in.

Karen: First of all, injustice is everywhere. So, finding something that you are really interested in….if you are a high school student, maybe it’s education, maybe it’s college tuition and looking into why college is as expensive as it is. I really think that having conversations with people is the best way to do it. I’m from Wyoming and we just had a Skype conference call, like a town hall, with the people in Wyoming who, of course, aren’t able, at all, to have an occupation, because it is really spread out and it is really conservative. In Wyoming, there is a 4% unemployment rate—that’s nothing. The median income is $77,000 a year—they are not hurting. But,

Occupy Wall Street or Preoccupied? by Ezra Kauffman ’13

it has the highest wage inequality between men and women, so that’s an issue that everyone could rally behind. My advice is: read a lot and make sure you feel that you are empowered to ask questions because nobody is going to tell you, even someone in Occupy Wall Street is not going to tell you, how it is. Ask questions. When you see injustice, try to find out what is behind that.

Michael: I think that everyone needs to look around themselves, see who is around them and talk to those people, and to start talking about what they can do to change their world. It’s local. It’s about localized change. So, people who are in high school can change the way that their culture is in their school. This is really about a cultural change.

33

former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, Blankley spent seven years as press secretary to Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. He was a panelist on the popular talk show The McLaughlin Group, among others.

Kevin H. White, 82, on January 27. Four-term Mayor of Boston (1968-1984), White notably served during the racially turbulent years in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He oversaw the desegregation of schools via court-ordered busing in Boston, and is widely credited with the revival of the downtown, waterfront, financial district, and Quincy Market.

Anthony Shadid, 43, on February 16. Baghdad and Beirut-based reporter for The New York Times, Shadid twice won for the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting (in 2004 and 2010).

Lynn Davis “Buck” Compton, 90, on February 25. A California Court of Appeals judge, the lead prosecutor in Sirhan Sirhan’s trial for the murder of Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, a former member of the Los Angeles Police Department, and a highly decorated World War II veteran (recipient of both the Purple Heart and the Silver Star), Compton was one of the inspirations for the film Band of Brothers; his heroism is dramatized in Episode 2, “Day of Days.”

Mike Wallace, 93, on April 7. Esteemed American news correspondent and journalist, known best as a pioneer of CBS’s 60 Minutes, and once referred to as “the Terrible Torquemada of the TV Inquisition,” Wallace was a respected, yet often feared, interrogator who questioned everyone from Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to baseball star Roger Clemens. His tenure at 60 Minutes (1968-2008) coincided with the rise in popularity of the television news magazine format; since 1975, 60 Minutes has been among the top 20—for many years even the top 5 or 10—programs on television.

about the times when we didn’t have such privileges. Americans have a lot of work to do in terms of appreciating our natural-born rights.

Sitting on the bench in the Archives, I began to wonder how many stupefied people in the room actually knew about the Arab fight for democracy. Even if Americans were aware, the journey is far from over. Americans already have their

rights; we cannot continue to spend time on ourselves. We must focus our attention to the Middle East where people aren’t so fortunate. We have to get over our superpower arrogance and realize that we’re probably not welcome in the Middle East. After all, what country wants a good American democracy if the

American citizens don’t even take their government seriously?

Farewell: Judge, Journalists, Politicians, and Playwright

The Bill of Rights, featured prominently in the Rotunda of the National Archives, Washington D.C.

Christopher Hitchens, 62, on December 15. English-American polemicist, author, essayist, analyst, and journalist for such publications as Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Nation, and Slate, Hitchens was a popular, yet polarizing, public intellectual, known for his controversial and confrontational style, and occasionally for his wit and charm. A regular on the talk show circuit, Hitchens was a frequent commentator on politics, religion, and history.

Kim Jong-il, 70, on December 17. North Korean dictator and “supreme leader” from 1994-2011, Kim was ranked number 31 on Forbes Magazine’s List of the World’s Most Powerful People in 2010. A “cult of personality” surrounded Kim, who will likely be remembered best for his country’s terrible human rights record, poor economic conditions, its frequent nuclear threats, and its ongoing antagonism with South Korea and the United States.

Vaclav Havel, 75, on December 18. Czech humanist, playwright, dissident, and politician, Havel was elected president of still-communist Czechoslovakia in 1989. He presided over the peaceful collapse of communism in his country, in a movement known as the Velvet Revolution, and for another decade (1993-2003), as president of the Czech Republic, Havel oversaw the relatively successful transition to democratic capitalism. Prague is one of the most popular cities in Europe, particularly in the 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, due in no small part to Havel’s leadership.

Henry E. Catto, Jr., 81, on December 18. American public servant and diplomat, ambassador to Great Britain and El Salvador, Catto served Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and the first Bush from 1969 to 1993.

Tony Blankley, 63, on January 7. An English-American conservative political analyst and operative,

34

Image Sources

(cover)http://media.scoutwiki.org/images/thumb/c/ce/Earth_globe.svg/256px-Earth_globe.svg.png

(page 2) http://rlv.zcache.com/international_flags_globe_earth_photosculpture-p153783532780996665env3c_400.jpg

(page 4)AFP/Getty Imageshttp://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/BUSINESS/04/28/greece.strike/t1larg.protest.afp.gi.jpg(page 5) Eurozone Debt Illustration by The Observer. Source: guardian.co.uk. http://static.theurbn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/eurozone-debt-map-large-001.jpg

(page 6) Photograph by Peter Beaven; licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licencehttp://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/86/54/865432_a2acfca1.jpg

(page 6) Pool photo by Mikhail Klimentyevhttp://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/03/07/world/07RUSSIA/07RUSSIA-articleLarge.jpg(page 7) James Hill for The New York Timeshttp://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/12/05/world/europe/05russia3/05russia3-articleLarge.jpg(page 7) James Hill for The New York Timeshttp://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/12/11/world/11russia2-span/11russia2-span-articleLarge.jpg

(page 8) http://z6mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/de-beers-stock.jpg(page 8) http://dailymaverick.co.za/photo/resize/2011-11-07-oppen-heimers346/600/346 (page 9) http://www.bullionstreet.com/uploads/news/2011/10/1318326948.jpg

(page 10) Green Market blogspothttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/npMA5bBKmLM/TrvqcGgefeI/AAAAAAA-ADjs/XdaBxB7Nins/s1600/south-africa%2Brenewable%2Benergy%2Bprojects.GIF(page 10) http://www.shopwestcoast.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/windfarm.jpg

(page 11) http://news.eastvillagers.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bu21.jpg(page 12) http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Aung+San+Suu+Kyi+Secretary+State+Clinton+Makes+fjFiVZAWDLVl.jpg

(page 13) Source: Columbia University, 2009http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/images/2011/Mar/japan-crisis-18-3.jpg(page 14) Ko Sasaki for The New York Timeshttp://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/12/07/world/07radiation1_span/07radiation1_span-articleLarge.jpg(page 14) http://moladi.com/images/Hennie%20Botes/Rural%20Devel-opment.jpg

(page 15) John L. Magee lithographhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Southern_Chivalry.jpg(page 15) Yonhap/Reutershttp://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/11/23/world/23korea-image2/23korea-image2-popup.jpg(page 16) http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/11/23/world/23korea-image3/23korea-image3-articleInline.jpg

(page 16) http://images.apple.com/hk/en/support/products/images/iphone-hero-20101130.jpg(page 17) http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/01/22/business/JP-APPLE-1/JP-APPLE-1-popup.jpg

(page 18) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/maps/large/th-map.gif

(page 19) http://www.unprsouth.com/Sydney,%20Opera%20House,%20Australia.jpg(page 20) http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/pacific/australia/map_of_australia.jpg

(page 21) Reutershttp://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pic-tures/2011/3/9/1299703735715/Saudi-protesters-in-Qatif-007.jpg

(page 22) http://www.digitalqatar.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Al-Jazeera-Logo.jpg(page 22) Photo by WPA Pool/Getty Images Europehttp://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Prince+Charles+Sheikh+Hamad+bin+Khalifa+Al+j8gUJ7EG-t9l.jpg(page 22) http://www.emeraldinsight.com/content_images/fig/4340030108001.png

(page 23) http://www.abc.net.au/news/linkableblob/3703470/data/pro-testers-storm-british-embassy-data.jpg(page 24) http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/files/2009/12/mahmoud-ahmadine-jad.jpg(page 24) http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01421/SNN1208CAM-380_1421510a.jpg(page 24) http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/n_africa_mid_east_pol_2009.jpg

(page 25) AP Getty Imageshttp://news.ripley.za.net/wp-content/plugins/rss-poster/cache/2b2cd_111018024143-leopoldo-lopez-speech-story-top.jpg(page 25) http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_g8U8NVdU6dQ/R_aVpRsLsvI/AAAAAAAABWc/X6BjIM9VzgM/s400/chavez24.jpg

(page 26) http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/399px-Muammar_al-Gaddafi_at_the_AU_summit.jpg(page 27) http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2009/10/11/news/photos_stories/cropped/006_osama_bin_laden--300x300.jpg

(page 28) http://www.onntv.com/content/images/politics/President_GOP_x4x_Candidates.jpg

(page 29) Mario Tama/Getty Imageshttp://www.marketplace.org/sites/marketplace.org/files/styles/primary-image-610x340/public/WWW/data/images/repository_orig/2011/10/10/20111010_occupywallstreet.jpg(page 30) http://ourstorian.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/occupy-we-are-the-99.jpg?w=584(page 31) Stephanie Keith/AP Photohttp://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ap_wall_street_111002_wg.jpg

(page 31) http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/image-files/national-archives-rotunda-large.jpg

(page 34) http://www.amandabarden.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/j0438504.jpg

35

Also in the NewsAfghanistan—Kabul and Washington signed an agreement granting the Afghan government greater

oversight over U.S. Army night raids in Afghanistan. The U.S. views these raids as crucial operations to maintaining political influence in the region, while Afghanistan considers these operations as signs of disrespect. The controversy escalated when, on March 11, Staff Sgt. Robert Bales allegedly shot and killed 16 Afghan civilians (mostly women and children) during a night raid in Kandahar. After months of difficult negotiations, the two countries have finally reached a compromise that will not only permit Afghanistan a more prominent voice in its fight against the Taliban, but will also define the political role of the U.S. as American troops are set to withdraw by 2014. The deal, on the other hand, seals a long-term political agreement and may be viewed as an improvement in the relationship between the two countries.

Malawi—On April 7, Joyce Hilda Banda, former vice president of the southeastern African country of Malawi, was sworn in as president after the death of her predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika. Mr. Mutharika, although praised for his successful plans of economic growth in 2004, had garnered dissidence since his reelection in 2009. During his second term as president, Mr. Mutharika not only severed Malawi’s ties with other African countries, but he also transformed the Malawi government into an autocratic institution. After his death, a backroom power struggle flared between Ms. Banda and Peter Mutharika, Mr. Mutharika’s brother. Ms. Banda eventually prevailed and has been well received by the Malawi public. As the first female head of state in southern Africa, Ms. Banda has been viewed by many as not only a restoration of democracy in the Malawi government, but also a symbol of progressive hope and change.

Buenos Aires—Once on friendly terms, Argentina’s vice president Adelmo Gabbi and head of Buenos Aires Stock Exchange Amado Boudou exacerbated their relationship when Mr. Boudou accused the latter of bribery through a third party. In a televised press conference, Mr. Gabbi proclaimed that he will take legal action against his former ally if the circumstances necessitate him to do so. Meanwhile, Mr. Boudou is the center of an investigation concerning his years as economic minister, when he used his influence to help a bankrupt company, Ciccone Calcografica SA. The vice president’s mounting legal problems threaten not only his own political career, but also that of reelected Argentinean president Christina Kirchner, who won 54% of the vote last October. Mr. Boudou’s difficulties have since raised doubts of Kirchner’s administration by the public. As the country faces an economic slowdown Argentina’s top union boss Hugo Moyano has also increasingly challenged Mr. Boudou’s and Ms. Kirchner’s authority.

New York— Known as the “merchant of death” by the FBI, Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer, was sentenced on April 5 to 25 years in prison following a conviction of conspiracies to sell air missiles and kill Americans. Mr. Bout, a former Soviet military officer, had frustrated U.S. authorities for his alleged international arms trafficking. He is notorious especially for selling weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), an anti-American coalition. In March 2008, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration captured him through an undercover sting operation in Thailand. Mr. Bout proclaimed that he was not guilty and claimed that he was selling cargo planes, not weapons, in Thailand. During his trial, the arms dealer accused Washington of “outrageous, inexcusable government conduct.” Mr. Bout faced extradition to the U.S. in 2010; the Russian government tried to block the legal wrangling at that time.

Tokyo— When North Korea announced a “planned satellite rocket launch,” the Japanese government promptly held a meeting to discuss security measures. During the summit, however, a wave of laughter ensued. Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka, while trying to formulate a statement, blurted out, “Moshi moshi,” a Japanese expression used to answer the phone. Mr. Tanaka intended to say “Moshi mo”, which means “if ” in his native language. After several attempts to correct himself, the minister was finally able to express the right words. His embarrassment, however, did not cease. In response to Mr. Tanaka’s verbal slip, a fellow government official shrieked, “this is not a telephone call!” The entire floor erupted in mirth. Like former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Mr. Tanaka has been repeatedly ridiculed for making inappropriate remarks during important political conventions.

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal