Review of Article "Why Are American Troops in the Yemen War?"

                     This article discusses that the lack of information or better yet, mis-information that is provided to Americans by the Trump administration on involvement in Yemen. Since late 2017 soldiers have been on the Saudi border with Yemen.Soldiers are helping find and destroy missiles and launch sites of the Houthi rebels.This contradicts the Pentagon statements which states that actions of involvement are exclusive to aircraft refueling and and  logistics and intelligence. The article also highlights how American troops are fighting extremists groups in over 14 countries yet the Houthis pose no actual threat to the United States.This observation truly reiterates the question of why are American troops in Yemen.Originally following 9/11, troops were deployed to Yemen to fight Al-Quedas forces. Now having these soldiers fight for a different purpose, it is important to highlight the fact that congress never officially approved  for American troops to be militarily involved in the civil war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia.President Trump himself does not frequently discuss military operations to the public and has not voiced a strategy that works towards the antiterrorism campaign.
                    Despite the horrific detriments that the war has already caused on the region and its people,Saudi Arabia's new rising leader Prince Mohammed bin Salman seems adamant about achieving a military victory.At this point the primary sense of hope to ending the violence of fighting and killing is a peace agreement. To reiterate the question of why the administration would mis-lead American people of troops in Yemen is relatively clear. It would not make much sense to reveal the truth of involvement in Yemen when the involvement was near truly made official for the current purpose of which they are now fighting for. In addition the relevance as to why troops are fighting in Yemen still has yet to be made clear.


Source:https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/03/opinion/american-troops-yemen.html

Reflection On "International Politics of the Middle East" Course

     

   I thoroughly enjoyed this course because of the ways that it challenged me to see connections between my life in the U.S, and a region that I knew absolutely nothing about prior to this course. As the semester went on I began to see similarities amongst certain themes discussed in this course especially when discussing the different ideologies and different forms of pride that people have, ethnically, culturally nationally etc.As I reflected on this course I thought about the fact that throughout my entire educational career prior to undergraduate school Ive never been taught even a section of history about the middle east. In history courses in grade school it was a requirement to learn the countries of each continent, however I vividly remember that the farthest country that we had to memorize on the map of Asia was India.Also, when learning about Africa it was never mentioned that northern states are included as a part of the middle east.As bad as it may sound, when thinking about  the middle east before taking this course I could have only named a few countries in this region and the first that would have come to mind immediately were always Iran and Iraq. This made me consider how Ive been taught to think of this region with such a closed mindset, with the majority of my knowledge of this area revolving around 911.
       My biggest take away from this course is the importance of taking responsibility to educate yourself on place and people that are different from yourself.Ive also developed a better appreciation for other cultures.I think the different ideologies of identity make this region very unique. Personally, I don't consider my national identity, political identity, religious identity. If a person asks how I identity, I automatically would state that I am Black/African American. It would be interesting to consider the idea that my most important identity could be other aspects of my personal identity such as catholic, American or Democratic. I think that having these different identities but stressing importance on which one is most valued by different people allows for a strong sense of appreciation that gives people a different sense of respect and love for the bond shared amongst people with the same identification. Although this may cause conflict at times I think there is beauty in belief, whether that is Arab, sunni muslim or Shi'ite muslim,  I have much appreciation for the dedication and value that individuals in the Middle East tend to have for their identities.

Image 1 Citation:Atrantham Follow. (2015) “Nationalism and National Identity.” LinkedIn SlideShare, www.slideshare.net/atrantham/nationalism-and-national-identity.

Reflection on Dr.Stephen Walt's visit to Dickinson

I enjoyed listening to Dr. Stephen Walt speak for 2 primary reasons. First, after learning about his realist theories in International Relations, it was great to hear his thoughts on current American foreign policy. Second, I thoroughly enjoyed his breakdown of the various concepts discussed in his lecture.In the beginning of the Lecture Dr.Walt stated that "The world we live in today is alot worst than what we expected".After the lecture I thought about this statement wondering if this was a statement implied for the entire world or or specifically for America. Considering that that the United states is still one of the leading nations in the International system, I'd suppose this could have been an expected prediction for a while in history. I also enjoyed his explanation of American foreign policy since the cold war, liberal hegemony.He discussed how American foreign policy seeks to use American power to defend the traditional principles which are individual freedoms,democratic institutions, market based institution and rule of law. Throught-out the lecture Dr. Walt made it clear that he thinks America's continued approach to spreading democracy is not the best.Highlighting how regime change does not lead to a stable democracy. Implementing a regime change leaves a state without governance and as Dr Walt stated "the only thing worst than a bad government is not having a government at all".Most importantly I thought it was very interesting how he acknowledged the idea that each nation is different. Democracy in China does not mean the same thing that it means in the United States and that is not necessarily wrong.Spreading democracy does not have to mean moving towards American Democracy, each nation can successfully move towards a democratic system in their own way. Dr.Walt suggest that American people would support a more realistic foreign policy strategy meaning  getting involved when necessary and not having special relationships with states directly.In sum, American Foreign policy strategies  should follow a  strategy that is much different than what is depicted in the image above.

Image 1Citation: Weiner, R., & Larmett, J. (n.d.). Let's NOT Spread Democracy! Retrieved from http://www.banderasnews.com/0712/edop-notspreaddemocracy.htm

Aftermath of 9/11 for the Middle East

          When discussing the aftermath of 9/11 we often consider how this act of terrorism impacted the United States however it is also important to also consider what this event prompted for countries in the Middle East. After attempting to negotiate the handover of Osama Bin Ladin the U.S prompted an arial assault to remove the Taliban. Upon this attack the Leaders of the Taliban government fled the capital. With an interim government in place, Afghanistan remained unstable with many external issues and issues within the capitol. The aftermath of 9/11 also had an impact on the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Instantly there was a shift of sympathy towards Israeli people, American people suddenly had a shared sense of anguish against terrorism. Along with a shift in the people, Bush's administration also experienced  a shift in putting much focus towards Israel's response to Palestinian terror.911 helped Isreal gain U.S approval for its infiltrations in the West bank.This sense of support for both nation's fighting terrorism with resilience and determination created an American-Isreali bond between the nations and its' people.
           As 9/11 prompted a shift in the US's relationship with certain nations it also induced a geographical shift in the Middle East.The geographical changes in the Middle East were not so sudden but definitely in some way a culmination of this event. Bin Laden's goal was to alter the Islamic world and in many ways this was done.Many different dynamics have change the Map of the Middle east such as events involving the Arab Spring, Iraq war and a lack of governmental stability, one can see that the borders of nations in the middle east seem to be very flexible.Many of these countries undergo internal issues that only support this fluctuation, for example the Syrian civil war, the political divide in Lebanon and Jordan's large intake of syrian refugees.
           There are many different ways to see how the Middle East was dismantled as a result of November 11th terrorist attacks. As an American citizen I find it interesting to consider the
implications that this event had on other places than the U.S. Although this memory has been ingrained in history  as a catastrophic event for the United states, 9/11 was also a generator for many other issues in the Middle east following November 11, 2001.

Picture 1 citation:Shapiro, Jacob L. “The Middle East Since 9/11.” Geopolitical Futures, 11 May 2017, geopoliticalfutures.com/the-middle-east-since-911/.

Reflection on Jeremy Bowen's Podcast

       Listening to the podcast rather than reading or even watching a video about the  events allowed me to deeply imagine and think about different perspectives of each event.Even a video would have prompted a different interpretation not having the  detailed sound and descriptions. This journalistic perspective provided many specific details that made me feel like I was getting a behind the scenes perspective of the various events.Hearing of first hand experiences really explains the seriousness and  tension that citizens experiences in the Arab world.I think the one experience that Jeremy Bowen talked about that did a great job at depicting these first hand experiences was when he needed gas for his heater and his cooker. At first the man selling him gas for his cooker told him that he needed to get Arab gas for his heater.After this, once he found someone that sold the gas he ran into another problem which was that the color of the cylinder was different.The man selling him the gas decided to re-paint the cylinder the correct color so he could sell him the oil.When he went to pass the Israeli checkpoint he was stopped by soldiers who saw him trying to take west bank gas into Jerusalem. This was an issues for the soldiers because having no knowledge of why he painted the cylinder was justified for them to question the situation, worst case scenario it could have been a bomb.

Luckily the soldiers acknowledged the fact that he was a foreign journalist. This situation was only one example of how the conflict impacted all aspects of life beyond its political and geographical reasons. Experiences like this could only be described in readings to a certain extent. In listening to this pod cast I could truly imagine every pressured moment that he felt in simply trying to get some oil to heat his home.

           The podcast on "Guns and Olive Branches" did a very good job at explaining Arafat's influence on this region while also shedding light on what his intentions were despite the different opinions about him.The small details provided in the podcast such as how Arafat particularly war his keffiyeh (a Bedouin arab's kerchief worn as a head dress) contributed to this look back at his life.Although many were not satisfied with Arafat's decisions I was shocked, taken aback yet in a small way impressed by his dedication and charisma to fight Israel. Arafat's words at the UN General Assembly became his most famous words.Before even watching the video attached below I could literally feel each and every word of this statement even when it was spoken by Mr. Bowen.I appreciated this podcast because it complements the reading very well.  

            I think that the reading does a great job at explaining exactly what happened and then sources such as this one allow us to more deeply reveal how and why specific events occurred. The pro's of having this information delivered audibly are that it allows me to not only listen but but analyze simultaneously whereas when watching a video or reading this information it seems more effective to watch or read the info in whole and analyze after. On the contrary I think that a con of listening to this information is that alot of this conflict involves geography therefore it is almost  a necessity to have some source of geographical reference to look at while discussing this regions conflict.

Video:oterbulbul. “Yasser Arafat's Speech at the UN General Assembly Olive Branch Speech.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 Nov. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVXN6EiqKFY.

Picture:Toi, et al. “Palestinian Shot Rushing West Bank Checkpoint.” The Times of Israel, www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-shot-rushing-west-bank-checkpoint/.

My Water Consumption "Water Diary"

      According to the Water Footprint Calculator my water footprint is 2,575 gallons per day and according to the water footprint network my water footprint is 919 cubic meters a day. My water footprint was slightly over the U.S. average.Jordan has a total water footprint of 8,300 million m^3/year and a water footprint per capita of 4,600 litre/day which is equivalent to 1,215 gallons.

       I think this large difference in water consumption is representative of how individuals in the U.S value water in comparison to individuals in the middle east. In the U.S there are few issues that cause the overall population to consider the importance of water consumption, however in countries such as Jordan there is no option to think about these impacts, it impacts everyday life. Jordan has experienced water scarcity for a few different reasons starting all the way from 1948 as a result of the Arab-Isreali war. There are many other factors that impact Jordan's lack of water such as population growth and climate change. Each of the above factors mentioned impact the lives of Jordanian people in many ways. For instance, climate change impacts food and agriculture that is available to the people. This also has a strong economic impact, for the average household this will have a direct affect because as water scarcity fluctuates the cost to bring clean water to individuals homes has to also fluctuate. For the country as a whole this water scarcity causes them to depend heavily on imported goods for basic needs that cannot be met simply by their own natural resources.Most of these issues that Jordanian citizens will encounter specifically as a result of water scarcity, most U.S citizens will not have to consider.

      As a U.S citizen I can personally say that I do not consider water consumption simply because in my experience it has not been stressed as an important issue to constantly consider. When I looked closely at my footprint I noticed that alot of my water consumption is taken up by uses that in other places probably would not be considered a necessity. For example, frequent shopping, overuse of shower time and frequency of washing  clothes really made a difference in my footprint. 

      In terms of International Relations I think this should spark concern in countries that are not affected. Seeing how water usage is such a crucial issue in the ways that we over use water, it is unimaginable to think that people are lacking water simply for vegetation and cleaning purposes. At some point, if not already this could be considered a humanitarian issue that should concern other states. Looking at this report of how much water I consume makes me reconsider how my lack of concern for natural resources contributes to a bigger picture. 

"A Siege of Salt and Sand"

      "A Siege of Salt and Sand" was a very insightful and informative documentary. In particular I think it  is important to see how world issues such as climate change impact individuals lives and culture. Often these big issues are presented through facts and predictions of what will happen in the future however this documentary highlighted how entire groups of people are having to adjust numerous aspects of their lives currently. This perspective displays the significance of climate change not only for the future but also for today.In developed and underdeveloped countries climate change is not always viewed with equal importance as economics or politics unless individuals are directly impacted by these issues.

     This film discussed distinct issues that inhabitants of Tunisia are experiencing beginning with a lack of policy. In 2011 the country experienced political reformation in its shift from dictatorship to democracy. This lack of policy has left many individuals in social and economic despair. There is also  a huge lack of water and diseases are that were not present before, are now arising . Leishmaniasis is a public health issue in Tunisia that is transported to humans through the bite of  a sand fly. This issue along with many others has surfaced due to the changes in the environment. Along with the  lack of water, temperatures have risen which aids the spread of infection.Lack of water serves as a huge issue economically, agriculturally,politicically etc. As one could imagine, farmer's of this land have extreme difficulty.Much of the land is not suitable for vegetation and even small amounts of land that are suitable for vegetation are often destroyed by the powerful winds. Individuals have created systems of irrigation however there still does not seem to be enough water flow.

     In southeast Tunisia people are experiencing a problem that is different but just as devastating as the environmental experiences in southern Tunisia.There seems to be no more fish in the sea and water has advanced the shore turning land that was once filled with palm trees into salt flats. Economically this is devastating for businesses.Culturally, lands are being wiped away that hold great significance to its people. Places that once were able to take advantage of having their businesses sit close to the shore of the water, will  now face a safety hazard of the water flooding their businesses. 

     Overall in various parts of the country citizens will have to travel elsewhere for safety concerns, economic concerns and in general, hope for more governmental support. Individuals are forced to immigrate to other places for each of these reasons not because they want to but because at some point they may have to. This leads to a question of where and how? Where will these displaced citizens be able to go for new opportunity and how will they build there lives in other place with no support. Particularly, I wonder what this will mean for children that are growing up in the midst of this environmental and political uncertainty. Another factor that is important to consider is what does the instability of this country mean for the surrounding regions and for foreign politics. 

     Many of the issues in this country seem to stem from issues that would not be present if governmental support was provided to the citizens'. For example the spread of leishmanias may not have been as harsh if proper health care was provided to people or if the individuals in southern Tunisia were properly supported in creating successful systems of irrigation and successful methods of blocking the sand.The environmental circumstances that this area is experiencing may cause other states to intervene in order for Tunisian citizens to have access to the basic necessities that they deserve as human beings.

My Political Identity

The 'others' in our communities

     In all communities that we encounter throughout life there is often an in-crowd and individuals that are outcasts. Typically the "other" group has less in common with most of the individuals in the community. Sometimes people fit in or out of a group based on one specific attribute such as money or religion. As an individual encounters different communities throughout life they will be considered a part of the in-crowd of some communities and an outcast in other communities.For me, there are a few different groups that I clearly belong in and others that I am a clear outsider.
     To start, in my home community I would consider myself an insider. I know the culture of my neighborhood, how it functions and how to act in this area. One key attribute that makes me an insider in this community is that I can recognize certain actions or behaviors made by people in this community that would not be made clear without words to individuals who are not apart of this community.On the other hand another community that I am involved in would be the Dickinson community where I would consider myself an "other". I consider myself an outsider in this community for many reasons, first being a minority at a predominantly white institution.
     When individuals lack similarity in culture it impacts many aspects of those peoples interactions such as differences in expression, communication and relatability. In addition to this I am not an athlete nor am I in a sorority which are two key attributes that make people belong in this community.This impacts my perception of how I define these groups.For example many people would probably describe the Dickinson community as  "better" in comparison to my home community because it is an academic community where people from different backgrounds can live and learn together.However my personal perception of this community is that although I can thrive academically there are more aspects to life than academics and because this community lacks diversity of individuals that I have more in common with, for many additional reasons I would not consider this community "better".Although this community provides some benefits it lacks some aspects that allow me to thrive in my home community.
     The idea of "othering" is very practical.Naturally ,people will always gravitate towards individuals that they have more in common with and stay clear of individuals who they have less in common with simply because its easier to get along with people you agree with."Othering" can be a big social conflict especially when individuals are treated as outcasts for reasons that are not within their control.I think treating someone as an outcast because of their race or economic status is on a completely different spectrum than treating someone as an outcast because they are not in a sorority or don't play a sport. In this I am saying that "othering" can be worse in certain instances. Being in a sport or greek life is an interchangeable attribute that can allow an individual to become apart of the in-crowd where as characteristics such as race, gender and religion are not.
    Socially, individuals can use this to their advantage by only entering communities that are predominantly filled with individuals that have similar attributes as them or being a leader and deciding what attributes are required to be considered apart of the in-group of that community.In discussing Orientalism this idea of othering was prevalent and obvious. In one part of the reading by Edward Said there is questioning as to if there is a true need for cross-culturalism.This sense of resistance in the beginning of the reading set a stern tone towards orientalism, it was very clear who the "other" was.At times the reading describes orientalism as "a discourse from sameness and a problem of difference".Socially I find this very troubling because it very closely reminds me of other societies.For instance the Rwandan genocide is an extreme example of what can happen when "othering" takes a turn for the absolute worst.Although I describe this as an extreme example the harsh reality is that in comparison to other instances in history many other groups have undergone similar instances of othering.
     If I had to define othering I would describe it has having a lack of sensitivity for differences amongst individuals within a given community. At times the reading also describes orientalism as outdated. Despite the differences of orientalism amongst islamic culture there is much to appreciate for what orientalism offers historically and culturally.Too often in society we see confliction as a negative aspect of a community whereas more often than not it can be a great opportunity for collaboration in some way.

Where I Live:Where they Live 1/25/2017

I believe there are many different perspectives to discuss ways in which I live in comparison to ways that Middle easterners live. Socially cultural expectations in the middle east are very different than those in the US. With the US being a democracy made of the people for the people, we all are able to practice our different cultures in different ways.A few ways that culture is expressed in  the US is through music, food and clothing. In addition because the US is full of many different cultures people tend to have characteristics of a bunch of different cultures that don't apply to all or most of the people in the culture they identify with.In the middle east these differences in culture often serve as conflict rather than a collaborative effort. Although we commonly think of Islam as a common faith in the middle east there is much diversity of beliefs in the middle east. This leads to  the next perspective to look at that is a clear distinction between the US and the middle east, politics. Politically the Middle east does not seem to have the same sense of acceptance of different beliefs that is embedded in US politics.Although we have different parties in the US there is a common goal of working towards whatever laws and policies work best for all its citizens.I think that in terms of foreign policy the US thinks of its own interests with concerns for what implications they will make for the rest of the international system.Whereas the states in the Middle East put its own interests first despite what it may induce for its neighbors and the rest of the world.Lastly another way to compare the US and the Middle east is how the individuals interact geographically. In the middle east land is valued more so for strategic value rather than economic value. In the US I would say this the exact opposite individuals value regions for its economic opportunities.Each of these differences act as a barrier for understanding because it manipulates the thought process of individuals in these different places. For instance women in the middle east may not be able to relate to the everyday lifestyle of a woman in the US.The biggest resource to overcoming this barrier is knowledge. To understand why people of a different region act and practice in certain ways you must first learn the historical context and culture of that given place.