Entries by Admin

TOPIC # 6: POVERTY IN THE USA

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Please consider the following potential leading questions.   #1: What are the root causes of poverty in the United States?   #2: Whatever you believe are the cause(s) of poverty in the United States, what roles do you envision for the following “actors” in addressing the cause(s): government (national, state, or local); individual initiative, faith-based […]

Seeking Peace and Justice: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

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Few would argue against the proposition that the Israeli-Palestinians conflict is one of the longest-lasting, most difficult-to-resolve conflicts on the international scene. There are, however, so many historic wrongs that continue to fester and bleed, so many conflicting claims seemingly impervious to negotiation, and so many feelings of past betrayals that one is tempted to despair of there ever being a solution. Nevertheless, most observers are convinced that the path to a peaceful resolution of this conflict is not shrouded in mystery.

Some Complexities of Geopolitics

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The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a tragic example of the complexities of geopolitics. In this short essay, I will consider a few aspects of the historical background of the conflict to offer some context for thinking about current disputes and describe three ways in which domestic politics complicate the prospects of reaching peace in the region.

Israel and Palestine: What’s a Superpower to Do?

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Why has there been so little progress on efforts to secure a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine? Why, 64 years after the establishment of the state of Israel, are we still confronted with the spectacle of one people ruling another without their consent and against their will? Why does violence remain the norm in the region, despite repeated efforts to secure peace?

Propositions Related to Israel and Palestine

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In this contribution to Harold Heie’s wonderful Alternative Political Conversations series, I will seek to distill what I think I believe about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a series of propositions. These are drawn from my study of the region as well as one lengthy visit. They are of course provisional and subject to correction.

TOPIC # 5: ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

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Please consider the following potential leading questions   #1: What would “justice” for both the Israelis and the Palestinians look like?   #2: What are the contours of a potential two-state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict?   #3: What are the major impediments to a two-state solution and how can these impediments be overcome?   […]

The Cost of War

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One year after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s April 2011 crack down on civilian protests against his regime’s torture of students who had put up anti-government graffiti, the U.S. and the world are still figuring out what to do about it.

The Limits of US Military Intervention

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The United States has real but not unlimited power to influence the course of events in other countries. Since World War II we have become increasingly accustomed to overestimating that power, and especially the efficacy of US military intervention around the world.