These two articles address the key details of the tension between China and Taiwan. It also mentions how Taiwan is trying to gain a peaceful relationship with China. 
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240101-taiwan-s-president-tsai-urges-china-to-seek-peaceful-coexistence 
https://apnews.com/article/lai-taiwan-president-china-democracy-a8327644417f4719c32fcd9753985a1d​
Article explaining Chinas perspective over Taiwan Strait dispute 
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3251733/china-will-not-fall-trap-war-taiwan-strait-former-envoy-cui-tiankaiLinks to an external site. 
Article addressing the “reunification” of Taiwan and China according to Premier Li Qiang 
https://international.thenewslens.com/article/186849Links to an external site. 
Article summarizing the initial split, militaristic inequalities, and economic role in the tension: 
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-59900139Links to an external site. 
Detailed government article about the Taiwan Strait Crises, providing details about the early tensions: 
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1953-1960/taiwan-strait-crisesLinks to an external site.  
Broader timeline about the tensions after the initial Taiwan-China split to the present: 
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/1/3/timeline-taiwan-china-relations-since-1949Links to an external site.  
Semiconductor production in Taiwan and its importance: 
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/12/taiwans-strength-in-semiconductors-could-be-its-achilles-heel-economist-says.htmlLinks to an external site.  
Taiwan Strait and its importance to global economy: 
https://www.ft.com/content/68871ec9-6741-4e0a-8542-940152df4e36Links to an external site.  
 
Taiwan microchip production – the economist 
https://www.economist.com/special-report/2023/03/06/taiwans-dominance-of-the-chip-industry-makes-it-more-importantLinks to an external site. 
 
Potential Impacts of an Invasion on the Global Economy 
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taiwan-war-china-us-ruin-global-economy-semiconductors-chips-rcna91321Links to an external site. 

Group 1
Alsaafin, Linah. “What’s the Israel-Palestine Conflict about? A Simple Guide.” Al Jazeera, March 10, 2024. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/9/whats-the-israel-palestine-conflict-about-a-simple-guide.  
What’s the Israel-Palestinian conflict about and how did it start? | reuters. Accessed April 10, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/whats-israel-palestinian-conflict-about-how-did-it-start-2023-10-30/. 
Yazbek, Hiba, and Thomas Fuller. “Israel Steps up Attacks in Gaza amid Cease-Fire Talks.” The New York Times, February 23, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/22/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-cease-fire.html. 
Gross, Terry. “How the War between Israel and Hamas Widened into a Regional Conflict.” NPR, January 25, 2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226856416/how-the-war-between-israel-and-hamas-widened-into-a-regional-conflict. 
Newman, David, and Haim Yacobi. "The role of the EU in the Israel\Palestine conflict." Beer Sheva: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (2004). Introduction (birmingham.ac.uk) 
Bigg, Matthew Mpoke. “What We Know about Iran’s Attack on Israel and What Happens Next.” The New York Times, April 14, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/14/world/middleeast/iran-israel-drones-attack.html?searchResultPosition=3. 
Faris, Hani, ed. The failure of the two-state solution: The prospects of one state in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013. https://books.google.com/books?id=EhGMDwAAQBAJ&lpg=PR5&ots=xWobDmEhqv&dq=israel%20and%20palestine%20conflict&lr&pg=PR3#v=onepage&q=israel%20and%20palestine%20conflict&f=false 
Vinall, Frances, Leo Sands, Miriam Berger, and Bryan Pietsch. “Middle East Conflict Live Updates: IDF Limits Presence in Northern Gaza; U.S. Strikes Houthi Targets in Yemen.” MSN, February 1, 2024. https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/world/middle-east-conflict-live-updates-iran-says-it-s-not-looking-for-war-as-u-s-hints-at-jordan-attack-response/ar-BB1hAE4a. 
Elgindy, Khaled, Adrianna Pita Natan Sachs, Natan Sachs Kevin Huggard, Jeffrey Feltman Vanda Felbab-Brown, and Shibley Telhami. “Recognizing Israeli Settlements Is about Sovereignty, and That’s a Game-Changer.” Brookings, March 9, 2022. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/recognizing-israeli-settlements-is-about-sovereignty-and-thats-a-game-changer/. 
“The Origins and Evolution of the Palestine Problem - CEIRPP, DPR Study, Part II: 1947-1977.” Question of Palestine, www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-202927/. ​

Group 2Arab League demands action to stop Israeli crimes against Palestinians. (2024, January 22). Arab News. https://arab.news/6fj4qLinks to an external site. 
Beaumont, P., & Wintour, P. (2024, February 6). Israel confirms deaths of 31 hostages as Hamas responds to truce proposals. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/06/fifth-of-remaining-hostages-in-gaza-are-dead-report-saysLinks to an external site. 
Bouri, & Roy, D. (n.d.). The Israel-Hamas War: The Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/israel-hamas-war-humanitarian-crisis-gazaLinks to an external site. 
Chen, H., Haq Noor, S., Sangal, A., & Powell, T. (n.d.). March 1, 2024—Israel-Hamas war. CNN. Retrieved April 5, 2024, from https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-03-01-24/index.htmlLinks to an external site. 
Gaza Crisis | International Rescue Committee (IRC). (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.rescue.org/topic/gaza-crisisLinks to an external site. 
“Gaza is a massive human rights crisis and a humanitarian disaster.” (n.d.). OHCHR. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2024/01/gaza-massive-human-rights-crisis-and-humanitarian-disasterLinks to an external site. 
Human Rights Watch. (2024). Help Us Reach Our $25,000 Emergency Goal!: Events of 2023. In World Report 2024. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/israel-and-palestineLinks to an external site. 
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. (n.d.). Amnesty International Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://amnesty.ca/what-we-do/israel-the-occupied-territories-and-state-of-palestine/Links to an external site. 
Israel vows to fight Hamas all the way to Gaza’s southern border | AP News. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2024, from https://apnews.com/article/israel-egypt-gaza-war-border-philadelphi-corridor-2b8c101ef0cb591552e264f11b1e99f8Links to an external site. 
Nichols, M. (n.d.). Explainer-The UN Security Council demanded a Gaza ceasefire—What happens now? Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/explainer-the-un-security-council-demanded-a-gaza-ceasefire-what-happens-now/ar-BB1kAmjVLinks to an external site.  
Khan, A. (2024, April 5). Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories Crisis six months on: Small steps towards a ceasefire but more needed as Gazans face untold suffering. Amnesty International Australia. https://www.amnesty.org.au/israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories-crisis-six-months-on-small-steps-towards-a-ceasefire-but-more-needed-as-gazans-face-untold-suffering/Links to an external site. 
Nakai, F. (2023, November 29). What you need to know: Escalating conflict in Israel and Gaza. Amnesty International Australia. https://www.amnesty.org.au/what-you-need-to-know-escalating-conflict-in-israel-and-gaza-eoy-t/Links to an external site. 
 ​

Sources:Bibliography  
“About.” World Bank, www.worldbank.org/en/programs/funding-for-loss-and-damage/aboutLinks to an external site.. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024. 
Lakhani, Nina. “$700m Pledged to Loss and Damage Fund at Cop28 Covers Less than 0.2% Needed.” The Guardian, 6 Dec. 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/06/700m-pledged-to-loss-and-damage-fund-cop28-covers-less-than-02-percent-neededLinks to an external site.. 
Rott, Nathan, et al. “Climate talks end on a first-ever call for the world to move away from fossil fuels.” National Public Radio. Updated 13 December 2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218125835/climate-talks-end-on-a-first-ever-call-for-the-world-to-move-away-from-fossil-fuLinks to an external site.. 
Sommer, Lauren. “Countries promise millions for damages from climate change. So how would that work?” National Public Radio. 1 December 2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/01/1216243518/cop28-loss-damage-fund-climate-changeLinks to an external site.. 
Stallard, Esme. “COP27: What was agreed at the Sharm el Sheikh climate conference?” BBC. 27 November 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63781303Links to an external site.. 
United Nations Climate Change. “COP28 Agreement Signals “Beginning of the End” of the Fossil Fuel Era.” UNFCCC, 13 Dec. 2023, unfccc.int/news/cop28-agreement-signals-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-fossil-fuel-era. 
Lewis, Lydia. “Tuvalu Minister Hails Loss and Damage Fund but Fight for Action Continues.” RNZ, 22 Nov. 2022, www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/479242/tuvalu-minister-hails-loss-and-damage-fund-but-fight-for-action-continuesLinks to an external site.. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024. 
“Delay to Establishing the Board of a Fund for People Harmed by Global Warming Threatens to Undermine Human Rights.” Amnesty International, 21 Feb. 2024, www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/02/global-delay-to-establishing-the-board-of-a-fund-for-people-harmed-by-global-warming-threatens-to-undermine-human-rights/Links to an external site.. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024. 
Jaynes, Cristen Hemingway. “COP28 Agrees to Establish Loss and Damage Fund for Vulnerable Countries.” World Economic Forum, 1 Dec. 2023, www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/12/cop28-loss-and-damage-fund-climate-change/Links to an external site.. 
McCarthy, Joe, and Fadeke Banjo. “What Is “Loss & Damage”? Everything to Know about Funding Climate Change Recovery.” Global Citizen, 29 Nov. 2023, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/loss-and-damage-climate-change-explainer/Links to an external site.. Accessed 14 Apr. 2024. ​

As part of the course assignments for POLS 121-Introduction to international Relations, students chose a topic to follow closely throughout the spring 2024 semester in connection to our course material. One of the topics chosen was the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Each group shared what they thought were ten essential sources (in the news and in the Internet) for understanding the conflict. Below I share the sources highlighted by the students.

Group 1

Political relations Between Europe and America regarding Russia, and the Upcoming American Election.  
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/02/12/europe-must-hurry-to-defend-itself-against-russia-and-donald-trumpLinks to an external site.Links to an external site. 
The EU’s €50bn package for Ukraine is a far cry from its rhetoric 
https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/01/25/the-eus-help-to-ukraine-is-a-far-cry-from-its-rhetoricLinks to an external site. 
Kharkiv’s air defense struggles to hault non-stop Russian missles:  
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/25/kharkiv-air-defense-russia-missile/Links to an external site.  
Biden annoucnes over 500 new sactions for Russia’s war in Ukraine and Navalny death:  
https://www.npr.org/2024/02/23/1233410578/biden-russia-sanctions-ukraine-war-anniversary-navalnyLinks to an external site.  
Russia accuses Ukraine of downing military plane carrying its own POWs; Kyiv says it was not told of flight timing: 
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/24/ukraine-war-live-updates-latest-news-on-russia-and-the-war-in-ukraine.htmlLinks to an external site. 
A short history of Russia and Ukraine  
https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2024/01/29/a-short-history-of-russia-and-ukraineLinks to an external site.  
Ukraine Claims Drone Strike on Major Russian Steel Plant: 
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/02/24/ukraine-claims-drone-strike-on-major-russian-steel-plant-a84238Links to an external site. 
Ukraine’s President and Chief Commander are having an internal war: 
https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/91182Links to an external site. 
Russia's war on Ukraine: https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2023/02/europe/russia-ukraine-war-timeline/index.htmlLinks to an external site.  
Why Russia has never accepted Ukrainian independence 
https://www.economist.com/christmas-specials/2021/12/18/why-russia-has-never-accepted-ukrainian-independenceLinks to an external site.  ​

Group 2

Human Rights Watch. (2023). Russia-Ukraine War | Human Rights Watch.. https://www.hrw.org/tag/russia-ukraine-warLinks to an external site.
Stern, D. L. (2024, March 13). Ukraine launches new wave of strikes against Russia’s oil facilities. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/13/ukraine-russia-war-drone-strikes-oil-facilities/Links to an external site.
News, U. (2024, March 26). UN report: Credible allegations Ukrainian POWs have been tortured by Russian forces. United Nations.   https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1148026Links to an external site.  
News, A. B. C. (n.d.). Families torn apart amid mass exodus from Ukraine face uncertain future. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/International/families-torn-amid-mass-exodus-ukraine-face-uncertain/story?id=83163294Links to an external site.
Russian invasion of Ukraine: A timeline of key events on the 1st anniversary of the war. (n.d.).https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2023/02/europe/russia-ukraine-war-timeline/Links to an external site.
Kingsley, P. (2022, March 1). Why Ukraine Matters: What to Know About the Crisis With Russia. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/article/ukraine-russia-putin.htmlLinks to an external site.
Al Jazeera. (2022, January 25). A simple guide to the Ukraine-Russia crisis: 5 things to know. Www.aljazeera.com. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/25/five-things-to-know-about-russia-ukraine-tensionsLinks to an external site.
What Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin shows, and what it hides. (2024, February 23). NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/02/23/1233424762/tucker-carlson-putin-interview-analysisLinks to an external site.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 723. (n.d.). Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/16/russia-ukraine-war-list-of-key-events-day-723-2Links to an external site.
Russia Hammers Ukraine; Hundreds Of Ukrainian Soldiers Killed, Claims Russian Army | Watch. (2024, February 15). Hindustan Times. https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/world-news/russia-hammers-ukraine-hundreds-of-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-claims-russian-army-watch-101707936131603.htmlLinks to an external site.
Ukraine latest: Putin reveals his pick for US president; NATO chief defends alliance after Trump threats. (n.d.). Sky News. https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-latest-putin-sky-news-live-news-12541713Links to an external site.
Ukraine says it needs three things to win the war | CNN. (2024, January 26). Www.cnn.com. https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/01/25/ukraine-priorities-2024-war-contd-lon-orig-na.cnnLinks to an external site.
Harding, L. (2024, January 24). 18 dead after Russian missiles strike cities across Ukraine, says Zelenskiy. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/23/civilians-killed-in-russian-missile-strikes-on-kyiv-and-kharkivLinks to an external site.
‌

Group 3
Harding, L. (2024, January 24). 18 dead after Russian missiles strike cities across Ukraine, says Zelenskiy. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/23/civilians-killed-in-russian-missile-strikes-on-kyiv-and-kharkiv 
Human Rights Watch. (2023). Russia-Ukraine War | Human Rights Watch. Www.hrw.org. https://www.hrw.org/tag/russia-ukraine-war 
Al Jazeera. (2022, January 25). A simple guide to the Ukraine-Russia crisis: 5 things to know. Www.aljazeera.com. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/25/five-things-to-know-about-russia-ukraine-tensions 
Kingsley, P. (2022, March 1). Why Ukraine Matters: What to Know About the Crisis With Russia. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/article/ukraine-russia-putin.html 
 News, U. (2024, March 26). UN report: Credible allegations Ukrainian POWs have been tortured by Russian forces. United Nations.   https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1148026   
News, A. B. C. (n.d.). Families torn apart amid mass exodus from Ukraine face uncertain future. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/International/families-torn-amid-mass-exodus-ukraine-face-uncertain/story?id=83163294 
Russian invasion of Ukraine: A timeline of key events on the 1st anniversary of the war. (n.d.). https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2023/02/europe/russia-ukraine-war-timeline/ 
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 723. (n.d.). Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/16/russia-ukraine-war-list-of-key-events-day-723-2 
Russia Hammers Ukraine; Hundreds Of Ukrainian Soldiers Killed, Claims Russian Army | Watch. (2024, February 15). Hindustan Times. https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/world-news/russia-hammers-ukraine-hundreds-of-ukrainian-soldiers-killed-claims-russian-army-watch-101707936131603.html 
Stern, D. L. (2024, March 13). Ukraine launches new wave of strikes against Russia’s oil facilities. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/03/13/ukraine-russia-war-drone-strikes-oil-facilities/ 
Ukraine latest: Putin reveals his pick for US president; NATO chief defends alliance after Trump threats. (n.d.). Sky News. https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-latest-putin-sky-news-live-news-12541713 
Ukraine says it needs three things to win the war | CNN. (2024, January 26). Www.cnn.com. https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/01/25/ukraine-priorities-2024-war-contd-lon-orig-na.cnn 
What Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin shows, and what it hides. (2024, February 23). NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/02/23/1233424762/tucker-carlson-putin-interview-analysis 
‌ O’Grady, S., & Ilyushina, M. (2024, January 25). Ukraine alleges Russian disinformation in downing of military plane. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/01/25/russian-military-plane-crash-ukraine/ ​

By Mareda Smith

This is a movie review of "The End Of Poverty?" documentary (link to the documentary here). This was an assignment for my POLS 132 (Global Politics) class this fall, an introductory Political Science course. In this assignment students were expected to write a review of the movie while connecting to course material. In the review students must: 

1. Identify the main argument of the movie. If you cannot find one, discuss what are the two or three main themes.
2. Discuss the argument (movie as a whole) in the context of the class readings (bring any of the three books, the more books you connect the better)
3. Express your own opinion about the movie, in the context of Global Politics and in the context of the discussions we have had in class.

I am sharing Mareda's assignment because she did a good job at reviewing the movie while connecting to ideas from all of our three main readings for the semester (Drezner's International Politics and Zombies, Paul Collier's the Bottom Billion, and Manfred Steger's Global Studies Reader) . Connecting all of semester's readings to one documentary is not easy in an introductory course.

For more information on the documentary, please check their website: http://www.theendofpoverty.com/ 

Review: The End of Poverty

While poverty exists in every country imaginable, it is undeniable that it is more prevalent in some countries than others. Despite its pervasiveness, poverty continues to be a bit of a taboo topic, at least within privileged Western circles. While attempting to grasp and take responsibility for the many factors which lead hundreds of millions of people to work for minimal pay, go hungry, and sleep in tiny shacks is certainly uncomfortable, continuing to ignore these factors only accentuates the problem. Philippe Diaz’s The End of Poverty sheds light on the complex history behind global poverty and how developed countries have fed poverty by employing systems which benefit themselves at the expense of others.

The End of Poverty reveals how Western society’s constant obsession with imperialism and economic growth has led to actions which have had significant consequences on other states. The film draws significant attention to colonialism and its contribution to the system of exploitation that still prevails today. From a global politics perspective, it is important to acknowledge the ways in which the lack of global governance led to the use of power for exploitation. As the film notes, the British justified the expropriation of land that didn’t belong to them through their own legal system (which, obviously, had significant bias) because there were no global standards on the issue or international legal procedures. Transnational norms, which Daniel Drezner describes as “a powerful constraint on action in world politics”, also did not prevent the British expropriation of land, but rather followed their action (Drezner 66). The resulting colonies, were then forced into total dependency on the conquering nation, producing a single good to be exported back to the “motherland”.

The effects of such locked economies can still be seen today as the poorest countries continue to struggle with a lack of export diversification. As Paul Collier emphasizes in The Bottom Billion, “the intervention that is critical for export diversification is trade policy...it is absolutely vital. Without effective temporary protection against the Asian giants, the countries of the bottom billion will not break into global markets” (Collier 183). Such trade policies, as part of a broader economic system, have been almost exclusively established by Western officials, but have had detrimental effects on countries at the lower end of the economic spectrum. The End of Poverty delves pretty deeply into the consequences of market globalization, neocolonialism and market and trade liberalism. Eric Toussaint and David Ellerman note in the film that while countries struggling with the highest levels of poverty are politically independent, they are still subjected to a sort of neocolonial international economic order that is catered to the needs of the west at the expense of the resources and labor belonging to the south. As noted in Global Studies Reader, "countries that have been most deeply impacted by globalization--the countries of the global south… found themselves increasingly squeezed by growing international debts and decreasing prices for the goods they export. They had borrowed money from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund... Now these loans were coming due and they found themselves unable to service their debts while also continuing to meet the needs of their citizens….governments had to force their citizens to bear the brunt of the costs of the debt" (Steger 64).

While Diaz’s film resonates with Drezner, Collier, and Steger’s texts in more ways that could possibly be processed in this review, perhaps the most important message that is carried throughout the four works, is how easy it is to forget about poorer countries in the midst of our frantic Western growth-obsessed mentality. It is imperative that international regulatory organizations such as the IMF, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization consider the needs of “bottom billion” societies with equal reverence to their consideration of Western priorities. After a close look at these four works, it is difficult to argue that our international economic system is working for everyone as it should be.

Personally, I felt that the The End of Poverty did an admiral job of demonstrating the deep roots of the systemic forces that have contributed to global poverty. Diaz effectively traces this kind of behavior back to the beginning of colonialism, and discusses how policies have evolved through the transition away from traditional colonialism to form a sort of neocolonial system. His presentation of the dark and complex history that has led us to our present day economic policies is admiral in that it does not simply discuss the policies of IMF and World Bank, but also forces viewers to think about the often ignored realities of poverty. It challenges viewers to think about how Western efforts to maintain its growth and prosperity have contributed to this frightening reality for so many others. The part of the film that I was somewhat disappointed by was the way in which it presented possible solutions at the end. While the potential actions presented were intriguing, the film failed to empower viewers to pursue practical or reasonable action. The solutions were presented in a realistic light given their drastic nature. However, it seemed that the film would have greater impact had it also provided smaller, more realistic actions viewers could take to encourage the broader policy changes that are ultimately necessary to confront the issue of poverty.

By combining scholarly discussion with impactful personal stories, Diaz presents a compelling argument for vigorously addressing global poverty. The contributions from a diverse group of economic experts and global citizens offer a broader and arguably less biased perspective on the issue and the factors contributing to it. Rather than continuing to defend the actions of the key international economic institutions, Diaz draws attention to their prioritization of Western ideals with little concern for how their policies impact developing nations. Ultimately, the film provides a necessary critical look into how international economic policy has subjected millions of people to inhumane living conditions and labor demands.

Works Cited
Collier, P. (2007). The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can be Done About It. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Drezner, D. W. (2011). Theories of International Politics and Zombies. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
​
Steger, M. B. (2015). The Global Studies Reader. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

​

 By Hannah Harms

This is another post to showcase work from students who go above and beyond the assignment. In this one, an assignment for my Global Politics course (an introductory class in International Relations), Hannah Harms writes a review of  "Enemy of Enemies: The Rise of ISIL," an excellent documentary produced by Al-Jazeera about the role of the United States and Iraq on the rise of the Islamic State.  For the assignment I asked students to review the documentary and connect it to our textbook, Mingst and Arreguin-Toft's Essentials of International Relations. Early in the semester I also told students they could use other sources, including the Duck of Minerva blog. In her assignment, Hannah used an article from the blog to corroborate her argument. In the end, Hannah connects the documentary to the current Syrian refugee crisis. Below are Hannah's thought process and her review of the documentary. 

Thought Process
My overall thought process began when I was comparing and contrasting perspectives from both sides of this conflict.  As an American, my limited understanding of the U.S.’s occupation in Iraq was to keep its citizens safe from an unjust government.  However, I realized that the perspective from the country of Iraq itself was just as crucial to understanding this conflict as the United States.  I then began to sort out all of the details in a logical order that I could present them in my paper.  Since the U.S. occupation in Iraq was so multifaceted and vital in the rise of ISIL, it only made sense to me to go back to the beginning of the documentary Enemy of Enemies and piece things together from there.  I started out this paper by presenting the sociocultural and religious aspects of this conflict; I looked at the fundamental differences and preexisting tensions between the Sunni and Shia denominations in Islam.  Explaining how those different facets of Islam were contributing to strife existing in Iraq before the American occupation was vital.  Those denominations were broken down into subcategories and they were presented to explain what forms of Islam were more commonly associated with terrorist groups within the country before the U.S. occupation.  The cause and effect of the U.S. occupation was then explained.  This included how the war had become against anti-American and anti-Westernized sentiment, as well as why the war may have become this way from the Iraqi perspective and government involvement from within the country.  Things happened on both sides during this occupation; the purpose of this paper is not to ‘blame’ one side over the other, but rather present the facts that both sides may be at fault to some degree.  I incorporated the theme of accountability and humanitarianism when looking for outside, Westernized sources and these themes were tied in very strongly with the current Syria and Syrian refugee displacement and what the U.S.’s role should be in this conflict.  Westernized humanitarianism along with the notion of accountability for actions help explain how the U.S. occupation in Iraq may have contributed to the Syrian civil war and consequential refugee crisis.  Overall, I tried to present the facts in neutral manner, while informing this paper with my values that I believe very strongly in accountability for actions as a step towards moving forward.  

Review: ‘Enemy of Enemies’

To begin, I do not understand whose fault it was objectively when looking at this conflict. That being said, I think Al Jazeera has done a fantastic job putting together this documentary, with enough time to hear both sides of the story, both from Mowaffak al Rubaie, Iraq’s former national security advisor and Ali Khedery, special adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authorityin Iraq (‘Enemy of Enemies’). When I look at this conflict, I see how multi-faceted it was, with both countries contributing to it in some way.  From what I understand, there are two main religious affiliations in Iraq: the Shia and Sunni.  Shi’ism and Sunnism are both forms of Islam; Shi’ism being based on the interpretation of the Qur’an that the religious leader must have a direct family lineage descended from the prophet Muhammad, whereas Sunnism does not believe in that interpretation.  There are also slight nuances between the two forms that create tension and strife between both denominations in the country.  In class, we learned that Iraq is composed of about 20-25% Sunni and 65-70% Shia.  

In the film ‘Enemy of Enemies’ we were introduced to the history behind the internal conflict in Iraq, as well as a more objective lens of what happened once the U.S. got involved. We learned from Rubaie that there had been “rising attacks in Iraq” and that “the response of the U.S. was mainly denial” (‘Enemy of Enemies’).  He explained that within the denominations of Shia and Sunni, there exist multiple subcategories.  He talked about how the Ba’ ath party was affiliated with Saddam Hussein’s and Assad’s terrorist army, and the Salafist party was a conservative orthodox movement.  Both of these parties were Sunni.  There were also the
jihadists, or radical Islamists, who wished to see the literal interpretation of the Qua’-ran further a society that was Islamic and not Westernized.  He mentioned how the Ba’athist, Salafist and jihadist groups had: 

"started to rebel.  The Americans had been banning Ba’athist in order to settle
political scores.  The Americans were starting to debathafize…this was a fascist,
brutal, dictatorship by the socialist party.  The Americans were aware this was
happening.  This led to an increase in the insurgency because of military
displacement.  The minority group was losing power and status along with a lack
of reconciliation and a loss of personal dignity.  This is a great motivating factor
in in the Arab world.  The Ba’athists then formed an alliance with the Salafist
jihadists….this became an unholy alliance between Ba’athism and Salafism. 
These two groups were aligned with a temporary alliance that led to a well-
planned, executed, and highly political act with a group behind it" (Rubaie,
‘Enemy of Enemies’).

Moffawak asserted that “the U.S. invasion of Iraq led to 2 insurgencies.  It wasn’t the
attacks, but the uprisings of the insurgency [from Saddam to Zakowi]” (Rubaie, ‘Enemy of Enemies’).  This led the Al-Qaeda party led by Saddam Hussein becoming more prominent as the original anti-American sentiments under Saddam were “revolutionized under Zakowi…he added a sectarian element, (an anti-Shia element, so jihadists would work)” (Rubaie, ‘Enemy of Enemies’).  Eventually, Zarqawi became the “poster boy of the beheadings and bombings in Iraq” (Rubaie, ‘Enemy of Enemies’).  The media from the U.S. focused on the individual and picked up on terrorism.  Khedery mentioned the “lack of government response from inside the country” (Khedery, ‘Enemy of Enemies’).  This led to a civil war in Iraq.  Al-Queda was now “fighting insurgency and secular war” (Rubaie, ‘Enemy of Enemies’).  

This war threatened President Bush, who wanted to bring democracy to Iraq.  So in
2007, over twenty thousand American troops went to Iraq to help put down secretarianism and keep citizens safe.  Yet, during that time, Baghdadi, (Zarqawi’s replacement) put the Sunni on payroll to help put down Al-Qaeda.  Now, the “U.S. was fighting beside Al-Qaeda – affiliated groups (Sunni tribes) to put down Al-Qaeda…” (‘Enemy of Enemies’). 

At the end of 2007, almost one hundred thousand Iraqis had died.  The Americans didn’t know who to trust, so they utilized Camp Bucca, a military detainee camp.  These were prisoners that came from camp Abu Ghraib, which was an Iraqi prison in a “constant state of war” (Khedery, ‘Enemy of Enemies’).  Contrary to what Americans believed Camp Bucca would do for its prisoners, by reintegrating them into society, “it was really a place where jihadists trained and taught” (Rubaie, ‘Enemy of Enemies’).  The U.S. knew that radicalization was going on in Bucca.  This was influenced by Abu Ghraib and prisoners, because they had been associated with Saddam and 70% were Sunnis.  As Khedery said, this led to a “toxic brew of hardcore jihadists and some who had done anything and an incubator for radicalization” (‘Enemy of Enemies).  

Khedery asserted that the U.S. was “taking efforts to prevent it, but what are you going to do with thirty thousand people?  We can’t put them all in solitary confinement” (‘Enemy of Enemies’).  To which Rubaie “does not agree…Americans are short-sighted and can’t see beyond their nose.  The ISIS leaders came from Camp Bucca” (‘Enemy of Enemies’).  Yet Khedery asserts that “Iraq is the people’s government and country…Why didn’t Iraq set up better facilities?” (‘Enemy of Enemies’).  Rubaie countered with “we were occupied at the request of the Iraqi government” (‘Enemy of Enemies’).  He then went on to say that “the Americans have changed their mind; they aren’t working with major Iraqis … they should have left by the end of 2007. .. The longer Americans stayed in the country, the more mistakes they committed” (‘Enemy of Enemies’).  At the end of the film, Rubaie and Khedery both agreed that “a lot of things that happened during the occupation led to ISIS and what we have today” (‘Enemy of Enemies’).

This whole argument reminds me of many things when looking at the Mingst textbook.  I’m most reminded of human rights, particularly how states fulfill these roles as both protectors and abusers of human rights.  On pages 356-361 of the textbook, we see how the book says this to explain how states like to protect human rights, (such as in the case of Bush entering Iraq to spread democracy internationally): 

"Many liberal democratic states have based human rights practices on first-
generation political and civil liberties.  The constitutions of the United States and
many European democracies give pride of place to freedom of speech, freedom of
religion, and due process.  And those same states have taken those domestic
provisions and tried to internationalize them.  That is, it had become part of their
foreign policy agenda to support similar provisions in newly emerging states and
states in transition.  U.S. support for such initiatives can be seen in both Iraq and
Afghanistan, where specific human rights guarantees were written into the new
constitutions" (Mingst 357).

What I gained from both the textbook and our discussions in class was that the U.S. primarily entered Iraq on the basis of protection from an undesirable government, as well as some self-interest, and even that we see ourselves as this world police or world protector of  human rights violations.  Yet as Mowaffak said in the film, our country caused a lot of damage in the increase of the Al Qaeda insurgency, particularly with our running of Camp Bucca.  He asserts that when our country started “deBathafizing” Iraq, that displaced the minority Sunnis, helping “incubate” an environment for terrorist cells and organizations to arise (Rubaie & Khedery, ‘Enemy of Enemies’ ).  Of course, we as a country didn’t believe this at the time; we thought we were protecting Iraq from human rights abuses.  When did that become our job and business, though?  Is it safer for the globe if Western countries (such as the United States) promote liberalism and the democratic government as the ‘best’ form of governance, or are we interfering and creating more problems where we don’t belong?

I went onto the Duck of Minerva website to find relevance between this issue and what is going on in the rest of the world today.  ISIS is extremely relevant in the media here, especially after the terrorist attacks in France, Beirut, Syria, Iran, and other countries around the globe.  I found one of the first articles on this website to talk about politics, compassion and humanitarianism as it relates to the attack on Paris.  To understand this context, we have to know that Syria also became a target for ISIL as they were used as base camp country, and then innocent citizens were targeted by Syria’s own government, creating a civil war and influx of refugees that are leaving today.  There is worry on the American side that ISIS could be infiltrating refugees leaving Syria, making it more accessible for them to target other countries around the globe.  As formerly mentioned however, is it the United State’s responsibility to protect these people and shelter them, particularly if it was some of our unintended actions that displaced them in the first place?  Where is the balance between accountability, compassion, and the need to self-preserve?  

The article written by Maryam Deloffre talks about how in light of the attacks on Paris, President Obama has called for “universal compassion …  the emphasis on “all of humanity” and “universal values” recalls the language of humanitarianism, enshrined in the foundational documents of the United Nations (UN) including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its related covenants” (Deloffre).  Deloffree then goes on to say that: 

"In the aftermath of the attacks, humanitarian values have been threatened by
political posturing by the extreme right Front National party in France and by
Republican (and one Democrat) governors and presidential hopefuls in the United
States who are calling for either a suspension of Syrian refugee resettlement
programs in the United States or limiting resettlement to only Christian refugees"
(Deloffre).

Deloffre continues to bring our attention to the changes brought about by the way that humanity and humanitarianism is viewed in the West in particular.  ‘Humanity’ used to encompass white, Christian, male characteristics, but now it has been more broadly defined to include all people.  “Today, this universal definition of humanity informs humanitarianism and means that human beings intrinsically have ethical obligations to one another—obligations that kinship, nationality, and religion and derive solely from our shared humanity. We identify with distant strangers because we see ourselves in them…” (Deloffre).  Since we see ourselves in our fellow neighbor, should we turn away Syrian refugees who are fleeing persecution in their own country?  Should the U.S. fulfill its ‘humanitarian’ obligation to be accountable for its actions, both domestic and overseas?  Is the United States’ role in this world to spread democratic liberalism, or is it to be ‘humanitarian’ and respond where we can, be responsible for what we can, and not try to use our power in a way that displaces others?  

Deloffre argues that we as a country need to heavily consider bringing Syrian refugees in the United States, and not turning them away for fear of not preserving our “Christian” values (Deloffre).  She sums up her argument in this way: “Scapegoating refugees creates divisions and disunity that recalls an outdated mode of humanitarianism dripping with racism and xenophobia (and ironically similar to the rhetoric of Daesh). This is a battle of ideas, a battle of humanitarianisms, but not a battle of the West vs. the rest because sadly, many in the West are on the wrong side” (Deloffre).  I agree full heartedly.  We as America need to know what our line is; where our boundaries go from overstepping and ‘saving’ (which inadvertently creates more problems) to when we need to get involved and be accountable.  I think in this instance, as Deloffre has put it, letting Syrian refugees into our country is the humanitarian thing to do.

Works Cited

Deloffre, Maryam Z. "Playing Politics with Compassion after the Paris Attacks (and Why Humanitarianism Is in Trouble) | Duck of Minerva." Duck of Minerva. Duck of Minerva, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.<http://duckofminerva.com/2015/11/playing-politics-
with-compassion-after-the-paris-attacks-and-why-humanitarianism-is-in-
trouble.html#more-28313>.

"Enemy of Enemies: The Rise of ISIL." - Al Jazeera English. Al Jazeera, 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. <http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/specialseries/2015/10/enemy-
enemies-rise-isil-151017151127849.html>.

Mingst, Karen A., and Ivan M. Arreguin - Toft. "Human Rights." Essentials of International Relations. 6th Edition ed. Boston: W.W. Norton, 2015. Print.

​Hannah Harms is a sophomore at Luther College majoring in Social Work with a concentration in Art.  She is originally from Waverly, Iowa.  Hannah enjoys learning about different perspectives and finding common ground in the patterns of human behavior presented in international relations theories.  She has not studied abroad yet while at Luther, but will be studying in the Twin Cities Metro area for her Social Work class experience.  She is interested in micro-level work with individuals, groups and families who have undergone trauma or crisis, and sees the benefits of using expressive means such as art to help integrate the healing process.