Turkish troops cross Iraqi border after US-approved bombing raids (Ramona)

Last month the Turkish Government sent 300 troops into Northern Iraq searching for PKK guerrillas. This was after weeks of bombings in Northern Iraq by the Turkish airforce. The clash between the Turkish military and the PKK has been building for quite a while. The Turkish government was apparently aided by the United States government in the form of intelligence. One of the Iraqi Kurdish leaders, Massoud Barzan, was angered by the military operations. He is also unhappy that the United States is assisting the Turkish government in its efforts against the PKK.

Can Persians and Gulf Coast Arabs Ever Be Boys? (Noah)

On Christmas day, rather than opening presents, carolling, or celebrating the birth of my lord and savior, I am secluded in my snow covered country house working on college applications and reading the Economist. I just read an article entitled “Friendlier hands across the Gulf.” The article is about the recent upswing in relations between Iran and it’s unfriendly neighbors across the gulf. For the last few years, tensions have been in full swing across the oil rich “the Gulf.” Iran and the Gulf states seem to disagree about everything, particularly the presence of the American military in the region.  However, since America’s discovery that Iran’s nuclear program posses no real threat, the Gulf states are starting to warm up to their Persian neighbors. For the first time since it’s formation in 1981, the Iranian president Ahmadinejad attended the anual summit of the Gulf Cooperation council. After the summit Ahmadinejad attended the Haj in Mecca with Saudi delegates. This upswing in cross gulf relations may be the start of a new Middle East, one in which the oil rich gulf states rely on Iran for protection rather than the oil hungry US. Bush can not be happy about this.  

Turkey Builds New Satellite for Intelligence on PKK (Nathan)

A new Turkish satellite project will make it easier for Turkey to gather intelligence on the PKK in Northern Iraq. 

This new satellite, which is expected to be completed within a few months, will allow Turkey to detect and track the movements of objects smaller than one square meter.  This will help prevent potential PKK attacks.  The project is estimated to cost $ 200 million.

<> Turkey has been heavily reliant on the US for intelligence regarding the PKK in Northern Iraq.  This new satellite could alter Turkey’s relationship with the US and allow Turkey to act more unilaterally.

Class Summary 12/19 (Nathan)

Hey everybody, sorry this is late.

Anyway…yesterday in class we discussed Palestinian and Israeli Hip-Hop.  We talked about how and why hip hop has become so popular in the region and what an important role it plays.  Hip-Hop has become an extremely political form of expression for Palestinians and Israelis.   One of the points we highlighted yesterday was how although Middle Eastern rappers were inspired by American Hip-Hop, Middle Eastern Hip-Hop has created its own independent identity.

We also watched the “Public Enemy” video, “Fight the Power” along with a video by the Palestinian group “Dam” and a video by (sorry I’m blanking on the name).  The “Dam” video was especially powerful, with its footage of Israeli soldiers shooting and torturing Palestinians.  I was particularly struck by the lyrics which seem full of outrage, but not hate.  “Dam” does not bash Israel in the way I would have previously expected an angry Palestinian rap group to do.  Instead they point out the injustice in being labeled “terrorists” when they are the ones so terribly abused.

Algerian Bombings (Sam C)

    For those of you who were unaware, due to the complete lack of coverage in American media, there were two sets of bombings in Algeria recently.

One blast seems to have been aimed at Algeria’s constitutional court but killed a busload of university students who happened to be passing by. The other destroyed the local office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees and damaged other UN offices across the street. Hospital sources reported 76 dead, though the government said 26. Responsibility was claimed on Islamist websites by “al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb”, as Algeria’s main terrorist group now styles itself. Its declared aim was to strike a blow at “the Crusaders and their agents, the slaves of America and the sons of France”

Algeria has seen a relative calmness over the last few years, however recently an upswing in violence as radical Islamic groups are slowing integrating themselves into Algerian society.  This movement towards violence stems from a deeply seeded resentment from the Islamic population within Algeria from 1992 where the Algerian government nullified an entire election after it seemed that the Islamic groups were going to take control of the power in the government.

“This led to one of the most spectacular outbreaks of violence in modern times, leaving some 200,000 Algerians dead.”

This article continues by discussing where this violence stems from and how it has shaped the Algerian people, however what is more shocking to me is what I found as I tried to find other articles about these events in other major American news sources.

While I was able to find coverage in major American newspapers about this event, I was shocked that I none of the major morning news shows in this country did not even acknowledge this event.  The morning after I heard about this event the next day the lead stories were: a snowstorm and more toys found with lead paint.  I find it hard to believe that the death of  more than 70 people does not warrent some mention.  This is why I think that the American media system is so messed up, that lives are lost and no one seems to care.

  

Class Summary 12/18 (Will)

In class today, we shared our remarks and opinions about what had taken place during the previous class. Lisa Anderson, expert on foreign policy and international relations, visited the classroom and provided us students with an opportunity to offer her, as a mock president of the U.S., advice on how to ensure herself the best chance to become elected president, pointing to an approach to foreign policy and diplomacy in the Middle East. Departing back to todays class, we discussed the U.S.’s consistent insistence on imposing democracy over the past 30 or so years. The U.S.’s obsession with democracy is obviously not a bad thing, however, it shouldn’t be used as an excuse to force it on distant cultures. Democracy carries with it a moral undertone, which is the reason many politicians claim to operate using sets of morals. In general, the class surmised that mixing morals and personal beliefs with politics and policy is a detriment to potential election. We also discussed the U.S.’s particularly brutal “campaign” in the Middle East over the last several decades and its relationships with individual nations in the region. The idea of a “30 year apology” was proposed, partly tongue-in-cheek, as a way to start anew in the region with America’s next president. Other key suggestions pointing to improving foreign policy in the Arab world were easing tensions with Iran, the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and the possibly release of a “remastered” 14 Wilsonian points. 

Iran Wants To Play It Cool (Noah)

The Tehran Times ran an article today regarding Iran’s Assembly of Experts Chairman, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s comments on how Iran will handle it’s demand for nuclear facilities. Rafsanjani told reporters that Iran must be persistent in it’s nuclear stance; or else the enemies will think it can interfere on all of Iran’s domestic issues.  Rafansjani added that Iran must display it’s wisdom in dealing with the US regarding it’s nuclear facilities. Rafsanjani also commented on how the Iranian people can protect their country from the US’s “Greater Middle East Initiative,” which is aimed at Iran because of it’s Islamic Government, abundance of energy resources, “unique geo-strategic situation,” and the intelligence of the Iranian people. Rafsanjani added that the US wants to eliminate Islamic governments but has no issue with churches being involved in political affairs.  

Israel Does Not Intend On Backing Down (Noah)

The Jpost ran an article today regarding Israel’s objective of hunting down terrorists in the Gaza strip. Prime Minister Olmert declared today that the IDF intends on attacking all the terrorists that are involved in the recent rocket attacks on Israeli communities in the western Negev (Where my family lives). He stated “We will continue to chase after the terror chiefs and will hit them… We will get to every single person involved in rocket attacks against Israel. ”  The IDF anticipates an increase in terrorist attacks in response to the Israeli air strikes which killed 13 Palestinians. This article is just a reminder of how victims of “terrorist attacks” use military forces so readily, yet fail to persue concrete diplomatic discussions with their enemies. 

“Tacit Agreement of the United States?” (Turkey in Northern Iraq)

By Conner Allen

Today, December 18th, 2007, Le Monde reported that Turkish groups had begun to withdraw from Iraqi Kurdistan. The incursion in northern Iraq was a measure “necessary in the fight against terrorism in Northern Iraq,” according to the Head of State of Turkey, Abdullah Gul. This is the first actual incursion since October, when Turkey began to heavily threaten military intervention. The intervention was in order to “dislodge the rebels of the PKK,” a Turkish Kurdish separatist group. The article questions in bold font, “Tacit Agreement of the United States?” and goes on to report the White House has refrained from objecting. Condoleeza Rice is reported as saying, “PKK activities threaten the stability of the north and there have been deaths in Turkey.”

More Two-State Optimism

by Daniel Yawitz

An article on Haaretz.com yesterday morning hails Israel’s commitment to the foundation of a Palestinian state. At a conference of international donors (yesterday morning, in Paris) who are offering up to $5.6 billion (updated to 7.4) to revive the Palestinian economy and fund further peace talks, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was quoted as saying, “Palestinian welfare and Israeli security are not mutually exclusive interests,” indicating Israel’s stated willingness to cooperate with the Palestinians to push for the re-invigoration of their economy and the establishment of a Palestinian state within Israel. The international effort is a widespread push for peace: representatives from the US, Britain, France, Germany, and Norway each pledged upwards of $100 million (much of which will go towards reform and development) and encouraged Japan to do the same. They also urged oil-wealthy Arab states to do the same. To Israel, the majority of the delegates called for the removal of road blocks in the West Bank and the something that would free the Palestinian people from some of Israel’s authoritarian control of the West Bank. I don’t think it would be too optimistic to say that, with this combined international effort, the beginnings of a two-state solution may be closer than ever.