Abstract This paper provides an insight to the European Union. It begins with a brief history from the Treaty of Paris in 1951 with 6 countries until the current 15 member countries. It examines the effect of enlargement such as the political, economical, and cultural benefits and shows how adding the prospective countries would instill a greater sense of safety and peace. It looks at the 13 countries who are currently being examined to enter the European Union, the necessary economic and political conditions that must be met and the extent to which each individual country meets them.
From the Paper "After having gone through two major world wars, Europe was ready for a settlement. This basic idea was the start of the need for a unification of the European countries, since this unification would be the key to finally keeping peace. In 1946, Churchill called for a "United States of Europe" that would have control over the production of coal and steel, two German resources that were known as being instrumental catalysts of war. The allied countries after the war felt that if Germany continued to have complete control over these resources, a future outbreak of war could be possible. As a result of this the six countries, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, became the founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community by signing the Treaty of Paris in 1951."
Abstract The paper urges the American government to practice a less zealous foreign affairs policy when it comes to influencing the policies of other countries of the world. The author of the paper advises the government to practice an ethical, perhaps hands-off, foreign policy, especially when the United States has a vested financial concern with the other country. The paper gives examples of countries, such as Chile and Nicaragua, where American foreign policy has produced fatal results. Finally, the paper encourages a more balanced approach focusing on the promotion of democracy and peace and not necessarily regime changes, using the current problems between Iraq and the United States as an example.
From the Paper "At the core of the problem with United States-backed and orchestrated regime changes is the illusory connection between the current "war on terrorism" and Saddam Hussain. Fear mongering is an effective tactic to spur the American public into supporting military action in Iraq. Ousting Saddam Hussain is appealing on many levels, especially following the disastrous events of September 11, 2001. The general public still recalls the horrors of that day and the media has done an effective job in promoting the idea that Iraq is involved. Perhaps the Iraqi government was and is connected with Al Qaeda. What then?"
Abstract This paper examines the fictional novels of two military officers, William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick. It analyzes the Unites States government's incompetence in foreign affairs. The paper illustrates the disinterest of U.S. diplomats in the foreign country he is living in. The author describes the subject of the book as the conflict of the United States foreign policy against the Communists, and their goal to take over portions of Southeast Asia.
From the Paper "The main theme woven throughout the book is that of U.S. governmental incompetence in our foreign affairs. Ambassadors and personnel cannot speak the native language of the countries where they are stationed. Often the personnel are political has-beens, who got a choice Ambassadorship for years of governmental work. Each of the stories in the book builds on the last, and adds depth to the different characters, showing their inefficiency and lack of judgment, contrasted with the "good" characters, who really try to help and learn about the native people."
Abstract This paper examines the political atmosphere in Vietnam that lead to the Vietnamese War, which begun in the 1960s. It analyzes the French colonial power in Indochina and its long history of conflict. The paper investigates the United States involvement in the conflict and their prior lack of political knowledge of the inner conflict in the region that caused the Vietnamese War. The author describes America's long battle against the communists there and the immense loss still felt today over a war so far removed from everyday American life.
From the Paper "The French era in Vietnam started after some 900 years of self rule. American involvement in Vietnam started in the Eisenhower era and then shifted in the Kennedy era to become a full-fledged war by the time of the Johnson Administration. America did not seem to notice the changes in the early period. American involvement actually started in 1954 when the French were the ones caught in the Vietnamese quagmire. This beginning involved full awareness on the part of the American government that, as Eisenhower said, it would be a great tragedy for the United States to become involved in an all-out land war in Asia (Chafe 259). America sent aid to the French prior to 1954 at a time when the French were losing the war no one thought they could lose. Some said the French lost because the U.S. Administration was not fully committed to a policy of winning. Full American involvement was considered prior to 1954 and rejected, in part because Eisenhower did not believe that a military victory was possible given the political situation in the region. This was because the people supported the Viet Minh and identified Ho Chi Minh as the leader of their independence movement (Scheer 274-275)."
This paper analyzes the U.S. policy of communist containment by looking at ideology, politics and people responsible for formulating policy: Reinhold Niebugr, George Kennan and the Truman administration.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 6 sources, 1982, $ 79.95
From the Paper "The policy of containment that was created and articulated in the U.S. during the late 1940's was based on both ideological assumptions and concrete political actions. The analysis which follows will explore both dimensions of this process, focusing on the thoughts of Reinhold Niebuhr and George Kennan as well as the political decisions of the Truman administration.
"In January of 1947 a group of liberals met in Washington D.C. to form the Americans for Democratic Action. This group pledged to continue working within the Democratic Party and to fight Communism both at home and over ... "
History of foreign and military relations between Japan and the Soviet Union since World War II, examining additional material on relations between the nations since the Soviet collapse and the rise of the new Russia.
2,700 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 3 sources, 1993, $ 95.95
Relations between Japan and the Soviet Union have been much affected by the strategic position of Japan. It is relatively near the Atlantic coast of the old Soviet Union and current Russia. Japanese foreign policy has been conducted in terms of the geography of the country, with the four main islands of Japan standing off the coast of East Asia, near the peninsula of Korea, and surrounded by other islands, including the currently disputed Sakhalin and Kurile Islands to the north. Relations have shifted over the years, and Japan has drawn closer to the rest of the world as technology has improved:
The power of Russia, China, and the United States and the policies of these countries toward Japan have changed dramatically during the past fifty years. But ..."
A critical analysis of the work on the causes, effects, evolution and demise of the conflict including economics, the military, detente, propaganda and the future.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 1 source, 1994, $ 47.95
From the Paper "This study will provide a critical analysis of Walter LaFeber's America, Russia, and the Cold War, 1945-1992. The study will argue that LaFeber gives a portrait of the Cold War, its origins, development and demise, which is comprehensive, fair, and insightful.
LaFeber focuses on the role of the United States in the Cold War, but he cannot be said to be a biased reporter. He tries to discover the causes and effects of the Cold War from both sides, and he does this effectively, without blaming either side. He shows how the Cold War actually had its origins in the last century, when the United States and Russia met, one expanding westward and the other expanding eastward. Both sides in the Cold War had their own mixed motivations for their part in the conflict, which LaFeber sees as the result..."
A look at the United Nations 1948 non-binding agreement promoting moral and humane treatment including the theory and practice of positive, natural and political rights.
3,150 words (approx. 12.6 pages), 8 sources, 1994, $ 111.95
From the Paper "The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights embodies a conception of human rights that can be ascertained and compared to other approaches in the literature on the subject of human rights. These differing conceptions of what human rights are and how they can or cannot be protected. How some theorists might change the UN Declaration in keeping with their particular view of human rights will be considered as well.
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an example of quasi-legislation by non-binding instrument, something the United Nations has created for a number of different purposes. The Declaration was created in 1948. The fact that the United Nations would make a declaration on the issue of human rights is in keeping with the structure and genesis of the entire..."
Abstract This paper attempts to acertain what makes Colin Powell a great leader and why Powell's role in the White House Administration has been such a huge success and why he is clearly the right person for the role of Secretary of State despite his differences with the Bush Administration. It examines his 35 years of military history, rising to the rank of 4-Star General and how he has earned great respect and admiration for his leadership, experience and integrity. It looks at how his more realistic policies are in the best interest of the United States and evaluates his policies on the Middle East, Iraq and North Korea.
From the Paper "Powell's determination has been instrumental in preventing wide-spread chaos in the Middle East. Many have believed that the Bush administration was initially willing to support Israel's all-out assault on Yasser Arrafat's Palestinian Authority until Power publicly warned that, ?The violence and anger and frustration which feeds that will still be there unless we find a negotiating process.? Powell has been credited with making the Bush administration aware that it would pay a very high diplomatic price if Israel reoccupied the West Bank. As a result, Bush reversed his original course and urged Israel to end its incursions and to support the creation of a Palestinian state."
Abstract The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was a major cold war confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev decided to install ballistic missiles in Cuba although they had made a promise to the U.S. that they would not. The paper shows that when the U.S. discovered the construction of missile launching sites, President John F. Kennedy publicly denounced the Soviet actions, demanding that they remove the nuclear missiles from Cuba.
When this did not work, Kennedy imposed a naval blockade on Cuba, threatening that the U.S. Days would meet any missile launched from Cuba with a full-scale retaliatory attack later and Soviet ships carrying missiles to Cuba went home. The paper examines how Khrushchev soon agreed to dismantle the missile sites. The U.S then ended its blockade within a month, and shortly after, all missiles and bombers were removed from Cuba. The paper provides a detailed overview of this confrontation.
From the Paper "The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was the first time that the world was in danger of full-scale nuclear war. When the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, the U.S. viewed this as an act of hostility that could not be tolerated.
However, many critics say that the Soviets were simply reacting to the Bay of Pigs invasion, in which Kennedy used Cubans against Castro without providing the American military support they needed. Americans saw this as a great embarrassment. But to the U.S.S.R., it was viewed as an American-sponsored military offensive against Cuba, which was a communist country and Soviet ally."
Tags: nuclear, war, Bay, of, Pigs, Fidel, Castro, DEFCON, 3
Abstract The American media's powerful influence can be seen through its portrayal of major events like the Vietnam War. The paper shows that Vietnam was America's first ?television war,? meaning that United States citizens were able to watch video clips of virtually uncensored images of war including exchanges of gunfire, atrocities and wounded and dead soldiers from both sides. It describes how the Vietnam War's images haunted the television, magazines, and newspapers. This paper covers issues including propaganda, television images, the massacre at My Lai, Son Thang 4, Trang Bang, the dulling effects of graphic images, and civilian protests.
From the Paper "On June 8, 1972 during an air raid of NVA fortifications just outside Trang Bang, a picture was taken of a girl running away from the bombings. Kim Phuc, then nine, was wearing no clothes, waving her arms, and had an expression of terror on her face. She and other civilians including photojournalists were mistaken as NVA and targeted by the pilots. Kim received major burns to the majority of her body. Up to this day, a myth exists that it was an American-ordered bombing and was executed by American pilots. This is not true. Both the officer who gave the order and the pilot who dropped the bomb were Vietnamese and operating without the aid of the United States Air Force. Nick Ut, the photographer who took the snapshot, won the Pulitzer Prize that year."
Abstract Discusses embargo of oil exports to the U.S. by Arab members of OPEC as a protest of U.S. support for Israel in 1973. Arab-Israeli War. Differing views of the embargo in Islamic World, Third World and industrialized West. Oil prices. Formation of OPEC. Effectiveness of OPEC. Consequences of the oil embargo.
From the Paper "1973: The Great Oil Shock
I Introduction
Last spring, as U.S. gasoline prices rose above $2 per gallon, and California braced for a possible summer of brownouts, American politicians and commentators often referred back to the "Energy Crisis" of the 1970s, and television news shows replayed grainy old footage of cars waiting lined up ten or twenty deep at gas station pumps. One generation of Americans were reminded of an event they had perhaps half-forgotten, and another perhaps heard of it for the first time.
In 1973, as a protest of US support for Israel in the 1973..."
Abstract Discusses the development of international law and organizations. Principles for international resolution of conflicts. Development of treaty agreements. Compares and contrasts the structures, powers, and effects of three international legal bodies: Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague, League of Nations Permanent Court of International Justice, United Nations International Court of Justice.
From the Paper "International Law and International Organizations
Introduction
Huig de Groot, known as Hugo Grotius, was the author of one of the first and a still influential text on international law, war and justice - a text titled De Jure Belliac Pacis, or The Rights of War and Peace. Published in 1625, this treatise was based in large measure on principles derived from the Law of Nature and the Law of Nations. Grotius held that a civil right derives from the laws of a sovereign state, "But the law of nations is a more extensive right, deriving its authority from the consent of all, or at least of many nations (BECK Index, 2001, p.2)." Grotius established several principles for international resolution of conflicts, most of which in his era centered upon military interaction between one state and ..."
Abstract Importance of the Saudi leadership to the USA. Religious and political history of Arabia from 7th through 20th Century. The allegience of the Saudi State to the religious movement of Wahhabi Islam. Connection to al-Saud dynasty to Wahhabi radicalism. Politics of the Saudi royal family. Effect on the world.
From the Paper "SAUDI ARABIA: THE QUESTION OF LEADERSHIP
INTRODUCTION:
Ever since the discovery of massive oil deposits in the Arabian peninsula in the 1930s, the United States has been deeply involved with the politics of Saudi Arabia. That the world's most modern, secular, technological capitalist state would find it difficult to deal with a country that is under the control of an absolute monarchy that is beholden to a version of religion that seeks to maintain a social structure created in the 7th century A.D. means that there will always be tension, and that the question of who runs Saudia Arabia will be of crucial importance to American policy so long as Saudi Arabia sits on twenty-five percent of the world's known oil reserves and the United States does nothing domestically to wean its economy from dependence ..."
Abstract Examines President Reagan's commitment to the SDI. His personal involvement with the Star Wars notion. His personal and political beliefs. Speeches he gave that dealt with the need for SDI. Use of the term "evil empire." Positioning of SDI as the primary strategic response of the U.S. Reagan's simple view of good and bad.
From the Paper "Ronald Reagan's decision to announce the Strategic Defensive Initiative (SDI) on March 23, 1983 had its roots in Reagan's personality, beliefs, and management style. But the event has been shrouded in protective myths that, while they allowed for the effects of the President's personality and decision-making process, primarily served propaganda needs and the particular strategies of those who told the stories. Critical interpretations of the development of the idea and its presentation have covered a broad range of possibilities as well--from the influence of the movies on the President to the pro-Reagan claims that his concern over the abolition of all nuclear weapons was the true source of his interest in the SDI. By all accounts, however, Reagan was extraordinarily detached from the decision-making process in his own administrations, both as ..."
