Abstract The paper explains why the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s role in Vietnam has been difficult to assess completely. The paper first looks at the degree of commitment that the US government had developed in the political outcome of Vietnam. The paper then discusses the conflict over whether the military or the CIA should establish precedence over covert operations in Vietnam and describes what actually led to the eventual dominance of the CIA in Vietnam. The paper focuses on the many failures of the CIA's covert operations and counter-insurgency effort and contends that the war was already lost when intelligence failures of the CIA failed to adequately prepare the US and its forces to function appropriately in the region.
From the Paper "The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the United States (US) and its role in Vietnam during that country's involvement in Southeast Asia is a role that has been difficult to assess completely. Part of the difficulty is that the CIA's role is, of course, almost completely related to covert operations in the conflict which are, by nature, secretive and most often censored. Additionally, the role of the CIA in Vietnam was also often one that was competitive in nature with the role of the military's own covert operations with both bodies vying for dominance in the conflict. Yet, there is a long precedence of CIA involvement in Vietnam and it is one that generally established the US government itself in the region while the French colonial forces were still struggling for dominance."
Tags: espionage, counter-insurgency, operations, Kennedy, Johnson
Abstract The paper looks at people who consider themselves members of the counter-culture; those disaffected with the world today. It takes an in-depth look at the clothes that they wear to identify themselves and discusses the meaning behind this choice.
From the Paper "As the world shrinks with the growing access to communication media and globalization, the signs of the counter-culture increase. Fighting against the corporate take over of the world, devastation of the environment, and unjust labour practices; people who identify themselves as members of the counter-culture have devised their own unique codes of meaning through the use of clothing. The actual articles are pieces that can be readily seen by others, appropriately framed to look hap-hazard and often layered to demonstrate a flexible range of meanings. The main pieces include exterior clothing,..."
Abstract This paper examines Krepinevich's book, which is a discussion of the essentials concerning why the United States lost the Vietnam War and how the conflict illustrates the fundamental shortcomings of the U.S. military. It explains how the United States was ill-suited to fighting the unconventional, counter-insurgent type of war that Vietnam necessitated, and additionally, ill-suited to the strategic flexibility such a conflict would demand. It looks at how Krepinevich supports this thesis with a plethora of facts investigating how specific leaders attacked the problems Vietnam presented and how, ultimately, all of them failed.
From the Paper "After providing these necessary definitions, Krepinevich goes on to explain the broad patterns that counterinsurgent Armies must adopt to be victorious. Namely, governmental forces must turn their traditional strategies upside down, and seek to achieve what conventional patterns of warfare usually consider to be secondary objectives first and primary objectives second; acquisition and sustention of geographic objectives is less imperative than establishing a base of social and political support from the local population."
Abstract This paper describes the war that existed in the Philippines after the Spain's defeat at the hands of the United States during the Spanish-American War. As a direct result of the war, the Philippines were given to the United States and the Filipino people who originally believed that they were fighting a war for freedom and independence against the Spanish begin to turn against American troops who they view as simply another occupying force. The first part of the paper gives a background to the Filipino insurgency and its main leader, General Emilio Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo's tactics of fighting a guerrilla war against American troops is examined, as well as the effectiveness of these attacks on shocking the American public back home. Feeling betrayed by America who promised the Filipino people freedom after the Spanish were defeated, Aguinaldo embarked on a series of deadly attacks on American soldiers in the Philippines. As a result, American troops responded with equal brutality in their reprisals with very little organized military command holding them back. Diaries are heavily cited in this section of the paper, giving primary sources that tell of how desperate the American soldiers were at the time and how they needed to racially dehumanize the enemy in order to commit such vicious acts of reprisal. The second part of the paper deals with how the American press responded to the war. Numerous newspaper articles and other criticisms of the war are given as examples, some written by the early 20th century's most prominent figures such as Mark Twain. The general point of this section is to show how deeply divided the American public was over the war in the Philippines and how many felt that it would lead to American involvement in other world affairs. A direct parallel is also drawn to the Iraq War in modernity. Finally, the paper ends with a detailed account of how individual soldiers from both sides viewed the conflict. The Filipinos clearly viewed the insurgency as a necessary action in order to preserve their promised independence, while many American soldiers were disgusted and frustrated with why they were in the country to begin with, and often responded violently towards the natives since they began to view them as subhuman. The psychology of warfare is briefly discussed, as soldiers often dehumanize the enemy as a means of justification of their own violent behavior. The end of the insurgency is also discussed, with American troops brutally putting down the rebellion and establishing a tight control over the entire area for decades.
From the Paper "On April 11th, 1898, the President of the United States William McKinley went to Congress and asked the elected body to declare war on Spain for their role in oppression overseas and to accommodate public opinion that was strongly anti-Spanish due to the sinking of the United States battleship Maine only a few months earlier that was blamed on Spanish agents. Congress eventually sanctioned the war, and the Spanish-American war commenced with several battles over Spanish colonies such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The war itself was over fairly quickly, as hostilities were ended only a few months after war was officially declared. The involvement in the former Spanish colonies clearly demonstrated that America had shifted to a strong imperialistic attitude when it came to the Western Hemisphere and indeed the world in general, and would be forced to endure all of the benefits and tribulations that came from being an imperialistic power."
Tags: aguinaldo, american, emilio, filipino, history, philippines, spanish, war, wars
This essay focuses on secessionist movements in the Southern Philippines, Mindanao. Discusses the roots of insurgency in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Abstract This paper explores three major arguments of the roots of insurgency targeting in contemporary South East Asia and further demonstrates the implications of secessionist struggles for national states and the South East Asian region as a whole.
From the Paper "An insurgency is an organized, armed political struggle whose goal may be the seizure of power through revolutionary takeover and replacement of the existing government (Pye in Eckstein 1980, p. 159). Insurgencies are not sudden events and can be considered as a nation at war. As outlined by Thornton, insurgent activities including guerrilla warfare, terrorism, and political mobilization, are designed to accomplish specific social, economic, and political reforms (in Eckstein 1980, p. 89). In some cases, however, an insurgency's goals may be more limited. For example, the insurgency may intend to break away from government control and this is commonly known as secession."
Abstract The paper identifies the main issues addressed throughout "Insurgency & Terrorism From Revolution to Apocalypse" and explains that it essentially provides the keys for winning the global war on terrorism. The paper relates that this book is presented in a clear, concise manner that prevents being bogged down by military jargon. The paper notes the work's professional presentation, thorough research and lack of bias.
From the Paper "Many of the books on insurgency and terrorism are written for combatants, often by combatants from the perspective of tactical engagement of the insurgents and guerillas. Bard E. O'Neill is a former Air Force officer, but seems to be more intellectually than tactically inclined. He has earned a doctorate in international relations and teaches international affairs in Washington D.C. at the National War College. Here he directs Middle East Studies and Studies of Insurgency and Revolution. Furthermore, he teaches in the Department of Politics at Catholic University in the nation's capitol. To add to his already impressive resume, he has also served as a consultant for various high-ranking officials within the Department of State and Department of Defense (O'Neill, 231). His experience in politics is evident, as he has written several other books on US policies regarding various topics. His expertise unveils the politics of insurgency to include its nature, strategies, organizational and support structures as well as popular support and the government's response."
Abstract This paper looks at the process of gentrification and counter-gentrification in a particular Toronto neighborhood, known as Kensington Market. It argues that counter gentrification is currently a very powerful force in Kensington Market. It suggests that Kensington Market is too popular of an area to remain unaffected by gentrification and that it is also quite possible that counter-gentrification may unintentionally create the perfect conditions for gentrification to take hold.
Table of Contents:
Kensington Market
Car Free Sundays and the Anti-Corporate Movement
Are Counter Gentrification Forces Being Successful
Counter Gentrification Becoming a Force of Gentrification
Conclusions
Appendix
From the Paper "The resistance to this store was led by a performance artist going by the name Reverend Billy and his church of Church of Stop Shopping. In essence this group preformed a very large performance piece in front of the Freshmart. This brought a great deal of negative publicity to the Freshmart (Shiff 2004: 1). The goals of these activities were to make life difficult for corporate businesses so they might close down. It also serves as a disincentive to corporate businesses so that they are less likely to set up operations in Kensington Market."
This paper examines the Counter-terrorism Office of the United States Government - an office which goes by the title, Office of the Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism.
Abstract This paper looks at the directives which guide the actions of the Office of the Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism, as well as its strategies and tactics, its various functions and programs and how the office is organized. The paper highlights how much changed in America after 9/11, especially for a government branch devoted to intelligence-gathering and to security. The paper discusses how the Counter-terrorism Office has grown, with its associations with other government agencies, increasingly complex and involved.
From the Paper "Whatever the criticisms leveled against the Bush Administration's "War on Terror" by its critics, few can dispute that the United States must pursue a forceful policy against terrorist activities if it is to secure its safety at home and abroad. Certainly, recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the attention granted to anti-terror measures and institutions in light of the fact that 9/11 proved, once and for all, that America too is vulnerable to terror assaults. In addition to the heightened interest surrounding the anti-terror tools America had in place prior to 9/11, the last five-and-a-half years has borne witness to the creation of new institutions geared expressly to fighting terrorism - the National Counter-Terrorism Center chief among them."
This paper addresses the domestic measures and policies that have been taken to ensure the continued safety of American citizens against terrorist organizations.
2,150 words (approx. 8.6 pages), 7 sources, 2002, $ 80.95
Abstract This paper addresses the domestic measures and policies that have been taken to ensure the continued safety of American citizens against terrorist organizations. Overt aggression such as the war in Afghanistan shall not be a focus of this paper, for while such actions can indeed be termed as a counter to terrorism, they are not designed to directly counter terrorism but rather to remove the threat entirely in addition to acting as retribution. A focus shall be on the efficiency of the INS and on airline safety, for these two areas are believed to have been the greatest contributing factors to the events that occurred on September 11th. APA style.
Tags: POLITICAL SCIENCE / TERRORISM, countering terrorism airports
Abstract This paper explains that many companies have developed counter-terrorist technology for commercial applications to government, airlines, shipping ports and other easy and potential targets; two of the biggest ideas in counter-terrorist technology include biometrics and nanotechnology. The author points out the PACE project shows that biometrics may be the way to keep countries safe from known terrorists by utilizing technology such as facial scans, which work by measuring distances between lips, nose, eyes, and other features to determine whether someone's face actually matches a scan previously taken. The paper states that nanotechnology has not really taken off, but efforts are being applied to make some commercial applications using this technology.
From the Paper "One of the companies that is working hard to bring biometrics to the forefront of counter-terrorism technology is Fingerscan Pty Ltd, which is a subsidiary of a larger identification and biometrics company based in California. Fingerscan is working toward using fingerprint recognition technology to identify and authenticate individuals. Most of this technology would apply to banks and other high security areas where fraud and deceit can sometimes be problematic. However, after the terrorist attacks, it is clear that this type of scan will likely be utilized in even more commercial applications to ensure that individuals who come into a country are who they claim to be. This could be vitally important and have far-reaching applications for the counter-terrorism concerns that plague many countries today, and could keep many safer."
Tags: fingerprint, nanotechnology, biometrics, scan, face
This paper discusses counter trade mechanisms, which are a part of the exchange of currency for countries that do not allow free conversion of currency.
Abstract This paper explains that counter trade mechanisms come in many different forms; the most common form, used especially among lesser-developed countries, involves businesses exchanging commodities without using money, with a bank managing the exchanges. The author describes other forms of counter trade, including buy-back, getting partial cash and partial goods payment for services or good offered; offset, selling a high-dollar contract of equipment to a company in another country, which, in return, agrees to purchase a high-dollar contract of goods back from the country; and bilateral trading agreements between foreign governments. The paper relates that, although there are benefits, there are risks with this form of exchange mechanisms; therefore, it is important to have an agreement in place that meets the legal requirements of both countries involved.
From the Paper "When a country has freely convertible currency it means that people, both residents and nonresidents of the country, are able to buy an unlimited supply of currency. Conversely, a country is considered to have nonconvertible currency when people, whether residents or nonresidents of the country, are unable to convert foreign currency. In between being a nonconvertible and a convertible country regarding foreign currency is externally convertible. Externally convertible means that nonresidents of the country can freely convert their foreign currency in unlimited amounts."
Abstract This paper discusses possible strategies to counter the threat posed to the United States, by Osama Bin Laden. It describes the danger that Bin Laden poses in relation to his influence and his organization, Al Qaeda, and discusses previously used strategies and their success. It then goes on to discuss the option of using counter-terrorism to combat terrorist activities and reduce the risk of terrorism that Bin Laden poses.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Osama Bin Laden
From the Paper "Osama Bin Laden is the head of one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations; namely The Al Qa'ida organization. This organization is difficult to fight in conventional terms as it is characterized by its networking style of operation which makes the organization difficult to track and combat. (Al-Qaeda. Wikipedia.) Another factor which makes conventional military actions difficult is that the organization is also obscure in terms of its membership and leadership hierarchy. While Osama Bin Laden is the ostensible leader and symbolic head of the organization, the actual leadership structure is largely unknown. This leads to the realization that combating and countering Osama Bin Laden cannot be adequately achieved through formal military strategy."
This paper examines the article "The Lessons of International Cooperation in Counter-terrorism: Address to RUSI Conference in Transnational Terrorism, A Global Approach" by Anthony Cordesman.
Abstract The paper reviews "The Lessons of International Cooperation in Counter-terrorism: Address to RUSI Conference in Transnational Terrorism, A Global Approach" by Anthony Cordesman that discusses the need for international cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts. The paper looks at how Cordesman focuses on instances of cooperation and the lack of it in the past. The paper then points out that although Cordesman's work is logical, it is still merely the opinion of one expert on this subject.
From the Paper "Cordesman's article clearly addresses experts in the field of counterterrorism, through a developed set of points regarding historical lessons that have been learned with regard to the need for international cooperation in counterterrorism efforts and future suggestions about such communications. The author first points out discrepancies in the definition of terrorism that are dependant upon the intent or view of the individual or organization, then moves on to discuss seven points about international communication on counter terrorism."
The paper examines how Aldous Huxley uses animals to portray both the positive and negative aspects of his characters and of humankind in his book "Point Counter Point".
Abstract This paper argues that the reason many of Aldous Huxley's character development techniques are connected to animal symbolism in his book "Point Counter Point", is that it makes the characters even more relatable. It shows that by doing this the reader can more accurately picture what the author is trying to convey through his comparisons.
From the Paper "In Point Counter Point, Aldous Huxley addresses economic, political, and sociological factors through the use of colorful imagery, which often includes the mention of animals. The majority of the characters in the novel are seeking constant stimulation by pursuing their animal desires. They demonstrate their willingness to regress to an animal state as a means of rationally surrendering to their animalistic needs. Therefore, by describing characters in Point Counter Point as animals, Huxley illustrates the disease of mankind by showing his flaws."
Abstract This paper discusses and identifies the problems often encountered when standing in line at a checkout counter. The paper then looks at some possible solutions, citing examples of companies that have applied these solutions, and recommends strategies that could help minimize the problems identified.
From the Paper "Almost all of us at some point or the other have spent time in checkout lines at a grocery store, supermarket or department store. As to the question of why does this problem exist, there are a number of reasons. For long checkout times, there are fewer open check-out counter; the clerks/cashiers at the open counters are slow; the grocery store or department store is unusually crowded. The day you decided to shop coincided with a store wide sale. Or, it was the holiday season; everyone was trying to complete his or her holiday shopping. The store is very popular in the neighborhood. One customer was having problem with the credit card they were using, the SKU (Stock Keeping Umit) number was not visible or clear on the product being purchased. The cashier needed authorization to overwrite a checkout item; or, there was a customer arguing with the checkout cashier with regards to the price marked on an item they wanted. And the list goes on."
