THE VIU SPIA GLOBAL INSIGHTS · 2018-04-13 · Martin Luther King. THE VIU SPIA GLOBAL INSIGHTS 6 “The Afghanistan 2014 and Beyond: Economic Growth There are many people who are

THE VIU SPIA GLOBAL INSIGHTS


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WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE

FOLLOWING FACULTY AND STAFF

FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN

PUBLISHING THE SPIA GLOBAL

INSIGHTS MAGAZINE.

WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT

WITHOUT YOU!

DR. ISA SARAC, VIU PRESIDENT

BADAMAA YADAMSUREN, VIU VICE

PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

DR. KLARA BILGIN, DEAN OF SCHOOL OF

PUBLIC & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (SPIA)

DR. KWAKU NUAMAH, PROFESSOR OF

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC & INTERNATIONAL

AFFAIRS (SPIA)

KATHERINE MAGALIF, DIRECTOR OF CENTER

FOR DEMOCRACY & INTERNATIONAL

AFFAIRS (CDIA)

IDRIS ULAS, ASSOCIATE DEAN, SCHOOL OF

ONLINE EDUCATION

SOOHYUN LIM, VIU GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ALLISON MILLWARD, WRITING TUTOR

KEVIN MARTIN, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL OF

EDUCATION

VIU WRITING RESEARCH MEDIA CENTER


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THE SPIA GLOBAL INSIGHTS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Canan Aydin

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Edma Khishigdelger

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Olanrewaju Etti

Enkhjiguur Ganbold

Jacqueline Abel Mwakanyamale

SECTION EDITORS

Stéphane Victorino

Edma Khishigdelger

Olanrewaju Etti

Enkhjiguur Ganbold

Veronica Enriquez

Canan Aydin

Verena Goetz

Jacqueline Abel Mwakanyamale

Paulette Zegarra Hernandez

DESIGNERS

Saisawad Duangkham

Canan Aydin

Edma Khishigdelger

CONTACT SPIA GLOBAL INSIGHTS

Stephane Victorino

Veronica Enriquez

Agather Mgweno

THE STUDENT MAGAZINE OF VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS


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The School of Public and International Affairs’ (SPIA)

students and professors took a trip to Richmond, Vir-

ginia on January 21, 2014 to join the Martin Luther

King Day Vigil Against Gun Violence. There were

many speakers such as Dr. Ralph Northam, Mark Her-

ring, Brian Moran and Donald McEachin. It was an

amazing experience for us because we had the oppor-

tunity to listen to their speeches and understand Ameri-

can democracy.

Many people came together to protest gun vio-

lence in Richmond including senators, policy makers,

NGOs, students, clergy, and we, the Virginia Interna-

tional University’s students, attended to support them

with our whole hearts. It was a great atmosphere and we

met a lovely crowd. Everyone talked and expressed

their feelings about gun violence. Gun violence is not

limited to VA: It is one of the biggest issues in the Unit-

ed States. According to VA’s laws, Virginians can carry

guns in public as well as concealed. They also can carry

guns without a license or registration and buy guns on

the internet without a criminal background check.

Moms Demand Action (MDA) is an organiza-

tion that has been trying to create awareness about gun

violence because many people lose their lives to gun-

related violence every year in the United States. MDA

is a nationwide movement and has over more than 1.5

million members in America. All the members are

rightful gun owners who believe background checks

should be mandatory. Its aim is to stop gun violence

and protect lives.

By Canan Aydin

VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

COME TOGETHER FOR GUN

SENSE IN AMERICA


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The organization supporters say that

“background checks save lives” and firearms must

not be in dangerous hands. Members of Moms De-

mand Action were carrying bookmarks that read,

The bookmarks were tied with bells because

the members want to stop silence and they have invit-

ed everyone to speak up, and be aware of gun vio-

lence. The people of Virginia came together to protest

repetitive against gun violence and they mentioned

that we have to stop being silence and speak up

against people because of gun violence. We had a

great experience to see how NGOs work in the

United States.

Next, we visited the offices of Senator Chap

Petersen (34th District), and spoke with his legislative

aid. We also talked to Delegate

Mark Keam’s (35th House

District) Chief of Staff,

Julia Kim about the SPIA

program and we had the

opportunity to inquire

about the internships with

delegates in the summer.

Also, we observed a Senate

Committee meeting session.

After that, we visited to the VA Capitol to talk about

the history of the legislature and its functions.

It was an indescribable feeling for me and other stu-

dents to observe the political issues and the current

events in the USA.

“Our lives begin to end the day we be-

come silent about things that matter.” –

Martin Luther King.


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There are many people who are contributing to

educating the Afghan youth. One of them is Ms. Leslie

Schweitzer, the Senior VP for International Business De-

velopment, Capitalize, LLC. She is also the Chairman of

the Friends of the American University of Afghanistan

(AUAF). Her talk about AUAF was inspiring. All students

are Afghans and refugees. It recruits and enrolls the coun-

try’s best and brightest men and women – the future lead-

ers of Afghanistan. Each semester, AUAF actively recruits

around the country from Herat to Kandahar. It was estab-

lished in 2006 with just 53 young Afghans registered for

classes. Today, there are nearly 2,000 full-time students in

degree programs – half of them are women. Ms. Schweit-

zer emphasized the continued progress made at AUAF

through the years: the curriculum has been expanded, new

undergraduate degrees have been added, female population

is on the rise, the circle of international partners is widen-

ing, and a new campus is under construction.

Ordinary Afghans encourage their children to

study hard and become educated. For example, Khala

Zainab, age 50, an illiterate woman, who runs jewelry-

making business, said: “If I can make enough money from

my business, I would like to build a school for girls in my

own village. That would be good.” Suraya Samin, age 21,

said, “I want to teach and encourage others to learn.

I believe that with education comes the possibility of an

improved quality of life.” Education is the foundation for

Afghan children, and it is also one of the most powerful

forces to move Afghanistan beyond its war-torn past to-

ward the future that they deserve.

“The Afghanistan 2014 and Beyond: Economic Growth

and Stability” summit took place at the Johns Hopkins

School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) on

March 28, 2014. The summit consisted of three panel

discussions and two special presentations sections.

The three panels covered a range of topics. The first

panel was titled Afghanistan and Pre-Frontier Invest-

ment, the second panel was titled Public Private Partner-

ships, Support Beyond 2014, and the third panel was

titled Social Enterprise. The special presentations sec-

tions addressed Afghanistan’s post-2014 educational

and security outlooks. The general tone of the event was

business-oriented, informative, and optimistic. The goal

of the summit was to encourage participants to invest in

Afghanistan’s future, make long-term commitments in

this country, and make the public aware of its success

and progress.

Two topics that made the biggest impression on

me were education and media in Afghanistan. Both edu-

cation and media are paramount in a post-war, transi-

tioning society such as Afghanistan. Afghans are contin-

uing to fight for peace and stability.

Afghanistan is on the right track for educating

its population, especially girls. Over 8 million children

enrolled in schools including 2.6 million girls. Women’s

right to work, vote, and receive an education play lead-

ing roles in Afghanistan’s society. Chairman Sanzar Ka-

kar of Afghan Holdings Group said that,

AFGHANISTAN 2014 AND BEYOND:

ECONOMIC GROWH AND STABILITY SUMMIT

BY EDMA KHISHIGDELGER

“the young population of Afghanistan is a double-edged sword, thus, they

need to be educated first. They are very optimistic people and every young

person wants to become an entrepreneur. They have a spirit of doing

something, instead of sitting and begging.”


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Media is the other factor that contributes the most to

spreading information to people in Afghanistan.

Eighty percent of women have access to a mobile phone,

95% of the population has access to some form of mass

media (television, radio), and 472,000 Afghans are on

Facebook. A thriving media sector has more than 50 tele-

vision stations, 150 radio broadcasters, and 1,000 newspa-

pers. Afghans use social media to bring together people

from all cultural backgrounds.

Mr. Zaid Mohseni – Chief Operations Officer of

MOBY Group – was the keynote speaker of the summit,

and he focused on the growing media. MOBY Group was

established in 2002 by the Mohseni family, and it is a di-

versified media entity with broadcast, production, technol-

ogy, and strategic communications operations in South and

Central Asia, as well as the Middle East.

Today, the company employs over 1,000 staff

members across a dozen integrated businesses in Afghani-

stan, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Iraq.

Mr. Zaid Mohseni is a lawyer by trade, and he oversees all

legal and technology-related matters of MOBY group.

His specialties include media, technology, management,

and the Central and Middle East regions. He informed us

that the TV broadcasting is conducted in both Pashto and

Farsi languages, and its viewership is increased to 59% as

of August 2013.

Afghanistan’s media usage is expanding and

growing continuously, and literacy rate is increasing.

The internet usage is growing, 3G is available, 60% of

population has access to TVs, 90% of population has ac-

cess to radios, and there are 30 TV channels in Kabul.

The keynote speaker emphasized that,

Overall, the summit’s tone was optimistic, high-

lighting Afghanistan’s many opportunities for growth in

business, education, security, media, sports, and women’s

rights. It was timely, informative, well-organized, and pro-

ductive. It provided the audience with a good sense about

the country, and the summit is building a bridge between

businesses and people. The human factor is essential in all

aspects of building of social capital – trust.

“We should never forget where we are coming from, we made so much progress. But often

times, the positive outcomes get lost among negative ones. The future is optimistic for

Afghanistan and it needs to keep good relationships with West. Security, corruption,

economy and jobs, and women’s rights are issues that should be the focus of the country.”


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The main points that the speakers covered:

Creation of the corporation, whereby they pointed out

that it was created by the U.S. Congress in January

2004.

Focus of the corporation and its policy, which is sup-

porting the developing countries but the developing

countries that have political stability or good gover-

nance.

Partnership with the selected countries which include

the types of grants they provide to these counties (their

budget) which is 1.7 billion dollar annually.

Termination and suspension of their partnership.

Fighting/preventing corruption

My thoughts and reactions to the presentation: With the points that the speakers covered, it is clear

that they do not just support any poor or developing

country, but they have their own criteria that a country

has to uphold, which, in my observation, is good gov-

ernance. If one looks at the main goal of MCC, it is an

undisputed fact that it supports economically develop-

ing countries. However, I sense there is a political fac-

tor that lies beneath the cause.

Basically, the US wants to influence political sta-

bility in the developing countries in a way that they can

also make them benefit economically. Whereas they

can also establish the anti-corruption programs, since

corruption is one of the big factors that reinforce politi-

cal instability. All the policies that this corporation

have, are somewhat political based. For example, Gha-

na completed its first compact with the MCC in Febru-

ary 2012. Ghana’s development was one of the suc-

cessful projects of MCC because it upheld the partner-

ship agreements by trying their best to fight corruption

and maintain political stability; hence, according to the

speaker, it fulfilled the MCC criteria. A country like

Malawi was suspended in 2012, and the reason was

directly linked to politics. Malawi was suspended from

the MCC development project because it reacted to its

government protestors violently. This is a political is-

sue since it reflects the poor governance of the state.

There are measures whereby a country with political

stability should take to resolve a conflict as agreed

between MCC and its partners, which is in a peaceful

manner and not violence.

My questions: What do they basically do with small grants to

countries that did not qualify the grant compact (big

grants)?

They provide them with project plans and support

to infrastructure, social services, training farmers and

peasants and supporting agriculture generally, example

in a country like Tanzania whose backbone is agricul-

ture. They also provide anti-corruption programs and

facilitate them.

In a country like Tanzania, in which corruption is

like incurable disease, in both public and private sec-

tors how does MCC deal with this?

MCC has tried to work with the Tanzanian govern-

ment hand in hand to prevent corruption and they even

have the anti-corruption programs but still Tanzania

does not show positive change in this factor of corrup-

tion. So they are still observing the country and hoping

for a positive change.

Relevance of MCC in International Develop-

ment: MCC has a major positive impact in the interna-

tional development due to the implementation of com-

pacts and other small programs it has within develop-

ing countries that meet their criteria. With their pro-

grams they have raised the standards of living, opened

international markets, promoted growth opportunities

and created a promising future for some of the world’s

poorest people, for example, they trained the low scale

farmers. On the other hand MCC has to consider coun-

tries that do not reach their criteria and policy, who

also need help. Countries that do not have stable gov-

ernments can use the MCC strategies to make their

positive changes economically and politically. It should

not be only the countries that already have improve-

ments but also the ones that need improvements.

BY Jacqueline Abel Mwakanyamale

THE MILLENIUM CHALLENGE

CORPORATION (MCC)


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P

President Obama’s speech was one of the most emotional

speeches he has ever given. He was emotional because he

was trying to persuade all American citizens he was do-

ing well. He was also trying to convince U.S. Congress to

support him in helping Americans achieve the American

dream. This support includes expenditures for the Afford-

able Care Act (ACA) and the creation of new retirement

programs.

For President Obama, the American dream

means several things: equality and access to education,

and job opportunities. Many Americans do not have ac-

cess to job opportunities or higher education, for this rea-

son he is negotiating with 150 universities across the

country to make this dream a reality for the middle class

Americans by opening engineering, science, and technol-

ogy programs, because when people have access to edu-

cation, they have more opportunities to get better jobs,

therefore raising the quality and profits for themselves

and companies that will then increase the American econ-

omy. President Obama emphasized the immigration sys-

tem. He invited Congress to support his immigration re-

form. He said that he cannot work by himself, needs their

approval to make his reform bill a law.

President Obama said that women can also suc-

ceed in America. He gave an example of one “warrior”

woman who succeeded as a single mother. Women desire

equal opportunities at work, having children without sac-

rificing their jobs “I believe that when women succeed,

America succeeds”. Everyone who works full time do not

desire life in scarce conditions, he wants companies to

raise minimum wage to $10.10. He said that people who

work full-time should be able to live well. He does not

want them to sacrifice and raise their families in poor

conditions, he wants the middle class to live better.

Retirement issues such as retirement savings and

health care for seniors were also important part of his

speech. President Obama wanted to talk immediately

with the national treasury to create a new pension pro-

gram, so every single American has an opportunity to

build their retirement with the IRA. This IRA allows in-

dividuals who work to start a saving program, so in the

future they will have an increased income and be able to

afford their own houses. Another issue that he mentioned

is the Affordable Care Act; one example is helping the

seniors by providing cheaper medical prescriptions, he

also mentioned the ACA, giving a new deadline in March

2014, Obama hopes is that every citizen in America has

health insurance by his Obama care program that is easy

to access online.

I believe these subjects mentioned above were

the most important ones in the SOTU Speech. His speech

was really impressive, but I would also like to see these

promises become a reality. Americans still having eco-

nomic and immigration issues to be completed, but I be-

lieve that the entire nation has to work together to get

better results. One man with good ideas is not enough to

drive one of the biggest nations in the word. I think that

government has to pull them to work together perusing

the progress and equality of the United States.

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S STATE OF THE

UNION SPEECH, JANUARY 2014

By Veronica Enriquez


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I CHOSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, NOW

WHAT?

BY STEPHANE S. VICTORINO

What do you want to do after you graduate? Which

field of work do you wish to pursue? What is your

dream job?

Relatives and friends often ask these questions to

graduating seniors and M.A. and Ph.D. candidates. Most

of the time we realize that we do not have an answer for

all of these questions. We actually do not have time to

think about it because we are so busy trying to choose a

course that would match our personal interests or our par-

ents’ expectations that we forget to think about what we

can do with it once we are done studying — if one day

we are done with it!

We are so drawn by what we have to do and what

we need to achieve in a short time period that we forget

about that dream job we

used to want when we were

little kids. We commit our-

selves so deeply to getting

good grades, getting an in-

ternship, keeping our social

lives and hobbies, and main-

taining healthy relationships

with our boyfriends/

girlfriends that the essentials

of all this is forgotten. This

is why I decided to write

this article. I decided to help

all those who feel lost, espe-

cially the ones that chose

International Relations or

other similar broad and gen-

eral courses, which includes

me, by the way. According

to mymajors.com Interna-

tional Relations is

Wow, a lot of fancy

and complicated words! Let

me translate this to English:

International Relations is the study of a country’s politics,

policies, and history. A student of International Relations

needs to be impartial, multilingual (essential!), and ready

to read and write a lot.

Okay, we have the definition of Internation-

al Relations but what can we exactly do with it?

Where can we work?

First of all, International Relations students re-

quire passion. We need to be passionate about working

with people and open-minded about cultural diversity.

We need to be engaged with constant learning. Secondly,

we need to keep in mind that being International Rela-

tions major or a Master’s student does not limit us to jobs

in the public sector. Private and non-profit organizations

and foundations such as charities

are great opportunities for us

because they do business outside

of their own countries. Accord-

ing to University of Delaware,

banks, travel industry firms, pub-

lic relations companies, and non-

profits are sectors that employ

International Relations students.

With an International

Relations degree you can defi-

nitely become a political analyst

and work at the CIA. According

to Russel Huebsch, “U.S. gov-

ernment analysts in the U.S.

made between $49,861 to

$97,333 in 2010”. Other options

for International Relations stu-

dents including employment as

business manager, foreign ser-

vice officer, journalist, political

scientists; for those passionate

by arts and history, International

Relations offers great options

“a program that focuses on the

systematic study of

international politics and

institutions, and the conduct of

diplomacy and foreign policy.

Includes instruction in

international relations theory,

foreign policy analysis,

international law and

organization, the comparative

study of specific countries and

regions, and the theory and

practice of diplomacy.”


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Also, for those who are fluent in many languages transla-

tion is a career option. Erika Sivils reminds us that,

If you chose International Relations you certainly have

many options, and finding work will not be a problem for

you. It is guaranteed that you will have success in whatev-

er area you choose. You just need to focus on what you are

doing and what you want to achieve long term. Study hard

and do not lose track of what you have planned. If you do

not have a plan yet it is time to work on it: Do not waste

your time! Your future is waiting on you!

References

Huebsch, R. (n.d.). What Jobs Can I Get With an Interna-

tional Relations Major? Retrieved from eHow: http://

www.ehow.com/list_7530519_jobs-can-international-

relations-major.html

International Relations Major. (n.d.). Retrieved from

MyMajors: http://www.mymajors.com/international-

relations-major

Peters, C. (n.d.). What Can You Do With a Master's in

International Relations? Retrieved from eHow: http://

www.ehow.com/about_6588221_can-do-master_s-

international-relations_.html

Sivils, E. (n.d.). International Relations Career Options.

Retrieved from eHow: http://www.ehow.com/

list_6670174_international-relations-career-options.html

“the U.S. government hires

translators for courtrooms, foreign

relations and medical professions.

Interpreters can also offer their

services part time or through the

private sector.”


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Recently, in Dr. Klara Bilgin’s Comparative Government

class, we discussed world regimes, and we had to explain

how our country’s governments work. When my turn

came up, I discussed Mongolia, and Dr. Bilgin mentioned

how it was possible for a country that is locked between

the two of the largest, most authoritarian, and most power-

ful nations — the Russian Federation and PRC — could

develop a successful and stable Democratic state.

That made me think.

I am Mongolian and have spent most of my life

there, so I thought I knew most of the facts about and rea-

sons behind my country’s government.

Was it that we were powerful ourselves to

resist any external pressure?

That might not be the case: We had spent almost

half of the 20th century as a USSR’s “satellite” state,

playing a buffer zone role between PRC and Soviet Union

during their disputed years. Mongolia has always had a

special, strategic meaning for our two neighbors. Perhaps

it was a successful foreign policy.

The idea of a third neighbor plays a crucial role in

foreign policy of Mongolia. Third neighbor refers to coun-

tries other than Mongolia’s only two neighbors with

which Mongolia has strong relationships. The term third

neighbor was first mentioned by U.S. Secretary of State

James Baker during his visit to Mongolia in 1990, when

democracy was in its infancy. The main concept was to

balance its relations with Russia and China on one hand

and relations with other major countries on the other.

BY ENKHJIGUUR GANBOLD

DEMOCRACY IN MONGOLIA

In the early 1990s, when Mongolia began politi-

cal reforms, the support of the U.S., the United Nations,

and especially Japan along with other Western countries

was crucial to its transition to a liberal democracy.

These third neighbors’ expertise in drafting legislation

about the electoral system helped establish the founda-

tion of Mongolia’s political system. The third neighbor

policy was also an economic success. Donor countries

helped Mongolia overcome its hardships after the sud-

den end of Soviet investment and subsidies, guiding the

country to transition to a market economy.

As the scope of the third neighbor policy ex-

panded, it began to include more bilateral and multilat-

eral political partnerships. Mongolia became a member

of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1997, the

ASEAN Regional Forum in 1998, and the Organization

for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in

2012. Mongolia is currently seeking to become a mem-

ber of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC),

which promotes open trade and practical economic co-

operation in the Asia-Pacific region, which would allow

Mongolia to have open trade with more nations.

With the help of the U.S. and the United

Nations, Mongolian small armed forces turned into a

professional peacekeepers under the UN banner.

This helped to increase Mongolia’s international profile,

and is also part of efforts to implement the third neigh-

bor policy. According to the UN Peacekeeping opera-

tions statistics of 2013, there are 935 military personnel

and advisors deployed in the hot zones.

Confining and limiting any external dependency

was Mongolia’s priority. By seeking and opening alter-

native doors to foreign relations with western democrat-

ic nations gave way to much more a successful transi-

tion. Memberships in a wide variety of economic and

trade organizations provided Mongolia with exclusive

and vital financial support in the transitional years.

Mongolia’s peacekeepers were praised for their

durability and professionalism. They provide protection

for UN operations, along with training and instructing

local military with expertise in operating soviet made

equipment. Nevertheless, the most important ingredient

to successful future lies with partnership and coopera-

tion with its two neighbors. As mentioned, the key idea

of the third neighbor policy is to balance its relations

with its two neighbors.


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More than six years ago, I left my family and everything I

have known behind to start a new life in the US. Many of

us have taken this step to find a better life or to get the ed-

ucation that we might not be able to get at home. All of us

surely ask ourselves over and over again, the question,

“what am I doing here?” I ask myself this question plenty

of times, but then remind myself how lucky I am to be liv-

ing in this country, to have gotten a chance to live the

American dream, and to be working and studying in the

country so many people want to be part of but can’t.

Of course, no one day passes without me missing

my family, my friends, even German food, and I do not

think this will ever stop. We might start a new life, but we

will never be able to shake off our old one. Even though

America has been built by immigrants, there are times that

I am very aware of the difference between me and a US

citizen. I am sure this will never change being a first gen-

eration immigrant.

Take, for example, my job search after graduating

with a bachelor’s degree: Even though I fulfilled all re-

quirements of a job listing, one was missing: a US citizen-

ship or even just a green card. You want to try and apply

for a new visa/green card?! Good luck, it will take you

months or even years, depending on your citizenship.

I consider myself lucky being from a European

country which gives me certain privileges such as less

waiting time, but others have a much harder time.

A major overhaul of the immigration system is in order

and Obama is moving into the right direction. He has been

pushing for it and was able to pass the Dream Act, which

has been the answer to many people’s prayers. Personally,

I know one person who has benefited from it and now

does not have to worry about deportation anymore. It’s a

step into the right direction: integration of illegal immi-

grants that were brought here as kids without a choice.

These people are given a chance to get a degree, to work

legally, and to contribute to the economy. America has

been built by immigrants and will continue to grow be-

cause of us. So, don’t despair, even when it seems impos-

sible at times. Never give up, no matter what curveballs

life throws at us! Embrace your new life, speak English as

much as you can, make a turkey for Thanksgiving, watch

the Superbowl and all its funny commercials, or go to

Starbucks every day. In one word: become an American or

at least try.

BY VERENA GOETZ

BECOMING AMERICAN ( OR NOT)


14

After the fall of Germany in the Second World War, the

mantle of leadership fell on the United States to steer world

affairs and become the de facto policeman of the world.

Being a super power has its advantages and disadvantages.

It often requires taking pills for someone else’s headache.

It requires a lot of economic and military sacrifice. That is

why some analysts believe China’s economic prosperity

should not be confused as ascension to the role of a super

power.

Issues needing solution seems to pile up at an un-

precedented rate. Even though the United Nations has suc-

ceeded in preventing World War III, it appears to lack the

ability to solve some of the problems in today’s sophisticat-

ed world.

The missing Malaysian plane is not the only miss-

ing thing being looked for, the world is also searching for

solution to the war in Syria and other violent flashpoints at

different parts of the world. The only country at the center

of it all is the world super power, the United States of

America. When the world sleeps, America offers to keep

watch. The 3-year-old Syrian crisis keeps escalating be-

cause world powers have failed to find a solution to end the

war, and it sometimes feels like the war will go on forever.

Likewise in Africa, conflicts have been going on in

the Democratic Republic of Congo for over a decade. Ac-

cording to the BBC, DRC, which hosts the United Nation’s

largest peacekeeping mission, has seen various degrees of

conflicts and it is struggling to recover from a conflict

tagged “Africa’s world war,” in which millions died in be-

tween 1998 and 2003.

Also in the Central African Republic, there have

been religious crisis, since the Muslim Seleka group

seized power from the Christian government. According

to the Washington Post, the anti-balaka militias have

slaughtered hundreds of people in CAR. In all, families

have been ripped apart, homes and hopes of people have

been shattered.

In essence, there appears to be bigger problems

in other parts of the world that needs the attention of the

United States more than Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

There have been rising cases of home grown militant and

rebels threatening the peace and territorial integrity of

juridical states, For instance Book Haram in Nigeria:

People are dying daily from bullets, guns, and lack of

food and water in all parts of the world, but most of these

sad events go unnoticed in mainstream media, so there-

fore, there is no one to help.

The United States as the only super power seems

to be overwhelmed by world affairs. Coupled with the

sometimes dirty politics being played in Washington, it

has become a daunting task to President Obama’s admin-

istration to intervene in world affairs and still try to avoid

the inevitable and needless bashings from the Republi-

cans.

Unfortunately, the United States goofed when it

supported the ouster of Ukrainian’s former President

Viktor Yanukovych and hurriedly recognized the new

government headed by interim Prime Minister Arseniy

Yatsenyuk without weighing the outcome. This unfortu-

nate incident laid the ground for Putin to take over Cri-

mea.

Honestly, no country, no matter how weak, will

allow a foreign rival to have overriding influence in a

neighboring country, especially in this case. If the crisis

in Ukraine were to happen in Canada or Mexico, will the

United States allow any other country to take the lead

role in mediation? We all know what happened after the

Haiti earthquake, The US had to shoulder the problems to

avoid any country from gaining undue influence in its

backyard.

At the same time, the United States should not be

surprised by Russia’s actions, because Putin has always

given the inkling of doing this. He has been giving the

USA problems on all fronts, from allowing Edward

Snowden take refuge in Russia to the frustration of US

proposals on Syria at the United Nations Security Coun-

cil. The US should have read between the lines and ex-

pected the worst.

The US threatened fire and brimstone if Russia

offered Snowden political asylum. Russia did and nothing

happened. Russia might possess more intelligence on the

operations of the US government than the US has on

BY OLANREWAJU ETTI

THE MISSTEPS OF A SUPER POWER


15

Russia, courtesy of Edward Snowden, because Putin would

not have offered him a bed space in Russia for free.

My advice is that the USA should face the reality that Vla-

dimir Putin cannot reverse back on Crimea. He has taken it

for good and there is nothing anybody can do about it other

than to make ineffective sanctions.

The possible scenario is the following: Since Putin

is aware that the United States needs him to end the Syrian

war and to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons, he has a

vital leverage over America. He knows America will come

begging and that is when he will bend their hands to

dance to his tune and perhaps request for the sanc-

tions to be lifted, that is, if they are effective. By then,

America will have no choice but to work with him.

Putin might even use Snowden as a bargaining tool if

the need arises.

Contrary to the reports in Western media,

I don’t think Putin wants to run the world. He just

want to pass a message that he can do whatever he

likes and he cannot be coerced to take certain deci-

sions by the western governments. He is simply flex-

ing his muscles.

I just pity the new Ukrainian government,

because Putin has the power to and will stifle the

Ukrainian economy through gas shortage or price

increases. Consequently, there will be austerity and

the people will grow impatient with their government,

which might lead to public demonstrations again. It is

so bad for Ukraine that they didn’t realize that Europe

and the USA do not have the money to throw around,

which will leave Ukraine with no choice but to lean to-

wards Russia.

More so, the United States should go back to the

drawing board to decide if Ukraine is worth the fight. For

the sake of world peace, the USA and Russia need to bury

their hatchet and stop. As the New Y ork Times puts it, “tit-

for-tat battle of economic and political sanctions.” Moscow

and the West have to work together to find lasting solu-

tions to the war and human crisis in Syria and those Afri-

can countries. The world wants peace, not war.

SORRY HAGEL, WRONG TIME

The United States Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel,

might be ruining his luck for getting the job at the

same time with Secretary of State John Kerry. As much

as they both hold different portfolios, no doubt John

Kerry has overshadowed Hagel and sometimes has

relegated him to the background in issues that should

have been championed by the DOD. While John

Kerry’s influence in the Obama government cannot be

overestimated, Hagel seems to be a man with low

charisma that dwells in the background. After all Leon

Panetta’s reign was not eclipsed by Hillary Clinton,

when both were at the DOD and State Department

respectively.


16

As a student of international politics, I have learnt

about hundreds of international organizations that provide

aid to countries during times of need, be it economic, so-

cial, or military. I have even learnt of countries that strive

to survive despite severe challenges that they face and it is

because of the existence of international laws. There are

always theories explaining the huge powers exercised by a

few nations in the world, and how they take sides with

other ones.

However, Venezuela is a very unique case where

I find a lot of contradictions against the existing norms of

international laws and practice. Some of such observations

are the following: powerful countries turning blind eye to

brutal reality of existing challenges/atrocities committed

by a regime; and powerful international organizations ig-

noring the purpose of their very existence and mission,

even when there are blatant violation of human rights and

freedom (CIDH, OEA, UNASUR) in Venezuela.

Today, Venezuela is the country with highest in-

flation in the world. Also its citizens have the second low-

est salary in South America, and corruption is at its peak.

It is also home to the third most dangerous city in the

world, Caracas, the capital of the country.

Since February 2014, Venezuelan citizens, includ-

ing students, are vehemently protesting against several

problems that the country is facing, such as shortage of

essential goods, food, electricity, economics, crime, and

the loss of fundamental rights like freedom. People there

have been protesting using non-violent means. However,

the Venezuelan government has been using violent means

by sending the military forces to act brutally against the

peaceful Venezuelan citizens. Despite the brutality used

by the regime, people of Venezuela, including profession-

als, parents, entrepreneurs, politicians, and citizens from

all walks of life, joined together in peaceful demonstrators

to show their support. As time passed, the discontent from

the government started to grow and the situation became

violent: the military started to use tear gas, guns, and other

violent means — including rape — to quell the demon-

strations. It sounds hard to digest but this has been hap-

pening for more than two months in the country with the

world's largest oil reserves.

On the other hand, Nicolas Maduro, the President

of Venezuela, whose election to the Presidency has hap-

pened under dubious circumstances as it is feared that the

election involved voter fraud, started to call his backers to

go out on the streets and protest against the “so called”

violent right wing protesters (students) claiming that they

wanted to overthrow his government. He even “claimed”

that the protest was backed by the United States.

Here are some important facts: The Venezuelan

government controls 98% of media (TV stations, radio

stations, newspapers). Thus, they relay their anti-right

wing messages and the right wing has no way of voicing

their opinion. The government has control over the mili-

tary, the judicial system, the secret police, and the elec-

toral governing body. Also, Maduro controls every aspect

of the government machinery in the country. Moreover,

previously Chavez and now Maduro created a group of

motorized armed volunteers to serve as their spies to re-

view all activities taking place in the streets, and update

the regime on the latest development.

This motorized group has clashed with the student

protesters on many occasions, and they are probably re-

sponsible for more than half the deaths at the moment. To

protect themselves, the protesters put up barbed wires

across the streets in their neighborhoods to dissuade the

motorized and armed group from going into their areas

and shooting people at will. Maduro supports the motor-

ized and armed group, and on repeated occasions stated

that they do nothing but “good deeds” for the country.

Every day there are more people being kidnapped, killed,

By Paulette Zegarra Hernandez

What is going on in

Venezuela?


17

or taken to prison. On the other hand, more people from

the government, the military, Cuba, and the lowest classes

are being paid by the regime to support all kind of violent

activities against the pacific protests.

Maduro has already put three right wing leaders in

jail claiming that they are the ones promoting the protests.

There are four more leaders who are being investigated for

the same reasons. The Cuban elite military has been incor-

porated into the Venezuelan Military and it is thought that

they are the ones pulling the strings in all the major mili-

tary decisions taken by the regime, and that Maduro is on-

ly Cuba's Castro brothers’ puppet.

Pictures, videos, social networks and international

media has brought the grave situation of the citizens of

Venezuela to world’s attention, but it is very sad that so far

no major international organization has come forward to

take notice of the atrocities being committed by the regime

in Venezuela against its citizens. It is also appalling that

no international body has taken notice of human rights

violations and the injustice that the people of Venezuela

are facing. None of the world leaders have taken any kind

of strong steps to condemn the acts perpetuated by the re-

gime in Venezuela. On the contrary, the world media has

started to take less notice of the developments in Venezue-

la as its people continue to suffer silently.

Since February 4th, 2014 until now, there have

been 39 deaths, 608 injuries, and 2.285 people taken to

jail. These numbers are increasing each day. Not a day

passes in Venezuela where electricity is cut for hours. It is

also a miracle if Venezuelans are able to find basic prod-

ucts such as milk, flour, oil, toilet paper, diapers. Even

though they find products for their daily living, their salary

— if they have a job — is not enough to buy what is

needed.

My intention is to inform readers in simple words

about Venezuela’s situation and spread this information,

so the world is aware about the gravity of the situation

there. Perhaps readers have friends in Venezuela, or

friends of friends who know someone in Venezuela who

is suffering right now as human rights are being violated

by the dictatorial regime of Nicolas Maduro.

References

http://alltoptens.com/top-ten-dangerous-countries-

2014/

http://www.foropenal.com/

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/country-list/inflation-

rate

http://www.transparency.org/cpi2013/results

Corruption Perception Index 2013


18

THE STUDENT MAGAZINE OF VIRGINIA

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF

PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

—GLOBAL INSIGHTS—


19

“The function of education is to teach one

to think intensively and to think critically.

Intelligence plus character– that is the

goal of true education.”

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


20

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