HIATUS: WEEK THREE

A scorpion and a turtle stood at the edge of a river early one morning. As the turtle prepared to swim across, the scorpion asked, "would you give me a ride across?"  "Absolutely not," the turtle responded. "You're a scorpion, and you will sting me before we get to the other side." "No I won't," …

HIATUS: WEEK TWO

In recent months the nature of the American democratic system has come into question. Wether it be a result of an administration, the polarized leadership surrounding an administration, or a combination of the two, bi-partisanship, conflict resolution, and compromise have never seemed more necessary. In this month's installment (taken from the October Issue of The …

HIATUS: WEEK ONE

The themes of climate change and its implications have, in recent years, become major points of discussion amongst private citizens and public officials alike. Filmmakers, actors, and corporations have all taken massive steps to bring awareness to the reality of increasing global temperatures - one need only look at Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary film Before The Flood or …

UPDATE: HIATUS

Dear readers, As many of us say goodbye to summer and welcome autumn, the change in season evokes in us an inherent need to adapt. We change our shorts and tees for a more robust denim and pull over sweater; uniforms now find themselves in need of ironing and shoes polishing which evidently points to …

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: THE FIFTH SHIFT

In January 1991, nearly eleven months prior to the fall of the Soviet Union, the administration of Bush-41 unveiled a military operation within the context of what would become the Persian-Gulf War. The mission, dubbed “Operation Desert Storm,” aimed to curb Iraqi influence and expel the occupying forces which had invaded the nation of Kuwait …

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: TIDES OF CHANGE, REAGAN-BUSH

Having served his first term in office, Reagan, along with vice-presidential candidate George H.W. Bush sought re-election in 1984. Remaining steadfast in his conviction of a strong military and economic plan, the duo was successful in returning to the White House. The Reagan administration’s policy of widespread freedom and democracy, known as “the Reagan doctrine,” …

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: TIDES OF CHANGE, THE REAGAN YEARS

In the years following the Nixon Administration, the underlying theme of detente carried itself through the presidencies of Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter respectively. Having served its purpose in the earlier part of the decade, the relaxation of tensions began to concern Americans at home. Many believed the policy had weakened American resolve and permitted …

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: REALPOLITIK

  For a brief moment during the Cold War period, public opinion seemed to shape the direction of foreign policymaking. The New York Times’ publication of information included in the Pentagon Papers and ensuing anti-war protests called for a change of pace. Under the Nixon administration, and within the framework of both containment policy and …

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: PROXY WARS, PART II

The second challenge the United States encountered surfaced roughly two years after the armistice agreement in Korea. As one would presume, US-Soviet tensions grew and political rhetoric intensified leading into what became the Vietnam War. Involvement in the region commenced the way most proxy wars do — foreign aid to an opposition and militaristic assistance. …

CHAPTER TWELVE: PROXY WARS, PART I

Having understood the mindset and groundwork of US foreign policy, i.e. theories of containment and the implications of NSC-68, the attitude of the United States and its subsequent decisions towards challenges should come as no surprise. On June 25, 1950, following a series of border altercations on the thirty-eighth parallel and an ensuing invasion, war …