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Joy Merlino

Palestinians to hold elections by September - USATODAY.com - 0 views

www.usatoday.com/...12-palestinian-elections_N.htm

palestinians Elections Hamas

shared by Joy Merlino on 14 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • The Palestinian leadership in the West Bank on Saturday promised to hold long-overdue general elections by September, a surprise move spurred by political unrest rocking the Arab world and embarrassing TV leaks about peace talks with Israel.
  • In principle, elections could help end the deep political split between West Bank-based President Mahmoud Abbas and the Islamic militant Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, the other territory the Palestinians want for their state.
  • Still, it c
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  • uld become difficult for Hamas to reject elections at a time of growing calls for democracy throughout the Middle East. Hamas itself has praised the downfall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as a victory for the Egyptian people.
  • The call for elections came a day after Mubarak stepped down, forced out by mass protests against his ironfisted 30-year rule. The Egyptian uprising and another successful revolt in Tunisia a month earlier have inspired calls for democratic reform throughout the region.
  • Abbas aide Yasser Abed Rabbo said Saturday that preparations were underway for legislative and presidential elections later this year. "We call on parties to put aside all of their differences and to focus on conducting the elections by September at the latest,"
  • The announcement appeared to be an act of desperation by an embattled government that has been weakened by the standstill in peace efforts with Israel, its rivalry with Hamas and the loss of its key Arab ally in Egypt. Mubarak had served as an important mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, and rallied Arab support for Abbas when needed.
  • The documents showed that in 2008 Abbas agreed to major concessions toward Israel by dropping claims to parts of east Jerusalem, the hoped-for Palestinian capital, and acknowledging that most Palestinian refugees would never return to the lost properties in what is now Israel.
  • With the call for elections, Abbas is trying to signal that he is attentive to his people's demands. By putting his job on the line, he can portray himself as a leader committed to democracy. It was not clear whether Abbas, who has said he would step down after his current term, would seek re-election. But the move is a gamble. With peace talks on hold, Abbas and his Fatah party will have no major accomplishment to present to voters.
  • And Hamas, which seized Gaza from Abbas' forces in 2007, said it would not participate in the elections. Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, called the election "illegitimate."
  • September is shaping u
  • At that time, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad expects to complete a two-year process of building the state from the ground up. The Palestinians have also signaled they will ask the U.N. Security Council, whose decisions are legally binding, to formally recognize an independent Palestine at that time.
  • Israeli officials have dismissed the Palestinian tactics, saying unilateral recognitions will not change the situation on the ground and that there is no replacement for direct negotiations. However, Netanyahu's hardline government, already reluctant to making deep concessions to the Palestinians, appears unlikely to make any bold offers while the Egyptian situation remains fluid.
  • Joy Merlino on 14 Apr 11
     
    Research Question: How does the conflict in Israel affect the future of Israeli children compared to Palestinian children? Summary: This article states that the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank is planning on holding general elections by September. This has been brought about as a response to the TV leaks, and the unrest in the surrounding Arab countries. This is an attempt to end the conflict between the Hamas and the West Bank. However, this article does not think that the Hamas will respond favorably to this call for democracy. But with the unrest in the surrounding nations, they might be pushed into cooperation.  Reflection: If these elections do in fact take place, this would mean a dramatic change for the future generation of Palestinians and Israelis alike. If Palestine could become an independent state, this would mean that there would hopefully be an end to the conflict that is associated with the borders. However, this is not certain. The Palestinians best hope would be to get the recognition of the UN. Unfortunately, this could be a challenge due to the relations held between the US and Israel, and the veto power that the US holds. This would also have an effect on the future generation of Israeli citizens. As the conflict would almost certainly dissolve to an extent or reach a boiling point that would inevitably lead to military action. The occurrence of these elections -- or lack thereof -- has the potential to entirely reshape the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 
Nick Mast

Academic OneFile  Document - 0 views

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egypt

shared by Nick Mast on 11 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Synopsis: Fewer than 3 in 10 Egyptians (28%) in 2010 expressed confidence in the honesty of elections in their country.
  • s that might be included in a new constitution, large majorities said they would support freedom of speech and religion.
  • When asked hypothetically in 2009 about rig
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • But the 2010 ele
  • ctions that
  • esulted in a landslide victory for Mubarak's National Democratic Party were mired with widespread fraud allegations.
  • nearly all Egyptians (96%) said they would "probably agree" with the inclusion of free speech as a guaranteed right in a new country's constitution. A majority of them (75%) also said they would probably agree with constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and freedom of assembly (52%) or the right to congregate for any reason or in support of any cause.
  • gyptians' lack of confidence in the honesty of elections in previous years highlights the need for quick constitutional guarantees to set the stage for free and transparent elections.
  • Nick Mast on 11 Mar 11
     
    Before Uprising, Egyptians Lacked Faith in Honesty of Elections; Nearly all in 2009 said they would in theory support freedom of speech as a constitutional right.(survey) By: Gallup Organization Byline:Mohamed Younis Summary: In 2010 3 in every 10 people trusted the current Egyptian government. Many people thought that Mubaraks win in 2010 was rigged by people inside the government.  People in the country want in there next leader someone who listens and a lot of people want to be given freedom of religion and freedom of speech.The voting and choosing of leaders after the citizens protests is important they make the right moves and decisions for there country and the world will all be watching as this evolves carefully.  Reflection: To read this article and see that only 3 out every 10 people expressed confidence in the egyptian government, that low of a number just shocked me. No wonder everyone in the country revolted, no one trusted them. So now that the people have gotten rid of there old president they need to put there trust back into the government in making a smart choice about who is going to be the next leader, and they have to make sure they pick a leader who will hear there voices, for freedom of speech and religion and more.  Questions: What do people in Egypt now think of there governmental stand? Are more people starting to believe in the government? Do the people trust the government they have in place now? What would government have to change to make people trust them again?
Ji-Yoon Jeon

Fault line of faith: six pastors killed, 40 churches razed in Jos's most recent violence - 0 views

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Islam Peace Violence

shared by Ji-Yoon Jeon on 13 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • NIGERIA Murderous rioting reportedly sparked by Muslim attacks on Christians and their property in late November destroyed 40 churches and left six pastors and at least 500 others dead, according to Nigerian church leaders.
  • What began as outrage over suspected voting fraud in local elections quickly crossed over Jos's religious fault line between the Islamic north and Christian south.
  • When angry Muslims took aim at Christian sites (rather than at political targets), Christian gangs responded in self-defense
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  • Islamists in turn killed more than 100 Christians.
  • Among the Christians killed was Joseph Yari of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), who died helping other Christians repel Muslim fanatics bent on burning down Christ Baptist Church.
  • the pastor's widow, said she had forgiven the killers.
  • In 2004, an estimated 700 people died in Yelwa, also in Plateau state, during Christian-Muslim clashes.
  • Ji-Yoon Jeon on 13 Apr 11
     
    Research question: Is Islam a religion of peace or invitation to violence? Fault line of faith: six pastors killed, 40 churches razed in Jos's most recent violence." Christianity Today Feb. 2009: 11. http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=STOM&docId=A193452567&source=gale&srcprod=STOM&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0 Summery: A suspected voting fraud in local elections made Muslims in Nigeria furious, and there began the bloody fight between Islamic north and Christian south. The Muslims took their angry and started off to explode their anger to Christians, rather than the political targets. They killed each others and more than 25000 persons were displaced in the violence. Among the killed Christians, there were Joseph Yari, who died helping other Christians repel Muslim fanatics. And his widow said that she had forgiven the killers, because they didn't know Jesus and had no idea of their deeds. Reflection: This article show that Islam is a religion of violence. Muslims got angry and wrong people. Their fraud of election wasn't Christian people's fault. They should have argued to political people instead of attacking Christians. They burned down the churches and properties and killed hundreds of pastors. They wasn't thinking deep enough before the situation got out of the hand. This shows that Muslims are extremists and Islam is the religion of violence. Questions: 1. Was there any killed Muslim's widow saying that they have forgiven the killers? 2. Who was the leader in this riot? 3. Does other Muslims also think that the voting fraud is Christian's fault? 4. What was the aftermath of
Bryce Lutke

Cuba History - 0 views

www.countryreports.org/...Overview.aspx

Cuba History

shared by Bryce Lutke on 17 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Indian population died out, African slaves were imported to work the ranches and plantations. Slavery was abolished in 1886.
  • Cuba was the last major Spanish colony to gain independence
  • 1868. Jose Marti, Cuba’s national hero
  • ...26 more annotations...
  • the United States entered the conflict after an explosion of undetermined origin caused the USS Maine to sink in Havana Harbor on February 15
  • December of that year, under the Treaty of Paris, Spain relinquished control of Cuba to the United States. On May 20, 1902, the United States granted Cuba its independence
  • retained the right to intervene to preserve Cuban independence and stability in accordance with the Platt Amendment.
  • 1934, the Platt Amendment was repealed
  • The United States and Cuba concluded a Treaty of Relations in 1934 which, among other things, continued the 1903 agreements that leased the Guantanamo Bay naval base to the United States.
  • Independent Cuba was often ruled by authoritarian political and military figures who either obtained or remained in power by force
  • Fulgencio Batista
  • organized a non-commissioned officer revolt in September 1933 and wielded significant power behind the scenes until he was elected president in 1940
  • Batista was voted out of office in 1944 and did not run in 1948
  • Running for president again in 1952, Batista seized power in a bloodless coup 3 months before the election was to take place
  • On July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro, who had been involved in increasingly violent political activity before Batista’s coup, led a failed attack on the Moncada army barracks in Santiago de Cuba in which more than 100 died
  • he was convicted and jailed, and subsequently was freed in an act of clemency, then went into exile in Mexico.
  • There he organized the “26th of July Movement” with the goal of overthrowing Batista, and the group sailed to Cuba on board the yacht Granma, landing in the eastern part of the island in December 1956.
  • Batista’s dictatorial rule fueled increasing popular discontent and the rise of many active urban and rural resistance groups
  • Faced with a corrupt and ineffective military, itself dispirited by a U.S. Government embargo on weapons sales to Cuba, and public indignation and revulsion at his brutality toward opponents, Batista fled on January 1, 1959
  • Castro had promised a return to constitutional rule and democratic elections along with social reforms, Castro used his control of the military to consolidate power by repressing all dissent from his decisions, marginalizing other resistance figures, and imprisoning or executing thousands of opponents.
  • An estimated 3,200 people were executed by the Castro regime between 1959-62
  • As the revolution became more radical, hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled the island.
  • Castro declared Cuba a socialist state on April 16, 1961
  • For the next 30 years, Castro pursued close relations with the Soviet Union
  • worked in concert with the geopolitical goals of Soviet communism
  • funding and fomenting violent subversive and insurrectional activities, as well as military adventurism, until the demise of the U.S.S.R. in 1991.
  • Relations between the United States and Cuba deteriorated rapidly as the Cuban regime expropriated U.S. properties and moved toward adoption of a one-party communist system
  • In response, the United States imposed an embargo on Cuba in October 1960
  • in response to Castro’s provocations, broke diplomatic relations on January 3, 1961
  • Tensions between the two governments peaked during the October 1962 missile crisis.
  • Bryce Lutke on 17 Feb 11
     
    What effects have the US embargo had on the Cuban economy? Cuba - History. Pleasant Grove UT: Country Reports, n.d. Country Reports. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. . Summary: This article gave a summary of the nation on Cuba. It gave information on how Cuba became a country with its revolution though the 1962 missile crisis, how Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba and a little of his history in the nation. It told about how Cuba aligned itself with the soviet union and how the embargo with the United States came into being.  Reflection: I thought this summary of the Cuban history was very interesting. The article was full of great information on Cuba I learned more on how Fidel Castro came into power and why the United States put an embargo on Cuba than I had ever known just by reading this article. I would like to have known more about some critical issues that they mentioned like the missile crisis and some of the things tat Fidel Castro did in their history.
Joy Merlino

Impatient Palestinians Eye Arab World In Flux : NPR - 0 views

www.npr.org/...story.php

Palestinian Middle East Uprising

shared by Joy Merlino on 14 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • Could the Arab Spring pass over the Palestinians?
  • With the peace process going nowhere, the threat of new violence increasing and the Palestinians badly divided, people in the West Bank and Gaza are surveying the rapid changes in the rest of the Arab world — and growing impatient with stagnation at home.
  • In Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, officials are quietly working on a plan: Going for statehood without agreement with Israel, bypassing the moribund peace process.
  • ...20 more annotations...
  • Although revolt seems unlikely for now, the crowded coastal strip has experienced a series of demonstrations with youths calling for national reconciliation between the two Palestinian territories.
  • "I believe that change is coming to our part of the world. We need as Palestinians to catch the moment," said Saed Issac, a 22-year-old law student in Gaza. "It's time for national unity first, to elect new leaders, and to work hard to achieve our task to end the occupation."
  • Issac was referring to Israel's control over Palestinians' lives — which Palestinians feel applies not only to the West Bank, where power is shared in a complex arrangement dating back to the 1990 autonomy accords, but also in besieged Gaza, even though Israeli settlers and soldiers pulled out five years ago.
  • In Israel, many eye the changes in the Arab world warily, fearing freedom could unleash more hostility — and that is doubly true when it comes to the Palestinians.
  • the Palestinians were influenced by "the trauma of Hamas' rise in the Gaza Strip, relative prosperity in the West Bank" and the expectation of statehood materializing within months. If that expectation is disappointed "a political tsunami" will result, he predicted.
  • A paradoxical challenge results: Hamas won elections but rules Gaza in authoritarian fashion, while Fatah, despite canceling recent elections, has made strides in convincing the world community that in the West Bank it is genuinely laying the foundations of a functioning independent state.
  • The picture that emerges from interviews with top Palestinian Authority officials, most off the record, marks a break from past policies that ranged from negotiations to violence and terror attacks. It combines what seems like genuine commitment to nonviolence with utter impatience with more talks with Israel.
  • "Negotiations have hit a dead end, and the U.S. administration is not willing to pressure Israel. Therefore, we have no other option except taking our case to the international community," said Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Ishtayeh.
  • Abbas' prime minister, Salam Fayyad, has long cited September 2011 as the moment his people will be ready for independence, after a two-year program of rehabilitating courts, police and other institutions. It also coincides with the annual meeting of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly.
  • The Palestinians say 120 of the 192 countries in the General Assembly have already granted full diplomatic recognition to Palestine, including a recent string of Latin American nations. Many have said the state should be based along the pre-1967 boundary between Israel and the West Bank — effectively taking the Palestinians' side on the border question, since Israel hopes to keep parts of the West Bank under a future deal.
  • Israel had previously dismissed the General Assembly as toothless, but that is starting to change.
  • In an interview with the Jerusalem Post Friday, former Israeli U.N. Ambassador Gabriela Shalev warned that a General Assembly resolution might be meaningful if passed under the auspices of so-called Resolution 377, a little-used device dating back to the Korean War that permits the body to recommend measures ranging from sanctions to the use of force in cases where the Security Council members cannot reach unanimity and peace is imperiled. "This would seek to impose on us some kind of Palestinian state," Shalev was quoted as saying.
  • Although a General Assembly declaration might not force immediate change on the ground, the Palestinians see it as a major step that would "give us new political, moral and legal standing against the Israeli occupation," Ishtayeh said.
  • Inspired by the unrest elsewhere in the region, the Palestinians are also considering backing the diplomatic offensive with peaceful — and photogenic — mass marches and sit-ins across the West Bank, confronting Israeli checkpoints and settlements.
  • One senior Palestinian official said the strategy, following the successful uprisings that ousted leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, would be meant to push the U.S. to take action.
  • A Facebook group called "Let's End the Occupation" has already sprouted up, saying it is preparing demonstrations near the Beit El settlement near Jerusalem later this year.
  • If all else fails Palestinians warn they might disband the Palestinian Authority — a move that would saddle Israel with responsibility for civil and security affairs in the West Bank, huge expenses and a public relations nightmare.
  • As long as peace talks were an option, Abbas could not afford to alienate Israel by embracing its archenemy this way. But the equation changes now that hardly a single Palestinian official can be found who believes in peace talks anymore: World recognition demands a unified front. And because the new strategy does not actually require the Palestinians to offer Israel formal peace, Hamas could be more likely to go along.
  • But there is a certain foment growing from within. Its scale is difficult to gauge, because fear is still widespread, but recent weeks have seen repeated popular protests, which Hamas has alternately supported and violently dispersed.
  • "Hamas needs to listen to the young generation's demands," Fahmi said. "The whole world is changing. You can feel it. So can Hamas."
  • Joy Merlino on 14 Apr 11
     
    How does the conflict in Israel affect the future of Israeli children compared to Palestinian children? Summary: This article is discussing whether or not the uprisings in the Middle East will spread to the palestinian lands. Given the fact that the leaders in the Palestinian lands no longer believe in the effectiveness of Israeli peace talks, the thought is that the spirit of the riots being held in neighboring countries will be caught by the Palestinian people. The attempt is to become recognized as a sovereign state; before this was to be attempted through peace talks, now the thought of many is to forgo the peace talks and deal directly with the international community.  Reflection: Our research question was focused mainly on the Israeli conflict alone; however, with the current rebellions and unrest in the rest of the MIddle East, it makes logical sense to explore their effect on this conflict as well. It is very true that these uprisings may lead to a want for an expedited statehood. We will just have to see how this all plays out.  
Hojin Choi

Will Islam divide or unite Iraq?(Opinion)(Viewpoint essay). - 0 views

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Islam is a peace or violence

shared by Hojin Choi on 16 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Will Islam divide or unite Iraq?
  • American combat troops have officially left Iraq, but religious factions there continue to jostle for power in the still-unformed government seven months after the March election failed to elect new leaders.
  • Sunni, Shiite, Sadrist, and Kurdish political leaders are struggling to negotiate a coalition government.
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • When religion goes wrong
  • When religion goes wrong, it goes very wrong.
  • Archbishop William Temple
  • When people slaughter the innocent believing that they are doing it in God's name, the effects are catastrophic.
  • If 9/11 showed us the power of religion to cause tragedy on an epic scale, the aftermath should teach us something else. When religion is at the heart of the problems in a country, religion also needs to be at the heart of the solution.
  • Relationships of trust
  • I first visited as a peace negotiator in 1998. My commitment to Iraq over such a long period has enabled me to develop relationships of trust with nearly all of the most senior religious leaders.
  • Through religious leader engagement, we have been able to negotiate the release of many hostages, both expat and Iraqi.
  • Making
  • ake war
  • hose who m
  • peace with t
  • This work has been difficult.
  • Members of my church have been kidnapped or killed. I have lost many friends. But if you want to work for peace, you need to be willing to work with people who make war. Nice people don't cause conflict.
  • the warmakers need to be encouraged to become peacemakers.
  • Peacebuilding requires relationships.
  • A Sunni/Shiite fatwa against violence
  • Long-term commitment
  • This is religious reconciliation at a grassroots level, and gives standing to negotiate at the highest level.
  • raq needs this religious reconciliation if it is to survive. And so we remain committed to a long term, relational program of religious leader engagement.
  • Andrew White, an Anglican reverend and canon, is president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East.
  • Hojin Choi on 16 Feb 11
     
    Research question: Is Islam a religion of peace or invitation to violence? Citation:White, Andrew. "Will Islam divide or unite Iraq?" Christian Science Monitor 20 Oct. 2010. Student Edition. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=STOM&docId=CJ239979945&source=gale&srcprod=STOM&userGroupName=lom_accessmich&version=1.0 Summary:This article about the perspective of Andrew White, the president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East. He discussed about the Islam after the Iraq War; although there are some political leaders attempt to negotiate a government, the Islam still have a power at the government during seven months. The author quotes Archbishop William Temple saying that " When religion goes wrong, it goes wrong." He suggests 4 different solutions to prevent for abusing the islam: 'Relationship of trust', 'Making peace with those who make war','A Sunni/Shiite fatwa against violence', and 'Long- term commitment'. 
  • Jessica Ruthsatz on 28 Feb 11
     
    You are missing your questions and reflection sections
Brielle DeFrell

Online NewsHour: Tension and Violence Arise Over Oil Drilling in Nigeria -- August 25, ... - 0 views

www.pbs.org/...oil_8-25.html

Nigeria oil effects

shared by Brielle DeFrell on 08 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Tensions and violence have been rising in Nigeria as Shell Oil has sought the rights to drill more widely for more oil in the Niger River Delta region
  • oil at 67 bucks a barrel,
  • A lot of money is flowing to Nigeria; a lot of money is flowing to oil companies -- not just Shell - but Chevron, Exxon/Mobile, and a number of others that are drilling there.
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  • last several decades violence has been building off and on in the Niger River Delta
  • lucrative industry, which is living right next to very, very poor people and there is been a lot of conflict over time, a lot of mistrust built up between residents and the companies.
  • People feel that they have been cheated; people feel that their rights have been violated; they end up protesting against the companies or in some cases attacking the companies. The companies end up -- have to be protected by the military.
  • RAY SUAREZ: Not gaining but also feeling themselves burdened -- don't they -- by environmental concerns, fouling of the groundwater, that kind of thing?
  • t money paid to Nigeria's government in taxes - and the Nigerian Government will admit this -- a lot of the money over the years has been stolen.
  • Nigeria has a tremendous corruption problem, and the money that's disappeared is probably in the billions -- not the millions -- over the years -- perhaps the tens of billions
  • don't really have much of a functioning government
  • There aren't any roads in many areas; there aren't good schools in many areas; many places don't even have electricity; many places don't have telephone lines, although cell phones are now spreading through independent companies.
  • oil companies will say first off that they don't employ that many people
  • various ethnic groups in the Delta and tribal groups and different villages and individuals, many, many different groups, and it is often felt that the oil companies have taken sides, that they have gone about a divide and rule practice as some people will call it.
  • the face of the government to many people is a police officer or a soldier or sailor who is there fundamentally to guard an oil installation and not to help the people, or protect the people.
  • a feeling that the government has taken sides in this triangle and it's with the companies and not with the people who live there?
  • Shell acknowledged more than 200 oil spills last year alone. Thousands of barrels of oil were spilled in the water and there have been many oil spills over the years. And that has contributed, by many people's accounts, to environmental degradation there.
  • So each company is trying to do something but the question is: Are they doing something that's just public relations or that's too small to make a regional difference in a region of millions of people, or are they really going to do something that could change the situation?
  • We get 1.2 million barrels a day from Nigeria; it's the fifth largest supplier of oil to the United States
  • Every day there is some more than 100,000 barrels, 140,000 from one company, as a matter of fact, that doesn't get out of Nigeria because of violence over the last couple of years and some days that's a much higher number.
  • in some cases you simply have people who live next to an oil facility, who feel they have been cheated, who feel that they're actually worse off for the facility being there because of pollution and other problems - who feel they're not benefiting and they go and they protest.
  • terminal in 2002 and again in 2005 was invaded by residents from nearby villages who simply felt that they were not gaining anything from Chevron.
  • They invade the terminal; they shut it down; Chevron makes promises; people feel the promises aren't kept; they come back again. That's one way that there's violence.
  • ethnic conflicts; there was a major one in 2003 revolving around elections
  • one group that felt that another group was having the election rigged in their favor and so they struck out. And they battled with Nigeria's military to some degree and they also attacked oil facilities because that was a way that they could strike back at the government.
  • disputed who owned a bit of oil land. The question who was got paid a little bit of money for the oil that was discovered on that land. They ended up fighting over it; a number of people were murdered.
  • military came in and essentially, by some people's account, settled matters by burning one of the villages. The military denies that the burning was intentional but, in any event, we went and visited -- a great number of buildings were destroyed, a number of people were killed.
  • no evidence of the government in many of these places. Does the oil company become -- in effect -- the government, and how do they respond to these challenges? What did they tell you about what they're trying to do in that part of Nigeria?
  • oil companies will have showcase instances in which they provided some community development.
  • instances in which oil companies have to acknowledge they have made promises that haven't been kept.
  • They will promise, for example -- in a village near the Chevron Terminal there is erosion of the land, which is blamed on the way that Chevron has managed its land. Whether that's fair or not, Chevron has promised to fix it by building some new housing on some new land. It hasn't been done yet, and Chevron has its own reasons why that hasn't been done -- they'll say because the situation is too unstable and there's been too much violence.
  • when they get frustrated, when there is an ethnic militia or an ethnic group that is going to engage in violence, they'll often turn it against oil companies, which they will see as perfectly justified, even though the oil companies will find it an outrageous disruption;
    • Brielle DeFrell
      Brielle DeFrell on 08 Mar 11
       
      Summary: Tensions between oil companies and the Nigerian people have been escalating for decades. The violence has increased as the years have gone by and the promises the oil companies have said they would do have not been fulfilled. As the oil companies don't have the jobs to give to the Nigerian people, they feel like they don't get any benefit out of the oil companies being there. The people feel like they have been cheated and lied to constantly, although sometimes the oil companies have kept their promises. The environmental issues have continued in the area, but also social issues have risen up too. The government is so corrupt that the people are living on the "outside" of the world. There aren't roads, not many good schools, many don't have electricity or telephone lines. They know there is so much more out there because of the oil rigs they see next to them, but they aren't able to experience it. The people have risen up many times against their "government", also known as our oil companies, that we don't get up to 100,000 barrels of oil a day. Invasions have happened at oil companies and people have been murdered because of the problems here. 
  • Brielle DeFrell on 08 Mar 11
     
    Research question: What are the effects of the competition with oil in Nigeria?  Lehrer, Jim. "Tension and Violence Arise Over Oil Drilling in Nigeria." Online NewsHour. PBS, 25 Aug. 2005. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. . Reflection: Wow, never before did I realize all the problems that Nigeria has. Not only has the oil companies caused many environmental problems, but they have also caused the people to not trust them and the promises they throw at them like candy. I understand that is one of our major places to get oil from, but I really think we need to look into what the companies are causing the Nigerian people to do to not just us, but each other. To think that our oil companies is pretty much their only government, that is really scary. Question: *Is there a way to set up a REAL way to help with environmental issues here? *If companies start to keep companies will people settle down? *Can we help Nigeria set up a functioning, uncorrupt, government?
Matt Mulder

North Korea parliament praises progress on economy - FoxNews.com - 1 views

www.foxnews.com/...lation-nkorea-parliament-meets

northkorea foxnews people

shared by Matt Mulder on 09 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • parliament praised progress in building the economy
  • but state media made no mention of a major promotion for the son of leader Kim Jong Il
  • Kim Jong Un would be elected to the powerful National Defense Commission — a move that would further solidify the young man's standing as North Korea's next leader.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • parliament typically meets once or twice a year
  • outsiders scrutinize the sessions for clues to changes to the tightly controlled country's economic policies and power structure.
  • election to the National Defense Commission, which formulates key state and military policies, would be the next step in the path to formally naming him as successor.
  • The country has made it a key goal to build up the economy by 2012, the 100th anniversary of the birth of national founder Kim Il Sung.
  • built a new steel factory, increased coal industrial capacity and built hydropower stations
  • "It actively encourages the struggle for the improvement of the people's living standards, marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of our fatherly leader Kim Il Sung in 2012, next year,"
  • Matt Mulder on 09 Apr 11
     
    Research Question: How does North Korea's communist government and nuclear technology influence the lives of its people? Source: Foxnews.com Summary: The leaders of North Korea's government met on thursday, and there were rumors that Kim Jong Il's son would be appointed to a higher position in the government to secure his place as next in line for the leadership of North Korea. However, there weren't any reports of that happening this time. Apparently, the top officials in the government meet once or twice a year to pass bills, appoint new leaders, etc. The government has been making significant progress over the past decade or so to be more self-sufficient as a country, which should greatly improve the standard of living for the average North Korean citizen. Reflection: I really think it's great that the people of North Korea might finally be able to have a better life, oppressed though it may be. I think that once the people have a better standard of living, they might also get to doing some thinking for themselves, and maybe have some interesting ideas about how their government is doing things. Yes, I know, that's a best-case scenario, but it could still happen. Questions: 1. What will happen once the people get better lives? 2. Is an overthrow possible? 3. What will Kim Jong Un be like as a ruler?
Nick Mast

BBC News - Egypt faces bumpy ride towards democracy - 0 views

www.bbc.co.uk/...world-middle-east-12460885

egypt

shared by Nick Mast on 17 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Egypt faces bumpy ride towards democracy
  • Grievances that people were forced to swallow during the repressive Mubarak years are pouring out.
  • If they want to keep people on their side, using force to break strikes will not be a good idea.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Egypt needs a new constitution, and a renewed political system. If the protesters are to get their wish for democracy, it needs free and fair elections.
  • That will stop the idea taking hold that the military wants sole charge of the levers of power. And it could also create a sense that Egyptians are in this together, which might even persuade people to go back to work.
  • Nick Mast on 17 Feb 11
     
    Jeremy Bowen-BBC Middle East Editor  Summary: This article was about anyone walking the streets in Egypt, looking around and seeing building, houses, and government building surrounded by protesters. Protesters have been protesting for last week outside of multiple government building. Workers who work for Egypt mad and upset about not getting enough money have caused many riots as well. People have been unhappy for a awhile and are finally starting to make in known but rioting at most every building, until they get the money they want and a new leader.  Reflection: I was surprised to read that a lot of the Egyptian riots have been from the workers at the government building. I did not know that they were unhappy with there pay, and that it was not only the dictatorship that was causing problems with the people. I think it is important that we read more into the problems in our world rather than just listening to the nighty news or watch a two minute clip off an american online news site. We need to go more in depth and read into the story more.  Questions: DId the workers end up getting more money?  What is the government doing to control the riots?  Are people still rioting after getting more money? How many people have been injured during riots? 
Brielle DeFrell

Oil unrest grips Nigeria; Turbulent delta raises fears of global energy shock - 0 views

find.galegroup.com/...retrieve.do

blood oil nigeria

shared by Brielle DeFrell on 17 Feb 11 - No Cached
  • Search
  • On Jan. 11, a militia group calling itself Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) seized four Shell engineers and held them hostage for three weeks. Armed forces attacked a flow station, killed several workers and cut Nigeria's oil exports by 10 percent. Shell removed more than 500 employees from the region.
  • 1998, a military group from the Ijaw, the largest ethnic tribe in the southern oil-producing Niger Delta, stormed Shell pipelines and platforms, cutting off one-third of the country's oil exports.
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  • the fifth-largest exporter of crude oil to the United States
  • Before Nigerian elections in 2003, an ethnic uprising shut off 40 percent of the country's oil exports.
  • From January to September 2004, there were 581 cases of pipeline vandalism in Nigeria, according to the Energy Information Administration, a U.S. agency that provides official statistics.
  • "We don't see an end to conflicts in the near future," said Taylor B. Seybolt, an analyst at the U.S. Institute of Peace. "There is a host of problems entangled together, and we expect to see more violence coming."
  • China
  • National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) struck a $2.27 billion deal with Nigeria in mid-January.
  • The Nigerian government aims to increase oil output from 2.5 million barrels per day to 3 million by the end of the year and to 4 million in 2010
  • MEND has adopted tactics different from the old pattern. It asked Shell to pay $1.5 billion to Bayelsa state, stop all oil exports and expel all foreign workers from the delta. It also demanded that the government release Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, a Niger Delta militia leader arrested in 2003.
  • Mr. Albin-Lackey, however, said the government is reluctant to push the militias too hard. "It is afraid that cracking down on the militias would ignite bigger conflicts, which would disrupt the country's oil production,
  • Nigeria's oil revenue accounts for 40 percent of the nation's gross domestic product and 76 percent of the federal government's revenue.
  • . A civil war in Nigeria could send the global oil price to $98 a barrel,
  • "Oil can be stolen on such a large scale that they have to use oil tankers to carry the oil out without people being caught," Mr. Albin-Lackey said. "They must be connected with people in a position of influence."
  • . "After only two or three months in power, officials have already begun their lives of luxury."
  • The nine oil-containing states of southern Nigeria have been plagued for years by oil spills and air pollution. After a half-century of drilling, many pipes are leaky. Explosions occur now and then, and the frequent sabotage adds to the spills. Acid rain and toxic water damage fishing and farming, and pose great threats to the health of residents.
  • Even as gasoline prices increase in the United States, Nigeria burns oil by-products 24 hours a day.
  • Sitting atop the world's ninth-largest concentration of oil, many ordinary Nigerians don't have basic necessities such as running water, electricity, health clinics and schools. The wealth from oil does not return to the land that produced it.
  • Nigeria, which exports oil worth $30 million to $40 million per day, average personal income per year is $390.
  • The federal government has promised that 13 percent of oil revenues would be returned to the oil states, but most of the money seeps away through various level of officialdom.
  • Shell began drilling in Nigeria in 1956, when it was still a British colony. Over the past 50 years, the company has become an icon of oil wealth to many Nigerians, and for most of the time, a quasi-governmental institution.
  • In 1993, after a massive spill in Ogoni state, local poet and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa began the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni people and demanded $10 billion from Shell for environmental damage.
  • On Nov. 10, 1995, he and eight Ogoni colleagues were executed by the Nigerian government for campaigning against the devastation of the delta by oil companies, prompting international condemnation.
  • Brielle DeFrell on 17 Feb 11
     
    Summary: As NIgeria has grown in their production of oil they have been dealing with many uprisings from the Nigerian people and different groups. The NIgerian government is planning on increasing oil output as the years go on, hoping they can have more world oil giants join them. MEND has used new tactics than in the past and has asked Shell to pay $1.5 billion and to stop all oil exports. They also asked them to get rid of all foreign works from the delta and to release Mejahid Dokubo-Asari, a militia leader they captured in 2003. The government knows to take care of the violence it needs to push the militias, but is afraid that doing so will create bigger problems. Since oil is 40% of Nigeria's revenue it is afraid that more violence would hurt the country's economy, also effecting the rest of the world's energy market. A civil war in Nigeria could send the global oil price to $98 billion a barrel! The militia is able to take the oil without getting caught, which has told the Nigerian government that the people taking it are connected to those of people in a position of influence. They are usually able to figure out who these people are after two or three months because the officials start showing their money in lives of luxury. All of the oil production has caused many oil spills, air pollution, explosions, acid rain, and toxic water, all posing great threats to the health of the Nigerian people. 
Nicki Pifer

Obama Opens Trade and Travel Relations With Communist Cuba - 0 views

www.thenewamerican.com/

embargo trade Cuba travel

shared by Nicki Pifer on 01 Mar 11 - Cached
  • Nicki Pifer on 01 Mar 11
     
    On Friday, January 14 President Obama announced that he plans on easing trade and travel relations with Communist Cuba, including making it easier for U.S. citizens to travel directly to the island from American airports. The President added that he had instructed the relevant government departments to allow religious groups and students to travel to the communist-run island. For almost half a century, the debate has been raging over the United States' policy towards Cuba, which has been communist since Fidel Castro's coupe de etat in 1959. Free travel from the U.S. to Cuba was halted in 1963 under President John F. Kennedy. The explanation at the time for why Americans could visit the Soviet Union but not Cuba was that the communist government in Moscow was permanent but that Fidel Castro was temporary. In 1977, with Cuba still unchanged, President Jimmy Carter relaxed the travel ban. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan restored it. n 1998, with the Soviet Union "gone," Clinton loosened it and in 2004, with Cuba still unchanged, President George W. Bush tightened it again. Now President Obama is going back to the Clinton policy, which will make it easier for churches and universities to sponsor trips to the communist state. Obama's announcement calls for changes in policy at the Departments of State, Treasury, and Homeland Security, as both travel and remittances are involved in the changes, and the new regulations will be promulgated as modifications of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations and the Customs and Border Protection Regulations. The new policies call for the following reforms to Cuba-United States relations. According to the BBC, Obama's new proposals: * Allow religious organizations to sponsor religious travel to Cuba under a general license; * Allow accredited institutions of higher education to sponsor travel to Cuba; * Allow any U.S. person to send remittances (up to $500 per quarter) to non-family members in Cuba to support private e
megan lemmen

Failure to curb drug war exposes Mexico's weakness - 1 views

www.chron.com/...7399732.html

drug failure

shared by megan lemmen on 08 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Overall, the total number of people killed during the past four years is 30,196
  • Most of these deaths are attributed to disputes among the various drug cartels over control of the drug trade routes leading to lucrative U.S. drug markets.
  • A clear example of Mexico's institutional weakness is the escape of 140 prisoners from a Nuevo Laredo state penitentiary. A convoy of buses and trucks reportedly drove off with the prisoners who exited the prison through a service entrance. This could only occur with the knowledge and benign approval of state and local officials.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The reason that the Mexican government has not been able to make any substantial progress is that the money generated from this illegal drug trade is estimated to be between $8.3 billion and $24.9 billion. This capital is used by criminal bosses to elect and influence officials at all levels of government.
    • megan lemmen
      megan lemmen on 08 Mar 11
       
      Reflection: This man has strong opinions, much like myself. Mexico would be better off with a government extreme makeover rather than our US dollars going to encourage lying, deceit, and a shaky judicial system. When people start using money to pay for their innocence, things start to get messy. Money talks, surely. Nothing significant is changing; we still see the death toll increasing drastically each month. More lives have been lost in Mexico than in Afghanistan-is that because the US isn't militarily involved yet, or because we are monetarily involved? Questions: 1) If the United States gets involved with our military, will we be fighting two wars?2) Is it worth it to continue sending our money to Mexico?3) Is the President really a problem, or are people just looking for someone to blame?4) Is it our job to restructure the government of Mexico?
  • megan lemmen on 08 Mar 11
     
    Research Question: How does the Mexican drug war affect the government and people of Mexico? Source: Valdez, Avelardo. "Failure to curb drug war exposes Mexico's weakness." Chron: Viewpoints, Outlook. N.p., 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 28 Jan. 2011. . Summary: More people have lost their lives in the drug war than in the war in Afghanistan; it's obvious that something is amiss here. Although many "famous" drug leaders have been caught, the problem still exists in Mexico. Again, we see that money is an issue; government officials are paid to help the criminals. The weak criminal justice system in Mexico allows for people to use their connections to avoid arrest, conviction, etc. President Calderon started this war even though it's obvious that they are incapable of winning under these circumstances. It may have been a political stunt to win votes for his campaign. The US should spend our money rebuilding the government instead of encouraging the government to become more corrupt. ***rest of info is on sticky note on this page
Mark De Haan

The Grass Roots of Success - 0 views

find.galegroup.com/gtx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C9%29Hezbollah%3AOr%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C9%29Hizbollah%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28ke%2CNone%2C6%29Israel%3AAnd%3ALQE%

Hezbollah Lebanon Hizbollah Hizbullah

shared by Mark De Haan on 08 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Hezbollah won eight seats in Lebanon 's parliamentary elections in Aug and Sep 1992.
  • HIZBOLLAH HAS come a long way from its origins in 1982 as a rag-tag group of guerillas fighting the Israelis. It is now a tightly-organised group with an impressive military structure, a television and radio station, and an extensive programme of social services.
  • A major reason for Hizbollah's successful move into the political mainstream is the backing it has procured through an extensive programme of social services for the Shia population, in place of the scant assistance provided by the Lebanese government.
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  • The electorate in the mainly-Shia area of Baalbek in the Beqaa region, which voted overwhelmingly for the Hizbollah list of candidates, remembered the help rendered by the Islamists during the previous winter's snowstorm which engulfed the area. Hizbollah organised teams of relief workers to open roads and distribute food and blankets to cut-off villagers.
  • The Beqaa, an agricultural region traditionally neglected by the state authorities in Beirut, is Hizbollah's birthplace and springboard from which the group has spread its influence into other areas of the country.
  • Hizbollah finances a wide-ranging welfare system in the region which includes: a free taxi service for farm hands to reach remote fields and villages; sponsored supermarkets which sell food at reduced prices and where particularly impoverished families can get free food packages with ration cards; and low-cost or even free medicine and hospitalisation at one of two hospitals in Baalbek built and financed by Hizbollah.
  • When Hizbollah seized control of the suburbs from rival Shia group Amal in 1988 it embarked on an aid programme to improve daily life for the residents of the woefully-deprived area.
  • Hizbollah provided badly-needed drinking water to the area's residents, organising the daily replenishment of local reservoirs
  • Education is another arena in which Hizbollah is active.
  • The Islamic group pays school fees for children of poor families, thereby ensuring ample recruitment of young Shias into its ever-swelling ranks in the future. One sublime irony is that many Shia students who are Hizbollah sympathisers are sponsored by the Islamic group to study a Western-style education at the American University of Beirut.
  • When Israeli troops moved out of their so-called "security zone" in south Lebanon last February and smashed their way into two villages, it was the Jihad al Baniya (Holy Struggle for Reconstruction), an offshoot organisation of Hizbollah, that financed the repairs of over 1,000 homes and shops once the Israelis had pulled back.
  • Hizbollah's outcry for an improvement in the daily life of the thousands of deprived Shias in Lebanon was a call picked up more by Iran, which forsees the strategic opportunities that could arise from supporting fellow Shias in Lebanon, than by the Lebanese state itself.
  • Mark De Haan on 08 Mar 11
     
    The grass roots of success (Lebanon's Hezbollah Islamic fundamentalist group) The Middle East - Giles Trendle Trendle, Giles. "The grass roots of success." The Middle East Feb n220 1993: 12+. Student Edition. Web. 8 Mar. 2011. Summary: This article tells of how the group Hezbollah evolved from a smaller Islamic fundamentalist group to a political power in Lebanon in the 90s. The group was not always hurting and attacking Israel and the US, but also looking to make life better for the poor and down-trodden in Lebanon. Reflection: We often think of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization who does nothing but attack Israel with their rockets and their suicide bombers. But at one time, at least in the early 90s, the group was improving the living conditions for the poor in Lebanon, providing education and clean water as well. This group is not strictly terrorists. Questions:  1. How long as Hezbollah able to keep these programs? 2. Do they still hold a majority in Parliament? 3. Have living conditions changed/improved overall since the early 90s?
Laurel Ackerman

Israel Delays Approval Of East Jerusalem Housing : NPR - 0 views

www.npr.org/...story.php

Israel Palestine Peace talks East Jerusalem Housing

shared by Laurel Ackerman on 14 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked a government panel to put off final approval of 2,500 new apartments in east Jerusalem, an official said Monday
  • Amid reports of an unofficial, foreign-mediated cease-fire, Palestinian militants appeared to be stilling their rocket and mortar fire Monday, and Israel was refraining from retaliating for previous attacks.
  • Israel's controversial foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, voiced concerns that any lull would merely allow Hamas to strengthen and regroup. He told Israel Radio that restraint was "a grave mistake" and that Israel's main objective should be "the toppling of the Hamas regime."
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  • no confirmation Monday that cease-fire conditions had been nailed down
  • The easing of tensions along the Gaza border came as the Palestinian Authority moved forward with plans to gain international recognition for an independent state. The Palestinians hope to take their case to the United Nations in September and sidestep talks with Israel
  • Negotiations with Netanyahu never got off the ground because he refuses to commit to an internationally mandated settlement freeze, and Palestinians say they won't negotiate without one.
  • The Palestinians plan to tell a conference of donor countries this week that they are ready for statehood.
  • Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has been laying the groundwork with a series of developments and reforms.
  • Ali Jarbawi, the Palestinian minister of planning, said Monday that the Palestinian government has reduced its dependence on foreign aid by 35 percent in the past two years
  • One added that Netanyahu's office had asked the Interior Ministry to delay the discussion of the project, citing pressure from the Quartet of international peacemakers — the U.S., European Union, United Nations and Russia
  • Netanyahu on Monday accused the international community — "people with good intentions," he called them — of putting peace even further out of reach by telling the Palestinians they don't have to negotiate.
  • Laurel Ackerman on 14 Apr 11
     
    How does the conflict in Israel affect the futures of Palestinian children compared to Israeli children?   "Israel Delays Approval Of East Jerusalem Housing ." National Public Radio. NPR, 11 Apr. 2011. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. . Summary: Israel is building in East Jerusalem, a part of Jerusalem under Palestinian control. Along with that, Israel and Palestinians have been fighting; however, they are trying to get a cease-fire. Even with an unofficial cease-fire, Israel is delaying the East Jerusalem housing project because of pressure from the Quartet although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is against the settlement freeze. But, Palestine will not negotiate an official cease-fire without one. 
jeni bouwman

Hosni Mubarak News - The New York Times - 0 views

topics.nytimes.com/...index.html

shared by jeni bouwman on 14 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • For close to 30 years, Hosni Mubarak was Egypt's modern pharoah, as he was often called. He became president in 1981 after Anwar el-Sadat was slain as Mr. Mubarak stood beside him.
  • ar el-
  • y's economy crumbled.
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • In the face of a mass movement inspired by the revolution in Tunisia in January, Mr. Mubarak tried violence and lost the support of his military, which promised to protect the demonstrators.
  • of any Egyptian president since the ouster of the king in the 1950s — longer tha
  • n that of Gamal Abdel Nasser, a pioneer of Arab nationalism, and longer than that of Mr. Sadat, who was slain after making peace with Israel.
  • He maintained peace with Israel and close ties to America
  • position parties and rigged elections. Under a veneer of public apathy, anger grew as the cou
  • after 18 days of massive public protests against his rule, he resigned and turned power over to the military.
  • rak’s three-decade rule. The detention was a breathtaking reversal for Mr. Mubarak, whose grip on the country had seemed so unshakable just three months ago that some thought he could hand over power directly to his son Gamal, who is now being held along with his brother, Alaa, in Tora Prison in Ca
  • month had ended the 23-year-reign of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, who, like Mr. Mubarak was a former military man turned autocratic ruler. The
  • rotesters in Egypt spoke of the same deep-seated frustrations of an enduring, repressive government that drove Tunisians to revolt: rampant corruption, injustice, high unemployment and the simple lack of dignity accorded them by the state.
  • chief, as the country’s new vice president. It is a post once occupied by Mr. Mubarak and not filled since he took power.
  • he Egyptian Army announced on Jan. 31 for the first time that it would not fire on protesters, even as tens of thousands of people gathered in central Tahrir (Liberation) Square for a seventh day to shout for Mr. Mubarak's ouster
  • In the wake of Mr. Sadat's death, Mr. Mubarak -- who was at Mr. Sadat's side -- continued a policy of maintaining ties with Israel, and cracked down on Islamic militants. His support for Israel won him the support of the West and a continuation of hefty annual aid from the United States.
  • Egypt has long been a leader of the Arab world, and Mr. Mubarak, successfully negotiated the complicated issues of regional security, solidifying a relationship with Washington, maintaining cool but correct ties with Israel and sharply suppressing Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism.
  • jeni bouwman on 14 Apr 11
     
    Summary: Hosni Mubarak has been Egypt's modern pharoah for close to 30 years now. Mr. Mubarak stood by his side. Hosni Mubarak now resigned and he turned his powers over to the military. When president Mubarak tried violence he lost a lot of his support from his military. Mr. Mubarak coming into be the president, thought he had grip on the country but found out he was very shaky- and he thought he could just hand over his power to his son Gamal who is now in prison in Cairo. Response: I thought this article was very interesting because it shows how easy the president thought it was going to be going into it with his head all high and nothing could break. But found out everyone is protesting against him and no one is happy with him being the president.  Questions: 1. Why did he turn his power over to the military? 2. Why would president Mubarak want to keep fighting to e president if he's doing such a bad job? 3. How is he loosing grip so fast? 4. Why is he trying to hide from his people when Obama was there? 
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