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Catherine Binder

Say hi to the Crazy - 3 views

www.sfgate.com/...article.cgi

shared by Catherine Binder on 04 Oct 10 - No Cached
Kay Bradley liked it
  • Catherine Binder on 04 Oct 10
     
    This article is a few weeks old, but the writer brings up interesting points about Islam, the NY mosque debate, and the United States' international relations. His mention of Hiroshima's Peace Park in comparison to the US' plans for Ground Zero is intriguing. Heather's article about the syphilis experiment in Guatemala is just one recent example of why the US is perceived as domineering. I never thought to question our plans for the former site of the World Trade Center, but I completely agree with the writer - why are we building a gaudy shiny tower instead of something more inviting that could facilitate discussions between countries? He states that "It would be nice if our ground zero could become an international home of reconciliation. Instead of continuing the hatred, defuse it."
  • ...2 more comments...
  • anonymous on 04 Oct 10
     
    I like how Jon talks about "the Crazy." I sometimes get caught up in trying to figure out how and why some people have seemingly immoral opinions about things. I first have to remind myself that I'm not always right myself, and if after that I think the issue really is a simple difference between right and wrong, I try to think of the reasons as to why people would think differently from me. It's one thing to think that all of those people are just stupid, all of them have to be evil to think such a thing, all of them don't know what they're talking about. Truth is, it's a mix. I wish I knew more about the mosque issue to be able to have a solid opinion on whether or not it should be built, but I do think the people on each side of the matter need to stop generalizing about the other. The anti-mosque-ians should recognize that terrorists are part of every religion. The pro-mosque-ians should recognize that some of their opposers know what they're talking about, but a lot of them are just caught up in "the Crazy." Both sides should try to understand the other as to dispel any false notions they have about each other (or themselves) and to try and come to a rational, peaceful decision.
  • Heather Anderson on 04 Oct 10
     
    I never thought of comparing 9/11 to the bombing of Hiroshima. Although what happened on 9/11 was absolutely terrible, the scale of the tragedies is really different: 2,000 vs 100,000, a few crazies vs a nation's decision to use extreme power. I don't want to sound insensitive, but I feel as though 9/11 is sometimes blown out of proportion; there have been worse tragedies in the world, at least statistically speaking. However, the emotional and symbolic significance definitely hit the U.S. hard: so many people killed, so much fear, being attacked so close to home, over different religious beliefs. I get the feeling that the author is comparing 9/11 to Hiroshima partially to appeal to people who view it on that scale. I never thought much about the plans for the new towers, but when I did, I suppose I thought it was good we were picking ourselves up and moving forward. But perhaps we would be moving forward in the wrong direction. I really like the idea of a peace garden or a building dedicated to world peace. I think that would be a very inspired way to address the tensions that caused 9/11. I hope parts of the new building will be dedicated to working for peace. Although I doubt anyone will suddenly change the plans for the tower, I think it is actually quite possible that some parts of the building will serve this purpose.
  • Gregory Freiberg on 04 Oct 10
     
    I agree with Alison. All to often we get caught up in our own opinions which sometimes means that we contend every other opinion is wrong. For example, I think that the mosque should be built near ground zero. I think this because to generalize against a whole religion because of a small part of one of the largest religions in the world seems dumb; however, after thinking about this I do realize that the other side to this argument is valid. Why a mosque? Can't we accomplish something similar in terms of fostering peace by building something else? As heather said, this still could be moving forward in the wrong direction. I do not know. But I am trying to be open about the other side to this very multidimensional issue. It is wrong of us to think it is an ethical issue with two side of right and wrong, there is in fact a lot of grey areas.
  • Rick Rodgers on 04 Oct 10
     
    Hey all, I'd just like to remind everyone that the "mosque" is not being built at ground zero (in fact it's in a Burlington Coat Factory blocks away: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-sledge/just-how-far-is-the-groun_b_660585.html. I think the ethical debate surrounding the issue is just further testament to the fact that many Americans unconsciously subscribe to media hype, regardless of their positions on issues. While I agree with what has been said about the ethics of a hypothetical mosque at ground zero, we should realize that this ethical dilemma is a fallacy and exists only as a headline. Also, I think the we/the press/everyone should be more careful who we label as "crazy irrational terrorists". We should realize that those guys didn't get on the planes on 9/11 because they were born without enough of X hormone, they were there because of a long history of western intervention etc. in their home countries. We shouldn't be so quick to dismiss terrorism as an irrational act by sick people, it only allows us to forget the underlying complicity that we have with the issue.
Thomas Peterson

Secret Israel-Syria Peace Talks Involved Golan Heights Exit - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...volved-golan-heights-exit.html

Israel Syria Peace Talks US

shared by Thomas Peterson on 14 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Thomas Peterson on 14 Oct 12
     
    This situation reflects on Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" in an interesting way. It appears that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad prioritized Syria's relationship with Iran, what some might call a civilizational tie, over the political interests of Syria as an individual state in his decision to turn down a deal with Israel that would have returned the Golan Heights to Syria's control. The discussion of the influence of upcoming elections in Israel and the US on the release of this news also adds an interesting dimension. Is it the Obama administration that is manipulating the facts about these peace talks so as to appear more effective in Middle East policy? Or is it Netanyahu who is misrepresenting his involvement in an effort to appear strong and unyielding towards the rest of the Arab world in an election year?
  • Kay Bradley on 15 Oct 12
     
    Interesting!
Arshia Surti

Push on Talks With Taliban Confirmed by NATO Officials - 2 views

www.nytimes.com/...15nato.html

NATO Taliban Pakistan Karzai

shared by Arshia Surti on 14 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Arshia Surti on 14 Oct 10
     
    Interesting new development. It seems that the US and NATO have been pursuing peace much more seriously than previously thought. Also, the Taliban denies that any peace talks have been taking place.
  • Matthew Schweitzer on 17 Oct 10
     
    This recent development is a clear indicator of the difference between Bush-era foreign policy and that of the Obama administration. It remains unclear whether this new approach to Middle East peace will prove effective, but given the failures of the last administration, it will be interesting to see where such discussions with the enemy, who we have long considered to be a terrorist group, will lead. President Obama has made significant strides in terms of the conflicts in the Middle East, withdrawing combat troops from Iraq, but the effectiveness of these actions have yet to be proven; what distinguishes this strategy, and perhaps leads to the optimism surrounding it, is that a renewed effort to negotiate peace and draw down American presence in the Middle East is so radically different than before: different, yes; effective, maybe; we will have to wait and see.
Matthew Schweitzer

At the U.N., Turkey Asserts Itself - NYTimes.com - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...23diplo.html

Turkey

shared by Matthew Schweitzer on 24 Sep 10 - No Cached
  • Matthew Schweitzer on 24 Sep 10
     
    Turkey as potential mediator in Middle East peace talks.
Nick Petru

Peace Talks Stalled: Israeli Settlers Keep Building, So Palestinians Refuse Negotiations - 0 views

www.huffingtonpost.com/...ks-stalled-israe_n_748235.html

shared by Nick Petru on 04 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Nick Petru on 04 Oct 10
     
    The title sums it up, but it also mentions US involvement, along with views from several other countries.
madeirat

Scores dead after Aleppo pounded in aerial onslaught - News from Al Jazeera - 0 views

www.aljazeera.com/...onslaught-161012185838919.html

syria aleppo

shared by madeirat on 12 Oct 16 - No Cached
  • madeirat on 12 Oct 16
     
    81 more civilians were killed in Aleppo today. Up to 300 people have been killed in the past 3 weeks. In response to Aleisha's article, I think this pretty much proves that the cease-fire (which was created about a month ago) has been obliterated.
  • milesburton on 15 Oct 16
     
    The ceasefire in Syria seems to have been truly meaningless; as I understand it the agreement barely stood for an hour. The fact that Russia has no problem shelling civilian areas into dust is absolutely reprehensible, and that the US and its allies haven't done much of anything substantive is quite sad.
  • axelizaret on 17 Oct 16
     
    Yes, I agree it is disappointing that the ceasefire failed; however, I think it is important to recognize that quite often, the first ceasefire of a conflict is not the last. Even though it was unsuccessful, it was not totally meaningless because it is just the start of a process, and it opened the door for a dialogue that could potentially lead to peace talks.
anonymous

Mass Rapes in Congo Reveals U.N. Weakness - 2 views

www.nytimes.com/...04congo.html

Congo

shared by anonymous on 18 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • anonymous on 18 Oct 10
     
    An uncomfortable article about the UN in Congo. It talks about how the UN has spent billions of dollars and more than a decade on trying to keep peace, but they've accomplished very little.
  • ...4 more comments...
  • anonymous on 18 Oct 10
     
    Looks like they've arrested one person related to the mass rapes: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/world/africa/06briefs-CONGO.html?ref=united_nations
  • Gregory Freiberg on 18 Oct 10
     
    That is a very disturbing article. It made me think back to one of the shows the Ashland Trip saw last year called Ruined. Should definitely be getting more global attention
  • Catherine Binder on 18 Oct 10
     
    The numerous rapes are beyond awful. I know the UN has a difficult job and that it is impossible to solve every problem, but I hope that for the sake of these women it gets its act together.
  • Shalina O on 18 Oct 10
     
    This is horrific, it really shows the weakness of the UN in these countries. Like Catherine said, I know they can't solve everything, but its simply unacceptable that these crimes can go on with a UN presence so close.
  • Harrison Lee on 18 Oct 10
     
    These rapings are atrocious, and I'm surprised that its coverage on the media has been so meagre, considering the long history of the crisis in the Congo. While the U.N. has not been able to improve the Congo significantly, I'm wondering if the problems lie in the desolateness of the area (no lines of communication, etc) or in the management of the U.N. bases there. I believe that the U.N. could be doing more, but I don't think they should be the only solution; the local economy and infrastructure must improve as well so that better communication and control can be established.
  • Rebecca Heller on 18 Oct 10
     
    What was most shocking to me about this article was the scale on which this is happening in Congo and how open the attackers are about it- raping an 80 year old woman, raping women with UN peacekeepers right up the street. The rapists have absolutely no limits. Scary and very sad. It was equally shocking that the Congo government (police, law enforcement etc) has been unwilling or unable to do anything about this (the article cited them as often "too drunk" to do much about it). It's sad and heart wrenching that the UN has so far been unable to come up with a plan to help these people, and perhaps even more sad that their own government hasn't done anything. It's notable that Congo is being called the "UN's crowning failure" and their greatest failure so far.
mstayman

In a New Libya, Racing to Shed Ties to Qaddafi - 4 views

www.nytimes.com/...08tripoli.html

Libya Qaddafi Revolution

shared by mstayman on 08 Sep 11 - No Cached
  • mstayman on 08 Sep 11
     
    This article talks about all the people that were involved in the Qaddafi regime for security or lack of other opportunity, but then turned and joined the revolution as soon as things got rolling. It would seem that a significant portion of Qaddafi's supporters and employees were in this position.
  • ellie davis on 08 Sep 11
     
    It is a good sign that the rebels pledge to only seek retribution for Qaddafi's highest supporters. If all loyalists were punished, the new democratic Libya would not be off to an auspicious start because they would likely be feared rather than supported.
  • Ben Mittelberger on 08 Sep 11
     
    This really gives me hope for the fledgling Libyan government. They are not seeking to continue a violent revolution, but are instead attempting to recreate a relatively peaceful society out of the rubble of Qaddafi's regime.
Kay Bradley

Trump Declares Afghan Peace Talks With Taliban 'Dead' - The New York Times - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...trump-afghanistan.html

Trump Taliban

shared by Kay Bradley on 09 Sep 19 - No Cached
  • dtarkoff on 09 Sep 19
     
    Yet another spectacular decision by our president who continues to show us how amazing he is at diplomacy and foreign relations. I simply don't understand how he can disregard the life of an American Soldier. I would give a "have you seen," but I'm sure you have seen some other comments Trump has made since his campaign.
jmilani99

Russia, Turkey and Iran Propose Conference on Postwar Syria's Future - The New York Times - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...ran-syria-war-peace-talks.html

shared by jmilani99 on 23 Nov 17 - No Cached
  • jmilani99 on 23 Nov 17
     
    Along with the Olympics a couple years ago, the World Cup this year, and now this conference, I think that Russia is doing what Nazi Germany did with the Olympics in the 30s: show off the country as prosperous to distract from all the atrocities they commit. 
anays2023

Russian Troops Will Stay to Finish Job in Kazakhstan, Putin Says - The New York Times - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...putin-russia-kazakhstan.html

shared by anays2023 on 11 Jan 22 - No Cached
  • resource-rich Central Asian
  • resource-rich Central Asian
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Follows the trend that China and Russia are doing...exploiting areas to procure natural resources
  • set no deadline for the withdrawal of the forces his country sent there.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      This is unusual and could signal a long term occupation
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • rising gas prices that began peacefully and then turned violent.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      I wouldnt be surprised if we later found out Russia had its hands in turning these protests violent
  • But he did not give any deadline for a withdrawal, saying that they would stay as long as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan “considers it necessary,” raising the possibility they could be in the country indefinitely.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      So this leads me to beleive Russia has plans to occupy indefinitely...practically launching an invasion under a humanitarian guise.
  • 2,000 troops his country had sent as “peacekeepers” would leave only once their mission was complete.
  • The Russian president said the unrest was indicative of foreign attempts to intervene in a region the Kremlin sees as its sphere of influence,
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Colonialism
  • Those protests also helped precipitate Russia’s annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine that year.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Signals that Kazakhstan would be next
  • color revolutions,” a term that has been used for the pro-democracy movements that swept many countries of the former Soviet Union.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Reminds me of de-stalinzation era
  • Sign up for updates on the unrest in Kazakhstan:  Every evening, we will bring you a roundup of our latest Kazakhstan coverage. Get it sent to your inbox.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Heartless corporate pedaling
  • At least 5,800 people have been detained and more than 2,000 injured after several days of violence last week in Kazakhstan, according to the president’s office.
  • “brotherly Kazakh people” —
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      VERY PUTIN LOL
  • 164 people had died in the violence, including 103 in the country’s economic center, Almaty.
  • killed
  • injured
  • 1,300.
  • “The main goal was obvious: the undermining of the constitutional order, the destruction of government institutions and the seizure of power,” he said.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      De-legitimization and then annexation...the way Russia did with Crimea
  • The rapid evolution of peaceful protests in the Kazakhstan’s west to countrywide demonstrations that quickly descended into violent chaos has led observers to speculate that the unrest was fanned by infighting within the Kazakh elite.
  • Until now, the oil-rich country has been regarded as a pillar of political and economic stability in an unstable region. The protests are also significant for Vladimir Putin, who views Kazakhstan as part of Russia’s sphere of influence.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Similar pattern of resource exploitation was seen with the Ukrain pipeline
  • Officials have instituted a state of emergency and shut off internet access.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Why would they cut off Internet access? Thats really sus
  • The comments from Mr. Putin came as American and Russian diplomats gathered in Geneva in the hopes of negotiating a drawdown of the 100,000 troops the Kremlin has positioned on the border with Ukraine in recent months.
  • number
  • In a sign, perhaps, of the power imbalance between them, Mr. Putin forgot Mr. Tokayev’s name during the video meeting Monday, mangling it as “Kemal Zhomartovich,” instead of Kassym-Jomart.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Subtle but a noteworthy sign of domination
  • Kazakh officials said on Sunday that order had been restored and that the foreign troops would “probably” be gone by the following week.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      LETS SEE
  • anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
     
    I hope my annotations saved
  • Kay Bradley on 13 Jan 22
     
    Great use of Diigo annotation tool, Anay!
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