As a follow up to James Ketterer’s 2009 Year in Review, here is my part, which focuses on U.S. engagement on climate issues. In 2009, it became clear that scientists are now observing, rather than simply forecasting, a global environmental crisis. New data on melting snow and ice formations, rising sea levels, deforestation, and atmospheric […]
As we’ve come to expect from this president, Obama’s Nobel Prize lecture was sophisticated and brave, as he addressed the obvious paradox of receiving a peace prize one week after ordering a major war escalation. With a solemn obligation to address such a weighty matter, it was surprising that climate issues – commonly sidelined – […]
President Obama received his Nobel Prize today and in his acceptance speech he acknowledged the irony of a wartime president receiving the peace prize while offering no apology for escalating the war in Afghanistan. Instead, he made a rousing defense of the just war doctrine and again placed the conflict in Afghanistan in the context […]
http://www.alliance-exchange.org/policy-monitor/2009/12/09/exchanges-funded-635-million-fy-2010
This past Monday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) completed its compelling determination that greenhouse gases pose a danger not only to the planet, but to human health. Over the coming year, this endangerment finding will have significant domestic implications. Many already believe it will be just the wedge to leverage action from the Congress […]
As you may have heard, a small gathering is taking place in Copenhagen to discuss the weather. Countries from all over the world are sending delegates to the 2009 Climate Change Conference and heads of state (including President Obama) will soon attend to discuss the dangers of global warming and map out what they intend […]
Last month I wrote about an interesting report from the Brookings Institution on how the US can expand cultural diplomacy with the Muslim world – and why that would be beneficial to all involved. Now, New York University’s Center for Dialogues has released a report, “Bridging the Divide between the United States and the Muslim World through Arts […]
Time Magazine is reporting that today U.S. special envoy Stephen Bosworth is headed to Pyongyang, North Korea to begin a day and a half of talks regarding a return to the “six-party talks” format that prevailed under the Bush Administration. According to the article, “North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Il has previously declared the six-party […]
When I was growing up in India, the U.S. Information Services used to serve as ambassadors of American culture, ideas, and ideals. That entire approach to diplomacy was shuttered after the Cold War and even after 9/11 remains moribund. — Fareed Zakaria, “The Post-American World” Since 9/11, the U.S. military for the first time has […]
In case you haven’t heard, the United Nations Climate Change Conference began in Copenhagen today. This morning I woke up to find my RSS feed bursting with related news and “101” tutorials. By 6:00 AM, I already had a few emails from my colleagues in Denmark, well in to the day, excited to share their […]
This comes via Mark Overmann at the Alliance for International Education and Cultural Exchange: President Obama announced Friday his intent to nominate Ann Stock as the Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. Stock’s nomination appears on the Senate record, and was also reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and by the Washington […]
I am posting my thoughts on the Year in Review for issues most relevant to Global Engagement. However, this is part 1 of 2 – Annie White will also post her thoughts. Between the two of us you should get a pretty good sense of the year just ending and the one soon to begin. Overview: […]
The timeline for withdrawal that President Obama mentioned in his West Point speech has emerged as one of the more controversial aspects of the troop surge. In his speech, the President said: But taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow us […]
I was impressed with President Obama’s speech at West Point last night. He clearly explained why he was sending an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan, he explained what they would do there, and he explained when they would come home. He also anticipated objections to the troop buildup and responded to them. From a […]