World Politics News   Articles for World Politics Course

Henry Kissinger is one of the most prominent realists in the world, and he has written an op-ed piece for the Washington Post about how the United States should address the continuing unrest of the Arab Spring.  He raises some important questions about the role of humanitarian intervention and what he regards as the “Isalmist” tendencies of the movements in the Middle East.  I disagree with a lot of what he says, but his opinion is definitely worth considering.

One of the bravest women in the world is Aung San Suu Kyi and after many years of repression she is finally leading her supporters in an election in Burma (I continue to refuse the name Myanmar until I am convinced that the people of Burma approve of the name change imposed by the military junta).  I doubt that the election will be completely fair, but the fact that she is being allowed to run is an important step forward for the Burmese people.  Patience and perseverance ultimately pay off, but that course of action is very difficult to maintain.  The lessons of Gandhi, King, and Mandela, however, all suggest that it can change the world.

Gary Sick has written extensively on politics in the Middle East, and he has written a piece for CNN entitled “What if Israel Bombs Iran?”  It is a fairly detailed of how such an attack might play out (it is not comprehensive, but it hits the important points).