The Watson Institute at Brown University is one of the most creative and innovative think-tanks in the field of world politics. It recently published a very impressive report on the costs of the Iraq War, looking at not just the economic costs of the war, but the overall human costs. For anyone interested in thinking seriously about all the variables associated with waging war, the report is an excellent way to think about the hidden, as well as the obvious, concerns. Here is a link to the section on the economic costs: $3-4 trillion as of now.
We’ve been following the large list of protest movements in Europe this winter, trying to figure out if there are any common threads that unite them. We’re still looking, but we’re getting more insight into some of the specific protests. From Open Democracy, here’s a good analysis of what happened in Bulgaria last February that led to the collapse of the government.
The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has issued a statement opposing the declaration proposed by the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. According to Reuters, “the Muslim Brotherhood warned the declaration would give girls sexual freedom, legalize abortion, provide teenagers with contraceptives, give equality to women in marriage and require men and women to share duties such as child care and chores.” It is unclear whether any agreement on any declaration could be achieved within the UN.
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