Assessment of the War on Terror Essay Example for Free

Assessment of the War on Terror Essay The necessity and the non-necessity of wars in the course of human history and societal change may be seen from two diametrically opposing views. On the one hand, it is considered necessary in the sense similar to Adolf Hitler’s stance on war and its critical function in the evolution of man and society. In his work entitled Mein Kampf, he writes, â€Å"Mankind has grown strong in eternal struggles and it will only perish through eternal peace† (1943, p. 45). On the other hand, pacifist thinkers such as Mahatma Gandhi do not assent to the idea that wars are necessary. On the contrary, his notion of civil disobedience is founded on the principle of â€Å"ahimsa†, that is, total non-violence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Gulf Wars, a term currently used to refer to the series of wars which occurred in the past two decades with its culmination in what is popularly known as the United States of America’s Invasion of Iraq in 2003.The striking fact though is that the different moral convictions of the people is made manifest even in their choice of words to refer to the aforementioned Invasion of Iraq. Invasion is a derogatory word. The concept of invasion assumes the existence of a hostile party who will cause turmoil and havoc within another territory. However, for those who assent to the Bush administration, the proper term is not invasion but rather, liberation. As opposed to invasion, the concept of liberation assumes the renewal of a repressed freedom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These insights point out that human social reality is held fast by systems of power and power relations, most especially in the context of international politics and a globalized, capital-driven economy. Globalization is indeed, the current paradigm. This paper’s task involves an evaluation of the political motivations that can justify the necessity of war. One may perceive the current United States War on terror in two ways. First, one may perceive it as an appeal to the Messianic aspect of man in terms of which man enables the liberation of his neighbor from conditions that restrict his freedom. Second, one may view it as a country’s plight for continuous economic growth thereby sacrificing the life of the few and the interests of other nations for the procurement of its own interests. It is important to note that Bush Administration’s War on Terrorism can be summed as a country’s plight for economic power at the expense of the blood of the â€Å"few†.    If such is the case, the aforementioned war does not thereby adhere to the main propositions of what may considered, as a just war, which states that the use of force by one nation against the other, is always wrong unless the latter has forfeited its basic rights (Lackey 222). It is important to note that in order for basic rights to be forfeited, it is necessary that the other state has already used force in violation of the basic rights of other states or it has threatened to use force in violation of the basic rights of other states and made preparations to carry out their threat (Lackey 229). Another instance wherein a state has forfeited its basic rights is apparent during instances wherein its ability to govern is disrupted by a secessionist movement which is representative in character or when the state in question has engaged in massive violations of basic personal rights (Lackey 229). These conditions, however, were not initially met by Iran before the aforementioned War on Terror. References Hitler, Adolf (1943).   Mien Kampf.   Trans. Ralf Manheim.   London: Houghton Mifflin. Lackey, Douglas.   â€Å"The Ethics of War and Peace.†

Presidencial Election Essay -- American Government, Politics

Every four years, the presidential election cycle sparks a renewed interest into American politics. While the candidates debate on what seems like a weekly occurrence, the public itself is in a struggle to find out who best suits their interests. Rhetoric resembling that of Kennedy and Reagan reappears and talk of â€Å"Change† invokes a sense of optimism. However, many fear that the nominees are simply attempting to win over the electorate, and what began as a promise on the campaign trail will evolve into the status quo in Washington. Examining the past can provide insight into the future and provide direction for a political party. I am choosing to compare the positions of four distinct groups: Colorado Democrats, Libertarians, as well as the ’28,’68, and 2008 platforms of the Democratic Party. State Party vs 2008 National Party (Health Care Reform) One of the most intriguing core values of the Colorado Democratic Party is its stance on Healthcare. They believe that the health of its citizens is of the utmost priority. The State party has indicated that the healthcare system â€Å"should be focused proactively on wellness, preventive medicine, public health, and disease prevention, as well as primary care† (CO Democratic Party, 2010). Additionally, the party supports President Obama’s healthcare reform legislation â€Å"as a first step toward a quality universal single-payer health care system, independent of employment† (CO Democratic Party, 2010). On the national level, the Democratic Party platform for 2008 bares a strong resemblance to that of Colorado. President Obama campaigned on the promise of increasing coverage while reducing the cost and social burden. Affordable, quality healthcare for all Americans was a cornerstone of... ...rtion can be defined as a wedge issue: â€Å"policy concerns that may divide the voter bloc of the opposing party† (Liscio et. al. 256). Typically, a pro-choice stance is one that is supported by Democrats, however Libertarians tend to vote Republican and are fiscally conservative. In the past, minority parties have pursued wedge issues to regain control (Liscio et. al 256). During the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Republicans were pushed to the fringe. In 1968, Richard Nixon campaigned on restoring â€Å"law and order†, attracting conservative white Democrats who were unhappy with their party’s position on race (Liscio et. al. 257). In essence, Libertarians are a faction of the Republican party. Every party has a group that branches off and is contradictory, however, they â€Å"have been fairly successful at submerging their differences in order to win office and govern† (Reiter 43).

The Marble Champ

As I began reading the story The Marble Champ by Gary Soto, I realized that the main character, Lupe Medrano, often compares herself to others. As a result, she feels badly about her athletic abilities. She seems to think that she's only good at something in which she can win. Right at the start of the story, Lupe's accomplishments are impressive. But all Lupe seems to notice is that she cannot run as fast as the other girls in school. Another example of Lupe comparing herself to others is when she describes her trouble with team sports. The text clearly says that Lupe was â€Å"no good at sports. † Lupe seems embarrassed that she isn't the star player of the team. Lupe also feels badly that she only recently learned to ride a bike, could only walk in a swimming pool, and rollerblade if her dad held her hand. This shows that Lupe is frustrated that she isn't the best at everything. As Lupe began to think about these things, she had the idea of learning to play marbles. She made the decision to teach herself to play and began feeling hopeful about being good at something which she can compete against others. This reminds me of myself when I am feeling out of practice in something. I compare myself to other people and feel insecure. But when I focus on my positive qualities, I find that I can do a good job. I hope Lupe keeps up her good attitude and feels proud of herself soon.

Differences Between Leo Tolstoy And Fyodor Dostoevsky

Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky are two of the greatest writers in Russian literature and amongst the greats of the world. They both bring up different political and social issues that arose throughout their era in Russia. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky attempt to tackle life’s big questions, the questions that cannot be answered. They have both created forms of social uproar throughout Russian society when controversial novels such as Crime and Punishment and Anna Karenina were published and have continued to have an impact throughout modern literature. Although they are very much the same, they do have outstanding differences in their lifestyle and the way that they communicate with the readers. In general, Tolstoy tends to tell a story of an†¦show more content†¦He focuses on everyday life but also tries to address the deep philosophical and spiritual questions that arise during those everyday events. By addressing the complicated nature of dying within The Death of Ivan Ilych and criticizing Russia’s violence and war prone attitude in War and Peace, Tolstoy was a writer to speak out against the hypocrisy within Russian society and speak upon the things that everyone else was too afraid to say. Tolstoy is a very simplistic writer but that does not make his works any less enjoyable. There are not large words to make things more complicated than they need to be like one may find in other older works of literature. He uses simple language that could be a way for him to try and attract those of the lower class that could read at the time. Tolstoy thoroughly enjoyed the peasant life in Russia and viewed them as ordinary people unlike other high profile members of the upper class Russian society would. Fyodor Dostoevsky was a typical writer of his century in Russia. He was a son of a middle class doctor who wanted to improve the world around him with his literary works. He was very progressive in his writing and had a conservative mindset with lot s of religious references. Dostoevsky’s works are irrational, provocative, controversial,Show MoreRelatedEnglish Literature- an Episode in the Life of an Author5918 Words   |  24 PagesDemythologize-â€Å"The New Testament† -Celebrated the strength of human mind. -Capable of confronting the ultimate meaninglessness of existence. Extentialism in literature.in utmost care of class 12 by P. Baburaj Fydor Dostoyevsky Herman Melville Leo Tolstoy Fydor Dostoyevsky’s â€Å"Notes from underground† is a passionate monologue by an embittered angry, selfdestructive figure definably asserting his freedom in the society increasingly controlled by technology. Melville ‘Bartleby the scrivener’-recounts