Shelling and Air Strikes During a Ceasefire in the Syrian Civil War

The Syrian Civil War, a conflict between the Assad government and its rebels, has been ongoing since 2011. On Tuesday Feb. 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a five hour "humanitarian pause" in the Civil War in order to create a corridor at the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta to let trapped civilians leave the enclave. However, within a few minutes of when the ceasefire was supposed to start, there was reported artillery fire and shelling from the pro-Assad positions which led to many injuries and the death of a few people and children. After hearing this, the Syrian regime and their ally Russia continued to accuse the rebels for shelling of the humanitarian corridor. But Putin's original order wasn't clear about when the ceasefire would start, or how it would be enforced, which therefore may have led to confusion about his proposal. Previously, an attempt to have a 30 day ceasefire had also failed, as the UN did not support the idea.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/syria-war-eastern-ghouta-ceasefire-violations-kill-180227081259783.html

     Questions:
1. Why is the shelling of the humanitarian corridor immoral?
2. Should people have trusted Putin that there would be a peaceful exit of civilians?
3. What potential conflicts could arise from the disregard of presidential order?

President Xi Jin Ping's Bid For Long-Term Power

The Chinese Communist Party under President Xi Jinping intends to drop the two-year term limit put in place following the deaths of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. It looks like President Xi is hoping to keep his position of power for many years, so it would be prudent to look to the past to predict his future policy. He has been famously adept at controlling dissent and using a cover of anti-corruption campaigns to suppress his political opponents. He has stressed and enforced the idea of a strong centralized government. His stances on Taiwan and Hong Kong in relation to Chinese sovereignty have been strict.

Read About It Here

Questions

1. American response to this topic has been surprisingly sparse. In fact, the entire world has been quiet about the Chinese Communist Party's intentions. Why has such an important event elicited only a mediocre response from the world stage?

2. Many find Xi Jinping's posturing to lengthen his stay in office frighteningly reminiscent of Mao Zedong's dictatorship. Should America be more concerned with this issue?

3. Based on Xi Jinping's past policy, what should be expected from a China under his "reign?" Will China's intention to lead the world in green energy production be affected by Xi's newfound power?

President Trump Proposes Arming Teachers As Solution To School Safety

After the school shooting that happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine's Day, President Donald Trump proposed an idea of giving teachers the ability to carry guns at the school. It would be called a "concealed carry" where teachers would go to special training making schools no longer a gun-free environment. This means that some teachers, who are adept to holding a gun, would be holstering one at all times. He backed up his statement by talking about assistant football coach, Aaron Feis, who took his own life to shield three students who were in the line of fire of the gunman. He stated, "If he had a firearm, he wouldn't had to run he would've shot and that would be the end of it." However, President Trump is up for debate and will go into further study with his idea. He wants to see both sides and has asked questions on what other ways we as a country could fix this situation.


Discussion Questions

1. If this proposal is taken in to actual consideration, do you think this will create a safer or more dangerous environment for students? Why or why not?

2. What is another solution that can ensure a safer campus for all schools?

3. After already having over a dozen of school shootings in 2018, do you think this is putting the second amendment at risk and should the US consider getting rid of it?

Parkland, Florida

 American Mass Shootings Statistics

This recent Valentine's Day, in Parkland, Florida, 17 people were killed and 15 were injured due to a lone gunman with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. In the wake of this tragedy, high school students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have been advocating for gun control through a movement dubbed #NeverAgain. This movement has sparked national debate, and has exposed many facts and statistics that show the underlying cause for the disproportionate amount of American mass shootings in comparison to the international sphere. In the 52 days of 2018 alone, there have been seven school shootings. Since 2000, there have been 188 school shootings. In 1994, Congress banned the manufacturing of AR-15s, but the bill expired in 2004, and failed in the Senate to be reinstated. As of today, only 18 states require consumers to go through a background check before purchasing a firearm. On average, there is about 89 guns for every 100 people in the United States. In comparison, the next highest ranked country is Yemen, with 55 guns for every 100 people. The NRA, or National Rifle Association, donated more than $54 million to fund candidates throughout elections in 2016. $30 million of that went to Donald Trump, our current president.

1. What can be done in legislation that will make mass shootings less common and less deadly?
2. Do you believe that civilians need guns for self-defense, and if so, do you believe that civilians should have access to semi-automatics such as the AR-15, and that use of this weapon is justified in the protection of oneself?
3. The NRA has immense financial power in the political sphere, resulting in inaction of congress for gun safety laws. What can be done to combat that, since politicians rely on money to campaign and run for office?

Syrian Bombardment Takes Its Deadliest Toll in Years

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On Tuesday, Assad's government bombarded the rebel-controlled suburb of eastern Ghouta, near
Damascus, with airstrikes. They killed more than 200 people, including civilian families and
children. Residents of this area believe civilians were targeted, as Ghouta is besieged and the
government has not allowed civilians to leave.

However, the government argues that there aren't many civilians in this Damascus suburb and
terrorist organizations which endanger Syrians reside there.

The UN wants to stop these attacks to defend the human rights of civilians.

Turkey has gotten involved by bombarding Afrin to give Syrian refugees in Turkey a safe place
in Syria to return to. Pro-government forces have rushed to assist Kurdish militias in keeping
Turkey out.

Questions:

1. How will Assad's assistance to the Kurds increase military engagements with other countries, if at all?
2. Do you believe Assad's government is justified in the attack on eastern Ghouta? Why or why not?
3. Should the UN get involved in the name of human rights?

Israeli Police Find Sufficent Evidence To Charge Prime Minister Netanyahu On Criminal Charges

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Israeli police stated there is “sufficient evidence,” to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on criminal charges for two corruption cases, having found evidence of him “accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust.” The two cases are known as Case 1000 and Case 2000. In Case 1000, he is suspect of having received gifts from businessmen overseas totaling in approximately $280,000 from 2007 through 2018, focusing primarily on Netanyahu’s relationship with Arnon Milchan, Israeli billionaire and Hollywood producer. In Case 2000, police say Netanyahu discussed “bartering” with Arnon “Noni” Mozes, owner of one of Israel’s leading newspapers, Yedioth Ahronoth, for more favorable coverage. Police will pass the evidence to the attorney general who will decide on whether or not to indict Netanyahu. By Israeli law, he is only required to step down if he is convicted, which could take years; however, he could face public pressure to step down earlier. The US considers the police statements to be an internal Israeli matter.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you believe the US should be more concerned about this issue? Why or why not?
2. Do you think Netanyahu should step down without having to wait for the attorney general’s decision? Why or why not?
3. How do you think this will affect negotiations between Palestine and Israel?
   

Trump warns Israel about 'dangerous' settlements

Since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967, more than 140 settlements have been created in those previously only Palestinian regions, in which now reside over 600,000 Jews. These settlements, though illegal under international law, are discreetly encouraged by the Israeli government, who is viewed as hoping these settlements will further Israeli plans for a takeover of those lands. However, they create a point of contention between Israel and the US. 

President Trump warns that these illegal settlements could greatly complicate Israel-Palestine peace talks, telling an Israeli newspaper: “We will be talking about settlements. The settlements are something that very much complicates and always have complicated making peace, so I think Israel has to be very careful with the settlements.”

While this is true, the President is certainly not the leading figure in the peace talks anymore, ever since his declaration that the US will be recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This decision led the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas to say that he will no longer accept the US as a mediator.

But Palestine and Palestinian refugees rely heavily upon US financial aid, almost $125 million to a single organization alone, of which the US threatens to withhold $65m unless Palestine carries out “reforms."

1) It is fair or moral to withhold aid as a political strategy? How far can the bounds of politics go?

2) What could happen to the people living in the settlements if a two-state solution is reached? How will that problem be remedied?

3) Should Israel face repercussions for encouraging these illegal settlements?

Palestinians dying from Israel refusing medical permits

In the last year, hundreds of medical permit requests in Gaza have been denied, making Israel responsible for many deaths. So far in the last year, 54 people have died due to Israel's negligence. In the year of 2017, Israeli authorities approved less than half of the permit requests they received. This meant that thousands of people's lives were in jeopardy due to a lack of healthcare coverage. Not only are their requests denied, but Israel makes it very difficult for people to seek medical attention. For example, would be that children must have a guardian over the age of 50 to travel, meaning they cannot get the access of medical attention they need. All the applications that have not been seen yet or that are "under review" are put through a long waiting period, and many of the applicants end up having to reschedule. Those in need of emergency care also have to apply for medical permits meaning not all Gazans are guaranteed care. This surmises the deadly situation occurring in Gaza that Israel has caused. This current predicament demonstrates how Israel really feels about Gaza and their lack of empathy for the citizens living there.
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Discussion questions

1. What could Israel do to decrease these health issues in Gaza?


2. Who else could the people turn to in these serious life or death situations?


3. Is Israel ethically responsible for the deaths of the people?

Gaza is facing a state of disaster, so what comes next?

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The two million residents of Gaza are becoming increasingly trapped as Israel imposes tighter border controls and Egypt closes off the Sinai Peninsula to Palestinian migrants. The economy is nearing a state of disaster as people face long ATM lines and struggle to get the money they need to support their families. Hamas drove the Palestinian Authority out of Gaza in 2007 and Israel views Hamas as a dangerous terrorist group that they are trying to suffocate by tightly controlling the Gaza/Israel border. Disagreements between the Palestinian Authority and Gaza along with the presence of Israel between Gaza and the West Bank having made it increasingly difficult for the West Bank and Gaza to unify in a push for Palestinian statehood.

Discussion Questions
1. Should the U.N. provide humanitarian aid to ease the struggles of Gaza residents and prevent further conflict between Gaza and Israel?
2. Should Egypt and other neighboring Arab countries be doing more to help Gaza?
3. Can Palestinians in Gaza realign with Palestinians in the West Bank so they can refocus on the quest for statehood and resolving ongoing problems with Israel?

US Military Strikes 100 Pro-Regime Dead in Syria

Recently, the US army coalition conducted an array of strikes against pro-regime forces in Syria. About 100 pro-regime fighters were killed. The report stated the alleged reason was that the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out an unreasonable strike. This was on a well known Syrian democratic headquarters, where the leaders of the coalition had been working with US supported fighters. The attacks consisted of artillery, motor fire, and even Russian-made tanks. Because of so much force, the coalition decided to start targeting the aggressors with both air and artillery strikes. They later reasoned that all the killings were in self defense. And there were no US coalition fighters wounded or killed during the time of these strikes. The coalition also suspected that they wanted to seize territory or more specifically oilfields. Which gave them even more reason to attempt the strikes and over power them.  Of course, this is just one of the many examples of the coalition fighting back against the pro-regime fighters in Syria.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think that what the coalition did was appropriate? Is it justifiable because of the good intentions or are the actions uncalled for?
2. Was it worth the amount of forces that the coalition had to call in, especially since there were many air strikes occurring?
3. What motives do you think the pro-regime had in mind for targeting a Syrian democratic headquarters?

Assad's Government Accuses US of Massacre

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The US bombed the Middle Euphrates Valley, which acts as an informal border between the government-controlled west side, and the east side, controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The air and artillery strikes killed an estimated 100 pro-government fighters, along with Russian mercenaries in the area, though Russia denies them being there. The Pentagon reported that Russia had given the US the "green light" to launch strikes. The US claims that forces allied with the Syrian government crossed the demarcation line, and launched an "unprovoked attack" on SDF headquarters in Khusham. One US official stated that pro-Syrian forces were "likely seeking to seize oilfields in Khusham." In response to the strikes, the Syrian foreign ministry wrote to the UN, demanding "international condemnation," describing the air strikes as "a war crime and a crime against humanity."

Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think that the Syrians are justified in accusing the US of a massacre? Why or why not?
2. Do you think that the US's response to the attacks was reasonable? If not, what would you have done differently?
3. How large is the impact of oil fields in this situation? What is your opinion on their significance?

Israeli minister 'honored' to be barred from Poland over Holocaust bill

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Poland is proposing a bill that would outlaw suggesting that Poland was complicit in the Holocaust. On Monday, Poland canceled Israel's education minister Naftali Bennett's visit to Warsaw because he refused to stop criticizing this bill. Bennett has since said that he is honored that Poland has canceled his visit and that Poland did so because he mentioned the crimes of its people. If the bill is passed the Polish government would force prison sentences of up to three years for mentioning the term "Polish death camps" as well as for suggesting "publicly and against the facts" that Poland was scheming in Nazi Germany's crimes. Poland's right-wing nationalist government says that the bill is needed to protect the reputation of Poles as victims of Nazi hostility. Israel says the bill would prohibit true statements about the role that some Poles played in Nazi crimes. During the Holocaust many Polish people collaborated with the Nazis and actively participated in the genocide of Jewish people. Israel has condemned the Polish Holocaust bill. It was passed in Parliament last week and is waiting for a settlement by President Andrzej Duda over whether to sign it. This bill has also stirred up disapproval from the United States, many international organizations, and Polish minority groups.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the possible consequences when people decide to rewrite history? 
2. If this law were to be passed how would it affect democracy? 
3. Do you think a bill like this could be passed into law in the United States?

Israeli man murdered in West Bank

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Ben Gal, an Israeli man, was stabbed to death near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. The suspect was identified as a Palestinian man. Israeli police call this a terrorist attack, but the militant group Hamas, which is often itself designated a terrorist group, referred to the attack as a "continuation of the resistance" to the US's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. However, previous articles on this blog reveal that most countries don't share this belief, and even the UN has deemed President Trump's declaration on the Israeli capital "null and void."

Discussion Questions:

1. After seeing the movie Promises, can you make an argument for why violence like this exists in this region?
2. What is your opinion on the growing number of Israeli settlements in Palestine-occupied territory, like the West Bank? How could this affect possible negotiations for a two-state solution?
3. What, if anything, should be done with existing Jewish settlements? 

The Tax Cut's Potential Benefits for the Democratic Party

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Tax cuts that President Trump campaigned upon and achieved in the end of 2017 may accelerate the demographic problems that threaten the Republican Party in its current form. If businesses and workers flock to Arizona, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina due to cheaper real estate and lower taxes, Republicans may lose control of these states sooner than expected. The reason for this is younger voters are increasingly abandoning the Republican Party and they are the ones most likely to follow job creation in these Sun Belt states where Democrats have already been making gains.

Discussion Questions
1. Although the events of the next nine months will likely have a major impact, do you see the Democratic wave that began in Nov 2017 carrying through to the midterm election this November?
2. Will Republicans be able to counter potential Democratic gains in Sun Belt states by further gains of their own in Midwest states?
3. What will be the impact of Trump? Will he be able to attract independent voters by pointing to the nation's strong economy or will Republican pay an electoral price for his divisiveness and extreme rhetoric?

State of the Union

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President Donald Trump gave his first State of the Union speech on January 30, 2018. He
began with restating his loyalty to Americans and how his job is to ensure he makes "America
great again". Trump covers many topics, but many believe he covered the wrong topics. He
gives examples of how Americans are strong,especially through all of the recent natural
disasters by glorifying certain people for their heroic deeds Trump reminds Americans
that veterans aren’t the only ones who can perform civic duties. Trump confidently announced
there are now 2.4M new jobs and minimum wages rose. He said his new tax reform will make
is possible for small companies to compete globally, for families to cut their tax bills in half, and
will provide “tremendous belief” for the middle class. President trump claims “for the last year
[the government] [has] sought to restore the bonds of trust between [the] citizens and their

Government”. He says he will focus on American interests when it comes to immigration and
to detain terrorists. He wants to strengthen international relationships but clearly said “American
foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America's friends”.

Trump introduces a 4-pillar plan.

1- Offering citizenship to over 1.8M people who were brought here by their parents

2- Securing the border

3- Ending the visa lottery

4- Ending chain migration (essentially limits the number of family members one can bring
into the country.

Discussion Questions

1. What are your thoughts on Trump’s Four Pillar Plan?
2. Do you believe Trump could have talked about different topics to have a better State of the Union Address? If so, what should he have addressed?
3. Do you think Trump had a successful year? Explain.

The Four Major Lapses about Foreign Policies in President Trump's State of the Union Speech

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         On Tuesday evening we had the pleasure to watch President Trump give us an overview of what he planned to do over the next year. In his foreign policy segment, he went over common topics many Americans are familiar with including the Israel-Palestinian conflict. His managed to brag about the military campaign against ISIS. However he neglected the other political issues occurring in the world. 

         Trump mentioned the Russia-China conflict with the US, which is considered one of America's highest priorities, only once. Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis clearly declared that, Great power, like Russia and China are our main threats, not terrorism. However Trump's disregard to the subject shows his naivety of presidency. He scarcely mentioned it before continuing on to gloat about all he has accomplished in the past year. This is due to the fact that he did not want to badmouth Beijing on such an international level, however a little more in-depth explanation of his plans would have been satisfying for the Americans.

          Trump also omitted to disclose details on the wars in Afghanistan and Syria, in which the US has been getting deeper involved in. He did not mention as to why he has sent so many troops to Syria in the past year nor did he explain the motive behind bombing Afghanistan three times as much than in 2016. As a candidate he promised to not involve the US in any more wars, however he is doing the exact opposite as a president.

           Newer conflicts such as the involvement in the Yemen wars were also not touched upon. Trump did not give his reasons as to why he has aligned with Saudi Arabia and is now sending troops there in fight brutally with the Yemenis. This war has cost a lot for both the US and especially the Yemenis as 20,000+ civilians do not even have basic needs, such as water and food. In this harsh war, many US troops also died and Trump gave no reason as to why the cost of these lives was necessary. 

           Lastly, Trump overlooked the morals of which America was built upon. He did not indicate what America stands for in the world. Both President Obama and President Bush gave reassuring statements about how they see America with the rest of the world and how they want to create peace and freedom. Overall Trump may have wanted to make his speech seem like it was more for the people of the United States however he neglected the ideology of America's foundation. 

              

Discussion Questions:

1. Did Trump talk sufficiently about foreign policies and the ideas that the US has for the next year? Why or why not?

2. Is the addition of more troops to wars that were hardly mentioned in his speech justified? Should the public be notified of the sending of troops to other countries? Why or why not?

3. Should the American people be satisfied with the amount of information that was presented in his speech? Should Americans be more informed on foreign policies? Why or why not?