Rd. Log # 2

I read another chapter in "An American Empire". Jim Garrison has noted that there are many problems that the world and the United States need to face. These include, global warming, the digital divide, the separation between the rich and poor, and many other issuese. All of this problems are global issues and need global solutions. Yet, recently the United States has backed away from these issues. For example the United States refused to sign the Kyoto Protocal. Garrison argues that the United States needs to look beyond it's self interest and find solutions that benifiet the United States the the larger whole. He makes the point that the world is becaming moree globalized and the United States need to understand and thus change their policies to take this new globalization into account when making policy. He has made the case that America is an empire and will be the last empire because in the world today there is not a place for empires. He says that America will either transition into a nation that is not just the most powerful nation in the world but will also spear head a new globilzed goverment that will take on solving global problems that affects countries across borders.

Obviosuly Garrison talks about many issues in the world. Some issues that I can relate to is global warming. I recently took a trip to Alaska. This was my first visit to Alaska and I have to admit that it is one of the most beatiful places I have ever been. Unfortuantely log is one of the biggest sources of money in Alaska and therefore is one of the biggest industries. As a result many forest are being logged. This is bad for several reasons. First forest are important for filtering the C02 out of our air. By cutting down these tries we are destroying habitat and increasing global warming. Unfortunately Alaska depends on this industria. If Alaksa stopped it's logging industry then many people would loose their jobs and the economy for Alaskans would decline. This is an area where the United States goverment needs to work with the people to help find a solution that would be beefitials to both the enveronment and also the people. Unfortuantely the goverment is doing the exact opposite of this and this is where Garrsion says that the United States need to change. Instead of just looking at the short term solution that generates the most profit we need to come up with a long term solution that can ensure that we are balance economics with the environment.

Questions:

How is the Europian Union becaming a global power and how are they playing a role to check America's foreign policy?
How are other world powers dealing with global issues?
How has the Euro changed the international business in Europe and has this helped unite Europe?

Current Event: Europes Rule in the Middle East

Obviously there is a lot going on in the Middle East. The United States is in Iraq, Israel and Lebanon just finished duking it out and Iran is becoming a major threat. Yet, according to the Al-Abram Weekly Europe did little to help the situation in the Middle East. According to the article Europe has helped Israel to achieve what it could not do by war. It has liquidated Huzbula, which I think means they they have settled some deal with Israel that gives them what they want. Although I am not exactly sure what that is. Europe has also helped Lebanon by sending troops and I think money. However the article conveys that this is not enough to help the problem. What the AL-Abram Weekly says what Europe needs to do is to confront the US and Israel. Unfortunately I only have a vague idea of what is happening between Israel and Lebanon, and I am not up to date about what is going on with the US and the Middle East.

Questions

What is the European Union's Stance on the Isreal Lebanon conflict?

How has the EU and US foreign policy agreed and disagreed on the actions of Isreal?

How is the EU checking US foreign policy?

American Empire Rd. log 1

I have settled on American Empire: Globabl Leader or Rogue Power, by Jim Garrison. The central theme of this book is America has transitioned from Republic to Empire. Garrison explores why America has became the world's most powerful nation and what responcibilities come with it. He argues that todays world is a global system. This has happened because leaps in technology and communication and because of a globalized economy. Garrison claims that America will be the world's last empire. This is true he explains because in a globilzed system there is no need for Empires. Instead a global goverment like the UN will settle gloabal affairs and disputes. The United States now will either provide the leadership that we showed the world after world war I and II or we will be remembered as coming a a trajec end. Either way we are the only onces that can decide our outome and the future of the world according to Garrioson.

Current Event: 1

Article Summary: Nicol Stephen said that he wants to see wind power in Scotland by next summer. The minister visited the Pelamis project off of Portugal which is set to become the world's largest wind farm. Nicol Stephan wants to increase Scotland as the place where renewable marine energy is developed. He also said that he invested 8 million Euros in marine projects and he intends for a share of this to insure the Pelamis project in Orkney at the European Marine Energy Center.

Analysis: I think that marine energy is very important. Water is 100 times as dense as air and the motion of the waves moving up and down can be used to generate power. Marine power is much more efficient then win power and could be the solution for the future. Already there are many marine power projects being developed in many different places in the world. I think that this could be an alternative that could help solve our current reliance on oil. Even though the Bush administration has tried to deflate public opinion toward the need for alternative energy I believe that he has motivations to do so and that we need to listen to the environmentalist who's career is to study the environment.

Questions: How many marine projects are being developed or have been developed and how much energy are they producing? Why does Europe seem to be more environmental savvy? Why do we continue to rely on fossil fuels even if we know that they are hurting the environment and that relying on the Middle East for oil is hurting our economy. If we were to convert to alternative fuels sources we would reduce our impact on the environment, insure a clean world for future generations, and help save on energy cost, while increasing American business. Alternative fuels make sense for America. So why do our politicians continue to ignore the scientist and environmentalist who are showing them that be green is green.

The Great Law

The United States constitution barrows many of it's ideas from the Iroquois conistitution, also called the Great Law of Peace. The Iroquis constitution was created sometime between 1000-1400 AD (historians think it was made closer to 1400 AD). The great law was created to stop the fighting between Native American tribes around lake Erie. Like the US constitution the Iroqouis constitution was a document that organized the structure of their goverment. The constitution outlined the rights of it's citezens, the responicbilities of it's leaders, polices about immigration, land, and declaring war. It also covered religion, freedoms, and the power of the president regarding war. Some of the ideas of the Great Law of Peace were separation between church and state, freedom of the press, religion and speech. When Franklin Rosevelt learned about the Iroquois goverment he was very impressed. He saw that their were many features of their constituion that were lacking from the goverments at his time including a ban on the forced entry of goverment into citizens homes, the freedom of politics and religous freedoms and the impeachment of corrupt officials or leaders.

Reading the "The Great Law" was very interesting to me. It was a part of our history that I knew little about. I rember hearing that our constitution was based on a document that was created by Native Americans, however I did not know much of the details. I find it interesting that we abused the Native Americans and at the same time admired them. I am wondering why most Americans have not heard about the The Great Law of Peace. I think that it is an important part of our history. Without it our goverment may be much different. I would also be curious to learn how the British adopted the Iroquois constitution and how it influenced their form of goverment.