News and History: Re-Inventing Iraq Through British Drawdown

Early this month U.S. Defense Department’s Secretary Robert Gates and British Defense Secretary Des Browne met in London to agree on the withdrawal of half of the British troops in   Iraq. They said that the pull out was not because of any mounting domestic political pressure from any individual or groups but because of the improved situation in the said region. Des Browne said that Britain and the U.S. have the same aspirations for Iraq. But while the situation in Iraq continues to stabilize, in Afghanistan, however, it was the opposite. Des Browne is calling for additional international forces to be sent to Afghanistan which he said as part of the â€Å"long-term commitment† to pursue stability in those areas. That probably is the catch for the withdrawal because according to him all the 2,500 troops that would be taken out in southern part of Iraq would be diverted to Afghanistan to support the present force manning those territories. The two powerful personalities agreed that there is no need for most of the forces in those parts of Iraq and that the withdrawal was agreed by Gen. David Petraeus who was the highest military personnel in Iraq. Accordingly the situation in this part of the region has been neutralized and had been peaceful in the past few months and no major war can be foreseen. Also, Australian troops would be included among those to be withdrawn. These three countries have been blood allies from the beginning and such decision are always being agreed by these three powerful nations. But that is not the end of the news, however. According to the New York Times, in reality there is still continuous fighting between the rival Shiite factions who are trying to gain control of the oil-rich section of Iraq. Just recently, politicians were assassinated in the provinces of Muthanna and Diwaniyah. These provinces were located in the southern part of the country and people say that these political killings are being done by certain groups to have control over all of the oil reserve found in these areas. Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair was somewhat dismayed of the growing fractionalization and rebellion in Iraq. The Prime Minister has always been supporting the U.S. in its long time war with Iraq and ironically his decade-long tenure ended in June this year. Blair was questioning British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s decision on the issue of withdrawal and for now Brown had to distance himself from the embattled ex-Prime Minister. Britain has more than 5,000 troops particularly situated in Iraq while the U.S. has nearly 170,000 troops all stationed around Iraq. After the announcement of the withdrawal, Brown said those who will remain would be tasked to train Iraqi government troops and will only fight if necessary. They will also be withdrawn by the end of next year, he said. The New York Times also reported that some U.S. Marines were proposing to be pulled out along with the Britons and also wanted to move to Afghanistan because they feel they are better suited to fight in that war (Youssef, 2007). This news was more related with Toby Dodge’s book Inventing Iraq where in the old days the British colonizes part of the Ottoman territories in the now modern Iraq and built frontiers to keep natives from uniting and throwing them out of their colonies. British has long been trying to conquer Iraq because of its vast oil resources and widening its territories. Although it has established itself temporarily, ultimately it failed to conquer the country due to Britain’s misguided policies plus the ever intervening attitude of the U.S. The result was a failure of governance and ultimately the assumption of rule by the Iraqis. The author has explicitly vindicated the fate of the oppressed as against the oppressor and implied that no one has the right to rule anybody because it is unjust and immoral. Reference: Youssef, N. A. (2007). Gates: British Drawdown In Iraq Due To Improved Conditions [Electronic Version]. Retrieved October 17, 2007 from http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/20393.html.      

Analyze Miss Peregrines

When you step back and take a closer look, you see that American town hides more from the characters, making it fantasy and lies, while the enchanting island is far more forth coming about its problems. Main Characters Jacob Portman- he is the protagonist in this story, he is 16 and is thought to be mentally disturbed after the murder of his grandfather by that he believes to be an imaginary creature. He travels to Whales with his father to find out the truth behind his grandfather’s past. Emma- she is one of the Peculiar children of Ms. Peregrine. She is considered â€Å"strikingly beautiful† and falls in love with Jacob, and as it turns out, she used to love his grandfather. She is frozen at 16, in the loop, while in reality she is over 70 years of age. Plot Jacob Portman goes to Wales to find out the truth of his grandfather’s past after he was murdered by what Jacob thought was a make-believe creature. When he arrives, he meets Emma a girl who can control fire. She takes him to meet Miss Peregrine in a time loop set back in the 1940s. Jacob enjoys hanging out with the other peculiar children, such as Millard, who is invisible, and Bronwyn, who has incredible strength. Then Jacob is told some mysterious stories of strange killings in the pub he’s staying at, and warns the peculiar children. When they tell Jacob he is the only one who can see the â€Å"hollows† or â€Å"hollowgasts†, the monsters that killed Jacob’s grandfather, Jacob knows he is the only hope they have for safety. Jacob and some of the peculiar children encounter a hollow which Jacob kills. Upon return to the Miss Peregrine’s home, they find that Miss Peregrine has been kidnapped. The children rescue Miss Peregrine but she is in bird form and cannot change back to human form. At the end of the book, the peculiar children look for another time loop they can stay in because their current one has been destroyed, setting this book up for a sequel and more striking photographs. Conflicts Jacob vs. Self- he is at a constant battle for the first half of the book to figure out whether or not he is sane after everything that has happened. Self could also be considered society, as a set and acceptable social norm. Jacob vs. Therapist- he is actually the cause of all his problems. He is the one who sends the hollow on his grandfather, kidnaps Ms. Peregrine, and makes all the external conflicts arise. Theme Embracing who you are and accepting what makes you remarkable is more important than being viewed as normal. Through this novel we see the reoccurring theme that being true to you is far more important that being social accepted. Because when you accept yourself, others accept you for that. When Jacob fights himself he finds he is alone, but the more he succumbs to his true self, the peculiar children accept him and they help each other overcome the adversity surrounding them. Personal Views I enjoyed the book thoroughly and I would recommend it. It has a wonderful addition, not only is there amazing writing involved but there are also several pictures included in the pages. Every few chapters there are these old, peculiar photos that add to the story, some very chilling. Analyze Miss Peregrines When you step back and take a closer look, you see that American town hides more from the characters, making it fantasy and lies, while the enchanting island is far more forth coming about its problems. Main Characters Jacob Portman- he is the protagonist in this story, he is 16 and is thought to be mentally disturbed after the murder of his grandfather by that he believes to be an imaginary creature. He travels to Whales with his father to find out the truth behind his grandfather’s past. Emma- she is one of the Peculiar children of Ms. Peregrine. She is considered â€Å"strikingly beautiful† and falls in love with Jacob, and as it turns out, she used to love his grandfather. She is frozen at 16, in the loop, while in reality she is over 70 years of age. Plot Jacob Portman goes to Wales to find out the truth of his grandfather’s past after he was murdered by what Jacob thought was a make-believe creature. When he arrives, he meets Emma a girl who can control fire. She takes him to meet Miss Peregrine in a time loop set back in the 1940s. Jacob enjoys hanging out with the other peculiar children, such as Millard, who is invisible, and Bronwyn, who has incredible strength. Then Jacob is told some mysterious stories of strange killings in the pub he’s staying at, and warns the peculiar children. When they tell Jacob he is the only one who can see the â€Å"hollows† or â€Å"hollowgasts†, the monsters that killed Jacob’s grandfather, Jacob knows he is the only hope they have for safety. Jacob and some of the peculiar children encounter a hollow which Jacob kills. Upon return to the Miss Peregrine’s home, they find that Miss Peregrine has been kidnapped. The children rescue Miss Peregrine but she is in bird form and cannot change back to human form. At the end of the book, the peculiar children look for another time loop they can stay in because their current one has been destroyed, setting this book up for a sequel and more striking photographs. Conflicts Jacob vs. Self- he is at a constant battle for the first half of the book to figure out whether or not he is sane after everything that has happened. Self could also be considered society, as a set and acceptable social norm. Jacob vs. Therapist- he is actually the cause of all his problems. He is the one who sends the hollow on his grandfather, kidnaps Ms. Peregrine, and makes all the external conflicts arise. Theme Embracing who you are and accepting what makes you remarkable is more important than being viewed as normal. Through this novel we see the reoccurring theme that being true to you is far more important that being social accepted. Because when you accept yourself, others accept you for that. When Jacob fights himself he finds he is alone, but the more he succumbs to his true self, the peculiar children accept him and they help each other overcome the adversity surrounding them. Personal Views I enjoyed the book thoroughly and I would recommend it. It has a wonderful addition, not only is there amazing writing involved but there are also several pictures included in the pages. Every few chapters there are these old, peculiar photos that add to the story, some very chilling.

International stll wine trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International stll wine trade - Essay Example Data is the information that is gathered for analyzing, interpreting and making conclusion based on the available information. The source was from â€Å"database of international business statistics† which is accessed across the countries. The important features in the research are the demand and the years of the product production. The first then observations show the demand of the product in the market prior to the introduction of globalization. The subsequent years shows the impact of globalization to the product demand. One of the limitations is the misuse of the data. This involves the use numbers in a biased manner so as to suit the researchers predetermined hypothesis and hence ease in making conclusions that are not scientifically justified. The wrong numbers used lead to misleading graphs and charts being drawn and this encourages error in conclusions (Boudreaux 2008). Statistics are normally based on probabilities hence the results vary from when the each variable could have been used. This makes the results to be amendable and/or provisional. The data collection is always narrowed by moral, financial and practical constrains that affects the conclusions to be drawn. The statisticians/researchers are do not completely agree on superlative methods hence inconveniences. Data manipulations required before estimation is the arrangement of the data in an increasing total over the years of trading. The demand for the products over the periods of marketing should increasing conform the validity of the analysis (Selkirk 2012). The last ten observations highlight the impact of globalization on demand and the sales of the company product. The total sales amounted to 2701M, a mean sale of 245.55M, a median sale of 246M and a mode sale of 262M. From the above descriptive statistics, it is clearly shown that the total sales have increased substantially overtime i.e. from sale of 1177M to 2701M. This is 1524M sales increment

Discuss causes of the Protestant Reformation.How the did these causes Essay

Discuss causes of the Protestant Reformation.How the did these causes shape the basic ideas of Lutheranism and make it different from Catholicism Explain how C - Essay Example It was because of the institution of these Protestant Churches that the Catholic Church began assessing the unfolding of events affecting the Catholic faith. The Catholic Church began to distinguish the imperfections and weakness of its traditions and practices and began to modify and search for solutions to the developing conflicts and dilemmas within and outside their Church and their followers (Rops 1961). In order to understand the origins of Protestant Church and the Reformation, it is essential to initially recognize that one of the arguments that the Roman Catholic Church defends is that of Apostolic succession. This implies that they claim a superior position over all other churches for the reason that they can trace the succession of Roman Catholic Popes from Apostle Peter. In their belief this provides the Roman Catholic Church a distinctive authority that prevails over other churches. This Apostolic succession can only be located in the Catholic Church and no other unrelated churches to it have any legitimate claim to it. It is due to this apostolic succession that the Catholic Church claims a privileged command to interpret the Scriptures and to ascertain the doctrine, in addition to the claim of possessing a supreme religious head in the figure of the Pope who is seen as a perfect human being. Hence, according to the perspective of the Roman Catholic, the preaching or practices of the Catholic Church as they originate from the Pope are mutually as perfect and powerful as the Scripture they interpret (Rops 1961). This is one of the primary dissimilarities between Catholics and Protestants and also one of the initial causes of the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was an impressive movement of emancipation from religious oppression, and a justification of the sacred privileges of conscience in issues of religious conviction; Luther’s daring act at the Diet of Worms, in front of the two most powerful figures in the world, the

Bank Lending (Loan Propsal) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Bank Lending (Loan Propsal) - Essay Example elocate to the new building--which would save the company an amount of more than $9,000 per month on the rental of premises where they operate from at present—at this time it is not recommended that Lettera Pty Ltd be allowed to have a loan. If the company is afforded a loan, it should be loaned the money with special restrictions. The business for which the loan is being applied is a family printing business. Old Mr Lewis is the director, and he is assisted by the two co-directors of his sons. This business was started five years ago by Mr Lewis, after having a twenty-year stint as a technical supervisor at a competitor printing company. That being said, his technical4 knowledge with regard to printing is superior. He emphasizes quality, and as such all of the machines used by Lettera must be imported from Germany as per Mr Lewis’s predilection. Both of Mr Lewis’s sons became involved with the business’s management5 straightaway after they finished with school. It is Mr Lewis’s hope that the company be inherited by hs sons. The older son was involved with the business since its inception whilst his second son has been involved for the past two years. Actual printing activities are not the business of either of the sons. Rather, they deal with the financial management and general administration ends of the business. In addition, they also take care of marketing6 of Lettera’s services. This division of responsibility does well according to Mr Lewis: According to balance sheets, the business did not do remarkably well in the past, however the company’s position did improve quite a bit within the past year. This can be attributed to the fact that Lettera is the only printing business in the neighborhood where it does business. This is because a major print franchise which was located nearby closed down. Mr Lewis sees the local business as the principal source of business for Lettera’s services. This is seeing as how Lettera has gotten

Enhancing Correctional and Rehabilitation Results in Prision Research Paper

Enhancing Correctional and Rehabilitation Results in Prision - Research Paper Example In hindsight, in the 1970s, it was viewed that inmates who undergo rehabilitation are being left off easy and advocating such rehabilitations were seen as naivety. It is interesting to perceive that as society has been evolving through the years the propensity for criminal activities have also increased. But through the years, society changed its perception that indeed prisons must prepare the inmates in their re-entry to the community and not just serve as establishments to lock them up and serve their due time. Omar (2001) stated that â€Å"it is the general consensus that the fundamental objective of corrections is rehabilitation, whether such institutions are prisons, juvenile centers and other types of correctional institutions†. He added that the treatment process is directed towards the eventual return to the community of the inmates as law abiding and socially productive citizens. It is therefore the ultimate goal of correction facilities to reduce recidivism. Gaes et al. (1998) establishes that education, vocational training, and prison labor programs have decent effects on not only reducing criminal recidivism but also increasing positive behavior in prison. Although it was concluded that sex offender interventions proved to have been the most problematic. Treatments and rehabilitation practices should be adjusted and fitted to specific offender deficits. It is also worth noting that juvenile interventions yield better and stronger results than adult rehabilitations. Gaes et al. (1998) focused on four domains of adult intervention; 1) cognitive skills training, 2) intensive in-prison drug treatment, 3) educational instruction, vocational, and industrial training, and 4) sex-offender treatment. Based on meta-analyses, qualitative analyses, and reviews of component elements of successful programs, it was established that the most success in terms of criminal recidivism was achieved through emphasis on cognitive and skill building techniques. This approach is able to correct impulsivity by teaching consequential thinking, fatalistic thinking by practicing assessment of the role their thinking has affected their actions, antisocial behavior by teaching them skills for them to be prosocial, and social adjustments by teaching self-control techniques (Gaes et al., 1998) Aside from behavioral deficiencies, it is also an established fact that individuals under the influence of illegal drugs have greater tendency to commit crimes, and Gaes et al. (1998) notes that the level of crime is dramatically amplified by the use of drugs. It is of then a necessity in correctional facilities to incorporate drug rehabilitations for the inmates so as for them not to regress back to using such substances once they are released to society. While this approach is successful in reducing drug relapse of the criminals for up to 18months upon release, proper monitoring and probationary status must also be implemented to avoid recidivism. Gaes et al. ( 1998) also cites that prison education and work programs improve the inmates’ institutional behavior and promote prosocial activities after the release. By increasing the inmates’ functional literacy, the chances of having a lawful job opportunities also increases. Such an approach also promotes the maturity of the individuals, equipping them with better decision-making skills that are vital for them to keep them away from crime after release. Gaes et al. (199

Omnivores Dilemma - A Natural History of Four Meals is a Nonfiction Essay

Omnivores Dilemma - A Natural History of Four Meals is a Nonfiction Book by Michael Pollan - Essay Example The book illustrates the American way of living from the source to the final meal that is eaten. From an economic viewpoint, there are many shortcomings of the book worth noting, such as in the Pollan’s self financed meals; he only focuses on what is before his eyes and ignores the macroeconomic factors that influence the transparency of the cost of foods, which is not attainable within the interconnectedness of the markets. Essentially, Omnivore’s Dilemma is a book about the state of America’s food production, consumption, regulation and distribution (Tyler, 2006). Food Chain Food chains are usually applied in ecological modelling, which provides a continuous variable for measuring passage of energy through various linear linkages from the lowest to the highest trophic feeding levels. Long food chain lengths are unstable with increasing length increases with the ecosystem size and reduction of energy at every successive level. Food chain lengths vary from three to six or even more levels. For example, a four-level food chain will consist of a flower, a frog, a snake and an owl. A five-level food chain may consist of the grass, a grasshopper, a rat, a snake and an owl. The organisms that use solar energy or heat energy to synthesize starch are the producers, such as plants. Consumers are those organisms that feed on other organisms, whereas, all food chains begin with the producer then progresses to the consumer. Therefore, all organisms within a food chain except the first one are all consumers. This fascinating journey through the food chain does not make Pollan a preacher, but he is engrossed in his thoughtfulness and so much dogged a researcher to let ideology take over him. He is surely not a writer who is afraid of soiling his hands in the quest for a better understanding on the manner in which modern food is produced. For example, he does everything from buying his cow to the slaughterhouse, then ultimately to the dinner table. Polla n really capture how Americans eat today from the fast food to the big organic to the locally sourced, ultimately to foraging for dinner armed with a rifle. This idea examines the human diet from capitalism to consumption (Pollan, 2006). National Eating Disorder Americans have changed the way they eat and the usual question that arises daily is based on what will be taken for dinner. This is a simple question that can evolve to be very complex as one tries to figure it out. The evolution of human culture has a great influence on how peoples’ native wisdom about eating, such that the way people eat is riddled with confusion and anxiety. Most ancient and venerable staple foods have abruptly disappeared from the American dinner tables and have made Americans to change the way they eat. This condition can be described as carbophobia. This was supplanted by lipophobia around 1977 when Americans were warned against loving the red meat during the Carter reign, which forced the Senat e committee to issue a set of dietary goals.