Obama-Calderon Meeting Could Yield Reinstatement of Gun Ban
Under former President Bill Clinton, an assault weapons ban was instituted in the United States, but somewhere in the last eight years the Bush administration allowed a lapse in the ban. According to President Obama in a CNN article, a revival of the ban and a more strict enforcement of the gun laws could help to decrease the violence that has escalated on the U.S.-Mexican border recently. Amidst his talks with Mexican President Felipe Calderón, President Obama says he has, “not backed off at all” on his campaign pledge to restore the ban. In my opinion, I believe he and his administration have had so many other vital matters to worry about that this has been pushed to the backburner until now. With all the violence taking place, Obama can’t afford to push this issue down the list anymore.
Some are probably worried that he may be infringing upon our rights to bear arms but he covers his bases on this issue in a lengthy quote. President Obama said, “I continue to believe that we can respect and honor the Second Amendment right in our Constitution -- the rights of sportsmen and hunters and homeowners that want to keep their families safe -- to lawfully bear arms, while dealing with assault weapons that, as we know here in Mexico, are used to fuel violence.” Calderón says the correlation between the U.S. ban on 19 types of assault weapons and Mexican violence is more than clear. He goes on to comment saying, “From the moment the the prohibition on the sale of assault weapons was lifted a few years ago, we have seen an increase in the power of organized crime in Mexico.” It is undeniable that the U.S. is partly responsible for the violence along the border, but the important thing now is to halt the gun and cash flow fueling the cartel instead of pointing fingers. Both Obama and Calderón understand this, but will everyone else?
U.S. not leaving North Korea silently
After being kicked out of North Korea, U.S. officials warned the controversial country that consequences would result from their dismissal. Four U.S. experts along with some U.N. nuclear inspectors were ordered to leave by North Korea. State Department acting spokesperson Robert Wood said consequences would be forthcoming for North Korea for “kicking these personnel out." Further Wood says, “We'll have to see what those consequences are. We are going to continue to work with our partners, both on the Security Council and outside of the Security Council, to bring consequences upon the North for the actions that it's taken." At a U.N. sanctions committee meeting the U.S. proposed additional sanctions against North Korea’s nuclear program.
The committee is dedicated to prevent the flow of goods that could aid North Korea’s nuclear program. North Korea seems to be resistant in all their actions. They want no interference from outside entities in their process of developing the nuclear program. North Korea has said that it will reactivate all of its nuclear facilities and go ahead with reprocessing spent fuel. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Pyongyang's move "an unnecessary response to the legitimate statement put out of concern by the (U.N.) Security Council."
"Obviously, we hope there will be an opportunity to discuss this, not only with our partners and allies, but also, eventually, with the North Koreans," she said. I believe there is some substantial misunderstanding by all sides in this debacle. North Korea feels that the U.N.’s condemnation of the April 5th rocket launch a “gross infringement” on North Korea’s sovereignty. North Korea insists that it was a peaceful launch of a satellite, while the U.S. deems it a “provocative act”. I don’t know how this will end up but I do know that neither side will back down. It’s only a matter of time before we see this all “come to a head”.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
U.S. Foreign Policy (April 6-10)
Captains vs. Pirates
The world is becoming crazier and crazier by the minute! Just when we’d thought we had seen it all, another unbelievable event takes place and we are brought to a harsh reality that safety is at a premium. According to a U.S. official on Friday, Richard Phillips, the captain of a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, tried to escape from his captors Thursday night by jumping out of the lifeboat where he's being held. Richard Phillips was on the ship that was hijacked Wednesday while en route to Mombasa, Kenya. Phillips and others have been held since Wednesday, when the hijackers obtained control of his ship, the Maersk Alabama. In what is believed to be a more reoccurring theme, these attacks have “picked up drastically in recent months that the Navy has to reposition some of its fleet to deal with the threats, claimed Chris Lawrence, CNN's Pentagon correspondent.
It is believed that Captain Phillips was attempting to swim to the USS Bainbridge, a naval warship that is in communication with the gunmen holding Phillips off Somalia's coast, the official said. Although his plan was strategic and crafty, he did not get far. The official said that the kidnappers jumped into the water, recaptured him, and returned him to the lifeboat before he could get too far. They believe that he is being held by four gunmen, but two U.S. warships were on their way to assist the USS Bainbridge in completing Phillip’s rescue. The ship was headed to Kenya with a cargo of food aid upon its attack Wednesday. The attack marks the first time in very recent history that an American ship has been the target of a pirate attack. The pirates show no signs of giving in so the Navy is requesting help from the FBI in this hostage situation.
U.S. and Cuba moving toward mending differences
Relations between Cuba and the United States have been rather limited lately, but for the first time in fifty years the two seem to have somewhat eased the tension between them . A delegation from the Congressional Black Caucus was in the communist country this week to find answers to some of America’s questions. Some say they were on a “fact-finding mission”. House of Representatives member Barbara Lee expressed that, "Our purpose was to see if there were preconditions on the Cuban side. We heard that there were no preconditions," Lee said Wednesday. "And, in fact, we wanted to find out if they were interested. We have to remember that every country in Latin America, 15 countries, have normal relations with Cuba. ... We're the country which is isolated." The meetings that seem to be even more significant are the ones held between the U.S. and current President Raul Castro alongside his brother, former President Fidel.
President Obama has made it clear that he wants to change the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba and is taking steps such as signing bills that loosen restrictions implemented by Bush. Analysts see the lawmakers' trip and Obama's campaign rhetoric as a way for the new administration to start thawing relations with Cuba before the Fifth Summit of the Americas. The summit will bring together the U.S. president and 33 other leaders from the Western Hemisphere in mid-April in Trinidad and Tobago. It is important to remember that not everyone is eager for change with regards to the U.S.-Cuba relationship. Some Cuban-American Congressman have spoken out against easing the tensions. Florida Republican Senator Mel Martinez is one of them. "Having tourists on Cuban beaches is not going to achieve democratic change in Cuba," Martinez has said.
The world is becoming crazier and crazier by the minute! Just when we’d thought we had seen it all, another unbelievable event takes place and we are brought to a harsh reality that safety is at a premium. According to a U.S. official on Friday, Richard Phillips, the captain of a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, tried to escape from his captors Thursday night by jumping out of the lifeboat where he's being held. Richard Phillips was on the ship that was hijacked Wednesday while en route to Mombasa, Kenya. Phillips and others have been held since Wednesday, when the hijackers obtained control of his ship, the Maersk Alabama. In what is believed to be a more reoccurring theme, these attacks have “picked up drastically in recent months that the Navy has to reposition some of its fleet to deal with the threats, claimed Chris Lawrence, CNN's Pentagon correspondent.
It is believed that Captain Phillips was attempting to swim to the USS Bainbridge, a naval warship that is in communication with the gunmen holding Phillips off Somalia's coast, the official said. Although his plan was strategic and crafty, he did not get far. The official said that the kidnappers jumped into the water, recaptured him, and returned him to the lifeboat before he could get too far. They believe that he is being held by four gunmen, but two U.S. warships were on their way to assist the USS Bainbridge in completing Phillip’s rescue. The ship was headed to Kenya with a cargo of food aid upon its attack Wednesday. The attack marks the first time in very recent history that an American ship has been the target of a pirate attack. The pirates show no signs of giving in so the Navy is requesting help from the FBI in this hostage situation.
U.S. and Cuba moving toward mending differences
Relations between Cuba and the United States have been rather limited lately, but for the first time in fifty years the two seem to have somewhat eased the tension between them . A delegation from the Congressional Black Caucus was in the communist country this week to find answers to some of America’s questions. Some say they were on a “fact-finding mission”. House of Representatives member Barbara Lee expressed that, "Our purpose was to see if there were preconditions on the Cuban side. We heard that there were no preconditions," Lee said Wednesday. "And, in fact, we wanted to find out if they were interested. We have to remember that every country in Latin America, 15 countries, have normal relations with Cuba. ... We're the country which is isolated." The meetings that seem to be even more significant are the ones held between the U.S. and current President Raul Castro alongside his brother, former President Fidel.
President Obama has made it clear that he wants to change the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba and is taking steps such as signing bills that loosen restrictions implemented by Bush. Analysts see the lawmakers' trip and Obama's campaign rhetoric as a way for the new administration to start thawing relations with Cuba before the Fifth Summit of the Americas. The summit will bring together the U.S. president and 33 other leaders from the Western Hemisphere in mid-April in Trinidad and Tobago. It is important to remember that not everyone is eager for change with regards to the U.S.-Cuba relationship. Some Cuban-American Congressman have spoken out against easing the tensions. Florida Republican Senator Mel Martinez is one of them. "Having tourists on Cuban beaches is not going to achieve democratic change in Cuba," Martinez has said.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Kuwait Ministry of Justice, Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
The general objective of the ministry was stated by article 1 of the decree promulgated for the ministry of justice in 7/1/1979 to provide justice for the society under a simplified system where every one feels secure on their souls, freedom and money, and keeps the security of the people and their social system, and respects the laws and makes sure that it’s applied and also it constructs a stable system for the real estate property.
Kuwait is moving to build up the methods of work of government bodies using advanced technology in the fields of communication and information. With that being said, they’ve introduced the idea of E-government, which serves the citizens and provides all the facilities to them regarding the judicial department and the work sectors in the Ministry. The Ministry provides justice and preserves the security of the people. The Ministry has created projects such as “E-justice” that provide services and information to the citizens through a global network of information, the internet.
In the first decades of this century, the leaders of Kuwait and whom they authorized from jurists known for their justice were the ones who dealt with the conflicts between civilians according to the Islamic law judgments and traditions. Then in the early fifties courts were established, which specialized in dealing with conflicts presented in front of the court. Also it specializes in registering real estate properties, and it was adjoined in a department called the courts department. In January 1962 the do menial decree of law no 1 of year 1962 was promulgated in the basic system of leadership in the transformation period , and according to it the courts department's term were changed to be the ministry of justice instead. In 11/11/1962 the Kuwaiti constitution was issued. It stressed in article 50 that the leadership system is based on the separation of the legitimate, executive, and the judicial powers and by their cooperation according to its judgments, and that it’s not permitted for any one of them to relinquish all or some of their specialization stated in the constitution. In 9/2/1975 a do menial decree was promulgated to adjoin the ministry of justice and Awqaf and Islamic affairs to one ministry and they re-separated according to a do menial decree promulgated in 6/9/1979. This is a substantial amount of their history with regards to the ministry of justice. As is obvious, they have undergone non-stop modifications in order to make the best system of bringing justice and peace to their state.
Article 1 of the decree promulgated for the ministry of justice in 7/1/1979 has shown these specialties, which are: organizing the necessary means to clear the conflicts presented in courts of its different kinds and considers crimes according to the judgment of law. It is instrumental in carrying out the governmental pleading by the general prosecution in the name of the society in the felonies that are transferred to it from misdemeanors, by investigation, act, and allegation according to law judgments. Among the other things it is imperative for supervising on prisons and other places where penal judgment are executed in as well as providing technical expertise to the justice bodies and other state organizations. It holds works of the official publication for judicial papers and initiatory pleadings ...etc, and execute judgments and writs of execution, and accept its related amounts deposit it and spend it according the law as well as works of real estate registration and authentication, and confirmation, and date listing and visas on commercial records according to law. The final thing that it maintains is cooperation with countries, and Arabian, and Islamic, and foreign organizations in the legal and judicial fields.
The ministry’s body consists of mainly two bodies. The basic bodies of jurisdiction and the other departments. There are several things that Article 231 of chapter two of the decree of law no 23 says shall be in the judiciary body. For instance, there must be a court of causation, court of appeals, and court of first instance just to name a few. Also, there is an Assistant Department of Judiciary Body which covers things such as the judicial arbitration department, judicial department fees, and criminal execution and affairs and the foreign communication office. The other departments consist of the administrative affairs, financial affairs, and family consultancies departments.
The ministry of justice has made news lately and has taken strides to be more functional. The minister of justice made a statement in the newspaper on January 3, 2009 about the construction of new facilities. He said, “I asked the Municipality and Ministry of Public Works to expedite the completion of these projects because the existing buildings are narrow and could not meet the required tasks, a matter that requires providing new buildings in order to ensure performing necessary justice”. He was referring to the task of completing the infrastructure projects of the judiciary and ways to accelerate this task. “We will work on completing more largely and quickly those projects as well as accelerating the execution of the requests of the judiciary members” added Hussein Al-Huraiti. Minister Hussein Al-Huraiti also made news in February by publicly thanking His Highness the Amir for allowing for increased funding granted to senior judicial and public prosecution officials. Thanks to the funding, they feel that they can continue to further the path of boosting justice throughout.
Kuwait is moving to build up the methods of work of government bodies using advanced technology in the fields of communication and information. With that being said, they’ve introduced the idea of E-government, which serves the citizens and provides all the facilities to them regarding the judicial department and the work sectors in the Ministry. The Ministry provides justice and preserves the security of the people. The Ministry has created projects such as “E-justice” that provide services and information to the citizens through a global network of information, the internet.
In the first decades of this century, the leaders of Kuwait and whom they authorized from jurists known for their justice were the ones who dealt with the conflicts between civilians according to the Islamic law judgments and traditions. Then in the early fifties courts were established, which specialized in dealing with conflicts presented in front of the court. Also it specializes in registering real estate properties, and it was adjoined in a department called the courts department. In January 1962 the do menial decree of law no 1 of year 1962 was promulgated in the basic system of leadership in the transformation period , and according to it the courts department's term were changed to be the ministry of justice instead. In 11/11/1962 the Kuwaiti constitution was issued. It stressed in article 50 that the leadership system is based on the separation of the legitimate, executive, and the judicial powers and by their cooperation according to its judgments, and that it’s not permitted for any one of them to relinquish all or some of their specialization stated in the constitution. In 9/2/1975 a do menial decree was promulgated to adjoin the ministry of justice and Awqaf and Islamic affairs to one ministry and they re-separated according to a do menial decree promulgated in 6/9/1979. This is a substantial amount of their history with regards to the ministry of justice. As is obvious, they have undergone non-stop modifications in order to make the best system of bringing justice and peace to their state.
Article 1 of the decree promulgated for the ministry of justice in 7/1/1979 has shown these specialties, which are: organizing the necessary means to clear the conflicts presented in courts of its different kinds and considers crimes according to the judgment of law. It is instrumental in carrying out the governmental pleading by the general prosecution in the name of the society in the felonies that are transferred to it from misdemeanors, by investigation, act, and allegation according to law judgments. Among the other things it is imperative for supervising on prisons and other places where penal judgment are executed in as well as providing technical expertise to the justice bodies and other state organizations. It holds works of the official publication for judicial papers and initiatory pleadings ...etc, and execute judgments and writs of execution, and accept its related amounts deposit it and spend it according the law as well as works of real estate registration and authentication, and confirmation, and date listing and visas on commercial records according to law. The final thing that it maintains is cooperation with countries, and Arabian, and Islamic, and foreign organizations in the legal and judicial fields.
The ministry’s body consists of mainly two bodies. The basic bodies of jurisdiction and the other departments. There are several things that Article 231 of chapter two of the decree of law no 23 says shall be in the judiciary body. For instance, there must be a court of causation, court of appeals, and court of first instance just to name a few. Also, there is an Assistant Department of Judiciary Body which covers things such as the judicial arbitration department, judicial department fees, and criminal execution and affairs and the foreign communication office. The other departments consist of the administrative affairs, financial affairs, and family consultancies departments.
The ministry of justice has made news lately and has taken strides to be more functional. The minister of justice made a statement in the newspaper on January 3, 2009 about the construction of new facilities. He said, “I asked the Municipality and Ministry of Public Works to expedite the completion of these projects because the existing buildings are narrow and could not meet the required tasks, a matter that requires providing new buildings in order to ensure performing necessary justice”. He was referring to the task of completing the infrastructure projects of the judiciary and ways to accelerate this task. “We will work on completing more largely and quickly those projects as well as accelerating the execution of the requests of the judiciary members” added Hussein Al-Huraiti. Minister Hussein Al-Huraiti also made news in February by publicly thanking His Highness the Amir for allowing for increased funding granted to senior judicial and public prosecution officials. Thanks to the funding, they feel that they can continue to further the path of boosting justice throughout.
Kuwait-General
Kuwait is the Islamic Middle Eastern state, situated at the northwest extreme of the Persian Gulf, and is somewhat overshadowed and overwhelmed by its neighbors Iran, Saudi Arabia, and especially war-torn Iraq. Despite the troubled neighbors it possesses, Kuwait is slowly starting to attract tourists and businessmen from the West, especially Americans. Those visiting Kuwait today are filled with a lust for adventure that has nothing to do with adrenalin-producing experiences, but rather a yearning to explore a not too radical fundamentalist Muslim culture and witness a country undergoing post-war reconstruction. Its Arabic names means fort, and in essence that's exactly how it was formed, as it was once home to a small desert community until the Al-Sabah family took control, and literally built the first (fortified) settlement in the mid-1700s.
As I said earlier, Kuwait is bordered by Iraq to the North and West, Saudi Arabia to the South, and the Persian Gulf on the East. The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City, which is situated halfway between the top and bottom of the country, along the eastern coast and right off the Kuwait Bay. The country has about 310 miles of coastline with hardly any bodies of water within it. Most of Kuwait is an entirely flat and dry barren desert of sandy plains. The land (desert) begins to rise slightly in the southwest, along the border with Saudi Arabia. As is understandable, Kuwait has very limited agricultural development because of its blazing hot climates and the sandy desert topography. Subsequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost completely on imported food to feed its people.
The country of Kuwait is a very nice place to visit now but it has not always been that way. Kuwait has had a dreadfully turbulent past that has killed off relations between it and its neighbors. On television, with the world watching, Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on August 2, 1990. At this time Iraq claimed Kuwait as its 19th province. Following weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on February 23, 1991, that liberated Kuwait in just four days. Now the country is separated from its threatening neighbor by a wall along its border. This small, oil-rich nation, has resumed a somewhat normal life since the costly Gulf War, however, in the volatile Middle East, controversy is often just around the corner.
The ruined capital, Kuwait City, has risen from the ashes of war to become a buzzing metropolis with gleaming high rises, numerous luxury hotels and lush parks set along wide avenues. The city's major landmark is the Kuwait Towers, visible from the harbor where oil tankers come and go, docking alongside hundreds of cargo ships and pleasure craft. Kuwait is now regarded as a relatively safe destination with plenty to interest the traveler, not only in Kuwait City itself but throughout, from its arid desert plateau to the fertile coastal belt and the nine small offshore islands over which it has sovereignty.
The main good that Kuwait is known for is their oil. They do not produce a whole lot of things so their oil is their trademark and staple. The small Middle East country holds 10 percent of the world's proven oil reserves. During the late 1940s, the extent of Kuwait's oil resources began to emerge and the long term potential of the petroleum industry was realized. Kuwait has the world's fifth largest oil reserves and is one of the richest countries in the world per capita. Petroleum and petroleum products now account for nearly 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Plainly put, the oil reserves that Kuwait is blessed with sets the country up for economic stability and prosperity. Their economy is booming because of the oil that they possess.
Kuwait has a proven crude oil reserves of 104 billion barrels (15 km³), and as I said earlier it is estimated to be 10 percent of the world's reserves. According to the Kuwaiti constitution, all natural resources in the country and associated revenues are government property. Being a tax-free country, Kuwait's oil industry accounts for 80% of government revenue. That is an extremely large amount of the profit for the country. As we can see, they are so dependent on this oil, that without it this country would surely fail. Petroleum and petrochemicals accounts for nearly half of GDP and 95% of export revenues. Increase in oil prices since 2003 has caused a surge in Kuwait's economy. However, Kuwait's economy was badly affected by the global financial crisis of 2008.
The country is a bit diverse. As of 2007, Kuwait's population was estimated to be 3 to 3.5 million people which included approximately 2 million non-nationals. Kuwaiti citizens are therefore a minority of those who reside in Kuwait. The government rarely grants citizenship to foreigners to maintain status quo. They have a stable education system there but only one public university, Kuwait University. Despite that, their oil yields have allowed them to invest in education which resulted in Kuwait having a literacy rate of 93.3 percent. Kuwait is a country just waiting to break through and become a major player on the world stage.
As I said earlier, Kuwait is bordered by Iraq to the North and West, Saudi Arabia to the South, and the Persian Gulf on the East. The capital of Kuwait is Kuwait City, which is situated halfway between the top and bottom of the country, along the eastern coast and right off the Kuwait Bay. The country has about 310 miles of coastline with hardly any bodies of water within it. Most of Kuwait is an entirely flat and dry barren desert of sandy plains. The land (desert) begins to rise slightly in the southwest, along the border with Saudi Arabia. As is understandable, Kuwait has very limited agricultural development because of its blazing hot climates and the sandy desert topography. Subsequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost completely on imported food to feed its people.
The country of Kuwait is a very nice place to visit now but it has not always been that way. Kuwait has had a dreadfully turbulent past that has killed off relations between it and its neighbors. On television, with the world watching, Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on August 2, 1990. At this time Iraq claimed Kuwait as its 19th province. Following weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on February 23, 1991, that liberated Kuwait in just four days. Now the country is separated from its threatening neighbor by a wall along its border. This small, oil-rich nation, has resumed a somewhat normal life since the costly Gulf War, however, in the volatile Middle East, controversy is often just around the corner.
The ruined capital, Kuwait City, has risen from the ashes of war to become a buzzing metropolis with gleaming high rises, numerous luxury hotels and lush parks set along wide avenues. The city's major landmark is the Kuwait Towers, visible from the harbor where oil tankers come and go, docking alongside hundreds of cargo ships and pleasure craft. Kuwait is now regarded as a relatively safe destination with plenty to interest the traveler, not only in Kuwait City itself but throughout, from its arid desert plateau to the fertile coastal belt and the nine small offshore islands over which it has sovereignty.
The main good that Kuwait is known for is their oil. They do not produce a whole lot of things so their oil is their trademark and staple. The small Middle East country holds 10 percent of the world's proven oil reserves. During the late 1940s, the extent of Kuwait's oil resources began to emerge and the long term potential of the petroleum industry was realized. Kuwait has the world's fifth largest oil reserves and is one of the richest countries in the world per capita. Petroleum and petroleum products now account for nearly 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Plainly put, the oil reserves that Kuwait is blessed with sets the country up for economic stability and prosperity. Their economy is booming because of the oil that they possess.
Kuwait has a proven crude oil reserves of 104 billion barrels (15 km³), and as I said earlier it is estimated to be 10 percent of the world's reserves. According to the Kuwaiti constitution, all natural resources in the country and associated revenues are government property. Being a tax-free country, Kuwait's oil industry accounts for 80% of government revenue. That is an extremely large amount of the profit for the country. As we can see, they are so dependent on this oil, that without it this country would surely fail. Petroleum and petrochemicals accounts for nearly half of GDP and 95% of export revenues. Increase in oil prices since 2003 has caused a surge in Kuwait's economy. However, Kuwait's economy was badly affected by the global financial crisis of 2008.
The country is a bit diverse. As of 2007, Kuwait's population was estimated to be 3 to 3.5 million people which included approximately 2 million non-nationals. Kuwaiti citizens are therefore a minority of those who reside in Kuwait. The government rarely grants citizenship to foreigners to maintain status quo. They have a stable education system there but only one public university, Kuwait University. Despite that, their oil yields have allowed them to invest in education which resulted in Kuwait having a literacy rate of 93.3 percent. Kuwait is a country just waiting to break through and become a major player on the world stage.
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