ce #3

Many claims came out of Iran this week, including threats to cut off oil sales to the European Union as well as boasts about Iran's supposed advances in nuclear technology.

These threats and comments come as Iran is facing scrutiny by the international community regarding its nuclear program, and tensions over oil trade is mounting. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has only heightened such tensions.

The comments made by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other Iranian officials and institutions have been viewed by the U.S. as bluster. Many American officials see the claims and threats as empty attempts by the Iranian leadership to assert authority and strength amidst increasingly tight Western social and economic sanctions- meaning that the West's policies are being viewed as effective.

Our relations with Iran will certainly continue to be uncertain until we determine an effective way to achieve our diplomatic goals while still retaining access to Iran's oil. Iran's nuclear capabilities are a frightening thought, but how big of a threat they actually are and how much Iran wants us to think they are remains to be seen.

{via The Washington Post}

ce #2

Yshe Rigsal, a monk, and his brother were shot and killed by Chinese security forces this past Thursday as a result of their protests against Chinese rule in Tibet. Self-immolations have steadily continued throughout the past three years, as tensions between China and Tibet cease to be resolved.

Tibet's political status has long been debated. It is currently ruled by the People's Republic of China, but dissident groups want Tibetan autonomy for the region. It has also been alleged that human rights abuses by the Chinese against the Tibetan people have taken place. The independence movement is currently led by Free Tibet, a group based in London.

The continuing tensions between Tibet and China illustrate some of the major domestic problems China faces. Despite its surging economy, China will not be able to reach its full potential without settling matters within its borders. Furthermore, the self-immolations and deaths of Tibetans are severely underreported in Western media, highlighting a deficiency in the way we understand the rest of the world.

{via The New York Times}

ce #1

The ruling party in Mexico, the National Action Party (PAN), has chosen Josefina Vazquez Mota to be its candidate in Mexico's July 1 elections. Current President Felipe Calderon is ending his sixth year in office, and will be unable to run again as per Mexican law.

Mexican politics have historically been dominated by three parties: the more conservative National Action Party, the center-left Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), and the Party of the Democratic Revolution. The Party of the Democratic Revolution has selected Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as its candidate; he lost the election in 2006 by a narrow margin. The current frontrunner in the race is the PRI's Enrique Pena Nieto.

Mexico has been plagued by drug wars throughout President Calderon's term in office; this could cause significant problems for Josefina Vazquez Mota. However, the excitement of potentially having a female president may excite voters and overrule these other issues. Though females have run for president in the past, Vazquez Mota's candidacy marks the first time one of the three major parties have nominated a woman.

{via Time}

romney tebowing

This cartoon, illustrated by Rick McKee, depicts Mitt Romney in a suit getting down into the prayer position Denver Bronco Tim Tebow has become so famous for. Two Denver fans look on and remark that "Romney will do anything to win over the Christian right." This cartoon references the trend that Tebow has sparked across the nation and applies it to Mitt Romney's attempt at the GOP nomination. Though Mitt Romney is currently a frontrunner in the Republican race, sketpics have questioned his ability to unite the party and gain enough support to defeat President Obama in November. Tebow's prayer stance is used to illustrate how Mitt Romney is trying to prove such critics wrong. The cartoonist's point-of-view is that of a somewhat critical observer; he, like the public, is watching the Republican primaries play out and perhaps questions Mitt Romney's authenticity as he attempts to gain the support of many different right-leaning groups.

these are the days

So far, senior year has been a blur. Now that I'm finally done with my college applications, I hope that I'll be able to slow down and enjoy the last few months I have left. The beginning of the year felt very rushed and pressure-filled; with the end of first semester nearing closer, hopefully I will be able to slow down the pace. Though I am certainly looking forward to this summer as well as next year, it is important for me not get too caught up in the future. During second semester, I hope to give myself time to do things that I really enjoy- I have not done a good job of that during the first two quarters.

{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlCS-qf7yaM}

the morning after

This cartoon, illustrated by Clay Bennett, depicts a distraught looking woman looking at a note apparently left by her "one-night stand," the GOP. In using a common cultural reference (the morning after) as a metaphor for the GOP's treatment of Iowa, the cartoonist satirizes the nature of the presidential primaries. The cartoonist seems to be echoing the sentiment that the Republican party and the media spend so much time fixated on certain states with early primaries and caucuses, and yet in the big scheme of things it's artificial and means virtually nothing.

the gop nomination

As I've been saying all along, I think that Mitt Romney will get the GOP nomination. Despite Rick Santorum's strong showing in the Iowa caucus and Newt Gingrich's relative popularity, Romney is the sole candidate left who has a chance of reaching the "middle" voters. As other candidates and personalities have come and gone, Mitt Romney has continued to make money and campaign at a steady rate. Though he has yet to truly win over the American population, he seems to be the most logical choice for the GOP nomination. And he'll certainly win Virginia if the only two people on the ballot are Mitt Romney and Ron Paul...