The "war on terror"

In the name of the “war on terror,” a bomb was dropped in Waziristan this morning, May, 8, 2010, killing three and wounding many more. One must ask how this attack has impacted the war on terror. Has an attack which may have killed an individual terrorist along with civilians garnered support for the war, or is it creating enemies? Will those affected by the attack praise the actions of the US and its allies or turn to the side of the Taliban and extremist forces at work in the region?

Honestly answering such questions brings to light the need for alternative offensives in the war on terror. Alternative “offensives” could include improving education, democratic institutions, and women’s rights, as well as combating corruption and encouraging transitional justice. Focusing on such efforts would give the people of Afghanistan alternatives to joining the Taliban and would lead to long lasting, meaningful development and change in the region. Additionally, focusing efforts on curbing the power and meddling behaviors of the Pakistani government and ISI will go a long way in proving to Afghanistan that the world is willing to give them a chance to stand on their own two feet.

Future US Diplomatic and Intelligence Actions in Fighting the Worldwide Jihadist Threat

Diplomatic Relations

President Obama’s speech to the Muslim community in Cairo during 2009 set the stage for improved diplomatic relations with Muslims worldwide. While we have increased diplomatic presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is still a great need to improve upon diplomatic relations with other Muslim nations. Most notably, the Department of State must more publicly hold Muslim nations such as Sudan and Saudi Arabia accountable for their human rights violations and their willingness to harbor jihadists and extremist clerics. Similarly, the US must begin to listen to the cries of jihadists and Muslims worldwide who view the atrocities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as an extension of the United States. While it may not be politically beneficial to hold Israel accountable for its violation of UN sanctions and poor treatment of Palestinians, in the long run, making a clear distinction between the US and Israel will go a long way in winning the hearts and minds of Muslims worldwide. Focusing our foreign aid and efforts on developing areas of the Middle East other than Israel will signal the rise of a more balanced US foreign policy.

As the US government has expressed concern over Iran’s growing nuclear capabilities, it may be time to reconsider the choice to completely sever diplomatic relations with the country. Though controversial, initiating diplomatic relations with Iran will allow for greater political influence and recognition of the growing discontent and call for democracy by Iranians. Similarly, increasing diplomatic relations through what Secretary Hillary Clinton calls “21st Century Statecraft” will expand US influence on groups which are not as accessible through traditional channels of diplomacy. By focusing on gaining the support of the current and future leaders of the Middle East, the US will experience better relations in the short and long term. Utilizing technology and the worldwide web will counter the spread of jihadist ideology and recruitment through these mediums.

Human Intelligence

As seen by the recent “Christmas Day Bombing” attempt and a suicide bombing of a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan which killed 8 CIA employees, there is a need to improve the human intelligence aspect of our fight against jihadists. There have been significant failures since even before September 11th in the ability of the US intelligence agencies to share and coordinate information concerning terror plots. Appropriately combining the efforts of the CIA, DHS, DoJ, DoS Bureau of Diplomatic Security, FBI, and NSA will go a long way in protecting the American people.

While we have avoided an attack on US soil since 2001, we must continue to be vigilant, making prevention of an attack of the utmost importance. We must also prepare ourselves and the American public for the fact that a terrorist attack in the US is imminent—a question of “when” rather than “if.” The CIA had virtually unlimited autonomy in its activities during the Cold War and conversely extremely limited autonomy during the Clinton administration. The relationship between the US government and the Agency must take a more balanced approach to funding and oversight in order for it to be effective while avoiding “blowback.” By improving the ability of intelligence agencies to conduct their human intelligence activities, we will better be able to analyze and prevent future attacks. Though the political tides in Washington may change, consistent support for the intelligence community both financially and politically is imperative
Continuing strategic relationships with foreign intelligence agencies including the Jordanian Intelligence Agency and the British MI-5 and MI-6 will be beneficial to intercepting and thwarting threats. Conversely, greater discretion needs to be taken with the Pakistani ISI and the Saudi GIP. Using discretion will prevent Pakistani and Saudi government and military officials who are sympathetic to the Bin Laden and the Taliban from foiling US intelligence and military actions against al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Don't let anything steal your JOY

MY MOM AND I IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE 4TH!

4^th of July in the nation’s capitol was so memorable. I was blessed with the presence of my mom, aunts, and family friend Sally. The fireworks on the national mall illuminating the Washington monument was unbelievable. Our weekend was filled with fun laughs and new adventures, including our double-decker bus tour that put us in danger of being knocked out by low branches and OF COURSE, a trip to Georgetown Cupcake :). Our most unusual activities included the Georgetown dog parade and going to the White House Visitor Center’s CHILDREN’S activity during which we wore patriot hats and pretended to be part of the Continental Congress that ratified the Declaration of Independence. After having guests I realized how I have truly become well acclimated in a new city!

JULIA AND I AT THE GEORGETOWN DOG PARADE

MY FAMILY AND I AT LA TASCA IN CHINATOWN

This past weekend I realized that I have moved past the tourist stage as I ran into people around DC whom I had met since arriving here. A friend from Pittsburgh came to visit me last weekend. He and several other of us in DC met two years ago in Philadelphia through the Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship Program. It was fun to reunite for a fun filled weekend. We had a full weekend with dinner, karaoke, salsa dancing, a 4.5 mile hike in the Shenandoah Mountains, a rooftop party and a short trip to the farmer’s market all between 5pm on Friday and Sunday at noon! I have had very eventful weekends (and weeks) including a trip to the movie theater for the midnight showing of Bruno—highly inappropriate yet hilarious moments.

FELLOW WASHINGTON CROSSING SCHOLARS

ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL WATERFALLS WE SAW ON OUR MOUNTAIN HIKE

I continue getting closer with my roommates which has been great! Out of all of my experiences here, I have most consistently enjoyed them! We had our biggest setback last week when a mouse popped out from behind the stove. It freaked me out as I stood on the couch and screamed. Julia told me to stop screaming followed by her short panic. We came to the conclusion that we couldn’t kill the mouse because we are vegetarians and mouse traps are animal cruelty. So…we just scrubbed the kitchen and have been sanitizing things more frequently, cohabitating with who Katie calls “Stewart”.

Work has been pretty slow, but I have had some cool opportunities that I am thankful for. First, I have been able to attend an Arabic language table during lunch. People who speak Arabic have very interesting backgrounds and having a sign at our lunch table that says “Arabic Table” in Arabic attracts some interesting people from future translators to missionaries to a man born and raised in the Gaza Strip! I was also given the opportunity to go to the Saudi Arabian Embassy to learn about the culture and the people of Saudi Arabia. It was a beautiful embassy, and I got to ask some “politically charged” questions of the PR person, all of which he answered skillfully. A highlight of my time at the State Department came when I was able to see Secretary Clinton speak at the employee Town Hall meeting last Friday. I admired many of her remarks and her great interest and interactions with employees and interns who had questions and comments.

My time here has brought me so many happy moments. However, for some odd reason I have been thinking almost daily about the Bible verse that says “consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of any kind because we know that the testing of our faith develops perseverance.” (James 1:2) Now I know that I was thinking of this verse because I was about to face an emotional trial… I had a bit of a setback yesterday which was really unexpected. Today my attitude was seriously impacted and consumed by the issue, but when I left work that verse kept scrolling through my head. I decided to work out to a different playlist (Bob Marley). Listening to a song called “Positive Vibrations” actually relaxed me. I had been thinking all day that I need to be positive but didn’t know how to pick my mood up. The workout helped! When I walked out of the gym, I felt an amazing peace and then…got half off at Qdoba! Today is significant to me because I feel that I have matured so much since last year. It was through the trials I had last year that I learned to deal with unexpected trials. Today I felt the verse is true…I have developed “perseverance.”

Be encouraged when you read this and know that whatever trials you are facing are for a reason. Remember, a trial today might be just what you need to face a trial tomorrow!

LIFE IS GOOD

Since I last posted, life has continued to get more and more exciting. I have been enjoying life in DC so much! I continue to make new friends each week and have finally established a consistent routine with work.

Last weekend I went to dinner with my Bible Study group to a wonderful little restaurant in Chinatown. Afterwards, I went out with some other interns from work which was an absolute blast! I really hit it off with some fellow interns I met through orientation which is nice because I don’t have to tag along with my roommates and their friends. I also got to see a good family friend last week who was here for work. It was a nice way to ease any homesickness!

Bible Study out to Dinner in Chinatown

Getting around the city has become easier each day. I now know how to efficiently use the metro bus and train systems! However, Friday I decided to walk home from the gym and there was a huge thunderstorm! The wind started blowing me over so I had to hide under a porch while it was hailing and pouring rain! I emerged to find fallen trees blocking the street and smashing into cars. Thankfully I made it out without a scrath...Just a little WET! I am becoming more of an actual adult every day...my first grocery shopping trip alone was last weekend Saturday and did an amazing job of staying within my budget. Budgeting is a new challenge for me, but I think I am doing a really good job thus far! Furthermore, my roommate told me I am going to be a good mom because I cook so well...that may be the FIRST and LAST time anyone ever tells me that!

I know I jokingly told some of you I was looking for love while in DC, and I want you all to know, I have had several dating “opportunities”, one of which happened on my way home from the grocery store. I was waiting at the bus stop and a bus (which I didn’t need) stopped. I waved the bus driver on only to have the driver stop the bus (while the light was red) and ask me for my phone number. Imagine my and the many people on the crowded bus shock! I politely declined...On my way to work last week one of the garbage men pretended to ask me for directions and instead gave me his phone number…Bernard’s number is still being proudly displayed on our refrigerator. I also have had one successful dating experience with someone who is a college student and does not work for any department of the city of DC service sector :)

My roommates are absolutely amazing. I enjoy being with each of them. Recently, we have all gotten into watching “Jon and Kate Plus 8” and “The Bachelorette”. Even though each of us is different, we all get along and are open to getting to know each other better every day. My roommate Julia and I went to the Caribbean Festival/Parade by Howard University on Saturday. It was a great experience to see everyone in the neighborhood out to celebrate Caribbean culture. I even met a guy with a pet boa constrictor who let me take a picture with his snake! On Saturday evening I had a bunch of interns from work over to our apartment. It was great to relax (more like act wild) and bond with everyone—we had guests until 3:30 AM!

The CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL

The BOA CONSTRICTOR!

My roomate JULIA and I at the Caribbean Festival

This Sunday I played the piano for worship at church, and my roommate Russell played guitar. I enjoy being a part of a church body that is so welcoming to people using their gifts and talents. My faith has really been impacted by my time here. I feel that I am struggling with old temptations, but I also feel that I am growing closer to God in my quite times and fellowship with fellow believers. I have been able to mix my faith well in DC. I went to the Invisible Children “HOW IT ENDS” rally in front of the White House last week which was part of Invisible Children’s campaign to help rescue child soldiers from Northern Uganda. It is an amazing organization and hearing women from Uganda speak about the situation there was inspirational. More than anything, hearing the way their faith impacted their work gave me a renewed hope. My daily devotions have been coming out of the book “Wired for a life of Worship” by Louie Giglio. I have been so struck by what it means to worship and very convicted in my own life of where I direct my worship. My weekly Bible Study has convinced me that small groups are important in your faith. It is refreshing to support and be supported by a group of young Christians.

At the INVISIBLE CHILDREN Rally

Besides all of these wonderful experiences, I have had the opportunity to go to events at the State Department which are quite enriching. I will be going to some amazing places in the next week so keep checking for updates.

Although my time here has been very positive, I have been very saddened by two events that occurred in DC in the last couple weeks. First, the shooting at the Holocaust Museum which killed one security guard and second, the metro accident that killed 9. Both impacted me more than I thought they would. I think it is because I can see myself in their shoes. I ride the metro and have gone to the Holocaust Museum. Given there are many people who do and have done those things, but I think it mainly showed me how precious and unpredictable life really is. How one second you can be texting a friend or reading a book on the metro and the next dead in a freak accident. In everything, I have been inspired to live my life to the fullest while I am here. I want to soak in new experiences and be thankful for the blessings I have. Even if I have a long day, I remind myself at least once a day “LIFE IS GOOD.” I think no matter how horrible life may seem, it is possible to be thankful for even the most basic of things. This may not pull me out of a bad mood but at the very least it can bring me back to the reality that each person who is still living is blessed to have each breath we breathe. This weekend my mom, her friend Sally and my two aunts are coming to visit. The Fourth of July in DC ought to be an amazing time! Enjoy the pictures that I post…there will be many more to come :)

Welcome to the District!

Wow! I cannot believe I have only been in DC for 10 days. It already feels like I have been here for a while. Life here is off to a great start, and God has been doing some awesome things.

I have been making friends here and there, but the friends I have made are really great! I didn’t know any of my roommates before I came to DC but I really enjoy them. We got a free TV from the guys downstairs so that is our nightly activity after we get home from work and the gym. We are all fairly new at cooking, but we have gotten pretty creative with our meals. One of my roommates Russell was actually a Bible camp counselor last summer, so we went to church together and Bible study together as well! (The church I am attending is called 3 strands community church. It is much like my church, Damascus Road in Madison! There are tons of interns, and everyone is really relaxed and friendly. I may be playing the piano for worship in the near future.) Katie and I are TV addicts and watch the show Snapped and anything we can possibly think of to DVR every night. Julia is the resident “mom” who is always checking in with us to make sure everyone had a good day at work. At work, I met an intern named Laura who was also a Bible camp counselor before this summer, and she is in a sorority like me! I do not know how it’s possible that 2 of my 6 friends so far are camp counselors, but that just shows God is at work! We eat lunch together every day, workout together, and spent a good chunk of the weekend together exploring DC. For only knowing one another for a week, we have had a lot of great memories already. We went down to the waterfront last weekend where people dock their boats. Some guys waved us to come on their boat, so we joined the festivities and hung out there all day! It was a blast. I met another intern who I hung out with Laura and I over the weekend. His best friend from school in New York is from Wisconsin and he went to high school with a my friend from school. (SMALL WORLD) I was out and about in this area called Adams Morgan on Saturday night and saw a girl who I work with in the Information and Tour Guide office…we were very surprised to run into each other as you can imagine!

Work so far is good! I have learned a lot of interesting things and enjoy chatting with all of the interesting people I work with. There is actually a UW alumnus in my office and when my boss was in the Foreign Service, his best friend was from Wisconsin as well!

TONS OF WISCONSIN (and random) connections, and I am sure there will be more random ones to come!

I am reading a really great book called “Wired for a Life of Worship” by Louie Giglio. It is an amazing encouragement to worship God with every opportunity we receive.

Shoot me an email/call if you want to catch up more!

Love,
Antoinette

Money Can Solve Africa's Development Problems if...the West Wakes Up!

There are two general areas that both the “no” and “yes” camps focus on in discussing this topic—empowerment and entrepreneurship. The empowerment group invokes the idea of “Africans for Africa.” First, young Africans must focus on turning their problems into opportunities. Many site Uganda as an excellent case in point. The president of Uganda worked to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS through using methods that empowered individuals in a way that was culturally relevant and thus more effective than Western programs. I think the example of Uganda is an important case study in the power of Africans to rise up and take action to solve their own problems. After examining aid programs in African countries, it is clear that “Western arrogance” is not limited to “cookie cutter” problem solving in the Middle East. Western countries and citizens believe that they have the superior solutions to Africa’s problems. In reality, Western countries and citizens are unaware of the cultural and political differences in Africa and have no reason to believe that their money can change the continent. Rather than “throwing money” at Africa, Westerners should follow the advice of one development pioneer Edward Green, and “go to Africa with humility, open minds, and the ability to learn and discern what works in different cultural settings.” By understanding other cultures, development organizations and Western citizens will be able to understand how to really help the citizens of poor countries. One organization that has done a particularly good job in helping empower local groups is Kiva, which allows you to lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world—empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty. The World Bank and other development organizations should take a hint from Kiva and start empowering citizens rather than corrupt governments.

Encouraging entrepreneurship is also an excellent way to increase quality of life, economic growth, and market competition. The idea of “seed loans” of $10,000-$20,000 to small entrepreneurs is a good starting point. When people have control of their own economic future, they will be more likely to sustain growth because they will be interested and motivated to make their own ideas succeed. Some might feel such arguments are purely normative; however, their foundations represent free enterprise, a goal which all major economies and economic organizations claim to support. China (though I'm not a huge fan) is a great example in showing that free enterprise is not only possible in Western, democratic countries, but can be achieved when entrepreneurs in any country take responsibility for their own well being. The recent rise in competition between private and public education in Africa is case in point of the positive changes that can happen when people take initiative to help themselves.

Overall, the prospects for development in Africa look bleak. As idealistic as I am, I do not see Western culture moving away from viewing money as the main solution to solving Africa’s problems. Each year, the number of organizations and people collecting money to help Africa continues to grow yielding only short term results that do not help solve long term problems. If Western citizens and governments are actually serious about investing in the future of Africans, they need to promote more engaging and personal development strategies that will lead to a better understanding of cultural differences and involvement of Africans in solving their own problems.