More Nukes in Middle East

According to a recent New York Times article, Pakistan is creating more nuclear bombs. In the last unit we discussed nuclear weapons and their pro's and con's. We briefly learned about the ongoing conflict between Pakistan and India and how both countries having nuclear weapons may have caused them to slow down a little bit and think more about their actions. Pakistan's motive for increasing its nuclear arsenal is not really known. The United States are worried about this because Pakistan has the largest number of terrorists per square mile than any other country. If these bombs get into the wrong hands, the consequences could be catastrophic. As we learned in that unit, there is no learning curve for nuclear warfare, so we must make sure those weapons stay away from the control of terrorists.

Civillian Casualties

On Sunday, American soldiers raided a house in Kut, a city just south of Baghdad. In the process of arresting six men suspected of being part of Shiite militias responsible for several attacks on soldiers, two people were killed. As the soldiers stormed the house, they spotted an armed man whom they believed to be hostile. The soldiers fired at the man and hit a nearby woman. Some people would say that this unfortunate event is the price that must be payed to capture terrorists and some collateral damage will happen, but was this really necessary?

Of the men arrested, all six were questioned and released later on that day. Is it really fair for innocent people like these to go through the ordeal of having their house raided then getting arrested? But if this is not done, will bad guys go free?

The two people killed were a local shiek's wife and his police officer brother who had been startled by the entrance of the soldiers and picked up a gun. Didn't the soldiers think that if they busted into someone's house that they may defend themselves out of fear? Many of the public have been asking the same quesions and are outraged by the event. Had the soldiers only knocked on the door instead of breaking in, many believe the people would have cooperated.



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/world/middleeast/27iraq.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast

Business Travel Romanticized

As someone who likes to travel, business trips seemed to me like the best opportunity in the world.  I envied my dad who often traveled to some of the most amazing parts of the world on trips paid by his company.  However, these trips often turn out to be dreadful experiences.  Business travel is often romanticized by transportation companies in the media.  There are many ads featuring happy businessmen strolling through airports and relaxing on planes then walking out into the sun on a beach in Puerto Rico.  In reality, these trips can be nightmares.  The ads always fail to mention the possibility of a delayed flight and having to wait hours on end at a gate waiting for the poor weather to pass over.  Once on the plane, you may be seated next to some very obnoxious people with nothing to do except stay within the cramped area.  Even if the destination of the trip is some exotic island, there is rarely any time to enjoy it while attending the all day business conference.  Most people do not understand what really goes on during a business trip thanks to the romanticization of them by travel companies.