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| Courtesy of the Associated Press |
This month could not be more accurately describe by any words other than rising action. With the escalating tensions with North Korea, the scheduled Middle East Peace Talks, as well as the many other surprises that developed across the world this month. The month of August 2010 could very well be the rising action that will dictate much of the worlds, near and distant future.
Asia
Most of the politics on Asian continent revolved around the Korean peninsula once again this month, with the North Korean/United States relationship being stressed even further. Aijalon Mahli Gomes, a man held captive in North Korea since January for crossing into the country illegally, was sentenced this month to eight years of hard labor in a North Korean labor camp as well as a $600,000 fine. The situation seemed lost until former President Jimmy Carter went to North Korea and guaranteed the release of Gomes who was then allowed to come back to the United States. This story seems eerily reminiscent to that of Laura Ling and Euna Lee who were also held captive in North Korea until a former president, Bill Clinton, was sent to rescue them. It seems to me that more and more North Korea is just trying to get media attention in order to get high profile visits from US dignitaries. Why doesn't our government try to curb North Korea's temper tantrum foreign policy. Every time they make a complete fool out of our bets delegates and dignitaries so why don't we step up our game. We could perhaps even use their apparent addiction to attention to our advantage, using high profile visits as an incentive to make the Hermit Kingdom more conducive to our goals.
Middle East
The biggest news from the Middle East this month has to be the development of peace talks between the Palestinian Authority as well as the Israeli government. The Obama Administration has announced that while parameters for a peace settlement is the goal, one meeting does not a settlement make. I applaud this statement because not only is it realistic it is fair. It shows both sides that we want a solution but that the United States is willing to work for an end. The President has basically said its not a race to a finish and that we want to do this right, and that deserves credit. Both the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will be in attendance. Perhaps the most reassuring note comes from the Israeli Prime Minister who has said "I am not naive, but I believe that a permanent peace agreement is an attainable goal." With an attitude like that it shows that at least one side is coming to the table willing to negotiate. This very well could be the most important thing the Obama Administration has, or could, accomplish in its entire term. And to be honest, I hope Obama gets this victory. Always remember, peace isn't partisan.
The Americas
Some of the most interesting politics have come from the tiny island nations of Haiti and Cuba where an it looks like one political career may be on the rise and another one seems to be making a comeback. Earthquake ravaged Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, is electing a new President, and one of the (possible) candidates could be Wyclef Jean. The outspoken Fugee has decided to throw his hat into the ring and run for President. However, the singer may have hit a road block. Haitian election officials have announced that he is not eligible to run because they had decided that he was not a resident of the country. After initially announcing that he would accept the ruling, Wyclef has since decided to contest the issue. This is an interesting development in the decimated country and in my opinion I don't see why he can't do it. For decades politicians have made a mess of Haiti so really, can Wyclef Jean do any worse?
Also this month an old political name comes to mind, one who has been written off as being near death, that name is Fidel Castro. The former President of Cuba the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba allowed a rare interview with a Mexican news agency. In the interview, Castro never said what illness ails him, but he did say that he had previously been at deaths door. He also claims that he still has trouble walking but that he truly feels like he is "someone who has come back from the dead." He also has stated that his work is not done and that he aims to create an anti-war organization to dismantle the current nuclear standoff that is playing out across the globe. An interesting development to say the least.
What's to come?
The beauty of the future is that no one can be for certain and that each day breaks anew. However, this months rising action has given me hope that some of t he worlds most troubling issues may soon come to a resolution, or at the very least be discussed more thoroughly.
Later,
Cody
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