The Gilman News Blog

This is more or less my personal addendum to Kenny Gruen’s Note. Its also partly me reading and spitting back the Economist magazine’s articles about this new Russian resurgence.

Russia’s been really pissed off with the West (when has it not?). However, after the Cold War, Russia’s been too friggin weak to do anything about it. Right now, Russia’s greatest fear is NATO/EU expansionism into its near-abroad. Several countries near Russia’s borders have been trying to gain membership into NATO, which Russia believes is only a puppet string held by the US to project its influence abroad. After all, who are the main armies in Iraq and Afghanistan?

When Georgia decided to go play with the West instead of with Russia, Russia got jealous and plotted revenge. Its that simple. Having a NATO member right on Russia’s borders is bad enough without crazy Chechnya only an hour’s flight away from NATO territory.

Russia’s plan was simple. Flex some military strength without gaining significant losses nor showing the world what’s going on. Russian hackers have been DoS hacking Georgian servers for weeks if not months, aiming for media and government sites. When the electronic side of the conflict was ready, Russia moved a few tanks into South Ossetia which made Pres. Saakashvili do a Bush and try some small “peacekeeping” attacks. It was, however, a well-planned trap for him because it only gave Russia the green light to throw in even more military power, power that Georgia could not even try to stop. Whatever happens afterwards doesn’t matter.

The Economist’s analysis:

Russia’s attack on Georgia has shown all of its neighbors what will happen when they get too far from the Russian sphere of influence. Its not healthy for other leaders. Secondly, NATO would never accept Georgia as a member until Georgia solves its own military problems. Given NATO’s creed, “An armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all,” and Western Europe’s unwillingness to go to war, Russia has essentially pushed back the ascension of Georgia to NATO by at least a decade.

My Analysis:

Oil prices have been skyrocketing making Russia extremely rich. However, Russia’s economy is like Saudi Arabia. Money but no investment. Georgia’s two rebel territories, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, have large oil reserves as well as a pipe-line that if destroyed, would make oil prices jump at least $20 a barrel making Russia even richer.

Russia wouldn’t care about the Olympics as a symbol of peace. They might care if it were the winter olympics but Russia and summer Olympics don’t go together well, as evidenced by the number of medals won by Russia so far. I think that Russia timed the attack now because of three reasons: 1. moderate weather. No Russian snowstorms to hamper operations and possibly give Georgia an advantage. 2. Lots of world leaders are on break watching the Olympics, in particular Bush. 3. Falling gas prices. Russians want them higher.

From a realist’s standpoint, a country’s military and its ability to wage war directly affects its power over other countries.  The ability to wage war is therefore tantamount to a country’s success.  However, the ability to wage war is based on many factors, including geography, economy, technology, and the willpower of the people.  Since the will of the people can be easily changed in relation to the three former factors, it will be assumed that the will of the people will be war, whether defensive or offensive.

In the past, there have been three different kinds of military power: land, sea, and air.  Since land-based military power is the most basic, it was developed first, followed by sea and air.  In the ancient Roman days, land based militaries were Rome’s form of power projection and were the norm for hundreds of years.  However, by World War I, land-based military power became obsolete as technology increased the defensive and offensive capabilities of land armies to include machine guns, heavy artillery, and armored vehicles.  In the essence, WWI was won by stalemate and not by brilliant commanders and better militaries.

From the 15th century on, important wars and events were starting to be dominated by naval abilities.  The most important event in the 15th century was undoubtedly the discovery of the Americas.  After 1492, immigrants from Europe, which would suffer many civil wars, revolutions, two World Wars, and the waning of European influence, started to move to the Americas in search of new lives as well as to ship back materials such as gold, furs, cotton, and tobacco.  The new colonies in the Americas would have a thriving economy with Europe that depended on oceanic trade and therefore good navies.  In time, the cross-Atlantic trading would grow both Europe and the colonies until the colonies’ economies and navies would eclipse their parent nations.  Without powerful navies and merchant marines the colonies would have failed.  Later, navies would play a major part in shaping World War II and Napoleon’s Wars.  Both Napoleon and Hitler were stopped from invading Britain by navies, and were subsequently defeated by them.

With World War II, aerial military units started to take major roles in war.  Pearl Harbor, Battle of Britain, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Berlin Airlift were all showcases for aerial power.  The Korean War would’ve resulted in much heavier losses if it weren’t for helicopters.  With the advent of nuclear weapons and associated delivery systems, air power became the only way to deal with nuclear threats.  Land and sea-based militaries could never deal with nuclear weapons.
I believe that in the 21st or 22nd centuries, space-based military units will start to wield considerable leverage over world affairs.  During former President Reagan’s term, he tried to initiate space-based weapons research, dubbed Star Wars.  Although the costs of space weapons were too high, I believe that is where the future lies.  Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and spy satellites are the beginning of space weapons.  With further development of launch vehicles, space will prompt the creation of a whole new class of military weapons.

Whoever controls space weapons will be the new superpower of the 21st century.

After having gone through the college applications process and high school, I feel like I’ve learned a lot of tips that can help underclassmen still in high school. Right now, rising seniors are starting the college application process while college admissions officers are gearing up for college applications seminars, interviews, and tours. Later, they’ll be reading applications and making decisions, which will carry on until April.

Although many juniors will be stressing out about college applications in the next few months, I would like to give my first word of advise: college admissions officers really are working for your best interests. Many college applicants see college admissions as a one-way contest; that is, a contest to get into the university or college that is the highest up on US News’ college rankings. That simply is the wrong mindset Each person has their optimal college and each person’s optimal college is not necessarily an Ivy League. While some people realize this, especially people who apply to specialized schools such as musical conservatories and technical schools, it is lost on the majority of people who still have little idea on what they wish to major in. College admissions officers also know of this mindset, and plan accordingly in their decision-making.

My second tip is somewhat ambiguous: you must have passion. Unless you’ve been convicted of a felony or your parents are millionaires, every college admissions officer looks for passion, whether it be a passion for academics, sports, or character. There is nothing that an admissions officer hates more than an obviously smart person who doesn’t care about anything. Its hard to express passion if you don’t have passion because you risk sounding stupid or insincere, which gives admissions officers even more incentive to take passion seriously and “reward” you for it.

Third, don’t underestimate any part of your application. Although no part of your application is make-or-break, except possibly for the aforementioned “felony” question - “Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor, felony, or other crime?” (Common Application) - every part should be taken seriously. Everybody takes the essays seriously, of course, since essays take up the majority of the time of college applications.

I believe people need to pay more attention to two application parts in particular: teacher recommendation letters and extracurriculars. Both recommendation letters and extracurriculars reflect passion. Anybody can get good grades or good standardized test scores but only people with passion and leadership potential shine in the recommendations and extracurriculars areas of applications. That being said, make sure you think about which teachers you pick to ask for recommendations. Many colleges will ask for one recommendation from a humanities teacher and one from a science/math teacher. Make sure that you pick teachers who can write good persuasive essays (and have the time to write them) and remember/like you well. Teachers of small classes that you excelled in are good picks. In the extracurriculars section, list several extracurriculars that you’ve done in order of importance to you. If applicable, officer positions and extracurriculars that you’ve been in longer should be at the top of the list.

My last tip is apply to colleges that you’d want to attend, not necessarily colleges where you think you have a chance at getting admission or where other people want you to apply. Yes, the class of 2013 is going to have the hardest time gaining admission into college than any time in US history, but that doesn’t mean you should try “gaming the system” or “self-selecting yourself out” because you don’t think you have the ability to gain admission into a college with 20%, 10% or less than 10% admission rate. Those numbers don’t really mean anything because if your character and your skills fit into a school you’ve applied to, then you will gain admission. Also, don’t let other people tell you where you should be going to college. Your applications for college now will dictate where you’ll be spending the next four years after high school.  That being said, the current college admissions is very stormy with increasing domestic and international applicants as well as the ending of early applications by top colleges such as Yale and Harvard so I would like to advise everyone to stick to the rule of 3 safety schools, 3 50-50 schools, and 3 reach schools.

My last tip: good luck.

Albert Wang will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a freshman in Fall 2008.

?????????????? ????? ???????? Back in the 20th century, the United States and Europe held virtually all power in the world with a few exceptions such as Japan and Russia. In the 21st century, new regions are becoming powerhouses in the global economy, and consequently, global politics. One nation in particular, China, is starting to dominate global international relations. Starting with its Permanent 5 seat in the UN Security Council and working its way up to ASEAN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China already has a great deal of clout in eastern Asia. Nowadays, it has over $50 billion invested in Africa and many billions more elsewhere. (An Awkward Meeting - The Economist) The US, still has a great deal of influence over China. After all, China’s economy still largely works on mercantilism, exporting manufactured goods to the US and elsewhere.

Now, with the rise of the Chinese middle class and an increasing domestic consumer economy, China cares less and less about what its foreign customers think of Chinese business. China is now well-developed in terms of an economy but its politics and ethics are still underdeveloped. It invests in human rights violators such as Zimbabwe and Sudan, helping their governments with infusions of interest-free loans and weapons while hurting their peoples. China itself is rife with human rights violations itself, using censors and propaganda to prop its government up.

What China is doing right now will not work in the long run. For now, it can get away with polluting its air and funding human rights violators but its not a self-sustainable operation. What the US and Europe needs to do is teach China good business practices now before China becomes Big Brother.

It was a really cold afternoon at McDonogh School, but that didn’t deter the largest football crowd this season. Starting behind the field, the fans marched in with flags, towels, and a bagpipe band. The game was a great one, and close throughout. Tied at 21, Gilman scored the game-winning touchdown, and then on the ensuing McDonogh drive, made the interception to seal the win, 28-21. The win meant everything for the seniors, salvaging a dissapointing season. Not only did Gilman beat their arch-rivals, but also took away the MIAA Championship from the Eagles. The class of 2008 finished 3-1 against McDonogh.

China is now one of the most closely examined countries in the world by political scientists, politicians, economists, and the like. After industrializing at an extremely rapid pace in the last few years, China now dominates eastern Asia as well as Africa. China plays a controversial part in the politics of many African nations, especially in Sudan, and it has oft been criticized for using Africa’s resources for its own economic development.

I would like to advance the position that economics will determine China’s future. Although China is still officially a Communist nation, Communism is only a nominal organization of government. Capitalism now determines the country’s future, with large companies like PetroChina playing politics. China’s government meanwhile only helps pave the way for these companies to do what they want, with little oversight to human rights violations and corruption.

What China’s Communist party is basically trying to do now is stay afloat. With the increasing globalization of other democratic countries into China, democratic and capitalist systems will take hold. For now, the government has the power to keep hold of the Chinese people, but within the next few decades, China’s economy will grow stronger than the Communist government. When faced with either battling to keep an all but superficial communist ideal or acquiesce to a richer capitalist nation, the government will give up its Communist beliefs and will steadily become democratic. In the improbable case that the Communist party tries to stay communist, resisting the pressures of domestic and foreign economies, the government will be easily stopped. Although they do have one of the largest armies in the world, money will prevail in the end. A country without an economy is dead; a country without an army is merely at risk from other countries.

Reading news stories about how the UN is “ineffective” “toothless” and a “total joke” I find that many people point to what they did (and did not do) in Rwanda. In cases where current humanitarian crises are concerned, Darfur for example, many people advocate the US going in and “sorting the government out.” Nice thinking. We just need another place to get stuck in like Iraq and Afghanistan. We also get a nice supply of oil from beneath Sudan.

This is a “Have your Say” Post from the BBC:

The only thing that will work in Darfor is gun-boat diplomacy. Put a couple of Aircraft carriers off the coast and explain what will happen if they dont resign from goverment for killing 100,000’s of their own people.

Do this a couple of times and the evil dictators of this world will quickly fall in line.

REMEMBER THE UN IS A TOTAL JOKE- (think Rawanda)

Firstly, putting aircraft carriers on the coast would be perceived as an act of war. It would not help our efforts in Sudan and may even hinder our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The thing is, the Rwandan genocide could be blamed on the US, Europe, as well as the UN. The UN was in Rwanda when the genocide started. Where was the US when the genocide started? Where were the famed US Marines, those soldiers who can deploy anywhere in the world within 24 hours? Americans blame the UN for not acting when the US didn’t do anything either.

Update: For those people who have access to New York Times Select, here’s a good article about what Bush should do in Darfur. Mr. Bush, Here’s A Plan For Darfur

I would like to thank all who contributed to the Save Darfur Fundraising Campaign. Firstly, thanks to the people who bought shirts. They’ve arrived, although very late. Stop by Mr. Kirby’s office and you can pick yours up.

The total number of shirts sold was 94, worth about $1100.

Also, thanks to all the people who bought wristbands and to the people who made donations. We did not take down the names of people who bought wristbands and made donations.

Total amount of contribution that the Gilman community made was about $1600.

Its been a long time since I’ve posted anything, so I have a new post to share.

I was scanning the news today when I came upon an article from The Guardian, a British newspaper. You can see the article here: A Very Private War - The Guardian. The major thing that the article calls attention to is the rise of security contractors in US Foreign Policy. Currently, “There are now 630 companies working in Iraq on contract for the US government, with personnel from more than 100 countries offering services ranging from cooking and driving to the protection of high-ranking army officers. Their 180,000 employees now outnumber America’s 160,000 official troops. The precise number of mercenaries is unclear, but last year, a US government report identified 48,000 employees of private military/security firms.”

Does anybody see something noteworthy in that? There are more mercenaries than American troops in Iraq. If you have read to this part of the post, you probably know that a mercenary is a hired gun, and also that mercenaries aren’t to be trusted. Why is the US relying so much on mercenary companies like Blackwater to do its dirty work in Iraq? One of these mercenaries “allegedly shot and killed an Iraqi bodyguard of the Shia vice-president Adil Abdul-Mahdi last Christmas Eve inside the Green Zone. Blackwater officials confirm that after the incident they whisked the contractor safely out of Iraq, which they say Washington ordered them to do. Iraqi officials labeled the killing a “murder”. The company says it fired the contractor but he has yet to be publicly charged with any crime.”

The most disturbing part of this article is the incomplete control that the US government has over its private armies. Unlike the US military, the first allegiance these mercenary companies has is for their clients and stockholders. Although they have not broken with the status quo, they are out of control.

Why is it that atrocities committed by mercenaries are not prosecuted? Why is it that at times these mercenaries are paid more than the Secretary of Defense? Why is it that these private armies are more powerful than some national militaries? What if they are hired by rogue organizations or individuals with large cash reserves? The government needs to stop using dubious mercenaries to achieve its ends and use a more transparent army: their own military.

Over 42,000 fans filled the stands at Oriole Park last night. Most did not come to see the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Instead, they came to pay tribute to a legend, a Baltimore sports hero. His name was Cal Ripken Jr. Ever heard of him? A huge “8″ jersey stood behind center field, a special design behind home plate, and back on the warehouse wall were four numbers: 2 6 3 2. 2632, the consecutive games streak and the proof of Ripken’s dedication to the game. On hand for the celebration were Eddie Murray, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Earl Weaver, and the Ripken family. After a video tribute, Ripken came out in a car from right field to a standing ovation. From the car, which was moving ever so slowly down the warning track, Ripken threw baseballs into the stands and shook hands with fans. The entrance was quite drawn out, and for a fan, the drama slowly died down to nothingness, such that by the time Ripken got out of the car, and started down the orange carpet towards the chairs in the infield, most of the crowd had gone quiet and had to muster up another cheer. For older fans, it was trip back in time, a chance to see all of the previous Oriole greats and remember their accomplishments. For newer fans, me included, it was one last opportunity to see the Iron Man before he goes to Cooperstown this Sunday. Ripken made a short speech, picking out some of his favorite memories of his career, including moving from Memorial Stadium to Camden Yards. After his speech, Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon came onto the field to a spatter of boos, naming this Sunday Cal Ripken Jr. Day. Meanwhile, both teams watched, whether from the top step of the dugout, or in between stretches in the outfield. The ceremony ended at around 7:30, and many people started leaving. By 7:40, the real game began. Daniel Cabrera, known for his inconsistency and lack of control, pitched a beauty, going 7 innings of 1-hit ball. The one hit would have been a routine grounder had Roberts not been going to second to cover on the hit-and-run. It was a pitching duel for 5 innings with Kazmir matching zeroes with Cabrera. The Orioles had the bases loaded in the 5th with one out, but a pop-out and strikeout ended the threat. Cabrera, despite 5 walks, was never in much trouble, thanks to 4 double plays. The Orioles finally broke through in the 6th. Markakis singled, took second on a ground ball, and then scored on an Aubrey Huff single. Then, two more runs came in the 7th thanks to back to back walks with the bases loaded. Up 3-0 in the 8th, Chris Gomez doubled, the only Orioles’ extra-base hit of the night, but before another pitch was thrown, he was caught easily trying to steal 3rd. Jamie Walker came on in the 9th, allowing a 2-out double before enducing the final fly out to right. It was an honor for me to be there to salute the Orioles’ past and watch the Orioles’ future.