Category: Politics & Government 2182

The building of a wall between Mexico and the United States was meant primarily to prevent illegal immigration. Over the years, the government of the United States has grappled with problems arising from the porous southern border. Eventually, the government resolved to build a wall and entrench this development into the countrys laws through the Secure Fence Act of 2006. The debate has been rife concerning the building of the Great Wall of America.

There are those people who feel that the wall is necessary for the war against illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Others consider the wall a mere hoodwink against the serious issues surrounding illegal immigration.

The effects of the wall on the environment and the ecosystem are also referenced in the argument against the Great Wall of America. The debate on the border wall also attracts a lot of uninformed claims and arguments. This essay provides an informed argument against the erection of the wall between Mexico and the United States.

First, the resources that were employed in building the border fence could have been redirected towards other security measures. Records indicate that the cost of complying with the Secure Border Act was in excess of four billion dollars. Previously, the entire budget of the United States Border Patrol was under three and a half billion dollars (Ganster and Lorey 32). It is hinted that the government halted the expansion of the wall in 2010 due to cost concerns.

Instead of enacting the expensive wall, the government should have invested in other border security additions such as hiring more personnel and buying high-tech sensor systems. While walls might be appropriate in stopping illegal crossings in some areas, they are not the ultimate solution to illegal immigration.

If the four billion dollars used to erect the wall were invested in border personnel and upgrade of technology, it would have achieved good results. However, this strategy would also have alleviated the social and environmental concerns arising from the wall.

Prior to the wall, there were already other functional measures against drug trafficking and illegal immigration. The National Guard could have easily defended the southern border as it is already well equipped to perform this task.

Furthermore, the costs that would be incurred by the National Guard are significantly lower than the cost of building and maintaining the wall. The National Guard is well trained to defend the American borders against all forms of intrusion. In addition, this unit required no improvements before having been deployed to the southern border.

The effects of the wall on human welfare are appalling. After the wall was enacted, would-be illegal immigrants were forced to turn their attention to other inhospitable crossing points. Therefore, the institution of the wall ends up being a threat to human welfare, just like drug or human trafficking.

The residents and landowners of the border region have expressed their dissatisfaction with the erection of the fence. For instance, landowners along the Hidalgo border point in Texas refused to give up their land voluntarily for fence-building purposes in 2007 (Fox 15). Their actions were a protest against the inhumane nature of the fence. The residents also noted that the government ignored other pertinent human-related problems when erecting the fence.

The Great Wall of America largely ignores the mutual dependency between America and Mexico. Building the wall gives the impression that the two countries have no need for each other. In addition, the cultural connections between Americans and Mexicans are ignored largely by the world. The southern border point is a hub of cultural and political exchange. For instance, some cultural experts have argued that to know Los Angeles one has to have an understanding of Mexico first (Andreas and Snyder 59).

Furthermore, it is important to note that most of the border residents consider parts of both countries their home as they have personal connections with both sides of the border. Sociologists have fronted the argument that borders act more as membranes as opposed to being demarcation lines. Therefore, the wall has severed this membrane and stopped the cultural flow that had existed before. The only thing the foundation of the wall has achieved is to disfranchise lives and scar landscapes within the border.

The wall has negative impacts on the environment and the ecosystems of both Mexico and the United States. The strongest evidence against the walls environmental destruction is the fact that the Department of Homeland Security evidently overlooked more than thirty environmental-laws when building the wall.

The authorities cited the various environmental restrictions as some of the factors that were delaying the completion of the wall (Dear 79). However, all these environmental and cultural laws had been put in place to prevent degradation. The wall has also received a lot of criticism for upsetting the ecosystem of Rio Grande as well as contributing towards the extinction of endangered species.

There are very few justifications for building the wall as compared to the various detrimental effects of its erection. The wall has negatively affected the cultural exchange between the two countries. Furthermore, the economic and environmental costs of building the wall cannot be recouped.

Works Cited

Andreas, P., and Timothy S. The Wall Around The West: State Borders And Immigration Controls in North America and Europe, New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Print.

Dear, M. Why Walls Wont Work: Repairing the US-Mexico Divide, Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2013. Print.

Fox, C. F. The fence and the river: Culture and politics at the US-Mexico border, New York, NY: Routlege, 2009. Print.

Ganster, P., and David L. Borders And Border Politics In A Globalizing World, New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2006. Print.

These policies safeguard domestic jobs, hence the survival of employees and domestic industries in the protected sectors. When the cost of acquiring imports is raised, local industries are accorded the opportunity to compete if their goods are reasonably priced. This is because customers will be discouraged by the exorbitant prices resulting from increased taxes.

This move will lessen claims for imports and may instigate their removal from the market. Restricted goods will sell due to their inexpensiveness. The administration imposing these measures also stands to benefit due to the increased proceeds collected from these tariffs (Bhagwati, 2008).

These processes make substantial contributions to enhancing global relations. A country may confer with another for lowered tariffs to boost a given sector of the market. In return, the other country may bargain for an equivalent privilege or a different indulgence from their partner. As a result, reciprocated growth is achieved hence boosting their relationship.

These policies amplify a nations production ability by securing a market base for its products in the long run. This ensures foreign firms with a tendency of engaging in unreasonable market behavior, most commonly disposal of unwanted or outdated products are regulated.

In spite of the returns experienced by the internal market, the export division stands to experience extensive loss of its proceeds. This move may instigate a tariff war between the two countries, hence affecting other sectors of the financial system.

As a direct upshot, some personnel will end up losing their means of livelihood, thus falling victim to the issues avoided initially. Free trade makes it easier to attain shared growth of all trades by promoting separation of labor (Bhagwati, 2008). Countries can specialize in articles of trade they produce and trade favorably with entities that produce goods that are not readily available.

Protectionism propagates laxity among players in the local industries; since it guarantees them immunity from the rivalry posed by overseas firms. This condition eliminates the need to provide value products and processes by encouraging incompetence and ineffectiveness by personnel. Free trade will encourage novelty and creativity.

When a nation sells higher-quality goods, local manufacturers will be forced to upgrade the eminence of commodities they churn out to have a competitive edge. It is not forgotten that the consumers are the overall benefactors in such cases.

According to legislation about the proportional advantage, countries are better placed to improve their economic standing by specialty. If they aptly utilize resources availed to them, they should come up with renowned commodities that are acceptable globally.

If all countries were to apply this principle, the ensuing free trade would result in cosmopolitan efficacy. This was the ultimate target when free trade was established. Trading blocks would eventually serve their purpose because they will be established based on the merchandise persons produce.

Economic affluence can be propagated equitably since all regions produce goods in their capacity. Efficiency is also enhanced in the course of this, due to a specialty in labor. Relatively, the US has low-production expenses due to the profusion of labor its workforce avails. It is noteworthy that the country has low-capital costs for most enterprises (Bhagwati, 2008).

Investing in another nation may require a high-capital outlay but offer lower labor costs. If they are to trade in the goods they produce, both countries stand an equivalent chance to benefit due to the variation in dynamics favoring production in their relevant states. This is the true essence and advantage of free-trade policies; shared gain for all parties.

Reference

Bhagwati, J. The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics: Protectionism. Library of Economics and Liberty. Web.

The United States is the place where democracy has come to the issue overgrowing protection. By this one should understand that the American nation is the most armed place in the world. In New Jersey this reading is growing every now and then. The Obamas new gun policy is not surprising, for there are too many cases when situation spin out of control. It concerns especially the issue of gun shooting among teenagers and youth on the whole. On the other hand, it is a problem of the national scope. People do not feel saved until there will be special measures providing verification over gun possession within population. All theses mechanisms should be taken into consideration. Points on security lead to the governmental programs. In this respect the President Obama wants to improve the situation by promoting a new gun policy into the national agenda for renovations and changes in the society. This step is one of the most necessary for the development of internal relations in the US.

Since the announcement of new gun policy by the Obama administration the situation seems to be the same. The thing is that with the step of the government on the pathway to ban automatic and semi-automatic guns selling, the sales increased on the rest of weapon. Since Barak Obama was elected in 2008 gun sales have been way up, and that reminded gun shop owners the situation of 9/11 (CBS para. 4). In fact, many representatives of the Democratic government wonder about the reasons of such drive inn the society. This is why today the necessity of extra-ordinary laws is rather high. New laws promise to improve the situation with such outrageous situation. The point is that if the government ignores the regulations of weapon sales, violence in schools will continue. To say more, it threatens the nation by unadjusted cases of shooting which may result in many victims.

In the state of New Jersey the situation is rather concrete according to the gun possession. In fact, it is known that the local gun laws strictly point out cases with firearms. Under N.J.S. 2C:39-5, possession of ALL firearms is prohibited unless one has a NJ permit to carry a handgun or a NJ Firearm Purchaser ID card for long guns (New Jersey Guns para. 1). Thereupon, the observation of the situation in this state needs more glimpses at how people deal with this ban. The thing is that the legal possession of arms is only due to exemptions. Unique nuances which are appropriate to New Jersey really limit the rights of people to have a gun. However, several points on how legally it is possible to acquire this specific product give ground for people to buy guns not solely for security. In fact, people lose their right for having a gun. They are in some points astonished about such move of the government toward huge ban of the gun shops throughout the states.

The camps of supporters and those who blame such policy of the President Obama are known very much. Democratic and Republican branches of power are still anticipating about this issue. The thing is that this sphere of economical approach gives great incomes to the national budget. On the federal approach the situation looks today with a mere political polarization. The issues of gun sales and gun control are very significant to America. Business-related circles insist on the spread of gun rights when the frontrunners of the gun control tend to provide more schemes for the decrease of unsettled sales. Of course, in policy-making the candidates and the current representatives of political majority tend to make more emphasis on rational use of weapon. The supporters of this policy are Rudolph Giuliani and Mitt Romney who insist on better control of the weapon in internal field of the national relations (Rostron 6). The opposite side of this urge, Republicans, has also the group of supporters of new gun laws. John McCain and Andrew McKelvey are among them (Rostron 7). The general line of the party, however, is for the rights of gun owners and gun shoppers.

When the situation is in the process of debates in the Congress and among the supporters and opponents of the program, New Jersey is anxious. On the one hand, the aggressive outreach of guns for the population will deepen the situation in the state. People are constantly afraid of the threats from other civilians, unless they will have firearms. Local laws will be emphasized by new federal laws on guns. This will make a supposed violation of rights among Americans. It is the problem of why there are so many opponents of the Presidents program. On the other hand, the policy of Obama will make the situation in New Jersey even more secured and controlled. Such numerous cases of shooting in schools and colleges will supposedly omit the state. Peaceful settlement of relationships in the society is at a core for New Jersey.

During the process of adoption of new laws several bills were proposed to the House-Senate. Obamas bill outlined different circumstantial moments which serve to be the ground for allowance or prohibition of firearms. As far as it is known, Obama strictly lame the policy of former president which allowed people to carry loaded guns in parklands. In this respect the House stated the fact the measure 279-147 was approved: A total of 105 Democrats in the House joined 174 Republicans in supporting the gun measure, which essentially restores a Bush administration policy that allowed loaded guns in national parks (Associated Press para. 2). Thus, it is a hot question of whether or not should people protect their life by means of the firearms. Is it a fact of lack of national protection program for Americans? It is a paradox for the USA when the cases of uncontrolled sales of arms lead to shooting with dead victims. In turn Congress and government only strengthen positions of gun owners.

Senate also voted for the legalization of carrying of unloaded or blocked firearms in Amtrak (Becker para. 1). This measure was strictly criticized by the Democrats represented by Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana and others. In fact, this bill underwent the adoption, and today it is possible to state that most of Americans acquired more rights for possessing guns. Notwithstanding the fact that the Obamas bills as of gun policy cannot pass the Congress, the President works out a straight line of negotiations with supporters of gun rights. In New Jersey with the line of prohibition measures the increase in gun sales is rather felt. The Ceasefire New Jersey director states that initially supposed slight sales overgrew into so-called fair of weapon (CBS para. 10). This assertion restates the former policy by George Bush Jr.

All in all, the intentions of the President Obama gave fewer points on support of his policy. It is the fact of failure for President. Barak Obama wanted to sign and adopt these amendments to the national laws without making consultations even inside the Democratic representatives of the party. This is the fact when initially rational and proper to the time bill is attacked by the accustomed manner to share the gun policy of previous times. It seems to be like a tradition for Americans and representatives of the Congress and of the local governments. Obama started this approach when being the senator of Illinois. He tried to ban the increase of gun rights for the population. A desire among Americans to protect was banned by Barak Obama for the purpose of states protection. Being the President Obama does not give up in his intention to ban some of the gun rights throughout the law system.

The 68-31 vote was a defeat for the National Rifle Association (NRA), as the Senate confirmed Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court (The Washington Times para. 1). Such turn in the case with gun owners and opponents of the Obamas gun policy is the feedback on prolonged process of discussion of it in the higher echelons of power. In other words, the research shows that all branches of state power in the United States are involved in the debates about the issue. The reports of polls provided state that 83% of Americans are for letting carry the guns, when only 11% are against such right in the United States (The Washington Times para. 7). This is why there are more points of people living in New Jersey to state for their rights to possess weapon.

The point is that in New Jersey the gun policy by Obama is applicable due to the laws of the state. The strict and aggressive position of lawmakers in New Jersey was not even changed for the last ten years. It represents the fact that inn this state the population adopts the steps of the President to limit people in their gun rights. The situation in New Jersey seems to have a lot of the gun rights activists. For this purpose people want to make emphasis on permitting to carry handgun, but at the moment the gun policy is strict. Moving toward better way for the national security the President provides more and more discussions represented by Judge Sotomayor. In this respect the NRA needs more support in the Congress, so that to persuade the publicity in the reliability of firearms for the population.

The policy is in place since the election of Barak Obama. However, since that time there are a lot of controversies about the gun issue. Most of inhabitants living in New Jersey are claiming today that they are not protected enough. This point is strengthened by the judicial influence. New Jersey Appellate Court Judge Stephen Skillman is the major actor for the law which bans carrying handguns in New Jersey (Johnson para. 3). This person seems to be one of the Presidents supporters. What is more, such action outraged people in the state. Indeed, Obamas gun policy is working today in New Jersey. Governor Jon Corzine supports the idea to ban gun rights. His attention is grabbed to the social sector. In fact, the policy in New Jersey and its lawful base are going in line with the initiatives by President Obama. This point is emphasized by the strong remark of the Governor: While we are winning some important battles against violent crime, we must remain aggressive in combating illegal possession, use and trafficking of firearms in New Jersey (Rispoli para. 1). This position of contemporary force in New Jersey gives no other way for the population, but to support it. However, the rationality in the dialogue between the states authority and the people of New Jersey is still in the process.

People of New Jersey may feel themselves unsafe when travelling throughout the country because of the legislation being approved. Nonetheless, New Jersey today is one of the four states that follow the line of President Obama along with California, Maryland and Virginia (Rispoli para. 2). Governor Corzine was also supported by the mayor of Jersey City, Jeremiah Healy who struggled in the Supreme Court for making possible for New Jersey people to possess not more than one handgun (Rispoli para. 5). This position of the official authority of the state was emphasized with the Senates agreement for New Jersey to follow this way. However, the state is known for a majority of ordinary hunters who cannot but limit the license because of their hobby. It is a point of hot discussion in the state. Moreover, ordinary people are still worrying about the validity of their protection by the local powers. They try to be law-abiding citizens, but the instability of peoples relationships provides the main reason for them. In other words, gun-violence is not new for any among the states in the US. Hence, the representatives of the NRA-like associations get worried especially because of the Governors support in this case. Scott Bach is the president of the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs. He states that the way of legislature is wrong and gives rather direct argument: Trying to reduce gun crime by rationing guns to law-abiding citizens is as absurd as trying to reduce drunk driving by rationing cars to non-drinkers (Rispoli para. 5). The same arguments are fair about drug dealers. However, the approach of the New Jersey government is straightforward and inevitable for the population of the state and Americans being in the area of it.

Thus, it is known that the law becomes obligatory and takes its affect since the beginning of 2010. To be precise, since January 1^st the violation of the law is considered with a fourth-degree felony with a penalty of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, or both (Rispoli para. 10). This step inflicts one more point on peoples awareness of the laws in New Jersey.

The future of Obamas gun policy is implied into further discussion in the society about the necessity of such approach. Still there are fewer agreements in the society about this initiative of President. This policy is rather humane but today it has more opponents within Americans and in the Congress, as well. In New Jersey such step seems to be traditional for this state. People have already got accustomed with the gun policy of Governor Corzine. There is no way out for opponents at the moment because the bill soon will take affect. This is why there is the budding future for the protection issue of the Americans living in the state. The next steps will probably touch upon the closer verification of the gun carrying throughout the population of New Jersey and the United States on the whole. The situation is constantly growing in terms of the supposed danger for the population. Sceptics about the law in New Jersey represent the line of confrontation with the official authority. In turn, it gives more public opposition to Obamas claims about the bills and amendments which he wants to adopt.

The contemporary problem considers today the fact, that the society still ignores the facts of gun-violence apparent in American schools and in the streets as well. This seems the main problem for the societal affairs; because publicity does not mind the reliability of the Presidents approach. The process of debates as for gun rights is continuing. Its duration many critics realize with the presidential terms of Barak Obama. In New Jersey the claim for gun rights concerns the claims of the society. The supporters of the law are in most cases ordinary people searching for more control and order in the streets. Outlined limitation is one more feature of social changes in New Jersey. It is the quest of freedom and security for democratically-arranged people and for those who stand for the improvement of internal relationships in the American nation.

Works cited

Associated Press. Congress votes to allow guns in national parks: The approval is a bitter disappointment for gun-control advocates. 2009. Web.

Allen Rostron. Cease Fire: A Win-Win Strategy on Gun Policy for the Obama Administration. Harvard Law & Policy Review 3, 2009:347-367.

Becker, Bernie. Senate Votes to O.K. Checked Guns on Amtrak. The Caucus. 2009.  Web.

CBS. News and commentaries. Gun Sales On The Rise Over Obama Gun Control Fears: All Types Of Firearms Flying Off Shelves As Many Americans Appear Determined To Head President-Elect Off. 2008. Web.

Johnson, Zakariah. New Jersey, Gun Rights, and the English Language. American Hunters and Shooters Association. 2009. Web.

New Jersey Guns. New Jersey Firearm Laws, 2009. Web.

Rispoli, Michael. Gov. Corzine signs new law limiting N.J. gun purchases. New Jersey Real-Time News. 2009. Web.

The Washington Times. EDITORIAL: Gun control on a roll? Americans are clinging to their arms more than ever. 2009. Web.

The ideology I stand most by is liberal: pure liberals want the government to reduce economy in equality regulate the business, tax the rich heavily, deal with crime by addressing its economic causes, protect the ride of the accused criminals, allow abortion and prostitution on demand and guarantee the broadest possible freedom of speech and press. This liberal argument is quietly applied in our society. This country is faced with many challenges that have sprung up in the recent years. The people who work very hard do not want the government to control their achievements while the lazy ones agitate for intervention to create room for them (Grendel, 2). The rich should be heavily taxed, since they use the common people to make profits. The government should regulate highly profitable businesses. Those who get rich have so much money that they seek state laws and regulations that favor them. The self made entrepreneurial belief that the success is due to their hard work. This makes less concerned about other factors that boosted them economically such as clean environment, a well regulated society that provided workers and customers (Ratbiter, 2). This means that such business do not appreciate the surroundings and make no real efforts at trying to do so. With regard to this assumption, it is necessary that regulations are put in place to check this deviant behavior. Labor laws should be in place to protect the workers, avoid pollution of environment and advocate for reasonable profits.

In relation to the liberals, I wish to lay special emphasis on prostitutes. Society has always regarded them as social evils from time immemorial. These views of the society are as a result of the religious pillars that have formed the bedrock of societal beliefs (Levina 2). However it is important for every citizen to accept that the contemporary world has changed.This has led to new challenges that have to be dealt with and it is therefore necessary that even our beliefs change to accommodate the new trends in behavior. We need to accept the fact that the perceived social evils should be accepted as daily activities that bind the society together, through involving everyone in achieving their societal needs. One of such needs is sex.

It is with view that I hope to bring to attention the fact that the current laws on prostitution should be compromised for the good of the whole country. Prostitution can simply be defined as the act where one who engages in sexual intercourse with several partners without an intention of prolonging the relationship. Several arguments have been put forward with regard to factors that perpetuate prostitution. (Smart 2) pointed out, that it is a result of laissez-faire capitalism and imperialism. He further stated that the failure of capitalism has led to the deterioration of social mobility, social values and economic opportunity. It is clear that the economic world is incapable of supporting its own population (Smart 3). There has been an upsurge of unemployment in the country. The governments efforts to try and address this issue have failed. This has left a large group of individuals unemployed. The girls in their poverty have opted not to engage in physical violence and crime to earn a living but use their bodies for economic sustenance (Velvetoneo, 2). Instead of begging the rich who are not willing to give out their cash freely, one has to engage the same wealthy men in sex so as to access their swollen pockets. The young men on the other hand that do not have the financial stability that many ladies would admire, despite their poverty, they are still compelled to meet their bodily wants such as sex and this leaves them with no alternative but to engage in prostitution. The government should accept this fact since it has failed in providing for economic opportunities to be exploited by the youth. This acceptance will enhance the economic growth of the industry as by legalizing prostitution, these activities will earn the country more revenue (Levina, 4). The girls involved will not be exploited because there is a standard price set and the client is therefore conscious of the legal implications, if they fail to pay for the services offered (McElroy 7). Poverty and dependency ratio will also drop drastically because of improved economic empowerment. The population ratio poses a threat to the stability of social intuitions such as marriage.There are more women than men in our society. The men on the hand are willing to marry only one woman because of the highly cherished nuclear family. This is because polygamy is not admirable in our current society. This marital tendency leaves a large group of ladies hanging out without a sexual partner. The only option remaining is for them to engage in prostitution so as to meet their sexual needs.

The institutions of marriage is then left secure, since one will only accept to be married after all their requirements have been met. Divorces due to poverty will no longer take place as one can still enjoy sex while still strive to be economically empowered before getting to married. The legalization of prostitution will also play a vital role in the curbing of social evils i.e. rape. The people who engage in rape dont have the access to forceful sex despite their bodily urge. Ordinarily, rapists suffer rejection due to poverty, alienation and their incapability to express themselves due to inferiority complex and they often feel that only option left for then is to impose themselves sexually on others. To counter this, prostitution should be legalized so that sex can be accessed by any person at any given time. Prostitution will also promote the countries global image through cordial international relations. Tourists for instance have been accused of sexually exploiting children from other counties and even engaging in child trafficking. This is because of the stringent laws governing sex in their home country.

Access to sex at home will make them to be more responsible in their sexual activities when out of the country. When they visit countries where prostitution is legal the citizens are often challenged psychologically. It is therefore important that prostitution is legalized in our country so that society normalizes it. Prostitution helps to promote liberty in our society. Civil libertarians characterize prostitution as a victimless crime therefore ought to be legalized (Marneffe 4). The people who engage in this activity choose to do so. It is therefore necessary that we embrace everybodys right to choice in our liberal society rather than engage in religious bondage (Levian, 8). In conclusion, accepting prostitution as a way of life is the only remedy to the sexually related problems facing our society.

References

Armstrong, A. Prostitution and liberalism. In Colorado freedom report 2001.

Jonathan Underhill and Pattrick Smellie. Scoop business. The Herald 2008

Marneffe, P. Liberalism and prostitution. O.U.P. 2009

Levina lailani Suprapto. It is time to make prostitution legal. 2009.

Smart. Is it assault? 2006. Web.

Velvetoneo (2006). Is it assault?. 2009. Web.

Nuclear weapons have been a topic of discussion in regards to their purpose, which is usually debatable between the concept of safety and trigger. On the one hand, a weapon of mass destruction gives countries a safety blanket in case a major threat occurs and is to be confronted. On the other hand, having a nuclear weapon may be interpreted as readiness to fight, which triggers various nations to be prepared for war, multiplying the number of nuclear weapons worldwide. To examine the topic and determine the current appliance of the framework, recent nuclear weapon threats will be discussed. The aim of the memorandum is to understand the relevance of the theory in todays context.

The theory of Thomas C. Schelling illustrates that safety and intimidation are not necessarily opposing concepts when it comes to nuclear weapons. Instead, nuclear deterrence occurs when a nation acquires the weapons, is apparently ready to use them under the right circumstances, and intimidates opponents from starting a conflict that can lead to the destruction of both parties (Schelling, 2017). The theory, while it can be constructed to fit the narrative of the Cold War, is relevant today and is practically applied by several countries. It is important to mention that acquiring nuclear weapons, testing, building, and using them is regulated through the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons implemented by the UN and signed by more than 190 countries (UN, 1968). Still, certain countries that had nuclear bombs and had tested them before the treaty are allowed to have them under certain conditions.

An example of how the theory of nuclear deterrence is relevant today is the case of North Korea. While North Korea is a relatively small and highly impoverished country, the nuclear arsenal is often a topic of discussion and makes the country a threat. Moreover, the frequent bomb testing and frequent commentary in regards to using the weapons against the US creates tension between the two parties (Cha & Kang, 2018). The US, on the other hand, is apprehensive about intervening within the internal political environment in the country, as exemplified in Iraq, Libya, and other areas of the world. Thus, the nuclear threat imposed by North Korea is an effective weapon toward the invasion, nuclear attack, or military operation carried out by the adversary, the US. Moreover, as North Korea has left the agreement mentioned prior, the country has more opportunities to test and acquire nuclear bombs policy-wise, unlike the US, which has signed the Treaty of Non-Proliferation.

Another recent example highlighting the relevance of the theory formulated by Thomas C. Schelling is the Russian-Ukrainian war. Russia has the biggest arsenal of nuclear weapons, and a major threat is if the country uses them either in Ukraine or any other territory with the intent to escalate the conflict (Yamey et al., 2022). While Russia has signed the aforementioned Treaty of Non-Proliferation, the current crisis does not ensure the countrys adherence to the norms and policies. As a result, NATO members and the US are apprehensive about being directly involved in the conflict and, instead, assists Ukraine with financial and military aid. This is another example of how a nation with the most extensive arsenal of nuclear weapons intimidates opponents and allies or rivals, who remain uninvolved to avoid provoking a major crisis.

The two countries that have been discussed prior are a direct illustration of how the theory of nuclear deterrence is valid and relevant in the current time. The context of the Cold War may have become outdated, yet similar tactics are being used in modern-day conflicts and wars. Intimidation, fear of conflict escalation, and a lack of desire to engage in a war that can cause mass destruction are the results of possession of nuclear weapons by certain powers. The concepts facilitate a more reasonable approach to military involvement since the destruction that will follow will exceed the damage facilitated by other types of military weapons. Thus, the illusion of damage is, in fact, an effective solution to avoiding the actual harm.

Should you need more information about this subject, do not hesitate to contact me.

References

Cha, V., & Kang, D. (2018). Nuclear North Korea. Columbia University Press. Web.

Schelling, T. C. (2017). Arms and influence. Yale University Press. Web.

UN. (1968). Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT)  UNODA. United Nations. Web.

Yamey, G., Arya, A. N., Bhutta, Z. A., Causevic, S., Chisadza, C., Fewer, S., Friberg, P., Gloppen, S., Guha-Sapir, D., Halonen, T., Hoffman, S. J., Langer, A., Lyytikäinen, M., Oppenheim, B., Ottersen, O. P., Percival, V., Shekh Mohamed, I., & Thoms, O. T. (2022). A call for an immediate ceasefire and peaceful end to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The Lancet, 399(10332), 12841287. Web.

Introduction

The cause-and-effect relationship serves as the foundation of the world. The law from physics that can be simply interpreted as any action will have a response can be seen in every field of human society, including warfare. In particular, this is evident from the dance of air threats and anti-air defenses in warfare. As the former makes a step in one direction, its partner has to follow in order for the dance to be complete. Such is the case with the development of short-range air defense (SHORAD) systems, which is in direct relationship with the technological advancements of the air force.

History

The development of anti-aircraft guns began as a response to the introduction of air units to warfare. Initial mountings were not complex, but they had a significant fire-control issue since they had to hit the high-speed target moving in three dimensions (Driels, 2020). The consequent solutions relied on raw prediction and projectile modification. The former utilized gun sights to aim at the assumed targets direction with respect to the shells speed. In turn, the latters common example was shrapnel  scattered lead balls that could cover wide space.

Calculating the data in order to place the shell in the aircrafts future position proved vital for the success of the anti-air artillery. Thus, army research focused on designing predictors  mechanical computers that required the input of the aircrafts speed, course, height, and specific gun ballistic constants to achieve the desired prediction (Driels, 2020). Predictors significantly advanced anti-aircraft fire but relied heavily on visually acquired raw data. The invention and use of radar during World War II allowed the transition to electrical predictors, which provided more accurate target tracking and fire control (Driels, 2020). Apart from that, a higher fire rate was accomplished by incorporating rapid-loading and fuze-setting devices.

The future technological advances and warfare tendencies resulted in the categorization of air threats. During the Cold War, the air space was dominated by fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft aimed at ground attacks. In addition, the proliferation of cruise missiles increased the demand for more sophisticated missile prediction. These threats were consequently categorized as low-altitude air threats and became the responsibility of SHORAD systems and units.

As a part of anti-air artillery, SHORAD systems were included in the U.S. Army. According to Feickert (2020), they enabled movement and maneuver by destroying, neutralizing or deterring low altitude air threats to defend critical fixed and semi-fixed assets and maneuver forces (p. 1). In particular, the SHORAD system aimed to organically provide the army with the capability to act against all aircraft types. However, in the early 2000s, the U.S. Army divested these air defense artillery units to meet more pressing force demands (Feickert, 2020). Specifically, the low-altitude air threats were expected to be countered by deploying the same threats in a larger quantity and better quality.

Outcome

The shift in investments led to the invention of more sophisticated air threats, such as unmanned air systems (UAS). For instance, UASs in the form of drones have been widely deployed in the Nagorno-Karabakh war (Roman, 2021). Apart from that, the Armenian forces deployed a solid amount of other low-altitude threats, such as aircraft and ballistic missiles. This, in turn, has re-invoked the demand for SHORAD systems. According to Roman (2021), Azerbaijan could not have protected its capital  Baku  without the support of Barak-8, a variation of the SHORAD system. In particular, the Azerbaijani army succeeded in neutralizing Armenian Iskander ballistic missiles launched at Baku in flight due to Barak-8 (Roman, 2021). The SHORADs success led to the identification of three significant statements. Firstly, a thoroughly integrated air defense system proved vital for the operations conduct. Secondly, the electronic warfare component was incorporated into all phases of the conflict. Finally, reducing the human factor proved decisive for the operations outcomes. Therefore, integrating air defense systems can be considered a must in the context of modern warfare.

From the modern strategic perspective, an offensive side has to first focus on tactically penetrating the battlefields depth by neutralizing the opponents air defense systems. Consequently, it has to support the offense with continuing air strikes on objects with high tactical and operational importance while simultaneously covering its ground forces with radio jamming. In this context, Roman (2021) frames this type of surprise aggression as a so-called tank-helicopter binomial (p. 44). Such an onslaught demands the use of a variety of warfare tools, such as beam-riding, surface-to-surface, and ballistic types of missiles, UAS and aircraft units, and long-range artillery fire. Understandably, airspace superiority is vital for the success of such operations (Roman, 2021). However, relying on air support in expanding the battlefield also requires specific technological means and solutions for the opponents low-altitude threats and air units. In other words, to gain air superiority, there is a need for a significant anti-air investment.

Conclusion

As the conflict sides seek ways to have the upper hand, they gradually develop their tools to counter the opponents actions. SHORAD was born as a solution to increasingly advancing low-altitude air threats and became inseparable from the composition of modern armies across the globe. Since air superiority provides an enormous strategic advantage, SHORAD aims to prevent the opponent from acquiring it by providing sophisticated army protection. Thus, it can be expected that any advancement in the air force field will inevitably lead to further investments into SHORAD systems, so their dance may continue unhindered.

References

Driels, M. (2020). Advanced weaponeering, volume 2. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Feickert, A. (2020). US army short-range air defense force structure and selected programs: Background and issues for Congress. Defense Technical Information Centre. Web.

Roman, D. (2021). Considerations on the design of the air defence response in the current airspace. Bulletin of Carol I National Defence University, 10(4), 44-51. Web.

GDP

Brazils economy ranks eighth amongst the major economies of the world with a GDP approximated at $1.57 trillion. In the year 2010, the countrys GDP experienced a growth rate of 7.5%. This was the countrys highest level of growth in approximately 25 years.

This was due to the rise in income in the industrial sector, which was about 10.1%. Growth in the agricultural sector is around 6.5%, while growth in the service delivery industry is at 5.4%. It is noteworthy that Brazils per Capita is also on an upward scale with estimates showing that it grew by 21% in 2010 (Portal Brasil).

Population

In terms of population, Brazil ranks fifth in the world with an estimate of over 190 million people within its borders. The population of Brazil comprises youths with an estimate who amount to approximately 62% of the entire population. This section of the populace is below 29 years.

The elderly, who consists of persons beyond 65 years, constitute 8% of the population while persons below 15 years are close to 30%. Most of the population is located in the urban areas thus approximate 81% of the total population (Portal Brasil).

The nation has been experiencing a decrease in population growth with the estimates showing that it fell below 2%. Initially, her growth rate was high during the early and the mid 20th century and the fall arises from the economic and modernization process (Bureau of Western Hemisphere).

Major Industries and Company

Brazil has the second largest industry division in the whole of the American continent. Her various industries include firms that manufacture vehicles, computers, assemble aircraft and various consumer goods. It has a sophisticated consumer industry with the banking sector constituting 16% of the total GDP.

Prominent banks in Brazil include Itau Unibanco with yearly revenue of $71 billion and Banco do Brazil with yearly revenue of $46.81 billion (Portal Brasil). Due to the presence of numerous mineral deposits like steel and oil, there is a presence of numerous mining companies in Brazil. In the oil exploration sector, the major company includes Petrobras with yearly revenue of $208 billion.

Political Situation

After a prolonged period under military rule, Brazil became a democratic nation in 1985. She has successfully incorporated the federal system of domination with a total number of 26 states. However, there has been an influx of political parties, which is estimated at 40; there are only two political coalitions. It is evident that one that supports the government while the other opposes the government.

It is noteworthy that the president is elected by a popular vote for a term of four years; furthermore, he seeks re-election once as stipulated by the Brazilian constitution. The democratic institutions in Brazil are operating smoothly as evident in the numerous successive democratic elections conducted since the end of the military regime. The government has also vowed to protect its citizens from human rights infringement (Neves).

Economic Situation

Brazil economy is characterized by a higher rate of inflation and a worsening public deficit, which was 8.4% of the GDP in 1998. The opening of its market to the international market hurt its balance of payment as the native Brazilian businesses faced stiff opposition from companies in the international market. This led to a sharp increase in the countrys imports compared to exports.

Brazil also has a higher poverty level with a third of its population living below poverty and 14.6% of its population living as destitute (Neves). There is also the presence of an uneven distribution of income in the country. The few wealthy individuals generate a large portion of the countrys GDP while the rest of the population share the small portion.

There is also the irregular allotment of affluence between the various states in Brazil. For example, the Sao Paulo state is ten times wealthier than the less well-off state of Nordeste. The Brazilian economy is also characterized by weak domestic savings, which has made it more dependent on foreign ventures and the heavy reliance of imports to cater to the needs of her population (Neves).

Literacy Level

Literacy level is evident in the ability of individuals above the age of fifteen years to read and write. The literacy level in Brazil is high with an approximate of 81% of its population having the ability to read and write. However, most of her rural population is much less illiterate as opposed to the urban population.

General Cultural Characteristics

Within Brazil, there is a combination of races and ethnicities leading to a variety of culture. Many Portuguese colonialists married the residents creating a new race called mestizos. A mulatto is a race that arises from the intermarriage between the Portuguese settlers and the African captives taken to Brazil.

The family is the base of the social arrangement, and it is the foundation of strength for most people. Their families are large, and the extended family is close. Families help when anyone needs assistance (Neves). Because Brazil was a Portuguese colony, much of the Brazil populace speak Portuguese though it slightly varies when speaks Portuguese.

Brazilian food rotates around three major ingredients; rice, beans, and flour known as Farinha. It is wise to note that the different regions in Brazil are accustomed to different kind of meals. For instance, in the northern region, most of their meals have an Indian influence while in the south majors in fish.

Business Cultural Etiquette

Brazilians prefer to know who the business contact is before commitment in any kind of business negotiation. They prefer face-to-face meetings, upon comparison to written communications as this gives them a chance to comprehend persons they are dealing with. Since Brazilians focus on group culture, it is important to avoid embarrassing incidences.

Their communication is casual and does not rely on the stern rules of procedure. During the meeting, it is acceptable to interrupt anyone who is addressing the meeting as long as the information you are to convey is crucial. Anyone doing business with a Brazilian should expect questions about their companies and personality because they emphasize relationship building, upon comparison to doing business.

For a Brazilian to enter into a business contract with anyone, he has to know the nature of the person and details regarding the company and its dealings. Brazilians take their time in negotiations; thus one should avoid unnecessary rush. They will emphasize going through the negotiation details regularly to get a clear picture of what they were getting into.

Therefore, patience is a virtue best exercised whenever one deals with a Brazilian. Brazilians strictly pursue the pecking order (Bureau of Western Hemisphere). Negotiations roles are conducted by junior servants who are not in a position to decide without the consultations of their superiors. This is because such negotiators do not make the final judgments; thus, a need arises to convince negotiators for them to influence their superiors.

Business meetings are tenable before an appointment. Appointments are either at short notice or after a longer period. However, the dates need substantiation in text. The timing of these appointments also varies depending on their location. For instance, one is expected to keep time if the appointment is in Brasilia while in Sao Paulo, one can be excused if he late (Bureau of Western Hemisphere).

Business cards are subject to exchange during the introductory part of the meeting. Having a business card with a solitary side written in Portuguese is a plus for persons interested in performing business with Brazilians. The side with the Brazilian language should always be on top whenever you are giving out your business card.

Brazilian religion characterizes a wide variety of faiths. Majority of the people in Brazil assert that Catholicism is their main religious belief. There are also other creeds similar to Islam. Brazil has there proved that they are willing to coexist peacefully with a variety of religions.

Education system

Brazils education system is characterized by allegations of poor quality and inequality. It is divisible into three main categories: basic which is compulsory to anyone below the age of 14 years, middle and higher education. The basic level is free in all public schools and adults who did not go through this level are encouraged to attend.

The higher education system is further divisible into three categories: universities, which offer a wider variety of courses, federations, and isolated schools that offer one or two courses. The academic calendar comprises of two periods of three and a half months each. The first one starts in March while the second one starts in August.

Interesting facts

Anyone with a desire to conducting business in Brazil should utilize competent experts present in Brazil. Some of the experts could include agents or distributing companies already in Brazil. These experts will help foreign companies with the allotment of their products in the Brazilian market.

This has proved to provide fewer investment risks for the foreign company. One should register merchandise with a confined manufacturer rather than enter the marketplace arbitrarily. This diminishes the level of rivalry from the established local company (Bureau of Western Hemisphere).

It is advisable that a foreign company should pair with the local Brazilian companies to compete in the various markets that have government regulations such as the telecommunication industry. Joint ventures give advantage to any foreign n company since it can evade the strict regulations set up by the government in sectors of interest.

The quality of a companys products should be of the highest level to compete fairly with the local Brazil companies. The quality of the product should be better than what is available in Brazil with the intention of attracting potential consumers. Due to the prevailing poverty levels in Brazil, higher prices will scare away potential customers (Bureau of Western Hemisphere).

Participating in trade fairs is one of the critical strategies the any prospective company should employ if he is to be successful in the Brazilian marketplace. These fairs will enable the company to expose its products to a wider audience and help in establishing the various needed business connections.

Works Cited

Neves, Pedro. Note On The Political and Economical Situation of Brazil and its Relation with the European Union. Europa. 2007. Web. 13^th April 2011

Portal Brasil. Brazils GDP Rises 7.5% in 2010, Achieving Best Results. 2011. Brazil.gov. Web. 13^th April 2011

Bereau of Western Hemisphere. Background Note: Brazil. U.S Department of State. 2011. Web. 13^th April 2011.

As a subfield within the larger discipline that is political science, comparative politics may be defined as a combination of a substantive focus on the study of countries political systems and a method of identifying and explaining similarities and differences between these countries using common concepts (Mair, 1996). There are a lot of issues at play as far as comparative politics is concerned, yet the one issue that appears to be of great concern is why some countries are democratic, while others are governed by an autocratic system. In light of this, this research paper has sought to assess Japan and its democratic system on the one hand, and China with its authoritarian system, on the other hand. In this case, emphasis shall be laid on the average wealth (per person) in each one of the two countries, and try to associate this with democracy, or a lack of it.

It is worth of note here that the political system in a given country shall often play a significant role in as far as the social, political and economic conditions of such a country are concerned. In this case, democratic nations have also been seen to be inclined towards capitalism. In the spirit of cultivating entrepreneurship, industries are built, jobs created, and the social status of the people improves, because they have access to employment. This may be said to have been the scenarios in the case of Japan. On the other hand a communist regime attempts to have wealth distributed to all. However, the one handicap to this system of the government is that it does not encourage a sense of thrift (Sodaro, 2004), on the part of individuals. In addition, there emerges a political class of aristocrats that eventually ends up having an impact on the political decision of a country and in essence, tend to influence the wealth distribution in such a country. This may be said to have been the case in China.

The economic difficulties faced by a country have been seen to greatly impact on an authoritarian regime, albeit to a reduced degree. On the hand, democratic regimes could also be said to be more sensitive in as far as a countrys overall income inequality is concerned. It is worth of note here that both the authoritarian as well as the democracy regimes shall often get impacted on, should the social class that is rich amass more wealth. On the other whole, should the poor be afflicted further by poverty, it is only the democratic regimes that shall often feel threatened. Furthermore, the type of political system that governs a given country shall also play part in the observed disparities in terms of wealth between say, the urban community on the one hand, and the rural community, on the other hand. For example, at the moment the average annual income for an urban Chinese stands at approximately $ 600. On the other hand, those Chinese that resides in the rural areas an average amount of $ 230 pre annum. In the case of Japan however, the observed disparity is significantly less (CIA Factbook, 2008).

It might as well be hypothesised that there exists a correlation between, on the one hand, democracy and on the other hand, development. This argument may very much be backed up by the fact hat virtually all the countries that are ranked as the most developed, also tend to have a democratic form of government. Perhaps the question that we ought to be asking ourselves here is whether or not wealth results in a state of democracy, or should it be the other way round? Indeed, this is an argument that has been explored to greater heights by many political analysts the world over. One general conclusion that seems to have emerged out of this debate is that in a country that is enjoying sustained economic development, such a country also experiences the emergence of social, political and economic institutions that are more or less democratic (Peerenboom, 2007). The eventual result is that a state of democracy is experienced in such a nation.

To start with, it is worth appreciating the fact that a transformation of the social structures of a nations often starts when such a nation is enjoying economic development. In effect, what emerges then is a middle class that is quiet significant, to the extent of constituting a the social basis for democracy (CIA Factbook, 2008). This may be argued to be the case in Japan, whereby the average household is made up of a middle-class. On the other hand, a majority of the families in China are ranked in the low economic class. In addition, an economic development could as well see new political values being implemented within a given political system. Some of these values includes among others, personal autonomy, a boost in sense of individuality, choice, and also a value for individual freedom.

During the 2008 summer Olympic Games held in Beijing, China, it was evident that an autocratic system of government is in operation. For example, the government tried to infringe on the freedom of the media (both local and international), as it sought to uncover the level of inequalities that exists amongst the various social classes in China. At the 1998 World Cup games that were jointly hosted by Japan and Korea, we saw no such incidences in Japan. At the moment, the Chinese government appears to be locked in a dilemma. On the one hand, there is pressure from both within and without the country to institute a political system that is quite liberalized (Peerenboom, 2007). On the other hand, we have the elite class in the country, which is strongly opposed to the idea, perhaps because such a move would act as a threat to the wealthy that they have amassed in the prevailing political, atmosphere, as well as to their social status.

The per capita income of the two countries is yet another pointer to the large disparity that exists between Japan and China. For example, some 2005 statistics indicates that whereas Japan was estimated to have a net worth (per capita) of $ 91, 856, China on the other hand, could only manage partly $ 11, 267. In the case of China, the countrys per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated in 2007 to have been $ 33, 500. This is a measure of a countrys purchasing power, in terms of parity, against its population. On the other hand, the 2004 Gini index for income distribution of family in China was estimated to have been 47. In the case of Japan, its per capita GDP in 2008 stood at $ 34, 200, while the 2002 Gini index for income distribution of families was estimated to have been 38.1(CIA Factbook, 2008).

Economic freedom, wealth and democracy have also been shown to bear a positive correlation to a democratic system of government (Sodaro, 2004). Bearing in mind that Japan has over the years been ranked higher than China with respect to these elements, it is not hard therefore to opine that indeed, the political system characterising a given country not only impacts on the wealth distribution amongst its populace, but also determines the disparities between on the one hand, the rich members of the society and on the other hand, those with lower economic means.

References

CIA Factbook (2008). China GDP  per capita (PPP). Web.

CIA Factbook (2008). Japan GDP  per capita (PPP). Web.

Mair, P. (1996). Comparative politics: an overview. In Goodin, Robert E.; Klingemann, Hans-Dieter. A New Handbook of Political Science. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Sodaro, M. J. (2004). Comparative politics: a global introduction. (2^nd Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Peerenboom, R. P. (2007). China modernizes: threat to the West or model for the rest? Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Introduction

Guantanamo Bay is located in the Cuba and is one of the oldest overseas naval base of the United States. The bay was leased in the year 1903 with 45 square miles of space for a coaling station. However, today Guantanamo bay is known for a much publicized conversion of the bay to a detainee camp after the war against terrorism was started in 2002. The Guantanamo Bay had three big detainee camps of which Camp X-Ray has been shut down with further orders to shut down the other camps as well. This decision came after the negative publicity about the mistreatment of the prisoners when some leaked pictures and videos were aired on national television. Although allegations of non-implementation of the Geneva Convention and mistreatment of the prisoners are correct to an extent, the benefits derived by doing so are making US and this world a safer place. This paper discusses a proposition for continuing to detain suspected terrorists at Guantanamo bay even in light of several allegations against this.

Why Guantanamo Bay Should Not Be Closed

On April 2009 President Obama passed a bill issuing the closure of the detention facility of Guantanamo Bay within one year.

Guantanamo Bays detention facility should not be closed and following are the reasons for keeping it open. The function served by Guantanamo Bay will be carried out elsewhere

If Guantanamo Bay is closed, where will United States imprison and grill the alleged terrorists? Some kind of alternative would have to be arranged for that purpose by the government. What the government should be doing instead is that they should be carrying out the processes transparently and the problems that are identified should be dealt with publicly, to whatever extent possible. The Pentagon has already taken major steps to ensure that some sort of transparency is present by letting the local and international agencies to have access to the facilities. Also, it has been responsive in terms of the accusations of abuse or mistreatment of prisoners that have been made. Even agencies like the Red Crescent, Congress, Red Cross, and the media practice oversight of the facilities to different extents and any claims of abuse are investigated and those guilty are held accountable. Therefore, if Guantanamo was to shut down and the facilities were shifted, the above mentioned organizations would end up having lesser access to the facilities during the shift than they have currently. (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1)

Shutting down of Guantanamo would not appease the critics

Guantanamo Bay has been a popular target for critics. If, however, the government is of the view that closing down Guantanamo would satisfy the critics, then it is their incorrect prediction. The critics associate Guantanamo with the war on terrorism tactics that are adopted by United States. And its actually the approach to the war itself that the critics have a problem with, not Guantanamo. The critics demand a change in the approach to the war. Moreover, the policymakers of America should be aware of the fact that closing down Guantanamo would be equivalent to admitting to the critics of the wrong approach in the war against terrorism. (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1)

This idea was clearly portrayed in an interview of a spokesperson of a human rights association when he took the facts and statistics from the wider domain of anti terrorism campaign and related it directly to Guantanamo Bay. He moved on to point out that minimum 28 people passed away in U.S. custody. None of these deaths however, occurred at Guantanamo (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips). The implications were clear: the problem was not with Guantanamo itself. Instead, critics were using different processes in the war against terrorism and relating it to specific places.

The statistics speak for themselves. There have been 187 Congress members and 400 media members (comprising of more than 1000 journalists) who have visited the facilities and it is impossible to carry out any kind of systematic torture to the prisoners under this much supervision. (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1)

No legal gains for either US or detainees

Even if the Guantanamo Bay is closed, neither the US nor the detainees will gain much in terms of rights. The detainees have already had access to U.S. courts and have been making use of this access. E.g. in November 2004, through use of this provided window, the Bush administration was accused of overstepping its authority in many areas. (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips)

Moving the facility to within the United States will not have any effect on the rights that the prisoners have. Guantanamo is under US control anyway and the rights that would be given if the facility were moved can also be given in Guantanamo. Therefore, even from the legal aspects, the closure of Guantanamo is not justified. (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1)

Guantanamo Bay cannot be compared to Gulag

Irene Zubeida Khan, the Secretary General of Amnesty International labeled the Guantanamo Bay as the Gulag of our times (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1). Gulag was the Soviet committee that oversaw the labor camps during Stalins time. Hundreds of these concentration camps were made where prisoners were detained and made to work on agricultural and industrial areas. These camps are reported to have suffered millions of people of whom many died. The comparison of Gulag and Guantanamo resembles in unauthorized capturing of prisoners and mistreatment. Much of this criticism was also shared by William Schulz, Amnesty Washington director. These criticisms, however, are baseless. It is stunning to even compare the two facilities. Where Gulag was the camp where tens of millions of naïve Soviets and civilian of other countries were killed, Guantanamo gives proper rights and access to US courts to file accusations against any mistreatments faced by those detained. What these critics are clearly discounting is the threat to human rights that the people, especially women of the Islamic world, are likely to face if these terrorists are released. Statistics show that many of the detainees released join terrorist organizations. (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1)

Effect on US and the world if the problem is not addressed

There are many obstacles that need to be dealt with in closing the Guantanamo Bay and many resources will have to be spent in doing so. Even if its achieved, though, the horrendous costs on society are extremely hard to justify (Auster, 1). One of the possible solutions that are discussed is the freeing of the detainees. This is not as simple as it seems and is prone to have dreadful consequences.

History shows that many of the detainees, when released, head back to their own countries, join terrorist organizations, and continue to terrorize civilians. As stated in the Washington Post, more than 10 out of the 202 prisoners set free from Guantanamo were captivated again or killed in combat in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Moreover, around 25 of the 202 released have gone back and continued terrorism. (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1)

In 2003, an ex Taliban field commander was released from Guantanamo after he managed to convince the officials that he will not be associated with any kind of violence from then onwards (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1). Similarly, Maulvi Ghafar was also released in early 2004. Both these prisoners were later killed in the combat in Afghanistan fighting alongside the terrorists (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1). Also, Abdullah Mesud, a Pakistani, was released in the March of 2004. He, at that time, was not considered a big threat because he had an artificial leg. On returning to Pakistan, he led a group of terrorists against the government and kidnapped two Chinese engineers who were working in the construction of a dam (Spencer, Cohen and Phillips, 1). It is, therefore, very evident that the detainees must not be released, at least without ample amount of considerations and cost benefit analysis. They pose a serious threat to the safety and security of the US, as well as the rest of the world.

Another possible solution talked over is the possible transferring of the prisoners to another location within the United States. Again, this is much easier said than done. Firstly, what difference will transferring the detainees to another location make? It will only be the name of the facility that is changing. Moreover, either the other high security prisons in the country are not ready to accept such high threat prisoners or they just dont have the resources required to keep them.

The mere names of the detainees and the image they carry spawn of enough protest against transferring them. For instance, the planners had to take down the name of Leavenworth prison from the prospective prisons because of the immense amount of protest encountered by the citizens and the political representatives of the region. (Cuculu, 1)

One option that was considered was Michigans Standish Maximum Security Prison. However, the Standish City Council members did state that they would prefer taking in normal prisoners from other states over the Guantanamo terrorists. Additionally, California also labeled the facilities present at the prison as unsuitable for the dangerous terrorists. (Cuculu, 1)

The locals, too, oppose the idea. They do not want to see their small town turn into a terrorist target. This could happen by revenge attacks like in 2004 when the Chechen radicals carried out a mass destruction of a school house (Cuculu, 1). No town would want deadly terrorists to be imprisoned on their soil, especially in place of normal prisoners.

Bill: H.R.2294  Keep Terrorists out of America Act

As discussed previously, there are too many disadvantages and problems associated with closing down Guantanamo Bay. The Bill number H.R.2294 Keep Terrorists out of America Act sheds light on the Congress sense that the prisoners currently in Guantanamo Bay detention should not be discharged and set free in the United States territory. (Boehner, 1)

The conditions laid forward in such a scenario state that the presidents designee or the president himself would have to give a 60 day notice before the release or transfer of any prisoner in Guantanamo Bay to any of the states. Along with the notice, the president would have to meet certain requirements also. (Boehner, 1)

One of the requirements is that the president or his designee would have to submit a certification, along with required documents to justify the state governor and legislature to which the transfer is made, that the individual poses no threat to the security of the United States. After the certification, it would be the decision of the State legislature and governor of that state whether to allow the transfer. (Boehner, 1)

Also, the president or his designee would have to submit a detailed report to Congress specifying detailed information regarding the individual and the transfer. (Boehner, 1)

Alternative Practices (Solutions)

There are other alternative solutions to the problem also. If Guantanamo Bay were to remain open, we could simply introduce the following practices as solutions.

Conduct Fair Trials

Guantanamo has been known to keep detainees without charge under the claims that it is in the national interest. If this keeps going on, it is going to give United States a very bad name especially when compared to Europe and North America.

Europe and North America do not carry out detention without accusation unless it is in the immigrations perspective (Mariner, 1). Terrorism, by far, is handled by following the criminal justice system. United Kingdom and Canada have been reported to have held people under detention without charge for a long time, but neither one has held captives for as long as Guantanamo has. Also, at this point in time, neither one is holding detainees for an indefinite period. (Mariner, 1)

Even France, which allegedly relies on preventive detention, follows a well defined structure. in France, keeping an individual under detention without any charge is limited to only 6 days (Mariner). The France system puts emphasis on stopping terrorist activities from happening instead of punishing the involved parties after they have been committed.

The Guantanamo detention system should learn from the above mentioned examples. Fair trials should be held as they are the right of every individual. It will be just unwise to continue this practice of detention with no charge or trial as it is only going to cause hatred amongst the masses for the American government and act as a hindrance for America to gather support from other countries which is crucial in the war they are fighting. Fair trials would also help keep the critics distant and also help United States rebuild its reputation as a role model of human rights.

Clear Misconceptions

Is Guantanamo really that brutal for the prisoners? Are the critics right about Guantanamo for treating the detainees extremely harshly? These are questions that must be addressed by the United States government.

Author James Glassman, mentions in his article Obamas Guantanamo ProblemAnd Ours, about his trip to Guantanamo. He writes about how clean and properly maintained the facility was and how the detainees were allowed to communicate, exercise and practice their religion freely. The detainees were given foods of proper standard, read and learn, and watch videos. (Glassman, 1)

He then talks about how Islam is respected by the security personnel and how visitors are requested to lower their voices down when the religion is being practiced. The health care facilities are also above par. The doctors there say that an average detainee is healthier than an average American.

The detainees in Guantanamo have access to the US courts also. And they can raise allegations if they are mistreated. With all this in place, why does the general public have a bad reputation about the place? It is because the government does not do enough to convince the general public and to counter the criticisms that are made continuously against it. The government should get involved in documenting and airing on television, the true picture of the prison and should carry out campaigns in order to remove the negative feelings from the general publics minds.

The government should make sure that the public is kept informed, to whatever extent possible, about the processes carried out in Guantanamo. The reason why critics are so effective in giving the prison a bad name is because the government cannot respond as it does not want the enemies to get the information on what is going on inside the prison

The government wants to keep the processes and other information hidden, claiming it to be in the interest of national security. But wont the nation feel more secure if it actually knows what is going on and how much success has been accomplished? This way, the public will have a feeling of being involved in the entire process and this will help them in understanding that the sole purpose of the prison is the security of their own selves.

It is understandable that a lot of confidentiality has to be maintained in many areas, but the government should try and give some information to the general public as well to keep the critics from accusing it.

My Opinion

I am in support of the bill.

This bill keeps every state responsible for its own security. As mention previously, transferring the detainees to any state in the United States would be a cause of concern for the locals of that state. According to the bill, the final authority for allowing or disallowing the entry of the prisoners in the state is in the governors and the state legislatures hand.

There is always opposition by the public for letting in detainees. For example, the name of Leavenworth prison was taken down from the list of prospective prisons because of the protest and opposition shown by the citizens and political representatives of the region (Cuculu, 1). Therefore, the bills proposition that the governor and state legislature would have to be justified and convinced in order to let detainees in the state.

There is a great deal of pressure from the locals also. They are not in favor of seeing their small town turn into a target for the terrorists like it happened in 2004 when the Chechen radicals destroyed a school house (Cuculu, 1). There is no town that would want deadly criminals.

There is consensus among most of the world that Guantanamo should be closed. This consensus, however, is not directed towards Guantanamo as a prison. It stresses a great deal of discomfort from Guantanamo as an approach (Mariner, 1). Guantanamo Bay should not be closed. Instead, the practices discussed previously should be used to remove the doubts and misconceptions regarding Guantanamo and create an overall positive image of the prison.

Fair trials and justice are the rights of every individual. This has been the biggest criticism towards Guantanamo Bay. The practices, however, shed light over the problem and discuss solutions for it. They discuss the different justice systems followed by the major countries in the world and how United States should adopt them as its own practices.

For example, as discussed previously, if Guantanamo were closed and the detainees were set free, it has very high probability of back firing, as indicated by the past records. Guantanamo holds some of the deadliest terrorists in the world. And the interrogation that they have been through in their time serving as prisoners would only make them hate the Americans more and they would end up picking up weapons against them again.

Furthermore, the countries to which the detainees belong are not ready to accept these prisoners because they will be nothing more than a threat to their national interest and a liability on their soil.

Also, as author James Glassman observed in his visit to the facility, the detainees and prisoners are not exactly ill treated (Glassman, 1). Hence, with the right kind of process adopted, the problem of Guantanamo Bay will be handled effectively and the facility will not have to be shut down just to please a few critics.

Argument against my position

One of the most major arguments given in support of shutting down Guantanamo is that the terrorists would kill more people because of their hatred and anger over Guantanamo. It is true that Guantanamo has been portrayed to be an icon of American cruelty by the media and critics but if historical data is analyzed, the claim that Guantanamo would cause terrorism to increase is false.

The World Trade Centre bombing, on to the assault on the U.S.S Cole, the destruction caused by bombings of the embassies in Africa and finally the 9/11 incident itself. All these major terrorist attacks were committed before any U.S. detention centre was present at Guantanamo or at any other place for that matter. (Glassman, 1)

Therefore, to say that Guantanamo should be closed because that would reduce the number of terrorist attacks is absurd. If anything, giving in and closing down of Guantanamo would give a flavor of success to the terrorists and would boost their morale causing them to plan and carry out even bigger attacks against America and other parts of the world.

Conclusion

On April 24^th, President Obama passed a bill where he made a promise to close Guantanamo Bay detention facility within one year. There are, however, many problems and severe negative effects of closing Guantanamo down. Therefore, this should not be done.

Firstly, closing it would not achieve any of the things that are expected to. The critics, who accuse it for ill treatment of prisoners and detainees, are indirectly accusing United States approach to war on terror and Guantanamo is just one of the tools used to criticize the war.

Then there is the question of what will be done with the detainees. If they are transferred to another location in the United States, that defeats the purpose of closing down the detention facility. If they are freed and are sent back to the countries they are originally from, then they could very easily pick up weapons again and fight alongside terrorists, as seen in the past.

Therefore, the bill proposed in this essay, and the alternate solutions, is the correct way to go. The governor and the state legislature should be convinced and given justifications to accept the transfer of detainees onto their soil. Also the alternatives mentioned, such as fair trials and justice should be given to the prisoners and detainees and no individual should be kept under detention, indefinitely, without proven guilty. United States should adopt these practices from the other major countries in the world like France.

Also, government should respond to and tackle the criticisms thrown at it regarding ill treatment of prisoners at the facility. In future, the criticisms should be properly handled and public should be kept aware, as much as possible, about the on-going processes at the facilities. This would make them feel a part of the war against terrorism, remove their misconceptions about the prison and would help to make them realize that it is for their own good.

Works Cited

Auster, Lawrence. WHY GUANTANAMO CANNOT, AND MUST NOT, BE CLOSED. 2009. Web.

Boehner, John. H.R.2294  Keep Terrorists Out of America Act. 2009. Web.

Cuculu, Gordon. The trouble with closing Gitmo. 2009. New York Pose. Web.

Fabian, Jordan. House votes to allow Guantanamo Bay prisoners to stand trial in American courts. 2009. the hill. Web.

Glassman, James. Obamas Guantanamo ProblemAnd Ours. 2009. The American. Web.

Mariner, Joanne. Global Views on Closing Guantanamo (the Right Way). 2009. FindLaw. Web.

Morgan, David. Pentagon urges Congress to keep Guantanamo open. 2007. Reuters. Web.

Spencer, Jack, et al. No Good Reasion To Close Gitmo. 2005. The Heritage Foundation. Web.

Tribune, Oakland. Guantanamo prisoners deserve day in court. 2006. Web.

Waxman, Matthew. Closing Guantanamo is way harder than you think. 2009. Web.

Introduction

A skills inventory is the process of listing down the characteristics that cause one to be employable. These may include the persons qualifications, their experience, knowledge, abilities and skills. One should note that skills inventories do not just revolve around people; they can also apply to jobs. The case under analysis is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Currently, the organization is just about to introduce a new service that will facilitate access of consumer information from various sources throughout the company. It is imperative to do a skills inventory in order to determine if the company has the right human resource capability for the new service.

Current skills

Academic skills seem to have a high priority in this institution. Most employees have a background in law, social work and other fields that relate to employment discrimination (Garcia & Schmelzer, 2006). Furthermore, many of these workers appear to have committed to actively learn and think throughout their time at the EEOC. Several of them have acquired post graduate degrees while working at the organization. However, one can argue that since the workforce is constantly changing, then academically  acquired knowledge only has a certain lifespan. Skills acquired five years ago can become obsolete today. Therefore, the organization needs to focus on continual learning.

Team working skills are also evident at EEOC. The provision of new services requires cooperation in teams. Fortunately, members of this institution are already familiar with group work. They usually collaborate with each other when handling specific cases. Interdepartmental associations may also arise during implementation of new technological systems (EEOC, 2013).

Personal management skills appear to be in order, as well. Members of the EEOC seem to possess a positive attitude towards work. Their behavior is compatible with the magnitude of work they handle. It is common for a worker to manage one form of responsibility today and then do something completely different tomorrow. Many of these employees are highly adaptable. This is a quality that is highly desirable for the new service program.

Generally, transferrable skills are also worth mentioning. Interpersonal skills, communication skills, problem solving and writing skills are clearly evident in the organization. Members have managed to dispense services regardless of information impediments because of such transferrable skills. They have faced situations and established methods of dealing with them within short amounts of time. Some of them have endeavored to share information with each other even when they were not expected to do so.

On the flipside, poor infrastructural support has hampered adequate communication. Therefore, employees may possess the skills, but their jobs lack such capabilities (Lavell & Martinelli, 2008). Similarly, team working may be present in specific individuals but challenges exist in coordination of efforts institutionally. These issues have implications on the quality of service provision in the company.

Certain elements in the skills inventory of the institution are unique in the human resource sector. In other words, these elements do not exist in typical skills inventories. One such example is organizational affiliation, which may refer to the department or sector to which one belongs. The company is well aware of departmental identities of its employees. Additionally, members group levels are applicable at the EEOC. Individuals who fall within the same salary bracket belong to this category.

The nature of projects and assignments that a worker typically completes is another component of the skills inventory process in this institution. Sometimes this approach may specify positions that workers held as well as the degree of deployments that a worker underwent (Scott, 2009).

Training is especially relevant in the institution as different courses are available to employees. Management keeps track of these developments by including them in their reports. They often pay attention to knowledge acquired from the courses. Furthermore, these skills may also include career aspirations of those individuals.

New skills

Every new form of technology requires policies that will govern their use. The search engine is relatively new, so it requires guidelines that will streamline its application (Prabha & Connaway, 2007). These policies may include specification of organization and sharing of files. Statements on access, distribution and use of private information are missing from the firm. The company will have security features such as passwords and firewalls. It needs to specify how workers will make use of these features. Matters of access may also be a problem in the future. Volunteers often enter the organization and could require network resources. Furthermore, the public, in the form of clients, may also need access to the network and the computers within the premises. Some guidelines are necessary in order to streamline these matters (Lock, 2007).

Problems with access through mobile technological devices may also arise. Stakeholders have laptops, tablets or other forms of mobile technology. Protocols can determine whether consumers and workers can use the search engine within the premises and outside of it. Software use comes with licensing issues. It is imperative for all the members to understand the implications of copying the software during the use of the search engine (Drucker, 2009).

Skills do not exist for the use of the new service within the premises. One such issue is budgeting of items needed to get the service moving (Michael et. al., 2008). Individuals also lack skills on determining how to develop the use of the search engine in the future. Even specifications on network server management as well as backups and servers do not exist.

Implementation of the new service will require certain IT technical skills, which appear to be lacking in the company. Every database that will contribute to the search engine must be easily accessible and secure. Someone has to preside over these functions, and currently, no single individual at the EEOC has that mandate (Zhang & Majid, 2009).

Operation of the search technology also requires backup files. Persons in the institution need to ensure that adequate backups exist in the institutions. This process entails verification and execution of files. The company needs to test those backups once implementation occurs. One needs to perform restoration and verification of the backups if glitches arise. A back-ups administrator cannot be in-charge of the latter component. A different member of staff will need to handle this task (Mutch, 2011).

An overall IT strategy for the organization will be imperative to success. The functionality of the search engine and all its updates will fall under the portfolio of one of the personnel (Majid & Kowtha, 2008). Someone will have to be in charge of accounts within the network, password resets and use of emails. Users will cease using the engine in certain instances. Alternatively, they may lack qualifications for reliability of use. Therefore, an individual with the right skill set must intervene and ascertain that everyone operates in accordance to their mandate (Aral et. al., 2012).

Software usage cannot go on indefinitely in the organization as it is a paid service. Therefore, people with skills in software monitoring are imperative in the success of the organization. They will also take care of infringement if it occurs among the users (Choo, 2008).

The EEOC may encounter network problems during implementation of the exercise. Such skills may not need a permanent employee but could necessitate the hiring of an external manager. Therefore, network inventory skills are vital in the success of this new service. Additionally, this skill may also come in handy when the organization decides to upgrade its network. An expert will need to know that the institution only has three ports prior to the introduction of new termini.

A general IT manager must exist in order to solve daily technological changes. These challenges are likely to increase in the first few months of the implementation phase (Ormrod, 2006). All staff members will participate in data entry and other key IT implementation issues. These skills may seem obvious but could overwhelm members. New personnel may relieve workers from these duties.

Conclusion

The new search engine will contribute substantially to the improvement of outcomes at the EEOC. However, most of the employees lack the skills needed to run technology-based solutions. The organization has focused on academic and person-centered skills.

Some of the missing skills in the institution include policy determination for the use of the search engine. Budgeting and strategic skills for the use of the new technology infrastructure and management of security within the network are also absent. The EEOC must work on operational skills imperative to the success of the service as well as the administration of tasks. The company will benefit from all preset capabilities only if it fills this gap. They may come from external consultants, employees or in-house capacity building.

References

Aral, S., Brynjolfsson, E. & Wu, L. (2012). Three-way complementaries: Performance and pay, human resource analytics and information technology. Management Science Journal, 58(5), 913-931.

Choo, W. (2008). Information management for the intelligent organization, the art of scanning the environment. Medford, NJ: Information Today Inc. Press.

Drucker, P. (2009). Be data literate  know what to know. The Wall Street Journal, 16(3), 43.

EEOC (2013). U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Web.

Garcia, T., & Schmelzer, R. (2006). Diversity from the top down. PR Journal, 9(49), 19-20.

Lavell, D., & Martinelli, R. (2008). Program and project retrospectives: Achieving organizational buy-in. PM World Today, 10(2), 15-20.

Lock, D. (2007). Project Management. USA: Gower Publishing Limited.

Majid, S. & Kowtha, R. (2008). Utilizing environmental knowledge for competitive advantage. Canada: Association for Information Systems.

Michael, J. K., Kashiwagi, D., & Sullivan, K., T. (2008, February 18). Leadership based project management model tested on food services at Arizona State University. PM World Today, 3(4), 10.

Mutch, A. (2011). Information literacy: an exploration. International Journal of Information Management, 17(5), 377386.

Ormrod, J.E. (2006). Educational psychology: Developing learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Prabha, C., & Connaway, S. (2007). What is enough? Satisfying information needs. Journal of Documentation, 63(1), 29-40.

Scott, M. (2009). Transforming the project management culture at Harris. PM World Today, 10(5), 17-33.

Zhang, X., & Majid, S. (2009). Environmental scanning initiatives of SMEs in Singapore, Libri. International Journal of Libraries and Information Services, 59(2), 114123.