Friday, December 27, 2019

The Moral Implications Of The Us Invaded Iraq - 1689 Words

Carl Von Clausewitz was a Prussian Military Theorist in the early eighteen hundred`s who focused on the moral implications of war. He once said â€Å"War is the mere continuation of politics by other means†, a statement that has become all too relevant in the twenty-first century. This paper will serve to analyze why the US invaded Iraq in 2003, discussing the underlying agenda of the Bush administration at the time compared to what information was given to the public. First, evaluating how the Bush administration used propaganda to vilify the Iraqi regime as terrorists and convince the US public that invading Iraq was clearly for pre-emptive self-defense. This section shows how the US government at the time framed the Iraq war as†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"the success of â€Å"Bush’s PR War† . . . was largely dependent on a compliant press that uncritically repeated almost every fraudulent administration claim about the threat posed to America by Sadd am Hussein† (Altheide Grimes 2005: 1420). Any politician or news source that tried to provide other information on the matter stating that these claims were not necessarily true fell on deaf ears. â€Å"Counterclaims by others, including U.S. senators, were dismissed by the White House and received little press or broadcast attention† (Altheide Grimes 2005: 1420). The power of patriotism proved to be very powerful at convincing the public, such that, anyone who tried to claim going to war with Iraq was unjust and unfounded was regarded as unpatriotic by their fellow Americans and cast aside along with their opinions. Claiming that Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime were terrorists themselves helped the US government convince its people that Invading Iraq was justified; while labeling the Iraq regime as terrorists dehumanized them and made it easier for the US publics fears to be directed as anger and hate. This fear derived hate from the American populous, which was further propelled by mass media aided in greenlighting the invasion of Iraq even when there was no decisive evidence supporting the claims that the BushShow MoreRelatedDrone Technology And The Issue1699 Words   |  7 PagesSeveral important ethical and moral concerns have come to the surface regarding drone technology and the issue is currently investigated and even debated in Congress. Until recently, when we hear the word drone, most of us automatically add the word â€Å"attack† on the end or think of something negative. That’s because mostly, drones are frequently used for surveillance, intelligence and, ultimately, offensive operations. Drones also known as ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’, or UAV’s are mostly used in situationsRead MoreCauses of War: Systemic vs. Domestic1777 Words   |  8 Pagesthem dealt with territory (Holsti). Adding more territory will often add more wealth to the state. One way it can do that is by providing goods, resourc es, or industries that a state needs, such as oil or minerals. Iran and Iraq fought a war from 1980-1988 partially because Iraq sought to take control of Iran’s southern oil fields, according to World Politics. Military strategy can also play a role in why states seek new territories. Finally, states can be interested in territory for ethnic, culturalRead MoreThe Ethics of War and the War in Iraq Essay6365 Words   |  26 Pagesterrorism that has eventuated in the ongoing military actions in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Though most Americans and most Christians support the general war on terror, questions have been raised about our decision to invade Iraq, and public support for the continuing involvement of American forces there is steadily eroding. So, we may ask the question: â€Å"Should we continue to fight the war in Iraq?† And many of us are still asking the question of whether or not we should have gone to war there in theRead MoreInternational Intervention On S yria During The Civil War2442 Words   |  10 Pageshas seen turmoil for years, and this civil war is not going to make anything better. Therefore, I find it crucial to continue to maintain the same amount intervention with Syria as the world has been. Success in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) will depend on a clear, effective U.S. strategy in the region. It is in the best interests of the U.S. to ensure that ISIS is contained and ultimately eliminated. Pursuing ISIS too harshly may cause more people to join the cause asRead MoreThe Construction of Risk: 9/11 Terrorist Attack and the Response to It2009 Words   |  9 Pagestheir social order which is based on Islamic teachings. Seeing America as a risk ‘Other’, they blame America for the things that have gone wrong in their society. They perceived America as the source of the poverty, political chaos and cultural or moral degradation in their communities. Based on their shared principles of avenging the oppressor for their fellow community members, they decided to tackle the risk by bringing the suffering to the oppressor. It is their construction of America as aRead More Mending the Transatlantic Rift Essay4789 Words   |  20 Pagesnon-state actors and rogue regimes as the salient elements of American foreign policy. In emphasizing rogue states, President George W. Bush focused on regime change in Iraq and ultimately decided to invade Iraq despite the opposition of important allies and the lack of authorization from the United Nations Security Council. The war in Iraq, along with an array of diplomatic and policy differences between the United States and its European allies, ultimately produced notable divisions in the transatlanticRead More Second World War Essay2954 Words   |  12 PagesSecond World War My generation has already witnessed a day of infamy, less than two short years ago (or so CNN tells us). My grandfather would remember a different day, a morning marked by another surprise attack on America. That ambush, said Japanese General Yamamoto, awakened a â€Å"sleeping giant.† Analysis of American foreign policy begs the question: what if the giant had spurned its peaceful slumber? Instead, the behemoth could have chosen to lumber about. Odds are that the footsteps would notRead MoreThe Rwandan Genocide And The Genocide4492 Words   |  18 Pagesgenocide). As an agricultural nation, Rwanda was economically dependent on the harvesting of crops such as rice, coffee, and maize. Though the nation may have been dependent on these agricultural exports to the United States (and other Western powers), the US unfortunately was not entirely dependent on Rwanda as these products were also traditionally received from Brazil, Columbia, and other larger African countries. Prior to the control of other western powers, the country was at peace; however, all thisRead MorePak Us Relations7976 Words   |  32 PagesPakistani Kashmir, especially Northern Areas, continue to suffer from lack of political recognition, economic development and basic fundamental rights. †¢ India has asked United Nations that it should not be leave unchallenged or unaddressed claims of moral, political and diplomatic support for terrorism, which were clearly in contravention of United Nations Security Council resolution that makes it mandatory for member states to not provide active or passive support to terrorist organizations. SpecificallyRead MoreLiterature : The 21st Century6619 Words   |  27 Pagesdared to step out of line there were no second chances, you were gone. This relates back to 21st literature although there are no wars occurring, the Islamist militant group, ISIS, has seized a chunk of land stretching from northern Syria to central Iraq. They are a growing organization of around 1500 people causing chaos in certain Middle Eastern countries. This clearly shows that although nearly 80 years have passed since Hitler’s reign, the same idea of power and control has not changed. My name

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Sundiata Essay - 971 Words

Epics Sundiata was written in Africa. Gilgamesh was the oldest one written. Other works include the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were written by the blind prophet Homer. What do all these works of literature have in common with each other? The similarity that all these works of literature have is that they are all epics. What does this mean? What is an epic? The definition of an epic is that an epic is a long, narrative poem with a hero that goes on a quest. What is the hero? Well, the characteristics of a hero is that they all go on a quest, which is a long, arduous journey, he usually descends to the underworld, and many other traits are possessed that determine if a hero is an epic hero. Does an epic have characteristics like an epic†¦show more content†¦As an answer to the people’s prayers, the Gods sent Enkidu. At the end of Gilgamesh’s journey, he was forced to return home with nothing but very important, well-learned lessons. Secondly, the next epic that will be discussed is Sundiata. Sundiata was an African epic about a very unusual king of Mali. It all began in 1200 back when Sundiata’s father, Nare Fa Maghan, ruled over Mali. Until one day Maghan, were to marry a very ugly, yet powerful female named Sogolon Kedju to be the most powerful king of Mali. Ironically, not only did he marry the ugly woman, they birthed Sundiata. Sassouma was Maghan’s first wife and reviled Sogolon because Sundiata would now possibly be king instead of her son Dankaran. The rivaling brothers bickered and fought one another until the rightful king Sundiata took his place at the throne. Thirdly, the epic entitled the Odyssey will be discussed. The Odyssey was an epic written by homer a blind prophet who wrote two stories about the Trojan War. The first epic was the Iliad and it took place during the Trojan War. Why did the Trojan War begin? Paris, the prince of Troy, abducted Menelausus’ wife, Helen. The Odyssey was the sequel to the Iliad and it began telling the tale of one of the Geek soldiers, Odysseus, began his journey home. It takes him twenty years to make it home however; while he is gone his home encounters many hardships. Odysseus loses his friends on this journey home, while not to hisShow MoreRelatedEssay on Sundiata the Hero1266 Words   |  6 PagesSundiata was not a self-absorbed person, when even at an early age, â€Å"malicious tongues began to blab. What three-year-old has not yet taken his first steps (p.15)?† Early on in his life Sundiata showed his since of concern for others when he sees his mother distraught other being slight by Sassouma, Sundiata says, â€Å"mother, what’s the matter (p.19)?† When Sundiata makes up his mind to overcome his problem of not walking, and should feel triumphant and celebrator by focusing on what everyone willRead MoreEssay about Sundiata1005 Words   |  5 Pages If you want a taste of West African History Sundiata will give you exactly what you want and more. Sundiata was an interesting piece of literature to read. Unlike the previous two books we have read this semester I found this book much more simple. This book was much easier for me to comprehend and actually get into. This book exposed me not only to the West African history, but also a new religion. The story of Sundiata depicts the story of the foundation of the Mali Empire in West AfricaRead MoreThe Functions of Griots - Sundiata Essay1127 Words   |  5 Pagesthe main source of information for the book Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. The book focuses on the trials and tribulations of Sundiata, a legendary warrior, king, and founder of the Mali Empire; and the functions of griots in serving their king. Sundiata is born to Sogolon, and is supposed to become the king of Mali, but Sundiata cannot walk until he turns 11 years old, and his half brother, Dankaran Touman, becomes the king. Dankaran exiles Sundiata and his family, and Balla Fasseke, SundiatasRead MoreAnalysis and Commentary on The Epic of Sundiata685 Words   |  3 Pages The Epic of Sundiata The Epic of Sundiata is a tale about the ancient kingdom of Mali in Africa and the legendary king and founder of the Mali Empire told by Djeli Mamadou Kouyate a griot, which is equivalent to storyteller. Before the griot begins the story he introduces himself as a â€Å"master in the art of eloquence.† He explains how his family had played an important role in preserving the history of the Mali Empire. By serving the princes of the Mali Empire. He says a griots job is to protectRead More Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali Essay1013 Words   |  5 Pages as they had special people called griotswho passed the peoples traditions and history down orally from generation to generation. One such griot, Mamadou Kouyate, recalls the story of the most famous ruler in African history, Sundiata, in D.T. Nianes book Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. This book has become an entertaining, yet scrutinized, source about the history of Mali and its surrounding areas. Much scrutiny of this tale co mes from those who question the validity of the griots, thoughRead MoreSundiata s The Mali Empire1524 Words   |  7 Pages Sundiata himself is the most significant contributor to the formation of the Mali empire, however, various women hold a background role that is vital to the series of occurring events that allow Sundiata to become the king of Mali and form the Mali empire. The buffalo woman, Sogolon, and Nana Triban are all female characters who allow Sundiata the ability to fulfill his prophecy and become the king of Mali. Besides Sundiata himself, these women have some of the most important roles as comparedRead MoreSundiata: an Epic of Old Mali Essay858 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Sundiata: an Epic of Old Mali†: A Character Analysis of Sundiata. Sundiata is an oral epic passed from griot to griot. D.T. Niane’s Sundiata contains many powerful characters. Throughout the story Niane uses the strength and weaknesses of his characters to show the importance of des tiny and fate. The character that holds his name to the story, Sundiata, is the son of King Maghan Kon Katta and the â€Å"buffalo† woman. Sundiata was prophesized to be a great leader and to save the people of Mali. SundiataRead More Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali by Mamadou Kouyatà © 1068 Words   |  4 PagesSo in this book we are presented with an epic about a great King named Sundiata. We see that in those times griots were for the kings and for them to now were their ancestors came form so they know what it means to continue being a king. This book was brought from the words of a griot, so even in today’s society in Africa there are still griots around telling us stories and the epic such as the one we read in class this past week. Almost right into the book we see that a griot helps a king make discussionsRead MoreEssay about Sassouma Berete and Sogolon Kedjou in The Epic of Sundiata835 Words   |  4 PagesKedjou and Sassouma Bà ©rà ©tà © both had an impact on there sons life, their character traits were at different ends of the maternal spectrum. Despite minuscule similarities Sogolon Kedjou and Sassouma Bà ©rà ©tà © were depicted in direct contrast in the epic Sundiata. When comparing the two Sogolon Kedjou and Sassouma Berete both did what they thought would help to get their sons to become king. Sogolon knew everything that Sassouma was capable of doing to hurt her family, so she came up with the idea toRead MoreSundiata and the Odyssey of Homer1023 Words   |  5 PagesA quest is the act or instance of seeking or pursuing something. In the books Sundiata and The Odyssey of Homer, both of the main characters venture out on quests. Throughout each characters quest, they have goals they would like to achieve, obstacles that get in their way, and enemies they must face. Sundiata and Odysseus also receive some assistance along the way. Both characters also have a common goal to return to their homes after their quests are over. If their quests are successful they

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Peace Corps Essay Example For Students

Peace Corps Essay 1. IntroductionAbundant Rewards. This is thetitle of an essay that was writtenby a Peace Corps volunteer, LauraStedman, on her reflections of herwork in Swaziland, serving as ascience teacher. The essaydiscusses her students and whatturned out to be her most importantaccomplishment, to give thechildren confidence in themselves. In this way she opened the door forthem to learn on their own, and tofeel that their opinions wereimportant. Once the children beganto share their own opinions, shelearned a large amount from themalso. The essay I described above sums upmy interests in the Peace Corps. Tobe able to help those lessfortunate than you, and in a veryconcrete way. Unlike sending twodollars a month, to help a child,to some informercial, were younever really see the results, orare to involved with them either. You also dont get the amazingexperience of learning about acountrys culture and customs. Mostimportantly, through the PeaceCorps you are able to go throughthe enriching experience ofinteracting with people, in whichcase you both learn from each othera great deal, and help each otheralong the path of life. On a sidenote, through the Peace Corps wealso show that the US is not thebully of the world (as Saddamwould like to claim). That some ofus Americans, if not most, do careabout all people, not justourselves. 2. Background and SupportPeace Corps is a volunteer service,in which Americans are sent to helpundeveloped and poverty-strickencountries. The volunteers stay inthese host countries for two years. They live with the people, in manytimes poor conditions, and serveand interact with the people of thecountry. In doing this, the PeaceCorps have three major goals: 1)To provide volunteers whocontribute to the social andeconomic development of interestedcountries; 2) To promote a betterunderstanding of Americans amongthe people whom volunteers serve;3) To strengthen Americansunderstanding about the world andits people. Most of all, theorganization promotes world peace,and understanding between Americaand all the other nations andpeople of the world. It is a UnitedStates government agency, and isfunded by our tax dollars. Which isa place where I dont mind my moneygoing to. How did the Peace Corps come to be?It is a very complicated politicalweb of incidents, but can be summedtogether quite easily. In the early1960s the youths of the nation hadgrown tired of being idle, and theybelieved America was becomingpompous and arrogant. They wantedchange. They wanted to change theworld. Then the first glimpse ofthat chance came. President Kennedywent to the University of Michiganon October 14, 1960. In his speechthat day, he asked the group of tenthousand students present: Howmany of you are willing to spendten years in Africa or LatinAmerica or Asia working for the USand working for freedom? Thisidea, the idea that later becamethe Peace Corps, gave the chance toquench this thirst for change, andmore importantly action. 3. Development and RecognitionThe plan behind the Peace Corps wasmainly masterminded by SenatorHubert Humphrey and CongressmanHenry S. Reuss. However, Kennedywas the person who articulated it. He did so at his speech at theUniversity of Michigan, and manyother speeches, including hisinaugural address. Especially withhis famous line: Ask not what yourcountry can do for you, ask whatyou can do for your country (todaythis line is somewhat of a mottofor the Peace Corps). Also, inMarch of 1961, after being electedpresident, Kennedy did as hepromised, and gave the executiveorder creating the Peace Corps. .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f , .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .postImageUrl , .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f , .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f:hover , .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f:visited , .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f:active { border:0!important; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f:active , .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud156260b5d04ed21b6cdc64d08770e5f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Epigenetics And Inheritable Disease Biology EssayLess than half a year later,volunteers were already being sentto Ghana. By the end of 1961, thePeace Corps expanded to serve adozen countries, and had close to athousand volunteers. Within thenext few years, the number ofcountries with programs ore thandoubled, and in 1966 the number ofvolunteers reached the highest inhistory of over 15,000. In 1981, itcelebrated its 20th anniversary,and received congratulations fromPresident Reagan. By this point ithad had programs in 88 countries,and accumulated almost a hundredthousand alumni. In 1989 the worldwise schools initiative is put inplace. This plan has elementary andjunior high classes going with thevolunteers to the countries, tohelp promote world-wide awareness. In 1995, a new form of the PeaceCorps, the Crisis Corps, is createdto help nations in cases ofemergencies. This brings us up totoday. 4. PresentationToday the Peace Corps continue tohelp countries in need, and topromote world peace. The volunteerscontinue to help countries in theareas of agriculture, education,health, and trade. However, todaythey are also helping countries inthe areas of teaching English,business, city planning, youthprograms, and even the environment. About six and a half thousandvolunteers and serving ineighty-four different countries. The regions in which most of theireffort is concentrated are Africa,South America, the Pacific, Asia,the former Soviet Union, theCaribbean, and Eastern Europe. President Clinton plans to try toget the Peace Corps an increase infunding of about twenty percent. Ifhe is able to, it is hoped thatwithin the next few years thenumber of volunteers can be raisedto ten thousand, and that the PeaceCorps could have programs in even agreater number of countries. Thisextra money could also help withthe new Crisis Corps programs. TheCrisis Corps are Peace Corpsvolunteers who go and helpcountries suffering from recentdisasters by working throughnon-governmental agencies, reliefagencies, and development agencies. A part of the Peace Corps that isnot fully illustrated is the peopleof countries who have or arereceiving aid. Through the PeaceCorps they gain new knowledge toimprove their lives, but they alsomust take the initiative to do so. Hopefully these people can put theknowledge into use, and combinedwith the continued aid of the PeaceCorps can empower themselves toimprove their lives, but hopefullyalso improve the lives of others. 5. ConclusionWithout the Peace Corps the worldwould not have one of the greatopportunities to grow together. Onevolunteer can effect just oneperson in his/her host country. However, that person who becomesempowered with new knowledge andhope, instills that into hisfamily, who slowly instill thisinto their village, and hopefullyat some point the entire country. All the while America, through thevolunteers, is improving relationswith other countries, while othernations are able to do the same. With both parties learning so muchabout each other, and through eachother. If this is not an utterlygood and important cause, I dontknow what is. One day thesecountries that we are, and have,helped to improve their lives canhopefully one day do the same forothers. The dream that I see in thePeace Corps is one day worldwideunderstanding between all people. As long as the Peace Corps isaround, we know at least we arestriving in this direction. Category: Miscellaneous

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Natural disasters and poor preparedness Essay Example

Natural disasters and poor preparedness Paper The country has previously witnessed two major drought years in he last decade; 1991/92 and 1995/96. The 2000/01 and 2001/02 seasons were also beset with poor rainfall patterns of alternating dry spells and flooding and a large amount of food aid was required to avert hunger. A need to improve disaster preparedness The effect on agricultural production has thus been cumulatively negative. The drought years resulted in corresponding decline in area harvested for maize. A problem in relation to droughts has been the inconsistence and inaccurate projections of the early warning systems on climatic conditions as indicated in the projections for the 2001 season. There is need to improve the early warning capability in Zambia as well as improving drought preparedness, food security reserves, seed security, water conserving technology and irrigated farming to reduce susceptibility to the vagaries of weather. Flood disasters In Zambia flood disasters also occur. Normally floods are a necessary part of most river ecosystems to maintain a wide range of wetland habitats. Foods bring benefits as they help to maintain the fertility of soils by depositing layers of silt and flushing salts from surface layers; and they provide water for natural irrigation and for fisheries which are a major source of protein. Flood disasters in Zambia have been caused by river flooding from heavy or severe rainfall, sometimes associated with hailstorms which can destroy crops and buildings. We will write a custom essay sample on Natural disasters and poor preparedness specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Natural disasters and poor preparedness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Natural disasters and poor preparedness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Len addition, human manipulation of watersheds, drainage basins and flood plains can also exacerbate floods. Even though flooding affects almost all provinces in the country, it is worse in areas where surface vegetation has been removed and in low lying flood plains and valleys in the Zambia, Chamber’s and Langue river basins. Crop and livestock diseases Outbreaks Of diseases Of crops and livestock in recent years have set back forts to develop agriculture and have restricted entry to broader global markets. In crops, serious outbreaks of the Larger Grain Borer (LAG) in maize led damage to storage. Cassava Mealy Bug and Cassava Mosaic Virus devastated cassava production in the sass, wiping out whole fields and reducing yields to almost zero in some cases. There have been serious diseases in soybeans (frog eye) and sweet potatoes (weevils). K The livestock sub sector has not been spared with outbreak of Corridor Disease (East Coast Fever) being one of the sad episodes that has been responsible for failure of evildoers in Southern province. Some households have lost whole herds of cattle and its attendant benefits of manure, milk, draught power, and meat-National cattle population reduced from 5. Million in 1 996 to 1. 2 million in 2000. The effect on draught power and food security was devastating. Other serious cattle diseases have included Transmissions, foot and mouth disease, and Contagious Bovine Pleura Pneumonia (CUP). In the pig sub-sector, frequent outbreaks of swine fever have restricted the movement and marketability of pigs and pork products. The post Newspapers Zambia†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Tapir/2010 Disaster management By Robbie Muskie, Associate – African Centre for Disaster S on Wednesday 07 April 2010, CAT (706 Reads) Editor, The article on ‘Floods: what needs to be done? ND other articles about floods around the country by your reporters made sad reading, but what is more painful is that many people knew these floods were bound to happen. Natural disasters such as floods in a community are like a cancer in the body of a human being if not dealt with in the early stages it spreads and becomes intense with time. This is what will happen to natural disasters such as floods in Zambia unless he government treats the causes of these floods with seriousness. While threats of natural disasters all over the world are always treated and handled with utmost care because of the loss of life and property that follows when they take place, in Zambia the people given the authority to deal with these natural disasters believe we can only prepare for them and not prevent them as testified in the Zambia National Contingency Plan 09/10. In Zambia, we still feel we can dribble our way out of the natural disasters using political tactics and machinations and hoping everything will soon be resorted and everybody can return to business as usual. Showing a lot of care and sympathy for internally displaced people (DIP) and other victims of fl oods is not the solution. Sympathy should have been shown to them when they were being exploited by those who allocated plots to them. Reducing disaster vulnerability in Zambia will require increasing knowledge about the likelihood and consequences of natural disasters, empowering individuals, communities and public agencies with the knowledge and authority to lower risk before disasters occur. This knowledge will help the elevate departments and units to have authority to respond effectively to hazards before disasters strike. Increasing this knowledge and authority in Zambia will depend on how far the Zambia government is willing to open up the field of disaster management to experts in science and technology who can deal with these issues thoroughly and enforce the already existing laws on urban and country planning. Disaster management committees at all levels in the country are at the moment a comrades constituency whose composition and structure excludes experts who can give independent technical advice to reduce and reverent these natural disasters. Governing without ideology Editor The MD leadership is scared of losing elections because they do not want to join the unemployed population which they have created. If they had created jobs in the private sector, this MD leadership would not have been so scared of losing the 2011 elections because they would easily obtain other jobs after leaving office. However, time is against this party. The more the MD stays in power, the more confused the party becomes to an average Zambia for what exactly is the Mad’s philosophy? The party lacks the ideology to govern. They cannot e fiscal conservatives because of massive mismanagement of public funds, nor can they be accused of being constitutionalists because Of their partisan view of the Constitution. They are neither democrats due to their lack of progressive ideas on issues like freedom of information. I guess, they are still a movement as the party name suggests – a party in search of identity. It is this lack of ideology which has made Rapid Band’s prospects of winning the 201 1 polls a very difficult task. He has no platform or principles to follow. Zambia have moved on and are looking at the IF-UPEND pact as the alternative. The MD was given a chance since 1991 to create jobs, increase minimum wage, enforce labor standards, make investment bring revenue, improve healthcare delivery and education system, but they mismanaged the political capital which Zambia bestowed on it. Concerned citizen State of Lulus West Editor, The recent killing of Agenda headaches would have been avoided if anyone cared for the people of Lulus. For decades, the people in the area have been crying for a police station in Lulus West but their cries have been falling on deaf ears. The gov ernment is to blame for the death of Osaka and the desperate situation in Lulus West. This barbaric act is a blow to us as a people and the teaching profession. The loss of a teacher like Mr. Osaka who was among the few Zambia that had agreed to save the poor in remote rural schools and communities is truly demoralizing. In this generation, how can you have a constituency without a single police post. A place where 90 per cent of the houses for teachers are grass- thatched. Teachers in rural schools have been neglected by the government. The government does not seem to have any plans of taking care of the security of civil servants in extreme points of the district apart from the payment of eager salaries.