The Spotlight Is Back On The Atlantic

Since 2009, when president Barack Obama came into power, a “pivotation” regarding the U.S. foreign policy has taken place. The idea of the Obama administration’s strategic “pivot” from the Middle East to East Asia seems to be challenged with the negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

Photograph retrieved form: <http://www.baquia.com/tecnologia-y-negocios/entry/emprendedores/2013-05-28-startups-europeas-como-conseguir-inversores-de-los-eeuu>.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, is a proposed free trade agreement that would link the world's two largest economies: the United States and Europe. If successfully negotiated, the TTIP would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as the world’s largest free trade area, with a combined GDP of $31.06 trillion.

On the one hand, the TTIP implies advantages such as a greater economical growth, which would create more jobs and prosperity for two giant engines of the world's economy; reduce high unemployment levels left over from the 2008 financial crisis; improvement of the political bilateral relations between the U.S. and the European Union; and boost the economy by reducing costs (for example the removal of double-taxations).

On the other hand, TTIP could also involve some negative aspects such as the disappearance of small business due to the increased competition and the possible monopoles that big enterprises may build. The U.S.A. and specially, the E.U. would have to give up protectionist measures in industries such as agriculture, energy.. For example, European agribusiness would suffer from cheaper American-made food imports. In addition, the E.U. bans all genetically-modified crops and meat from animals treated with growth hormones. It also refuses poultry that's been washed with chlorine. These are all practices common with U.S. food. European consumers would complain loudly if these bans were lifted. They feel the ban protects them from tainted or lower quality food and public criticism may arise with the implementation of the TTIP.

It is estimated that until late 2015 or early fall 2015, technical negotiations would not conclude. Then the agreement will be submitted to the US Congress and the European Parliament for their consideration and hopefully their approval in the months of January-April 2016. If it goes as planned, the agreement will be approved by late spring of 2016 and on January 1^st 2017 the TTIP will be implemented.

Since Colonial times, the Atlantic has been of key importance regarding trade, alliances and economic relationships. We can say that the last time we could see the Atlantic as the major ocean from a geopolitical point of view was during the Cold War. This agreement will relocate the focus of Americans towards their historical allies responding to those who argue that the U.S. was more interested in the Pacific (eg. The Trans-Pacific Partnership: U.S. Trade agreement with Pacific countries such as Japan, Philippines…).

An agreement would strengthen the geo-political standing of the Trans-Atlantic bloc against the rising economic power of China, India and other Pacific nations, as well as the growing success of Latin America. If the U.S. and E.U. could iron out their differences, they could stand as a united front against market threats from the rest of the world.

Paula Padrino

Gun control: a problem or a solution?

Last Tuesday a gunman walked into Reynolds High School near Portland (Oregon) with a rifle and shot a student to death before he was later found dead. This is the third outbreak of gun violence to shake a U.S. high school or college campus in less than three weeks. Last week, a man opened fire at Seattle Pacific University killing a 19-year-old freshman, Paul Lee, and inuring other 2 students. And on the 23^rd of May, a man killed 6 people and wounded 7 more in Santa Barbara, California.

Photograph retrieved from: http://www.newsday.com/opinion/oped/the-nra-used-to-support-gun-control-adam-winkler-1.3865217

The incident in Oregon was the 74^th school shooting in the U.S. since the December 2012 shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the U.S. about 1 out of every 4.5 million school kids between the ages of 5 and 18 dies from homicide each year at school or getting there and back, . That works out to about 10 to 30 kids a year, or about 1% of all kids who die from homicide.

The U.S.A. has more guns than any other industrialized nation, is it just a matter of personal security? Some people argue that they don’t expect the police to defend themselves because by the time they call the police, it’s too late. Therefore thy obtain guns for self-defence. This creates a vicious cycle: thief or criminal in America carries a gun because he doesn’t know if the other person (eg. owner of the house) has a gun. As Mr. Ryan Turner, president of Democrats Abroad Madrid, said in an interview: “So when someone enters your house, you are very scared because you think they carry a gun. Here in Europe in general, it might not cross our mind that the burglar has a AK47 Kalashnikov. Usually burglars are quick and they don’t normally use violence”

On the 10^th of June 2014, Obama showed his concern regarding the issue of guns’ control inside his country by saying: “My biggest frustration so far is the fact that this society has not been willing to take some basic steps to keep guns out of the hands of people who can do just unbelievable damage”

As response to the slaughter in Newtown, Connecticut, Barack Obama threw on January 16^th (2013) the major offer on the control of weapon of the last two decades. The legislative offers were destined to avoid that the weapon comes to inadequate hands, to prohibit the sale of the weapon, to increase the safety in the schools and to improve the services of mental health.The legislative offers had three fundamental changes: to prohibit the rifles of assault, to limit the number of bullets in the loaders, and to extend the control of the precedents for all the transactions of weapons.However, when the legislation came to the Senate in April, it failed to get the 60 votes needed and all Obama’s major initiatives, including the background checks, were defeated and have remained stalled ever since. Nevertheless, The American president promised, that “sooner or later” a more strict legislation would be achieved for the control of weapon.

In our opinion, gun regulation must be stricter. We think the United States has already suffered for a lot of murders and something must be changed in order to prevent those shootings from happening again. We don’t argue against the Second Amendment which gives you the right of owning a gun, we consider that as well as other products and services, guns must follow some kind of control, regulations and limitations. We think the government should try and not be influence by powerful lobbies such as the NRA and try to create pieces of legislation that protects the citizens of the U.S.A.


Paula Padrino Vilela

Taliban release last U.S. military prisoner of war

Last Saturday 31st of May, the Haqqani group (Islamist insurgent group) liberated the last American prisoner of both Iraq and Afghanistan war. Bowe Bergdah, an American soldier who was held hostage since the 30^th of June 2009, was released in exchange of five Taliban detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison.

SOURCE: BBC / Photograph retrieved from:http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2014/06/140603_estados_unidos_sargento_bergdahl_msd.shtml

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl was delivered to the U.S. Special Forces in the east of Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan. Authorities declared that during the exchange there was no violence and that Bergdahl was in good condition and able to walk. However he was taken to an American military hospital in Germany after receiving medical care at Bagram Air Base, the main US base in Afghanistan. Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said that Bergdahl is showing improvement during his treatment after nearly five years in captivity and that there’s no “set timeline” to move him into an American hospital to continue his medical treatment.

The five Taliban involved in the swap were high-ranking members of the Taliban government (Fazl, Mullah Norullah Noori, Mohammed Nabi, Khairullah Khairkhwa and Abdul Haq Wasiq) who were arrested by the U.S. in 2001. All of them fled together to Qatar in order to culminate the exchange.

SOURCE: Wikileaks / Photograph retrieved from: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2014/05/us-soldier-freed-taliban-after-five-years-2014531164346176291.htm

This operation was the result of indirect negotiations between the United States and Taliban with the intermediation of the government of Qatar. Qatar agreed to take the Taliban detainees and said it would allow the United States to track the five men in the Gulf emirate. Under that arrangement, the United States installed extensive surveillance equipment to monitor their movements and communications.

In his early twenties, Bowe Bergdahl enlisted in 2008 without telling his parents. He was drawn by recruiters’ promises that he would be able to go overseas to help people. Once deployed to Afghanistan, he was disillusioned with the US military mission. In his final email to his parents before his capture, he wrote: “I am ashamed to even be an American”.

After telling his comrades he was disillusioned, Bergdahl disappeared off his base in Afghanistan and was captured by Taliban fighters. After being captured, some fellow soldiers believed he willingly walked away from his post and called him a traitor. That morning Bergdahl’s unit started searching for him, as he didn’t show up for roll call. Members of his army blame him for the deaths of other soldiers sent out to rescue him.

The price paid for the release of the Sergeant (the liberation of five former Taliban leaders from Guantanamo to Qatar) is a very controversial issue. Although some Republican members of the U.S. Congress have said the prisoner swap was a dangerous precedent, Obama stands by his decision and said on the G7 Summit in Belgium: “I make no apologies for making sure we get a young man back to his parents”. Furthermore, Mr Hagel, US Secretary of Defense, said that “This was the right decision for the right reasons”, “We don’t leave our people behind”.

Finally last Saturday Bowe’s parents appeared with President Obama at the White House to announce their son’s release. Obama argued that the U.S.A. never leaves the men and women in uniform behind. He thanked the government and Emir of Qatar for their help and their assurance to put measures to protect American national security. Due to the allegations of dissertation the American Army is going to review the circumstances surrounding Bergdahl’s capture and authorities say they will not ignore any misconduct by the released detainee. However, John McHugh, the secretary of the US army, said on Tuesday that officials would interview Bergdahl about the circumstances of his disappearance in Afghanistan once completes a rehabilitation programme in Germany. In addition, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff has stated the former detainee should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

Obama announces future foreign policy at West Point

On May 28^th, President Barack Obama spoke at the United States Military Academy at West Point to define America’s doctrine on foreign policy.

Photograph retrieved from: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/05/7-harsh-reactions-to-obamas-west-point-speech.html

Obama started his intervention by congratulating the newest officers in the United States Army. He pointed out that this year’s graduates are the first class who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11. Things have changed since he first spoke at West Point in 2009. At that time, more than 100,000 troops were deployed in Iraq, they were preparing an invasion to Afghanistan, they were trying to fight terrorism and America was just starting to enter one of its biggest economic crises.

Furthermore, this speech is the closest Obama has been to defining his foreign policy doctrine. Obama mentions how the world is changing rapidly, how Americans must adapt to the new situations and shift from military-interventionism to collective action and diplomacy. “U.S. military action cannot be the only – or even primary – component of our leadership in every instance. Just because we have the best hammer does not mean that every problem is a nail” He also explained that the U.S. and it’s important role in the international system is not in decline, on the contrary, he describes America as “the one indispensable nation” which the world looks to for help.

Regarding the use of military force, U.S. president insisted that America should never ask for permission to protect its citizens or its homeland. The U.S.A. will use military force if it’s in the interest of the country, Americans are threatened or its allies are in danger. He added that in the rest of the cases, U.S.A. will always look for other ways to solve issues such as international law, diplomacy or sanctions and isolation, for instance, the U.S. response to Russia’s invasion of Crimea. Moreover, he defended his decision not to intervene in Syria and he offered support toSyria’s neighbours who are the hosts of thousands of refugees.

Unlike other speeches, this one was characterized by its foreign policy announcements. For instance, he is going to ask the Congress to support a new $5 billion Counterterrorism Partnership Fund that will be used to help and assist partner countries (such as Yemen or Mali) on the front lines. In addition, Obama announced that American presence in Afghanistan will be reduced by the end of 2016.

Obama also highlighted some aspects of the environment and climate change.He thinks that climate change is a national security threat, so it must be combated as such. U.S.A. plans to develop a treaty during the negotiations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate. “That spirit of cooperation must energize the global effort to combat climate change – a creeping national security crisis that will help shape your time in uniform, as we’re called on to respond to refugee flows, natural disasters, and conflicts over water and food,” Obama said. He emphasized the threat posed by the development of technology and globalization, saying that they have “put power once reserved for states in the hands of the individual, raising the capacity of terrorists to do harm.”

U.S. is nowadays a reference and the entity to which any state or any region goes to ask for help or advice. Military forces are and will be very important for the president and the citizens of the U.S  in order to maintain the peace and the stability of the country.

Paula Padrino Vilela