Feeding the Beast?

Admiral Mike Mullen was on the Hill on Thursday, when he confirmed some of Congress' worst fears about Pakistan. He was asked if Pakistan was expanding its nuclear arsenal. His answer--one word: Yes. This comes as the United States undertakes an unprecedented effort to boost the Pakistani military, providing billions of dollars in aid. Aid that many worry is being given out carte blanche.

Ostensibly, the aid is being given to help the Pakistanis deal with a relentless and resurgent Taliban that threatens Pakistani security interests and our own interests in Afghanistan as thousands of American troops fight to stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan. So, the question is--what are the Pakistanis doing with the money, and how can the United States, Pakistan, Afghanistan and all of the other regional players work together to bring down the Taliban and finally create some semblance of stability.

Increasingly, policy makers are worried about Pakistan. For all of the talk (Pakistan claims to have killed 1,000 Taliban militants over the weekend), Pakistan still has not pulled some of its most battle hardened units off of the border with India to deal with its own internal crisis in the Swat Valley. There are concerns that Pakistan isn't doing everything that it can--or must do in order to win the war against the Taliban. Is the United States funding nuclear proliferation that could reignite a regional arms race with India and other power players in the region? Sometimes, the best intentions (to provide aid in fighting an evil insurgent group) can lead to terrible outcomes (nuclear proliferation). Maybe it's time to reevaluate U.S. aid to Pakistan, and our military aid policies in general.

Star Trek: "Jar Jar Binks"ed

As a kid, I loved Star Trek. I grew up with Star Trek TNG, and then Star Trek Voyager. I will not forget the hopeful and optimistic outlook that it had, and everything that it stood for. I was pumped about the recent Star Trek premiere. I read nothing but positive reviews, and I was sure that this would be the movie that would reinvigorate the entire Star Trek series. I left the theater entertained, but disappointed.

The new movie was high on effects, graphics, and action but light on what made Star Trek great: substance. Sure, you throw in some red matter, and interstellar battle---but that's not what Star Trek is about. I don't mean to sound like a purist here, but Star Trek is supposed to be more than flashing phasers, and awesome space ships. It is supposed to convey a message. The latest Trek didn't make sense, and was lacking in terms of a message or a story that could resonate with audiences.

I think this is a larger symptom of a growing problem. Star Trek was JarJar Binksed. When George Lucas tried to recast Star Wars through his prequels, he introduced Jar-Jar Binks, a terrible, superificial character who couldn't speak English designed to appeal to the five and under crowd. Star Wars lost its credibility the moment that Jar Jar walked onto the screen, and I fear that Trek faces a similar danger. Thoughts?

New Hope in Harlem

It seems that it is one of the platitudes that we hear over and over again: education is the solution to poverty and in the minds of some, just about every other social ill. Education (so the story goes) provides people with the means to climb up and over the obstacles that surround them and transforms their lives. For years, it seemed like this was just an empty promise. Education reform failed to deliver. No Child Left Behind resulted in thousands of failing schools and threats, but nothing actually happened to significantly improve educational outcomes.

That just might be changing. An informative piece in the New York Times discusses a new system of charter schools in Harlem that seems to be doing what some have thought was impossible: taking disadvantaged students who scored twenty points or worse behind their peers and bringing them up to grade-level---in some cases, even surpassing their well-heeled peers in test scores. This report was somewhat inspiring--there is a way to close the achievement gap between students and to undertake genuine educational reform that actually works. I still wonder how the schools work. I am skeptical of schools that are overly "military" in style, or that fail to provide a lot of options and enrichment to students; schools are supposed to exist not just to drill in facts and knowledge or to "socialize" students to societal norms, but also to provide a safe environment for students to be creative and to apply what they are learning. That is why America leads the world in terms of technology; innovative education and innovative citizens have opportunity in this country. I hope that education reform encourages innovation and creativity and does not stifle it.

What do you think?

Wow---it has been a long time. What a difference a year makes! When I first started blogging in May, the economy was in a downward spiral, the Middle East looked like it was going to erupt, and gas was flirting with $4/gallon. It seems like a totally different world only a year later. Gas is now $2.19 (as of yesterday), we have a new President--a historic President who is committed to change and redefining America and our place in the world. The economy has bled millions of jobs, and Americans are hurting, but we have an indomitable spirit that has been reinvigorated by the hope that President Obama has brought and continues to bring to our country. It is time for Americans to think again about the bright possibilities that lie ahead for our country--all of the potential that we have, and the good that we can do when we are united together for the common cause of rebuilding our country and shaping a new world. I know it sounds like college-age enthusiasm and naivety, but sometimes, you just have to believe that things can and will get better.