Wednesday, November 19, 2003

by Jonathan Ference
Gazette Reporter

Many students walking in the vicinity of the Scott Map-LPAC-Parris-Tarble circle
have been doing double takes recently at the sight of cars going what seems
to be the wrong way around the circle. Closer observation reveals that the circle
has been blocked off with sawhorses from just in front of the Scott Map Staff
Lounge to the exit of the circle about twenty yards away.

This inconvenience to drivers, many of whom have been forced to back into the
LPAC loading dock and leave the same way they entered, is just one of the effects
of last Thursday and Friday’s high winds. Stuart Hain, Facilities Management,
explained that the Facilities staff noticed a “large hanging branch high
in a tree above Scott Map” and feared it would come down either on the
building or into the flow of traffic, either of which could have caused significant
damage. Rather than risk a sudden fall, the decision was made to block that
section of the circle.

The barriers had to stay longer than the College wished, though, because of
the widespread wind damage across Delaware County. The company hired to remove
it took an extra day to arrive to bring the branch down safely because their
services were in such high demand across the area. The same company handled
the removal of a tree that sustained damage in the Sharples-fraternities area.

by Angelina Seah
Gazette Reporter

Last Thursday, John Brady Kiesling ’79 gave a talk, “The Last Leader of
the Free World: George W. Bush Meets the Clash of Civilizations” at LPAC.
The talk, which was very well-attended, was followed by an intense question-and-answer
session where Swatties fired many questions. Kiesling, ever the consummate diplomat,
remained unfazed and acquitted all questions confidently.

Atsuro Wada ’06 commented, “I was impressed by the way he conveyed his
opinions…he did not impose his views, and yet was utterly convincing.
His criticism of Bush made sense.”

Andrew Sniderman ’06 agreed that Kiesling was “impressive…I felt as
if I had a real insight of what happens behind the scenes, the real stuff. For
example, he was talking about how the administration didn’t have solid evidence
about Iraq’s WMD, which explains why they refused to release much information
when they were pushing for a war.”

Calling Kiesling a typical Swattie “in the way he took a stand against
the war by his resignation, Shalaj Tater ’06 said, “I didn’t find much
basis to some of his arguments, but he was a riveting speaker.” The overall
consensus among the students interviewed was that they enjoyed the talk, which
they found enhanced their understanding of how the government functioned, especially
in major issues regarding international relations.

A career diplomat, Kiesling made headlines last year with his public resignation
over the Bush administration’s Iraq policy. He served from 1983 to 2003 as a
foreign service officer of the US State Dept and had been posted to countries
ranging from Morocco to Armenia. He was one of the several foreign service professionals
presented with the Rivkin Award in 1994, given by the American Foreign Service
Association for constructive dissent. He was also a member of a group of State
Dept officials who pushed for intervention in Bosnia.

by Evelyn Khoo
Living and Arts Editor

Last night in the Science Center, Clyde Prestowitz ’63, founder and president
of the Economic Strategy Institute, author of Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism
and the Failure of Good Intentions and former McCabe scholar and Swat alum gave
the 2003 Thomas B. McCabe Memorial Lecture titled: “Is America a Rogue
Nation?”

He began by saying that people have often referred to the term as one usually
applied to states such as Iraq, Iran and North Korea, and when it is applied
to the United States, people recoil. However, he feels this is a growing sentiment
among foreign countries from even before Sept 11th, which he has observed in
his frequent overseas travel and conversations with business and political leaders
around the world.

He said that during his travels, he regularly heard statements like “We
don’t understand you Americans anymore…You seem to be turning away from the
very values that you used to stand for.” Prestowitz emphasized that what
really disturbed him was the fact that these sentiments were being expressed
by long-time American friends and allies, who were staunch supporters of the
U.S.

Before he began, he wanted to clarify his political position, stating that
he came from a very conservative Republican background, citing an example of
how he had supported Clinton in an article he wrote during the 1992 elections
and then received a phone call from his mother deploring his move. He went on
to highlight how he felt it was the current administration’s handling of the
situation that had further eroded declining favorable feeling towards the U.S.
He explained how he wished that more people would talk about Sept 12th, not
just Sept 11th.

Prestowitz went on to explain that the unprecedented outpouring of international
support and sympathy for the U.S. after the Sept 11th attacks made him initially
optimistic that the growing anti-Americanism would abate. Said Prestowitz: “I
called my publisher and said, cancel the publication. I thought that this would
get all our friends and allies back together.”

However, since then, he felt that the administration squandered that opportunity
to heal the widening breach. Said Prestowitz: “I wish there had been a
September 13th, where the president went on satellite TV in the Oval Office
to thank everyone for their sympathy and support and then maybe invited foreign
leaders back to his ranch. Maybe if he had done that we would have the U.N.
Security Council with us in Baghdad today.”

He then said that he wanted to answer the frequently asked question by the
Americans, “Why do they hate us?” He mentioned how when Bush was asked
this, he said “I don’t know” and that this was reflective of the majority
of Americans. He went on to say that many Americans come up with answers such
as “people hate us for our freedom or are envious of our wealth and success,”
or “we’re the top dog so naturally people are jealous”. Prestowitz
feels that this is true to a certain extent, that there are people out there
who feel that way, but that it goes deeper than that. He cited the example of
Bush’s upcoming state visit to London, where security has been heightened because
of expected mass demonstrations against Bush. The British, Prestowitz says,
do not hate our freedom and our success so it is clearly not the right answer.

Prestowitz attempts to answer that question by referring to four categories
of issues he feels are the cause of increasing anti-Americanism. The first is
the refusal of NATO help post-Sept 11th. He mentions that right after the attacks,
NATO voluntarily invoked Article 5, which states that if one country is attacked,
all are attacked. However, the NATO countries were not legally bound to do this,
since it was not a foreign power which has attacked the U.S. Instead, they voluntarily
agreed to do so. Prestowitz criticized the U.S. response to the gesture, in
which the U.S. had said “thanks but no thanks, we can handle it on our
own”. Although Prestowitz agreed it would have been less efficient to get
the NATO countries involved in the attack on Afghanistan, he feels that someone
in the administration should have had a longer vision of the situation and realized
that NATO participation, instead of American unilateralism would have placed
the U.S. in a better position today. This he feels is representative of the
U.S. going against their post-World War II position, in which despite their
immense power, the U.S. committed to a degree of multilateral consultation based
on international systems of law.

The second issue was one of the U.S. “allergy” to signing treaties,
which he feels is a further symptom of American unilateralism. He feels this
is best symbolized by the unsigning of the Kyoto agreement. Prestowitz claimed
that he agrees the Kyoto treaty was not fair to the U.S. as it stood initially
and that Congress was not going to ratify it, and it was just lying on the table.
However, when this administration came into office, they picked it up and publicly
unsigned it. This is when the term “rogue nation” was first applied
to the U.S., in London’s “The Guardian”. Prestowitz goes on to say
that this is not a unique situation, that other issues such as the International
Criminal Court, the small arms treaty, the landmines treaty, were all other
international agreements that the U.S. refused to sign. Essentially, says Prestowitz,
sending the message that America is “special” and above the rules.
Prestowitz claims that this administration’s assertion of American exceptionalism
is not always a good way to win friends and influence people.

The third was America’s failure to”walk the walk and talk the talk”.
He cites the example of seeing a Sunday Washington Post article, where on page
1 they were referring to Operation Anaconda, a military operation to hunt down
Osama Bin Laden. Then, Prestowitz goes on, he turns to page 19 of the paper
and sees a small story on a debate in the Senate in which senators are arguing
against applying the CAFE rule to SUVs. Prestowitz claims to “connect the
dots” by first explaining that the highly subsidized U.S. cotton industry
has raised world cotton prices, putting cotton farmers in Mali, West Africa
out of business. When floods of Wahibi evangelists come to set up madrasahs
in Mali and most of them are free and subsidized by Saudi Arabia, West Africans
send their children to school there, where they are taught radical Islam and
anti-Americanism. In this way, claims Pretowitz, the U.S. is financing the whole
thing with cotton subsidies and massive oil imports. The problem, says Prestowitz,
is that people do not connect page 1 with page 19.

Finally, the fourth issue is the Israel-Palestine question, which Prestowitz
claims is the “most poisonous element in U.S. foreign policy”. He
cites how even during his recent trip to Malaysia, an extremely moderate Muslim
country, they could talk about nothing but Israel-Palestine, where his friends,
educated scholars he emphasized, claimed that they were beginning to believe
that the U.S. is anti-Islam, with the U.S. support for Ariel Sharon. He believes
that the administration has handed the trump card to terrorists, by claiming
that nothing will happen until terrorism has stopped, since the terrorists do
not want compromise, as the peace deal would be. He mentioned how an Israeli
friend of his mentioned that the problem was that there was too much democracy
in Israel, where coalition governments lead them to extremists in charge, ending
up in an impasse. Similarly, Prestowitz claims, there is too much democracy
in the U.S. with strong lobby groups preventing the peace negotiations from
moving forward.

*****

Student Council elections will be held from Thursday, November 20th through
Wednesday, November 26th, during which students can vote either online or in
Sharples. The following are the candidates running for each position, as well
as a brief introductory excerpt from each candidates platform (submitted for
printing). Full, unedited candidate platforms are available online in the web
version of the Daily Gazette.

Still have burning questions for the candidates? Come to the Student Council
candidate “Meet and Greet” on Thursday, November 20 from 12:40 p.m.
to 1:10 p.m. in Sharples for the answers.

This is one of the most active councils in a long time, and the efforts of last
few presidents Ryan Budish, Anna Morgan, and Emiliano Rodriguez have not gone
unnoticed by the administration, or the student body. We are now trying to have
not only the most active Student Council ever, but also the most informed and
participative student body possible. We have tried to this with the open mics
in Kohlberg, and with a number of fireside chats. However, there is still much
progress to be made. Swatties have many ideas and complaints, but tend to dismiss
them because they do not know the power they have to change through Student
Council. As co-president, one of my main goals will be to continue involving
students in Student Council’s operations.

I am also concerned about a number of issues that still remained unresolved.
One is the rising cost of tuition, which is predicted to reach astronomical
rates by 2008-9. I want to work actively the CBC to calm down the rising costs
of tuition. I am also concerned that we still do not have access to all dorms.
This is a serious safety issue which needs to be resolved. Finally, I will strive
to have a portrait of myself painted and hung up in Parrish parlors.

To continue the efforts of the current council, I believe that we need someone
with experience, creativity, and stunning good looks. I am all of these things.
Thus, vote Jon Fombonne for student council co-president, and support a man
of the people…or something like that.

If elected student council secretary/treasurer I will keep all minutes of meetings
and maintain the current financial account status of SC. I have spent the past
twelve years perfecting my writing ability under the Arkansas public educational
system, so I should be able to provide adequate notes of each SC meeting.

I hope to bring a fresh face to the SC and provide a positive representation
of our ’07 class. I am aware of the rumors surrounding this class and assure
the student body that they are not true.

Acting as treasurer ex officio, I will attend the spring budgeting of student
groups meeting by SBC. I will keep track of just how much money SC is allocating
to each campus group for expenditure on necessary incurred group costs, such
as the purchase of alcohol to drink at group meetings.

I will also propose a motion to SC to create a Plague Eradication Team (PET)
to operate out of Willets. If approved, PET squad officers (equipped with ‘katanas’
of course) will track down and eradicate all forms of pestilence living within
the dorm, whether they be rat or reckless belligerent.

Finally, I am not a fascist. Thanks.

Student Wages ­ Swarthmore students are worth more than $7.63/hour. The
college has exploited a captive workforce with low wages for too long. I will
work to achieve a student wage that is comparable to those of other institutions.

Dining Policy ­ Swarthmore’s meal plan offerings are lackluster. I will
make sure that Student Council explores new options, including the increasing
of Essie Mae’s meal equivalencies and the acceptance of points at McCabe coffee
bar.

I am confident that the diversity of my campus affiliations will afford me
the broad perspective necessary to truly represent all students. As captain
of the men’s rugby team, I have demonstrated my ability to lead, take initiative,
and follow through on that initiative. If elected secretary, I will draw upon
my leadership experience and other campus roles in order to serve the Swarthmore
student body in the most effective manner possible.

• Universal Dorm Access: We need access to other dorms. It is inconvenient
and a safety risk for students.
• Class Recommendation Guide: This was a great idea, however, it is difficult
to use and not very useful. The online system should be redone and more emphasis
should be placed on obtaining accurate reflections of courses.
• Meal Equivalency: Is the amount we receive sufficient not to go hungry?
Yes. Is it enough for a real dinner? I don’t believe so. I will work with dining
services and the administration to find a solution to this difficult issue.
• ITS: After years of consistent, unrestricted internet access, we have
had a semester with a myriad of network-related issues. I will work with ITS
on realistic usage policies that balance the freedom of students with this being,
fundamentally, an academic network.

If at any time, you have a concern, please contact me so that it can be properly
addressed.

Email me with questions or comments at jberney1. Thank you.

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Wootae Min ’07 and I am running
for the position of Campus Relations Representative. Seeing that I am a freshman,
many of you may think that I lack the experience and skill to hold this position;
but rather, I believe that I bring plenty of experience and skill from high
school. During my four years in high school, I held the positions of Student
Body President, Secretary, Treasurer, Asian Club President, and Chairman of
the Social Committee. By holding these positions, I was able to successfully
organize several events and learn a lot about publicity and organization.

In addition to experience, I have other qualifications that make a suitable
candidate for the position of Campus Relations Representative. I have strong
commitment to excellence, great organization and communication skills, and strong
determination. I will be attentive to the needs of the student, bring about
fun events, and make sure that these organized events are well publicized.

By joining student council, I hope to get to become better acquainted with you,
the students, and other aspects of the campus. I am willing to learn from everyone,
and I am definitely open to suggestions, concerns, and advice. I will also make
a sincere effort to make the campus life much better. So, make the right decision
and vote for Wootae Min for Campus Relations Representative.

Last spring I was fortunate to have been voted as one of the Campus Life Representatives
but I was unable to serve due to an amazing internship abroad. I’m now back
and even more committed to realizing the duties I was previously elected to
do.

Over the course of my two years here, I have been active participant in the
Swat community, such as: Intl’ Club, Learning for Life, Chester Leadership Program,
Freshpeople Orientation, DPI, the Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association,
Sexual Health Counselors, College Judicial Committee, as well as working for
ITS and Essie Mae’s. Through these activities and in my daily association with
fellow students, I have been exposed to a vast array of creative and interesting
suggestions and am constantly hearing new ones on how life at Swat could be
improved. I plan to unearth and give life to as many of these ideas as I can
and others as my time with Student Council will allow. For example:

1. Increase campus safety: Although the agitations from previous year’s safety
issues have subsided, the question remains: Is Swat safe enough? Thankfully,
there have been some reforms, but more needs to be done. Some ideas include
the following: Optimizing lighting (esp. Woolman and walkway to PPR & ML),
perhaps a blue light system, more strategically placed call boxes, and a long-term
plan for all dorm access swipe cards.

2. Decrease intensity and increase relaxation: Yes, Swat prides itself on
how much work the students do, but at what cost? It is common that students
are sleep-deprived and stressed. This not only affects our health but also our
productivity. By being more relaxed, the students would be happier, healthier
and more productive. Solutions to that could include more yoga courses; institutionalizing
a massage course; a stress management course; Weekly Friday afternoon activities
on Parrish Beach with slip & slide, movies on the beach, etc.

3. Improve Swatmail: Ever wish Swatmail was more user-friendly? All our time
spent on writing emails could be more effective and enjoyable with more layout
options. Some include, but are not limited to: a permanent left-handed folder
manager (like Yahoo! and Hotmail), color coding / flagging options, percentage
used bar, and a way to preserve emails that you have lost because you timed-out.

4. Decrease paper waste: As a computer consultant it is a daily disappointment
having to throw away reams of unclaimed printouts. It is also frustrating seeing
all the signs that are posted everywhere printed on fresh paper. I would like
to see all posters printed on double-side or recycled paper and catalyze ITS’s
efforts in reducing paper waste.

5. Have late night food options (allow meals, points, and cash): We should
meet the demand voiced for late night food when deciding what to with lower
Tarble. If there are students willing to stay late enough to sell food to our
classmates, why not set up a space to do so? Also, I’ve been frustrated to have
to use my precious points and money instead of my meals at Tarble and the 3
coffee bars. Being on significant financial aid I came to Swarthmore because
of its emphasis on its “free” resources and activities. If we have
paid for our meal plans, why should we have to forgo our meals just because
of the time?

6. More coin machines: Everyone knows that the coin machine is always out
of quarters and the bank does not stay open long enough. Having change machines
next to laundry facilities would make everyone’s lives a little easier.

7. More sections of the same course: This is a popular concern. Since we have
to deal with requirements, lotteries, small class size, conflicting courses,
we all could benefit from more sections of the same course. Despite the difficulty
in accomplishing this (e.g. hiring more professors), I think this is a priority
and I will try my hardest to see that some change is brought about.

8. Longer gym hours: Although there are few of us health freaks out there,
it is difficult to get beefed up or stay trim when the hours of the gym are
conveniently open when you have class or meetings. Why not extend the hours
of the gym so more Swatties can enjoy physical health (and provide more employment
for students managing the gym)?

9. Increase size and improve safety of summer storage space: I have experienced,
and have repeatedly heard complaints of limited security storage space, and
insufficient and insecure storage space in dorm halls.

10. Humanize freshmen registration: Waiting outside of Sharples for several
hours in the summer heat and then running like mad cattle to register is an
unnecessary inconvenience. There should be no reason why freshmen should not
be allowed to register online like everyone else.

I will rely on the leadership experience I acquired from my previous experiences
and I will stay firm and not get frustrated when things are not running as expected.

I can only promise you this:

1. I really want to be your Campus Life Representative.
2. I have many ideas and am very willing to listen to others about how life
at Swat can improve.
3. I have useful experience to rely upon and will be competent.
4. I will be accountable to you, the student body, and do my very best to ensure
that your needs are satisfied.
5. I will always be accessible: you can stop me (neon jacket), email me (mhanis1),
or call me (x5374).

I am eager to rise to the challenge of serving as your Campus Life Rep. Thank
you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.

1. Extending the interview process to as many committee openings as possible;

2. Holding information sessions before the application process begins so potential
applicants have as clear a perception as possible of the open committee positions
for which they can apply;

3. Notifying applicants when their applications are received by the appointments
committee;

4. Be as accessible as possible during the application process through both
email and “office hours” to those who have questions during the process.

It is both important and efficient to get to know the individual behind the
paper application, which is an end that I will work towards if elected to the
position. Likewise, it is just as important that every applicant is fully informed
of the details of the open committees so they can choose and apply to those
that best suit their interests.

I hope to offer my wide experience in administrative organization, my enthusiasm,
and my commitment to the student body. Thank you for your time and consideration.

*****

* The US military, as part of an intensified crackdown on a growing insurgency
in Iraq, has rounded up 99 anti-coalition suspects as two more soldiers were
reported killed in guerilla-style attacks in the country. The group was arrested
during offensive operations against insurgents around Iraq within a 24-hour
window on Monday, a US military official told reporters. Brigadier-General Mark
Kimmitt said he had ‘expected the cycle of violence to increase’ during the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan and that ‘in response, we increased our operations’.
He also said there was growing evidence that former top Iraqi official Izzat
Ibrahim Al-Douri was leading the resistance, BBC News reported. Speaking at
a press conference in Baghdad, he said weapons had been seized and 15 safe houses
and three training camps destroyed in the course of 1,729 patrols and 25 raids.
In northern Iraq, American forces have put on a massive display of strength,
firing tank cannons, mortar bombs and helicopter guns near Tikrit. Meanwhile,
Italy’s representative on Iraq’s Coalition Provisional Council has resigned
in protest against what he said were disagreements over the US-dominated council’s
policies in the country, press reports in Rome said on Monday. ‘I am in deep
disagreement with the policies of the coalition, whether they be about the economic
reconstruction of the country or about the democratic transition,’ Mr. Marco
Calamai told Italian newspapers. ‘The provisional authority is not working,’
he said.

* Hollywood actor-turned-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger repealed
an increase in car license fees on his first day in office, adding US $4 billion
(S $6.9 billion) to a bloated state deficit. He had promised that his first
act in office would be to repeal the car tax, which was tripled on Oct 1. He
has called for a special session of lawmakers to fulfill campaign promises to
make California friendlier to business, mainly by lowering workers’ compensation
premiums. The Governor takes over the US state with the lowest credit rating
and highest borrowing costs. His first big challenge is to find a way out of
the same severe fiscal troubles that hastened the downfall of Mr. Davis. Mr.
Schwarzenegger’s pledge not to raise taxes vastly complicates the task. The
rollback of the car tax could widen the projected US$10 billion Budget hole
next year to US$14 billion (S$24.3 billion). To close the gap, he faces tough
choices. Spending cuts would hit higher education, health care and other programs
that could spark a public outcry. If he backs a mix of program cuts and tax
hikes – as Mr. Davis did – he would not only face resistance from Republican
lawmakers but also risk erosion of his conservative political base. His aides
have floated a plan to borrow up to US$20 billion to balance the books.

* Japan yesterday said that it would sign a security pact with Asean, as the
country prepared to host a summit with the 10-member regional grouping next
month. Japan’s decision to ink the 27-year-old Treaty of Amity and Cooperation
in South-east Asia – a non-aggression pact whose members pledge respect for
each other’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity – came a month
after China and India signed it. Japan has already informed Asean’s members
– Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam – of its decision, a Foreign Ministry official said on
condition of anonymity. However, it was not immediately clear when Japan will
sign the treaty, which was amended in 1998 to allow non-Asean countries to join.
At a two-day summit starting on Dec 11, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is
expected to try to nudge Japan, the world’s second-largest economy, closer to
a much-discussed free-trade pact with Asean. Singapore is the only South-east
Asian nation with which Japan has reached such a deal, partly due to politically
powerful resistance to opening Japan’s heavily protected farm sector. Japanese
officials this week were planning to discuss ways to liberalize bilateral trade
with Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. The Tokyo meetings that wrapped
up yesterday follow talks last month in Bali, where Asean and Japan agreed to
reduce tariffs and other trade barriers as a first step towards reaching a free
trade pact over the next decade.

*****

Artists’ Cooking
Kitao Gallery (Sharples III), 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Albert Einstein School of Medicine Information Session
Bond, 7:00 p.m.

MAC OS X Info Session
Kohlberg 117, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Jewish Comedy Seris, Part I: The Twelve Chairs
Science Center 183, 7:30 p.m.

‘Hidden in Plain Sight,’: a documentary on the School of Americas, film screening
Science Center 101, 7:30 p.m.

Deshi Diya Week Mendhi Night
Parrish Parlors, 10:00 p.m.

Film Society Screening: “Daisies”
Science Center, 10:00 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

Today:
There are no contests scheduled for today.

Tomorrow:
There are no contests scheduled for tomorrow.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the
face”
— Jack Handy

*****

Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette?
Got a news or sports tip for us?
Just want to tell us what you think?

Contact the staff at daily@swarthmore.edu

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