MERICAN FOREIGN POLIC THE NATION’S ONLY STUDENT-WRITTEN, STUDENT-EDITED FOREIGN POLICY NEWSPAPER Y AOLUME UMBER OUNDED BY THE RINCETON OMMITTEE GAINST ERRORISM V III, N 6 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2003 F P C A T WINGWING SSUPPLIERSUPPLIERS IIRAQRAQ’’SS RROLEOLE ININ RREPLACINGEPLACING SSAUDIAUDI CCRUDERUDE Page 2 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine IN THIS ISSUE: GABE COLLINS ‘05: SWING SUPPLIERS...... PAGE 3 KYLE MENG ‘05: DIRE STRAITS...... PAGE 4 PROFESSOR UWE REINHARDT: A SPECIAL LETTER...... PAGE 5 DAVID KONIECZKOWSKI ‘06: A STUDENT RESPONSE...... PAGE 7 JESSICA CASE ‘06: A VELVET REVOLUTION...... PAGE 8 MATT MACDONALD ‘07: P.R. PITFALLS IN ...... PAGE 9 PAT COOGAN ‘04: IRAQ AND THE “V” WORD ...... PAGE 10 JESSICA CASE ‘06: BRUTALITY IN CHECHNYA ...... PAGE 11 AFP MAILBAG: A LETTER FROM SEN. FRIST ...... PAGE 12

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY Thursday, December 4, 2003 IN BRIEF... Volume III, Number 6 Afghan Checkup With popular attention largely focused on Iraq, we shouldn’t Publishers forget the ongoing nation-building campaign in Afghanistan, where the Pete Ross ‘04, Gabriel Collins ‘05 situation seems to be quietly but surely deteriorating. New American Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad faces numerous problems, Editors foremost among them surging poppy cultivation, increased attacks on Ray Yang ‘04, Elisabeth Henderson ‘06, UN and NGO aid workers, and a renewed groundswell of support for David Konieczkowski ‘06, Ryan Walsh ‘06 the Taliban among Afghans disillusioned by slow progress on the reconstruction front. Until the Afghan people take the bull by the horns Senior Writers and move in earnest to curb warlords’ power by complying with Kabul’s Veronika Musilova ‘04, Matthew Schonfield ‘04, policies, progress will be inadequate and the Taliban’s resurrection will Karen Karniol-Tambour ‘06 continue to gain momentum.

Special Contributors India and Tajikistan J.R. Johnson *03, Jeff McLean USNA ‘04, On November 14, Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee paid a state Milena Adzhiashvili, Wheaton College ‘05 visit to Tajikistan, where a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and a bilateral extradition treaty were both affirmed. India also plans to Editors Emeriti build a highway passing through Northern Afghanistan that will link it to Eric Wang ’02, Carlos Ramos-Mrosovsky ‘04 Tajikistan, giving it a transport corridor to the otherwise inaccessible region. Most importantly, India’s first ever foreign military base has been Staff Writers established at Farkhor on southern Tajikistan near the Afghan border. Farook Ahmed ‘04, Joseph Barillari ‘04, Brian Beck ‘05, Viewed through the prism of India’s growing political and economic Jeff Bozman ‘05, Michael Brier ‘06, Jessica Case ‘06, relationships with Iran, the recent engagement of Tajikistan seems the Haylee Cohen ‘04, Patrick Coogan ‘04, Christoper Cost ‘04, latest phase of India’s “Southern Thrust” to counter Chinese influence in Alex Day ‘07, Andrew Fornarola ‘06, Darren Geist ‘05, Central Asia. The New Great Game just added another player. Matthew Gold ‘06, Jonathan Goldwasser ‘04, Benjamin Good ‘05, Elisabeth Henderson ‘06, Will Leahy ‘04, Self-Destruction Sasha Leonhardt ‘05, Matthew Macdonald ‘07, In the past few weeks, four suicide bombings have claimed 52 Kelsey Mayo ‘05, Kyle Meng ‘05, Michael Murray ‘06, lives in Turkey, nearly all of them Muslim passersby. While the war on Bjorn Nuwanda, Jr. ‘07, Nitesh Paryani ‘05, George Pilcher ‘04, terror has functionally decapitated al-Qaeda, the beast lives on in a more Alina Rekhtman ‘05, Ryan Rich ‘04, Katharine Roberts ‘04, Cynthia Romero ‘04, Gabriel Rossman GS, Leon Skornicki ‘06, Dylan amorphous and equally deadly form. Like the barbaric attacks in Morocco Stamer ‘06, Jordan Stern ‘04, David Willard ‘05 Indonesia, Kenya, and Pakistan, the attacks in Turkey seem to number driving a wedge between the West and its Muslim allies a primary goal. Faculty Advisers However, as the Egyptian public’s reaction to a spate of terrorist actions Elizabeth C. Bogan W. F. Danspeckgruber in the mid 1990s showed, the odds are better than even that al-Qaeda’s Michael Doran Robert P. George bloody work will backfire by hardening the resolve of civilized persons Frederick P. Hitz R. Sean Wilentz across the Middle East against its evil deeds. By indiscriminately killing innocent Muslims, Al-Qaeda may well succeed where we have failed in American Foreign Policy was founded by the Princeton Committee Against Ter- building an action oriented global anti-terror coalition. rorism (PCAT), a nonpartisan, nonprofit student organization formed in response to the September 11 attacks. No part of this publication should be Villepin Strikes Out construed to promote any pending legislation or to support any candidate for In the best national spirit, the French Foreign Ministry has gone on office. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of or American Foreign Policy. AFP strike. Ninety-four percent of French diplomats around the world gladly accepts letters to the editor, article proposals, and donations, which are coordinated a one-day work stoppage last week. The strike, which fully tax-deductible. All correspondence may be directed to: was the first of its kind, stretched from Algiers to Tehran to Washington, D.C. was intended to protest Foreign Minister Dominique Unit 2556 de Villepin’s penchant for lavish travel at a time when the Foreign Ministry is facing severe budget cuts. According to report, diplomats 25 Frist Campus Center in some posts have been reduced to buying stationery and office Princeton, NJ 08544-1125 supplies out of pocket, while the elevators in the Foreign Ministry [email protected] have stopped functioning properly. The strike is a great blow for Villepin’s quest to enhance French prestige, but others may snicker. www.princeton.edu/~afp AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 Page 3 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine THE NEW SWING SUPPLIER Iraq’s huge oil reserves make it a possible counterweight to Saudi Arabia By GABE COLLINS ‘05

n recent weeks, attacks on American troops in Iraq have skyrocketed as insurgents continue to find safe haven within the Sunni Triangle. Correspondingly,I public support for America’s nation building campaign has begun to wane. Nevertheless, it is imperative that the Coalition stay the course and finish the job. Humanitarian and security concerns dominated public discourse during the months leading up to the war. However, the unfashionable yet overwhelmingly important matter of energy security remained, aside from offhand dismissals by Bush opponents, almost unmentioned. Despite energy security’s “black sheep” status, there is nothing inherently wrong or shameful in using military force to secure one’s energy future. Until a substitute for petroleum is found, the United States’ oil addiction makes energy security a strategic concern of the first degree. In the case of Iraq, its potential production capacity will eventually allow it to augment or possibly replace Saudi Despite recent concerns about reservoir damage in the enormous Kirkuk and Rumaila fields, Iraq’s prospects as an Arabia as the world oil market’s swing oil exporter remain bright. Multinational companies strain at the bit in hopes of getting even a small piece of supplier. In essence, this means that it can Iraq’s rich petroleum pie. Stabilizing the country will allow them to realize their hopes, and by extension, the Iraqi supplant Saudi Arabia’s ability to quickly people’s hope for a prosperous post-Saddam life. ramp up production when outside political events such as conflict in Nigeria or anti-Chavez strikes in Venezuela cause 4. Iraq’s potential remains largely world oil export stage, Russia increasingly needs Coalition advisors to train production shortfalls. Four factors make untapped, as only 17 of 80 discovered seems to be setting its sights on North technicians and help rebuild pipelines and Iraq an excellent candidate for the swing fields have been developed. Assuming American markets, which can be serviced other infrastructure shattered during supplier role: that the internal situation stabilizes enough by the soon-to-be-built pipeline running Saddam’s devastating rule. It also needs 1. Proven reserves estimated at 112.5 to entice foreign petroleum multinationals from the East Siberian fields near Angarsk them, along with the IMF and World Bank, billion barrels of oil, with other estimates to invest a large part of the $30-40 billion to the Pacific port of Nakhodka, as well to implement revenue distribution saying that up to 98 billion more barrels needed to rebuild and improve Iraq’s as from port facilities at the northern port schemes to ensure that oil benefits all still await discovery. . admittedly dilapidated infrastructure, the of Murmansk. Nevertheless, even with Iraqis rather than a corrupt few. What Iraq 2. Its wells’ unsurpassed average country might eventually produce 12 Russian oil’s boost to our energy security does not need are German, French, and production capacity, which exceeds even million barrels of crude per day. through source diversification, the fact Russian attempts to carve out “spheres that of Saudi Arabia. Taken in conjunction with remains that a significant percentage of oil of influence.” 3. The low “lifting costs” of Iraqi oil. growing development of oil reserves in imports will still come from the Middle Iraq also ought to remain in Whereas production costs of US and Central Asia, West Africa, Brazil, and East, owing to that region’s huge untapped OPEC, for the reason that the cartel’s Saudi oil are $10/barrel and $2.50/barrel, Russia, the prospect of a revitalized Iraq reserves. maintenance of a high and relatively stable respectively, Iraqi oil costs a scant $1/ brings many new dynamics to global oil Perhaps the most important oil price range effectively subsidizes barrel to produce. Therefore, Iraq will markets. Russia already stands tall and dynamic will be America’s newfound development of higher-cost but profit nicely at nearly any oil price, giving continues to grow, with World Oil leverage for promoting internal reform important producing areas including it incentives to fill shortfalls with surge forecasting production of 8.17 million within a rotten Saudi Arabia. Since Russia, Brazil, West Africa, the North Sea, production. barrels per day by the end of 2003. America’s World War II choice to become and the Gulf of Mexico. It is also in the Concurrent with its resurrection on the Saudi Arabia’s Godfather, oil dependence Iraqi people’s best interest that their nation has inexorably drawn us into the seemingly adhere to OPEC quotas. Therefore, hopeless Middle Eastern quagmire. Two American diplomatic energies might be escape routes exist: lifting the Iran-Libya better focused on OPEC headquarters in Sanctions Act and re-establishing relations Vienna than on the ineffectual and with Iran, or making Iraq the world’s new obstructionist UN. OPEC policies will swing oil supplier. It seems the White need much re-calibration to account for House has chosen the latter. Until Iraq Iraq’s new role. comes fully online, the US will remain Waking this slumbering beholden to the Kingdom and will be petroleum giant hinges upon our ability unable to push for true reform, as the risks to defeat the insurgency and stabilize Iraq to our economy are unacceptably high. so that multinational corporations can Once our dependency on the House of invest and enable that nation to realize its Saud ceases however, either reform or massive potential. Perhaps a revolution will be at hand. Mesopotamian swing supplier will give Due to Iraq’s unparalleled strategic the forces of civilization sufficient weight, America should shrug off leverage to uproot the corrupt Saudi accusations of petro-imperialism and put regime that brought us the terrible events her interests and those of the Coalition of September 11. first in the development of Iraq’s energy sector. To be certain, France and Germany’s refusal to meaningfully Gabe can be reached at participate in both the war and the re- [email protected] Perhaps in a rebuilt Iraq armored vehicles will be replaced by “thumper construction efforts should, barring their trucks” like the one above, which are used in oil exploration. abrupt about-face, preclude them from sharing in the fruits of rebuilding. Iraq www.princeton.edu/~afp Page 4 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine DIRE STRAITS Tensions rise across the Formosa Straits

By KYLE MENG ‘05

any believe that China will be the world’s next great power. With its immense Mpopulation, growing global economic influence, technological advances, and a government in transition, China has the potential to enter the pantheon of elite countries. Since the appointment of new communist party president Hu Jintao earlier this year, Beijing has shown signs of achieving this potential. China’s success in overcoming the SARS epidemic, its role in mediating multilateral talks between North Korea and the rest of Asia, and its Will Chen Shui Bian and Hu Jintao be able to reign in the hardliners in their camps? If not, the Formosa continuously growing economy are all Straits may see a naval confrontation featuring China’s new Sovremenny Class destroyers, designed for signs of the great changes sweeping the destruction of American aircraft carriers. China. During the summer, Hu initiated would allow for referendums to be has recently been marred by the China, one that would eventually be a party-wide dialogue in an attempt to held on constitutional changes. reappearance of an old issue that China reunified with the mainland. Beijing’s modernize and adapt the communist However, in a concession to the refuses to let go of. As in the mid- “One China” policy towards party to this new China. This new mainland, no referendums are to be nineties, the fifty year old issue of has proven to be a highly divisive issue agenda promised to further democracy held that would address the issues of Taiwanese independence has entranced in its engagement with the rest of the and transparency in China, and it is sovereignty and changing the name of the leadership in Beijing. Since 1988, world. Today, less than 30 countries already being enacted through increased the state, unless China initiates an attack Taiwan has had an autonomous, multi- officially recognize Taiwan as a privatization of state-owned businesses, on Taiwan. Only under provocation party democracy founded by the sovereign state. The rest of the world, a restructuring of local government by the mainland, it seems, will Taiwan Kuomintang party, China’s government including the United States, sides with bureaucracies, and even a few local now move towards full independence. prior to the communist revolution of China, unwilling to upset China on such political experiments with democracy. For now, this new legislation 1949. Currently, Taiwan’s 23 million a sensitive issue. Despite all the rhetoric and seems to have defused some of the people live as citizens of the Republic During the last several weeks, action of change coming out of tension across the Taiwan Strait. Given of China. Beijing has long considered talk of Taiwanese independence has Beijing, however, much of the positive the circumstances, it seems a good Taiwan to be a renegade province of resurfaced as Taiwan’s temporary solution for all parties president, Chen Shui-Bian, involved. Chen and his ruling suggested that Taiwan should Democratic Progressive Party now hold referendums on several have a legal framework on which to political issues including base their independence platform. sovereignty, constitutional Those Taiwanese who prefer the status changes, and official name quo will not have to worry about change. Fearing that legislative defending against attacks from the approval of these referendums mainland. Finally, Beijing does not would allow Chen an have to follow up on its initial military independence campaign threat. Shortly after the bill was passed, platform for the national Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued election to be held next March, a statement saying, “We are deeply Beijing reacted harshly to what concerned about relevant things they perceive to be a serious concerning ‘referendum legislation’ in separatist threat. Through a Taiwan and are paying close attention state media outlet, the Vice to the development of the issue.” Minister at Beijing’s Taiwan Notably, the statement did not reiterate Affairs Office, Maj. Gen. Wang earlier threats. Zaixi, said: “The use of force Despite this seeming return to may become normalcy, one cannot help but wonder unavoidable…Taiwanese how long it will be until this issue independence means war.” In resurfaces. Chen Shui-Bian has a recent interview with the mentioned on several occasions that he Washington Post, China’s would like to have a referendum on premier Wen Jiabao, when Taiwan independence by 2008, around asked about the Taiwan issue, the time of the Olympic Games in said “We will not sit by and do Beijing. The mainland, in response, nothing when faced with continues to target an arsenal of provocative activities aimed at missiles at Taipei, declaring that even splitting the motherland”. the staging of the Olympic Games will This threat of open war clearly not disrupt its plans for war should had an effect on Taiwan US President George W. Bush joins Chinese Vice President and Qinghua alumnus the island declare independence. Hu Jintao in a private meeting before a speech to students and faculty members of politicians. Two weeks after Chen’s proposal on Qinghua University in Beijing, February 22, 2002. Hu is now China’s supreme referendums, Taiwan’s Continued on Page 7 leader, with that position’s concomitant control over China’s stance towards Taiwan. legislature passed a bill which www.princeton.edu/~afp AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 Page 5 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine A SPECIAL LETTER

Professor Uwe Reinhardt of the Economics Department analyzes disparity between military service and a “hawkish” political stance.

Dear Mr. Konieczkowski And if that congressman or citizen and readers of American Foreign supports a war because it seems Policy: necessary for national security, and In a lecture on “The if it is with the highest respect for Economics of the All-Volunteer the troops who will be asked to fight Army” in Economics 100, I had that war, then I believe that the remarked on the tendency among support is valid.” some Americans, especially the I have no problem with this talking heads on Fox Channel statement as a normative News, and including Princeton’s proposition. I merely question student run American Foreign whether people actually behave in Policy, to question the fiber of this fashion—whether they can those Europeans who refuse to actually “feel the pain,” to borrow a join the fray in Iraq (even though famous Clinton phrase, of other many soldiers of these very peoples’ travails. It is my sense, countries do serve valiantly in based on my life-long experience, Kosovo and Afghanistan). I then that the capacity of individuals to challenged the editors of feel someone else’s pain is much American Foreign Policy to more limited than Mr. Konieczkowski write a column on the many supposes. The usually chirpy hawkish, able-bodied men among anchors of our television media America’s elite who fervently demonstrate the validity of my support the war in Iraq, but are assertion day after day, as they content to let Jessica Lynch and mindlessly and immediately follow her social class do the actual heart-breaking news stories about fighting for them. My question casualties in Iraq with casual banter was what we are to make of these Gen. Wesley Clark visits Italy’s Istrana Air Base during NATO’s 1999 Operation about this or that utter frivolity in self-professed American Allied Force, which ended Serbian ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Clark exemplifies the American life. There is little decorum “patriots.” In what way do they ideal of a “high value” individual who willingly goes into harm’s way for his country. here, nor much evident sharing of tower above the alleged personal pain. Yet the media Eurowimps? their own wits—rather than Yet I find it flawed even on strictly represent our proclivities as a nation more To his credit, Mr. David connections—to get around the military economic grounds. Furthermore, I find it faithfully than even our elected Konieczkowski, an Editor of this paper, draft. Along with natural fear, this unseemly from a broader civic representatives. For most Americans, the and Chairman of the Princeton economic rationale is bound to have perspective. It strikes me as especially distant war in Iraq remains more a Committee Against Terrorism, rose to my motivated current Vice President Dick dubious when cited by self-styled television spectacle than a harrowing challenge with his letter addressed to me Cheney and current Democratic “patriots” who egg the nation on to war, experience. in the November 6 issue of this paper. presidential candidates Howard Dean and without expressing their self-professed Let me illustrate this point with Before explaining why I am not persuaded Joe Lieberman to avoid military service patriotism in the front lines. a personal vignette. During the first Gulf by his argument, I would like to express as well at that time, as did virtually the My objection on purely War, our children were safely insulated my deep appreciation for his courtesy and entire cadre of today’s hawkish neo- economic grounds rests on the concept from the carnage there. Were my wife and his courage to take me on in this regard. conservatives—Paul Wolfowitz, Richard of “moral hazard.” The concept applies I therefore completely indifferent to Like the overwhelming majority Perle, Ken Adelman, Bill Kristol, Fred to contexts in which decision makers are American casualties? Of course not. of those who have ardently supported Barnes, Newt Gingrich, and many more unduly insulated from the costs of their Indeed, as I have written in The New York the war in Iraq, Mr. Konieczkowski architects and ardent supporters of the own decisions. Patients with first-dollar Times, we were concerned even about the prefers not to volunteer for military idea to “liberate” health insurance thousands upon thousands—perhaps in service. In defense of that posture, he the entire coverage, for excess of one hundred thousand—young writes: “I believe I will be of more use to Mideast through “....no member of example, are and basically innocent Iraqi draftees who my nation as a [biomedical] researcher military Congress, nor any other thought to use were torn to shreds by the onslaught of than as an officer [in the military].” This conquest. health-care our awesome arsenal. But our concern for familiar rationale is based on the Indeed, along citizen without flesh and resources American and other casualties in that war economist’s theory of human capital, with natural fear blood at risk, could recklessly. pales in comparison with our emotions in according to which highly intelligent and it must have Factories that can this year’s war in Iraq, in which our own educated persons are pieces of human been this possibly imagine what life dump poisonous son, a Princeton graduate, served as capital generally too precious to be rationale also pollutants into forward observer with a Light Armored deployed on the battlefield, where human that persuaded is like when one’s own rivers with Reconnaissance battalion in the United capital of lesser economic value (i.e., with young George child is constantly exposed impunity are States Marine Corps. I hope Mr. relatively lower expected economic W. Bush, after thought to soil the Konieczkowski and other readers if this contributions to society) will do just fine. graduating from to hostile bullets and rocket environment paper will respectfully accept a Marine’s Abstracting from the handful of Yale, to seek propelled grenades.” recklessly, and so parent’s proposition that no member of potentially “high-value” individuals who refuge in the on. By extension, Congress, nor any other citizen without choose to serve their country in uniform National Guard, my argument is flesh and blood at risk, could possibly for patriotic or other reasons— along with former Vice President Dan that, if members of an economic and imagine what life is like when one’s own opportunity costs be damned—the Quayle, then a Vietnam hawk on his political elite can advocate and declare child is constantly exposed to hostile economist’s case for the all-volunteer campus, and current democratic war on other nations without having to bullets and rocket propelled grenades. In army rests on this very theory, which presidential candidate Richard Gephardt. share in the blood (and, in the present short, Mr. Konieczkowski’s argument on leads economists to call that approach In those days, the National Guard instance, fiscal) cost of such wars, they the issue of moral hazard of war strikes to national defense “efficient” and, thus, effectively served as a shield against are likely to engage in such ventures more me as sincerely put, but sorely mistaken. good. combat duty, which made entry into the recklessly than they would if their own The deplorable management of In Mr. Konieczkowski’s defense, Guard so coveted and difficult, and often flesh and blood were put thereby in our occupation of Iraq offers vivid it must be noted that, in offering this required family connections. harm’s way. empirical support for my hypothesis. In rationale, he is in highly distinguished As a human being born into war Mr. Konieczkowski anticipates its issues of October 14and 16, 2003, for company. Along with natural fear, the and, therefore, with a lasting, deep-seated this objection and counters it example, The New York Times reported in same rationale undoubtedly led young fear of combat, I have some sympathy for preemptively with the argument that “it two separate, front-page articles that Bill Clinton, then a Rhodes Scholar at this rationale. As a member of the is the responsibility of everyone who terrorist attacks on American troops in Oxford, to avoid combat duty in Vietnam economics profession whose vision of would support a war—particularly our Iraq have been carried out chiefly with War, although young men of his then the good society can be summed up by senators and representatives—to ask humble economic background and the mantra “efficiency über alles!” I whether his reasons are just, whether this Continued on Page 6 geographic region still had to use all of ought to find it intellectually appealing. war would be worth sending his child.

www.princeton.edu/~afp Page 6 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2003 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine CHICKEN HAWKS OR PATRIOTS? Continued from Page 5 material taken from Saddam Hussein’s former weapons depots, many of which have remained unguarded by American troops even after their location was known. American officials quoted in the story stated that “there are not enough American soldiers here to do the job of finding the weapons and securing them until they are destroyed.” In a similar report, the Financial Times (October 16) cites the head of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies worrying what ammunition and shoulder- launched missiles terrorists in Iraq might find in these “unguarded or poorly guarded depots.” In the meantime, the White House and the civilians who now run this nation’s Department of Defense—Mr. Wolfowitz prominently among them— have blithely insisted that more American troops are not needed in Iraq, after earlier ridiculing an estimate by former Army Chief of Staff General Erik K. Shinseki that it would take several hundred thousand troops to secure and rebuild Iraq (The New York Times, February 28, 2003. Remarkably, but not Whether they have served in uniform or not, Americans from all walks of life deeply appreciate the sacrifices surprisingly, these stories did not trigger a single letter in the The New that our courageous soldiers make in the name of freedom. Here, troops in Kuwait partake of Thanksgiving York Times or the Financial Times. Dinner. Where is the outrage? Does the equanimity with which this alarming hazard of war, the current allocation of took Americans to task for their aversion elite who did or does put their body in circumstance is accepted by the the blood and financial costs of this war to body bags, yet who would never dream harm’s way on behalf of their nation. American public, and by the U.S. also strikes me as unseemly from the of personally taking a stand for America Senator John McCain and current Congress, show the “respect for the perspective of civics. in the front lines? If these people are too presidential candidate Senator John troops” of which Mr. Konieczkowski How can one respect the socio- timid to join combat, or consider Kerry, the President’s Vietnam-era wrote in his letter to me? I would argue economic and political elite of a nation themselves too precious to serve their contemporaries, are but two notable that this equanimity has all the markings that boldly speaks of the “sacrifices” nation in that way, gun in hand, might they examples of this small cadre of of the moral hazard whereof I write Americans must make to “stand firm” in at least have the couth not to let their Americans along, I dare say, with our own above. Very few current members of Iraq, when with very few exceptions that mouths run ahead of basic tact? son and a small minority of other Congress or the Administration ever elite refuses to bear not only the blood Finally, what am I to think of a Princetonians of that time and later have worn this nation’s military uniform, cost of the war, but even its financial President who deftly avoided combat duty vintages. Furthermore, Tocqueville let alone served in combat. It has been cost. So far the only personal sacrifice in Vietnam, when it was his turn to serve would have apologized for his remark, reported that, apparently, only two President Bush has asked the upper half the nation in that role and hundreds of his had he visited America during WWII, members of Congress have children in of the nation’s income distribution to contemporaries were dying there every when an entire generation stood so tall, the military. If every second member of make for this war is to accept two week, but who now stands tall in the Rose shoulder to shoulder, with awe inspiring Congress did have a child patrolling the massive tax cuts in a row! The financial Garden of the White House, boldly valor. streets of Iraq, do we sincerely believe burden of the war is simply put on the taunting the Iraqi insurgents to “bring But Tocqueville did have the that Congress would countenance as tab for future generations to pay, or them on,” full well knowing that Jessica elite of these valiant patriots’ children passively as it has the Pentagon’s borne by, say, the 43 million or so Lynch and her social class, rather than his and grandchildren roughly right. That stubborn insistence that more U.S. Americans without health insurance who, own flesh and blood, will bear the lethal elite is smart, to be sure, and troops are not needed in Iraq? Would in the face of our massive current brunt of what is being “brought on.” Is this economically successful beyond there not be greater outrage all around deficits, cannot hope for any assistance the “high respect” our troops and their anyone’s expectations. But its facile among members of America’s elite if from their federal government to access families deserve? Why has this President idea of costless patriotism would have a heavy sprinkling of their offspring needed . Is this, then, never seen fit to greet to the coffins of deeply disturbed Tocqueville, as it were at the front in Iraq? American civics 21st century style? fallen American soldiers when they arrive disturbs me. One can easily Aside from the purely Next, why would one have on American soil, or to attend at least one acknowledge, as I do, any young man’s economic problem of a reckless use respect for vociferous super-hawks such of their funerals, just to show his respect? right in our democracy fervently to of resources induced by the moral as Kenneth Adelman who simultaneously To be sure, a day before Veteran’s Day this advocate a war without personally warned us of Saddam Hussein’s ready year the President did sign a bill, voted sacrificing for it. I find it more difficult, arsenal of biological and chemical unanimously by Congress, which doubled however, to defend and respect that weapons and yet sold the war on Iraq as a death benefits paid the families of posture, even though I understand it, as “cakewalk”—he who never served in the soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan a card-carrying economist and as a military, let alone in combat? What from $6,000 to $12,000 and to make that somewhat wimpish fellow traveler would he know about “cakewalks” on the payment tax free, to boot. Maybe we myself. My saving grace as a wimp is front lines? How can one respect former should celebrate that gesture as a sign of that I would never talk as brashly and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, the elite’s “high respect” for our troops tactlessly about war as do so many of who equally avoided military service and of its generosity; but perhaps not. America’s famous “chicken hawks,” do during the Vietnam War, and yet brashly In his Democracy in America, not consider myself a patriot worthy that chided in the pages of USAToday people Alexis de Tocqueville had this to say about hallowed label, and do not look down on who worried about casualties in Iraq as American patriotism: “I have heard of Europeans who, for reasons of their own, “Chicken Littles?” What do persons of patriotism in the United States, and I have refuse to join us in particular wars. that ilk do on the Pentagon’s Defense found true patriotism among the people, Advisory Board, there to counsel but never among the leaders of the Einstein was no soldier, yet his Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld on how people.” Were he to travel in our country contribution to ending World War to conduct the war and occupation in today, he might have chosen the word Prof. Reinhardt is the James II saved hundreds of thousands Iraq? Why should I respect Max Boot of “rarely” instead of “never,” because even Madison Professor of Political the Council on Foreign Relations who, today he would have come upon the Economy in the Woodrow of American lives. in an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, occasional true patriot among America’s Wilson School. www.princeton.edu/~afp AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2003 Page 7 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine A STUDENT RESPONSE By DAVID KONIECZKOWSKI ‘06

Dear Professor posture...” If I may Reinhardt, paraphrase, in your view it is Thank you, first unjust (though allowable) for of all, for your those without a personal comprehensive reply. I stake in war to support war. agree, in fact, with many Such reasoning should apply of the points you raise, all the more, then, to the but three thrusts of your highest of civilians – the argument strike me as President – who actually troubling. must commit troops to First, your combat. Yet to say that a inclusion of me – and, by uniform is required for just extension, all civilians judgment of war and peace who support war – in the is a terribly dangerous thing. “distinguished From citizen to President, company” of Vietnam-era civilian control of the military draft-dodgers is is a fundamental tenet of unsupportable. There is democracy. Those civilians a world of difference, chosen to lead, then, have an both factual and moral, obligation to the people and between someone who the state to exercise their refuses to “bear arms on power responsibly. For a behalf of the United leader to have a military States when required by background is honorable law,” as citizenship and praiseworthy, but to demands, and someone Some of America’s greatest political leaders never donned a uniform. If it becomes standard doctrine suggest that only soldiers who chooses, for that only soldiers can justly lead, America’s democratic tradition will be in serious danger are qualified and justified to whatever reason, not to choose war leads in one enlist in the All-Volunteer of a shift towards military rule. direction: military rule. This Force. Every American is precisely the reason the has a profound obligation to serve if atomic bomb, the United States would disgusting. Yet, as I have discussed above, Uniform Code of Military Justice regulates called, and as I have said before and will have been forced to invade the Japanese there is a profound difference between a soldiers’ public expression of political say again, if I am drafted, I will go. Unlike home islands. It will suffice, I think, to citizen who chooses not to enlist and a views. As I think Tocqueville would have those who avoided mandatory service say that the minimum number of draft-dodger. I do not, to use your agreed, in America, the military is to three decades ago, I and those like me American casualties in this operation terminology, consider myself “too execute, not to make, foreign policy. To have not violated the Oath of Citizenship. was figured at one million. I, for one, precious” to be sent to the battlefield. have as President a true war hero like Sen. Second, your questioning of will embrace efficiency if it keeps people That is precisely why I would fight if McCain would be a noble thing indeed, efficiency as the sole discriminant of like these scientists, who saved so many drafted, for I will go, following the men of but did Eisenhower’s manifest service or military service is well-considered, but to of lives on both sides of the war, out of America’s past wars, where my Kennedy’s time in a PT boat prevent the dismiss it altogether is, I think, in error. harm’s way. government orders me. Leaving the bloody stalemates of Korea and Since you were clearly unconvinced by The problem you point out in decision of efficiency to the government, Vietnam? And so, with respect for your the example of the researchers who this argument, however, is that any I realize, may ruffle some economists’ position as a military parent, I must developed the Ebola vaccine, allow me educated or prominent individual can feathers, but in this case it appears to be disagree and, in conclusion to this debate, to offer instead the physicists of sixty use the efficiency criterion to escape the only just path. Perhaps, then, a little repeat what I wrote earlier. To support years ago at work on the Manhattan danger. Fortunately, the solution is historical context suggests that, though war for the right reason of national Project. As members of that “greatest simple. Under a draft, it is one thing for efficiency cannot be our sole criterion for security, with respect for those who generation,” certainly they supported the the government to decide that an service, it cannot always be ignored. serve, and with a willingness to fight if war against Nazi Germany and Japan. Yet individual is too valuable to be put at Third, as you say, “One can easily called seems to me a valid position, even in an America completely mobilized risk. For the citizen to make that choice acknowledge, as I do, any young man’s regardless of military rank or civilian for war, the government kept these himself is quite another. It is this latter right in our democracy fervently to station. scientists from the front lines. Why? Had elitism, used by some of the men of your advocate a war without personally these scientists been sent to take examples to avoid a legal order to serve, sacrificing for it. I find it more difficult, David can be reached at Okinawa instead of developing the that is (and ought to be) viscerally however, to defend and respect that [email protected] DIRE STRAITS Continued from Page 4 Much of how this conflict democracy and self-determination, the belligerent rhetoric coming out of United States to this potential crisis in resolves will depend on the position United States has a moral imperative Beijing might seem empty now, it won’t Asia. If China is to be the next great that the West, particularly United States, to support Taiwan. Where China be long before it must be taken power of the world, then the nature decides to take. Currently, the United often claims that nationalism seriously. China’s influence in Asia and of America’s relationship with this States sides diplomatically with supercedes all other governing in global politics is increasing. Whether power will hinge upon how this conflict mainland China. As China is the United principles, the United States has long it is in local Asian politics or on the UN resolves. What makes the Taiwan States’ second largest trading partner been a strong proponent of security council, we are already independence issue so volatile is that it and has the second fastest growing democracy and humanitarianism. It beginning to see the world’s most places ideology directly against economy in the world, it is within our is due to this ideological obligation populous country flexing its new-found diplomacy. Will the US pursue national interest to maintain good Sino- that America continues to equip and muscle on various international stages. economic interests and stability by American relations. Furthermore, China train the Taiwanese military. There might come a day when president siding with Beijing or will we yield to has been a useful ally both in our Though the ambiguity of Hu Jintao might be bold enough to reject our ideological imperative and side with ongoing dialogue with North Korea America’s position on the issue has United States intervention on this issue the independence movement in Taipei? on nuclear non-proliferation and in been mostly successful so far in just as his predecessor Deng Xiaoping This could be one of the most supporting our activities in the Middle preventing any direct confrontation, had rejected British Prime Minister important foreign policy dilemmas East. However, ideological ties have one cannot help but wonder how long Margaret Thatcher’s suggestion for facing our country in the coming long sustained a bond between the this battle of words can be kept from extending England’s lease on Hong decade. United States and Taiwan. As the self- becoming a full scale war. Time is Kong in 1982. One may hope that this Kyle can be reached at appointed defender and promoter of certainly on China’s side. Though the recent series of events has awakened the [email protected] www.princeton.edu/~afp Page 8 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine A VELVET REVOLUTION The peaceful ouster of President Eduard Shvardnadze ushers in a new era for Georgia. By JESSICA CASE ‘06

n November 22, protesters foreign minister. However, he has opposed to Georgian become hated in Georgia, after a ten- President Eduard year term filled with civil war, poverty O Shevardnadze stormed and corruption. After years of the Georgian Parliament and declared supplying him with generous financial former Parliament speaker and opposition aid, the United States lately soured on leader Zurab Zhvania the new head of him for failing to tackle Georgia’s cabinet. As Zhvania said, “We’re making systemic problems. Indeed, a revolution.” In the words of the Shevardnadze’s reaction to the opposition, this was a “velvet revolution” protestors seemed to hark back to his for its comparative peacefulness. “We days as a Soviet official. He took a don’t need any bloody revolution in the tough line after being evacuated from country,” said Nino Burdzhanadze, the Parliament, promising that “we will outgoing Parliament speaker and new restore order and punish the criminals. head of state. As per Georgia’s They will be arrested.” In another constitution, she declared herself the Soviet reflex, he concluded that his country’s acting president until interim trouble stemmed from being too lenient elections. In a promising step towards with his opponents, rather than from stability, Shevardnadze heeded her call corruption, fraud, and “elections” in to step aside peacefully, thanks in part to which the people are given no voice. her guarantee of safety for him and his Guards took Shevardnadze family. This “velvet revolution” was away from the Parliament building when the result of three weeks of street protests the protestors broke in. Armored against fraudulent parliamentary vehicles surrounded the ministry It seems that freedom of speech applies in modern day Georgia. Here, a huge elections. American and European buildings in the evening, but the riot crowd in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi protests a police raid on the observers denounced the vote as rigged, police surprisingly refused to intervene, and the vote sent demonstrators into the allowing protesters go about freely in opposition-run Rustavi-2 television station’s headquarters. streets. Remarkably, there were no the capital Tbilisi. This passivity was a reports of serious violence and no clear indication that Shevardnadze no protestors, who succeeded in staging a with things – undemocratic elections, evidence that the opposition was armed. longer retained full control of his own fairly peaceful protest. In general, harsh punishment for all opposition, even Indeed, opposition leader Mikheil security forces, much less the entire however, the United States kept peaceful ones—and the reason for that Saakashvili and his colleagues drove country. Guards even permitted the involvement in Georgia’s recent problems is because Georgia’s current government Shevardnadze from the parliament protestors to enter the State Chancellery, at an arm’s length, urging Shevardnadze still is the soviet government, just under chamber armed only with flowers, take the president’s chair from his office, to work peacefully with the opposition. a different name. Although there is no according to witnesses. Given the take it outside and burn it, a symbolic Russian President Vladimir Putin doubt that advances have been made country’s Soviet heritage and recent gesture of majority opinion in this country took a slightly more active role in helping towards a new democracy, as there is a turmoil, the ease of this transition has of five million. Shevardnadze. He dispatched Russian parliament and there was a multi-party been truly remarkable. During the protests, the United Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to Georgia election, there is still much work to be President Shevardnadze is best States asked the Georgian government to to help consult with government officials, done and this “velvet revolution” may known historically for his role in ending refrain from violence against the as well as meet with the opposition leaders bring much progress. The opposition the Cold War as Mikhail Gorbachev’s and their supporters. leaders have broken away from the The problems in Georgia are violence associated with Communist past, THE WOODROW WILSON SCHOOL mirrored in many of the former Soviet and their methods thus far seem to have republics. They are still struggling to been in accordance with the majority’s OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS shed their Soviet past and the civil strife, wishes. Whether or not they will be able PRESENTS fradulent elections, and corrupt to do what Shevardnadze and his government that accompany it. As in administration could not and fix Georgia’s Georgia, prominent Soviet officials are still problem is something only time can tell. in power, there are rampant domestic But the fact that they seem to truly have Perspectives from Inside the problems, and the goal of creating truly the support of the Georgian public is a democratic regimes has not been reached. step in the right direction. 2004 Presidential Campaign Everything that has occurred recently in Georgia seems to be a result of the fact with that Georgia’s government has not been Jessica can be reached at John Hlinko able to relinquish its Soviet way of dealing [email protected] Founder and President of Extreme Campaigns, Director of Internet Communications for Clark for President, and co-founder of DraftWesleyClark.com. John Robinson Chief Financial Officer for Edwards for President, former assistant general counsel to Gore/Lieberman, Inc.,and Complinace Director for the Democratic National Committee. Ken Strasma Consultant to the John Kerry for President campaign. Tuesday, December 9 Dodds Auditorium, Alexander Hall 4:30 p.m. Princeton University ID REQUIRED for admission.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY WOODROW WILSON SCHOOL Erosi Kitsmarishvili, founder of Rustavi 2, in the foreground and flanked by www.wws.princeton.edu Georgian Ministry of Security personnel. www.princeton.edu/~afp AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 Page 9 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine PUBLIC RELATIONS PITFALLS IN IRAQ The military should refrain from adopting a body count policy.

BY MATT MACDONALD ‘07

hile November was the deadliest month of the US occupation of Iraq, December began with a dramaticW US success. On December 1st, US forces engaged Iraqi insurgents in a massive firefight in the city of Samarra. The Iraqis organized a coordinated ambush on a coalition logistical convoy—and the attack was a complete failure. At the cost of no American lives, over 50 enemy fighters were killed and 8 were captured in the abortive assault. At least those were the early reports. Later, more realistic information filtered out. Iraqi civilians who observed the fight disputed the US tally, and independent journalists investigated. Eventually, military authorities admitted that the initial reports were too high— for example, there was only one Iraqi in custody instead of the 8 claimed at first. At first, this seems like just another inaccurate first report—similar to the mistaken WMD “finds” that were prevalent in the early months of the occupation. But this is more than a simple A pile of confiscated and destroyed Iraqi chemical bombs near a weapons depot. numerical mistake—it represents a major shift in public relations policy. The reasons for this, while never publicly casualties is not an exact science. Furthermore, a count of captured RPGs, coalition is now reporting body counts. stated, may have stemmed from his In the face of all the negative for example, can be independently For the past few weeks, during experience as an officer in Vietnam. historical associations of body counts, why verified. Padding the numbers would be their regular news briefings on the Iraq During the Vietnam War, calculating is the coalition now reporting enemy nearly impossible. Of course, the decision situation, military spokesmen have been enemy deaths was not only highly KIAs? While military planners are certainly to report body counts is a political one, reporting on the number of enemies imprecise, it was often dishonest. aware of the inevitable Vietnam and this method would not have the same killed in action. The change was made Since the Vietnam War was not comparisons that will result, the decision political benefits. quietly, with no official justification given a traditional conflict, progress could not was a political one. Faced with the It’s tempting to put the constant for the shift. Nevertheless, this is a be measured in terms of territory gained perception that numerous Americans were tally of US dead and wounded in change from earlier coalition practices. or cities captured. Therefore, the body dying in Iraq, the coalition is trying to place perspective by considering the number In the first phases of the war count was the primary metric of success. the numbers of American casualties in of enemy killed. Nevertheless, the with Iraq, Gen. Tommy Franks stated: There was tremendous political pressure context. While the goal is understandable, practice is both inaccurate and “we don’t do body counts.” Franks’ for it to be high. The consequences are history teaches us that this is not the best counterproductive. Reporting body not surprising: counts were way to measure progress. counts is a practice that the US military inflated. Some commentators have needs to reconsider. Even in the absence of suggested that weapons captured, not deliberate dishonesty, bodies, be the true measure of success. calculating enemy deaths is It’s clear that confiscated weapons are Matt may be reached at difficult. In the case of the associated with the insurgency. [email protected] Samarra attack, the convoy vacated the area after beating back the ambush. Consequently, the number of QUOTE OF THE WEEK: enemies killed was determined through questioning individual soldiers. In the heat of battle, “In hadith there are many ref- it’s perfectly understandable that recollections may not be accurate. erences to how many times Allah But Vietnam demonstrates another problem with calculating has multiplied the reward of jihad. enemy deaths—there’s no clear way of determining If I knew , whether a corpse was actually how to multiply associated with the insurgency. In Vietnam, for I would be able to calculate the example, it was not unknown for inadvertently killed Common Threads. Here an unidentified civilians to become reward I will earn in the hereafter.” Afghan examines a captured weapons “enemies” in the after-action report. So, even when our stockpile. In Iraq, the American government soldiers do have access to the — Tahir, a Pakistani Madrassah student, should stick to readily quantifiable success field of battle after the whose entire education consists of rote measures such as captured weapons, rather fighting, determining enemy memorization of the Qur’an. than easily altered body counts. www.princeton.edu/~afp Page 10 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine IRAQ AND THE “V” WORD Iraq is no Vietnam.

By PAT COOGAN ‘04 ith the increase of while politically explosive, is superficial look like a bloody stalemate when viewed or even like them. It means that the Iraqi violence in Iraq in and inapt. A guerilla conflict looks much in isolation. But the key truth of these insurgents cannot pretend to be fighting recent weeks, it has the same whether it takes place in campaigns is that they are not won or to overturn brutality, corruption, and W become increasingly Baghdad, Saigon, or Belfast; the steady, lost on the battlefield. Military counter- authoritarianism - they are fighting to popular among doomsayers to compare if low, flow of casualties makes any insurgency operations, especially those restore them, and every Iraqi knows it. American involvement there with the military counter-insurgency campaign taken by outside forces such as the Given the chance, Iraqis will not surrender quagmire of Vietnam. This comparison, United States in Iraq or Vietnam, are at their newly found freedoms in the face of best holding actions. The real battle is a terrorist insurgency. Therefore, America political and must be waged for the hearts need not defeat the insurgents on it own and minds of the populace. And it is to be victorious in Iraq; it need only hold here, at the heart of the issue, that the them at bay long enough for a new Iraq current situation in Iraq bears little to produce indigenous forces for the job. resemblance to Vietnam. By providing interim security, training In Vietnam, the South new Iraqi security forces, and judiciously Vietnamese government was seen by transferring power to Iraqi governing much of the populace as brutal and bodies, the United States is doing exactly corrupt, a mere cipher for “imperialist” that. interests. In contrast, the North There is every reason to believe Vietnamese and Viet Cong successfully that over the next two to three years not sold themselves as a force for national only will the bulk of American forces be liberation. Due to this political able to return home, but a self-governing environment, South Vietnam could not Iraq that protects the rights of its citizens effectively fight for its own survival, and will emerge. Iraq may have become a American forces spent a fruitless and counter-insurgency campaign, but it is no bloody decade delaying the inevitable. Vietnam. America lost the battle for hearts and minds in Vietnam; in Iraq Saddam Hussein has already decided the battle in America’s favor. Pat can be reached at Unmarked graves outside Mosul: Saddam has This victory does not mean that most Iraqis see Americans as liberators [email protected] long since lost the hearts of the Iraqi people.

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY REMEMBERS

November 28 November 20 Army Sgt. Ariel Rico, 25, of El Paso, TX. Killed by a mortar Army Spc. Joseph L. Lister, 22, of Pleasanton, KS. Killed by an attack in Mosul, Iraq. 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, improvised explosive device in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. 1st Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), 34th Armored Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS. Fort Campbell, KY. Army Capt. George A. Wood, 33, of New York, NY. Killed by an improvised explosive device in Baqubah, Iraq. B Company, 1st November 23 Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Army Staff Sgt. Eddie E. Menyweather, 35, of Los Angeles, Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, TX. CA. Killed by an improvised explosive device in Baqubah, Iraq. Company C, 588th Engineer Battalion, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), based in Fort Hood, TX. November 17 Army Spc. Rel A. Ravago IV, 21, of Glendale, CA. Killed by Army Chief Warrant Officer Alexander S. Coulter, 35, of hostile fire in Mosul, Iraq. 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, Tennessee. Killed by an improvised explosive device in Baqubah, 2nd Brigade 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Iraq. Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 124th Signal KY. Battalion, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, TX.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jerry L. Wilson, 45, of Thomson, Army Staff Sgt. Dale A. Panchot, 26, of Northome, MN. Killed GA. Killed by hostile fire in Mosul, Iraq. 1st Battalion, 502nd by hostile fire south of Balad, Iraq. B Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade 101st Airborne Division (Air Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Assault), Fort Campbell, KY. Division (Mechanized), Fort Carson, CO.

“Some of the best have fallen in service to our fellow Americans. We mourn every loss. We honor every name. We grieve with every family. And we will always be grateful that liberty has found such brave defenders.”

--PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

www.princeton.edu/~afp AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 Page 11 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine DECIVILIZING RUSSIA Russian police develop unsavory habits in Chechnya

By JESSICA CASE ‘06 f the war in Chechnya were not Russia has not recognized a single horrific enough, that conflict now Chechen diplomat or foreign minister. seems to have infected Russian There is thus little communication Isociety as a whole. The threat of between the two sides, rendering insecurity looks poised to halt Russia’s diplomacy nearly impossible. The reopening, bringing back in its place military and police forces are now qualities of a police state last seen under engaged in full-scale war in Chechnya, the Soviet Union. The major threat in this and this situation produces constant regard are the Russian police forces, reports of human rights violations. which have themselves been fighting for Russia’s attempt to portray the war as years in Chechnya. These police are a limited anti-terror operation – even at forced to fight in military operations but the cost of ruining its domestic law lack military equipment or supplies. enforcement – is not fooling anyone, Increasing casualties and growing and in fact only hurting its own future. bitterness among these officers There is no easy solution to constitute a problem that may become the current Chechen situation. As in one of the lasting legacies of the Chechen many such conflicts, emotions have War in Russia. taken over and real compromise seems Russian police units from all a flight of fancy. Yet small things can over Russia have been dragged, lured, and be done that can slowly close the often coerced into what were called wounds of war. Abandoning the “business trips” to Chechnya. Most Russian forces on patrol outside Grozny “limited action” charade and officers went, often believing that they withdrawing the Russian police from would lose their jobs if they did not. In guarantors of the law have themselves It remains a grave struggle to Chechnya would be a good place to Russia’s current state, money is short for been accused of serious war-zone keep Russian society together, and it start. Such a move would ease most people, and any job is a good job. abuses. would be a disaster for Eurasian politics tensions with the Chechen population But when these officers return from their Why, then, would any if, to justify this Chechen war, Russia and give Russia’s domestic law and police actions in Chechnya, they bring government, especially one with a very literally tore itself apart. The Chechen order a fighting chance. Without this home more than their scant wages. They fresh history of a secret police and a people really want their independence, type of real internal security and some also bring toxic rage and casual violence police state, do this to their new law and, in their growing desperation, they measure of compromise on Chechnya, bred of warfare. Their combat-zone enforcement? Because the use of are willing to turn to any means to do Russia’s prospects for true democracy mentalities mean nothing but trouble for police as well as army troops is part it, which has lead to the rise in terror look bleak indeed. a fragile country where the people of the Russian government’s strategy attacks against Russian civilians. assigned to maintain law and order have to depict the Chechen war, to its people Russia’s response to Chechnya’s spent years taking part in the lawlessness and to the world, as a limited, anti- independence movement, though, has and disorder of one of the world’s most terror, operation. At what cost, been far from ideal. Reluctant to lose Jessica can be reached at brutal civil wars. The supposed though, does this appearance come? Chechnya’s vast oil pipeline networks, [email protected]

Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies Argentina and the IMF during the Two Bush Administrations A public lecture by Domingo F. Cavallo Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professor in Latin American Studies, Harvard University Wednesday, December 3, 4:30 p.m. Bowl 1, Robertson Hall

Taming the Balkan Schoolyard: The EU, the U.S., and the Future of Ethnic Sovereignty A luncheon seminar (reservation required) by J. Brady Kiesling Princeton University Thursday, December 4, 12 noon 012 Bendheim Hall For reservations, contact Patricia Zimmer at [email protected] or 8-4851.

Passionate Voices: American Jews and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict A screening of a new documentary that looks frankly at the American Jewish conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A facilitated discussion with the filmmakers follows. Sunday, December 7, 7 p.m. Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall

Transnational Expertise and Domestic Discord: The Roots and Consequences of Frustrated Reform Policies in Colombia A luncheon seminar (reservation required) by Eric Hershberg Social Science Research Council and Princeton University Thursday, December 11, 12 noon 012 Bendheim Hall For reservations, contact Patricia Zimmer at [email protected] or 8-4851. For information on other PIIRS events, see our website at http://www.princeton.edu/~piirs.

www.princeton.edu/~afp Page 12 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2003 The Nation’s Only Student-Written, Student-Edited Foreign Policy Magazine

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