Owner: notions of one roly machado URL:http://rolymachado.blogspot.com Join Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:29:51 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Blog mostly focusing on foreign policy and politics written by a Midshipman majoring in International Relations at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. Site statistics:Click here
NAVY Football: Just Believe. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 ESPN Report on the Meineke Car Care BowlLadies and gentlemen, it is with extreme pleasure that I tell you that the United States Naval Academy (a.k.a. Annapolis) will be attending the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina on 30 December, 2006. We will be playing the Boston College Eagles for the title. This will be our fourth bowl game in a row. Boston College is ranked #23 in the nation and has a record of 9-3. The losses of the Eagles are NC State 17-15 (3-9), the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 21-14 (11-2), and the UMiami Hurricanes 17-14 (6-6). Navy has a 9-3 record as well losing to Tulsa in an overtime botched extra point 24-23, Rutgers ranked #18 at the time in a 34-0 shutout, and to Notre Dame ranked #8 in a 38-14 loss. During the first quarter of the Rutgers game, Navy lost it's starting quarterback senior Brian Hampton to a brutal knee injury. My classmate and friend Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada has since stepped up to play the position well as a sophomore. Our notable w Read more:Football
Critique of International Relations 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I am currently writing a paper for my Ethics and InternationalRelations
course here at the Naval Academy. I will surely add it to my blogger as soon as I am done, however, before I do that I wanted to hit on a very important thing that I have realized concerning relations between the United States and the Middle East. Here are two quotes cited in a recent reading of the October 23, 2006 National Review article by Jason Lee Steorts titled "Can Iran Be Deterred?""[America's] goal is nothing less than the destruction of the [Iranian] regime and of Islam - or, at the very least, regime change...[Its] program today is to dismantle Iran into seven countries, and to exploit its ethnic disputes." - Hassan Abassi"The attack on Lebanon [i.e. Israel's recent war with Hezbollah] was planned in advance, and it was a Zionist-American operation - a first step towards taking control over the Middle East and over the Muslim world." - Ayatollah KhameneiOkay, it is a given that we would get crap from Read more:Critique
Response to Another Blog 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Divided We Stand United We Fall (This is the blog I am responding to. It concerns a program called Unity08, whose website is found here: http://www.unity08.com. The organization is attempting to elect a bi-partisan ticket of good candidates into President and Vice President positions in the 2008 elections. Keep your eyes open for this one!)I love discussions such as this. You and I together have an opportunity to agree to disagree and express our opinions. Amazingly, that is the very same thing that Unity08 is attempting to fight for as well. I am a follower of the Unity08 movement and am hoping to see some positive outcome from it soon. However, I saw a few flaws in your perception on what Unity08 is about, so I come now to present to you a perspective I do not believe you have seen and should you still feel it is not a good program, then I encourage you to continue blogging your opinion on it.Primarily, I want to say that a democratic government with opposing political parties have b Read more:Response
Changing the Face of American Politics 1970-01-01 00:59:59 The genius of America is that every generation redefines freedom in its own terms for its own times. Unity08, in a tradition as old as our country itself, is committed to still another rebirth of freedom.Do you believe that "America has become so polarized between Democrats and Republicans that Washington can't seem to make progress toward solving the nation's problems?" As you can see by the statistics provided, eighty-two percent of American
s say yes. Now I am not a political scientist just yet (CAPT Dubyak's trying to help me with that), but being the curious person I am, I decided to pose a similar resolve on Essembly.com, a political discussion website. A total of forty-six people responded and surprisingly, the numbers were close to the Princeton Survey research: eighty percent agreed that "The country is in dire need of a dramatic change. Our Congress doesn't address the domestic and foreign issues that are pertinent and urgent. Republicans and Democrats have become so bitte Read more:Changing
Globalization: A New Perspective 1970-01-01 00:59:59 I am a fortunate soul to receive lectures from some amazing people. We have these lectures called Forrestals where we hear some great people talk about things that should concern us as future military officers. Our most recent lecture was this Monday by Thomas L. Friedman, a Foreign Affairs columnist for the New York Times and the author of the bestselling books From Beirut to Jerusalem and The Lexus and the Olive Tree. He is an amazing visionary and his talk concerned his most recent bestselling title The World is Flat.The primary focus of the book is globalization and how it is no longer what it used to be. He uses history to define three specific eras of globalization. When exploration of the new world began in the late 1400s, globalization was brought about by countries. Then with the industrial revolution in Europe, the United States and Russia things began to change and the primary initiator of globalization became companies. He says that "as you slept" the world change and we ev Read more:Perspective
, New Perspective
Clarity of Thought 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Welcome. Throughout the course of my short life I have realized that I have been endowed with certain sense, reason and intellect that unfortunately, many other people in this world do not have. As a result, I have decided to share my thoughts with anyone willing to listen. Opinions here will vary from politics (primarily), to sports, and life in general. Feel free to comment and criticize if you so choose.Who am I? I still haven't necessarily found that answer. But in terms understandable to others I consider myself a deeply spiritual Roman Catholic man. I am a realist when it comes to protection of the state, yet an idealist when it comes to international relations. I am a student/midshipman at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It is undoubtedly the toughest military academy in the country. BEAT ARMY! I am majoring in Political Science, concentration in International Relations and Defense Studies. I am fluent in Spanish and am close to my roots in the Cuban isl Read more:Clarity
Tiltulim: An Unnecessary Use of Force 1970-01-01 00:59:59 In 1973, American prisoners-of-war walked out of a prison camp they nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton." VADM Stockdale, USN, has been recognized as the leader of the resistance movement inside. Despite being subjected to torture, he refused to give up information and even disfigured his face on purpose to prevent the Vietnamese from using him as propaganda. VADM Stockdale is an example of heroism as well as an example of how torture can be ineffective. Torture is defined by Merriam-Webster's online dictionary as "the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing, or wounding) to punish, coerce, or afford sadistic pleasure." It is critical to point out that torture and interrogation are two different things. The same source defines interrogation as "to question formally and systematically." However, in the modern world, the two become mixed and critical for argument, as the case study on tiltulim addresses. The purpose of this paper is to refute the use of tiltulim as a method of int Read more:Force
Disagreements on Jonathan Schell's The Unconquerable World 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Submitted by MIDN Machado as a term paper.According to Jonathan
Schell, the world of the twenty-first century is dramatically different from the times before. Schell believes that in this new era of globalization and information technology, war has become dysfunctional as a political instrument. Schell also argues that peace is more possible now because of the weapons and people of this time period.It would be a total disregard for the current events of our world to say that war is dysfunctional now. Recently, Hugo Chavez, the dictator of Venezuela has made headlines with the exclamation that he is a part of a union of states (Cuba, Bolivia, Iran and Belarus) that is fighting back against the American imperialists. Chavez has further been making news stories by following through with purchase of weapons from other countries (including Russian Sukhoi fighter jets). North Korea has set created a media storm by testing a nuclear weapon underground, causing a massive amount of unrest acros Read more:Disagreements
, World
Thoughts on September 11 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Five years ago I was walking on my way to homeroom when I heard the news that forever changed my life. "America is being attacked." A friend named Oscar Kramp and I were walking together. He told me that one of the towers had fallen and two had been hit by airplanes. I said no way, not possible. I made it into my homeroom class with Sra. Reyes already gasping at the sight of the continuous re-runs of the second plane hitting the WTC and the subsequent collapse of that massive structure. As I walked out, in disbelief, I heard Eric Leavitt exclaim to me, "Roly, they've attacked the Pentagon too." Again, I said not possible. The words out of my mouth were literally, "There's no way our government with the strongest military in the world would allow something like that to happen." I was wrong. I was supposed to deliver a speech that day for President of my class. Instead, we got let out of school early. When I walked into Mrs. Lopez's english class one of my classmates said to me, "Roly Read more:September
Elián: A Legal Argument for His Freedom 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Submitted by MIDN Machado as a final paper.Holy Saturday morning of 2000, Elián Gonzalez's individual rights and well-being were violated by the United States when he was forcefully taken from his great uncle's home in Miami to be reunited with his father in Washington, D.C. The raid was the climax of a child's story in the United States and the opposing sides surrounding his stay here. The side pleading for his return to Cuba said that the young child should be with his father. The opposing side, brought by the outcry of the Cuban-exile community within the United States, felt that staying in a free country where Elián could speak his mind without being persecuted as well as receive a good education is better than living with your father, if he will have no civil rights and/or the opportunity to succeed. The arguments supporting their position are that the government made a decision on who should have custody of a child and not on the well-being of that child, that the raid to re Read more:Argument
, Freedom
Failed Intelligence: The Personal Account of Colonel Wilkerson 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Colonel Wilkerson, USA (ret.) joined then General Colin Powell in 1989 as his deputy executive officer at US Army Forces Command. He was an advisor to Powell from then on, while General Powell was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the private sector, and finally as his chief of staff during Colin Powell's tenure as Secretary of State. Below is a brief by MIDN Machado.During his lecture, Wilkerson shared why he was able to serve as the Director of the US Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Virginia as a soldier. The primary reason was his experience in other joint commands. He defined jointness, specifically with the Marines, as an understanding of their culture, an understanding of their members, and quite simply, in one word, the ability to trust one another. He made it clear that synergy benefits us all.Wilkerson went on to explain his most intimate experience of failed intelligence. A week prior to Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations, the Secretary walked i Read more:Personal
, Account
, Colonel
Emotional Robots? 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Emotion robots learn from peopleIsn't this crossing the line a little bit? Should we really be allowed to create robots that distinguish between emotions? Before we know it they will learn what emotional changes do to people. And then imitate them. It's like Terminator 3 on steroids.http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping Read more:Emotional
Fighter Pilot Fun 1970-01-01 00:59:59 To bring some higher morale into your day, here are some British fighter pilots doing low-level maneuvers. Fly NAVY!http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping Read more:Pilot
Iranians and Their Opinions 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Viewpoint: Iranians
speak outIt is very interesting to see these opinions. Provided is a basic summary of what each of these people said.Reza (journalist in Tehran): Yes, I support the nuclear program because we need nuclear power. That doesn't mean we need a bomb. There is a media spin against Iran in the West. But Iran is the strongest (and more democratic) country in the region so the West is afraid that if Iran gets nuclear energy then more countries in the region will rely on it. Sounds like an Ahmadinejad apologist and loyalist. Defends Ahmadinejad with respect to the Holocaust comments.Eftekar (teacher in Isfahan): Yes, he supports the peaceful purpose of the nuclear program. He is an idealist and sees it as an opportunity for Iran to prove that it can be trusted in the international community. Feels there is a media spin against Iran in the West. Iran doesn't want problems. Ahmadinejad has not fulfilled promises to the international community. People in Iran don't care what Read more:Opinions
Bob Kaplan Speaks to the Brigade: Emerging Global Security Challenges and the Military's Role 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Robert Kaplan
is the author of seven highly acclaimed books on travel and international affairs, including "Balkan Ghosts," "Warrior Politics," and "The Coming Anarchy." Mr. Kaplan is also a provocative essayist, having published numerous cover stories in The Atlantic Monthly (where he has been a correspondent and is currently an editor), as well as articles in Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. He is currently the Class of 1960 Distinguished Chair of National Security at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Below is a brief written by MIDN Machado.On Wednesday, 17 January 2007, Robert Kaplan spoke to the Brigade
of Midshipmen in Alumni Hall. The focus of his lecture was future security threats and how foreign policy should adapt. He began his speech saying that he goes by the thought frame that "to avoid tragedy, you must think tragically"Concerning Middle Eastern politics, Kaplan feels a major problem is that a younger, hard-wor Read more:Global
, Military
Congress and Debate 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Divided We Stand United We FallThis guy is on my blogroll. I like his train of thought and his arguments. I like the fact that he's blunt. We had a little discussion a while back about Unity08, check out my previous posts to read about it.I'm gonna go on this blog and say that I fully believe that a divided government is exactly what our founding fathers intended. Although at the ratification of the Constitution we did not have a two-party system, our founding fathers did eventually create one. That's a whole different history lesson which I am not interested in delving into.So let me be clear: I support a divided government.I do not, however, support government that is so much in strife that it cannot argue. MW, the writer of the above blog and I can have a disagreement. We can agree to it. I'll meet him up for a beer at a bar and we'll talk politics. We'll agree. We'll disagree. I won't try to insult him. He won't try to insult me. We can respect each other's opinions... Th Read more:Congress
, Debate
Baby Sets Premature Record 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Miami baby sets premature record From now on, no abortion should be allowed after the 22 week point, because the argument many pro-choice people use is that it is not alive until the baby can survive. In my opinion, however, there is life at fertilization. To kill a fetus after fertilization is murder and violators, both doctors and the woman should be punished as such. Life is not a choice, but rather a responsibility. If you don't want that responsibility, wrap up or use birth control. There are plenty of contraception options. I may be disagreeing with my religion (I am Roman Catholic, and the Church believes any contraception is wrong), but I believe that THIS is the right thing. If you make the mistake of getting pregnant or getting a woman pregnant, then you are old enough to take responsibility for the child, despite what it may do for your dreams or aspirations in life. Being a father/mother is the greatest thing you could ever do in life, there is no reason not to serve that Read more:Premature
, Record
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Ros-Lehtinen Backs New Bill To Let Gays ServeI have not been in the military for a very long time, coming up on two years now. I went through a boot camp at the Naval Academy called Plebe Summer. Then I went through Plebe Year, a year-long pledge process with stupid rules and unforgiving punishment for violating them. I had my share of tough times. I was on a Navy vessel, DDG64 USS Carney this summer in South America. I have seen how the Navy works here in an academic environment, in a daily stateside working environment and finally underway.I am deeply opposed to changing the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy within the military. First, I want to be clear that I have three friends that are gay. None of them serve or are interested in serving in the military. I can assure you that because of my friendship if they were ever in a combat situation I would not care about their sexual orientation because I know them. However, this is me. I am an exception.The military is based on tru
International Conference on Iraq and Its Implications 2007-03-01 19:36:00 Toward An International
Conference on Iraq
by Henry KissingerTime for Plan-B by Thomas L. FriedmanProvided above are links to public editorials by Henry Kissinger and Thomas Friedman, respectively. Kissinger published his 26FEB2007 while Friedman's was published on 04AUG2006.First, the assumptions must be addressed: Iraq is currently plagued by sectarian violence, that is, different groups with various alliances and enemies both intermingled and contradictory among each other fighting with the borders. These include the US military and coalition forces, the Iraqi military, terrorist and Islamic fundamentalist groups (i.e. al-Qaeda, Abu Sayaaf, PLA, and whoever else is there using it as a combat zone training ground for carrying out military operations), and several different Sunni- and Shia-run militias. Iraqis kill Iraqis, but American military personnel are also targets.Friedman and Kissinger are both advocating an international conference to resolve the situation. Friedman seems to Read more:Implications
, International Conference
Robotic Age and Ethics 2007-03-07 18:25:00 Robotics age poses ethical dilemmaAre we seriously going to create up ethical rules for robots to follow? You have to be kidding me. How can this type of technology be advancing so quickly?http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping Read more:Robotic
, Ethics
Bureaucracy Failure: Walter Reed Style 2007-03-23 07:30:00 Op-Ed article written by MIDN Roly Machado in The Underground, the Naval Academy Political Science Department newsletter.A few weeks ago The Washington Post came out with one of those articles that just changes things. This catalyst of a story and the articles that followed brought to light the neglect of American soldiers at WRAMC. It also brought to view the strange complexity of paperwork inefficiency. Eventually, we found out that not only are patients being treating inappropriately and facilities not being properly maintained, but they can’t even identify who the patients are or why they’re being treated.Unfortunately, I have heard this before. When I interned for a Congressman during high school, my sole responsibility most weeks was to read letters from constituents and start up a case on their behalf. [A little tidbit on Congressional Representatives: they can, if requested, actually act as a lawyer on your behalf when it comes to problems with government agencies.] So here Read more:Walter
, Style
, Walter Reed
Castroism as a Prominent Ideology in Latin America 2007-06-04 18:04:00 INTRODUCTIONFidel Castro is the most recognizable face in twentieth century Latin
-America
.htm">Latin America
. Since his accession to power in Cuba on the eve of 1959, he has never allowed his influence to be undermined in the region. The intent of this paper is to show how Castroism or Fidelismo (different names for the same ideology) is unique and has influenced countries throughout the world.This paper will minimally address the personal lives of Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevara, including their family life and education. Subsequently, the ideology of Castroism/Fidelismo will be summarized and critiqued. Finally, the exportation of the ideology and the formation of Castroite support structures across Latin America will be defined.Conclusions are that it is an original ideology, unique to communism, even though it has Marxist-Leninist influence in the post-revolution Cuba. Influenced almost entirely by Castro and Guevara’s writings and policies, its central tenet is that of revolution,
Guatemala en 1954: Un Fracaso en Policias Extrageras 2007-05-26 08:02:00 Iberoamérica ha conocido opresión durante toda su historía. En Guatemala
, por ejemplo, los españoles trataron los indígenas como verdín. Cuando la Federación de Guatemala (cual en ese tiempo incluyo Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador y Costa Rica) ganó su independencia de España todavía los criollos mantuvieron ese racismo. La situación economica y racista empezó a mejorar cuando el Presidente Jorge Ubico asumió poder en 1944. Aunque el era un dictador, durante su regimé hizo mucha reformas para los derechos de los indígenas y para la economía de Guatemala. Pero también no pudo renunciar sin fuerza. Por eso, José Arévalo y Jacobo Arbenz organizaron un golpe contra el gobierno. Después de las reformas socialistas en Guatemala durante los administraciones de Arévalo y Arbenz, el Coronel Castillo Armas con el ayuda de los Estados Unidos también derroco ese gobierno. Aunque un tiempo de paz y éxito triunfo, después de seis años arrojo el país en guerra civi
Hong Kong and China: Development in Asia 2007-06-26 22:56:00 Response to the following article: China
's Delicate Balance with HKFirst, we should look at the positives of the last decade since the Brits turned Hong Kong
over to the Chinese. By far, they have surpassed the expectations of the West, including my own, when it comes to how they have controlled Hong Kong. The Chinese are undoubtedly gaining more and more respect and trust from me, so I may be biased in my arguments here today. Nonetheless, China has not been ruthless and tyrannic in its control of Hong Kong and deserves recognition for its abandonment of its previous ways.The last decade in China has been one of economic growth, consistent with that of Hong Kong. These two puzzle pieces working together, albeit Hong Kong providing an example of capitalism, have brought the communist party to realize that socialism as an economic system may not necessarily be the overall outcome they are looking for for their people. (Rev. Robert Sirico argues very well in this May Issue of Imprimis o Read more:Development
, Asia
Colombian Drug Traffickers 2007-07-02 18:28:00 In reference to this article: US jails female Colombian rebelColombia has been plagued by FARC rebels for a very long time. They use drugs, kidnapping and weapons sales to bolster their effort. They are terrorists. We must continue to be on top of them and try to support the legitimate government. Thugs like this should not be allowed to control the villagers of the areas they are present in.http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
University Students Fighting for Freedom 2007-10-24 02:05:00 Students clash with Chavez policeMas importante que todo quiero decir que los estudiantes en Caracas tienen que continuar la lucha contra el comunismo que esta en el mismo puerta de su pais. Soy hijo de Cubanos en exilio y te digo que lo que paso a mi familia no debe pasar ortavez en ningun parte del mundo. Por favor, se reciben este mensaje no dejes a contactar me. Yo quiero darle todo el ayuda que puedo como un miembro de su generacion. Pero mas que todo, por favor, para la democracia del mundo y para su pais maravillosa, no dejen que te quitan su religion o voz. No dejan que te llevan su mente y pensamiento. Luchan para la libertad y para su futuro. Siempre estoy en su lado. ¡VIVA LA LIBERTAD!http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping Read more:University
, Fighting
, Freedom
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