In the News – 2008

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Dean Michael E. Brown outlines foreign policy priorities for the new administration in the latest issue of GW Magazine.

Prof. Marc Lynch's influential Middle East politics blog Abu Aardvark has moved to ForeignPolicy.com.

Slate magazine names Prof. Jim Goldgeier's book among "Best Books of 2008" and calls it a "a significant historical contribution."

Amb. David Shinn's essay, which argues that U.S. policy in the Horn of Africa has inappropriately emphasized military response over attending to the root causes of terrorism, appears in U.S. Marines and Irregular Warfare, 1898-2007.
Read the essay.

Prof. Hossein Askari advises the United States to proceed cautiously with Iran in an op-ed in the LA Times.

Master's student Adam Schless-Meier says that calls for increasing the minimum voting age reflect a "lack of generational dialogue" in the Rocky Mountain News.

Prof. Walter Reich argues that the Obama administration should study the Guantánamo detainees' decision to plead guilty to the 9/11 attacks carefully in Middle East Strategy at Harvard.

Fulbright visiting research scholar Muttukrishna Sarvananthan discusses Sri Lanka's economy in a webcast of the South Asian Journalists Association.

Diana Henriques addressed the media's coverage of the financial crisis in the Distinguished Women in International Affairs series..

Prof. Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar examines divergent Iranian views on the Koran's divine origins in The New York Times.

Prof. Hossein Askari argues that Iran is vulnerable to U.S. pressures for the first time since the revolution in The National Interest.

Prof. Brook Beshah was extensively interviewed on the Sudanese conflict, piracy off the Somali coast, and the still unresolved Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict in the journal International Affairs Review.

Dr. Peter Hotez announced treatment for neglected tropical diseases as one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve Millennium Development Goals in his progress report at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative.
Watch the video.

Amb. Karl Inderfurth argues the Obama administration must "hit the ground running" in its approach to Afghanistan in the International Herald Tribune.

Prof. Deepa Ollapally said that the terrorist attacks in Mumbai seem to be linked to Al Qaeda in an extensive interview with India Abroad.

Elliott School alum Diana Henriques discussed the lack of oversight on financial bailout efforts in an interview with MSNBC.
Watch the video.

Prof. Paul Williams reflects on the causes and consequences of 'State Failure in Africa' in Europa Regional Surveys of the World: Africa South of the Sahara 2009.

Prof. Hossein Askari offers five reasons why the Iranian mullahs should embrace Israel in the International Herald Tribune.

Prof. Tara Sinclair discussed the changes to the bailout plan in an interview with FOX 5 Morning.
Watch the video.

Amb. Edward Gnehm and his co-authors analyze conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Kosovo to determine best practices for civilian and military integration in pre- and post-conflict situations in a new report from RAND.

M.A. student Katie Stuhldreher argues that better policing of its fisheries could solve Somalia's pirate problem by stripping the pirates of their legitimacy in The Christian Science Monitor.

Prof. David Shambaugh argues that Latin America needs to develop expertise in China as Beijing expresses increased interest in the region in YaleGlobal.

In a profile in ByGeorge! Prof. Chris Kojm discusses his public policy experience and the reasons he finds teaching so rewarding.

Space Policy master's student escorts astronaut Sunita Williams at National Girl Scout Council Convention.

Prof. Steven Balla was one of five GW professors to be named Fulbright Scholars for the 2008-09 academic year.
Read the release.

Graduate student Andrew Callam argues that Barack Obama should begin serving as president immediately so that he can fix the economic crisis in the Baltimore Sun.

Prof. Hossein Askari's new book explores the challenges facing Islamic finance in a globalizing world and offers solutions in a number of areas including: governance, risk assessment, reputational risk, asset pricing, taxation, and devising a social safety net.

Prof. Paul Williams argues that the idea of promoting "African solutions to African problems" is not a sound basis on which to maintain international peace and security on the continent in Ethics & International Affairs.

Prof. Henry Farrell discusses election rhetoric and the press on KUOW.
Listen to the interview.

Amb. David Shinn spoke about terrorism in the Horn of Africa, particularly the importance of removing Sudan from the U.S. State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism, at the Horn of Africa Conference in Lund, Sweden.
Read the transcript

An interview with Prof. Nathan Brown in GW's newspaper ByGeorge! goes behind the headlines about the Middle East and tackles the "realities of the conflict and the prospects for peace."

In the inaugural event for the Elliott School's new Global Communication program, panelists discuss diplomatic challenges facing the next presidential administration and the need to strengthen communications with other countries.
Watch the video

Elliott School graduate student F. Jordan Evert argues that U.S. policymakers would do well to apply Gen. Douglas MacArthur's principle of "Hit 'em where they aren't" in Afghanistan in The Christian Science Monitor.

Student-founded organization brings Sudanese refugee to study at GW.

Prof. Hope Harrison says Georgia overplayed its hand in the conflict with Russia expecting help from the West that never arrived in an interview with CTV.
Watch the interview.

Prof. Marc Lynch calls the situation in Iraq a "political house of cards" and warns the security gains could be short lived in an interview with the Council on Foreign Relations.

The Financial Services Volunteer Corps, for which Prof. Harry Harding is a co-principal investigator, published a report of their project on "Expanding Policy Connections: Strengthening Ties among the United States, Russia, and China" which was held in Istanbul in June.

Amb. Karl Inderfurth argues the United States and India have entered a new era that can best be described as "engaged democracies" in The Hindu.

The Sigur Center sponsored an Indo-Persian music concert with renowned sarod master Amjad Ali Khan.

Prof. Mona Atia won the 2008 Distinguished Dissertation Award by the University of Washington.

Prof. Ilana Feldman was awarded the Horizons Prize from the Society for Cultural Anthropology for her article, "Difficult Distinctions: Refugee Law, Humanitarian Practice, and Political Identification in Gaza." The jury called the work a "deeply researched and thought-provoking analysis."

Prof. Henry R. Nau, writing in The New York Sun, says the current presidential candidates would do well to study President James K. Polk's "conservative internationalist" philosophy to better understand the interaction between the use of force and diplomacy.

Prof. Scott Pace says deteriorating American-Russian relations might limit the United States' opportunities in space in a VOA interview.

Prof. Brook Beshah discussed the Zimbabwe election crisis in two live appearances on BBC News.
Watch the videos here and here.

Alaphia Zoyab (MA'09) argues that Indians should not be so quick to embrace the American model of counter-terrorism in The Indian Express.

Amb. Karl Inderfurth says Pakistan and India must overcome the recent revival of their rivalry to form a joint strategy to stabilize Afghanistan in the International Herald Tribune.

The New York Times called Prof. Jim Goldgeier's new book "astute and highly informed."

Prof. Nathan Brown says there are still "wide gaps" though Israeli and Palestinian officials have "inched a little bit closer" in an interview with VOA.
Watch the video.

Prof. Walter Reich, former director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, chaired a panel on "The Scandinavian Countries and the Holocaust."

Prof. Gary Anderson says Washington needs to help Lebanon fight Hezbollah before it (with Iran's help) takes over the country in The Washington Times.

Prof. Hossein Askari co-wrote two articles in Asia Times: one about why oil prices have risen so high, and the other about how the Fed can stabilize the oil and food markets.

Prof. James Hershberg calls a new book on the Cuban missile crisis "required reading for specialists and aficionados" in a review in The Washington Post.

Alaphia Zoyab (MA'09) argues that Indian broadcast journalists are sacrificing honesty for quick reporting in an op-ed on The Wall Street Journal's site Live Mint.

Prof. Brook Beshah argues that exiled Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam should be arrested in The Wall Street Journal.

Prof. Walter Reich describes his sense of Israel's psychological condition as it turns 60 in The Baltimore Sun.

Prof. Amitai Etzioni argues that undoing national cultures, even religious ones like Israel's, would result in a great loss in The Guardian (UK).

Prof. David Shambaugh discusses the two sides to Chinese nationalism and wonders which will dominate the August Olympics in the International Herald Tribune.

Elliott School senior wins Fulbright to study in China.

Marc Lynch said Washington must follow the Gulf Co-operation Council's lead in moving away from arguments of isolating Iran in The National (Abu Dhabi).

Amb. Shinn said Kenya need the help of other nations' intelligence to thwart terrorist plots in ISN Security Watch.

Henry Hertzfeld said the UN's treaties about lunar properties "don't really have any teeth to them in terms of enforcement" and "are agreements on principle" on CNN.

Shawn McHale said although there has been more freedom for the press in Vietnam recently, the question remains how far reporters can go in TIME.

Amb. David Shinn said violence in Mogadishu is part of a downward trend impacting the entire Horn of Africa. Listen to the 10-minute interview on WNYC here.

Prof. Robert Weiner said high demand in developing countries, not speculation, is driving high oil prices in an interview with UPI.

Elliott School senior selected for International Affairs Fellowship

The Elliott School's Space Policy Institute marks NASA's 50th anniversary with a lecture by renowned scientist Stephen Hawking.

The Elliott School co-sponsors "An Evening with Ted Turner"

Elliott School student recognized as Young Global Leader 2008.

Marc Lynch joined other Elliott School faculty Hugh Agnew, David Grier, and Karl Inderfurth in a panel discussion on "Cultural Diplomacy and Dave Brubeck." Read about it on his blog.

Ugandan Peace Activist Betty Bigombe addresses the Challenges of Conflict Negotiation.

Taras Kuzio discusses President Bush's recent visit to Kiev and the prospects NATO could expand to include Ukraine.

Elliott School student recognized as Young Global Leader 2008

Judith Mueller (BA'09) was one of eight GW students selected as 2008-2009 George Gamow Undergraduate Research Fellows.

Writing in The Baltimore Sun, Amb. Inderfurth calls for urgent action to avoid defeat in Afghanistan.

James Goldgeier says the presidential campaigns' "disturbing" neglect of foreign policy reflects a lack of interest in the news media and the public.
Listen to his interview on the radio program Politics from the Nation's Capital.

Amb. Ronen Sen Reflects on U.S.-Indian Relations at Sigur Center's India Initiative.

Amb. Gnehm analyzes the "profoundly important and yet troubled" relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States in the annual Kuwait Chair Lecture at the Elliott School.

Bernard Wood critiqued the research of leading paleoanthropologists who claim that the "little people" of Flores descend from humans. Instead, Wood suggests the small skulls belong to a distinct species in The New York Times.

Amb. Shinn says the United States' designation of the Somali group al-Shabab as a terrorist group with ties to al Qaeda is "significant" and "not particularly unexpected" in the Voice of America.

The blog Crooked Timber, to which Henry Farrell is a contributor, was ranked 33 on The Guardian's list of the "world's 50 most powerful blogs".

Elliott School Alumni Provide "Notes for the Next President" at MIPP Anniversary Event.

Elliott School graduate student Thomas Renard evaluates Moroccan authorities' linkage of terrorism and organized crime in Terrorism Focus.

Judith Mueller (BA'09) was one of eight GW students selected as 2008-2009 George Gamow Undergraduate Research Fellows.

Amb. Gnehm says it is important for everyone to remember that extremism exists in small groups though it seems magnified by technology in Yemen Times.

Henry Nau says there is a "continental drift" between America, which has a "healthy" classical liberal or modern conservative movement, and Europe, which does not, in a talk at The Heritage Foundation.

Susan Aaronson expressed concerns that American companies find incentives not to enforce Chinese labor laws in the Associated Press.

Steven Balla discusses the Texas and Ohio Democratic primaries and says the electoral math still favors Barack Obama in The Ithacan.

Amb. Shinn was extensively interviewed by MediaGlobal on China's complicated relationship with both sides of the Chad-Sudan conflict.

Susan Aaronson moderates a virtual roundtable on "humanizing trade" through trade agreements sponsored by Global Labour Governance.

Amb. Shinn examines political instability in Somalia and recommends a course of action to ensure stability in the region in an interview with Executive Intelligence Review.

Susan Aaronson argues for a new international initiative to better ally citizens and governments in oil-rich developing countries in Yale Global.

Elliott School senior Ryan Evans will represent GW at the first annual Clinton Global Initiative in New Orleans next month, the GW Hatchet reported.

Marc Garlasco (MA'95) brings a unique perspective to his human rights work. Read a Washington Post profile.

The Sigur Center published its spring 2008 edition of The Asian Connection.

The Financial Times ranks GW's international business program fifth worldwide.

Susan Aaronson was interviewed on Barack Obama's foreign policy goals by Financial Times.

Amb. Shinnwas interviewed by Bloomberg TV on President George W. Bush's visit to Africa.

Shira Robinson was interviewed about Sen. Obama and the Jewish community by the Washington Jewish Week on Feb. 13.

John Logsdon was quoted by The New York Times on Feb. 12.

Melani McAlister was quoted by The Times, Trenton on Feb. 10 and by The Daily Princetonian on Feb. 11.

The Financial Times ranks GW's international business program fifth worldwide.

Nathan Brown was interviewed on The Media Line ( Audio clip)

Public Diplomacy Institute to host Fulbright Visiting Researcher from Hungary.

Merve Kavakchi was quoted by Trend News Agency (Azerbaijan) on Feb. 8.

Amb. Shinn was interviewed by BBC Somalia on Feb. 8. (Article and audio in Somali.)

Amb. Inderfurth was quoted in The Christian Science Monitor on Feb. 6.

Amb. Shinn addressed "The Paradox of Affluence: Whither Africa?" at Phi Theta Kappa's Faculty Scholar Conference on Feb. 2.

John Logsdon was quoted in the Washington Post on Feb. 2 and on Space.com on Feb. 1.

Amitai Etzioni co-wrote an article in The National Interest on Jan. 29. He was also profiled in the National Journal on Feb. 1.

Peter Hotez was profiled in an ABC story on Jan. 31.

Leo Ribuffo was quoted in an LA Times story on Jan. 27.

Amb. Shinn was quoted in a Reuters story on Jan. 23.

The GW Hatchet profiled Peter J. Hotez [link] and Steve Livingston [link] on Jan. 22.

Susan Aaronson was quoted in a Reuters story on Jan. 18.

Deepa Ollapally was interviewed about Pakistan by Voice of America on Jan. 15.

Gary Anderson published an op-ed on Al-Qaeda in The Washington Post on Jan. 13 (requires login).

Marc Lynch was interviewed on the Arab press by CBS News on Jan. 13.

Marc Lynch's blog Abu Aardvark was quoted in an Inter Press Service article on Jan. 10.

Taras Kuzio co-wrote "Strategy and tactics of Euro-Atlantic integration" in the Kyiv Post on Jan. 9.

Amb. Shinn was interviewed for "Kenya: Country Seen as Anchor to U.S. Position in the Region" by allAfrica.com on Jan. 9.

Amb. Inderfurth discussed Pakistan on the Riz Khan Show on Al Jazeera on Jan. 8.

John Logsdon was quoted in "Busy shuttle schedule concerns analysts" by The Boston Globe on Jan. 7.

Marc Lynch's article "Why US Strategy on Iran is Crumbling" appeared in The Christian Science Monitor on Jan. 4.

Amitai Etzioni's new book was discussed in The National Interest on Jan. 2.