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COMMENTARY OCTOBER 17, 2008 • VOL. 45, NO. 2
Friendly fire or friend turned foe? by Andrew Abtahi The United States’ greatest ally in the War on Terror isn’t Britain or Australia, but Pakistan. The Muslim nation of more then 160 million people not only has gotten into shoot-outs with terrorists but has brought in more then 800 suspected Al Qaeda members and some of the top members of the militant organization. But all of a sudden this ally is sharply turning into a not so subservient country to America’s exact wants. The recent shoot out between Pakistani border guards and American troops is most likely the cause of a misunderstanding of a border that is not clearly defined and not over recent disputes between the two governments. The tensions between America and our democratic Muslim ally have been growing ever since Pervez Musharaf lost his iron grip on Pakistan when elections on February 3 put Yousaf Raza Gillani at the seat of Prime Minister. Musharaf resigned on August 18 of this year to avoid impeachment proceedings and Asif Ali Zardari was elected into office. The U.S. was allowed to do missions in Pakistan during Musharaf’s rule but that is not the case for the new government according to the foreign minister. This is a major shift in how American policy will have to deal
by Erin Klein I’ll be the first to admit it: “Gossip Girl,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “90210,” “One Tree Hill,”—I cannot get enough. Every Monday night at 7 p.m. I put my phone on silent, log off Facebook, and refuse to be disturbed until the entire episode of “Gossip Girl” has been aired. And like many other teenagers, I can’t resist picking up tabloids and reading about Britney Spears unpacking her groceries, Blake Lively dining in New York with pals, or how Jessica Alba got her body back after a baby. It seems to me that we live in a Hollywoodobsessed world. And in many ways, this isn’t such a healthy thing. Taking a look at the shows I’ve rattled off, how many of them have a leading actress who could possibly wear over a size two? In September, Us magazine reported that the co-stars of 90210, Jessica Stroup, 21, and
with the very real threat of Al Qaeda residing in the Hindu Kush Mountains in Pakistan. The Pakistani government won’t allow Americans inside their borders with guns and helicopters. Pakistan might be an ally of the U.S. but like most of the Muslim world, they are weary of an American foreign policy that seems to them as imperialistic. America had supported Musharaf, a man who came to power through a military coup and was about to suspend elections if not for the protest from the people. While the U.S. would like to be seen as the biggest sponsor of democracy, in Pakistan a majority of the population views America as a country only out to fulfill its own selfinterest. Not only that, but since its alignment with the American War on Terror, Pakistan has been faced with many terrorist attacks since its major crackdown on terror groups. Along with the border disputes with the U.S., the new government has seriously been thinking of stopping support for the War on Terror. The two candidates for president have different views on this issue. Barack Obama wants more oversight of the $10 billion given in aide to Pakistan and has suggested sending in American troops into Pakistan to hunt down Al Qaeda operatives even without Pakistan’s permission. Pakistan has responded
by saying his remarks are “irresponsible.” The odd thing is that Obama is straying toward the Bush Doctrine more than his republican rival. McCain would keep funding Pakistan and feels that a War on Terror without Pakistan’s help would be detrimental to the America’s goals. Even though his running mate Sarah Palin made a statement on September 28th supporting Obama’s plan for dealing with terrorist in Pakistan, it was a statement that McCain had to retract. Pakistan is a democratic Muslim nation, which is rare these days. There is instability in the country especially in the tribal regions of the mountainous northwest but there is still a strong belief in democracy in the country as the large protest against Musharaf showed. Pakistan was recently turned upside down and as it is trying to balance itself. An invasion of Pakistan would lead to anti-American sentiment never seen in the country and would lead to more problems between the U.S. and Pakistan. The region is vital to hunting down Al Qaeda members. If war does break out, fighting against Al Qaeda, Pakistani troops, and the tribes in that region is not a war the U.S. can win. The U.S. needs to maintain a strong and healthy alliance with Pakistan if we don’t want to add to the problems we face in that region.
Shenae Grimes, 18, stand at 5-foot-8 and 100 pounds, and 5-foot-3 and merely 90 pounds, respectively. That puts each girls B.M.I under 16 (18.5-25 is considered “normal”), which leaves them at risk for osteoporosis and a weakened immune system. With emaciated girls starring on shows aimed for teenage viewing, I have to wonder, what is the media trying to tell us? Is this artificially thin image beautiful? How far must one go to attain “beauty”? In 2004, Dove beauty products launched a global campaign to make more women feel beautiful every day by widening stereotypical views of beauty. The Dove campaign for Real Beauty was inspired by a major global study, The Real Truth About Beauty: A Global Report, which found that the definition of beauty had become extremely narrow and virtually unattainable. Dove saw the profound effect this was having on the self-esteem of women around the world—only 2 percent of women describe themselves as beautiful—and wanted to make
a difference. Their studies found that 7 out of 10 girls believe they are not good enough, or do not measure up in some way. The harmful effects of low self esteem in women can be seen in the number of girls suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Experts suggest that 1% of female adolescents suffer from anorexia, and that 4% of college age women suffer from bulimia, according to America Family Physician. Dove has joined together with the entertainment industry to help girls see what is real vs. what is Hollywood by providing self-esteem workshops. The goal is to help girls realize what they see in movies and magazines represents an unrealistic standard of beauty. Thus far, Dove has already helped 2 million girls through the self-esteem fund, and hopes to reach 5 million by 2010. By helping to widen the definition of beauty and aiding women of all ages to accept their beauty, Dove is officially breaking down the illusions put up by Hollywood and returning a healthy dose of reality to everyday life.