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Global Outreach Archive
The following includes 2007-2009 LWV-LPC activities related to Global Outreach
Great Decisions 2008.
US Global Positions 2009.
Global News 2009.
Global News 2008.
Correspondance.
Past Events 2009.
Past Events 2008.
Reference Info.
Great Decision Series 2008
*January - May 2008 Great Decisions Series for 2008 - LWV of La Plata will again host the popular Great Decisions 2008 series. Topics for this series will range from Iraq to Latin America and from Defense & Security to Private Philanthropy. Deadline for signup is December 28. For more information click GD 2008 flier
For a view of the Foreign Policy Association 2008 topics, click FPA
US Global Positions 2009
*12/2/09 Wall Street Journal: Obama Bets Big on Troop Surge
Extra 30,000 U.S. Soldiers for 18 Months; Republicans Say Timetable Poses Risk .By PETER SPIEGEL, JONATHAN WEISMAN and YOCHI J. DREAZEN
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- President Barack Obama announced Tuesday a surge of 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, along with plans to begin withdrawing the reinforcements in 18 months -- a potentially high-risk political and military strategy...
"Afghanistan is not lost, but for several years it has moved backwards," the president said. 'There is no imminent threat of the government being overthrown, but the Taliban has gained momentum. Al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11, but they retain their safe-havens along the border....In short: the status quo is not sustainable.'...
*7/22/09 NY Times: Clinton Issues Warnings on North Korea and Iran
PHUKET, Thailand -- Stiffening the American line against two nuclear-minded countries, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Wednesday that the United States would not offer North Korea any sweeteners to return to talks and would consider extending a "defense umbrella" over the Middle East if Iran does not heed calls to halt its nuclear weapons program.
* 6/4/09 POLITICO: VIDEO: Obama's Cairo speech
* 6/4/09 USA Today: President Obama's Cairo speech text
I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum.
*4/9/09 Durango Herald: U.S. to attend group talks with Iran/ Nations to discuss nuclear programby Matthew Lee Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration said Wednesday it will participate directly in group talks with Iran over its suspect nuclear program, another significant shift from President George W. Bush's policy toward a nation he labeled part of an axis of evil.
Click DH4/9go to read the article.
*3/31/09 NY Times: Obama to Seek Arms Control Treaty With RussiaBy PETER BAKER and HELENE COOPER
WASHINGTON -- President Obama plans to begin negotiations on Wednesday to draft a new arms control treaty that could slash the American and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals by about a third and possibly lead to even deeper reductions, according to administration officials.
Click nyt3/31/09go to read the article.
Global News 2009
*12/10/09 Wall St Journal:Obama Accepts Nobel Peace PrizeBy ELIZABETH WILLIAMSON
OSLO -- President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize Thursday, defending his ability to seek peace while fighting two wars abroad. In presenting the prize, Nobel Committee Chair Thorbjorn Jagland justified the selection of Mr. Obama, saying that over its century-long history the prize has gone not only to those who have spent their lives struggling for peace, but to those who display world leadership toward that goal...
*12/3/09 NY Times Op-Ed: Johnson, Gorbachev, Obama By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Imagine you're a villager living in southern Afghanistan. You're barely educated, proud of your region's history of stopping invaders and suspicious of outsiders. Like most of your fellow Pashtuns, you generally dislike the Taliban because many are overzealous, truculent nutcases...
That's why so many people working in Afghanistan at the grass roots are watching the Obama escalation with a sinking feeling. President Lyndon Johnson doubled down on the Vietnam bet soon after he inherited the presidency, and Mikhail Gorbachev escalated the Soviet deployment that he inherited in Afghanistan soon after he took over the leadership of his country. They both inherited a mess -- and made it worse and costlier...
*11/23/09 NY Times Iraq's January Elections Face Near Certain DelayBy STEVEN LEE MYERS
BAGHDAD -- Iraq's torturous effort to hold parliamentary elections on schedule in January collapsed on Monday, raising the prospect of a political and constitutional crisis next year as the United States begins withdrawing the majority of its combat troops. The failure to agree on even the terms of the national election has inflamed ethnic and sectarian tensions that had waned somewhat in the last year or so...
*11/14/09 NY Times OP-ED Column:Triumph of a Dreamer By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Any time anyone tells you that a dream is impossible, any time you're discouraged by impossible challenges, just mutter this mantra: Tererai Trent. Of all the people earning university degrees this year, perhaps the most remarkable story belongs to Tererai (pronounced TEH-reh-rye), a middle-aged woman who is one of my heroes. She is celebrating a personal triumph, but she's also a monument to the aid organizations and individuals who helped her. When you hear that foreign-aid groups just squander money or build dependency, remember that by all odds Tererai should be an illiterate, battered cattle-herd in Zimbabwe and instead -- ah, but I'm getting ahead of my story...
*11/14/09 NY Times Opinion:Editorial
A Return to American Justice
Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. took a bold and principled step on Friday toward repairing the damage wrought by former President George W. Bush with his decision to discard the nation's well-established systems of civilian and military justice in the treatment of detainees captured in antiterrorist operations...
*11/7/09 NY Times:With the Berlin Wall Just a Memory, German Divisions Fade by NICHOLAS KULISH
The impending anniversary on Monday has prompted a powerful national conversation, not just about a moment two decades in the past, but about the Germany of today. It is a country that is peaceful, more united and less turbulent than few here or abroad expected or, given its troubled 20th century, many thought it deserved. Especially among the young, there is the sense that the aspiration to transcend Germany's dark history and simply become normal may finally be within reach...
*10/9/09 Wall Street Journal: Obama Accepts Nobel Peace Prize as 'Call to Action' By PAUL SONNE and NEIL KING JR.
President Barack Obama said Friday that he is honored to win the Nobel Peace Prize and will accept it as a 'call to action' to work with other nations to solve the world's most pressing problems. Appearing in the Rose Garden, Mr. Obama acknowledged he was 'both surprised and deeply humbled' to win the award. In an unexpected pick, the Norwegian Nobel Committee cited the president's creation of a 'new climate in international politics' and his work on nuclear disarmament...
*9/22/09 Wall Street Journal:Obama Presses on Mideast Peace By JONATHAN WEISMAN
President Barack Obama has asked that his Middle East envoy meet with Palestinian negotiators this week in New York and next week in Washington, aiming to nail down a date for the formal resumption of Middle East peace talks, a senior administration official said.
The president concluded separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, then met with the three together for the first time. The official described the meetings as "businesslike" and "not unfriendly," reflecting the personal strain between all three leaders...
*8/25/09 NY Times:We Can't Afford to Ignore Myanmar By JIM WEBB
This month I became the first American political leader to visit Myanmar in 10 years, and the first-ever to meet with its reclusive leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, in the haunting, empty new capital of Naypyidaw. From there I flew to an even more patched-and-peeled Yangon, where I met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel laureate who remains confined to her home. Among other requests, I asked Than Shwe to free her and allow her to participate in politics...
*8/11/09 NY Times: Myanmar Sentence Draws Criticism By ALAN COWELL and JEFFREY GETTLEMAN
PARIS -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined a chorus of predominantly Western voices condemning the sentencing of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, on Tuesday, demanding her release and saying that, without a change in its human rights practices, Myanmar's scheduled elections next year would be illegitimate.
We also call for the release of more than 2,000 political prisoners, including the American, John Yettaw, she said, referring to a 53-year-old man who swam across a lake in central Yangon, Myanmar's main city, last May and spent two nights in Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi's villa. The episode led to the case against her on charges of violating the terms of her house arrest.
*8/4/09 NY TImes: Clinton Leaves N. Korea After 2 Journalists Are Pardoned By CHOE SANG-HUN, MARK LANDLER and PETER BAKER
SEOUL, South Korea -- Former President Bill Clinton left North Korea early Wednesday, the state news agency reported, after securing a pardon for two jailed American journalists from the reclusive North Korean president, Kim Jong-il. It was not immediately known whether the journalists were allowed to leave as well...
*7/19/09 NY Times Opinion: Teacher, Can We Leave Now? No. By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Pushghar, Afghanistan: I confess, I find it hard to come to Afghanistan and not ask: Why are we here? Who cares about the Taliban? Al Qaeda is gone. And if its leaders come back, well, that's why God created cruise missiles.
But every time I start writing that column, something stills my hand. This week it was something very powerful. I watched Greg Mortenson, the famed author of Three Cups of Tea, open one of his schools for girls in this remote Afghan village in the Hindu Kush mountains. I must say, after witnessing the delight in the faces of those little Afghan girls crowded three to a desk waiting to learn, I found it very hard to write, Let's just get out of here.
*5/12/09 Foreign Policy Assn: Change comes to Afghanistan
*3/31/09 Federal News Radio:Congress expands AmeriCorps volunteer program By ANN SANNER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Tens of thousands of Americans, from teenagers to baby boomers, soon will get a fresh chance to lend a helping hand in a time of need.
The House voted 275-149 Tuesday for a $5.7 billion bill that triples positions in the Clinton-era AmeriCorps program, its largest expansion since the agency's creation in 1993, and establishes a fund to help nonprofit organizations recruit and manage more volunteers. AmeriCorps offers a range of volunteer opportunities including housing construction, youth outreach, disaster response and caring for the elderly.
Click 3/31Fed Radio go to read more or click media Center to hear on-line broadcasts.
*3/5/09 Washington Post: U.N.: Expelling Aid Groups From Darfur Could Endanger Lives By Colum Lynch and Stephanie McCrummen Washington Post Foreign Service
UNITED NATIONS, March 5 -- U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned today that the Sudanese government's order to expel foreign aid organizations in Darfur would "cause irrevocable damage to the humanitarian operations there," according to Ban's spokeswoman, Michele Montas.
Click WPost3/5/09 to read the article.
*2/24/09 The White House Blog: Eye on Darfur
Bringing relief to the battered region of Darfur is a top priority for the administration, the President and Vice President assured the actor and activist George Clooney last night. In separate meetings with President Obama and Vice President Biden, Clooney told them what he saw on his recent trip to Eastern Chad. We saw an awful lot of fear, Clooney told Larry King last night of his visit to the region. There was [also] a tremendous amount of hope.
After six years of fighting, it's estimated that 300,000 people have been killed and more than 2.7 million displaced in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Click Darfur operations to learn more about the joint United Nations-African Union mission there.
*2/17/09 Durango Herald: Recession, fires trouble for Red Cross by David Cary AP National Writer
NEW YORK - The worsening recession, coupled with a seasonal surge of house fires, has depleted the resources of many American Red Cross chapters such as the one in Durango as they struggle to meet rising demands at a time of dwindling donations.
In mid-December the Southwest Colorado Chapter of the American Red Cross was on the verge of shutting down after serving the five-county region for 91 years. But thanks to community donations, including a $7,500 donation from the Durango chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, the chapter has stayed open and is closer to being on sound financial footing, said director Cindi Shank.
Click dh2-17GO
*1/5/09 New York Times: U.S. Sending Emergency Aid to Darfur by David Stout
WASHINGTON -- President Bush has authorized an immediate airlift of vehicles and equipment to bolster the international peace-keeping mission in the conflict-torn Darfur region of western Sudan, the White House announced on Monday.
click 1/5/09NYT to read the full story
Global News 2008
*9/16/08: Durango Herald by Patricia Miller, Sharing vision for schools, Greg Mortenson to visit Durango for discussion;
From a solitary, sometimes bewildered and endangered, figure trudging through the hills of Pakistan, Greg Mortenson has evolved into someone so intriguing that tickets to hear him Thursday night in Whalen Gymnasium are nearly impossible to come by.
To read the full article, click Mortenson
*7/13/08 New York Times, 7/15/08 Durango Herald by Nicholas Kristof, Building schools does more than missiles to undermine terrorism
To read this article about Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, click Kristof
*4/10/08 By Dale Rodebaugh, Herald Staff Writer Tanzanians like health collaboration, partnership between hospital, east African country in third year It's the first visit of the Tanzanians here, but Dr. Chuck Salka, an infectious-disease specialist at Mercy, and Diana McKenna, the hospital's director of mission care, have visited Tanzania. The outreach effort began in 2005.
To read more of the Tanzanian visit to Durango, click DH4-10
Correspondance from our Members
*9/14/08: Durango Herald Sunday Opinion Piece, Brigit Irish, Assistant Dean of Enrollment Services and General Education at Fort Lewis College and LWV-LPC member, Three Cups of Tea, FLC talk offers community inspiration
To read the entire article, click three cups of tea
*Durango Herald Opinion Article Lifting the Rest published November 4, 2007
Past Events 2009
*As part of the Fort Lewis College Life Long Learning Series, Ross & Ellen Park will discuss Empowerment One Heart at a Time on Thursday, Nov 12 in 130 Noble Hall at Fort Lewis College from 7 - 8:30pm
Past Events 2008
To view the taping of Safer, More Compassionate World 2008 including the visit by Greg Mortenson, click DCAT SMC-W and click on Greg Mortenson at FLC
*9/18/08: Safer, More Compassionate World 2008 in Durango has concluded with dramatic results:
- Local donors have pledged in excess of $50,000 to CAI
- Pennies for Peace involving 10 elementary and middle schools have collected in excess of $5700 in pennies
- FLC students have had an open dialog with Greg Mortenson regarding life today and future prospects for Afghanistan and Pakistan occupants
- 43 non-profit and Foundation members have dined with Greg and exchanged thoughts on the changing role of private philanthropy today
- In excess of 3300 students and community have listened to Greg's message and responded with enthusiasm.
- as Leonard "Red" Bird said last night "Greg exemplifies the power of one - to have a vision, to work hard, and to seed hope."
*The webmaster wishes to thank all those that had a part in organizing, supporting and participating in SMC-World 2008.
Assalam Alaikum (Peace be with you!)
*to read the 9/19/08 Durango Herald review of the day, click SMC-W-08
*LWV of La Plata and the Common Reading Experience Program of Fort Lewis College will again sponsor the Our Voices Together 2008 Forum on Sept 18, 2008 at Fort Lewis College. Our special guest will be Greg Mortenson, co-author of the bestseller, Three Cups of Tea.
The public is invited to hear Greg at 7pm on Sept 18 at Whalen Gymnasium on the Fort Lewis College Campus. Tickets are free and can be obtained at http://www.fortlewis.edu/cre or by visiting the Community Concert Hall at FLC Downtown Ticket Office at 707 1/2 Main Ave in Durango.
Don't miss this opportunity!
*Fall 2008: Fort Lewis College has announced its Common Reading Experience book for 2008 as Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea
The fall schedule includes many events involving the students and the community. For a view of the fall CRE schedule, click CRE2008
for more information on Three Cups of Tea, click 3 cups
*12/4/07 LWV of La Plata sponsored a Great Decision "BONUS" Event entitled the Israeli - Palestine Conflict. The session will be held in the Windom Room, Durango Rec Center from 5 to 7pm. For more information click Great Decisions Bonus
*11/10/07 Approximately 200 student and community members attended A Safer, More Compassionate World Forum
LWV La Plata and the Fort Lewis College Common Reading Experience program jointly hosted the Safer, More Compassionate World Forum to highlight ways that people like us can engage constructively in what the 9/11 Commission termed the Agenda of Opportunity - education, employment and the possibility for a brighter tomorrow by contributing, person to person, to help build a future without the threat of terrorism. For more information, click flier and agenda
The following reference materials were presented to all participants of the Safer, More Compassionate World Forum on November 10.
Click the following to view the handout materials:
for pictures from Safer, More Compassionate World, click smc-w pics
Reference Information
*3/20/09 http://www.Americorps.gov VISTA: Fight Poverty with Passion
Thirty-seven million Americans--including 13 million children--live below the poverty line. Even those employed in low-paying jobs often are forced to choose between eating dinner, obtaining a vital prescription, or paying the monthly electric bill.
VISTA: Fight Poverty with Passion is a new marketing and informational campaign that illustrates the continuing impact that VISTA volunteers are having across America every day--and the need for dedicated individuals at all stages of their adult lives to apply their passions and skills to help the neediest Americans break the cycle of poverty.
*3/6/09 LWV-US:UN Wrap-Up 2008- A Summary of 2008 at the UN by Doris Schapira -UN Observer
Click 2008 UN Wrapup to read the summary.
- 11/3/07 Fifth Annual UN Seminar, Denver, CO., Author Lorie Young, former LWVCO President, for a summary, click UN Seminar
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Last revised: September 5, 2010 12:48 PDT.
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