Great Decisions 2008

Great Decisions 2008 will be held in Durango from January - May 2008. Background books are still available by calling 247-1692. The series started January 22 from 11:45 - 1:45pm and on January 24 from 12:30 - 2:30pm in the Twilight Room at the Durango Rec Center. If you missed these sessions, please join us for the next sessions on Feb 5 or Feb 7. For more information click GD 2008 flier.
Great Decisions 2008 is sponsored by the LWV of La Plata and the Durango Public Library and is based on materials provided by the Foreign Policy Association.

Topics for Great Decisions 2008 include:
Iraq: endgame (Discussion leader - Prof. Jim Callard, FLC Political Sciences Dept.)
European Union at 50 (Discussion leader - Ann Flatten, member LWV-LPC)
Blacklisting the Enemy (Discussion leader - Tom Darnell, member LWV-LPC)
Russia (Discussion leader - Sue Herbst, member LWV-LPC)
US defense & security policy (Discussion Leader - Prof. Jim Callard, FLC Political Sciences Dept.)
Latin America: shift to the left? (Discussion leader - John Lyons, member LWV-LPC)
US - China trade policy (Discussion leader - Prof. Kim Martin, FLC Writing Dept.)
Private Philanthrophy (Discussion leader - Ross Park, member LWV-LPC)

for more information on these topics, click Great Decisions 2008 and GD 2008 flier

Great Decisions 2008 Reference Materials

The following references related to Great Decisions session #8, Foreign Aid, New Players, New Goals. The disccusions will be held on April 29 and May 1.
1-Out of Poverty, Paul Polak, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2008
2-Blessed Unrest, Paul Hawken, Viking, 2007
3-The White Man's Burden, William Easterly, Penguin Books, 2006
4-Giving, Bill Clinton, Alfred A. Knopf, 2007
5-Poor People, William T. Vollmann, Harper Collins, 2007
6-Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder, Random House, 2003
7-Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin, Penguin Group, 2006
8-Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, John Wood, Harper Collins, 2006
9-Creating a World Without Poverty, Mohammad Yunus, Public Affairs, 2007
10-Foreign aid, new players, new goals, Barbara Crossette, Foreign Policy Assn, 2008
11-Africa Doesn't Matter, Giles Bolton, Arcade Publishing, 2008
12-The Bottom Billion, Paul Collier, Oxford University Press, 2007
13-A Safer, More Compassionate World, http://www.lwv-blogger.blogspot.comm
14-Foundation for International Community Assistance, http://www.villagebanking.org
15-Charity Navigator: independent charity evaluator, http://www.charitynavigator.org/
16-Global Giving: connecting donors to projects, http://www.globalgiving.com/

Past Events

The following references relate to discussion topic #7, China and U.S. Trade Relations (April 15 and 17)
Recent product safety scares have thrown the spotlight on the enormous role China plays in supplying products to the U.S. Could the large and growing trade imbalance with China have an adverse effect on the U.S. economy? What role does the undervalued Chinese currency play?
1-The Economic and Strategic Rise of China and India: Asian Realignments after the 1997 Financial Crisis, by David B.H. Denoon, September 04, 2007
2-China's Global Reach: Markets, Multinationals, and Globalization, by George Zhibin Gu, July 13, 2006
3-Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power Is Transforming the World, by Joshua Kurlantzick, March 27, 2007
4-China: The Balance Sheet: What the World Needs to Know About the Emerging Superpower, C. Fred Bergsten, Bates Gill, Nicholas R. Lardy, Derek Mitchell, March 30, 2007
5-China Shakes the World: A Titan's Rise and Troubled Future -- and the Challenge for America, James Kynge, October 11, 2007
6-The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World, by Alan Greenspan, September 17, 2007
7-Three Billion New Capitalists, by Clyde Prestowitz, May 03, 2005
8-China, Inc. : How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World, by Ted C. Fishman, February 08, 2005
9-Great Decisions 2008 Winter Quiz Series - U.S. - China Trade
10-Great Decisions 2008 Spring Update: U.S.-China Trade

The following references relate to discussion topic #6, Latin America: shift to the left? (April 1 and 3)
What factors have prevented the U.S. and Latin American countries from forging a strong relationship? What challenges confront U.S. policy in Latin America? Can the U.S. offer an alternative to the influence of left-leaning leaders like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez?
1-Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul, Michael Reid, January 03, 2008
2-Hugo!: The Hugo Chavez Story from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution, Bart Jones, September 04, 2007
3-Hugo Chavez: The Definitive Biography of Venezuela's Controversial President, Cristina Marcano and Alberto Barrera Tyszka, July 14, 2007
4-Ex Mex: From Migrants to Immigrants, Jorge G. Castaneda, January 01, 2008
5-The Accidental President of Brazil: A Memoir, Fernando Cardoso, Bill Clinton (Preface), March 13, 2006
7-Classroom Resources for Great Decisions 2008 from Scholastic - Latin America
8-Latin America Quiz
9-Viewpoints: The Crisis That Never Was, Source: FPA Features, Author: Marco Vicenzino
10-Extended Interview: Mariano Fernandez, Source: GDTV 2008
11-Extended Interview: Antonio Patriota, Source: GDTV 2008

The following references relate to discussion topic #5, US Defense and Security Policy. (March 18 and 20)
1-Chinese Military Modernization: Force Development and Strategic Capabilities, Anthony H. Cordesman, Martin Kleiber, April 09, 2007
2-A War Like No Other: The Truth About China's Challenge to America, Richard C. Bush, Michael E. O'Hanlon, March 30, 2007
3-Superpower on Crusade: The Bush Doctrine in U.S. Foreign Policy, Melvin Gurtov, January 30, 2006
4-The Bush Doctrine and the War on Terrorism: Global Reactions, Global Consequences, Mary Buckley, Robert Singh, April 10, 2006
5-In Defense of the Bush Doctrine, Robert Gordon Kaufman, March 01, 2008
6-A Time to Lead: For Duty, Honor and Country, Wesley K. Clark, September 04, 2007
7-Al Qaeda, Afghanistan and the Good War, Dr. George Friedman, good war
8-Long-Term Implications of Current Defense Plans: Summary Update for Fiscal Year 2008, CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, defense
9-Center for American Progress - Progressive ideas for a strong, just and free America, AmericanProgress
10-American Security Project- vision, strategy, dialog for a stronger, safer America, Americansecurity
11-US Military Spending, CDI resources, CDI
12-The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, White House.gov, securitystrategy
13-The Second World Empires and Influence in the New Global Order, Parag Khanna, Random House, 2008

The following references relate to discussion topic #4, Russia. (March 4 and 6)
1-Kremlin Rising : Vladimir Putin's Russia and the End of Revolution, Peter Baker and Susan Glasser, May 31, 2005
2-Russia in Search of Itself, James H. Billington, May 03, 2005
3-Pravda [English Version],
4-Russian Blog
5-GDTV 2008 Transcript - Reexamining Russia
6-Losing Russia - the costs of renewed confrontation, Dimitiri K. Sims, Foreign Affairs, Nov-Dec 2007.
7-The Myth of the Authoritarian Model - How Putin's crackdown holds Russia back, Michael McFaul and Kathryn Stoner-Weiss, Foreign Affairs, Jan-Feb 2008.
8-The trouble with Russia's Economy, The Economist, Mar 1-7, 2008

Russia's Uneasy Handover
Smoke and Mirrors
The Name's Dmitry
the following references relate to topic #3 Blacklisting the Enemy, ( Feb 19 and Feb 21)
1-American Foreign Policy In A New Era, Robert Jervis, February 01, 2005 2-The Opportunity: America's Moment to Alter History's Course, Richard N. Haass, May 31, 2005 3-Nuclear North Korea, Victor D. Cha, David C. Kang, November 01, 2003 4-The Lesser Evil : Political Ethics in an Age of Terror, Michael Ignatieff, April 12, 2004 5-Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics, Joseph S. Nye, March 16, 2004 6-Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good Intentions, Clyde Prestowitz, May 13, 2003 7-Blacklisting the Enemy, David C. Morrison, Great Decisons FPA materials 8-GDTV 2008 Transcript - Dangerous Dialog: Talking with the Enemy,click diplomacy
1-the following references relate to Great Decisions topic #2 European Union at 50 (Feb 5 and Feb 7)
1-The Government and Politics of the European Union, Neill Nugent, July 01, 2006 2-A Time to Lead: For Duty, Honor and Country,Wesley K. Clark, September 04, 2007 3-The United States of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy,T.R. Reid, November 01, 2005 4-The Last Days of Europe: Epitaph for an Old Continent,Walter Laqueur, MAy 15, 2007 5-America and Europe after 9/11 and Iraq: The Great Divide,Sarwar Kashmeri, November 30, 2006 6-Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century,Mark Leonard, February 21, 2005 7-Of Paradise and Power: America Vs. Europe in the New World Order,Robert Kagan, January 28, 2003 8-GDTV speaks with John Bruton, Ambassador of the European Union to the United States. Click Bruton 9-Transcript for the Great Decisions Television Series 2008 show #2, European Union at 50, hosted by Ralph Begleiter. Click Begleiter 10-"Waving Goodbye to Hegemony", Parag Khanna, The New York Times Magazine, 1/27/2008, click Geopolitics
2-the following references relate to Great Decisions topic #1 IRAQ:endgame (Jan 22 and Jan 24)
1-Between Iraq and a Hard Place: Developing an Endgame Strategy, Jim Callard, a handout for the GD sessions, Jan 22 & 24. To read, click handout 2-Iraq:strategies for dealing with uncertainty, Anthony Cordesman, FPA Great Decisions Topics for 2008 3-A Time to Lead: For Duty, Honor and Country, Wesley K. Clark, September 04, 2007, click Clark 4-The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace, Ali A. Allawi, April 09, 2007, click Allawi 5-Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, September 19, 2006, click Rajiv 6-The Iraq Study Group Report: The Way Forward - A New Approach, The Iraq Study Group (Author), James A. Baker III (Author),December 06, 2006, click Iraq Study Group 7-State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III, Bob Woodward, September 30, 2006, click Woodward 8-Extended interview with General Barry McCaffrey (RET.), Chairman of McCaffrey Associates. click McCaffrey 9-GDTV speaks with Lee Hamilton, former Co-Chair of the Iraq Study Group and 9/11 Commission. click Hamilton 10-GDTV speaks with with General Wesley Clark (RET.), former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate. click Clark 11-After Iraq, what will the middle east look like?,Jeffrey Goldberg, Atlantic Magazine, Hanu/Feb 2008 12-1/20/2008, New York Times Week in Review, War, Meet the 2008 Campaign, Michael R. Gordon
3-Great Decisions `Bonus' Event - December 4, 2007
The LWV, in cooperation with the Friends of the Great Decisions program, sponsored a `bonus' Great Decisions discussion session on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The session was held on Tuesday, December 4, from 5 to 7 p.m., in the Windom Room at the Durango Rec Center.
The following is an invitation letter from LWV of La Plata President, Ellen Park
La Plata County League members: At the conclusion of the 2007 Great Decisions discussion series last May, many attendees indicated that they would be interested in participating in a locally organized "Great Decisions" discussion, to be held prior to the formal series begins again in January 2008. As a result, we have selected a topic of extraordinary urgency and Dr Doreen Hunter, Professor Emeritus, U.S. History, Fort Lewis College has provided the historical context for our discussion with a briefing paper in the manner of the Foreign Policy Association briefing books. The topic for discussion will be "The Israel-Palestine Conflict", and the session was held: December 4, 2007 5 to 7 PM Windom Room, Durango Recreation Center
The event was moderated by Kim Martin, a League member and member of the FLC faculty. Approximately 50 community members were in attendance, Dale and Betty Schwicker will talked about their experiences while living in Bethlehem during the Second Intifada. The Briefing Paper on the Israel-Palestine conflict with references and discussion questions is available on line on the League web site: click on http://www.lwvlaplata.org/great_decisions.html and scroll to Bonus Event to view this paper and all the reference materials. The paper is also available in hard copy at the Durango Public Library. We do recommend that you take the time to familiarize yourself with these materials. Peace talks between the two sides (Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Fatah President Abbas), brokered by Secretary of State Rice, are now scheduled to resume this year in Annapolis, Maryland. Although the prospects for successful negotiations do not seem auspicious at the moment, there could hardly be a better time to consider the history of this conflict and the possible options for resolving it. The most contentious issues remain: the borders, with Palestinians demanding those in place before the 1967 war, Israeli security from Palestinian attacks; the sharing of Jerusalem; the remaining settlements in the West Bank; and the right of return. The rise to power of the Hamas Party in Gaza, the recent in-fighting between Hamas and Fatah, and the position taken by Hamas denying any right to existence of Israel make progress that much more difficult. But, with the renewed focus of the Bush administration on this long-standing crisis, can we expect a positive conclusion before the end of 2009?

The following reference materials will help you to prepare for the Great Decisions BONUS Event - the Israeli - Palestinian Conflict

1- Reference Maps Source: Palestine Peace Not Apartheid, Jimmy Carter

The Middle East Today
U.N. Partition Plan 1947
Israel 1982 - 2006
Sharon's Plan 2002

click Israel-Palestine maps to view each of these maps

2- The Israeli-Palestine Conflict - a historical narrative , Author: Dr. Doreen Hunter,
click background

3- The Roadmap and the Prospects for Peace, Author: Dr. Doreen Hunter, click Roadmap

4- A Palestine View Beyond Annapolis, Author: Rafiq Husseini, click Palestine View

5- SPECIAL ANNAPOLIS EDITION-Hard Questions, Tough Answers, Author: Yossi Alpher, click hard questions

6- to view the full text of President George Bush's speech on Israel and a Palestine state given June 25, 2002 click Bush 2002

7- to view the Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Isralei-Palestine Conflict, click Quartet Roadmap (Source: US Dept of State Press Release issued April 30, 2003).

8- to view the Joint Understanding read by President Bush at the Nov 26, 2007 Annapolis Peace Conference, click Annapolis declaration

9-for a view of current life in Gaza, click Life in Gaza (source: NY Times 11/18/07)

10- for a view of the current post-Annapolis Palestine-Israel dialog, click bitterlemons