Iran

Do we need to bomb Iran? Should we? Can we? Why is the topic even being discussed?

These are some of the issues we're discussing in many of my classes -- and in many informal conversations, at the cafeteria or pub. There are several military personnel on my course and they all uniformly agree that it's a logistical near-impossibility. Not only is the US military stretched so thin already, the Iranians have spread the critical components of their nuclear program around the entire country. Estimates in the media say "two dozen," but what we're hearing is that it's more in the range of 75 to 160, and could be as high as 350 different sites! Not only is that an incredibly high number of targets -- of which you must hit every single one, without fail -- but they're buried in extremely deep, extremely fortified bunkers. You'd need to pound each site multiple times, and even then you're not guaranteed success.

The US military guys are saying that it'd require at least two carrier groups. The UK military guys don't want to even speculate because they don't think such an operation is remotely feasible. We just don't have the men or equipment. The men and equipment we do have are already fatigued and stressed to exhaustion. Some soldiers are returning for their fourth tours.

Another problem: the US administration is conflating Iran and terrorists, just like they did with Iraq and Al-Qaeda. Iran and Al-Qaeda are sworn enemies. They're not allied! They have radically different visions. It'd be foolish to think of all Muslims the same, just as it was foolish to think in the '50s that there was some grand Chinese-Soviet alliance. There wasn't! Bush made a speech last week where he spoke of "terrorist networks and terrorist states," a linking that tends to blur the two together into one vague, scary "terrorist."

The Iranians are quite rational actors, even if we don't see them as such. They've been in power since 1979. They want to stay in power. They're not going to turn their capital or their country (of 70 million people) into a desert of glass just for a chance to launch one bomb... at who? Israel? The Israelis have 200 nukes and could decimate Iran, even without US help -- which they would receive in an instant. Who else would the Iranians target -- Europe? That's a ludicrous reason -- the Europeans are the ones restraining the US, the Europeans are the ones holding the flush Iranian bank accounts -- but it's a reason that Bush is citing as an excuse to build a missile defense system in Europe. Would the Iranians nuke the US? First off, they're nearly a decade away from having that sort of capability. Secondly, we faced off with the Soviets for 40 years and maintained our cool. We ought to keep our composure now, too.

If you want to read a very good article about this topic, check this out.

The first cheesy pics

And so they begin... here's a few pictures from a fun night out a couple weeks ago at "Cindies," a very cheesy "club" playing extraordinarily cheesy music. During my year in France, I thought the French were bad dancers. Well, the Brits are far, far worse. They're appalling dancers. As long as I just sort of nod my head and bounce on the balls of my feet, I look incredibly graceful by comparison. Which is what I mostly do, because it's impossible to dance to the horrendous music that's being played. It's so horrendous that they typically only play a 30- or 45-second clip of each song before switching (with no transition) to the next song. Unbelievable! So, you have to go with friends and prepared to amuse yourselves.



Grinning with Pascal, a quirky German. He's a grad student at Catz, too, but I'm not sure what he studies.



Random girl, Jenny, Joanna and myself. Jenny and Jo are Catz grads, too, and Jo is in my department, though she's doing the Contemporary European Studies program, not International Relations.



Fellow Catz grads Rachel and Catherine, though they're both PhD students. Rachel is doing something biology-related and Catherine is researching Caribbean writers/revolutionaries in the 1960s... a very convenient topic that she'll probably exploit to get funding to the Caribbean during the dark, dungeon-like Cambridge winter that's poised around the corner.



A fellow American, Max (he just finished his undergrad at St Andrews in Scotland), drinking water from a bowl, in the St Catharine's "MCR" -- the Middle Combination Room -- a couple rooms in the college that are for the grad society's use. There's a few chairs, a mini-kitchen, foosball table, TV, computers, fishtank... and it's conveniently open 24 hours so we can pop in to do some secluded reading/work whenever.

Sorry for the curt captions, but I need to go do some more reading -- I'll post a list soon of this week's texts.

Oh, and I've discovered something quite unfortunate -- the software that I used in 2005-2006 to upload dozens of photos at a time to my blog has ceased to exist, so I'll be restricted to 4-picture posts from now on. I'll try to find a way around it...

Knock, knock

Yesterday, I received this slightly Orwellian notice...

Though it is a little eerie, nothing will come of it -- there's simply no TV in our flat!

On another note, the UK is often derided as a "hyper-surveillance society" but I really feel more free here than I often do at home. To explain: yes, there are CCTV cameras EVERYWHERE, and no, their ubiquitous presence don't make me feel particularly safe. The cameras are nearly all passive, so they'd only be of use after a crime's already been committed (plus, their deterrence factor is questionable).

What makes me feel 'freer' here is the behavior of the UK police. Unlike their American counterparts, UK police (at least here in Cambridge, and I've seen them in London, too) are almost always only seen on foot, strolling around on their beat, and usually in pairs. They don't tend to glare from their cars at passers-by and they maintain their cheery dispositions and eager helpfulness even in dreadful weather. When you speak to them, they're uniformly sympathetic, not recalcitrant, suspicious or hostile like many US police.

You feel freer because while it's not "okay" or socially encouraged to be drunk in public in the UK, it's also not an activity that will get a cop breathing down your neck -- as it would in the US, unless you're on Bourbon Street. You feel freer because the police don't launch SWAT raids against the 15- and 16-year olds smoking marijuana in the park; they're more likely to either ignore them, wisely recognizing that it's a temporary adolescent phase, or issue a caution or notice, not an arrest.

In contrast to the states, where the police try to protect you from yourself, police in the UK seem to concentrate more on protecting you from others. We could learn a few things from our friends across the pond.

The coming week

This coming week should prove to be quite interesting indeed. It marks the start of seminars - now, in addition to lectures for each course, there will be a corresponding 90-minute small group seminar where we'll dive into much greater detail of certain topics in a more interactive environment. I don't know the exact format for every course yet; for some, students will give a presentation each week, but in others everyone will simply have to come prepared to discuss in depth.

I signed up for these classes -- War and Society, US Foreign Policy, Middle East and North African Politics, History of Thought -- but I also plan to regularly attend the lectures of International Economics and European Geopolitical History (fascinating, really!), as well as those of International Theory and International Law. Occasionally I'll pop in on the remaining classes -- EU Politics, EU Economics, EU Security and Integration, EU Law and International Political Economy, though the first four are more for students doing a Master's in the Contemporary European Studies program than International Relations (mine).

So here's what the week looks like so far:

• Monday
• 10am-11am - Middle East and North African Politics lecture
  
• 1pm-2pm - War and Society lecture
• 2pm-3:30pm - ME & NA Politics seminar
  
• 3:30pm-5pm - War and Society seminar
• 7:30pm - Two-way videolink with Libyan leader Col. Qaddafi at the Cambridge Union (the university debating society!) - I don't really know if it's a debate so much, or just him speaking/gesticulating wildly... we'll see!
  
• Tuesday
• 10am-11am - European Geopolitical History lecture
• 11am-12pm - International Economics lecture
• 12pm-1pm - US Foreign Policy lecture
• 2pm-4pm - Rowing practice at the Catz boathouse
• Wednesday
• 9am-10am - History of Thought lecture
• 10am-11am - International Theory lecture
• 11am-12pm - International Law lecture
• 3:30pm-5pm - US Foreign Policy seminar
  
• 7:30pm - Exchange formal dinner at Corpus Christi college
  
• Thursday
• 9am-10:30am - History of Thought seminar
  
• 2pm-4pm - Rowing practice
  
• Friday
• 5:30pm - Intelligence Seminar at Corpus Christi (last week's presenter was the CIA's chief historian - whoa!)
• Saturday
• 11:30am - Football (soccer) match - I'm not sure who we play yet
  
• Sunday
• 2pm-4pm - Rowing practice

So, as you can see -- pretty busy the first few days, following by a relatively lighter schedule at the end of the week, with some good exercise (rowing and soccer) sprinkled throughout. But what that schedule doesn't really show is the incredible amount of reading that I'll be doing in the morning, afternoon and evening every day.

The most demanding class in terms of reading will doubtless be War and Society, where we're required to read a full-length book for each seminar (which we have each week). For the first seminar, we were assigned "The Jewish War," by Josephus, a Jewish priest/historian who turned traitor in 66 AD and allied himself with the Romans as they fought the Jewish uprising/revolt/hopelessly doomed enterprise. The book weighed in at a healthy 408 pages - next week's assignment (which I don't have yet and hope to acquire within the next 24 hours) is Marcel Foucault's "Society Must be Defended," relatively lighter at 336 pages, but probably a great deal denser and dull. That's for... one class.

The other three require me to consult three or four books -- for each class, for each week -- and a handful of journal articles/course packet readings.

I'm nearly done reading "State, Power and Politics in the Modern Middle East" for the MEast/NAfrican course, though I also need to do some reading about the Gulf Cooperation Council for tomorrow's seminar. Apparently it wouldn't hurt to also look at, "A Peace to End All Peace," "History of the Arab Peoples," "The Origins of Alliances," and "Security Communities." For this week.

For History of Thought, I re-read Machiavelli's The Prince, though I also need to pick up Guicciardini's The Discourses and Botero's Reason of State. Before Thursday's seminar, I'll hopefully have read Francisco de Vittoria's section on "De potestate civili" in The Spanish Origins of International Law. For this week.

And lastly, US Foreign Policy - I've started to read "Writing Security: US Foreign Policy and the Politics of Identity," but I shouldn't forget about "Promised Land, Crusader State: The American Encounter with the World since 1776," "American History: A Drama of Sweep and Majesty," "Surprise, Security and the American Experience," "Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire" and "Who Are We: The Challenges to America's National Identity." And if I want more to read... Thomas Paine's "Common Sense," "The American Dream," "Public Opinion and Foreign Policy in the US," "Ideology and US Foreign Policy" and the speech of Col. Frederick Kienle at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, on October 5, 2005, all are heartily recommended. For this week.

As you can see, I've frittered away more than a precious hour cataloging the very books that I ought to be reading. Shame, shame!

A few more matriculation day photos

Our official matriculation day was October 8 -- we had a whole afternoon full of ceremonies, photographs and, of course, drinks galore. Here's Max, me and Edward in the Main Court at St Catharine's. As you can see we're wearing our academic gowns/flowing robes/Harry Potter costumes. We're also holding champagne glasses, an offense we'd later be gently reprimanded for. No food or drink in Main Court! And don't even think about walking on the grass...

I stole this picture from Max; it's of our matriculation formal dinner in hall.

Here's a copy of the menu (in case you can't see it, I'll write it below):


Pre-prandial: Vilmart Grand Reserve N/V

Roast Loin of Shetland Organic Cod served on a bed of Vine Cherry Tomatoes

Loin of Lamb served on a ring of Herb Mashed Potatoes with a Redcurrant Sauce [La Massa, Chianti Classico, Garantita, 1998]

Steamed Orange Sponge with Marmalade Ice Cream & Orange Sauce [Chateau Simon, Sauternes, 2001]

A selection of Cheese with Biscuits (Cambozola, Crottin, Stilton, Heneford Hop, Cashel Blue, Mature Cheddar) [Grahams L.B.V. Port, 2000]

Coffee and Mints

--

And then lastly here's post-dinner revelry in the St Catharine's (by the way, for brevity I'm going to start referring to my college as Catz, since that's what everyone does here anyway... "St Catharine's" gets exhausting to say and type!); the guy next to me is Luc, a PhD engineering student and my Quebecois roommate:

I have lots more to add, but I need to get some reading done before going to the MCR (the Middle Combination Room, the Catz graduate students society/social room) to watch England and South Africa play in the Rugby World Cup tonight... of course we all know England's going to win (though they're 10-1 underdogs). You should be watching it, too!

The first pictures

Gathering for the official matriculation photograph in front of the St Catharine's College gates. I am in the third row, directly center -- sixth in from the left, sixth in from the right. Oh, the symmetry!

Of course, it wouldn't be an official Cambridge event without some afternoon champagne!


Sitting with Kevin during one of the matriculation day speeches. Note the oh-so elegant, flowing black academic gown!


Just to show you how ingrained the pub/bar is in English life, here's a picture of me, Jacob and Kevin with the St Catharine's College Chaplain Anthony, a very nice fellow, discussing some finer theological points in the college bar. (There are 31 colleges in the University of Cambridge and I'm fairly certain they all have at least one bar on site.)


On Friday night of Fresher's Week, the MCR (Middle Combination Room AKA St Catharine's grad student society) organized a 'punting' trip on the River Cam. The concept is deceptively simple: up to six people board a narrow wooden boat, sit crunched together and collectively offer advice to the person piloting (the punter) the boat (the punt) with a giant wooden pole. Here I'm relaxing with Edward, a nice Aussie, after my own harrowing experience punting -- though I didn't fall in (whew), my unlucky cell phone slipped from a friend's seemingly safe pocket... into the Cam.


Posing in front of Madingley Hall, a striking university-owned estate a few miles north of the city. My department, the Centre of International Studies, held an all-day event there last Sunday. We toured the American Battle Cemetery nearby (sorry, didn't feel comfortable taking pictures) and it was quite a moving sight, with more than 3,800 graves, a long wall of missing and a beautiful chapel. The rest of the day consisted of speeches by the faculty, socializing and a dinner -- all punctuated with frequent breaks for alcohol, of course.

Multi-tasking

I'm very sorry for the paucity of updates. After lectures this morning, I'll make a few long posts and toss up a couple pictures. Quickly, here's lots of little details:

• Cambridge is such a gorgeous town. My jaw still drops looking at some of the buildings.
• The weather is entirely unpredictable. We've had two or three days straight of pouring rain, followed by 65-70 degree weather (which feels glorious after the depressing deluges).
• My classes are all VERY interesting and they will all be extremely challenging. This will definitely be quite different from year in Grenoble.
• That said, while my travel options may be limited to the occasional weekend jaunt, I might have the opportunity for some extended travel at the end of term (November 30!). We'll see.
• I'm playing soccer and I'm going to try to do rowing, too. Gotta stay in shape!
• My laptop's hard drive died, so I'm borrowing a friend's computer until a replacement hard drive arrives. I might not be able to answer e-mails right away.
• St Catharine's is a great college. It's quaint and a little small, but everyone is extremely friendly and I'm already starting to feel settled in there.
• However, my college provided accommodation is abysmally small. I call it my monk's quarters.
• A bike is essential. I bike practically everywhere, and so do 10,000 other people. It's a sea of bikes!

I have to run to class now, but as I said, there'll be more updates coming in a few hours!