Autumn War and Peace Lecture 10

1
Autumn War and Peace Lecture 10

• Presentation on Afghanistan by William Gamez
• Bolivia Overview

2
(No Transcript)
3
By Brian Parkin and Claudia RachOct. 25
(Bloomberg) -- The German army is probing a case
involving the desecration of human rmains by its
troops in Afghanistan, after the publication of
photos today in the newspaper Bild, Defense
Minister Franz Josef Jung said.

• Germany has 2,730 troops attached to the United
  Nations ISAF mission in the north of Afghanistan.
  In some cases, soldiers from various units have
  been thrown together to serve in the mission
  and lack the cohesion'' of regular units,
  Schneiderhan told the press conference today. He
  said Germany would continue its successful''
  policy of trying to win the hearts and minds''
  of Afghans.
• In her speech, Merkel described the NATO mission
  in Afghanistan as one of the biggest challenges
  for NATO and at the same time a litmus test for
  successful crisis management.''

The German parliament on Thursday extended the
country's mission to Afghanistan. Many have
criticized the mission for lacking clear goals.
4
US troops are busy training Afghan troops in the
hopes they can provide security for the country.
Here, US and Afghan troops gather together for
final instructions before a military exercise

5
Earlier in September, the defense ministers of
NATO countries gathered in Warsaw, Poland to
discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
6
A woman with her child waits for medical
attention outside clinic run by the US army.
7
US soldiers on watch in the Korengal Valley.
Fighting in the region has been intense this
summer as militants linked to Al-Qaida remain in
the mountains.
8
A map presented to the US Senate Foreign
Relations Committee during a hearing on
Afghanistan last week.
9
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz meets with
US Ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Neumann
(center) and Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry
(left).
10
Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai.
11
The scene shortly after a massive suicide bomb
went off in Kabul in early September. The
explosion ripped apart a military vehicle and
killed three people including two coalition
soldiers.
12
Poppies remain a major problem in Afghanistan
despite programs aimed at eradicating the crop
and encouraging farmers to plant other crops.
13
US soldiers watching an airstrike earlier this
summer. The image was taken through night vision
goggles.
14

• UNAMA was established on March 28, 2002 through
  United Nations Security Council resolution 1401.
  Its original mandate was aimed at supporting the
  process of rebuilding and national reconciliation
  outlined in the Bonn Agreement of December 2001.
  Today, Afghanistan has moved on from the Bonn
  Process and the Missions work has adapted
  accordingly. As of 23rd March 2006 UNAMAs
  mandate, which is renewed annually, contains six
  main elements. These are providing political and
  strategic advice for the peace process providing
  good offices assisting Afghanistans government
  towards implementation of the Afghanistan
  Compact promoting human rights providing
  technical assistance and continuing to manage
  all UN humanitarian relief, recovery,
  reconstruction and development activities in
  coordination with the government.

15
Children swinging and cheering on Eid day During
Eid, the festival marking the end of the Islamic
fasting month of Ramadan, children like to
participate in outdoor games and rides, and spend
most of their time on the playground.
16
Photos from the UNAMA Gallery
17
Afghan Government, UN seek 43 million more for
drought and conflict victims

• 22 October 2006 The Government of Afghanistan
  and the United Nations today jointly appealed for
  a further 43.3 million to fund humanitarian
  relief for people affected by drought as well as
  families displaced by recent fighting in the
  country's south.
• This funding would supplement an appeal for
  nearly 76.4 million launched in July. Just over
  half of that money has been received so far.
• This funding would supplement an appeal for
  nearly 76.4 million launched in July. Just over
  half of that money has been received so far.

The appeal also includes assistance to an
estimated 20,000 families displaced by the recent
armed conflict in Uruzgan, Helmand and Kandahar,
according to the Government of Afghanistan.
18
Thursday, 30 May, 2002, 1719 GMT 1819 UK Afghan
pipeline given go-ahead

• The leaders of Afghanistan, Pakistan and
  Turkmenistan have agreed to construct a 2bn
  pipeline to bring gas from Central Asia to the
  sub-continent. The project was abandoned in 1998
  when a consortium led by US energy company Unocal
  withdrew from the project over fears of being
  seen to support Afghanistan's then Taliban
  government.

Pipeline construction through Afghanistan,
meanwhile, remains stalled.  Unocal has exited
the region entirely, closing offices in
Kazakstan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan, retaining operations only in
Azerbaijan.  Though the U.S. wants badly to tap
into Caspian oil reserves, U.S. firms clearly are
skeptical of investing in an Afghan pipeline
while the region is so unstable.
19

• Natural gas - proved reserves 99.96
  billion cu m (1 January 2002)
• Exports 471 million note - not including
  illicit exports or reexports (2005 est.)
• Exports - commodities opium, fruits and
  nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and
  pelts, precious and semi-precious gems
• Exports - partners US 25.3, Pakistan 20.9,
  India 20.8, Finland 4 (2005)

20
Bolivia The Aftermath of Colonization

• ECE 510 EDGE
• Bruno Zbinden

21

• BACKGROUND
• Currently, Bolivia is the second poorest country
  in South America, with a GPD pf 25.6 billion
  compared to 12.6 trillion for U.S.A. and a GDP
  per capita of 2,817 compared to 41,399 for
  U.S.A
• INDEPENDENCE
• The Independence from Spanish rule movement in
  South America begun in 1806.
• Simon Bolivar born into a wealthy family in
  Caracas, Venezuela became on of the most
  prominent figures in this movement, leading the
  independence movement in Venezuela, Colombia,
  Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia (1825).

• Inspired by the American-Revolution, Bolivars
  goal was to create a federation between all of
  the newly liberated republics, with a government
  set-up to recognize and uphold individuals
  rights.
• He wrote the Bolivian Constitution, and was a
  believer of the models of Limited Government,
  Separation of Powers, Freedom of Religion,
  Property Rights, and the Rule of Law Government
  authority is exercised only in accordance with
  written and publicly disclosed laws
• This model was met with opposition by particular
  interests throughout the region with no interests
  in liberal principles, and an assassination
  attempt against Bolivar failed in September 1828.
• He died from Tuberculosis in 1830 while leaving
  South America for exile in Europe.

22

• BOLIVIAN GAS WAR
• Bolivia has the second largest supply of natural
  gas in South America (After Venezuela). It is
  estimated that Bolivian gas reserves are between
  48 and 52 Trillion Cubic-Feet, with 26.7 TCF
  proven.
• During the late 1990s under the neoliberal
  government of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (Goni,
  educated in the U.S.A.), contracts were awarded
  to 26 foreign countries for the exploitation and
  export of natural gas from Bolivia. These awards
  were done without the approval of congress as
  required by the Constitution.
• In 1994 a private contract was signed to build
  the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipe, which was completed
  in 1999 at a cost of US2.2 billion.
• Under this contract, natural gas was sold to
  Brazil at an estimated US3.15 to US3.60 per
  thousand BTU, as compared to the market price in
  the USA between 5.85 and 7.90 (estimated in May
  of 2006) and at a rate of 27 million cubit meters
  per day.
• In 1996 the state-owned gas company (YPFB) was
  privatized to a consortium comprised of British
  (BP), Spaniard (YPF), and Brazils Petrobras
  companies.
• In 2002 a plan to construct a pipeline to the
  Pacific Ocean, in order to export raw natural gas
  to Mexico and the US (California) was undertaken.
  This was the beginning of a series of revolts,
  protests and bloodshed within the unrepresented
  (yet with the majority of the population) and
  poverty stricken indigenous community, leading
  to the resignation and fleeing of President
  Sanchez de Lozada in October of 2003.

23

• NATIONALIZATION OF GAS RESERVES
• In May 2006, Evo Morales was the first indigenous
  president elected by an overwhelming majority
  (almost 54 of the vote).
• In May of 2006, he signed into law that all
  Bolivian natural gas reserves were to be
  nationalized, and that 76 contract signed by
  foreign firms were to be renegotiated.
• This step is expected to increase the national
  revenue from energy sources to 780 million in
  2007 (a six fold increase from the 2002 revenue)
• Unlike Venezuela, Bolivia lack the technological
  capacity to process and refine their own natural
  resources, even for their own use.
• This handicap represent a huge loss of leverage
  in the pressure that Bolivia can exert with its
  natural resources.
• An example of this is Brazils Petrobras refusal
  to renegotiate the contract for export of
  Bolivias natural gas, and has indicated that it
  will look for alternatives.
• If this is the case, 90 of Bolivias gas export
  would be lost, possibly plummeting the country
  into further recession and poverty.
• The move to regain national control of the
  countries natural resources falls in line with
  Venezuelas President Hug Chaves Bolivarian
  Revolution.
• In October 20, 2006 Argentinas leftist president
  Nestor Kirchner signed a deal to import
  17billion of Bolivias natural gas over the next
  20 years. This is a deal portrayed as part of a
  drive toward Latin American solidarity.

24

• BOLIVARIAN REVOLUTION
• Although sources vary, it is believed that Chaves
  originated the Bolivarian Revolution based on the
  ideology of Bolivarianism during his election as
  Venezuelas president in 1998.
• One of the main ideas of Bolivarianism is to
  promote the unification of Latin American
  countries, as was originally envisioned by Simon
  Bolivar.
• Venezuelas president Hugo Chaves has called for
  a Bolivarian Revolution, based on this
  Bolivarianism ideology, even though it can be
  seen as contradictory since Simon Bolivar
  believed in free-markets and liberal rights.
  Therefore Chaves version is a neo-Marxist version
  also referred to as Chavism.
• The central points of Chaves Bolivarianism are
• Venezuelan economic and political sovereignty
• Economically self-sufficient (in food, consumer
  durables, etc.)
• Equitable distribution of Venezuelas vast oil
  reserves.
• Eliminating corruption
• One of the movements that Chaves is promoting is
  the mutual support amongst countries holding key
  reserves of hydrocarbon resources to stop the
  dependency on international investors for the
  export of these resources. Bolivia is currently a
  key player in this movement.
• Oil is the basis of Chaves power in this
  revolution, as the worlds fifth-larges crude oil
  exporter. Selling 60 of its output to the USA
  and accounting for 15 the USAs petroleum
  imports.

25

• CONCLUSION
• The future of Chavezs Bolivarian Revolution is
  yet to be seen, no matter how it is cut, it is
  based on a non-renewable resource, and Venezuela,
  along with the other hydrocarbon producing (and
  yet poor) countries in Latin America need to move
  towards the development of new technologies that
  will support and guarantee their economical
  development and sustainability.
• The idea of a unified and self-supporting Latin
  America is currently gaining momentum, but can
  this movement overcome nationalism? Or will it be
  lost in the always turbulent differences set upon
  by borders drawn up two centuries ago as a the
  aftermath of colonization?