Safe sex means do more than ‘wrap it up’

Derek Siegel

April 24, 2013

We often engage in “wrap it up” discourse when discussing safe sex.

We promote condom use to the point where condoms become the primary way in which we measure the health of our sexual encounters.

Truthfully, safe sex is more than this. We need to adopt a more comprehensive definition of safe sex beyond condom use, encouraging young people to communicate with their partners and to ultimately relate to and understand their own bodies in a healthy manner. 

When it comes to sex and sexuality, we rarely think of our bodies as subjects worthy of attention. Even when we love them - which is in itself a triumph - we treat them like tools. We treat our…

Op/Ed: Election recount is the first step toward democracy for Venezuela

April 24, 2013

Many countries, especially those in Latin America, through hard work and dedication, make the transition from an authoritarian regime to a liberal democracy.

In Venezuela, the story seems to be in reverse, and a simple democratic act such as a ballot recount is being denied by the oppressive regime.

The 1999 election of former President Hugo Chávez turned Venezuela’s vibrant democracy to a socialist and controlling government. His 14-year tenure as president made it the longest time a person has ruled over the country, dividing its people. 

Chávez reformed the Venezuelan constitution to ensure that the power would lie solely with him. As the regime grew stronger, the Venezuelan people turned against the government, and the true…

Quick Take: What do we make of the new roles of jihadists in Syria’s civil war?

April 22, 2013

The powerful role of Islamic insurgency in Syria’s civil war became clear to the world this past week, when Jabhat al-Nusra, a leading Syrian rebel group previously blacklisted by the White House, formally announced its ties to the terrorist group al-Qaida. What could have been done differently to prevent a once-sectarian conflict from becoming a religious one, and how should world leaders respond to this development?

Marshall Bornemann

U.S. might seek alliance with al-Nusra to achieve goals

Ethan McLeod

Many will pay for countries not stepping into Syria months ago

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U.S. might seek alliance with al-Nusra to achieve goals

By Marshall Bornemann

Historically, terrorist groups have acted like children: they join the bigger guy, the mainstream group, hoping that their joining will leave them better off in terms of funding and weaponry.

The Nusra Front is the most recent example of a group that, while not an official enemy of the United States, joined al-Qaida, a network spanning throughout the majority of the Middle East, as well as the rest of the globe. Al-Qaida took responsibility for the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Presumably, The Nusra Front desires to inflict the same amount of harm on us as do other terrorist organizations.

With the growing role of The Nusra Front taking hold in Syria, it should come as no surprise that it recently announced it ties to al-Qaida. This is perfect timing for the insurgency to add rank-and-file members to its numbers.

But it could not come at a worse time, when the United States is trying to develop contingency plans to alleviate the fighting within that region.

Citizens caught in the crossfire undoubtedly fear the presence of these groups. They witness the day-to-day fighting between Syria�s forces, headed by President Bashar Assad, and the combination of terrorist groups fighting to implement a Muslim state.

The Nusra Front officially came to fruition last year, when the group broadcast a video in January 2012, claiming to be the masterminds behind most of the suicide bombings that rippled through Syria. They credit themselves as being Syria�s own mujahedeen, who are classified as Islamic guerrilla fighters engaged in jihad.

Were the United States to be more open to a potential alliance with The Nusra Front, and because our agenda parallels theirs, such as ridding the Syrian government of its power, there would be greater flexibility to maintain diplomatic ties, giving our military a greater chance of effectively stopping further infighting. Perhaps it is grandeur, but every alliance the United States can bridge helps in countless ways.

The Pentagon need to be cautious, for these growing networks will continue to gain strength at the expense of our forces and the citizens, who are eager to see the carnage stop. Just like Whac-A-Mole, for every insurgent killed, another appears.

Marshall Bornemann is a junior in the School of International Service.

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Many will pay for countries not stepping into Syria months ago

By Ethan McLeod

When The Nusra Front announced in early April that it had united with Iraq-based al-Qaida, U.S. officials likely banged their heads on their desks here in D.C. For a government that blacklisted this growingly powerful group all the way back in December 2012, they certainly should have seen it coming.

However, this is exactly the trap the United States fell into when it opted not to supply military aid to Syria�s rebels. Citing a fear that the weapons would end up in the wrong hands, due to the disorganized structure of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the White House was wary of repercussions of providing weaponry.

The United States not acting on its better judgment to stop the killings in Syria in 2012 has given way to a more organized FSA now being led by a government-blacklisted organization in 2013.

While it is great that the rebels now stand a fighting chance against Syrian President Bashar Assad�s brutal shellings, there is no sign of an end to the war. Worse, it has undertaken a fully religious mission as al-Nusra, along with al-Qaida, spearheads rebel leadership.

Al-Nusra emerged as a key player in Syria�s civil war on behalf of the once-struggling rebels, and helped them make key victories in past months. In a fight that has killed over 70,000 people, according to the United Nations, due to the lethal and suppressive will of Assad, al-Nusra certainly aligned with the more appropriate side.

But it is a strange twist of events here in the United States for Americans to commend the efforts of a self-proclaimed jihadist group.

The United States, Great Britain and France all could have stepped up in what was a clear choice between the two sides earlier on. The fact of the matter is that this civil war did not need to reach 70,000 casualties in 25 months. These countries certainly could not have expected the leaders of this conflict, one spurred by citizens� contempt for its president and Syria�s religiously centered leadership, to simply settle things together.

With thousands of innocent people dying each day, the world sat back and watched and hoped that a secular revolution would prevail against a stubborn and coldhearted Assad. The world then sat back and condemned those stepping in on behalf of the rebels for being a terrorist group, and still remains removed as that group proudly unites with the deadly force of al-Qaida.

At the beginning of the war, Syria was a potential seed for a new democracy, a mission for which the United States prides itself. Today it is a battleground between competing religious entities. As death in Syria remains cyclical and grows more religiously motivated, we will see if the world will continue to sit and watch.

Ethan McLeod is a junior in the School of Communication.

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Op/Ed: In an interconnected world, empathy is a must

April 19, 2013

In the midst of the horror caused by the Boston Marathon bombings, empathy is important to seek justice.

Staff Editorial: Changes to dining plan promises improvements

April 17, 2013

The Eagle weighs in on drastic changes in dining program.

Op/Ed: Student-drafted report pushes for reorganized student activity fee

April 17, 2013

Co-chairs of the Student Activity Fee Study Committee work to reallocate student activity funds in a more equitable fashion among student-run groups on campus.

Fifty years later, Kennedy’s speech stays relevant

Ryan Migeed

April 17, 2013

“Because, after the bombings this week in Boston, we need to remember Kennedy’s call to peace now more than ever.”

Amidst Boston tragedy,  focus on the helpers

Julia Greenwald

April 17, 2013

As both Boston and Iraq were plagued with terror, we must remember the “helpers.”