Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps

The USA and the Middle East experience a relationship today that bears the stamp of a millennium and more of crucial decisions on both sides.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More From nearly the first years of contact between people of European descent and the peoples of the Middle East, these decisions have reflected more misunderstanding and self-interest than statesmanship or vision. There are several moments over this span of time that stand out as opportunities: periods in history when relations could have been turned towards tolerance and even cooperation, but were not. Three examples of these are: the medieval push to take control of religiously important sites in what is today Israel, the betrayal of the region at the end of World War I, and more recently, the failure of Arab governments to adopt the best practices of modern governance. While these are by no means exhaustive, they are exemplary. In the 11th century, the hardline, and an altered attitude of the Seljukian Turks towards Christian pilgrims prompted outrage and ill-organized crusades. However, a glance at a map of the area suggests the great potential advantage to the nations north of the Mediterranean of control over the sea lanes in the Mediterranean and eastward. Trade, at the least, would be easier if European powers controlled this region. This may have been the reason for the increasing emphasis on naval campaigns in the later Crusades (Bridges 10). In this instance, a more tolerant attitude by the Seljukian Muslims towards Christian pilgrims who had moved with relative freedom through the region for a long time would have made a great difference. After all, the Muslim faith had already successfully, albeit violently, taken over as much as two thirds of the European continent (Madden, Hillenbrand and Ryan). However, the behav ior of the Europeans was regarded as boorish and ignorant by the Saracens, so there was probably fault on both sides (Madden, Hillenbrand and Ryan). This was a chance for mutual understanding that was thrown away. At the end of World War, after taking advantage of the Arab revolt to topple the Ottoman Empire, the Allies secretly agreed to partition the area. The Balfour agreement, also secret, promised the Jewish people a homeland in Palestine. These baldly self-interested betrayals and subterfuges were the reasons that prompted T.E. Lawrence to work for three years to make the Arab revolt as effective as possible (Lawrence).Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This double-dealing gave the Middle Eastern countries a very good reason to resent the Allies (Lawrence). It also injected a massive and persistent disruptor into the area in the form of the Zionist homeland (Zakaria, Why do They Hate Us?) . This dishonesty was probably not necessary and fairer dealings could have laid the groundwork for greater cooperation. Over the decades since then, the sponsorship by the USA of Israel has colored all US-Middle Eastern relations. More recently, the increasing interests of the European countries and the United States in regional oil have distorted matters further (Djerejian) (Atiemo). The Middle Eastern countries have not achieved the development of modern governments and what the West regards as desirable liberties and markets. To some degree, this retarding of governmental evolution was enhanced by the use of several countries as proxies for the former USSR (Djerejian) (Ahmadov). Many of the countries of the Middle East have, additionally, cut themselves off from many of the advantages of the Western world, often, according because of a distaste for the values associated with them (Ozdemir) (Christie, Zwarun and Clark) (Woods). It is possible that if the West had not been more honest and less self-interested, these nations might have turned towards Europe rather than to the USSR or to fundamentalism. Thus, the West and the Middle East may have had chances for rapprochement, which have been discarded. As far back as the Middle Ages, and in both the Twentieth and Twenty-first centuries, approaches have been taken that plunged increasing wedges of distrust and distaste between the two. These turning points should be our guide to avoiding such bad choices in the future. Works Cited Ahmadov, Ramin. â€Å"The U.S. Policy toward Middle East in the Post-Cold War Era.† Alternatives: The Turkish Journal of International Relations Spring/Summer 2005. Web. http://www.alternativesjournal.net/volume4/number1/ramin.pdf. Atiemo, Nancy. â€Å"What is the relationship between the United States’ energy policy and its foreign policy in the Middle EastT?† n.d. Dundee University. Web. http://www.dundee.ac.uk/cepmlp/car/html/ CAR10_ARTICLE21.PDF.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bridges, Cyprian. Sea Powerand Other Studies. Echo Library, 2006 . Web. https://books.google.com/books?hl=enlr=id=UTuZeVOU23QCoi=fndpg=PA1dq=%22why+did+the+crusades%22ots=ASWFLQn7mZsig=PKfclXE1VzsZHnjVTgNLrSoxgWU#v=onepageq=%22%20crusades%22f=false. Christie, Thomas B., Lara Zwarun and Andrew M. Clark. â€Å"Finding a Credible Message to Win Hearts and Minds of the Muslim World: Article 2.† Global Media Journal Volume 5.Issue 8 (2006). Web. http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/PDF_archive/amer_edition/spring2006/2%20Christie%20Clark%20Zwarun.pdf. Djerejian, Edward P. â€Å"The US and the Middle East in a Changing World, The.† Department of State Dispatch 444 (1992). Washington: HeinOnline, 2 June 1992. Web. http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?co llection=journalshandle=hein.journals/dsptch5div=246id=page=. Lawrence, Thomas Edward. â€Å"Introductory Chapter.† Seven Pillars of Wisdom. 2012. Web. http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks01/0100111h.html. Madden, Thomas, Carole Hillenbrand and Antonia Ryan. â€Å"The Crusades: Why the Crusades Stil Matter: An Interview with Carole Hildebrand and Thomas Madden.† 24 February 2006. National Catholic Reporter. Web. http://www.natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/2006a/022406/022406a.php. Ozdemir, Erhan. â€Å"Globalization and Its Impact on the Middle East.† 2008. US Navy Post-Graduate School. Web. http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecordmetadataPrefix=htmlidentifier=ADA493849. Woods, Joshua. â€Å"The Common Enemy Rationale: An Attempt to Apply Concepts of Cognitive Consistency to the Portrayals of the United States in the Foreign Press.† Fall 2005. Purdue.edu. Web. https://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/PDF_archive/amer_edition/fall2005/4%20Woods.pdf.Advertis ing Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Zakaria, Fareed. â€Å"Why do They Hate Us?† n.d. http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/12447013/417620819/name/whydotheyhateus.pdf. This research paper on Usa and Middle East, Heirs to a Millenium of Missteps was written and submitted by user Channing G. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Distribution Decision essays

Distribution Decision essays In assessing distribution strategies for the companys human resources applications its critical to keep in mind that as a small and relatively unknown software developer, gaining the attention of software distributors is going to be a daunting and potentially very expensive strategy. Keeping in mind that software distributors have literally hundreds if not thousands of software companies approaching them to sell their applications, its clear that the competition in the software distributor channel is daunting. To get a software distributor to resell the human resources applications, inordinately high gross margins will also have to be offered to compensate for the lack of awareness of the brand. Further, there is no assurance the software distributors will work to understand the specifics of the application itself as well. The bottom line is that relying on software distributors is going to be quite expensive, time-consuming and could easily drain essential resources in the compa ny. Selling over the Internet would allow for global distribution literally overnight and more control of selling and support costs. Most importantly, selling directly over the Internet ensures the positioning and value of the software is communicated correctly. Conversely, software distribution would provide an opportunity to gain greater brand exposure and brand development opportunities. Further, developing software distribution relationships is often a lengthy process which can lead to meeting many other comparable smaller companies, in addition to distributors willing to take a chance on a new and unknown application. Software distributors can be source of long-term knowledge and insight not accessible anywhere else. ...

Ethical Issues in Business Management and Business Technology Essay

Ethical Issues in Business Management and Business Technology - Essay Example A strong sense of ethics is mandatory and the clients and the regulatory firms expect strong ethical standards all the time from these professionals. Some of these professions are medicine, law, clergy, teachers and military. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the ethical standards of professions in which ethics is a top priority in the work being performed. In the medical industry ethics is extremely important. The clients or patients hire doctors when they are most vulnerable physically or emotionally. The doctor is a professional that in order to evaluate its patients must ask very intimate questions and realize physical examinations of a person’s body. The doctor is a person the patients trust. The information given to the doctor is completely confidential. The doctor can not reveal this information to any outside parties ever. The close relationship between the patient and the doctor can only be maintain by the professional applying a strict code of ethics in the professional’s dealing with patients. The list below provides a basic guideline of the types of ethical standards and ethical matters the doctors faces on a daily basis in the medicine profession: There are other aspects of the medical profession which require a strong sense of ethics. Many times doctors received samples from pharmaceutical companies and medical propagandist for free. During these exchanges a doctor may be persuaded and offered different monetary or non-monetary incentives such as access to a certain gulf club so that the doctor may consider prescribing a particular type brand of medicine to their patients. The doctor should never let any personal perks affect his medical criteria when dealing with patient care. Another situation in which ethics affect the criteria of doctor involves the doctors dealing’s with restrictions imposed by medical plans. An interesting case is the medical system of the commonwealth of Puerto

Customer satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Customer satisfaction - Essay Example According to Kotler (1995) customer satisfaction can best be defined as an individual’s pleasure or displeasure resulting from comparing the outcome or performance of a product, with prior expectations about performance of the same product. Another definition which exemplifies customer satisfaction is provided by Stank et al. (2007). The scholars posit that customer satisfaction refers to consumers’ evaluation and perception of a specific service or product after purchasing and utilising it. Earlier definitions denote that customer satisfaction constitutes feedback provided by buyers about a service or a product after consuming it (Fornell, 1992; Oliver, 1981). As can be discerned from these definitions, customer satisfaction stems from a customer’s perception of the suitability of a product in comparison to actual experience after consumption. Cochran (2003) emphasises that customer satisfaction is a high subjective concept, since consumers derive pleasure from commodities on the basis of various variables such as the price of the service/product, availability, and reliability, among other attributes. Judging from the various definitions and explanations of customer satisfaction, it is apparent that this concept bears immense significance to companies like Apple, which are currently competing within the global context. For instance, recognising customer preferences and product expectations ensures that the Company manufactures computers and computer peripherals that satisfy buyers. Accounting for customers’ taste and preference in computerised gadgets partially explains Apple, Inc.’s success internationally. This is because customer satisfaction paves way for repeat purchases and heightened customer loyalty. Allbal (2011) points out that there is a wide variety of factors that influence customer satisfaction, since

Midterm Policy Paper 8 pages double spaced Essay

Midterm Policy Paper 8 pages double spaced - Essay Example In 1789 the War Department was formed, which centuries later would come to be recognized as the Department of Defense. The Coast Guard which is a section of the Homeland security was later on to be established a year after the establishment of the war Department. In 1947, a decision was undertaken with the sole aim of unifying the various Departments under one roof. This decision led to the formation of the National Military Establishment in the same year. The National Military Establishment replaced the existing War Department at the time, as the war department was transformed to the Department of the Army. In this same year, there was an establishment of the U.S Air Force as it was followed by the creation of the Department of Air Force. Finally, with the senate’s approval and confirmation the existing three military branches of the army that included; the Air Force, the Army and the Navy were delegated under one person, the secretary of Defense who had direct control over t hem. In 1949, there was an amendment undertaken upon the National Security act that advanced one-step ahead by consolidating the national defense structure in a way that the cabinet-level status possessed by the three service secretaries was withdrawn from them. Later on the name National Military Establishment was to be converted and renamed as Department of Defense (U.S. ... This department is said to have evolved with the country as its roots can be traced back in pre-revolutionary times. In modern times, the Department of Defense is headed by Roberts Gates the secretary of Defense. In addition to this, the Department of Defense boosts over 1.4 million work forces under active duty. This department has earned the title of being the largest employer in America. The headquarters of the Department of Defense is based in Pentagon building (U.S. Department of Defense Para 2, 3, & 4). The major mission of the Department of Defense is to ensure that there is provision of military forces required for the sole purpose of deterring a war and above all to offers protection to the security of America. The Department also offers crucial and timely information on matters pertaining to defense policies operations, functions and organizations. Robert Gates History Dr. Robert M. Gates history within the American government circles is vast as the current government is ei ghth in number among the numerous governments he has served. Dr. Gates was sworn in as the 22nd Secretary of Defense in 18th of December 2006. His continued stay in office has earned him a record as the only secretary of Defense in American history to remain in office upon the prerogative of the newly elected president. Before his appointment in his present post, Dr. Gates was the president of the nation’s seventh largest University, the Texas A&M University. Before assuming his role as the president of the Texas A&M University on August 1st 2002, Dr. Gates was an interim Dean of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service from 1999 to 2001 in Texas A&M. Dr. Gates involvement with the Central Intelligence

Acting For The Camera Film Studies Essay

Acting For The Camera Film Studies Essay The goal of the Meisner technique has often been described as getting actors to Live truthfully under imaginary circumstances. (Silverberg 1994: 45), Critically examine this statement, with reference to at least three different screen dramas. It is the writers belief that to attempt to examine the statement a brief recap on Meisners acting predecessors should be included in this essay. Arguably Stanislavski can be called the foundation of modern acting techniques. Challenging himself to become a better acting practitioner than the melodramatic thespians of his time .Stanislavski found that they didnt form a connection to their character or the other actors and directed their dialogue directly at the audience .Through taking notes and trial and error; he came up with an acting system. He was greatly responsible for the revolutionary change in Russian theatre, making it more accessible to the masses. Many of his principles called upon the actor to draw upon their own experiences and take an analytical approach to the character to be portrayed. He created the If principle, what would you do in a situation out with your experience but is faced by the character. This principle challenges the actor to use their imagination .Stanislavski wanted actors to draw upon their own life experiences to create the truth of their character and not to invent falsehoods. His subsequent students and followers used and developed his techniques. When these teachings crossed continents into America they were altered, whether through linguistic translation or artistic interpretation. Stella Adler was a strong follower of his teachings and travelled to Europe to learn his techniques firsthand. Through working with Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg, Meisner built upon the Stanislavski system and developed his own technique. The Meisner technique is about the actors truthful reactions within an imaginary circumstance.Stanislavski`s system comes across as regimented and over analysed with actions /reactions preordained before being performed in comparison. Though there are more similarities than differences of these two practitioners techniques at the core. Both believe that the actors own life experiences should be draw upon to bring truth to their character. By reacting instinctually when in character within the parameters of the text under the imaginary circumstances fresh discoveries can be made. Discoveries about the characters behaviour and the actors subconscious interpretation of their reasoning. Even through intense analysis of the text, these discoveries might not have been brought out through intellectual study. This is the heart of his technique ,finding behavioural truths which freely happen when the actor is in the moment. The ultimate goals of these practices are to bring truthfulness and believability to the character. If the actor takes on this truth of character action /reactions and fully believes it themselves ,then the audience will also. In the theatre it is generally stated that the performance is life compressed onstage but for acting on camera this must be refined. The camera can follow the action up-close and pick up on moments of doubt or an actor going through the motions. The actor isnt banging it out to the cheep seats but striving to produce a condensed realistic piece of acting. The combination of the actors own life experiences and the character`s creates this living real life under imaginary circumstances. My first example of Meisners technique in action on screen was found in the Crying Game (1992) directed by Neil Jordan. A disillusioned member of the Irish republican army tries to drop off the radar and is pursued by fellow agents. After aiding in the kidnapping of a black British soldier ,Fergus forms a bond with his captive and agrees to look up his girlfriend if negotiations for his release fall through. The prisoner Jody escapes but Fergus cant bring himself to shoot his new friend but Jody is tragically killed by his own army when they accidently run him over. Fergus looks up the girlfriend Dil and almost immediately forms a relationship with her. When He discovers that he isnt the only one keeping secrets ,Fergus continues with this affair with his new love. The reveal in the film was shocking at the time as this new love Dil was actually a man. The scene that caught my attention was the kissing scene between Dil and Fergus . When Fergus says to Dil be a good girl, go inside. Dil looks directly into his eyes and replies, only if you kiss me. Fergus is taken aback by the directness of the statement and takes a moment to recover, moving forward to kiss her. He is loving but surprised and confused and it is evident on his face. The confusion that stems from kissing another man is made apparent by the snort Fergus makes and his downplaying of the significance of the kiss by asking, are you happy now? Dils reply, delirious is charged with anger at Ferguss reluctance to embrace his feelings. The scene is important for the way in which the feelings of the characters, rather than the words they say, portray the meaning of the scene. Dil and Fergus moving towards and away from each other, looking at each other but refusing to touch and make physical contact, the awkward and defiant postures they adopt, all show the physical and emotional attraction that exists between them, and Fergus repulsion at the idea of kissing a man. Both are highly emotional and make that emotion available to each other and the audience with only a secondary use of language. The scene is a remarkable achievement for the way in which it portrays the surprise and adventure, and the newness of the experience. The characters appear not to know what will happen, and yet are alive and expectant to what that might entail. They are prime examples of Meisners statement that, the quality of your acting depends on how fully you are doing what you are doing, . The second example is from Moon (2009) directed by Duncan Jones Set in the near future, earth natural recourses have been exhausted and the moon is now being mined. Loan astronaught Sam Bell is isolated and shut off from earth as communication is down. As he approaches the final month of his contract Sam has an accident outside in a moon vehicle. Waking up in the medi lab he slowly starts to realise all is not right when the computer tries to keep him confined. Venturing outside Sam finds the injured Sam and brings him back to the lab. Is Sam loosing his mind or is the company abusing their power by cloning him. Who is the real Sam and will the company let more than one version exist. In the chosen scene for this example the Sam who has been injured and almost completed his term is confronting the newly awaked clone Sam. Injured Sam is still not sure what he is experiencing is real while clone Sam is struggling to work out why this is happening. Even though this is a scene involving the same actor and the interaction are being imposed upon each other ,the momentum is not lost and the technology of the scene doesnt draw focus from the acting.Meisner trained Sam Rockwell gives two wholly believable distinctly different performances in this scene. A man loosing his mind against one who is struggling to maintain his sanity. The battle of wills while they fight over music is well choreographed and an extreme example of acting truthfully under imaginary circumstances. A third example of Meisners technique comes from his own performance in The Story on Page One (1959) directed by Clifford Odets. A married Jo Morris is a woman who is trapped in a loveless marriage to a domineering man who is abusive to their young daughter has an affair .Through a series of unfortunate events her lover Larry Ellis ,accidently kills the husband and they decide to cover up Larry`s presence .What follows is the subsequent trial by the legal system and tabloid press .Larrys domineering mother initially interfered in his budding relationship and causes more problems for the lovers during the trial. In this film, Meisner plays Phil Stanley the prosecuting attorney. After the accidental killing by Gig Young of his lovers husband, Meisner puts on a remarkable performance in the courtroom scenes. In scene after scene, the questioning and cross examination of Gig Young and the other witnesses in the case is carried out convincingly and intensely. Meisners technique, as demonstrated by the three screen performances used as examples in this paper, therefore lives up to Meisners own claim that acting should be to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances. The actors all appear to be reacting to genuine impulses and motivations, guided by their feelings and by compelling motivating factors.

The Influence of Lord Henry in The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wil

In analyzing Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, concepts such as influence and the origin of evil in Dorian Gray play an exceptionally valuable role in understanding the motives of the characters. Although some critics argue characters such as Lord Kelso significantly influence Dorian’s corruption, Lord Henry Wotton’s toxic personality undeniably impacts Dorian the most. Throughout the course of the novel, Lord Henry remains the ultimate source of evil and uses deception and persuasion to poison Dorian from a naà ¯ve boy to a destructive monster. Shortly after meeting Dorian for the first time, Lord Henry calmly declares, â€Å"to influence a person is to give him one’s own soul† (20). In these few words, Lord Henry foreshadows the entirety of his relationship with Dorian throughout the novel. By sharing his unique thoughts about the scientific view of influence, Lord Henry captures Dorian’s curiosity and attention, opening the door to the beginning of Dorian’s evolution Lord Henry continues to bruise Dorian’s perfection on page 21 when he lectures Dorian about the key to a rewarding life through means of the senses. In response to these dangerous regarding influence, sensation, temptation, and beauty, Dorian commands Lord Henry to stop speaking as he absorbs the new light shed upon him: For nearly ten minutes he stood there, motionless, with parted lips, and eyes strangely bright. He was dimly conscious that entirely fresh influences were at work within him. . . The few words that Basil’s friend had said to him – words spoken by chance, no doubt, and with willful paradox in them – had touched some secret chord that had never been touched before, but that he felt was now vibrating and throbbing to curious puls... ...n goes on to murder Basil in a moment of pure hatred, allowing Lord Henry to ultimately succeed in his aims of winning Dorian’s soul. Careful examination of Dorian’s initial susceptibility to influence, willingness to commit sin, and interactions with other characters prove Lord Henry plays the biggest role in transforming Dorian from pure to vicious. With his cunning theories and brainwashing comments, Dorian cannot muster the strength to resist Lord Henry’s dominating nature, showing there are no limitations in relationships when it comes to influence. The topic of which character primarily influences Dorian to turn to a dishonest lifestyle is undeniably significant in understanding the purpose of the characters as well as the deeper meaning of the text. Work Cited Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1993.