Tufts Community Union (TCU) veteran junior John Valentine has been reelected to the TCU Senate, filling the seat that junior Shaun Glassman left when he resigned two months ago.
There's eating dinner at Dewick, and then there's dining in a castle. It's a difficult decision, especially during the onslaught of the mid-winter, I-can't-believe-they're-serving-that-pulpy-disfigured-meat-again blues. Smith & Wollensky, one of Boston's newest servers of haute cuisine, would love to sooth your upset stomach. Situated near the Arlington T-Stop in a historic armory built back in 1891, Boston marks Smith & Wollensky's 11th steakhouse since the luxury chain first opened its doors in New York City in 1977. The Castle, as S & W call it, oozes a class and elegance that could even give the most seasoned diner pause. But it's not all corporate suits making serious deals across bottles of expensive champagne (we recommend the Piper Sonoma); included in the d?©cor are vintage photographs of soldiers in drag, an odd reminder of the restaurant's setting. But really, what's history when there's tender, juicy steak to be had? Their menu is nearly as sprawling as their multi-level dining arrangements. (There's even a raised love nest that S & W claims to be the "most romantic table in Boston"). Our evening of decadence began with the water selection. Instead of the usual, tap/bottled water decision, three aquatic options dangled before us. A caveat for the first timer: this is no place for indecision or ignorance. When asked what wine we wanted to compliment our meal, we thought we'd play it safe by asking our waitress to recommend a sparkling wine. She then had the gall to ask us what we ignoramuses looked for in wine. Thank God for the movie "Sideways." "Fruity" it was. For appetizers, we selected the tomato & bufala mozzarella ($10) as well as the crab cakes ($14). Mistakenly, we assumed the former dish would be a salad of sorts, as opposed to a giant slice of cheese balanced on top a tomato. However, despite the petite size, the vinaigrette-infused dish was a nice surprise. The crab cakes, meanwhile, were orgasmic. With a coleslaw-like texture, the crab cakes distinguished themselves from the rest of the menu. For while everything on the menu was good, many dishes didn't seem at all unique. The crab cakes, however, had serious claws. Of course, no trip to Smith & Wollensky is complete without their famous dry-aged steak (in-house for up to 28 days!). Among the rib/meat options, including filet mignon ($33) and lamb chops ($34), we decided to cut into the sirloin ($34). And, while it wasn't the best steak to ever meet our stomachs' slaughterhouses, it certainly ranks in the top tier. Perhaps to avenge our devouring of the crab cakes, we were then accosted by what is actually called an angry lobster ($47). A special of the house, the angry lobster consists of the fine Maine seafood, still in the shell, piled on top of a heaping bed of mashed potatoes. In theory a ravishing dish, its odd spices unfortunately left a "peeved" taste on the palette. Fortunately there were a plethora of side dishes to help drown out the upset crustacean. Even though sides were officially designated for two, we were feeling adventurous and decided to try both the lobster fried rice ($10) and the truffled macaroni & cheese ($10). The lobster fried rice served as testament to the wondrous possibilities of fusing native New England seafood with an Asian staple. Bravo! The macaroni, meanwhile, was rich and creamy, and a welcome departure from Easy Mac. As our stomachs expanded, we realized that our majestic evening in S & W's cozy confines would soon be drawing to a close. We tried to take in the seven original fireplaces and 150 original light fixtures as best we could, but in the end, that just led to us ordering dessert. Once again we bit off more than we could chew, literally. Ordering both the trio of cr??me br?»l?©e ($8) and the chocolate cake ($10) was foolish. The cr??me br?»l?©e, which consisted of three small varieties - plain, chocolate and spice - was beyond outstanding. But it was the cake that proceeded to be our downfall. A mousse cake with layers, the cake was as rich as our fellow diners. Trying to conquer both desserts proved embarrassing as we encountered enough chocolate cake to feed an army. Instead, it fed our housemates for days. While the S & W prices may be extravagant, they are backed up by attentive service and an extraordinary selection. None of the dishes stood out as the best we'd ever had, but the overall dining experience was unbeatable. It's not an every day type of eating experience, but should you win the lottery, (or should your parents be in town), you might want to think about storming this castle.
While Tufts students often take advantage of the University's proximity to Boston, they may be forgetting about one of New England's other great sources of entertainment: skiing. With special deals for college students available, this winter pastime may be more in reach than students think. There are a number of season passes available at discounted prices for college students. "A lot of students I know have the Threedom Pass," said junior Lisanne Petracca, a member of the ski team. The Threedom Pass covers Loon Mountain, Waterville Valley, and Cranmore, and it costs $219 for college students. "The best deal and best skiing is with the Threedom Pass - a normal ticket [for one day on each mountain] is $50 to $60," sophomore and ski team member Joseph Shaw said. The pass pays for itself quickly: "Go skiing four times and you've paid it off," junior and ski team member George Fraley said. The other main multi-mountain pass for college students is the All East College Pass. "The All East Pass is very popular because it gives you access to a lot of mountains, but it's not as good a deal as it used to be," senior Kirit Radia said. "It includes some popular mountains like Killington." The All East College Pass allows unlimited access to Attitash, Killington, Mount Snow, Pico, Sugarloaf, and Sunday River - all the Northeast ski areas owned by the American Skiing Company - and is priced at $599. (A Sunday-through-Friday version is available for $459). With access to six area ski resorts, students who own the All East College Pass do not fear that their skiing adventures will become mundane. "You'd get bored going up to the same mountain," Fraley said. Season passes for Okemo and either Mount Sunapee or Stratton are available for $399. These dual-mountain passes are less expensive before December: "I have the Okemo/Stratton pass, which was 300 bucks before December 5 and 400 bucks afterwards," Radia said. "It pays for itself after five trips." Buying passes before the start of the ski season is a great way to get even better deals. Still, even when bought in-season, the passes often pay for themselves after a few trips. "The passes are cheaper if you buy them pre-season, but they're still worth it if you're an avid skier," Petracca said. Deals outside the popular multi-mountain passes can be found as well. "Most mountains will have good deals for college students, for season passes," Shaw said, noting that individual lift tickets may not have such discounts. For novice skiers, smaller mountains may be the answer: Nashoba Valley and Blue Hills ski areas are both located in eastern Massachusetts, but may offer little challenge to anyone but beginners. "Blue Hills and Nashoba are little more than mounds," Fraley said. Slightly farther away is Wachusett Mountain, which is located an hour from Boston in Princeton, MA. "It's the best place if you really want to learn to ski," Fraley said. For more experienced skiers, though, he recommends that students "take a drive - go north." "Killington is by far the biggest - Killington and Sunday River are massive," he continued. "If you don't want to go too far, Loon and Waterville Valley are good for the price you pay." Financial concerns can be an issue for college students, and weekend trips can get more expensive when overnight lodging is required. Staying at the Loj - a lodge in New Hampshire that is owned by the Tufts Mountain Club - is one alternative to expensive ski resorts. "I know that a bunch of people like to stay at the Loj cheaply - regardless of whether they're in the mountain club - and then ski at nearby Loon or Waterville," Petracca said. Other constraints on students' enjoyment of New England's ski areas are time and transportation: bigger mountains are generally two to three hours away, and there is little-to-nothing in the way of public transportation. "I don't think most Tufts students take advantage of the mountains because they have no way of getting there," Radia said. "There is really no other option that I know of [other than having a car]." Another impediment for many college students is the fact that getting in a full day of skiing requires an early start. "We have to get up at 6 a.m. to get out to the mountain at a reasonable time to make it worth it, because the mountains close at 4," Radia said. "Most mountains aren't open nights," Fraley added. "You have to leave at 5 or 6 in the morning, and you probably won't get back until 8. It's definitely a full-day thing." The early closing of the ski hills is not without benefits, though. "That means that we can get back to Tufts in time to have dinner, get some work done, and still go out for the night," Radia said. "It's definitely possible to get in a full day of skiing and get back for the evening Tufts scene," Shaw agreed.Information on the Threedom Pass can be found at www.threedompass.com. All East College Pass information can be accessed through the American Skiing Company website, www.peaks.com.
Tufts Community Union (TCU) president Dave Baumwoll and vice president Rafi Goldberg met with Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole and campus leaders from other schools last night to discuss a recently implemented Boston police policy aimed at reducing off-campus student crime. The currently un-named policy is essentially an effort to create more efficient community policing by allowing university administrators and police to work with Boston police when necessary. The main goal of this is to enforce proper penalties on students that commit serious crimes off-campus. Goldberg described the meeting as "mostly us [students] learning what police are charged with doing." Baumwoll said that he believe the operation is a "specific effort to protect" students. This is being done through extra measures such as an increased police presence in Kenmore Square for this Sunday's Super Bowl and an effort by the police department to work more closely with univerisity administrators. The original name of the initiative was Operation Student Shield, but O'Toole agreed at the meeting to change its name. Students and administrators were concerned that Student Shield falsely suggested that students were being specifically targeted. A new name has not yet been decided on. Baumwoll and Goldberg were part of a task force on student-city relations, comprised of students from colleges in the greater Boston area. The task force was organized by Dr. Jehuda Reinharz, president of Brandeis University and met for the first time last week in order to discuss how they would ensure that students would be treated fairly by the new initiative.
Youth Forum raises concerns over safety and support for teens A recent youth forum in Somerville brought to light several concerns teenagers have about the city. Among the most important issues discussed were safety and support. The panel, consisting of 17 people, was called "one of the most important meetings the city would hold this year," by the Somerville Journal. According to the Journal, students mentioned that livelier youth centers and parks, better relations with police, and safe ways to travel to and from programs would help keep teenagers safer and busier. Targets of criticism included the police department, who were accused of being concerned only for the safety of "people with money," local employers who infrequently respond to youth applications for jobs, and the youth themselves who one teenager said need to "rebuild bridges" with adults. Another forum will be held in June to discuss progress on these issues.
As one of the students present at Bishop Thomas Shaw's talk on the Arab-Israeli conflict Tuesday evening, I applaud the Bishop in his call for individuals to act as peace makers. In general, Bishop Shaw's remarks were profound and insightful. However, an individual point made by the bishop (and reported by the Daily) seems counter-intuitive to achieving peace. When I asked the Bishop if (on a governmental level) his call to action included the Palestinian Authority in addition to the Israeli government, whose actions he mentioned in his talk, he responded in the affirmative. Thus, it is confusing why Bishop Shaw chose only to protest Israeli actions at the consulate in 2001. To criticize both sides verbally, but act out against only one seems to present an unbalanced and contradictory statement about the Arab-Israeli conflict. True, Palestinian rights must be attained, and Israel often prevents this, but accountability must be placed on not only one, but all entities with power, including the PA and the governments of Arab nations, to stop violence in the Middle-East. Only by working together can a true and meaningful solution to this most tragic of conflicts be attained.Scott WeinerLA, '08
With the snow piling up outside and creating a landscape reminiscent of a winter wonderland, the thought of $2 off your next purchase at J.P. Licks may not sound appealing. But fear not: less chilly local area businesses are also cutting prices and offering deals for students through the collegiate coupon books distributed on campus at the beginning of each semester. "When the beach is out of reach," Suntique calls to you with "50 percent off Tanning & Lotion." If that's not enough sun for you, there's also Xtreme Tanning's offer of "Three tans for $3." And after all that tanning, the buy-one-sub, get-one-free deal offered at Subway through the coupon book may sound appetizing. But despite the wide selection of discounted services nearby, the collegiate coupon books, which are offered by StudentCity.com, are often found in garbage bins or at the bottom of messy drawers rather than in students' purses or pockets. College students aren't the only consumers who aren't taking full advantage of the savings offered through coupons. According to the Association of Coupon Professionals' May 2003 newsletter, coupon distribution volume rose by 3.4 percent in 2002, but coupon redemption value fell by 5.4 percent. Sophomore Heather Roughton says that forgetfulness is the reason she doesn't take advantage of the deals offered in the collegiate coupon books. "Well, I see the coupon books around campus a lot, and I'll usually pick one up, but then I tend to forget about it," she said. "I don't think I've ever actually used one of the coupons from the books." Most students discuss their usage of collegiate coupon books with the same dismissiveness as junior James Fraser, who refers to them as "the [coupons] they give out everywhere and we just take the ice cream ones and toss 'em." According to many Tufts students, having a coupon does not necessarily make a person more likely to patronize a particular business: factors besides price influence students' purchasing decisions. For many students, the cost-benefit calculation of using a coupon includes the time spent traveling to the place offering a discount versus visiting a closer location, and the addition of any public transportation payment to this trek. When asked if a coupon makes her more likely to support a certain business, sophomore Allie Bohm - who does not have a car on campus - said she considers exactly these factors of location and transportation before deciding whether to use a coupon or not. "If I know where the store is and if it's convenient, [then I might use the coupon]," she said. Another component to students' coupon-related decisions is time - something that can be scarce in the busy lives of college students. "I would [use the books] if I had the time to look through them, but I don't," Bohm said, adding that students would be more likely to use coupons if they were presented individually from businesses, rather than compiled in a book. Examples of this advertising technique are the menus from local delivery restaurants and pizzerias, which are frequently distributed to students' mailboxes. Students are more likely to take advantage of coupons when the service being offered at a discount is otherwise highly priced. "I won't go to J.P. Licks without [a coupon] because the prices are ridiculous," sophomore Emily Andrews said. But the coupon-redeeming experience is not necessarily a smooth one in all cases. Students occasionally find themselves encountering problems when attempting to use a coupon. This was the case for Andrews: "I tried to get into a club special night [with a coupon], but couldn't," she said. If the criteria for successful coupon advertising includes attracting a new clientele from those students willing to leaf through a booklet for a particular coupon and take the time to travel to the establishment, then perhaps hair salons are the exception to the students-don't-use-coupon-books rule. Several students, including junior Paige Cramer, said that they frequently use the collegiate coupon books when they visit hair salons. "I've used the coupon book each time I've gotten my hair cut in Boston," Cramer said. In general, though, students tend to disregard leafing through coupon books as a viable option for saving money - unless, of course, doing so means saving $2 on an ice cream cone.
Hamilton Pool may be the smallest in its conference, but despite the six lanes and asthma-inducing air, the Tufts men's swimming and diving team continues to handle its NESCAC competition. On Saturday, Tufts improved its record to 7-1 with a 160-65 win over Bates marked by Jumbos in the top slot in every event. The focus of the meet was on the graduating seniors who were swimming in their last home meet. The bleachers were packed with parents and students, and fans peered through the glass windows behind the starting blocks to get a good view. Sporting matching navy blue warm-ups, seniors Seth Baron, Todd Bohannon, Matt Cable, Serge Korepin, Mike Rochette and Chris Valente received flowers at the pre-meet ceremony to commemorate their last meet in Medford. Part of being a senior is cherishing the memories and friends made along the way. And for senior tri-captain Mike Rochette, his final meet at the notorious Hamilton Pool was the last in a career which has defined much of his experience at Tufts. "Even though you could host a better meet in some bathtubs,"said Rochette, "I will always have great memories of the people that I have shared [the pool] with." While the women's team was challenged by a competitive Bates squad, Rochette pointed out that the seniors on the men's side were able to enjoy the meet without too much pressure. "The men's meet was really laid back for both teams," said Rochette. "So we got to enjoy our last dual meet before we get to championships." Rochette swam in both of the winning relays and continued to be the top sprint breaststroker, winning the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.83) by almost three seconds. The Jumbos got an early lead when freshman Sean Sullivan, Rochette, junior Jason Kapit, and Baron easily won the 400 medley relay by about six seconds (3:42.17). In addition to anchoring the winning relay team, Baron also won the 200 and 100 butterfly events with times of 1:57.55 and 53.82 respectively. Juniors Seth Rosenberg and Brett Baker also won both of their two individual events. Rosenberg proved his versatility by winning the 400 IM (4:25.54) and the 200 IM (2:04.75) and also came in second to junior teammate Steven Ward in the 200 breastroke. Ward won with a time of 2:21.95. Baker continued to swim fast in the sprint freestyle events. He won the 50 free in 22.39 seconds and the 100 free in 48.87 seconds. In the 200-yard freestyle Tufts earned first, second, and third places in the 200 freestyle led by sophomore Justin Fanning who won with a 1:48.39. Fanning also finished second in the 100 free beind Baker. Junior Jon Godsey won the 100 backstroke with an impressive time of 54.73. Sophomore Ray Radovich won the 200 backstroke with a 2:05.11. Freshmen Jeff Goldberg also had a solid meet as he cruised to a win in the 500 freestyle (5:11.41) and earned second in the 200 freestyle (1:54.18). This Saturday, the swim team will compete at the MIT Invitational before they begin resting up for the NESCAC championships. The Jumbos are anything but complacent with their current standing and are looking forward to the championship. "There are still a few weeks left of the season and we have a lot we want to accomplish at the MIT Invitational and NESCAC championships," said Rochette. "We are really looking forward to those meets."
The flurry of offseason activity involving Eastern Conference teams had experts abuzz over the prospects of several teams for the 2004-2005 season.
Ice Cube's newest theatrical release, "Are We There Yet?" is his first foray into the world of family comedy. After seeing the film, one hopes it will also be his last. Nick Persons (Ice Cube), a former minor league baseball player whose career was cut short by injury, owns a sports collectibles store in Portland, Oregon with his friend Marty (Jay Mohr). Lonely and bored, Nick dreams of meeting a woman. Enter Suzanne Kingston (Nia Long), a sexy divorc?©e. Unfortunately for Nick, he has landed in the dreaded 'friend zone,' doomed to a platonic relationship with her. Also standing in his way are Suzanne's two children, who have made it their personal mission to drive off her potential suitors. Opportunity knocks when on New Year's Eve, Suzanne's ex-husband, supposed to bring the kids to Vancouver to meet her for the holiday, says he's too sick to go. Suzanne, desperate, turns to Nick to bring the kids to Vancouver. Almost immediately the trip is beset by a series of obnoxious and improbable mishaps. After the children get the group kicked off their flight, the trio set out in Nick's pimped-out Lincoln Navigator. Along the way the Navigator is hijacked by the children, run off the road by a bunch of overzealous truckers, and eventually destroyed by a combination of projectile vomit and a crazed deer. After a hobo style train ride and a dramatic horse chase, the children manage to detour to their father's house. As the children peer in the window at their father, they discover him joyfully playing with his new wife and infant child. Nick makes a breakthrough as he tries to comfort the heartbroken children, finally winning them over as he explains how his own father left him. Eventually, of course, Nick gets the girl, and everyone lives happily ever after. Like Jennifer Garner in "13 Going On 30," Cube tries his best to present himself as a mainstream comedic actor to a new generation of kids and parents. Trying new things comes second nature to the rapper, as proven by his eclectic career. Cube first burst onto the national scene as a rapper and songwriter with the influential group N.W.A in the late 1980s. He made his movie debut in "Boyz n the Hood" (1991), and co-wrote and starred in the cult favorite "Friday" (1995). Since then he has become one of the biggest producers in the music industry, producing acts from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Dr. Dre. His latest transformation, however, seems to have fallen flat. Bland and mean-spirited, the film at times seems like a tribute to America's obsession with and imitation of things they see on MTV's "Cribs." From Nick's pimped-out Lincoln Navigator, to the children's proclamation of being 'ghetto fabulous,' the film happily stereotypes African-American culture. Writer/director Brian Levant, ("Snow Dogs," "The Flintstones") seems incapable of making a genuinely amusing movie. Indeed, "Are We There Yet?" is basically a hodge-podge of humorous moments from other films in the genre. The film's premise, bratty kids wreaking havoc, has been savagely beaten to death over the last decade. Other gags, such as a talking Satchel Paige bobble-head doll, voiced by Tracy Morgan, are painfully tired. All in all, this movie is not worth seeing. The proof is in the pudding. Before viewing "Are We There Yet?," ask around and see what people thought of "Snow Dogs" - if you can find anyone that saw it.
Nothing lasts forever, and unbeaten streaks are no exception. The hockey team learned this lesson the hard way on Friday, falling to the Southern Maine Huskies 5-2 at Valley Forum II in a NESCAC/ECAC East matchup. The loss ended Tufts' five game unbeaten streak.
Yesterday the world witnessed a milestone in Iraq-a free and open election. In a sharp rebuff to the insurgents who have worked hard to derail the budding electoral process, the mood on Iraqi streets was festive, with voters throughout the country showing their ink-stained fingers as a matter of pride. However, while we must not overlook the sheer magnitude of the transition that is occurring in the Middle East, we also must not forget the many challenges that still lie ahead for both the Iraqis and the Americans that are on the ground in Iraq. Perhaps the greatest relief about yesterday's events was the relative lack of violence, especially considering the threats and the violent run-up to the elections in the past few weeks. We must not forget, however, that the "calm" streets of Baghdad, Basra, Mosul and other cities were the result of military roadblocks that shut down vehicle traffic in many parts of the cities. While such roadblocks seem to have proven effective at reducing election day violence, the threat of violence against civilians and military personnel will persist long after the returns are tallied. Much of this violence has been and will continue to be propagated by the Sunni minority, the main beneficiaries of former dictator Saddam Hussein's rule. Many Sunnis boycotted yesterday's election at the urging of their leaders, so it would be reasonable to expect that they will not feel as connected to the resulting transitional democracy. The problem typified by Sunni nonparticipation in elections is one of sectarian clashes that have long haunted occupied Iraq. The new government will face the enormous challenge of building a peaceful and secure democracy consisting of Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis without the perception that the Shiite majority is ruling with a deaf ear towards the concerns of others. A democracy is not a license for the majority to strong- arm the minority, but all too often this is unfortunately the case. A truly democratic Iraq must give voice to populations that lack electoral majorities; otherwise, it risks descending further into ethnic conflict. Like the character of the democracy which they are now occupying, the role of American troops in the region seems uncertain at this point. President Bush has pledged that American commanders will heed the wishes of the new government; however, it seems unlikely that we will see a significant reduction in Americans on the ground anytime soon. The precarious security situation combined with weak local defense forces will equal an extended (and probably unwelcome) American presence for the foreseeable future. The Iraqi elections that we witnessed yesterday were no doubt an inspiring event that will find their way into history books. The question that remains, however, is whether the pictures and words reported from yesterday will lead a new chapter in Middle Eastern history or simply serve as a brief island of peace in a sea of violence and desperation. It is incumbent for the Bush administration to ensure that our children read about the former.
International affairs editor of the Financial Times Quentin Peel spoke Thursday before a crowd comprised largely of Fletcher students about strained relations between the European Union (EU) and the United States.
"I was the type of person who had a subscription to the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times since freshman year," said Goldman Sachs product management specialist Kevin Ng (LA 99), recalling his undergraduate years at Tufts.
An influx of new artwork has University officials planning to spread the recently-donated art across the Medford/Somerville campus.
Engaging in winter sports helps some students to enjoy themselves despite the freezing temperatures and roads covered with snow. But for those students who would rather indulge their competitive spirit from the warmth of their dorms, Recycle Mania may be a more appealing winter competition.
Students warm up at Winter Bash after a cold trek to the Gantcher Family Sports and Convocation Center. The Programming board, which organized the event,provided students with bus rides from the Campus Center and Olin to Gantcher. To the delight of many attendees, however, the event's turnout was not as high as that of Fall Ball, which some found to be dangerously crowded. "I preferred Winter Bash to Fall Ball just because it was a lot less crowded," freshman Devra Bergman said. "It was just a fun way to spend a Friday night."
Every war must end. To emerge as a victor presupposes a clear political idea of what constitutes victory. Without reliable and fixed political targets to define the limits of the war, how will we know how the war is going, let alone if we have won? To win wars it is not enough to simply fight, you need to know when you have fought enough.The recent Presidential election could be considered a referendum on the war on terror as it has hitherto been conducted. The Bush administration claims that over 75 percent of al-Qaeda's strength has been depleted and that together with Saddam Hussein's removal there are strong signs that America is winning the war on terror.The claim that "75 percent" of al-Qaeda has been eliminated requires the condition of a static universe. However, the world is never static. Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and elsewhere has certainly been disrupted. However, the rising number of terror attacks worldwide attributable to it or its affiliates is surely an indication that it has capably reorganized and raised new recruits.Treating the war in Afghanistan as synonymous with that in Iraq is a leap of political imagination. The Sept. 11 Congressional Commission has commented that there was no evidence of a link between Saddam Hussein and the perpetrators of the attacks on Sept. 11, nor have any weapons of mass destruction been discovered. Yet, blood and money are being spent in Iraq for a cause that has become conflated with the war on terror, without basis. What had been a successful and justified retaliation against the perpetrators of the attacks on the U.S.S. Cole, the Embassy bombings in Africa, and the Sept. 11 attacks took a radical turn into an open ended conflict, most visibly with the invasion of Iraq. The miscalculation on how successful that war would be is still playing itself out a year after the invasion and over three years since Sept. 11.This is not to deny that terrorism must at some level be met with the threat of force. Indeed, effective violent suppression measures are key tools in the fight against extremists. Intelligence infiltration and covert action are ugly but essential weapons against the shadow warriors of terrorism. However, so are diplomacy, education, economic progress and civil stability. The Bush administration seems to place the ideology of democracy ahead of these fundamental measures of persuasion.They believe that the "elixir" of democracy is enough to cure the evils of terrorism, religious fundamentalism, and even Anti-Americanism. While it is possible to agree intellectually that democracy is the most empowering political agency available, the Bush administration appears to be blind to the damage that the violent methods required to give birth to democracy do to the cause. In other words, means matter as much as the ends.Where it is an indigenously generated political action, Democracy has a standing chance of taking root and consolidating. However, where it is imposed and engineered from without, democracy can prove to be stillborn. Even the seemingly positive outcome of the recent Presidential electoral process in Afghanistan can be misleading. It took place under the guarantee of American political, economic, and military support. What will happen when this is gone? How firmly can President Kharzai govern his provinces? Add to this ambiguity the fact that Afghanistan, unlike Iraq, has not been occupied.The violence in Iraq is operating politically at many levels. Only the most obvious is aimed at the American and Coalition forces. Less clear is the internal struggle between religious factions to achieve political dominance. In between these layers of contest, transnational terrorists in the al Qaeda mold function to radicalize the religious base towards its own grand strategy ends.As with the Johnson administration and Vietnam in the 1960s, the current administration refuses to allow the contention that the insurgents are nationalists and insists on lumping them all together as "terrorists" and "killers." The result is to obscure the political dichotomy between the world that the administration is spending money and blood to achieve, and the world that walks the streets of Iraq each day.This dichotomy was clearly expressed in President Bush's second inaugural speech. In the rhetorical world of his vision, no moral or political ambiguities were evident, but there also no mention of Iraq or Afghanistan. In such an abstract world, the guns cannot fall silent because no one in the administration is connecting the politically pleasing sound of their firing with the politically less palatable consequences of the fall of the shots.Devadas Krishnadas is graduate student at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
With high hopes heading into Saturday's competition at the Wellesley Invitational, the Tufts women's fencing team kicked off its season with a second place finish, losing only to Cornell.
