International Musings

Dear President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, As a newly appointed advising foreign affairs officer, I believe it to be my duty to address the current Myanmar conflict. Yes, I am aware that this conflict is not new, and yes, I am aware of the seemingly interminable complications surrounding this conflict, but still, I implore you to reflect on both this memo and the Myanmar coup with great seriousness. In the United States, and as citizens of the globe, we must actively support our core values of democracy and basic human rights.  In 1962, when the military first took over what was then referred to as Burma, these aforementioned international values were immediately eradicated from the Burmese social/political landscape . After 60 years of a complete military takeover, and a blatant disregard for the lives of the citizens of Myanmar, the military junta dissolved . This opened up opportunities for the Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLA) political pa...

Nuclear submarines have been a topic of international concern and tension in recent months. As seen in the USA’s poorly handled deal with the French, and subsequent partnership with Australia, the relevance of these naval powerhouses is significant. Most recently, an American couple- Jonathan and Diana Toebbe- were arrested by the FBI and the NCIS after selling “information known as Restricted Data concerning the design of nuclear-powered warships” to an undercover FBI agent, posing as an international representative. Mr. Toebbe has been employed as a nuclear engineer for the Department of the Navy’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. It was through this job, and the national security clearance his job provided him with, that he was able to access this highly sensitive information. The “leaked” information outlined the specific design elements and processes of the warships, the characteristics of the reactors on the ships, and the submarine’s general operating principles. Because only 6...