Author Archives: Sonam Choedon

Obama visits India

President Obama is on a trip to Asia to promote economic relations between United States and the region. He is spending three of the ten day visit in India, where he has been welcomed with open arms. However the students at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai, asked some tough questions during his talk there. In India, Obama Faces Questions From Students, a article in the New York Times, discusses some of the questions asked by the students. For example, one of the questions that piqued my interest was about Pakistan, and why the United States hasn’t labeled it a “terrorist state”?  Granted that this is India, there was bound to be questions regarding Pakistan, however, India needs to take a look at itself.

Like Pakistan, India has also not signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation  Treaty, which calls for non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy. India is an asset to the US, especially considering its proximity to China, and its developing market, but is it right for us to overlook certain qualms to achieve a peaceful relationship with India?

Will the Environment Survive Peace in the Middle East?

I attended the lecture given by Prof. Alon Tal of Ben Gurion University on Wednesday.

Below is the link to the recording of the lecture, and my notes from it.

Will the Environment Survive Peace in the Middle East

Professor Tal spoke about the prevalence of transboundary pollution, regional challenges in regards to resources, discussed the importance of environmental issues in peace talks. He is optimistic about the future of the region and emphasized the role of civil society and US involvement in peace talks.