Just in time for tomorrow’s “Apocalypse, Now!” discussion in POL 103 about international relations & global climate change. I’m also going to show this report on the Maldives.

From guardian:

The broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough says scientists and environmentalists have been cautious of overstating the dangers of global warming, but recent evidence of melting polar caps shows the situation is worse than had been thought. He also discusses population growth and disappearing habitats

Discussing international relations & aliens in POL 103. This is the clip to start that discussion. It’s from Space: Above & Beyond (one of the best, most underrated sci-fi shows, perhaps ever).

Why this clip? For two reasons: 1) The show as a whole was an incredibly realistic portrayal of how humans would stumble into war with any extra-terrestrial species. 2) The show portrayed humans as equally culpable in that conflict and—as this scene suggests—perhaps not entirely “victims” in the war.

If we ever encounter extra-terrestrial life, I suspect this is very likely the result. The 1492 experience (two “worlds” encountering each other) suggests that very thing.

ADDENDUM: This is relevant to IR—and not far-fetched—because the experience of 1492 teaches exactly the same lessons as many science fiction stories do. Or, rather, they ask the same question: If a technologically advanced civilization encountered a “new world,” would it recognize its residents as sentient beings? Would it be able to communicate w/ them? What would be the consequences of lack of communication? How would the advanced civilization behave? How would the “natives” view the “aliens”—and how would they respond? History is full of answers to the questions sci-fi asks.

Another piece for our discussion about IR & cyborgs in POL 103. This time, a short commentary on a recent series of Anonymous attacks in China. 

For our discussion in POL 103 about IR & cyborgs. An Anonymous warning to NYPD to stop interfering with Occupy movement protests.

For our discussion in POL 103 about IR & cyborgs. A CNN report on a recent Anonymous DOS attack on US government websites.

Tomorrow in POL 103: International relations and cyborgs. Part 1 of our Drezner-inspired “Apocalypse Now!” series.

An excellent review of the history of NATO.

From america-abroad-media:

The Origins of NATO

Host Ray Suarez looks back at NATO’s origin as a counterweight to Soviet military might, and its more recent history in the former Yugoslavia, Libya, and Afghanistan.

Over the past six decades, NATO has held together and grown, but not without its share of controversy and dissent.

In 1949, after two world wars, Europe was in shambles and the communist Soviet Union had become the most powerful military force on the continent. The democracies of Western Europe, fearing for their security, asked the United States to join them in a permanent political alliance. Lawrence Kaplan, a history professor at Georgetown University, says the US was uncertain.

“We did not want to make that kind of obligation, which would indeed have broken with the past. We didn’t want to join a European alliance.”

For over 140 years, the United States had made a principle of avoiding entanglements with foreign powers. But, Kaplan says, “The British and the French were so persistent. So the ‘North Atlantic’ becomes the key term to get away from the notion that this was joining Europe. Europe was joining us in a very specific way.”

US President Harry Truman explained his decision to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, as part of the struggle between communism and democracy known increasingly then as a “Cold War.”

(For the rest of the story, plus audio and video, visit us here )