different ideas that are expressed throughout the world. Wars, along with many other
violent scenarios are being generated across the globe as a new marketing giant simply
referred today as video games. Since the late 70s, video games have always preoccupied
the time of a bored individual seeking entertainment, and to an extent this was the
intended purpose. Today, however, many dissenters of video games argue that they have
become more violent; this I admit is true. They also add that this incline in violence has
had a direct affect on the behavior of the person playing the game. I am completely
against this, for I have played many of these games with my friends and I have never had
a violent outburst. In fact, I find these games an interesting way to act out in a virtual
world. Those that “seem to be affected” may have another psychological disorder that
may be confuse the game and the real world.
Video games were first introduced around the 1970s with very simple mechanics
that would suggest in no way any violence. The first game system was Atari, which was
released in 1975 and featured the game pong (Rampur). By the late 1980s, a game called
Mortal Kombat came out, this game feature one of the first act of physical violence being
done to a human like figure in any video games. Later in 1992, Wolfenstein 3D came out
onto the market, this game was unique because of it being one of the first 1st person
shooter, which is when the player plays the game through the eyes of the character. This
game also featured blood that comes from the enemy character when the player shot them
(Craig et. al.). This game, a…
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benefits/>
Gentile, Douglas. “The effects of video games on children: what parents need to know.”
Pediatrics for Parents (2004): n. pag. Web. 16 Nov 2010.
col1>
Haines, Lester. “Violent video games do not cause aggression.” University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign (2005): n. pag. Web. 28 Nov 2010.
Thompson, Steve. “Can Video Games Help Reduce Stress?” associatedcontent. Yahoo,
2007. Web. 16 Nov 2010.
e_stress_pg2.html?cat=>.
Rampur, Stephen. “Evolution of Video Games.” Buzzel n. pag. Web. 16 Nov 2010.
Apply Smart Sanctions and Remove Saddam
Apply Smart Sanctions and Remove Saddam
In light of our recent success in Afghanistan, the administration now has “Iraq on the radar screen,” according to National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice. Hopefully, increased attention on Iraq will reveal that the economic sanctions aimed at bringing down Saddam Hussein hurt vital U.S. national interests and seriously undermine our legitimacy abroad-all while doing little to achieve their original purpose.
In the Nov. 28 Time Magazine article “Weapons of Mass Distraction,” Eric Brown condemns Saddam Hussein-not economic sanctions-for the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. While Wang acknowledges that Osama bin Laden and Saddam have used these sanctions as an excuse for Iraqi poverty and as evidence that the U.S. is the “world’s greatest terrorist and sponsor of terror,” Wang rejects modifying the sanctions in their current form to avoid being influenced by such “pernicious propaganda.” He argues that Western policymakers should instead worry about the “enormous threat” Saddam Hussein poses “to the sovereignty and stability of every country in the region.”
Regrettably, the current sanctions on Iraq have been ineffective. The starkest indication came on September 11. Strong evidence suggests Iraq supported terrorist activities related to the attacks on that infamous day, sanctions notwithstanding. Sanctions have also been ineffective in preventing Saddam’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs. He has repeatedly obstructed U.N. weapons inspections with few consequences. Since the Shi’ite uprising at the end of the Gulf War in southern Iraq, there have been few domestic threats to Saddam’s power. In fact, the tribal divisions and demographics of Iraq-Kur…
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…nt “smart sanctions” on Iraq to target Saddam and his military and WMD programs directly. This would involve unprecedented intellectual creativity on the part of policy makers, bureaucratic efficiency and coordination among parties, and, most of all, strong leadership on the part of the U.S. Second, we need to remove Saddam from power through external force. This was an option immediately after the Gulf War, and the international community missed their chance. However, in the aftermath of September 11, there exists another opportunity to form a coalition against the immoral Iraqi regime. There have been strong indications from ranking members of the Bush administration that this is their next preferred course of action. Such a move depends on the right mix of careful diplomacy and public relations, both of which would be well served by restructuring the sanctions.