By Sean P. Brooks

Where shall the healing begin? Let me rephrase, in which Muslim capital should President Barack Obama deliver his long-promised speech in his first 100 days to the over one billion believers of Islam?

As a partisan for then-candidate and now President Barack Obama, I will admit that the excitement of his victory may have blurred my objective analysis on occasion. However, I posed the above question to a number of individuals in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates during the first two weeks of January, when we were still in the much-hyped period of an American presidential transition. I was fortunate enough to meet government officials, journalists, and business and civil society leaders in these countries during a recent SAIS Middle East trip to the region.

The set of responses that I received in this admittedly unscientific and unrepresentative survey confirmed that indeed, Mr. Obama’s speech would be welcomed and considered important by many leaders in the Muslim world. Greater conclusions cannot be drawn, except to say that the President seems to have a number of potential intriguing settings for an address that will be judged primarily by its substance and not the choice of location.

Saudi Arabia?

For instance, Mr. Obama could take the advice that I heard most often and go to the birthplace of Islam: Saudi Arabia. To some individuals, this is the only option for the President if he wants to speak directly to the Muslim world. An addendum about the marginality of Indonesia – where most people expect him to go because of his time spent there in early childhood – usually followed this unequivocal recommendation.

Others pointed out the flaws in this thinking, which presumes that traditions of religious practice (i.e. the haj and the direction of prayer) still dictate the flow of ideas and discourse through the global Muslim community. This is not to say that Indonesia was a popular choice, only that for some Saudi Arabia was out of the question, given the intellectual and political restrictions that Mr. Obama would obviously encounter.

The UAE?

Some of our Emirati hosts naturally nominated their booming metropolises of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. They argued that Mr. Obama could endorse the astonishing economic development of these current success stories in the Gulf and present the technology, commerce, and prosperity of the Emirates as one example to which other Arab and Muslim countries could strive.

Despite acknowledging their doubts about replicating the Emirati model, they made a strong case for how the Emirates and other Gulf economies might serve as catalysts for regional change.

Nevertheless, Mr. Obama might want to avoid questions about the role of democracy in the maturation of these societies. Likewise, he will no doubt be wary of following in the footsteps of former President George W. Bush, who spoke in Abu Dhabi just last year.

Baghdad or Ankara?

Finally, two political analysts made separate cases for Baghdad and Ankara. The political rationale behind the Iraqi capital is self-explanatory and probably makes the most sense for the domestic American audience, if Mr. Obama follows through with his promise of an expedient drawn-down of American troops.

Ankara carries with it enormous historical and political opportunities. As the Saudi analyst asserted, “They are Sunni, moderate, and geographically important.” With that said, the choice might upset some Europeans, depending on Mr. Obama’s position about European Union accession.

These responses also reveal the changing dynamics in the region. There was a time when Cairo and Damascus would have been on everyone’s list, but today only the Egyptians and Syrians – probably more out of pride and not conviction – will argue that their capitals represent prospects for change and hope in the region.
The challenge for Mr. Obama is to carry a message that atones for Bush’s mistakes but also affirms that America will not return to policies that condoned the political decay in the region over the last three decades.

Obama started this dialogue in his inaugural address stating, “To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.”
These lines are imbued with the restorative tenor of Obama’s rhetoric that helped him claim victory in November. They must be combined with American policies that will help leaders in capitals like Abu Dhabi, Ankara, Jakarta, and even Baghdad consolidate their recent achievements.

In rebuilding relations with other parts of the Muslim world, the key challenge is how to create an operating environment based on mutual respect, while also challenging a dangerous status quo (of which America’s past policies are partially responsible).

No matter where he goes, it is certain that Mr. Obama will have the opportunity to raise the bar of expectations that Muslim societies set for themselves. Mr. Obama must therefore demonstrate clearly that the United States seeks to help those in Cairo, Damascus, Islamabad, and Riyadh to chart a new course. However, he must stress that this American commitment to partnership depends first and foremost on the decisions to reform and innovate made by leaders in these capitals.

Emphasizing the importance of internal rather than external dynamics and actors for change would represent a bold revision in America’s discourse with the Muslim world. Indeed, from any Muslim capital, Obama can show an appreciation for the challenges of reform ahead while offering steadfast American encouragement and support for revolutionary change.

Sean Brooks is a second year Middle East Studies candidate.

The Enlightenment was a time of great change in Europe as new art forms, technologies, political systems, and religions emerged. While every Westerner has learned about the visible changes of this period, few people understand that the Enlightenment was a development in consciousness itself, not a mere shift in ideas.

In fact, most of the ideas that emerged at this time only existed in post-Enlightenment consciousness. By understanding the developing nature of consciousness on our planet, practitioners of International Relations can gain new insight into the rich tapestry of the human condition.

Prior to the Enlightenment, 2-dimensional (2D) consciousness predominated in the West. To a person in 2D consciousness, reality is characterized by two poles mutually sustaining each other, creating a closed system. Good and evil, God and Devil, faith and heresy, noble and peasant; the 2D universe is rigid and fixed, and the autonomous individual has yet to emerge from it’s polarities. During this period, the Earth was conceptualized as a flat disc and time was measured by the repetitive cycles of nature.

During the Enlightenment, 3D consciousness began expressing itself. To 3D humans, reality is an open system in which the closed loop of 2D polarity can be reconciled by a third point.

Good and evil are transcended by free will, God and Devil are set apart from man, faith and heresy are tested against reason, nobles and peasants become citizens.

Most importantly, the autonomous individual begins to stand apart from his surroundings and even from time itself. After the Enlightenment, the Earth was seen as a sphere, while time was perceived as linear and segmented into abstract units such as hours and weeks.

To further clarify the point, let’s look at the Enlightenment’s intellectual forefather, Saint Augustine of Hippo (died 430 AD). In his early adulthood, St. Augustine belonged to a sect of Christians called Manicheans, who believed that the universe was split into Good and Evil. These forces manifested themselves through man, who could only passively accept the evil done through him and pray that the forces of good would prevail. Manicheans had no concept of free will or an individuated soul, and clearly expressed their 2D consciousness in their belief that the individual is completely subsumed by two poles.

After a decade as a Manichean, St. Augustine became dissatisfied, saying, “I could make no progress in it.” He turned to Plato (the original 3D thinker) and integrated Plato’s ideas of the separate soul, free will, and reason into Christianity. As St. Augustine’s writings spread through the Christian world, the seeds were sown for 3D consciousness to eventually emerge.

A thousand years later, in 1336, the Enlightenment symbolically began when Francesco Petrarch climbed Mt. Ventoux, becoming the first European to climb a mountain simply to enjoy the view. To fully grasp the significance of this act, imagine yourself standing at the peak of a mountain, gazing down at the landscape stretching out to the horizon. Feel the exhilaration and isolation of this position; there is no denying that you are a separate individual who stands apart from the flat surface of the Earth.

This act symbolized Petrarch’s individuation from the 2D consciousness of his time. Significantly, he carried a copy of Augustine’s Confessions with him. Petrarch went on to become a famous poet, scholar, and philosopher whose works inspired the Italian Renaissance.

As the Enlightenment progressed, 3D consciousness manifested itself in a variety of ways. Paintings began to have perspective and depth, while the subject of art turned from religious to human themes. Martin Luther’s Reformation (inspired by St. Augustine) asserted that every individual had the capacity to interpret God’s will for himself. Francis Bacon’s “Scientific Inquiry” posited that man could discern truth by examining his environment, an act requiring man to first stand back and differentiate himself from his surroundings.

The Constitution of the United States was based on individual rights, creating a country dedicated to 3D consciousness. Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations theorized that individuals acting on their own behalf would create an ideal economy, in contrast to the fixed economies of feudal Europe. And the list goes on….

For practitioners of International Relations who wish to understand our troubled planet, it is absolutely essential to see beneath the surface and grasp that consciousness on this planet is slowly evolving from 2D to 3D. While this shift has accelerated in the last few decades, we are still living in a world predominated by pre-Enlightenment consciousness. While this situation is not inherently bad, it is very dangerous when misunderstood. Therefore, as you go through your career, be sensitive not only to different ideas and cultures, but also to fundamentally different types of consciousness.

Paul Alois is first-year M.A. candidate in International Law and president of the Integral Theory Club.

The SAIS Guy answers your questions each month on love, life, and SAIS. Today’s topics: the top 10 things to do before you graduate, and New Year’s resolutions.

Dear SAIS Guy:
First semester flew by. Give me a rundown of the things I need to do to make the most of my SAIS experience. – The Mass Ave Maniac

Dear Maniac:
Alright man, you’ve asked for it. Behold the long-awaited, first time to be published,

TOP 15 THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU GRADUATE FROM SAIS

15. Insert your own here. Email your suggested list item to matt.kaczmarek@jhu.edu and the best will appear in next month’s column.

14. Start dating a fellow SAISer just to see if you can keep it a secret for more than a week.
You won’t be able to, I promise. It helps even more if the love blossoms on a SAIS-affiliated trip abroad. You know who you are, fake-secret-couples!

13. Rearrange a shelf of books in the library.
Seriously, have you ever seen anyone check out a non-reserve book? I don’t think so. I’ve been advocating for almost two years to take out all of the books and replace them with student workspaces. We do our research online now. Why not?

12. Buy a really nice expensive present for your Monetary TA, even if you took the course last spring.
It brings good luck. Trust me.

11. Take the “week-long-meal-event-challenge.”

Try to feed yourself, three meals a day, for a whole week solely by attending events with free food. You’ll be more successful than you think, but by the end you’ll for sure be over Geppetto’s tapenade.

10. Reserve a group study room for the two most popular hours one day each week but never show up.
Ok, this has got to be the douchiest item on this list, but clearly it happens all the time. First, it’s ridiculous that we only have two group study rooms when we have a gazillion people in the first year class. Second, you should really use the room or cancel your reservation if you don’t need it anymore. But, as long as no one plays by the rules, let’s have some fun.

9. Drink the Mad Dog in the fridge.
You know the one. You’ve seen that one beer in the refrigerator door in the basement of Nitze that looks like Paul Nitze himself probably left it there. That’s right… drink it. Just do it. Don’t tell anyone. Then later replace it so someone else can share the adventure.

8. Join SAISPride.
If you think you know how to have some fun in Dupont, just wait until you go out with the SAIS gays. Email saispride@jhu.edu to get on the guest list, and night after night, watch your calendar fill up with crazy memories. That, and, you might be surprised by who else you see out.

7. Write your significant other’s business school applications.
You came to SAIS because it felt good to balance that market-oriented, laissez-faire, radical free trader drive and determination with a little do-gooder democracy promotion, foreign aid, and microfinance warm fuzzy, but now you’re starting to feel soft. Still think you can get into Harvard Business School? Go for it. What’s the worst that could happen? As Professor Wedgwood says (and these are words I live by): “In life, do what makes you happy; but if you do, marry up.”

6. Make out with Mr. SAIS.
I know, hot. He’s like a mascot, but (hopefully) less furry. Plus, he embarrassed himself in front of the whole school. You might as well make him feel like the whole thing was worth it.

5. Find a way to use the Dean’s private bathroom.
This one may be an urban legend. She may or may not have her own en suite facilities. But if it’s true, you know what to do.

4. Try to take a cookie before 4:00 PM on Tuesday.
You won’t be able to. If you thought the cafeteria staff means business while making sandwiches, you should see the way they guard those cookies.

3. Get a job after you graduate.
No, really, it’d be really helpful, for all of us.

2. Pre-marg.
The pre-marg is an ultra exclusive SAIS ritual. Pre-marg is a verb, officially meaning the process of enjoying a margarita before a SAIS event. It could be happy hour, prom, Frisbee on the mall, a financial industry career panel, or even at 9:30 Monday morning before that 10:15 class. It doesn’t even have to be a margarita. Pina Coladas, vodka red-bulls, and the aforementioned Mad Dog are all valid substitutes.

And, the #1 thing to do before you graduate…

1. Make out behind the Berlin wall during happy hour.
Spring is almost here. The weather is getting warmer. Soon happy hour will be outside, and there it stands, the shining pinnacle of anyone’s SAIS career. The fall of the Berlin Wall represented the triumph of representative capitalist democracy over the totalitarian centrally-planned economy. Be sure to make this memory yours before you head out into real life. When the mood is right and you just need that romantic spot on campus, look no further, and pat yourself on the back for completing the #1 thing to do before you graduate from SAIS.
Have you done all 15? Email matt.kaczmarek@jhu.edu to get credit and find out what’s next. – SAISGuy

Dear SAIS Guy:

I’m still in the library, still procrastinating from writing a 30 page paper from last semester, and still trying to come up with a good New Year’s resolution. Any suggestions? – Late in the Library

Dear Late:
It is that time of the year again. Time to reflect on all of the crazy stuff that’s happened to you in 2008 and promise 2009 will be different, or better, or that you’ll start acting like an adult. Aside from the obvious (you should probably start your papers a little further in advance), here are some SAISer sample New Years resolutions:

Spend more time with SAIS classmates and get to know some of the fascinating people we are lucky enough to go to school with. Remember last semester how quickly we went from class to exams to – suddenly everyone was gone! It’s like that every term. Make a point to get to know each other before we all disperse.

Read more before class. We all do our reading, right? Well, we skim at least. Ok, well, most people do most of their reading. Classes can be that much more enriching if we come prepared. Some professors are smart and use techniques like reading summaries and cold-calling to keep us prepared. Consider this next time you see that number in the “amount owed to JHU” line on your ISIS statement. Are you getting your money’s worth from your classes?

Attend more speakers and panels. Think of all this extra brainpower provided at no additional charge to your SAIS experience. Force yourself to ask questions at events. It’s good practice for later in life when you get 30 second with your CEO in the company elevator.

Take up a non-SAIS activity. Frisbee? Pedicures? Tuesday nights have been my traditional non-SAIS nights. Last January I took up yoga, this year it’s beer and hot wings. But whatever your interest, get out of school for a couple of hours each week. Grad school doesn’t provide a lot of downtime, so get some when you can.

Do something to give back to DC or the SAIS community. There has to be a little public interest deep within us to be here, right? Don’t forget there’s a whole city out there that could use your help. Tutor little kids, help low income DCers complete their taxes, clean up after yourself in the cafeteria, or write a column for the SAIS Observer!

Take advantage of being in DC. It may not be America’s most exciting city, but the inaugural season and confirmation hearings put the world’s attention back on DC. There’s a lot to do here. Take some time to venture outside of Dupont.
Those are a few suggestions. As for me, my 2009 resolution will probably involve remembering more of my Saturday nights. – SAISGuy

Remember, email your suggested activity to do before you graduate, along with
questions for future issues, to matt.kaczmarek@jhu.edu and the best will appear in next month’s column.

Matt Kaczmarek is a second year M.A. candidate in Latin American Studies.

My first assignment as a writer for the SAIS Observer.  I could think of no better opportunity to talk to SAISers’ about dating and first dates.

With lots of cultural diversity at SAIS, everyone has their own understanding about “dating” and how to handle the electricity of seeing that person. Besides that, managing the time you have available to find time for that special (or not-so-special) person may be a little difficult.  Dating may seem impossible because of our tight schedules.  For many of us the only time we have to socialize is at the popular happy hours on Tuesdays at Lucky Bar or on Friday nights at SAIS. However, this situation does not stop couples from starting to date.

This begs the question: What chance do we have of meeting people at SAIS with whom we may connect?  It seems that people are not looking for romance; it just happens.  Nevertheless, how does “the chase” start?

Interviews with many well-known couples and single students at SAIS about their first dates with fellow SAISers brought out interesting pointers for dating. Speaking with students who had just started dating how the flirtation process also proved interesting.

Many SAISers felt that romance starts with a strong friendship. The best relationships flourish in a class environment where two people make back and forth eye contact and look away with nervous half-smiles, confident that they can be themselves.  Others answered that they did not know when the dating started or even more, at the beginning they did not know that they were dating! Feelings simply emerged.  Romance meant going with the flow while they took the same classes or were assigned to do a presentation together.  People need to read the signs, but what are the signs?

The simplest signs are: frequent phone calls with the most trivial of excuses, such as: “How should I apply to this internship?” “Can I have your notes?” “Do you have my pen?” Having long conversations makes all the difference.  There are other signs that are more direct, such as: Make a drink Trivial-Pursuit bet (if I win the game you have to drink)—as one of my interviewees said, drinking helps.  Other signs, that are less expected, include driving to another state to see that person, or touching his or her hand and feeling butterflies.

You know you’ve got it bad when you hug that person and don’t want that person to go away. Sometimes people feel the spark and the connection is obvious. It is impossible not to laugh when he or she says something even when it is not funny.  Well, SAISers I think that those who dare to make the first move will be surprised by the results! Feelings are always uncertain and unpredictable, but that’s what makes them exciting.

On the other hand, there were some interesting answers about SAISers’ first dates, in which things did not work out well. It can start with a planned date for a friend.  Sometimes, there is just no connection and you cannot help it.  How do you act under these kinds of circumstances?

One interviewee answered, “If there is a silence, you know that things are not going well.  You have to just start to improvise and talk about politics or econometrics.” This always works between SAISers. However, personally I think silence can be very relaxing if I feel comfortable with the person.

How do we deal with the situation if things do not work out?  Dating a SAISer means, if you split up, you will be seeing that person every day.  Our environment is so small and particular that it makes it a little difficult to avoid uncomfortable situations, so communication is important.

“One simple truth is that when nerds date it is never simple” a self proclaimed nerd and SAISer explained. Nothing is simple in this life, at least not in the environment of SAIS. But, after we have passed Microeconomics and International Trade without sleeping for days in a row, we can handle anything right?

Given all of this, should dating a SAISer be considered a plus?  Before, I thought that dating a SAISer was not an option; the classroom is a rocky environment for new relationships to bloom, and everyone is so focused on their courses there seems little time left for romance. But, dating a SAISer may have its advantages.  You are certain to share the same interests about politics, economics, development, and an international perspective about social reality.   Given mutually hectic schedule, you can understand each other’s lack of time. Sharing the same environment and the same friends makes it easier for you to spend more time with your partner, even if it’s in the library.

In the end, it does not matter if you are dating someone from SAIS or not. You may connect with someone from the outside world. What makes the relationship work depends all on you and how willing you are to act with maturity and honesty to communicate with your partner. The secret may be a lot of patience and communication, and a good friendship. As one of my interviewees said: A healthy relationship is like a healthy garden– you need to constantly tend to it and address those small weeds’ so that they do not  become big weeds and ruin what you care about.”

The author of this article chose to remain anonymous.

Disappointed by loss, the SAIS McCain group has found satisfactory performance in President Obama. Despite disagreeing with many of his campaign promises, and having a strong preference for McCain in the election, the SAIS McCain group has, post-election, found many of Obama’s initial policies and actions to be adequate, if not desirable, in addressing our concerns on key issues.

First and foremost, it is impossible to ignore the energy and excitement that President Obama has brought to Washington and the country. This “national optimism” is a welcome relief after years of despondency, and it is especially important during our current economic trouble and while fighting an enemy whose objectives include undermining our national spirit and unity. Whether the pessimism was real or imagined, justified or self-exaggerated, or just a result of strategic propaganda, there is no doubt that hundreds of thousands of people were incredibly displeased with the last administration. True to form, our democratic system captured the national mood and the national vote, and we should all recognize and appreciate the relatively peaceful and effective transition from one party to the other.

President Obama’s decision to keep Secretary of Defense Gates is significant. No other single decision did more to ease the anxiety of security-minded conservatives and help us all breathe a sigh of relief. The President may have had any number of motivations for this decision—from appeasing certain conservatives, creating the image of bipartisanship, or sincerely recognizing the value of continuity in a time of war—but at the end of the day, Obama demonstrated great wisdom by keeping a former intelligence officer and counterterrorism expert in charge of our military while we fight two major wars and a global “test of wills” against a lethal and suicidal jihadist movement.

Closing Guantanamo Bay will likewise prove to be a positive decision, contingent on the new Administration’s pending plans to hold and prosecute Gitmo’s infamous detainees. Obama has recognized that there are more significant logistical and legal complexities to the problem than he either realized or admitted while campaigning; as a result, the prison may likely stay open longer than planned, to the dismay of his far-left supporters. A good read of the detainees’ biographies and résumés should make anyone think twice about releasing them back into the battlefields of the Middle East. Yet any reputable lawyer can explain the difficulties of prosecuting them in US criminal courts. (Few people realize that the former Administration attempted to release many of them, but that the detainee’s home countries rejected them—we suspect it wasn’t because they had too many parking tickets. Others who were released have already returned to their violent pasts.) For these reasons, the President’s proven intellect will hopefully help him to balance all aspects of this complex problem.

President Obama’s economic policies reflect the difficulties that any newly elected official must face – balancing the expectations created on the campaign trail with the pragmatic realities of governing. In his campaign, Obama sounded like a free-marketer’s nightmare, supporting farm subsidies, criticizing the windfall profits earned by oil companies, and extolling the virtues of unions. Yet from his transition and early weeks in office, Obama’s true economic inclinations are harder to perceive.

Obama’s economic policies suggest two trends that stoke the intrigue of most conservatives. First, he has decided to make the economy a priority for his Administration. Every morning, he receives a thirty-minute report on the economy from the Director of the National Economic Council. His unapologetic support for fiscal stimulus shows that he is committed to jump-starting economic growth and limiting the fallout of the current recession. Anecdotally, he has moved the entire staff of the Council of Economic Advisors, the President’s ad hoc in-house think-tank, from its remote location in downtown Washington, D.C. to the West Wing of the White House. Clearly, he has shown a renewed commitment to the economy.

Perhaps most importantly, Obama has chosen to surround himself with an all-star cast of economic advisors. The aforementioned Director of the NEC, Larry Summers, is a seasoned economic technocrat, spanning several Presidential Administrations since Reagan’s first term and administrative posts at Harvard University and the World Bank. His choice to head the Council of Economic Advisors, Christy Romer, is an economic historian with a deep understanding of the Great Depression. She recently co-wrote a paper arguing that higher taxes stymie economic growth. Timothy Geithner, Obama’s pick to lead the Treasury Department, is a youthful, intelligent, management-savvy economic regulator. The team surrounding President Obama is highly qualified and well respected by conservatives. Though we remain cautious and skeptical of how for liberal Obama can go in meeting conservative needs and desire, his presidency is certainly on the path of uniting the country around key issues in a bipartisan manner.

Phillip Kreck is a second year Strategic Studies candidate.