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   Viewing Hotel Rwanda and Discussion with Eric Greitens

High School Model U.N. This Saturday

 

The 17th annual Civitas model U.N. is this Saturday, Nov. 22 from 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM at Spazio's Banquet Hall in Maryland Heights (map).  We are expecting fifteen Security Council countries and forty-six in the General Assembly (see country list on right).  The G.A. will have three committees: (a) Political & Security; (b) Economic & Social, and (c) Human Rights.   It's not a secret that the U.N. is expecting a renaissance with a new administration in Washington that will be emphasizing diplomatic solutions to global problems.  If you are representing a country other than the United States, do you want to try to work collaboratively with the new administration or test the limits of its patience and commitment to negotiations?  These and many other questions will be before us as we wrestle through many of the complex problems facing the nations, and more importantly the people, of the world.   Civitas has had two resolution-writing workshop for high school model UN students in recent weeks.  Bobbi Clemons is doing a terrific job supervising resolution with outstanding help from Lisa Granich-Kovarik and Ariana Miller. As of now we have six resolutions submitted; we need many more to "populate" the Security Council and three General Assembly committees (Political & Security; Economic & Social; and Human Rights).  You can access the submitted resolutions by clicking here.   We encourage you to submit additional resolutions to us by e-mail at info@civitas-stl.com or fax them to (314) 367-7742.  We prefer the e-mail method because then we don't have to key them in again.  If you have questions, you can call Bobbi at the Civitas office [(314) 367-6480] or on her cell phone (314) 443-9785.  You can also contact Civitas associate Ariana, a first year law student at Washington University, on her cell phone: (267) 549-5728.    Remember that at the conclusion of the session we will have our workshop with Eric Greitens in preparation for the "Carefully Getting Out of Iraq" conference (see next story).   In the meantime, Spazio's is known for its outstanding food.  While we're hesitant to make any promises, we don't think that lunch will disappoint you.

 

Civitas Conference on "Carefully Getting Out of Iraq"

 

Further description of conference including list of roles to be played  On-line registration form for conference  The hoopla of "Yes we Can," "Change You Can Believe In" is fading and now we're getting down to the nuts and bolts of what a Barack Obama administration will really be like.  For well over a year, Barack Obama has been saying that the U.S. must “get out of Iraq as carefully as it was careless getting in.”  Polls show that most Americans support this concept, but the details have not really been discussed and analyzed in the public arena.   Civitas will play an active role working with citizens to analyze, study, advocate, or take issue with proposals from this or any other government.  We are starting with Barack Obama's proposal to extricate the United States from Iraq.   We are sponsoring a special simulation on Saturday,  Dec. 13 to role-play what "carefully getting out of Iraq" might look like.  We will ask students to play roles ranging from president and vice-president of the United States to Sunni Muslims to U.S. Secretaries of Defense and State to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Attorney General, head of CIA to head of the oil producing cartel (OPEC).   We do not intend to take a position on whether it is advisable to "get out of Iraq" now; what we want to do is explore what such a move would look like if it was done carefully.

 

In preparation for this conference, Eric Greitens (former Navy Seal with combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as humanitarian experience in Rwanda, Gaza Strip, India, Mexico, Albania, etc.) will do a workshop with participating students following our model U.N. on Sat., Nov. 22.  Eric can discuss the logistical issues involved in any large-scale military enterprise like this; he will also give vital background on the local geo-political situation in Iraq and the Middle East.  Finally he will talk about how a "carefully getting out of Iraq" policy would affect global American foreign policy.   We invite you to participate in the model UN; whether or not you do, we would love to have your brains be part of this conference and at the Greitens workshop from 2:45 PM – 4:00 PM.  Both events are at Spazio's Banquet Hall in Maryland Heights (map).    If you are interested in participating in the conference, click here for further description, click here to register.  If you have questions, contact at info@civitas-stl.com or call us at (314) 367-6480.