Binghamton Novices

1AC (1 of 25)

Observation One: Our Singular Opportunity

Current aid mechanisms to provide Egypt with assistance is riddled with conditions and neoliberal underpinnings that gut any chance for the democratic will of the people

Frederik Andersson 6/30/2011 [is a Swedish writer focussing on political economy] “Creditors, Dictators and IMF “Economic Medicine”: Obama and the G8’s Fake Pledge to Egypt A Continuation of Neo-liberal Policies,” d/l: http://alahai.com/environment/creditors-dictators-and-imf-economic-medicine-obama-and-the-g8%E2%80%99s-fake-pledge-to-egypt-a-continuation-of-neo-liberal-policies //jl

Obama’s much publicized speech on 19th of May

AND

of the Egyptian populace is non-existent.

1AC (2 of 25)

These conditions and high profile attempts to roll out democracy training programs by the US backfire.—Instead, we should indiscriminately assist where asked without conditions in order to stand in solidarity with a democratic transition in Egypt shaped as they envision their own identity absent American restirctions

Steven Cook 3/9/2011 “America Shouldn't Hijack Egypt's Revolution,” Foreign Policy, d/l: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/03/09/america_shouldnt_hijack_egypts_revolution?page=0,1 //jl

Washington has a long wish list for the

AND

the Mubarak era -- including the United States.

[continued on next page]

1AC (3 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

The United States must also understand how this

AND

opportunity to triumph or fail on their own.

1AC (4 of 25)

Fortunately, we have this singular opportunity to waive debt and provide unconditional assistance that will snowball internationally in order to ensure success in Egypt’s transition

Fritz Lodge 7/11/2011 “Sustaining Egypt's Revolution: Too Big to Fail,” d/l: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fritz-lodge/egypt-economy_b_894326.html //jl

Responding to this need, leaders at a

AND

could well hasten the resurrection of his legacy.

1AC (5 of 25)

Therefore, we propose the following plan:

Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase its democracy assistance to Egypt by unconditionally waiving all debt currently held by the United States and by providing direct funding without preconditions to any non-governmental organization in Egypt looking to promote civil society.

1AC (6 of 25)

Observation Two: Opening Ourselves to Otherness

For democracy to stand a chance we must provide a bottom-up form democracy assistance open to local understandings and decision-making

Phyllis Bennis 5/20/2011 [writer, analyst, and director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies] “Obama's Changes Don't Match Changes of the Arab Spring,” d/l: http://www.ips-dc.org/articles/obamas_changes_dont_match_changes_of_the_arab_spring //jl

The only foundation that will work is that

AND

“new Middle East” should look like. 

1AC (7 of 25)

This requires giving aid directly to civil society and NGOs as they ask for it, and not to the government of Egypt itself, in order to prevent a backslide into authoritarianism

Alexandra Blum 3/10/2011 “The Future of U.S. Democracy Promotion: Strategies for a Sustainable Fourth Wave of Democratization,” Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, p. 221-223 //jl

Supporting civil society combats some of the most

AND

outlast foreign aid (Stanski 2005, 200).

…continued on pages 231-232…

Many westerners believe that Islam and authoritarianism in

AND

lose its grip in the Middle East, so

[continued on next page]

1AC  (8 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

the U.S. should consider supporting

AND

with messages that do appeal to Egyptian women.

And, civil society in Egypt is the only check against the numerous pitfalls on the path to democracy and spark change through the region

Diamond  2/16/2011, Larry Diamond, "Transition Traps: how Egypt can avoid most Dangerous Pitfalls on the way to Becoming a Democracy," February 16th, 2011, http://fsi.stanford.edu/news/larry_diamond_transition_traps_20110216/, kk

After the peaceful mass uprising that toppled one

AND

place, and so do many political prisoners.

1AC (9 of 25)

Fortunately, community driven development funding through democracy assistance avoids the pitfalls of top-down aid while eliminating the donor focused nature of current aid

Michelle Astengo and Grace Oh 3/10/2011 “The Future of U.S. Democracy Promotion: Strategies for a Sustainable Fourth Wave of Democratization,” Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, p. 234-235 //jl

As of 2004, the U.S

AND

assistance and examine how CDD can resolve them.

… continued on pages 239-240 …

Easterly contrasts this set up with that of

AND

leaders require legitimacy among the people they govern.

1AC (10 of 25)

As foreigners living in a democracy we have a moral obligation to support bottom-up process of building democracy in Egypt regardless of the costs

Akio Matsumura 2/23/2011  “Uprising in Egypt: Why Not Let the Young People Decide Their Own Future?,” d/l: http://akiomatsumura.com/2011/02/uprising-in-egypt-why-not-let-the-young-people-decide-their-own-future.html //jl

President Obama said “There are very few

AND

idea whose time has come.” -Victor Hugo

1AC (11 of 25)

This obligation must come before all other questions through an infinite expression of openness to the Other

Pat Gehrke 2010 [Associate Professor in the Program in Speech Communication and Rhetoric and the Department of English at the University of South Carolina] “Being for the Other-to-the-Other: Justice and Communication In Levinasian Ethics,” The Review of Communication Vol. 10, No. 1, January 2010, d/l: http://sc.academia.edu/PatGehrke/Papers/192843/Being_for_the_Other-to-the-Other_Justice_and_Communication_In_Levinasian_Ethics //jl

This essay provides an explanation of how Levinas’s

AND

of philosophy onto communication ethics, particularly in the

[continued on next page]

1AC (12 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

rhetorical tradition, which has taken its substance

AND

whereby the thou is the locus from which the

[continued on next page]

1AC (13 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

constitution of the I springs’’ (Vetlesen,

AND

common, for it is precisely this difference without

[continued on next page]

1AC (14 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

community that makes it impossible for me to

AND

formula, and though we may have words and

[continued from previous page]

1AC (15 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

symbols to represent infinity, they are no

AND

justice to my infinite obligation to another Other.

1AC (16 of 25)

Only by heeding this call with action can we avoid the ultimate forms of violence through realizing the impossibility of our obligation while continually striving for the process

Pat Gehrke 2010 [Associate Professor in the Program in Speech Communication and Rhetoric and the Department of English at the University of South Carolina] “Being for the Other-to-the-Other: Justice and Communication In Levinasian Ethics,” The Review of Communication Vol. 10, No. 1, January 2010, d/l: http://sc.academia.edu/PatGehrke/Papers/192843/Being_for_the_Other-to-the-Other_Justice_and_Communication_In_Levinasian_Ethics //jl

In my sheerest existence, before any words

AND

The responsive ‘‘I’’: Levinas’s derivative argument.

1AC (17 of 25)

Observation Three: Once We All Get Along

American global popularity is at an all-time low, undermining the ability to promote a strong international community despite it being an unique time to foster an alternative narrative

Andrew Hammond 5/4/2011 [associate partner at ReputationInc, was a special adviser in the UK government of Tony Blair] “Chance to recast the 'campaign against terrorism',” Business Day, d/l: lexis //jl

THE dramatic news of Osama bin Laden's death

AND

of troops in Afghanistan from 2011-14.

1AC (18 of 25)

In of itself this decline is not problematic because it comes with the opportunity to transition to a multipolar world

Erik Jones and Angela Liberatore 1/2010 “Mapping the Future of the EU-USPartnership: Policy and Research Perspectives,” A Synthetic Overview of the Proceedings Conference held in Brussels on 25-26 January 2010, d/l: http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/eu-us-conference-proceedings_en.pdf //jl

We are witnessing two major transformations that are

AND

We are moving toward a more networked form.

1AC (19 of 25)

Sadly, American attempts to stifle multipolarity ensure violence and war, whereas acceptance ensures a peaceful transition

Layne, 2006 (Christopher, Associate Professor in the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University and Research Fellow with the Center on Peace and Liberty at The Independent Institute, "The Unipolar Illusion Revisited: The Coming End of the United States' Unipolar Moment," International Security, Volume 31, Number 2, Fall, Project Muse)

The United States has a hegemony problem because

AND

, indeed, is America's next grand strategy.

1AC (20 of 25)

And even the perception of the US trying to cling to a unipolar world will turn the inevitable transition into one riddled with wars

Pape 2009 (Robert A. Pape, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, “The Empire Falls”, The National Interest, June 28, http://www.nationalinterest.org/Article.aspx?id=20484)

Clearly, major shifts in the balance of

AND

even further, shoring up their security by adopting

[continued on next page]

1AC (21 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

preventive military strategies, beyond defensive alliances,

AND

plan to reinvigorate the competitiveness of its economy.

[continued on next page]

1AC (22 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

Recently, Harvard’s Michael Porter issued an economic

AND

. Washington must adopt more realistic foreign commitments. 

Fortunately, there is no better place than to reverse this negative perception than by supporting civil society in Egypt, which will have a snowball effect in allowing to democracy to flourish independent from Western ideals

Andrew Sullivan 5/13/2011 “It's smarter to let Libya fight it out,” The Sunday Times (London), d/l: lexis //jl

Its key component has been that the Arab

AND

he was elected in part to manage it.

He was also elected to transform the relationship between the US and the Muslim world. This he has done in part and can still do more. But the place to do this is not Libya but the far more important and promising experiment in Egypt.

The US should be focusing on an array of measures: civilian advice on democratic institutions, close military co-operation, engagement with emerging democratic forces. And, in the wake of a political transition, a second Marshall plan to rebuild Egypt's economy would be money far better spent than on an unknowable, chaotic war in Libya.

1AC (23 of 25)

US support for civil society within Egypt will foster a multipolar democratic governance both within the region and globally

Richard Javad Heydarian 6/21/2011 [This Foreign Policy In Focus contributor is a foreign affairs analyst based in Manila] “Egypt's Evolving Foreign Policy,” d/l: http://www.fpif.org/articles/egypts_evolving_foreign_policy //jl

However, with the political demise of Hosni

AND

ministers met on the sidelines of the Organization of

[continued on next page]

1AC (24 of 25)

[continued from previous page]

Islamic Conference (OIC) in Bali,

AND

can and should be just such a partner.

1AC (25 of 25)

Finally, the shift to working with non-state actors can promote international coalitions that can solve numerous scenarios for extinction through global cooperation

Joseph Nye, 2008 professor of international relations at Harvard University, or later (n.d.) (“American Power After the Financial Crises,” http://www.foresightproject.net/publications/articles/article.asp?p=3533)

Power always depends on context, and in

AND

achieve its aims without the help of others.

Food Aid Shell (1 of 2)

First, newest budget cuts threaten food aid, putting millions of lives at risk

William Lambers August 15 2011 {author of "Ending World Hunger: School Lunches for Kids Around the World."} Ending World Hunger “Congress: Food Aid Budget Cuts a Disaster” http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/congress-food-aid-budget-cuts-a/ ///AP

Congress is fiercely debating budget cuts to save

AND

policy now tragically being forged by our representatives.

And, funding foreign aid ensures trade-offs in other areas like food security

AFP 2/11/2011 “Foreign aid cuts would be 'devastating:' Clinton,” d/l: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iszRIEucrNF2YQ_VZVxxRZAFuiog?docId=CNG.ebeff272fc0b04d38c80f83bba916cbc.711 //jl

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned

AND

, with savings of under one million dollars.

Food Aid Shell (2 of 2)

Sadly, plan ensures trade-off since democracy assistance is expensive, and actually weakens the possibility for democracy

Shumbana Karume 2003 [ FIRST LADY OF ZANZIBAR AND CHAIRPERSON OF ZAYEDESA, AN NGO BASED IN ZANZIBAR] “SUMMARY PAPER ON DEMOCRATIC ASSISTANCE,” d/l: http://www.eisa.org.za/PDF/SADC%20INSIGHT%201.pdf //jl

There are many more arguments that demonstrate why

AND

of democratic assistance on electoral democracy in SADC.

Ultimately, cutting food aid is the greatest threat to world peace

William Lambers February 18 2011 {Global Hunger Examiner} “Congress Shows Poor Judgment with Food Aid Cuts” http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/219493///AP

The Washington Post's story, "House budget

AND

sink American foreign policy by cutting food aid.

1NC—Shell/generic S! Card

TEXT: The European Union should (do the plan)

Solvency:

The role of the US is over in MENA, especially as issues of democracy begin to arise.  European multilateralism and non-Military intervention is preferable because it foregrounds unification and multilateralism.

Whitehead 10

Laurence, Official Fellow in Politics at Nuffield College, University of Oxford, International Dimensions of Political Change in the MENA Region, Taiwan Journal of Democracy, Volume 6, No. 1: 1-23

The EU is a legal economic and political

AND

destructive tendency toward a “clash of civilizations.”

1NC—Net Benefit

EU democratic policy towards MENA is critical to establishing EU soft power and maintenance of security

Panebianco 10

Stefania, University of Catania, “The EU and the Middle East”, in The Foreign Policy of the European Union, edited by Federiga Bindi// guy

It would be a mistake to assume that

AND

interests” and “values,” the EU defends the former.

1NC Shell—Soft Power Zero Sum/mpact

The EU’s emergent multilateral soft power is zero sum with the US and checks against US hard power
 Telo 6
 Mario, Jean Monnet Honorary Chair of International relations and European political integration at the Brussels Free University , Europe: a Civilian Power, 2006, pg.

The existence of EU civilian and multilateral

AND

dimen- sions of the EU’s foreign policy.

Only EU leadership creates a global, multipolar model necessary to solve global peace and prosperity

Jessica L. Hawkinson 8 Thesis in Int'l Studies @ Macalester "ESTABLISHING  MULTICULTURAL INTERDEPENDENCE IN EUROPE" http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=intlstudies_honors

Placing European developments within a context of globalization

AND

morality, global cooperation, and perpetual peace.