Topical affs must provide material support-they can’t just be diplomatic or symbolic

Burnell, Warwick International Studies professor, 2000

(Peter, Democracy Assistance: International Cooperation for Democratization, pg 5-6, ldg)

When defining democracy assistance there […] can involve somewhat arbitrary judgments.

Assistance is distinct from diplomacy or symbolic actions

Stahn et al., Free University Berlin, 2007

(Andreas, “Different actors, different tools? Approaching EU and US democracy promotion in the Mediterranean and the Newly Independent States”, May, http://aei.pitt.edu/7911/1/hullen-v-03e.pdf, DOA: 10-24-11, ldg)

Tools as a category are […] linked to the different choices sketched.

Precision---only our interpretation preserves it---that’s key to the entire academic project of democracy assistance

Lappin, PhD candidate at the Centre for Peace Research and Strategic Studies, 2010

(Richard, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Democracy Assistance: The Problem of Definition in Post-Conflict Approaches”, CEJISS Volume 4, Issue 1, http://soc.kuleuven.be/iieb/docs/2010/CEJISS-lappin.pdf, ldg)

By the end of the 1990s, the term […] in practice, will ultimately be undermined.

Will pass- PC is Key

Fox Business, 3-15

("Obama's Push on Trade With Russia Raises Senate Concerns," 3-15-12, www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/03/15/obamas-push-on-trade-with-russia-raises-senate-concerns/, accessed 3-24-12, mss)

Senators from both parties […] exporters in order to send a message to Moscow.

Democracy assistance drains capital – no constituency, tea party influence and fear of Muslim takeover.

Hamid, Project on Middle East Democracy director of research, 2011

(Shadi, "Tunisia, Egypt, Arab world need bold US support for democracy, not mixed messages," 1-26-11, Dow Jones Factiva, accessed 6-11-11, mtf)

Hard to shift gears now  Considering the […] likely to make Americans uncomfortable.)

PC key- China proves

Palmer, Reuters staff, 12-13

(Doug, "Russia trade vote will be "hard lift": U.S. lawmaker," Reuters, 12-13-11, mobile.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE7BC1DE20111213?irpc=932, accessed 3-24-12, mss)

The White House faces a major […] by the administration of President Bill Clinton.

C. PNTR key to sustainable relations- psychology and political constituency

Allison et al, Harvard Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs director, 11

(Graham Allison, Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs director, leading analyst of U.S. national security and defense policy for three decades, former Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Robert D. Blackwill, Council on Foreign Relations U.S. foreign policy senior fellow, former deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for strategic planning under George W. Bush, former Ambassador to India, served in the National Security Council, former Harvard international security lecturer, et al, “Russia and U.S. National Interests: Why Should Americans Care,” Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs & the Center for the National Interest, October 2011, http://www.cftni.org/Russia-and-US-NI_final-web.pdf, accessed 3-24-12, mss)

Bilateral U.S.-Russian trade and investment remains […] country grows and acquires critical mass. 

Strong relations key to prevent US-Russia war AND solve the aff- the alternative empowers Russian ultra-nationalists

Cohen, NYU Russia studies professor, 11

(Stephen, Ph.D. in government and Russian studies from Columbia University, he has studied Russia's history and politics for fifty years as professor of politics and Russian studies at Princeton University (1968-98) and then Russian Studies and History at New York University since then, advised former President George H.W. Bush, The Nation contributing editor, "Obama's Russia 'Reset'," The Nation, 6-1-11, www.thenation.com/article/161063/obamas-russia-reset-another-lost-opportunity?page=full, accessed 3-23-12, mss)

An enduring existential reality has been […] the reset, it is highly vulnerable to such attacks.

Engaging political questions corrupts our relationship to god

Copeland, University of Miami School of Law associate professor, 9

(Charlton C., "God-Talk in the Age of Obama: Theology and Religious Political Engagement," Denver University Law Review, 86 Denv. U.L. Rev. 663, 2009, l/n, accessed 1-27-12, mss)

The rejection of the social order and its culture as a response to the call of […] culture is near-complete separation of the two realms.

Your ultimate concern ought to be how to be properly related to God- it’s the only worthwhile source of value

Craig, Talbot School of Theology philosophy research professor, 4

(Dr. William Lane, Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Birmingham (England), Th.D. under from the University of Munich, "Does God Exist?" 2004, delveintojesus.com/Articles/64/Does-God-Exist.aspx, accessed 11-20-11, mss)

C. S. Lewis once remarked that God is not the sort of […] despair over hope, meaningfulness and happiness.

Counterplan: The United States Federal Government should propose that it should offer to mediate a dialogue among Syrian democratic opposition groups for the purpose of negotiating a democratic transition in Syria in the form of a binding public referendum.

Counterplan solves- public backs democracy assistance

Tures, LaGrange College political science associate professor, 7

(John, "The Democracy-Promotion Gap in American Public Opinion," Journal of American Studies, Dec 2007, 41(3), proquest, accessed 11-5-11, mss)

During the years of the Cold War, Americans appeared […] thought this would be a bad idea.14

Counterplan demonstrates direct democracy is feasible- key to solve the concentration of political power and impending crises that cause extinction

Gare, Swinburne University social sciences professor, 3

(Arran, Swinburne University (Melbourne, Australia), Ph.D. from Murdoch University, "Beyond Social Democracy? Beyond Social Democracy?" Democracy and Nature, 9(3), Nov 2003, ebsco, accessed 6-30-11, mss)

The analysis of the global economy exposes the illusions […] the destruction of the ecological conditions of their existence.

Text: The United States Supreme Court should rule that Syrian right to democracy requires mediating a dialogue among Syrian democratic opposition groups for the purposes of negotiating a democratic transition in Syria.

Allows Congress to take a position-solves backlash

Whittington, politics professor at Princeton, 2007

(Keith, “Political foundations of judicial supremacy” 136-137, ldg)

Effective political leaders find the means […] the lacuna left by the judicial decisions. 

Assad stable-key groups won’t abandon him.

Starr, Dubin City University Interantional Security MA, 2-29-12

(Stephen, lived in Syria the last 5 years and former Syria Times editor, “Five Years in Damascus”, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/02/29/five_years_in_damascus, DOA: 2-29-12, ldg)

The regime remains strong[…] realize it -- are the growing

Assad will lash out against Israel

Ceren, editor of Mere Rhetoric, 11

(Omri, Ph.D candidate at USC in media and argumentation, “Just How Bad Could a Syrian Collapse Get,” Israel Bonds Commentary, August 1,  http://commentarymagazine.com/2011/08/01/Syrian-collapse-israel/, accessed 3-25-12, tlr)

But the continued stability of […] and military justifications for retaliation would be overwhelming.

Iran and Hezbollah perceive Assad as stable now—plan causes them to go for broke and destabilize the entire region—that takes out case solvency

ICG, International Crisis Group, 11

(“Uncharted Waters: Thinking Through Syria’s Dynamics,” November 24, http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middle-east-north-africa/egypt-syria-lebanon/syria/B031-uncharted-waters-thinking-through-syrias-dynamics.aspx, accessed 3-25-12, tlr)

They have grounds to be worried. International pressure […] their Lebanese Sunni allies.

Dialogue fails

Avni, New York Based foreign correspondent for over 25 years, 3-12-12

(Benny, “Sipping tea won’t stop Syrian slaughter”, http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/sipping_tea_won_stop_syrian_slaughter_acdems0x9qkoKBo9gLa36H, DOA: 3-20-12, ldg)

Before leaving Syria yesterday, Annan told […] fighting can end is with his victory

(% class="MsoNormal" %) **Multiple alt causes to unifying the opposition.** (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;background:yellow;mso-highlight: yellow" %)**Ibish**(% style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt" %)**, American Task Force on Palestine Fellow, 20**(% style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11pt; background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow" %)**11** (% class="MsoNormal" %) (Hussien “Is civil war in Syria inevitable?” Sep. 6, 11 [[http:~~/~~/www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/09/is-civil-war-in-syria-inevitable/244614/?single_page=true>>http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/09/is-civil-war-in-syria-inevitable/244614/?single_page=true]] accessed: 11/6/11)mlb (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% style="font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt" %) (% class="BoldUnderlineChar" style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)Sectarian differences(% class="BoldUnderlineChar" %), (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)tensions (%%)[…](% style="font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt" %) (% class="Underline" %)Salafism(% style="font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt" %), and even Salafist-Jihadism. (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="MsoNormal" %) **No civil war or sectarian violence- Syria will be stable** (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)**__Abdul-Hussain__**(%%), Al-Rai newspaper Washington bureau chief~,~, (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)**__11__** (% class="MsoNormal" %) [Hussain, "No civil war after Assad," NOW Lebanon, 4-27-11, www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=264958, accessed 8-6-11, mss] (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="MsoNormal" %) __No civil war after Assad__ (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% style="font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt" %)Since the outbreak of the Syrian uprising (%%)[…](% style="background:yellow; mso-highlight:yellow" %)__nor head into a civil war.__ (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="MsoNormal" %) **Instability inevitable – escalating radicalization ensures** (% class="Citation" %) (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)Jansen(%%), The Irish Times, (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)2-20 (% class="MsoNormal" %) (Michael, "Uprising will fail but leave lasting divisions, analysts say," The Irish Times, 2-20-12, lexis, accessed 2-24-12, mtf) (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="Underline" style="background:yellow; mso-highlight:yellow" %)The(% class="Underline" %) stalemate in the (% style="background:yellow; mso-highlight:yellow" %)power struggle (%%)[…] US and Europe the opposition(% style="font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt" %). (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="MsoNormal" %) **No Middle East escalation – common interest checks and US is not key** (% class="Citation" %) (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)Fettweis(%%), Assistant Professor of National Security Affairs, 200(% style="background: yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)7 (% class="MsoNormal" %) (Christopher J., National Security Decision Making Department of the US Naval War College, "On the Consequences of Failure in Iraq," Survival 49.4, p. 83-98, Military & Government Collection. EBSCOhost, accessed 9-25-11, mtf) (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="MsoNormal" %) (% class="Underline" %)Without the US presence, a second […] (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)far more likely than (%%)outright (% style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow" %)warfare(% style="font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;background:yellow;mso-highlight: yellow" %).

No conflict-Iran gave up on Syria.

Afrasiabi, Ph.D, professor of political science at Boston University, 11

Kaveh, Asia Times, Ph.D.“Iran Makes a u-turn on Syria,” 9/1/11 http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MI01Ak01.html, accessed 11-6-11, tlr)

After months of tacitly echoing Damascus' dismissal of the growing […] to the author on the condition of anonymity.

No Impact to Saudi-Iranian tensions – wont’ turn into a military conflict

Al-Jamal, columnist, 11

(Moussa Mahmoud, “Is Iran ‘sectarianizing’ Bahrain conflict?” Al Arabiya News, 4-20-11, http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/04/20/146144.html, accessed 9-26-11, beh)

Both Mr. Salman and Mr. Mousavi, however, […] the Western agenda,” he said. 

Economic growth unsustainable—collapse inevitable-3 reasons

McKenzie, contributor to New Scientist, 2008

(Debora, “Are we doomed?; The very nature of civilisation may make its demise inevitable, says Debora MacKenzie”, New Scientist, 4-5, lexis, ldg)

DOOMSDAY. The end of civilisation. Literature and film […] the long run this cannot be sustainable.

Growth causes war-collapse doesn’t

Deudney, John Hopkins political science professor, 1991

(Daniel, “Environment and security: Muddled thinking.”, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; Apr1991, Vol. 47 Issue 3, ebsco, ldg)

 In a second scenario, declining living […] environmental degradation would inevitably lead to war

No Saudi prolif – laundry list

Lippman, CFR Senior Adjunct Scholar, 2011

(Thomas, “Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear Policy – Lippman” SUSRIS 8-5-11  http://www.susris.com/2011/08/05/saudi-arabia%E2%80%99s-nuclear-policy-lippman/ accessed: 3-26-12 mlb)

 Even aside from the fact that such a nuclear program […] which it is becoming increasingly dependent.