Testbacksecurity

Chapter 2 – Why Security is NeededTRUE/FALSE 1. Information security’s primary mission is to ensure that systems and their contents retain their confidentiality at all costs. ANS:FPTS:1 2. Information security safeguards the technology assets in use at the organization. ANS:TPTS:1 3. A firewall is a mechanism that keeps certain kinds of network traffic out of a private network. ANS:TPTS:1 4. An act of theft performed by a hacker falls into the category of â€Å"theft,† but is also often accompanied by defacement actions to delay discovery and thus may also be placed within the category of â€Å"forces of nature. ANS:FPTS:1 5. Two watchdog organizations that investigate allegations of software abuse: SIIA and NSA. ANS:FPTS:1 6. A number of technical mechanisms—digital watermarks and embedded code, copyright codes, and even the intentional placement of bad sectors on software media—have been used to enforce copyright laws. ANS:TPTS:1 7. A worm requires that another program is running before it can begin functioning. ANS:FPTS:1 8. A worm can deposit copies of itself onto all Web servers that the infected system can reach, so that users who subsequently visit those sites become infected. ANS:TPTS:1 9. Attacks conducted by scripts are usually unpredictable. ANS:FPTS:1 10. Expert hackers are extremely talented individuals who usually devote lots of time and energy to attempting to break into other people’s information systems. ANS:TPTS:1 11. With the removal of copyright protection, software can be easily distributed and installed. ANS:TPTS:1 12. Forces of nature, force majeure, or acts of God can present some of the most dangerous threats, because they are usually occur with very little warning and are beyond the control of people. ANS:TPTS:1 13.Much human error or failure can be prevented with training and ongoing awareness activities. ANS:TPTS:1 14. Compared to Web site defacement, vandalism within a network is less malicious in intent and more public. ANS:FPTS:1 15. With electronic information is stolen, the crime is readily apparent. ANS:FPTS:1 16. Organizations can use dictionaries to disallow passwords during the reset process and thus guard against easy-to-guess passwords. ANS:TPTS:1 17. DoS attacks cannot be launched against routers. ANS:FPTS:1 18. A mail bomb is a form of DoS. ANS:TPTS:1 19.A sniffer program shows all the data going by on a network segment including passwords, the data inside files—such as word-processing documents—and screens full of sensitive data from applications. ANS:TPTS:1 20. A timing attack involves the interception of cryptographic elements to determine keys and encryption algorithms. ANS:TPTS:1 MODIFIED TRUE/FALSE 1. Intellectual property is defined as â€Å"the ownership of ideas and control over the tangible or virtual representation of those ideas. † _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 2. The macro virus infects the key operating system files located in a computer’s boot sector. ________________________ ANS:F, boot PTS:1 3. Once a(n) back door has infected a computer, it can redistribute itself to all e-mail addresses found on the infected system. _________________________ ANS:F virus worm PTS:1 4. A(n) polymorphic threat is one that over time changes the way it appears to antivirus software programs, making it undetectable by techniques that look for preconfigured signatures. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 5. When voltage levels surge (experience a momentary increase), the extra voltage can severely damage or destroy equipment. ________________________ ANS:F, spike PTS:1 6. The shoulder looking technique is used in public or semipublic settings when individuals gather information they are not authorized to have by looking over another individual’s shoulder or viewing the information from a distance. _________________________ ANS:F, surfing PTS:1 7. Hackers are â€Å"people who use and create computer software to gain access to information illegally. † _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 8. Packet kiddies use automated exploits to engage in distributed denial-of-service attacks. _________________________ ANS:F, monkeys PTS:1 9. The term phreaker is now commonly associated with an individual who cracks or removes software protection that is designed to prevent unauthorized duplication. _________________________ ANS:F, cracker PTS:1 10. Cyberterrorists hack systems to conduct terrorist activities via network or Internet pathways. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 11. The malicious code attack includes the execution of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and active Web scripts with the intent to destroy or steal information. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 12.The application of computing and network resources to try every possible combination of options of a password is called a brute crack attack. _________________________ ANS:F, force PTS:1 13. One form of e-mail attack that is also a DoS is called a mail spoof, in which an attacker routes large quantities of e-mail to the target. _________________________ ANS:F, bomb PTS:1 14. Sniffers often work on TCP/IP networks, where they’re sometimes called packet sniffers. _________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 15. A(n) cookie can allow an attacker to collect information on how to access password-protected sites. ________________________ ANS:TPTS:1 MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following functions does information security perform for an organization?a. Protecting the organization’s ability to function.b. Enabling the safe operation of applications implemented on the organization’s IT systems.c. Protecting the data the organization collects and uses.d. All of the above.ANS:DPTS:1 2. ____ is an integrated system of software, encryption methodologies, and legal agreements that can be used to support the entire information infrastructure of an organization.a. SSLb. PKIc. PKCd. SISANS:BPTS:1 3. ____ are software programs that hide their true nature, and reveal their designed behavior only when activated.a. Virusesb. Wormsc. Spamd. Trojan horsesANS:DPTS:1 4. Which of the following is an example of a Trojan horse program?a. Netskyb. MyDoomc. Klezd. Happy99. exeANS:DPTS:1 5. As frustrating as viruses and worms are, perhaps more time and money is spent on resolving virus ____.a. false alarmsb. power faultsc. hoaxesd. urban legendsANS:CPTS:1 6. Web hosting services are usually arranged with an agreement providing minimum service levels known as a(n) ____.a. SSLb. SLAc. MSLd. MINANS:BPTS:1 7. Complete loss of power for a moment is known as a ____.a. sagb. faultc. brownoutd. blackoutANS:BPTS:1 8. Acts of ____ can lead to unauthorized real or virtual actions that enable information gatherers to enter premises or systems they have not been authorized to enter.a. bypassb. naturec. trespassd. securityANS:CPTS:1 9. There are generally two skill levels among hackers: expert and ____.a. noviceb. journeymanc. packet monkeyd. professionalANS:APTS:1 10.One form of online vandalism is ____ operations, which interfere with or disrupt systems to protest the operations, policies, or actions of an organization or government agency.a. hacktivistb. phvistc. hackcyberd. cyberhackANS:APTS:1 11. According to Mark Pollitt, ____ is the premeditated, politically motivated attacks against information, computer systems, computer programs, and data which result in violence against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents.a. infoterrorismb. cyberterrorismc. hackingd. crackingANS:BPTS:1 12. ___ is any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge.a. A botb. Spywarec. Trojand. WormANS:BPTS:1 13. The ____ data file contains the hashed representation of the user’s password.a. SLAb. SNMPc. FBId. SAMANS:DPTS:1 14. In a ____ attack, the attacker sends a large number of connection or information requests to a target.a. denial-of-serviceb. distributed denial-of-servicec. virusd. spamANS:APTS:1 15. A ____ is an attack in which a coordinated stream of requests is launched against a target from many locations at the same time.a. denial-of-serviceb. distributed denial-of-servicec. virusd. spamANS:BPTS:1 16. ____ are machines that are directed remotely (usually by a transmitted command) by the attacker to participate in an attack.a. Dronesb. Helpersc. Zombiesd. ServantsANS:CPTS:1 17. In the well-known ____ attack, an attacker monitors (or sniffs) packets from the network, modifies them, and inserts them back into the network.a. zombie-in-the-middleb. sniff-in-the-middlec. server-in-the-middled. man-in-the-middleANS:DPTS:1 18.The ____ hijacking attack uses IP spoofing to enable an attacker to impersonate another entity on the network.a. WWWb. TCPc. FTPd. HTTPANS:BPTS:1 19. â€Å"4-1-9† fraud is an example of a ____ attack.a. social engineeringb. virusc. wormd. spamANS:APTS:1 20. Microsoft acknowledged that if you type a res:// URL (a Microsoft-devised type of URL) which is longer than ____ characters in Internet Explorer 4. 0, the browser will crash.a. 64b. 128c. 256d. 512ANS:CPTS:1 COMPLETION 1. A(n) ____________________ is an object, person, or other entity that represents an ongoing danger to an asset. ANS:threat PTS:1 2. Duplication of software-based intellectual property is more commonly known as software ____________________. ANS:piracy PTS:1 3. A computer virus consists of segments of code that perform ____________________ actions. ANS:malicious PTS:1 4. A(n) ____________________ is a malicious program that replicates itself constantly, without requiring another program environment. ANS:worm PTS:1 5. A virus or worm can have a payload that installs a(n) ____________________ door or trap door component in a system, which allows the attacker to access the system at will with special privileges.ANS:back PTS:1 6. A momentary low voltage is called a(n) ____________________. ANS:sag PTS:1 7. Some information gathering techniques are quite legal, for example, using a Web browser to perform market research. These legal techniques are called, collectively, competitive ____________________. ANS:intelligence PTS:1 8. When information gatherers employ techniques that cross the threshold of what is legal or ethical, they are conducting industrial ____________________. ANS:espionage PTS:1 9. The expert hacker sometimes is called ____________________ hacker. ANS:elite PTS:1 10.Script ____________________ are hackers of limited skill who use expertly written software to attack a system. ANS:kiddies PTS:1 11. A(n) ____________________ hacks the public telephone network to make free calls or disrupt services. ANS:phreaker PTS:1 12. ESD means electrostatic ____________________. ANS:discharge PTS:1 13. A(n) ____________________ is an act that takes advantage of a vulnerability to compromise a controlled system. ANS:attack PTS:1 14. A(n) ____________________ is an identified weakness in a controlled system, where controls are not present or are no longer effective. ANS:vulnerability PTS:1 15. Attempting to reverse-calculate a password is called ____________________. ANS:cracking PTS:1 16. ____________________ is a technique used to gain unauthorized access to computers, wherein the intruder sends messages with a source IP address that has been forged to indicate that the messages are coming from a trusted host. ANS:Spoofing PTS:1 17. ____________________ is unsolicited commercial e-mail. ANS:Spam PTS:1 18. In the context of information security, ____________________ is the process of using social skills to convince people to reveal access credentials or other valuable information to the attacker.ANS:social engineering PTS:1 19. The timing attack explores the contents of a Web browser’s ____________________. ANS:cache PTS:1 20. A(n) ____________________ is an application error that occurs when more data is sent to a program buffer than it is designed to handle. ANS: buffer overrun buffer overflow PTS:1 ESSAY 1. List at least six general categories of threat. ANS: Compromises to intellectual property : piracy, copyright infringement Software attacks : viruses, worms macros, denial of service Deviations in quality of service : ISP, power, or wan service issues from service providers Espionage or trespass : unauthorized access and /or data collection Sabotage or vandalism : destruction of system or information Forces of nature Human error or failure Information extortion Missing, inadequate, or incomplete Missing, inadequate, or incomplete controls Theft Technical hardware failures or errors Technical software failures or errors Technological obsolescence PTS:1 2. Describe viruses and worms. ANS: A computer virus consists of segments of code that perform malicious actions. The code attaches itself to the existing program and takes control of that program’s access to the targeted computer. The virus-controlled target program then carries out the virus’s plan, by replicating itself into additional targeted systems. A worm is a malicious program that replicates itself constantly, without requiring another program to provide a safe environment for replication. Worms can continue replicating themselves until they completely fill available resources, such as memory, hard drive space, and network bandwidth. PTS:1 3. Describe the capabilities of a sniffer. ANS:A sniffer is a program or device that can monitor data traveling over a network. Sniffers can be used both for legitimate network management functions and for stealing information from a network. Unauthorized sniffers can be extremely dangerous to a network’s security, because they are virtually impossible to detect and can be inserted almost anywhere. Sniffers often work on TCP/IP networks, where they’re sometimes called packet sniffers. A sniffer program shows all the data going by, including passwords, the data inside files and screens full of sensitive data from applications. PTS:1

Succubus Shadows Chapter 15

It was 1942, and I was in France. I didn't want to be in France. I hadn't wanted to be there for the last fifty years, yet somehow, Bastien kept talking me into staying. There was also the small fact that our supervising archdemon didn't want us to go. He liked the way we worked together. Incubus-succubus teams were hit or miss sometimes, but we were exceptional, and our superiors had taken note. It was good for our hellish careers but not for my morale. Bastien didn't see what my problem was. â€Å"Hell doesn't even need us here,† he told me one day, after I'd complained for like the thousandth time. â€Å"Think of it as a vacation. Hordes of souls are being damned here every day.† I walked over to the window of our shop and peered out onto the busy road, pressing my hands against the glass. Bicyclists and pedestrians moved past, everyone needing to get somewhere and get there fast. It could have been any ordinary weekday in Paris, but this was no ordinary day. Nothing had been ordinary since the Germans had occupied France, and the scattered soldiers in the street stood out to me like candles in the night. Bad simile, I thought. Candles implied some kind of hope or light. And while Paris had fared better than most people realized under Nazi rule, something in the city had changed. The energy, the spirit†¦whatever you wanted to call it, it had a taint to me. Bastien said I was crazy. Most people were still living their daily lives. The food shortages weren't as bad here as in other places. And after shape-shifting into Aryan nation poster children with blond hair and blue eyes, we were more or less left alone. Bastien was still going on about my glum mood while he moved about and straightened hat displays in my periphery. He'd chosen millinery as his profession for this identity, one that worked well for meeting well-to-do Parisian women. I played the role of his sister – as I so often did in other scenarios – helping with the store and keeping house for him. It was better than dance halls or brothels, which had been our previous occupations in France. â€Å"What about your friend?† Bastien asked me slyly. â€Å"Young Monsieur Luc?† At the mention of Luc, I paused in my dejected assessment of the world outside the hat shop. If I was going to talk about candles in the night, then Luc was mine. A real one. He was a human I'd met recently, working with his father – a violin maker. Their trade had suffered even more than ours, as the market for luxury items shriveled in these lean times. But Luc never seemed to let their financial woes affect him. Whenever I saw him, he was always cheerful, always full of hope. The weight of so many centuries of sin and darkness were starting to take their toll on me, and being in Paris only made it worse. Yet, Luc was a wonder to me. Being able to look at the world with such optimism, with such conviction that good would prevail†¦well, it was a foreign concept. One I was intrigued by. I couldn't stay away from it. â€Å"Luc's different,† I admitted, finally turning from the window. â€Å"He's not part of this.† Bastien snorted and leaned against the wall. â€Å"They're all part of this, Fleur.† Fleur was his long-time nickname for me over the years, no matter what identity I assumed. â€Å"I don't suppose you've slept with him yet?† My answer was to turn away again and remain silent. No, I hadn't slept with Luc. I wanted to, though. I wanted to with the instincts of a woman who had fallen for a man, as well as the craving of a succubus to consume the energy and taste the soul of someone so good. I had never hesitated before. This was the kind of thing I'd always sought out. It was even my job. But something inside of me was changing. Maybe it was these bleak times, but whenever I looked at Luc and saw that purity radiating from him – and his growing love and trust in me – I just couldn't do it. â€Å"He's coming by tonight,† I said at last, dodging the question. â€Å"We're going for a walk.† â€Å"Oh,† said Bastien. â€Å"I see. A walk. That's certain to impress Theodosia.† Theodosia was our archdemoness. I turned back around sharply, glaring at Bastien. â€Å"It's none of your business what I do!† I exclaimed. â€Å"Besides, if this is the ‘vacation' you claim it is, I shouldn't need to secure a good soul.† â€Å"Souls are falling left and right around here,† he agreed. â€Å"But you've still got to turn one in every once in a while. You can't spend the rest of your existence only going after bad ones.† I didn't speak to him for the rest of the day, and fortunately, business picked up quite a bit in the afternoon. It kept us both busy, though I counted down the minutes until Luc showed up that evening. He gave polite greetings to my â€Å"brother,† and then I hustled us out of there so that I wouldn't have to see the knowing look in Bastien's eyes. Luc could have passed for my brother too with his sunny golden hair. He always smiled when he looked at me, making small crinkle lines around the blue eyes I fancifully likened to sapphires. He held my arm as we passed through the evening crowd, filled with those going home after work or possibly seeking nighttime entertainment. He told me I looked beautiful, and we talked of other inconsequential things: the weather, neighborhood gossip, day-to-day affairs†¦ We ended up at a small city park that was a popular spot for others seeking evening strolls before curfew. We found a relatively secluded area among some trees and settled onto the grass. Luc had been carrying a small basket the entire time and revealed its contents: pastries and a bottle of wine. He didn't have extra money to throw around for that kind of thing, but I knew better than to protest. It was already done. Whatever else he'd had to sacrifice in return would be well worth it, as far as he was concerned. He had another surprise for me as well: a book. He and I were always trading novels back and forth, and as I lay down against the grass, skimming through the pages, a strange yet warm peace blossomed within me. â€Å"Next time you should bring your violin,† I said, setting the book down. â€Å"I want to hear you play again.† He stretched out beside me, his hand finding mine. We laced our fingers together and watched the sky grow purple. â€Å"Not out here,† he said. â€Å"I don't want a public concert.† â€Å"You'd charm them all,† I said. â€Å"The whole city would line up and dance at your command, just like the pied piper.† He laughed, the sound as golden as his hair or even the sun itself. â€Å"And then what would I do with them?† â€Å"Line them up and send them all away so that we can be alone.† â€Å"We are alone,† he said, laughing again. â€Å"Sort of.† I rolled to my side and leaned over him. Shadows from the surrounding trees enclosed us. â€Å"Alone enough.† I brought my lips down and kissed him, surprising both of us. I hadn't meant to do it. We'd never kissed before. I'd held myself back from him, earning all that chastising from Bastien. I could never bring myself to take Luc's energy and shorten his life. Yet, something came over me just then. It might have been my earlier gray mood or the feelings that were eerily like love within me. Whatever it was, being a succubus didn't matter just then. Well, it didn't until his energy started flowing into me. Our kissing grew more intense, our lips full of demand. His soul shone so brightly that even that one kiss was enough to taste his energy. It was glorious. My whole body thrilled to both it and his touch. He wrapped his arm around my waist, and without conscious thought, I began unbuttoning his shirt. He rolled me over so that I was the one on my back now and moved his mouth down to my neck. The knee-length skirts of this time gave him easy access to run his hand up my leg, and I pressed myself closer to him, pulling at his clothes while his hungry lips moved farther and farther down. All the while, that beautiful life filled me. I was drowning in it. When his lips reached the spot between my breasts, something seemed to jolt him to reality. He pulled up from me, running his hand over my hair as he looked down into my eyes. â€Å"Oh God,† he said. â€Å"We can't do this. Not now.† The mantra of moral men everywhere. â€Å"We can,† I said, surprised at the pleading in my own voice. It was the affection I felt for him speaking, not any agenda of Hell's. I wanted – needed – him to be closer to me. He sighed. â€Å"Suzette, Suzette. I want to. But I want us to get married. I can't do this – can't do this to you – unless I know you'll be my wife. It isn't right otherwise.† I stared up at him, uncertainty interfering with my desire. â€Å"Are you†¦are you proposing to me?† Luc thought about it for a moment and then grinned again, giving me another of those radiant smiles that never failed to make my heart race. â€Å"Yes. I guess I am. We'd have to wait a little bit – wait until I had more money. But when the war's over, things will get better.† This war's never going to be over, some gloomy part of me thought. But just now, that wasn't the real issue. His wanting to marry me was. It was impossible, of course. I could theoretically shape-shift so that I aged with him, all the while getting succubus sex on the side. Some succubi did that, having countless husbands over the centuries. Most didn't even stick around. They just disappeared. Their marital vows meant nothing. Looking at him now, at that burning love in his eyes, I felt my heart torn in two. If I said yes, he would wrap me up again and make love to me. If I said no, he wouldn't – not out of spite, but because of what was honorable. This could be so easy. Say yes. Promise I'd marry him and take him now. I could fulfill my heart's longing, my body's longing, and keep my good standing with Hell. I could leave after we were married. Or, easier still, break off the engagement. All I had to do was give him a dishonest â€Å"yes.† Sex to him wasn't right without that. Really, it was a wonder he didn't insist on waiting until marriage. The commitment was apparently enough. He believed in me. He believed I was a good, honest person. If I said I loved him and would be true to him forever, then he would accept that. Just say yes. But the words stuck in my throat. I couldn't lie to him. I couldn't let him find out how base I really was. And as his lingering life energy burned inside me, I realized I couldn't steal more from him. The guilt of what I'd done already was hitting me hard. It had only been the barest taste, but it had clipped time off of his life. And if I did back out of marriage after we'd had sex, he'd think what we'd done had been wrong. A sin. A black mark on his soul. I slid out from under him and sat up. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I can't marry you.† His happy face remained unchanged. â€Å"It doesn't have to be now. And it doesn't even have to be†¦about this.† He gestured to where I'd just been lying in the grass. â€Å"Like I said, we couldn't get married for a while anyway.† â€Å"No,† I repeated, my heart sinking. â€Å"I can't†¦I can't marry you. Ever.† I can't hurt you. I care about you too much. I can't take your light from the world. He must have seen something in my face, something that drove home the truth of my words. That smile faded. The sun disappeared behind clouds. My heart broke. I hastily stood up, suddenly unable to look at him. What was wrong with me? I didn't know. All I knew was that I couldn't stay there. I couldn't stay there and see him hurting. If I did, I would start sobbing. As it was, I could feel tears starting to sting my eyes. â€Å"Suzette, wait!† I hurried away but soon heard him coming behind me. Even after my rejection, he didn't sound angry. He was concerned, worried about me. I hated that even more. I wish I'd driven him into a rage. But, no, even something like this†¦it would hurt him, yet he would respect both me and my choice. Which was why I had to stay away from him. Not just now, but always. I knew now that I couldn't be around someone I cared about. I couldn't stand the thought of causing pain to a loved one. I couldn't stand the thought of damning a good soul. Somewhere, somehow, after centuries of blithely harming others, I had gone horribly awry as a succubus. How? When? With Niccol? °? Was it just the gradual sum of all the lives and souls I'd harmed finally taking a toll on me? I was headed back for the hat shop. Bastien and I lived above it. I could still hear Luc following me, calling out to me that everything was okay. I knew if I made it inside, he wouldn't come barging in after me. He'd probably knock politely at the door but would go away if Bastien told him to. I took a shortcut, cutting behind some buildings off the main road. I knew the way well, but it was dark now, limiting my vision enough that I didn't see the soldier until I ran straight into him. He was standing so still and so solidly that it was like I'd accidentally run into one of the building's walls. I bounced back, and he caught me by the shoulder. â€Å"Easy there,† he said. His French had a heavy German accent but was articulated well. â€Å"You'll hurt yourself.† He was a giant of a man, young and not unattractive. I couldn't quite tell in the fading light, but his uniform made me think he was an officer of some sort. He was smiling down at me and hadn't let go of my shoulder. â€Å"Thank you,† I said demurely. I tried to step back gracefully, but his grip was strong. â€Å"You shouldn't be out here at all,† he added. â€Å"It's dangerous. Especially with curfew coming.† Curfew was nowhere near coming, despite the darkening sky. He looked me over as he spoke. My skirt had fallen back into place while running, but several buttons on my blouse had come undone with Luc and hadn't been fixed. It provided a pretty good vantage on my bra and cleavage. â€Å"My house is just over there,† I said. â€Å"I'll just – I'll just go now.† The hand on my shoulder stayed locked where it was, but his other hand had slipped through the opening in my blouse and was tracing the shape of my breast. Great. After all the deep and traumatic revelations I'd had tonight about the cursed life of a succubus, the last thing I needed was a Nazi feeling me up. Scratch that. There was something worse. â€Å"Let her go.† Luc's voice rang out behind me, and I winced. I'd hoped I'd lost him in the chase, but if he had seen me coming in this direction, he could have made a pretty good guess about which path I was taking home. â€Å"Walk away,† said the officer. â€Å"This has nothing to do with you.† Luc's fists were balled up. â€Å"Let her go,† he repeated. â€Å"I won't tell you again.† The officer laughed, but it was a harsh, terrible sound. â€Å"You won't tell me anything.† I tried my best to peer at Luc while still in that hard grip. â€Å"Go,† I told him. â€Å"It'll be all right. I'll be okay.† â€Å"Smart girl,† said the German. Luc lunged at him, and I was shoved out of the way as the two men grappled with each other. I stared in horror. Everything happened so quickly that my brain barely had time to even register what I was seeing. Luc was strong and fast, but the other guy was huge – and had a knife. I saw it flash briefly in what light was left, and then Luc's body went rigid. The officer stepped back, jerking the blade out of Luc's stomach as he did. I shrieked and tried to run toward him, but the Nazi's arm stopped me, grabbing hold of me once more. Luc's hands clutched at his stomach as blood flowed from it. He looked down at it in disbelief, like he was waiting for a punch line to reveal itself, and then he collapsed to the ground. I tried again to break free of my captor but couldn't. Luc's eyes gazed up at me, though his lips couldn't form any words as he lay there in that terrible agony, the life pouring out of his body. â€Å"There,† said the German officer, pulling me so that I was pressed against his chest. His knife had disappeared to wherever it had come from, and the hand that had held it – the hand that had stabbed Luc – was reaching under my shirt again. â€Å"Now there are no more distractions.† I heard Luc make a strangled sound as the officer ripped open the last of my buttons. Enough of my numbed shock wore off that I remembered I could fight back here. I could shape-shift to twice this guy's size and – Thunk. The Nazi's head lurched forward as something struck him from behind. His hold on me released, and he fell to the ground unconscious. Bastien stood behind him holding a hat block: a heavy, rounded wooden object used for constructing hats. â€Å"I'd know your scream anywhere,† he said. I had no time for his joking or to offer thanks. I dropped to my knees beside Luc and pulled off my blazer, frantically trying to use it to stop the bleeding. He was still conscious, and his eyes were on my face, still full of that hope and love that was so characteristic of him. Bastien knelt beside me, face solemn. â€Å"No human medicine can fix this, Fleur,† he said quietly. â€Å"I know.† I'd known as soon as I'd seen Luc fall. It was why I hadn't sent Bastien to get help. â€Å"Oh God. This can't be happening.† â€Å"It's†¦all right.† Luc's words were barely audible, and I had a feeling he was choking on blood. â€Å"You're safe†¦all that matters†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He coughed again, and this time I did see blood near his lips. â€Å"No, no,† I said. â€Å"It wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth it. None of this should have happened!† It was my fault. All my fault. Luc had come to save me from the German. I'd run into the German because I'd fled from Luc. And I'd fled from Luc because I'd suddenly latched on to a moral high ground and refused to have sex with him. If I'd just given in†¦if I'd just said I'd marry him and taken him like a succubus should have, this never would have happened. We would have been lying in the grass right now, naked in each other's arms. Instead, he'd died in this alley because of me, because of my weakness. I was a succubus who'd tried to act human – and I'd done a shitty job at both. Luc was beyond speech now. Everything was said with his eyes as he gazed at me, like I was some angel sent to carry him home. Bastien nudged me. â€Å"Fleur, he's going to stay alive a little while. You know how long stomach wounds take. It's agony.† â€Å"I know,† I growled, choking off a sob. â€Å"You don't need to tell me.† Bastien's voice was grave. â€Å"You can stop it. Ease his suffering.† I stared at Bastien incredulously. â€Å"What do you expect me to do? Go get that knife and finish him?† He shook his head. â€Å"He's only got a little life left, Fleur. Only a little. You won't need to do much.† I didn't get it right away. When I did, I felt my eyes go wide. â€Å"No†¦I can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He dies regardless,† said Bastien. â€Å"You can make it faster†¦sweeter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was still shaking my head, but Bastien's words had penetrated. He was right. He was right, and I hated him because he was right. Turning from Bastien, I looked back at Luc, whose brow I'd been stroking with my hand. His gaze was still turned upward, still at me. A drop of water fell on his cheek, and I realized it was one of my tears. â€Å"Good-bye, Luc,† I said softly. It seemed like I should say a million other things to him, but I couldn't form the words. So, instead, I leaned down and brought my lips to his. I pressed against them, making full contact, though it had none of the animal passion from before. This was gentler. A whisper of a kiss. But as Bastien had said, it didn't take much. The beautiful, silvery sweetness of his life energy flowed into me. It was just as pure and perfect as before – and it was gone quickly. I took it into me and sat up, just as Luc exhaled his last breath. The eyes that had watched me so adoringly saw nothing now. I sat up and leaned against Bastien. â€Å"I killed him,† I said, no longer holding the tears back. â€Å"You brought him peace. You were his angel.† It was an eerie echo of my earlier sentiments. â€Å"No, this†¦I mean, before. He shouldn't have been out here. He's here because†¦because of me. If I'd slept with him, this wouldn't have happened. But I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt him†¦didn't want to taint him†¦and then this happened†¦.† Bastien put his arm around me. â€Å"If it makes you feel better, his soul won't be going to our people.† I buried my face in his shoulder. â€Å"This is my fault. My fault†¦I should have done what I was supposed to do. I was ready to – then he asked me to marry him and – damn it. I should have done it. I should have lied. It would have been better for everyone. I don't know how this happened†¦.† â€Å"It happened because you get too close to them,† said Bastien. He was stern but trying hard to be gentle. â€Å"Men like this†¦anyone like this†¦they enchant you, Fleur. You get attached and then you get hurt.† â€Å"Or I hurt them,† I murmured. â€Å"You need to stay indifferent.† â€Å"It's getting worse,† I said. â€Å"Every time, it's harder on me. I don't understand. What's happening to me? What's wrong with me?† â€Å"Immortality,† he said wisely. â€Å"Too many years.† â€Å"What do you know? You're younger than me.† Bastien helped me stand, though I was reluctant to let Luc go. â€Å"I know that you can't keep doing this. Listen to what I said: don't get attached to these good ones. No matter what you do, it won't end well.† â€Å"I won't go near the good ones at all,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"No more. I'm staying away from them altogether.† Bastien's kindly mien dropped. â€Å"That's ridiculous,† he scoffed. â€Å"Weren't you listening to me earlier? You can't go after immoral men for eternity. You'd get no energy. You'd have to do it every other day.† I looked down at Luc, Luc who had loved me and gotten killed for me. My fault. All my fault. â€Å"Never again,† I said. â€Å"I won't ever hurt anyone like that again.† When I returned to the box in the dark, I didn't need the Oneroi to enlighten me. All of that dream had been true – except for the last part. It had been a lie. I had continued to hurt people, over and over.

Why Children And Young People May Need To Be Looked After Away From Their Families

â€Å"There were over 91,000 looked after children in the UK in 2012. † (www. nspcc. org. uk) in this task I am going to describe why children and young people may need to be looked after away from their families. There are many reasons that children and young people may need to be looked after away from their home, one of those are the child’s or young person’s parents. This may be down to bereavement of the parents meaning that they have died, if the parents have died then the child or young person will go to the closest other family member unless there aren’t any in which case the child or young person would be looked after outside the family.Another reason children are being looked after away from their families is due to abuse. If the parents or guardians are abusing the child or young person in any way then they will be removed from the family home as it’s not safe for them, this comes under the children act (1998, 2004). â€Å"Over half of l ooked after children in England and Wales became looked after because of abuse or neglect in 2011/12. † (www. nspcc. org. uk) Some children or young people may go into temporary foster care due to parental illness, which is when the parent becomes dependant their self and are unable to look aft6er their child.For example if a single parent falls very ill then she/he would be unable to take proper care on their dependent child therefore they would go into a foster care setting where they would be looked after until the parent was again able to care for the child. The child or young person may be looked after away from the family if the parents feel they are incapable of taking care of them and have requested that they be adopted or in a foster family. One example of this is financial difficulty as the parents do not have enough money to care for the child and give it even a reasonable standard of life.Another example of this could be young parents that feel they are too young t hemselves to be able to take care of a child they may request that the child be taken into a more suitable family that will be able to take proper care of it. Also children or young people that have parents who have committed offences may need to be looked after if there is no other family as the parent could go to prison, depending on the offence the child may only be temporarily looked after in a foster family setting then would return to the family home when the parent is released.Although not all reasons that children need to be looked after outside of the family is due to the parents or guardians, some reasons may be due to the child or young person. One of these reasons is a child or young person with disabilities that have complex needs and are unable to be cared for at home as they do not have the right equipment or the money to get it.For example a child in a wheel chair may not be able to be cared for at home as the household they live in is not wheel chair friendly and th e family have not got the funding to move or renovate the house therefore the chid would be looked after outside the family. Another reason due to the child that they are being looked after outside the family is their behaviour. If a child or young person has behavioural problems they may become too much for the parent to handle and need to be looked after outside of the family. An example of this could be a child or young person who is harming he’s/hers family

The importance of exchange rate regimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The importance of exchange rate regimes - Essay Example In terms of monetary policy (management of money and interest rates), the exchange rate is managed by a country through its exchange rate regime, an organized set of rules through which a nation’s exchange rate is established, especially the way the monetary or other government authorities are or are not involved in the foreign exchange market. These regimes include floating exchange rates, pegged exchange rates, managed float, crawling peg, currency board and exchange controls. It is the manner in which a country manages its currency in vis-à  -vis foreign countries and the foreign exchange market.  Dornbusch et al. (1999) differentiates the fixed and floating exchange rate regimes through the following: in a fixed exchange rate system, foreign central banks stand ready to buy and sell their currencies at a fixed price in terms of another currency, for example, dollars. From the end of the second world war up to 1973, major countries had fixed exchange rates against one an other. Presently, there are still those that use the system while others prefer to use the floating exchange rate. Recent developments include the revaluation of the Chinese yuan in July 2005 in which Chinese monetary authorities decided to allow the currency to gradually â€Å"float† against the dollar. By contrast, the central banks allow the exchange rate to adjust to equate the supply and demand for foreign currency in a floating exchange rate system.   Dornbusch et al. (2003) divides such exchange rate regime into three more subsystems.... Mishkin (2003) defines the exchange rate as the price of one currency in terms of another (say euros per dollar) and it is in the foreign exchange market that they are determined. In terms of monetary policy (management of money and interest rates), the exchange rate is managed by a country through its exchange rate regime, an organized set of rules through which a nation's exchange rate is established, especially the way the monetary or other government authorities are or are not involved in the foreign exchange market. These regimes include floating exchange rates, pegged exchange rates, managed float, crawling peg, currency board and exchange controls. It is the manner in which a country manages its currency in vis--vis foreign countries and the foreign exchange market. Dornbusch et al. (1999) differentiates the fixed and floating exchange rate regimes through the following: in a fixed exchange rate system, foreign central banks stand ready to buy and sell their currencies at a fixed price in terms of another currency, for example, dollars. From the end of the second world war up to 1973, major countries had fixed exchange rates against one another. Presently, there are still those that use the system while others prefer to use the floating exchange rate. Recent developments include the revaluation of the Chinese yuan in July 2005 in which Chinese monetary authorities decided to allow the currency to gradually "float" against the dollar. By contrast, the central banks allow the exchange rate to adjust to equate the supply and demand for foreign currency in a floating exchange rate system.1 Dornbusch et al. (2003) divides such exchange rate regime into

Research on two large regeneration schemes in London and one Essay

Research on two large regeneration schemes in London and one regeneration in Slough town centre, Berkshire - Essay Example (Greenwich council, 2007) The plain to project to regenerate the Greenwich peninsula is being led by the Greenwich council, the planning of the project was done by Meridian Delta Ltd and submitted to the council who approved the master plan, which will cost a staggering 5 billion sterling pounds and it is estimated to take 15 years before it is completed. (Greenwich council, 2007) The Greenwich council, granted the permission of regenerating the Greenwich peninsula to a group of consortium named Meridian Delta Ltd, the Anschutz Entertainment group and the national regeneration agency. The group is supposed build the proposed regeneration project of the area which will include; building new nursery, primary and secondary schools, Building modern health facility, improving the transport system, which will improve the employment opportunities of the local community. (Greenwich council, 2007) Anschutz entertainment group: one of the global leader in the sports and entertainment presenters in the world. The management owns and control many international famous and best venues, arenas and sports franchises. Meridian delta limited: this is a joint venture company which comprises of Lend Lease and the Quintain Estates & Development Plc, which was formed to specifically lead the regeneration of Greenwich Peninsula Quintain Estates and Development Plc: this is a major Britain development and property investment company that specializes in redevelopment, property acquisition and asset management in many property sectors. (Greenwich council, 2007) At present the Greenwich peninsula is considered as a derelict and contaminated. There is no any meaningful development. As Cllr. Chris Roberts of Greenwich council state, â€Å"the council is building a new community on peninsula, land that used to be derelict and contaminated† The Greenwich peninsula comprising of 300 acre is physically secluded land with gasworks which are in derelict and contaminated. In 1996 a

International Finance Question Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International Finance Question - Coursework Example When compared to a bank loan a bond tends to give the investor better terms, in loans the bank set the interest rates where else when a company issues a bond, the company controls the interest rates (Levi, 2009). Foreign bonds are also a good method of funding expansion to other countries because they protect the firm from currency fluctuation in the country of interest. The greatest disadvantage of bonds, however, is that it will reduce the firm’s trading flexibility. This is because the firm cannot trade out of a bond that is doing well while it maintains its other holdings (Levi, 2009). The second option that a firm can explore is getting money from private investors. They provide a flexible source of capital compared to what is provided by banks and other financial institutions. Loans from private sectors are often available at low costs (Levi, 2009). Acquiring funds from private investors is a simple process when compared to banks. A firm will save a considerable amount of time and money when acquiring the loan. The disadvantage associated with this option is that private investors might ask for an ownership stake in the company, and this is not usually acceptable with many firms. The second disadvantage is that the investor may require time to consider the request; this time may not be available to the firm if the situation is of urgency (Levi,

Analyzing a visual Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analyzing a visual Argument - Essay Example ting units together with a refashioned bumper and front grille so as to adopt a similar rounder, smoother style, just like the one tailored for the Range Rover model of 2010. Discovery 4 also has got body-colored bumpers and wheel arches just like Discovery 3.Generally there are optional lamps that can run during the day even as LED lights are prominently featured in both rear and front lamp units. The interior of LR4 is also redesigned, in line with other new styles that have been introduced elsewhere in other LR ranges for 2010.Thus; there is an update of the instrument cluster having a redesigned analogue tachometer as well as speedometer gauges for enhanced clarity. Consequently, the fuel /analogue temperature gauges of the preceding model have as well as the information electronic display been substituted by a singular TFT screen able to display information in a variety of formats and modes. In addition, the interior has further been enhanced by a redesigned centre console that comprises of simplified and redesigned controls and switches. The LR4 has also got a new kind of seat design as well as a broader range of obtainable interior materials-even those that previously were a preserve of models of Range Rover. The main objective of redesigning the interior was so as to lift the car upmarket; having higher-specification models whose main target is the executive and luxury markets. Most of the changes made to this vehicle are mechanical. The land Rover Discovery4 has got 2 engines from Jaguar LR’s ‘Gen III’ range. This new version, therefore is characterised by 2 similar advanced turbochargers .This system offers superior output than the previous engine as well as reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 10%.An enhanced version of the ZF 6 speed sequential/automatic gearbox is now fixed. It comprises of taller gearing so as to capitalize on new engine’s superior torque output as well as an up to date lock-up system to additionally reduce consumption

Business Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Finance - Essay Example the society whose sole levers and gears are the different types of business and its organisations that are generating these revenues at a higher interest. But it is to remember that money multiplies money; and then who is sourcing these revenue generating businesses to expand their own operations and other developments. This paper will through light on the sourcing and the using issues of the finance and the business finance respectively. The field of finance refers to the concepts of time, money and risk and how they are interrelated. The term finance may thus incorporate any of the following studies; like the study of money and other assets, the management and control of those assets, profiling and managing project risks, the science of managing money, the industry that delivers financial services. As a verb, "to finance" is to provide funds for business or for an individuals purchases it becomes the act of lending money to a party to meet its requirements. Though the financer receives interest, the borrower pays a higher interest than the financer receives and the financial intermediary that is the financer itself pockets the difference (Jones 2002). This is the simple structure of financing and the glory of this business. A specific example of corporate finance is the sale of stock by a company to institutional investors like investment banks, who in turn generally sell it to the public. Finance is used by individuals and creates personal finance, by governments as public finance, by businesses that is the corporate finance and as well as by a wide variety of organizations including schools and non-profit organizations. In general, the goals of each of the above activities are achieved through the use of appropriate financial instruments, with consideration to their institutional setting (Beaney 2005). This is where the finance plays the role of a resource. Finance is one of the most important aspects of any business management. Without proper financial

How Beyonce Marketing Herself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How Beyonce Marketing Herself - Essay Example They further involve themselves in different industries like from music to fashion industry and further to acting and production houses. One of the most applauded and highly regarded celebrities is Beyonce and her marketing tactics will be discussed in the following paragraphs. Beyonce has received 17 grammy awards that shows her fame in the show business. She markets herself by actively participating in different ventures like the HBO’s documentary Life is but a Dream where she appears with her husband and engages the viewers in her personal life. She further partners with leaders of other industries like Pepsi for a contract to appear in their print ads and commercials further making her constant viewership stronger and her album’s preview easily observable by the public through famous commercials (Davies, 2015). In addition, she uses live broadcasts, live performance in different concerts, talk shows and well-paid celebrity endorsement projects to increase her worth and viewership. Her social campaigns like â€Å"let’s move† and â€Å"pretty hurts† awaken the soft feelings and emotional ties with the socially sensitive people. She markets herself successfully by staying attached to the bigger names of the industry and remaining unique and updated to fascinate the viewers enhancing her image and celebrity worth (Prosthumus, 2015). Prosthumus, M. (2015).  What Marketeers Can Learn from Beyonce - Markante Media.Marug.nl. Retrieved 10 February 2015, from

Greenhouse Gas Emission Scenario Research Paper

Greenhouse Gas Emission Scenario - Research Paper Example The causes or factors that amount to the emergence of Greenhouse Gas effect in different countries can be enumerated as follows. It is observed that human activities tend to be significantly contributed in the large scale emission of greenhouse gases in developed countries like United States. In United States, the activities are related to the generation of electricity, logistics and transportation activities, real estate activities pertaining to residential and commercial, agricultural activities and also the clearing of forests for generation of arable land (Sedorovich, 2008). Generation of electricity from a large amount of fossil fuels like burning of coal and natural gas and also conducting of transportation activities through use of fossil fuel and petroleum resources tend to contribute to the growth of greenhouse emissions. Production, manufacturing, residential and commercial and also the rearing of livestock, account for the generation of greenhouse gasses in United States. The percentage contribution of each of the above factors to the greenhouse emissions in United States is reflected as follows. Trend analysis of the greenhouse emission levels reflect that from 1990 the rise in the emission levels of greenhouse gases is observed to rise by around 5 percent at the end of the 2012 period. The rise in the emission levels of greenhouse gases is observed to gain a little reduction during the 2012 periods compared to that of the 2011 periods owing to change in practices.

Personality & Attitudes on Revenge in the General Population of Scotland Essay Example for Free

Personality Attitudes on Revenge in the General Population of Scotland Essay Fantasies vary from person to person and are dependent on psychological condition. In a clinical population fantasies tend to last longer than in non-clinical populations. Although overall each fantasy has been reported to last relatively short periods of time, the frequency of which they occur is usually the factor that determines whether they are of concern or not (Gellerman and Suddath, 2005). There seems to be a limited quantity of research available on the general understanding of this topic however the literature that does exist appears to focus on three particular areas, sustaining fantasies as a means of coping with painful and stressful situations in the general population but particularly in the clinical population (Zelin, Bernstein, Heijn, Jampel, Myerson, Adler, Buie Rizzuto, 1983; Harder Zelin, 1984; Greenwald Harder, 1994; Greenwald Harder, 1995 Greenwald and Harder, 1997); aggressive fantasies for pleasure or satisfaction in the general population but more often than not habitually involuntary for the clinical population and generally violent, sexual and sadistic in nature (Gellerman Suddath, 2005; Egan Campbell, 2009 Selby, Anestis Joiner (2007), and finally, revenge fantasies concerning those who have experienced trauma (Mardi Harowitz, 2007). In search of material for this review surprise has it that homicidal fantasies on the whole is the one of which focuses on a more simple view of its apparent natural occurrence in natural surroundings of everyday life, and highlights the evolving acceptance that many normal law abiding citizens can and do have fantasies. Sustaining Fantasy From a study conducted by Zelin et al (1983) the Sustaining Fantasy Questionnaire (SFQ) was developed to measure sustaining functions in psychiatric inpatients in comparison with non-patients. This questionnaire was constructed specifically to measure fantasies of death, withdrawal, restitution, suffering, God, closeness, power and revenge, admiration of self, competition and aesthetics. The questionnaire was then utilised to determine that psychiatric inpatients scored higher than non-patients on fantasies of death, withdrawal, restitution, suffering, God and closeness but fantasies of power and revenge, admiration of self, competition and aesthetics did not differentiate between groups. Thus, suggesting that the questionnaire was able to differentiate the groups by fantasy factors such as death, withdrawal, restitution, suffering, God and closeness and highlighted associations of power and revenge, admiration of self, competition and aesthetics with an independent measure of psycho logy. It is said that experiencing Sustaining Fantasies is a familiar, consistent and repetitive conscious fantasy adopted to help cope with feelings of a painful and stressful situation. According to Zelin et al (1983) the sustaining fantasy is a concept based on the observation that at times of extreme negative emotional states, caused by anger or narcissistic grievance, people often resort to this as a means of re-creating a more ideal situation than that of which stimulated the painful experience, fabricating a sense of satisfaction, restoring self-esteem and emotional equilibrium, and decreasing frustration. Ultimately, the sustaining fantasy is based on the assumption that such fantasies signify and demonstration the basic construction and processes that have evolved in the course of efforts to adapt to painful situations. We are reminded by Zelin et al (1983) that this fantasy is of a specific type called only into play when suffering increasing levels of stress, and should not be c onfused by those fantasies used as a disguised endeavour of pleasure or solutions to relatively un-stressful problems, such studies will be discussed later in the review. One year on, Harder Zelin (1984) furthered the study of Zelin et al (1983) accepting that the sustaining fantasy questionnaire was developed primarily with psychiatric inpatients, but recognising also, the potential for its use in testing correlates among a more general sample. Assuming that everyone uses sustaining fantasies to aid or support themselves through highly stressful periods in life and presuming the importance of this factor in the capability to manage adaptively rather than maladaptively, Harder Zelin (1984) extended interests and investigations into the personality functioning in the general population as well as with pathological persons. They did this by examining the relationship between the 10 types of sustaining fantasies reported by Zelin et al (1983) and two dimensions of self-concept self-derogation and stability of self-concept, suspecting that the type of sustaining fantasy that the person characteristically brings into play will be consistent with and in support of their self-concept, an important relation with psychological-social adjustment and even a potential determinant of psychological-social adjustment. Successfully, the results demonstrated that the Sustaining Fantasy Questionnaire was reliable not only to differentiate between groups of psychiatric inpatients from normal controls, as Zelin et al (1983) demonstrated, but also to distinguish the group of college students used in this study. Just over a decade later Greenwald Harder (1994) followed on from Zelin et al (1983), attempting to examine the expected associations between psychopathology, almost replicating exactly, apart from their use of a student population primarily from a middle-class backgrounds. In addition, Greenwald Harder (1994) questioned if the sustaining fantasy scales associated with weaker functioning, reflects a more general pathology factor as proposed in the data of Zelin et al (1983) or, whether each reflects a particular maladaptive style that is signified by an exceptional construction of associations with the MMPI clinical scales. Further support and reliability of Zelin et al (1983) is strengthened in Greenwald Harders (1994) findings that power/revenge, death/illness, withdrawal/protection and suffering are all related significantly to two of the MMPI measures of overall psychopathology, therefore four of the six fantasy types that imply psychopathology in the inpatients (Zelin et al, 1983) were too the indicators of pathology in the study using the middle-class students. Considering all of the previously mentioned studies (Zelin et al, 1983; Harder Zelin, 1984; Greenwald Harder, 1994) it seems fair to say that ample evidence has been gathered to show that definite types of sustaining fantasy ideas, characteristically used to comfort the self when experiencing feelings of hurt and stress, are associated with indications of psychopathological adjustment. The aim for Greenwald Harder (1995) was then to examine to what extent there are parallels between them and the degree to which such content ideas may well point out psychopathology. With reference to past research on daydreaming, where Singer Antrobus (1972) have suggested that particular collections of imagery content appear to propose less favourable styles, there seems to be similarities with the findings of Zelin et al (1983), although they did emphasise the difference between other fantasies such as daydreams and remind us not to confuse them. Contrary to this emphasis and that of Zelin et al (1983), clinical impressions have proposed that in more ways than one, the overall content of these two types of fantasies is rather parallel. As a result of this proposal, Greenwald Harder (1995) investigated whether sustaining fantasies generally show a strong similarity to the typical daydreams preferred by an individual, or whether there really is a movement from the content of ordinary daydreams to the familiar self-comforting ones that provide support during feelings of pain and stress. To do this they compared the Sustaining Fantasy Questionnaire and the numerous Imaginal Process Inventory (IPI) (Singer Antrobus, 1972) scales for correspondence in content and in their relationships to measures of psychopathology, and a great deal of consistency was discovered even when partialling for social desirability. It was concluded that there was in fact considerable overlap in the content and of correspondence between both, sustaining fantasy and daydreams, and furthermore, it was highlighted that three particular IPI scales were observed to give significant indications of psychopathology fear reaction, bizarre and hostile. Despite the delight in these findings Greenwald Harder (1995) speculated the possibility that rather than the findings being a result of specific content they may be the result of a broad level of association between the two scales. In pursuit of this speculation further analysis detected the average degree of correlation between SFQ and IPI characteristics in comparison to the level of association displayed by those relationships they predicted, finding that although there was no significance, there was a trend toward significance. Thus, suggesting that a general commonality between the SFQ and the IPI may have been a factor in contributing to the extent of their success in predictions for the study. On this note one should be reminded that for the purpose of reliability and validity, considering an underlying weakness alongside the success is vital for future study in terms of recognising the possibility for individuals to very well fantasize and daydream simultaneously in ordinary and/or stressful situations. It is now becoming apparent that sustaining fantasies are perhaps not quite as specific from other fantasies in particular situations such as coping with stressful matters, as was first thought, or, that if they are, they do not always emerge completely alone. Based on the results of this study Greenwald Harder (1995) propose the question of whether it would be beneficial to use the findings of their study, subsequent past research, to investigate clinical manipulation of the content and/or frequency of fantasy having therapeutic effects, bearing in mind the given definition of sustaining fantasy in Zelin et al (1983) at the beginnings of this extensive research. To address the proposed questions that emerged from Greenwald Harder (1995) they conducted another study in 1997 replicating the previously discussed studies and replicating reported relationships between coping behaviours and psychopathology however, this time they utilised measurement instruments that were developed by different investigators, presented different response formats, and were not developed to measure the same content areas as before. They assessed whether consistent relationships exist between the content of self-reported coping behaviours, sustaining fantasies, and ordinary daydreams and in addition attempted to identify coping behaviours associated with psychopathology, exploring any connections between coping behaviours, fantasies, and daydreams correlated with pathology. Pearson correlations indicated similar content between coping behaviours and the two types of fantasy and significant inter-correlations were found between sustaining fantasies, daydreams, and coping behaviours that, separately, were found to be significantly associated with psychopathology. In the process of this investigation, and with influencing thoughts created by the previous workings, Greenwald and Harder (1997) took into consideration the likelihood to expect there would be a consistency between the region of fantasy and behaviour, and that individuals would report thoughts and action in parallel ways but then again, consider also that it is also probable to anticipate that fantasies could serve as a substitute for action, and that a report of specific fantasy content might be inversely associated with behaviour that contains similar content. Growing in strength, again the results of Greenwald Harder (1997) were successful in that there is a significant association with regard to the content among self-reported daydreams, sustaining fantasies, and coping behaviours, even after controlling for social desirability. These results are found to be more influential due to the fact that they were obtained with assessment instruments that were developed by different investigators, used different response formats, and were not developed to measure the same content areas. Therefore, this information suggest that, while there may be some instances of fantasies and behaviours that relate inversely to each other, fantasies usually are consistent with behavioural coping styles. These findings then highlight that there is a complex of daydreams, fantasies, and behavioural responses that could be used to characterize individuals. Furthermore, to generalize the findings of this study it was recommended that future studies should be conducted with other subject populations that take into account age, culture, socioeconomic status and residence environment (Greenwald Harder, 1997), however, it seems appropriate to mention that perhaps at this point it is a good time to look at how the sustaining fantasy ideology has branched out to embrace other influencing factors. Aggressive Fantasies Egan Campbell (2009) expanded research on sustaining fantasies almost taking it to a new level by selecting a diverse population, as recommended by Greenwald Harder (1997), but more importantly taking into account other domains that showed potential to reveal relationships from another angle. Such were, sensational topics, general personality traits, and self-reported physical aggression. They found relationships between sensational interests and physical aggression, regardless of gender. Personality and the application of negative sustaining fantasies significantly forecast physical aggression. When the SFQ was reduced to three higher order factors; positive, negative, and narcissistic sustaining fantasies, correlations were found between neuroticism (N) and both positive and negative sustaining fantasies, although the association was stronger for negative fantasies. There were small associations between positive sustaining fantasies and indirect non-physical hostility although these relations were humble, and openness (O) was a stronger predictor. Narcissistic sustaining fantasies related to low levels of agreeableness (A), replicating associations between low A and narcissism generally. Ultimately proposing that aggressive and hostile persons are more stimulated by violent stimuli and that isolation is a further risk-increasing factor for aggressive interests. Following on from this conclusion of risk-increasing factors, attention was directed back a few years in literature to a study conducted by Gellerman Suddath (2005). They discussed risk-increasing factors in relation to questioning at what point would a health professional perhaps become concerned with a persons fantasy enough for it to become their duty to forewarn or protect others from potential dangerousness, or even attempt to protect the person from them self. In the health profession an evaluation of dangerousness includes not only asking about violent fantasies but also asking about physical and sexual content (Gellerman Suddath, 2005). Gellerman and Suddath (2005) looked at the conditions in which the disclosure of violent fantasies to a mental health professional may generate cause for concern and a duty to warn or protect other citizens. Reviewing legal cases in which violent fantasies were considered in the context of measuring potential dangerousness and the literature available on homicidal and sexually violent fantasies in both non-incarcerated and criminal populations was also examined. It was concluded that no dependable predictive relationship between violent fantasies and wickedly hazardous behaviour was reported in the available literature and suggestions of issues that mental health professionals may think about when gauging whether a particular violent fantasy is a sign for concern requiring rise to a duty in protecting others. At last, this paper is very interesting in that it is greatly unbiased and clearly discusses both the harmful aspects of fantasy as well as the innocent or un-harmful aspects, thus showing the importance of distinguishing between the two possibilities, which must be said, is something that is lacking in the papers previously reviewed. Gellerman and Suddath (2005) explained in detail the definition of violent fantasy for the purpose of their paper which must be credited as again, not many papers in this field have done so. They expressed their perception of violent fantasy as a thought in which an individual imagines physically harming a fellow human being in some way. They explain that the content of individual fantasies may vary from anything such as murder, sexual assault, or inappropriate sexual activity. It is emphasised that fantasy must be distinguished from an intention, in that the imaginary violence is not instantaneously designed to guide or prepare for action. On the other hand, it is said that any expression of intention to harm another person is when we should have cause for concern as this is without doubt communicating a threat rather than a fantasy. Gellerman and Suddath (2005) noted two important points in terms of distinguishing between fantasy being harmless or harmful, firstly, while not instantaneously aimed at guiding action, fantasy has been illustrated as serving a number of clinical functions, including control and relief of anxiety and substitution for action therefore harmless to others and at the same time very useful to the fantasizer, secondly, from a harmful perspective fantasy may also be preparation for action and it is from this perspective that concern should be heightened in the evaluation of dangerousness and the duty to protect. Gellerman and Suddath (2005) go on to give balanced examples of both harmless and harmful fantasies. In their comparisons of both sides and in both populations, un-incarcerated and criminal, together with their overall review of the literature they used, they suggest that as fantasies of murder were fairly common in general Western European and American populations, and a range of fantasies of aggression and sexual violence were less common, but were by no means rare, people should bear in mind that this high prevalence of homicidal and sexually aggressive fantasy can only make us question then, to what extent can such fantasies be considered deviant. In addition it should be highlighted that Gellerman and Suddath (2005) found that existing studies have evidently established that many more individuals have homicidal and sexually violent fantasies than act on them. The relationship between violent fantasy and behaviour in these studies was correlative at best, and no suggestions were given in attempt to identifying the minority of individuals with violent fantasies who may be at risk of acting them out. Altogether, it was concluded that predictors better than fantasies alone are the eminence of the fantasies, the concern with them, and the level of preparation and detail, and the history of any past violent behaviours all need to be looked at collectively (Gellerman Suddath, 2005). Another study of interest where aggressive fantasies seek personal pleasure but in a paradoxical way is that of Selby, Anestis Joiner (2007). They reported that suicidal individuals regularly report the reoccurrence of fantasy where they can visualise their death by suicide very clearly in their imagination, almost like watching it on TV. Selby et al (2007) found that many unremittingly suicidal individuals are thought to have a romantic affection for death and as a result, connect themselves in vivid fantasies or daydreams about the process and the after-effects. This somewhat idealistic thought process even appears to be a pleasant motion for them. In desperation of escape from torment and pain (Baumeister, 1990), it seems that the act of suicide is the answer and therefore thinking about the liberation that death would present, perhaps enables suicidal individuals to experience positive affects similar to that of non-suicidal individuals daydreaming or fantasizing about future life events such as holidays (Selby et al, 2007). This daydreaming may actually be a form of emotion dysregulation, in suicidal individuals, one that would appear, perhaps paradoxically, to increase positive affect yet may increase later risk for serious suicidal behaviour. This psychological state was also considered by Zelin et al (1983). Revenge Fantasies Suicidal behaviour, just like the fantasies they provoke, vary in content and from person to person however for the purpose of this review it should be mentioned that revenge fantasies among many other things, can often be the cause for suicidal behaviour (Mardi Harowitz, 2007). In one way the reason behind the fantasies are similar per se; feelings of rage shame guilt etc., but in another way very different; often unwanted and uncontrollable. Revenge fantasies are described as being beyond normal bitter thoughts and sometimes dangerous. The study conducted by Mardi Harowitz (2007) was an attempt to seek solutions to a hypothetical case demonstrating a problem existing in clinical practice. The method behind this is for the authors to review current data on prevalence, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment and ultimately conclude treatment recommendations. Again it is brought to attention that the quantity of literature addressing fantasy is limited, Mardi Harowitz (2007) pointed out at the beginning of their paper that revenge fantasies have been discussed in literature, however not adequately addressed, a problem common for most papers in this review. Like all other fantasies per se, revenge fantasies can provide a sense of reinstated purpose and regain of control in an otherwise traumatized life and purely for this purpose it is imperative to assist traumatized individuals in recognizing this. Mardi Harowitz (2007) split the scenario up into sections in sequence to how step by step the scenario would be assessed and addressed in a clinical setting. All important techniques and procedures were discussed such as, the importance of techniques in psychotherapy being put in place with the much needed interpretations and reappraisals and with careful differentiation of rational and irrational beliefs. It was explained that it is then, that the function of revenge fantasies as giving an illusion of strength can be interpreted. Mardi Harowitz (2007) suggest the fact that the results of therapy may be attenuation of symptoms, and revenge fantasies are deep-rooted, there is an important need for informing the patients that revenge fantasies are likely to return, and are frequently generated by things as simple as seeing a movie, being hurt, or entering an irritated mood as a result of fatigue. Mardi Harowitz (2007) go on to explain that the professional should help the patient plan a comeback, which can engage in reviewing a pre-established set of ideas, overall they express that their goal is to help the patient gain a sense of restored control, self-esteem, and self-coherence without resorting to the strong-me property of a revenge fantasy. Taking into account the apparent lack of topic specific resources that provide general information on the influences of fantasy in the general public, and the gaps that seem wide open between studies in fantasy, it seems fair to say that the beginning would be a good place to start. As a result the current study will seek to investigate attitudes of the general public toward fantasies, looking to find out what they think fantasies might be and to what extent they think it is normal for people to have them. It will be hypothesised that most people will believe that a fantasy is a mere thought of imagination detached from reality to satisfy emotional desires without logical or moral constraints and likewise most people will agree that it is normal to have fantasies. It is expected that more people will agree, than disagree, that it is ok and can be accepted as normal for people to have homicidal fantasies. Method Design A between-participants point biserial correlation will be used to analyse the data. The independent variables will be the self report personality inventory (IPIP-NEO) and the attitude measuring questions and the dependent variable will be participants score on the IPIP-NEO and the attitude score. Variables such as gender, age, marital status, housing tenure, regions, employment status, income bracket and criminal convictions will also be considered in relation to participant response to both independent variables. Participants According to G Power participant number should be 191, however, for an equal balance, it will be at least 100 males and 100 females. The male and female participants will be ages of or between 21 and 65, and split between four regions (Glasgow, Paisley, Edinburgh Dundee). Apparatus Participant information sheets (PIS) and consent forms will be given along with questionnaires that will be used to measure psychopathic personality traits (IPIP-NEO) and attitudes on aggressive revenge fantasies. Each participant will be given the same questionnaire to complete. The statistical analysis programme SPSS will be used to analyse and correlate the data. Procedure Each participant will be given a brief introduction of the study and asked if they are willing to take part, if they are willing then they will be asked to carefully read the PIS, sign the consent form, which will be detached from the questionnaire as they will be anonymous, and complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of a self-report personality inventory, the International Personality Item Pool NEO (IPIP-NEO) developed by Witt, Donnellan Blonigen (2009), of which permission for use was granted by Edward A. Witt. This 40 item inventory will measure the psychopathic personality traits of fearless dominance (20 items) and Impulsive Antisociality (20 items) to assess how high or low participants score in comparison with each other. A four-option multiple response (False, Mostly False, Mostly True, True) format and a Likert-type scale will be used (False = 1, Mostly False = 2, Mostly True = 3, True = 4) to measure the data. In exception, the 1st, 4th, 9th, 14th, 15th,16th and 17th questions of Fearless Dominance will be measured in reverse scale. The second part of the questionnaire consists of 10 questions regarding attitudes toward people having revenge fantasies. Again, a four-option multiple response (strongly disagree, disagree, agree, strongly agree) format and a Likert-type scale will be used (strongly disagree = 1, disagree = 2, agree = 3, strongly agree = 4) to measure the data. Reference Baumeister, R. F. (1990). Suicide as Escape from Self. Psychological Review, 97, 90-113. Egan, V. Campbell, V. (2009) Sensational Interests, Sustaining Fantasies and Personality Predict Physical Aggression. Personality and Individual Differences, 47, 464-469 Gellerman, D. M. Suddath, R. (2005). Violent Fantasy, Dangerousness, and the Duty to Warn and Protect. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatric Law, 33, 484-495. Greenwald, D. F. Harder, D. W. (1994). Sustaining Fantasies and Psychopathology in a Normal Sample. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 50, 705-708. Greenwald, D. F. Harder, D. W. (1995). Sustaining Fantasies, Daydreams, and Psychopathology. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51, 719-726. Greenwald, D. F. Harder, D. W. (1997). Fantasies, Coping Behaviour, and Psychopathology. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53, 91-97. Harder, D. W. Zelin, M. L. (1984). Sustaining Fantasies and Self-Concept Among College Students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 40, 743-748 Mardi, J. Harowitz, M. D. (2007). Understanding and Ameliorating Revenge Fantasies in Psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 24-27. Selby, E. A., Anestis, M. D. Joiner Jr, T. E. (2007). Daydreaming About Death: Violent Daydreaming as a Form of Emotion Dysregulation in Suicidality. Behavior Modification, 31, 867-879. Singer, J. L. Antrobus, J. S. (1972). Daydreaming, Imaginal Processes and Personality: A Normative Study. In P. W. Sheehan (Ed.). The function and nature of imagery. (pp. 175-202). New York: Academic Press. Witt, E. A., Donnellan, M. B. Blonigen, D. M. (2009). Using Existing Self-Report Inventories to Measure the Psychopathic Personality Trait of Fearless Dominance and Impulsive Antisociality. Journal of Research in Personality, 43, 1006-1016. Zelin, M. L., Bernstein, S. B., Heijn, C., Jampel, R. M., Myerson, P. G., Adler, G., Buie, D. H. Rizzuto, A. M. (1983). The Sustaining Fantasy Questionnaire: Measurement of Sustaining Functions in Psychiatric Inpatients. Journal of Personality Assessment, 47, 427- 439.

Us Foreign Policy With Respect To Iraq Essay Example for Free

Us Foreign Policy With Respect To Iraq Essay During the immediate post 911 period, President George W. Bush spent ample time addressing the United States and the world on the need to pursue and install democracy in Middle East as a long term strategy to winning the war against terror. This came in the wake of the events of the September 11th terror attack that left America shaken to its core. Such address by President Bush clearly defines in a summary the contemporary US foreign policy on Iraq. This paper will inadvertently analyze the foreign policy of the United States on Iraq. It will look at the motivation behind such policy, its achievement and the criticism that such a policy has attracted. Iraq has been a core subject in the United States foreign policy of long to an extent that it has been instrumental in shaping domestic and global politics. The nature of the United States foreign policy on Iraq is a reflection of the relationship that these two nations and the kind of the interaction that there leaders have been having. A look at the past decades of this relationship reveals that it has been full of conflicts and hostility, with the United States being the dominant player and Iraq, despite its immense resources, being on the receiving end although in defiance. The events that have shaped this modern foreign policy began taking shape in the 1980s. In the 1980s, Iraq was under the tutelage of the United States, benefiting from immense economic aid and also non-direct military support. By the time of the Iran-Iraq war, the United States did not issue sanctions despite Iraq’s bombing of the Kurds; instead it resulted to appeasing the then Iraq leader Saddam Hussein and intervening on his behalf. This relationship soured in the early 1990s after Iraq forces invaded and began an occupation in Kuwait citing unpaid up debts and oil feud. With the takeover highly condemned by the United Nations, the United States moved in with speed by sending its troops to the region signifying the commence of the Operation Desert Storm aimed at dislodging Iraq from Kuwait. Allied forces led by the United States liberated Kuwait and enforced a United Security Council resolution to dismantle all the held weapons of mass destruction by Iraq through an operation by the United Nations Monitors. The United States in a bid to extend its presence and occupation erected what came to be known as the â€Å"no-fly zones† heavily putting a stiff restriction on Iraq’s sense of sovereignty. This would indicate the start of a conflict that has by far come to shape today’s United States foreign policy in Iraq and by extension in the Middle East (Chollet, D. and James G. , 2008, 33). The United States since the end of the Operation Desert Storm has maintained its presence unleashing a series of air strikes towards Iraq. As a formal protest towards this transgression, Iraq began restricting the presence of the United Nations weapons inspectors terming them as a part of a larger espionage effort by the United States. Air strikes to this region have become a common event since 1993 by both the British and the United States forces. In a policy that has been sanctioned and appropriately defended by the successive American regimes, the United States has taken over the air space and heavily patrolled Iraq’s naval bases during Saddam’s regime to restrict any movements or any aggression towards Iraq’s neighbors. The United States took an active role in enforcing the sanctions as placed by the Security Council of which it is a key member possessing veto powers. Such sanctions were put in the hope that the hardships experienced would have a resultant effect of producing negative sentiments against Saddam’s rule. They were counter productive though as they strengthened Saddam’s resolve towards his stand in Iraq. One of the negative sides to the US supported sanction was that they only affected the citizens but not the ruling elite, while producing a generation that was anti-United States (Glenn P. ,2003, 58). The focus of the United State foreign policy as can be obviously discerned has been influenced by two things; terrorism and the first Gulf war. It is important to note that those that have largely supported the United States policy on Iraq have seen it as a necessary measure to â€Å"free up the Middle East military for further actions against Al Qaeda, to liberate the Iraqis people from their danger and establish, â€Å"a bunch bed of Arab democracy† (Richard A and Howard F. , 2004, 69). Such arguments have been widely criticized and indeed the United States foreign policy in Iraq has continued to draw mixed controversies with those in support of it being seen as pro war. There are those that see the United States policy as motivated by self interests and oil needs believing that if successful, such a foreign policy â€Å"would prompt US and multinational petroleum giants to rush into Iraq, dramatically increasing the out put of a nation whose oil reserves are second only to that of Saudi Arabia â€Å". (Nafeez M. , 2003, 234). Such sentiments have become prevalent in view of the raging debate over a foreign policy that has led the United States to be on a war path with the rest of the world. Most people in the world did not see the essence of the United States invasion. Polls taken prior to the commencement of the war had indicated that they did not favor the invasion which they did not see as justified. This would explain why the international community, the likes Russia, China and France failed to support the war, at the backdrop of the growing negative sentiment at home. The United States and the United Kingdom were alone in this war (Robert J. P. , 2005, 23). It is important though in the same light to analyze Presidents Bush’s fears over the possibility of Iraq harboring terrorists and the presence of weapons of mass destruction. As aforementioned, terrorism and the Gulf War of the early 1990 have had a significant impact on the structure of the current foreign policy towards Iraq. The United States during the Iran/Iraq was as history holds it, playing a crucial role in arming Iraq and probably turned a blind eye as Saddam Hussein stockpiled dangerous arsenals in readiness for an aggression with Iran. By then, the relations between the US and Iraq were what can be described as cordial with the United states hoping to use Iraq to contain the extremities characterizing Iran. Through this appeasement, Saddam Hussein was becoming dictatorial figure with little concern from the United States. The Kuwait invasion changed all this. With the search for weapons of mass destruction being in the fore several years after the Gulf War, President George W. Bush saw a perfect opportunity to invade Iraq citing the former’s reluctance to allow the search by the United Nations weapons inspectors. Since then, reference to the WMDs became an important tool in the formulation of foreign policy and in drumming up support for the war at home. The reluctance of the United Nations to sanction a strike against Iraq prompted the United States to near unilaterally take the matter into its own hands and wage war against Iraq. Capturing and hanging Saddam Hussein tragically ending decades’ long rule. The demise of Saddam and the fall of his regime would bring another key phase to the United States foreign policy, centering on how to contain the warning factors and maintain peace (Thomas E. Ricks, 2006, 54). Whether the terrorist attack by al Qaeda on September 11th prompted the renewed vigor in the foreign policy or it was a mere excuse to end Saddam’s rule is not clear. What is clear is that, the events of 911 prompted a radical shift in the policy of United States towards Iraq (Thomas G. et al, 2003, 86). The United States has been for long grappling with terrorism and maintains a huge list of suspected terrorist organization as well as nations that have links with such terrorist groups, either those that provide them with financial support or operation bases. The al Qaeda tops this list followed by other terrorist organizations from the Middle East. Indeed the nature of us foreign policy towards Middle East is structured in a way that insinuates that it regards the Middle East as the hot bed of terrorism. A visibly angry President Bush in the wake of the terror attacks warned that â€Å"states that harbor terrorists would be subject to military action† further warning the rogue states that in his Bush Doctrine, â€Å"either you are with us or you are with the terrorists† (Harvey W. , 2003,401). This was the vague link that was being used by Bush’s administration in the bid to garner domestic support for a war that proved afterwards to be grossly unpopular. Indeed, a huge portion of the Americas current foreign policy towards Iraq was influenced by this attack. President Bush exhibited an unrestrained impulse to install a new regime in Iraq and hence the excuse of the terror attack was a prefect opportunity. Bush’s administration had gained a lot of support both domestic and international in the war against terror especially directed towards al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan war commenced immediately after the 911 strike and was unanimously sanctioned by the congress. This was done in the belief that al Qaeda had formed a base in the mountainous region of Afghanistan. By extension, President George W. Bush believed that the existence of an unfriendly regime in Iraq would exacerbate the war against terror. The initial claims by the Bush administration that Saddam was harboring and aiding terrorists could not hold water. The reasons for the attack are still unclear, as Stefan H and Jonathan C (2005, 155) notes â€Å"weapons of mass destruction links with al-Qaeda, human rights abuses covered a wide and ever changing kaleidoscope†. This is because the claims on the presence of weapons of mass destruction â€Å"have been largely discredited and is retrospectively seen as a politically convenient pretext† (155) Indeed the general feeling is that the main reason for this war revolved around oil. It is worth noting that the United States foreign policy took a new turn after the toppling of Saddam Hussein. The United State had commenced a war without the proper authorization and sanctioning by the United States. With Saddam gone, the war had to be legitimized by installing a democratically elected government. Iraq conducted elections towards the beginning of 2005 under the watch of the United States military. Many argue however that such elections were used to disguise the huge discontent characterizing the Iraqis population with the hope of showing how united they were. History is rife with such examples where elections have been used to show national unity in the face of a brewing conflict underneath. With the rubberstamp of the United Nations, through the passage of resolution to oversee the elections, the United States had set the terms and conditions of the elections and was keen eyed to ensure that its candidate of choice emerged the winner. The Transitional Administrative Law which is playing a huge role in the governing process of the Iraq’s government, has given the United States a clear mandate, though defacto, to control Iraq. The post Iraq policy has been facing a number of challenges which mostly have been centering on the waging ethnicity in Iraq. Anna Mulrine (2008) identifies four challenges that are being encountered in the post war policy towards Iraq. The first one is the local militias. The United States has commenced a program that seeks to integrate the local militias into the police force to take advantage of their basic training and loyalty to the government especially the Sunni citizens. This fact however is exacerbated by the fact that these militias owe divided loyalty to both the government and to the insurgents. The rebuilding of Iraq is also hampered by the reduction of US forces in Iraq. There are plans to slash the number of US Army in Iraq due to the domestic opposition to surge at home. This creates a problem because the general feeling is that the Iraq police are too biased to be left to implement the reconstruction policies alone (Condoleeza R. , 2008, 52). The success of the United States foreign policy towards Iraq has not been largely seen by many especially in the knowledge that the war in Iraq had been largely criticized. Any success garnered so far is overshadowed by the intense criticism and the news of the numerous deaths and attacks suffered by the United States soldiers in a foreign land (Robert J. P. , 2005, 67). Most protagonists of war identify the toppling of Saddam and his consequent hanging as a major step towards democratization. In the words of President Bush, his toppling was a signal to all dictators that their numbers are numbered. The aim of the war was to make the world a safer place and secure American interests. This however is yet to be achieved as the war against terrorism is far from won. The recent elections and the setting up of a government however may be seen as a success to such policies but the war is yet to be over considering the huge insecurity charactering major towns in Iraq. United States soldiers are being killed daily and cases of suicide attacks are common, an indication that this war is far from over (Allawi, Ali, 2007, 46). The United States foreign policy has been largely criticized both domestically and internationally. Most of these criticism centers on the military intervention and the justification behind such intervention. Bush administration had misrepresented information on the urgency of the war due to the presence of weapons of mass destruction. This proved to be exercise in futility as the weapons were never found. The United States decided to take unilateral steps despite there being no evidence to indicate that indeed Iraq possessed WMDs. The links to terrorist could also not be established indicating that the evidence was largely manipulated. The fact that the US invaded Iraq without a proper mandate from the United Nations has also drawn criticism as it was in violation of the resolution 678 which was passed at the height of the Gulf War. Bush’s immense criticism was emanating from the public which led to the decline of the governments approval ratings to below thirty percent making president Bush the most unpopular president to be in office. International criticism centers on the unilateralism of America and also using democracy and terrorism as a disguise to the pursuits to secure oil resources in Iraq. It is apparent that the United States and Iraq have not been enjoying the best of relations in the past years. To Americans since the gulf war in the early 1990s, Iraq was the biggest threat to the world’s security as long as Saddam Hussein was on the driving seat. The United States foreign policy had been structured to reflect this. It is this suspicion that would lead the Bush administration to invade Iraq, topple and hang the despotic leader in the bid to install a democratic government in one of the most defiant nation in the Middle East. President Bush used lies and manipulation of evidence to initiate a war that has lead to the down fall of his presidency. The United States effort to install a democratic government and curb insecurity is yet to materialize as it is facing a myriad of challenges in addition to the growing criticism back at home. Crucial concern now to the United States foreign policy on Iraq is how to maintain peace and stability in a volatile country so as to implement the set program towards reconstruction. Bibliography Richard A. Falk, Howard Friel, 2004. The Record of the Paper: The New York Times on US Foreign Policy and International Law, 1954-2004. Verso. Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, 2003. Behind the War on Terror: Western Secret Strategy and the Struggle for Iraq. CLAIRVIEW BOOKS. Harvey W. Kushner, 2003. Encyclopedia of Terrorism. SAGE. Anna Mulrine, September 16, 2008. Four Challenges Petraeus Leaves Behind for His Successor in Iraq. News World Report. Retrieved on 0ctober 15, 2008 from http://www. usnews. com/articles/news/iraq/2008/09/16/four-challenges-petraeus-leaves-behind-for-his-successor-in-iraq. html? PageNr=2 Stefan Halper, Jonathan Clarke, 2005. America Alone: The Neo-Conservatives and the Global Order. Cambridge University Press. Robert J. Pauly, 2005. US Foreign Policy and the Persian Gulf: Safeguarding American Interests Through Selective Multilateralism. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Robert J. Pauly, Tom Lansford, 2005. Strategic Preemption: U. S. Foreign Policy and the Second Iraq War. Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Thomas George Weiss, Margaret E. Crahan, John Goering, 2004. Wars on Terrorism and Iraq: Human Rights, Unilateralism, and U. S. Foreign Policy. Routledge Thomas E. Ricks, 2006. Fiasco, The American Military Adventure In Iraq. Penguin. Chollet, Derek and James Goldgeier, 2008. America Between the Wars. Public Affairs, Perseus Books Group Allawi, A. , 2007. The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.