Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Ritiika Avarrsekar and Aditya Gupta
1
Letter from the Director Dear delegates,
Hello, and welcome to Spring MUN 2017! My name is Ritiika Avarrsekar, and it is my absolute privilege to
be serving as the director of the White House and the under-Secretary General of Spring MUN 2017. Apart
from Model UN, I am a passionate singer, dancer, actor, pianist, writer, linguist, entrepreneur, Head girl of
our school and someone with a keen interest in global affairs through the 19th, 20th and 21st century.
My love for American politics began as a child, when I first saw Obama’s inauguration as the first Black
president live on TV with my grandmother. It was fascinating; the amount of people gathered to see him, the
pompous celebrations, and most importantly the people chanting ‘Yes We Can.’ Ever since then, the history
and inner workings of this superpower riveted me. Sometimes, I was enamored of it, while, other times I
was scandalized and disgusted by it.
Trump is a President like never seen before. What I implore you to understand is that, even though people
claim this man is not ‘fit to hold’ the office of the Presidency, the truth is, he is the President, and no amount
of impeachment cries can change that for at least a year to come.
This committee will hopefully give you an idea of how difficult decision making is in the US, particularly
since it involves reaching to a consensus between two ideologically and politically opposed parties who
stand on far ends of the political spectrum. If I had any advice to give, it would be to research as much as
you possible can. There are innumerable resources on the internet about Trump and his White House,
however, be careful as to which sources you choose to believe or not. Stick to your stance, to your party, and
to your people; the rest will automatically fall into place.
I think the US is a truly fascinating country and cannot wait to talk with you about it. I am also extremely
excited to be directing this committee with an excellent and very experienced MUNner, Aditya, who is as
well versed about this topic as I am. If you have any questions or comments about this committee or Spring
MUN 2017, or anything at all, please do not hesitate to reach out! Otherwise we look forward to seeing you
in February!
Best,
Ritiika
2
Contents
Letter from the Director ..................................................................................................................................... 1
1. NATO - Russia .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Trump and NATO .......................................................................................................................................... 3
The Crimean Conflict .................................................................................................................................... 3
Russian Threat in the Baltics ......................................................................................................................... 4
Suggested Topics for Further Reading .......................................................................................................... 4
2. Iran Nuclear Deal ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Terms of the Treaty ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Reactions to the Iran Nuclear Deal ................................................................................................................ 5
The Obama Administration............................................................................................................................ 5
The Trump Administration ............................................................................................................................ 5
3. North Korea and its Nuclear Program ........................................................................................................... 6
International Community’s Reaction ............................................................................................................. 6
Obama and North Korea ................................................................................................................................ 6
Trump and North Korea ................................................................................................................................. 6
Suggested Topics for Further Reading .......................................................................................................... 7
4. Immigration.................................................................................................................................................... 7
Obama and Immigration ................................................................................................................................ 7
Trump and Immigration ................................................................................................................................. 7
Suggested Topics for Further Reading .......................................................................................................... 8
Questions the Committee must answer .............................................................................................................. 9
Position Paper Guidelines .................................................................................................................................. 9
Note to the Delegates ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Works Cited ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
3
1. NATO - Russia
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance between 29 states that are all located
either in North America or Europe. It was formed in 1949 as a means of defending the west from the Soviet
Union. NATO has been very successful in the past, often collaborating with the United Nations to restore
international peace and security (such as in Afghanistan). According to 2016 figures, The US spends about
3.61% of its GDP, the largest contributor by far, both in terms of percentage, as well as absolute cash. The
NATO has also established a guideline of 2% of a countries GDP to be contributed to it, a guideline which
only 5 countries, including the US, follow. The US also has the highest defence expenditure per capita as
well as the largest amount of military personnel contributed to NATO. The most important aspect of NATO,
however, is Article 5 of its mandate which states that “an armed attack against one of more of them
[members] in Europe or North America shall be considered against an attack of them all”.
Trump and NATO
Trump’s stance on NATO has fluctuated. Initially, during his election campaign, Trump’s rhetoric against
NATO was condemning and vindictive. He called NATO obsolete and stated that if Russia were to invade a
NATO country, the United States would not defend them under article 5 because many countries have not
“paid their dues”. Recently, however, after a meeting with the Secretary General of NATO, Trump has
reversed his stance affirming that the United States will stand firmly behind Article 5 and that NATO is now
doing more to fight terrorism and as a consequence, he no longer believes that the organization is obsolete.
The Crimean Conflict
In 2014, pro-Russian armed men captured many government buildings in Simferopol, the capital of the
Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The Russian government admitted to helping the Crimean rebels. A
referendum asking the Crimean population whether it wished to join the Russian Federation was
subsequently conducted. 97% voters voted to be a part of Russian.
Several nations including the United States saw this as an act of aggression towards the western world,
however did not acted in a military fashion so as to prevent large scale conflict, as Russia’s occupation of
the area is relatively peaceful.
On the 11th of May 2014, pro-Russian separatists proclaimed Crimea’s independence, delegitimizing Kiev.
15,000 Russians invaded Crimea and the Russian troops insinuated future annexations due to shared border
conflicts. Crimea itself was an Autonomous Republic operating under the Ukrainian government.
NATO informed the Russian Federation that further intervention would lead to a ‘historic mistake’. Ukraine
had sought to join NATO prior to 2014. Nevertheless, Moscow had succeeded to keep Ukraine away from
NATO. The United States strongly supported the Orange Revolution, which created a very unpleasant
relationship with Russia. US and NATO have mainly intervened by estimating the number of Russian troops
in Ukraine and by warning the Ukrainian Government.
The United States of America point of view is clearly against Russian intervention in Ukraine. As many
other world leaders, ex-President of the United States Barack Obama has also openly stated his deep concern
on the illegal Russian invasion in Crimea. The USA refers to the Ukraine crisis as a massive violation of
4
Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity, and not as a rebel separatist issue. Because of the Russian Federation’s
actions, President Barack Obama has confirmed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin that greater
political as well as economic isolation will follow the happenings.
The USA believes that Ukraine should be militarily supported to defend itself from Russian invasions. The
US has also been helping Ukraine in economic and energy matters. The US government also shows its
support by promoting further tougher sanctions on Russia in all cases of terrestrial, human rights and
constitutional violation against Ukraine. Military aid is provided from the US to Ukraine mainly through
NATO.
The Trump administration said Russia would be held accountable for its actions in Ukraine. Secretary of
Defence, General Mattis, has begun building the United States’ relationship with Russia from a position of
power. With NATO, he has arranged a new agreement with the Baltic States of Estonia, Lithuania, and
Latvia.
Russian Threat in the Baltics
The Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia — all three of which are members of NATO — have
been subject to Russian military movements and actions near their borders. All three countries had
been annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 and Russian leaders were particularly distressed by
their accession to NATO and the EU in 2004. In 2014, the Baltic states reported several incursions into
their air space by Russian military aircraft. In 2015, Lithuania reintroduced mandatory military conscription.
Ever since the invasion of Crimea by Russia, tensions have escalated in these Baltic states. The three
countries have large ethnic Russian populations as well and claim that the Russian government is utilizing
unconventional methods of warfare, such as inciting violence based on ethnic grounds, propaganda and
information attacks, discrediting their history and other such means to entice these countries to join Russia.
If any such attack takes place in these countries, NATO is obliged to come to their defence, directly
opposing Russia.
Suggested Topics for Further Reading
1. Russia and Georgia
2. Alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election
3. Trump and Russia scandal (Including connections with Trump’s core team)
2. Iran Nuclear Deal
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, known commonly as The Iran Nuclear Deal, was a
revolutionary accord negotiated and signed between the Permanent Five of the Security Council (P5), the
European Union (EU), Germany and Iran concerning Iran’s Nuclear Program. Iran had violated the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, a document it had ratified in 1970 and was thus largely repudiated from the
International Community. Furthermore, it was uncooperative, to say the least, with the International Atomic
Energy Association (IAEA). The United Nations Security Council consequently imposed sanctions on Iran
for violating the Nuclear NPT in 2006 which massively slowed down its economy. At least 9 resolutions
were passed by the United Nations Security Council directly concerning Iran’s nuclear program and the
imposition of further economic sanctions between 2006 and 2015.
5
Terms of the Treaty
The treaty lifts crippling economic sanctions on Iran earlier imposed by the United Nations (UN), the
EU, and the United States of America.
Iran will be limited to installing no more than 5,060 centrifuges (A drastic decrease from 20,000 in
2015)
Iran’s uranium stockpile will be reduced by 98% for 15 years
Iran’s nuclear facility located near the town of Arak will be redesigned such that it cannot produce
weapons-grade Plutonium.
The IAEA will continuously monitor Iran’s actions regarding nuclear material within the country and
will also implement the Additional Protocol to their IAEA Safeguards Agreement.
This effectively reduces Iran’s breakout time from an estimated two to three months to over a year.
Should Iran violate any aspects of the deal, the UN sanctions will be automatically put back into
place for 10 years
Iran will have access to more than $100 billion that was present in frozen assets overseas. The
Iranian economy will be open to the world for further international trade and investment.
Any dispute must be referred to the UN Security Council.
The US will only lift Nuclear related sanctions on Iran under this deal (Sanctions on Missile
technologies, terror list sanctions, development of ballistic missiles, human rights abuses and
censorship are just a few sanctions that the US still imposes on Iran).
Reactions to the Iran Nuclear Deal
The Israeli Prime Minister deplored the deal as he believes that the deal will enable Iran to become a nuclear
superpower in 15 years and help it wage war in the region.
Iranian “hardliners” and critics of the deal feel that it has weakened Iran on the international stage and
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has humiliated Iran.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ex-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron, and Angela
Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, all expressed support for the deal.
The Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi called the deal “A catalyst for regional stability”
Saudi Arabia too publicly opposed the deal and the deal has increased tensions between the two involved
countries.
The Obama Administration
The US was more responsible for the passage of the Iran Nuclear Deal than any other country. It led the
charge against Iran and repeatedly called it out for its elusive actions. The Obama administration was in
charge for the deal in its entirety: its inception, negotiation, and passage.
The Trump Administration
One of the pivotal aspects of Trump's campaign was his promise to either modify or scrap the Iran Nuclear
Deal. Congress is mandated to review the deal every 90 days. If not certified, the US will have automatically
withdrawn from the deal. In October of 2017, Trump refused to certify to Congress whether the Deal is in
America's national interests and if the deal should be decertified. The deal is up for certification in
December. Trump stated that Iran had severely violated the deal and received disproportionate relief from
international sanctions. Trump has also spoken about the possibility of a Phase 2. Phase 2 will be
6
implemented by the US in the event that other signatories to the deal do not cooperate with the US, leading
to the complete termination of the deal on the part of the US, and consequently the collapse of the entire deal
itself.
3. North Korea and its Nuclear Program
On September 14th 2017, North Korea fired another ballistic missile over Japan on Friday, a direct challenge
to the United States and China just days after a new sanctions resolution was adopted by the United Nations
Security. North Korea claims it has conducted five successful nuclear tests: in 2006, 2009, 2013 and in
January and September 2016. The yield of the bombs appears to have increased. September 2016's test has
indicated a device with an explosive yield of between 10 and 30 kilotons - which, if confirmed, would make
it the North's strongest nuclear test ever. The 2006, 2009 and 2013 tests were all atomic bomb tests. North
Korea claimed that its January 2016 test was of a hydrogen bomb, however, this is not deemed true by many
international scientists.
International Community’s Reaction
The US, Russia, China, Japan and South Korea engaged the North in multiple rounds of negotiations known
as six-party talks. In 2005, North Korea agreed to a landmark deal to give up its nuclear ambitions in return
for economic aid and political concessions. In 2008, it destroyed the cooling tower at Yongbyon as part of
the disarmament-for-aid deal. In 2012, North Korea suddenly announced it would suspend nuclear activities
in exchange for US food aid. This unfortunately ended when Pyongyang tried to launch a rocket in April
that year. In March 2013, engaging in some belligerent rhetoric with the US and with new UN sanctions
over the North's third nuclear test, Pyongyang vowed to restart all facilities at Yongbyon. By 2015, normal
operations there appeared to have resumed. The 2016 tests brought international condemnation, including
from China - the North's main trading partner, and only ally. In 2017, the UN agreed a new sanctions
package in response to the tests.
Obama and North Korea
Just months into President Obama’s first term, the North detonated a series of nuclear bombs. Rather than
resorting to negotiations, Mr. Obama chose a policy of “strategic patience” hoping that through sanctions
and espionage, the United States could wait out the isolated state. He hoped that North Korea would
eventually feel it had reason to negotiate and make a good-faith effort at talks. Instead they only pursued its
weapons program and launched a series of cyber-attacks on American businesses, including Sony Pictures.
Obama also talked tough with the North Koreans when he thought it necessary: In 2014, he warned that the
United States “will not hesitate to use our military might” to protect American allies. It was during the
Obama administration that Kim Jong-un, a grandson of the country’s founder, was named leader after the
death of his father, Kim Jong-Il. The Americans initially hoped the young leader would represent a break
from the hardline policies of his predecessors, but instead he proved to be far worse.
Trump and North Korea
CIA Director Mike Pompeo said the United States has to act militarily if North Korea is on the verge of
being able to strike it with a missile -- and that President Donald Trump is ready to do so. Even as other
countries have urged caution, dialogue and confidence-building measures, Trump has belittled the North
7
Korean leader as "rocket man," dismissed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's efforts to broker a diplomatic
solution, and hinted that he is ready to take military action. North Korea has responded with statements like
the U.S. should expect an “unimaginable strike at an unimaginable time,” according to a statement released
by the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Recently, the Hermit Kingdom told countries to avoid
allying with the US if they wanted to evade a nuclear attack on their own nations. “The entire U.S. mainland
is within our firing range," said a North Korean ambassador. "And if the U.S. dares to invade our sacred
territory even an inch it will not escape our severe punishment in any part of the globe." Many Americans
fear that as the relationship between Kim Jong Un and Trump deteriorates, thermo nuclear war could be a
very real possibility.
Suggested Topics for Further Reading
1. US and South Korea relations (Including US military presence in South Korea)
2. US Presence in the Korean peninsula
3. Sanctions and previous UN Resolutions about North Korea
4. China and US talks about North Korea
4. Immigration
The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA), is the law that currently governs immigration policy,
provides for an annual worldwide limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants. Lawful permanent residency
allows a foreign national to work and live permanently in the United States. Lawful permanent residents
(LPRs) are eligible to apply for nearly all jobs and can remain in the country even if they are unemployed.
Each year the United States also admits noncitizens on a temporary basis. Annually, Congress and the
President determine a separate number for refugee admissions.
Obama and Immigration
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals-
DACA provides protection from deportation and work authorization to certain undocumented immigrants
brought to the U.S. as children. In the last few years, DACA has proven successful for the 740,000
individuals who benefitted from the initiative. However, many congressmen argued that DACA was
unconstitutional and therefore, Obama had to use an executive order to pass it. This later served as one of
the reasoning for Trump to repeal it in 2017.
Deportation-
2009-2016 saw more than 2.7 million deportations– more people than any other president in U.S. history.
The last few years have witnessed the arrival of thousands of Central Americans fleeing violence in their
home countries and seeking asylum in the U.S. However, for the most part, the Obama administration has
not treated this influx of Central Americans as a humanitarian issue, but rather as an enforcement issue.
Instead of ensuring a fair process for refugees and asylees to present their claims, many have been placed in
rushed deportation process, often without access to attorneys, and little support in navigating a complicated
legal process.
Trump and Immigration
Executive Orders Banning Immigration and Extreme Vetting
President Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 27 that barred Syrian refugees from entering the U.S.
indefinitely and barred all other refugees for 120 days, and kept out visitors for 90 days from seven
predominately Muslim countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
8
As a candidate, Trump called for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.”
However, in response to criticism of his executive order, Trump issued a statement accusing the media of
“falsely reporting” that it is a “Muslim ban.” Trump said his policy is “not about religion — this is about
terror and keeping our country safe.”
This executive order, along with a revised version, have both been struck down by American courts. Trump
claims he will raise this issue in the Supreme Court however, it has not yet been done.
The Border Wall-
The wall was arguably Trump’s central campaign promise, and one of the biggest crowd pleasers with his
audiences.
Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget proposal calls for $1.6 billion as a down payment to pay for a double-
layered wall across parts of the southern border with Mexico, with the long-term goal of having Mexico
reimbursing the United States Treasury for the wall.
Days after taking office in January, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Homeland
Security to immediately begin planning for “a physical wall on the southern border.”
More Border Agents-
The same day as Trump’s executive order for the wall, Jan. 25, the president signed a second order calling
for the hiring of 5,000 new U.S. Border Patrol agents. However, the number of agents today is down by 220
compared with what it was when Trump took office, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Merit Based Immigration-
As a candidate, Trump mostly talked about stopping illegal immigration. But earlier this month, the
president backed a bill sponsored by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Purdue of
Georgia to shift from a family-based immigration system to a merit-based system. The bill, which would
also limit legal immigration, is called the Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act, or
the RAISE act.
Suggested Topics for Further Reading
1. Trump’s promise of a border wall with Mexico
2. Democrat and Republican middle ground about DACA
9
Questions the Committee must answer
1. Should the US stay in the Iran Nuclear Deal?
2. How should the US work towards improving US- Iran relations?
3. Should the US continue spending as much as it is in NATO?
4. How can the US work with its European counterparts to curtail Russian influence?
5. Is the US ready to assure its NATO counterparts to stand by Article 5 in case of a Russian invasion?
6. What action should be taken against Russia for its actions in Ukraine?
7. Is the US ready to resort to military tactics to curb the North Korean threat? Does it believe all
diplomatic measures have actually been exhausted?
8. Will the US be ready to demilitarise Japan and South Korea as an incentive for North Korea to
follow suit?
9. Should the US build a border wall? Who’s going to pay?
10. Should the US curb both legal and illegal immigration? How?
Position Paper Guidelines
Position papers must be only one page long with a Times New Roman font of 12. Please mention your
name, character allocation and school on the left side. Position papers must generally follow this structure-
1. Introduction: A bit about your character in general (Past actions, past portfolios, any significant
legislation or milestones in their carrier RELATED to politics, any other key information about the
character)
2. Body: Your character’s relation and stance on the agendas being discussed (Has your character
issued a statement about this before, are there any reports about his or her stance, has he or she voted
for or against a bill about this agenda)
3. Conclusion: Solutions and how your character feels each agenda should be dealt with (How your
character feels the people in committee can reach consensus, any one agenda your character feels
extremely passionate about, their suggestions about what must be done)
Note to the Delegates
This committee will consist of senators (both republican and democrat), cabinet members, and advisors.
If you have been allocated a senator, I suggest you begin your research by knowing which party he/she
belongs to. You may not be able to find your characters’ views about every single issue the committee is
going to discuss, however your character’s previous statements, previous legislations they’ve supported and
their party affiliations should give you a brief idea.
If you have been allocated a cabinet member, please make sure to research the powers you can yield in
committee. Since it is a crisis committee, which will allow communiqués, it would help to know what
exactly is entailed in your character’s portfolio and how much autonomy they have while making decisions.
10
Only directives will be passed in committee. For a very frequently asked question, ‘Is there a Trump in
committee?’, the director will essentially serve as Donald Trump. Any directive passed can be vetoed only
by the President, as is in real life.
The entire committee will be voting on directives hence; it is imperative that Republicans and Democrat
reach a certain middle ground before sending directives to be voted upon. Bipartisan directives will be
highly appreciated and favourably looked upon.
Additionally, I would strongly recommend for you to be very careful while you do your research. Be wary
of websites which you feel are propagandising news and not serving you the facts as they should be. Do not
use op-ed, or editorial pieces for your research and stray far from media preaching their opinion; considering
the political mood in the US, high chances are that these pieces will be biased and may not be beneficial for
your stance in committee.
Moreover, the study guide is only to serve as a preliminary base for your research. There is a lot more
research left for you to do. Many senators have stances on some issues contrasting that of their parties, so
simply knowing which party your senator belongs to will not help. Furthermore, many of Trump’s own
advisors, even though they are working for a Republican president, have highly democratic views. I will be
looking out for delegates who are able to manoeuvre their stance in committee according to what is being
discussed and will not only follow the herd and choose a stance which they feel would be correct.
11
Works Cited
Defense Secretary Mattis suggests sticking with Iran nuclear deal | Reuters. Retrieved from
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-usa/defense-secretary-mattis-suggests-sticking-
with-iran-nuclear-deal-idUSKCN1C821N
Donald Trump announces new immigration policy favouring financially stable English speakers | The
Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-
politics/donald-trump-immigration-policy-english-speakers-financial-stable-raise-act-tom-cotton-
david-perdue-a7873711.html
Donald Trump changes NATO position: 'It's no longer obsolete' | PolitiFact. Retrieved from
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/apr/12/donald-trump/donald-trump-nato-i-
said-it-was-obsolete-its-no-lo/
Donald Trump finally says US will defend European Nato allies as Russia stance hardens ahead of Putin
meeting | The Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-
politics/donald-trump-us-nato-europe-defence-valdimir-putin-meeting-g20-summit-russia-poland-
a7827036.html
Donald Trump reiterates he will only help Nato countries that pay 'fair share' | US news | The Guardian.
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/27/donald-trump-nato-isolationist
Fear itself: Donald Trump's real immigration policy - Vox. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/policy-
and-politics/2017/9/14/16293906/trump-immigration-deportation
The Historic Deal that Will Prevent Iran from Acquiring a Nuclear Weapon | The White House. Retrieved
from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/node/328996
How the United States Immigration System Works | American Immigration Council. Retrieved from
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/how-united-states-immigration-system-
works
How Trump’s Predecessors Dealt With the North Korean Threat - The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/world/asia/trump-north-korea-threat.html
12
Iran nuclear crisis: Six key points - BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-
east-32114862
Iran nuclear deal: Key details - BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-
33521655\
North Korea's nuclear programme: How advanced is it? - BBC News. Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11813699
North Korea's nuclear weapons: Here is what we know | News | Al Jazeera. Retrieved from
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/north-korea-testing-nuclear-weapons-
170504072226461.html
Obama's Enforcement Of Immigration Laws: 5 Things To Know : NPR. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/2016/08/31/491965912/5-things-to-know-about-obamas-enforcement-of-
immigration-laws
SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS IRAN SUSPEND URANIUM ENRICHMENT BY 31 AUGUST, OR
FACE POSSIBLE ECONOMIC, DIPLOMATIC SANCTIONS | Meetings Coverage and Press
Releases. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/press/en/2006/sc8792.doc.htm
Trump Supports Plan to Cut Legal Immigration by Half - The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/us/politics/trump-immigration.html
Where 7 of Trump’s Key Immigration Policies Stand. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://dailysignal.com/2017/08/22/where-7-of-trumps-key-immigration-policies-stand/
