Writer archives: Kim Olsen

Bob Woodward and Election 2004

Bob Woodward of The Washington Post is the ultimate journalist. His latest book, 'Plan of Attack,' is rattling Washington. Its allegations will be fodder for… Read more »

Fables of the Reconstruction

Since Operation Iraqi Freedom began 14 months ago, 671 American lives have been lost. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Web site indicates between January 1959 and… Read more »

Maxwell School tops Kennedy

The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs sits atop 252 other U.S. graduate programs in Public Affairs, Public Administration and Public Management. As a… Read more »

9/11 Commission not about blame

According the legislation authorizing its creation, the 'National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States' (or 9/11 Commission) was created to determine 'facts and… Read more »

West Virginia: Not so bad after all

I recently spent time in West Virginia. Friends in my adopted hometown of Washington, D.C., were incredulous and dismayed. Their implication was, of all the… Read more »

Impeachment in South Korea

Last week, South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun was impeached. Roh's impeachment is South Korea's first since its 1948 formation. South Korea is home to 73,000… Read more »

Taking away Social Security

Beware America. The famously cryptic Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, surprised everyone last week with his clearest commentary to date: baby boomers are retiring and… Read more »

Democracy in Haiti and Iraq

One of the first things I thought when reading about recent Haitian unrest was how both simple and complicated the definition of 'democracy' is. I… Read more »

Class and our political economy

China has a billion people. India has a billion people. Imagine if 5 percent or 100 million held college degrees equivalent to your own. Imagine… Read more »

Amid all tyrannies, why Iraq?

Saddam was a threat; Chris Malagisi got that right in his column ('Dems switch stance; WMD don't matter,' February 10, 2004). Let's not fool ourselves… Read more »

SU on do-not-call list

A few days ago I was woken by a phone call from a young woman asking if I was Kim Olsen. I tiredly responded 'yes.'… Read more »

Sudan's peace in doubt

In Sudan's 47 years of independence, two million Sudanese have died in a civil war that has occupied 36 of those years. This war, between… Read more »

U.S. denies rights in Cuba

The U.S. Constitution guarantees citizens the right to due process. It is often used as a model by developing countries trying to reform their dysfunctional… Read more »

Amerian economy not in vacuum

The International Monetary Fund: Western leaders believe it is a sage adviser to developing countries seeking economic order. But to developing countries, it is a… Read more »

Partisan-based rancor rules U.S. Senate

Filibuster. No, it is not the name of your least-favorite uncle. It is a not-so-obscure regulation allowing U.S. senators to indefinitely halt Senate operations. Senate… Read more »

Free trade 101: Don't simplify the issues

Anti-globalization and anti-free trade activists need to get their stories straight. Should all Americans receive similar salaries? Should those with different levels of education receive… Read more »

Bush policy in Iraq naive, disturbing

At its best, George W. Bush's policy in Iraq is conflicted and inherently naive.Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein's link to al-Qaida… Read more »

Russian maneuvering may kill treaty

Environmental politics are rarely about the environment. Even though the Russian parliament has approved the Kyoto Protocol, President Putin hinted publicly that he would not… Read more »