Sunil Dasgupta, director of UMBC’s political science program at the Universities at Shady Grove and non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, has published a new East Asia Forum commentary on India’s potential responses to civil war in Pakistan. Dasgupta writes:

In 1971, India intervened militarily on behalf of Bengalis in the civil war in East Pakistan, dividing the country in two and helping to create Bangladesh. In 2013, prospects of another civil war in Pakistan — this time one that pits radical Islamists against the secular but authoritarian military — have led once again to questions about what India would do. What would trigger Indian intervention, and who would India support?

Dasgupta explores several key factors and possible scenarios before concluding that, given present and foreseeable conditions, “India is likely to sit out a Pakistani civil war while covertly coordinating policy with the United States.” Read the full article to learn more.

This past Sunday, United States Secretary of State John Kerry departed for his overseas trip to Europe and the Middle East.

On Secretary Kerry’s agenda are close U.S. allies and partners: Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar

But WAIT. Isn’t he forgetting an important friend?  Israel…?

How can the US Secretary of State not visit Israel, our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East, on a diplomatic trip to Europe and the Middle East?!

Apparently, Secretary Kerry’s actions are in no way atypical.  In fact, only four of the last eleven presidents visited Israel during their time in office, two of which waited until their second term to do so. 

Harry Truman: no visit

Dwight Eisenhower: no visit

John Kennedy: no visit

Lyndon Johnson: no visit

Richard Nixon: sixth year of presidency

Gerald Ford: no visit

Jimmy Carter: third year of presidency

Ronald Reagan: no visit

George H.W. Bush: no visit

Bill Clinton: 4 visits—in the second, third, fourth and sixth years of his presidency

George W. Bush: 2 visits—in the eighth year of his presidency

(President Obama also did not visit Israel during his first term, but is set to voyage to the Promised Land this spring). 

Some argue that visiting Israel is not a pressing concern because of our strong ties.  US-Israeli trust and cooperation does not necessarily require our officials to meet face to face. 

Is our relationship with Britain not just as strong?  And France?  The US maintains a strong, if not just as strong, bond with either country as it does with Israel, and yet they are not forgotten on official diplomatic trips. 

Perhaps the United States’ priorities have changed.  After all, Former Secretary Hillary Clinton made her way to our close friend on her first overseas trip as Secretary of State. 

As President Barack Obama said during his first presidential campaign,

“[America] is a strong friend of Israel’s.

If you were friends with someone for 65 years, wouldn’t you at least say hello if you walked down their street?

Name:  Kate Hunsicker ’14
Majors: English and Dance
Scholarships: Alumni Association Scholarship (Legacy), Senatorial Scholarship, UMBC scholarship

Q: Why did you decide to attend UMBC?
A:  I decided to come to UMBC because this school was able to offer me everything that I wanted. I wanted a mid-sized campus, in-state and not too far from home, where I could major in both Dance and English. My dad, uncle, and older brother all went to UMBC, so I knew that it was a great school and that I would be happy in the community life here.

Q:  What has been the most amazing discovery you’ve made so far as a student here?
A:  The most amazing discovery that I have made at UMBC so far is the way that I’ve been able to extensively pursue both Dance and English at a school that is known for STEM. I have been able to balance both of my passions, and even go far beyond classroom learning for both of them. In dance, I have had many opportunities to perform since my first semester here, and have even been performing with Baltimore Dance Project (a professional faculty company) since my freshman year. I was also awarded the Summer Research award for dance from the department, and was able to study in New York for three weeks under Doug Varone and his dance company. In English, I was recommended to become a tutor and now I work in the UMBC Writing Center. Now, as an experienced tutor, I have been given the opportunity to become a Writing Fellow. I will be starting next semester and some fellow tutors and I will be assisting English 100 teachers and facilitating the writing lab sections of the Composition 100 classes. I am extremely excited about all of my opportunities and very happy that UMBC has allowed me to fulfill all of these things in both of my areas of interest.

Q:  Tell us about a class or club that has really opened your mind (and why)…
A:  In the beginning of my freshman year, I joined a club called Intervarsity. This is one of the many Christian groups on campus, and it has really opened my mind and been a good thing for me on campus. Intervarsity has given me a place of refuge and rest, the opportunity to grow spiritually at school with people my age, and has allowed me to meet many amazing, supportive people; some of whom have become my closest friends. For the past two years, it has also given me the opportunity to be a leader in a campus club, and has influenced my abilities to speak in front of people, to manage my time, and to care for others on our campus.

Q:  What do you hope to do after graduation, and why?
A:  After graduation, I am hoping to find a way to incorporate both dance and English into my life/career. I am interested in finding an editing position for a magazine or for some type of published work. If I find a full time job in such a position, I would still like to be performing for dance with a local company or maybe even in community theater, as I also love to sing and act. I am also interested in the idea of writing dance criticism as a way to combine both of my interests and even if that is not a full time pursuit, I could potentially do freelance dance writing while performing or working at another job.

Q:  How important is it to you as a student to get scholarship support?
A:  As a student, it is so important to get scholarship support. Everyone wants to be able to complete their education and pursue their dreams, but financial concerns are always looming regarding student loans and making payments. Receiving scholarships significantly eases the financial burden of the college student, and allows us to carry out our studies with less stress about money and loans.

Q:  What would you say to the alumni who contributed to your scholarship?
A:  I would very much like to thank the alumni who contributed to my scholarship. Their generosity has given me the opportunity to continue my studies with less financial stressors above my head. Their willingness to make such contributions is an indication of the wonderful opportunities that they themselves once had at UMBC, and I think it is amazing that they want to help current UMBC students have an experience at this school as beneficial as their own experience here.