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Several years ago, we read Philip Gourevitch's powerful book on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, We Wish To Inform You.... This led us to eventually pick up Samantha Power's brilliant A Problem From Hell: America in the Age of Genocide, winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Power's book is a riveting look at the United States' policies, approaches -- and more than occasional avoidance -- to genocide during the 20th Century, beginning with the Armenian Genocide during World War I and running through the Kosovo War of the late 1990's. With it, Power established herself as one of the leading experts and writers on U.S. Foreign Policy.
Now, Power is back with a new book, Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World. The book focuses on the life and work of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Brazilian humanitarian who was working as the U.N. Secretary-General's Special Representative in Iraq when he, and 21 members of his staff, were killed in the August 2003 bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad. Power will be in town on Wednesday, March 12, at the Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Library Center as part of the "Facing History and Ourselves" program to read from and discuss this new book and, we're sure, much more on the current state of world affairs. As the war in Iraq reaches its fifth anniversary, we can't think of a better time to examine the life of a man who dedicated himself to promoting peace and we can think of a better conduit through which to learn about him than the gifted Power.
Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out Power being in the news lately for her recent comments and subsequent resignation from Team Obama, something that we're sure will come up at her presentation tomorrow.
Samantha Power, Wednesday, March 12, 5:30 pm, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street. The event is free, but a reservation is required. Call 312-345-3203 for more information.
Image taken from Samantha Power's Harvard Faculty website.
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Wow, no mention of how she was one of Obama's top foreign policy advisors until she was forced to resign after calling Clinton a "monster" last week. While it may not be relevant to the book, I bet it just might come up during the question and answer session.
Uhhh, ad, you missed something. It's in the last paragraph.
Wait, she studied genocide and thinks that Hillary is "a monster?"
"Contemptible hack" sure, but "a monster?"
Did she check her sense of perspective at the door?
Either I'm losing my mind, or the post was edited. If it's the former, I apologize.
This is someone I would believe if she called someone else 'a monster.'
For clarifications sake, I had accidentally left out the mention of Power resigning from the Obama campaign originally and after having that pointed out by one our outstanding editors, the post was in the process of being edited to add the link about the "monster" debacle when ad left their original comment.
On a related note, it's a shame the whole incident with her resigning from the Obama campaign happened. I'm not defending her actions or taking a stance one way or the other, but it's too bad that this will likely overshadow an otherwise pretty brilliant person and writer. A Problem From Hell is an excellent look at the way the American government has continually dealt and struggled with the issue of genocide (and its tendency to attempt to ignore it). A pretty relevant examination given, among other things, the ongoing crisis in the Sudan.
If Obama gets the nomination and is elected, I bet she will still be worked into the administration fold. Before this, she may have been a short-list candidate for U.N. Ambassador or even Secretary of State. While a position that high may be out of the question now, I bet she still lands somewhere high up in the state department if he makes it to the oval office. Unfortunately for her, it sounds like she had a track record for being a little too honest: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/77b63978-ef0c-11dc-97ec-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1.
Only in politics would candor and wit be considered a damning trait.
Anyone else think this was totally calculated, a la the West Wing episode where Bartlett calls Ritchie stupid, accidentally on purpose? Powers gets more name recognition than ever (with plenty of excuses why she didn't think this was a big deal), the Obama camp gets to show how quickly they get rid of negative people BUT they still get "Hillary is a monster" out there in the conversation.
Maybe I watch too much TV.
Margaret, I love a good conspiracy. (Chicago-related: I still agree with the conspiracy that Michael Jordan wasn't "retired" during those two years in the mid-90's but rather serving an agreed-upon 2 year suspension due to gambling problems). But in this case, I'm not sure I agree. Mostly because it seems someone in either campaign is getting in trouble for shooting their mouth off every day. Ferraro's the current target for her "If Obama was white..." comment. It was Power before her, someone else before her, etc. It's possible that Team Obama can spin this one in their favor, but as the commenter above pointed out, Power seems to be too honest for her own good.
Nope, the beltway media and the Clinton campaign have been huffing and puffing and slicing and dicing some of Obama's top staffers.
they're forcing out the most liberal staffers on Obama's campaign
http:// www. openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4451
she looks kinda monsterish, herself like somesort of red headed praying mantis. Look at the way her neck is crocked with those crazy eyes!