“What In The World?” Quiz – Nov 19-25, 2018

Don’t forget to sign up as a World Affairs Council member (TNWAC.org/join) to be eligible to win the monthly quiz prize.

NOVEMBER 2018 MONTHLY QUIZ WINNERS’ PRIZE

The Hell of Good Intentions: America’s Foreign Policy Elite and the Decline of U.S. Primacy by Stephen M. Walt

From the New York Times–bestselling author Stephen M. Walt, The Hell of Good Intentions dissects the faults and foibles of recent American foreign policy―explaining why it has been plagued by disasters like the “forever wars” in Iraq and Afghanistan and outlining what can be done to fix it.

In 1992, the United States stood at the pinnacle of world power and Americans were confident that a new era of peace and prosperity was at hand. Twenty-five years later, those hopes have been dashed. Relations with Russia and China have soured, the European Union is wobbling, nationalism and populism are on the rise, and the United States is stuck in costly and pointless wars that have squandered trillions of dollars and undermined its influence around the world.

The root of this dismal record, Walt argues, is the American foreign policy establishment’s stubborn commitment to a strategy of “liberal hegemony.” Since the end of the Cold War, Republicans and Democrats alike have tried to use U.S. power to spread democracy, open markets, and other liberal values into every nook and cranny of the planet. This strategy was doomed to fail, but its proponents in the foreign policy elite were never held accountable and kept repeating the same mistakes.

Donald Trump won the presidency promising to end the misguided policies of the foreign policy “Blob” and to pursue a wiser approach. But his erratic and impulsive style of governing, combined with a deeply flawed understanding of world politics, are making a bad situation worse. The best alternative, Walt argues, is a return to the realist strategy of “offshore balancing,” which eschews regime change, nation-building, and other forms of global social engineering. The American people would surely welcome a more restrained foreign policy, one that allowed greater attention to problems here at home. This long-overdue shift will require abandoning the futile quest for liberal hegemony and building a foreign policy establishment with a more realistic view of American power.

Clear-eyed, candid, and elegantly written, Stephen M. Walt’s The Hell of Good Intentions offers both a compelling diagnosis of America’s recent foreign policy follies and a proven formula for renewed success.

Source: Amazon

---

To get in on the quiz make sure you’re getting TNWAC emails (here’s the free subscription link: http://eepurl.com/gt6dn) and make sure you’re following @TNWAC on Twitter.

We’ll post the answers and the names of the winner(s) in next week’s quiz.

Here’s last week’s questions and answers:

WHAT IN THE WORLD? QUIZ

NOVEMBER 12-18, 2018

1. THIS unofficial whimsical holiday on Sunday in China was transformed ten years ago into a massive on-line spending spree that this year easily burst through last year’s mark of $24 billion in sales.

A. Panda Day
B. Hello Kitty Day
C. Singles Day
D. Treasure Day

Correct Response: C. Singles Day
http://time.com/5451564/china-singles-day-shopping-2018/

2. THIS treaty ended World War I but its provisions are claimed to have set the stage for World War II.

A. Treaty of Paris
B. Treaty of Versailles
C. Treaty of Ghent
D. Treaty of Verdun

Correct Response: B. Treaty of Versailles
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/wwi-set-stage-for-major-events-in-20th-century

3. Saudi Arabia announced oil production cuts of 500,000 barrels per day for December deliveries to shore up global crude prices. The price of oil on world markets was starting to slide after THIS action.

A. Washington’s approval of sanction waivers for Chinese and Indian purchases of Iranian oil.
B. Russia boosted oil export levels in response to waning domestic demand.
C. Japan’s announcement of lower annual GDP has cut Asian energy demand forecasts.
D. Saudi Arabia is preparing responses to expected Khashoggi murder sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act.

Correct Response: A. Washington’s approval of sanction waivers for Chinese and Indian purchases of Iranian oil.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-opec-saudi/saudi-arabia-to-ship-less-oil-in-december-as-it-floats-cut-talks-possibility-idUSKCN1NG059?il=0

4. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke in front of global leaders in Paris for the centenary of WWI’s armistice to warn about the dangers of THIS phenomena, saying it betrayed moral values.

A. Globalism
B. Revanchism
C. Socialism
D. Nationalism

Correct Response: D. Nationalism
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ww1-centenary-macron-nationalism/with-trump-sitting-nearby-macron-calls-nationalism-a-betrayal-idUSKCN1NG0IH?il=0

5. THIS country marked its 100th anniversary of independence – a consequence of the WWI armistice – with a large march that included government officials from the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) and far-right wing groups and neo-fascist activists, some chanting “Away with the EU.”

A. Hungary
B. Poland
C. Rumania
D. Czechia

Correct Response: B. Poland
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ww1-century-poland/polands-eurosceptic-leaders-hold-joint-march-with-far-right-groups-idUSKCN1NG00E?il=0

6. Russia is hosting a meeting of parties concerned with the conflict in Afghanistan including all of these groups EXCEPT:

A. ISIS
B. Taliban
C. Afghan High Peace Council
D. India

Correct Response: A. ISIS
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/afghanistan-peace-conference-kicks-moscow-181109083021481.html

7. The Pentagon announced THIS action in response to Congressional pressure over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

A. Increased shipments of aid to the port of Hodeida.
B. Evacuation of Yemeni refugees from desperate situation in Sanaa.
C. Interdiction of weapons shipments to Houthi rebels from Iran.
D. Halt to aerial refueling of Saudi-led coalition combat aircraft.

Correct Response: D. Halt to aerial refueling of Saudi-led coalition combat aircraft.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pol-yemen-pentagon-20181109-story.html

8. President Vladimir Putin, in France for WWI Armistice observances, said Russia wanted talks with Washington over THIS agreement the United States recently said was dead because of Moscow’s violations.

A. The Paris Accord
B. The INF Agreement
C. The JCPOA
D. The Helsinki Accord

Correct Response: B. The INF Agreement
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-nuclear-russia-putin/putin-russia-wants-dialogue-with-u-s-on-missile-treaty-agencies-idUSKCN1NG0HV

9. THIS world leader said his country had turned over audio tapes revealing details of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi the United States and four other interested nations.

A. President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey
B. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada
C. President Emmanuel Macron of France
D. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt

Correct Response: A. President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-khashoggi-turkey/turkey-gave-khashoggi-tapes-to-european-nations-erdogan-says-idUSKCN1NF0EQ

10. Asian-Pacific leaders will join the ten-member heads of ASEAN nations this week in Singapore to discuss issues like the multilateral trading, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and tensions in the South China Sea. Who will NOT be representing their country at the meeting?

A. Vladimir Putin for Russia
B. Donald Trump for the United States
C. Shinzo Abe for Japan
D. Naendra Modi for India

Correct Response: B. Donald Trump for the United States
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asean-summit/calls-for-open-trade-to-greet-pence-as-trump-skips-asia-summit-idUSKCN1NG035

COPYRIGHT 2018, Tennessee World Affairs Council

---

We need and appreciate your support of 

the World Affairs Council.

---

THANKS TO BELMONT UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

THANKS TO THE AWC FAMILY FOUNDATION

THANKS TO THE NASHVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL

---

THANKS TO THE TNWAC WEEKLY QUIZ PARTNERS

---

THE MISSION of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tennessee World Affairs Council is to promote international awareness, understanding and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and to prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.

THE VISION of  the Tennessee World Affairs Council is a well-informed community that thinks critically about the world and the impact of global events.   

---

Learn more about the Council and find how you can join, donate and volunteer at: www.TNWAC.org  — 

Join / Donate / Volunteer