“What in the World? Weekly Quiz" | Nov 15-21, 2021

A global affairs awareness service provided by the
Tennessee World Affairs Council

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Thanks to quiz master Patrick Ryan and @TNWAC News Editor Campbell Lahman for this week’s quiz.

LAST WEEK’S QUIZ WINNERS

David Hillinck, Huntsville, AL
Basil G. Smith, Jacksonville, FL
Connie Tomczyk, Peoria, IL
Tim Stewart, Nashville, TN
Lewis Bellardo, Nashville, TN
Colleen Ryan, Nashville, TN
Charles Bowers, Nashville, TN
Roger French, Washington, IL
Jim Shepherd, Nashville, TN
Patricia Miletich, Nashville, TN
Peter Sharadin, Blandon, PA
Rob Thames, St. Paul, MN
Abhiram Kapaganty, Sewanee, TN

WELL DONE!

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NOVEMBER QUIZ PRIZE

The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War

By Craig Whitlock

Unlike the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 had near-unanimous public support. At first, the goals were straightforward and clear: defeat al-Qaeda and prevent a repeat of 9/11. Yet soon after the United States and its allies removed the Taliban from power, the mission veered off course and US officials lost sight of their original objectives.

Distracted by the war in Iraq, the US military become mired in an unwinnable guerrilla conflict in a country it did not understand. But no president wanted to admit failure, especially in a war that began as a just cause. Instead, the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations sent more and more troops to Afghanistan and repeatedly said they were making progress, even though they knew there was no realistic prospect for an outright victory.

Just as the Pentagon Papers changed the public’s understanding of Vietnam, The Afghanistan Papers contains “fast-paced and vivid” (The New York Times Book Review) revelation after revelation from people who played a direct role in the war from leaders in the White House and the Pentagon to soldiers and aid workers on the front lines. In unvarnished language, they admit that the US government’s strategies were a mess, that the nation-building project was a colossal failure, and that drugs and corruption gained a stranglehold over their allies in the Afghan government. All told, the account is based on interviews with more than 1,000 people who knew that the US government was presenting a distorted, and sometimes entirely fabricated, version of the facts on the ground.

Documents unearthed by The Washington Post reveal that President Bush didn’t know the name of his Afghanistan war commander—and didn’t want to meet with him. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld admitted that he had “no visibility into who the bad guys are.” His successor, Robert Gates, said: “We didn’t know jack shit about al-Qaeda.”

The Afghanistan Papers is a “searing indictment of the deceit, blunders, and hubris of senior military and civilian officials” (Tom Bowman, NRP Pentagon Correspondent) that will supercharge a long-overdue reckoning over what went wrong and forever change the way the conflict is remembered.

Source: Amazon

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LAST WEEK’S QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What in the World? Quiz – Week of November 8-14, 2021

1. The drone attack on the Green Zone residence of Iraqi Prime Minister Khadhimi was said by security officials to have been carried out by militias backed by THIS country. [#WACquiz]

A. Russia
B. Syria
C. Iran
D. Saudi Arabia

Correct Response: C. Iran
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-backed-militia-behind-attack-iraqi-pm-sources-2021-11-08/

2. Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, is sliding toward all-out civil war and epic humanitarian crisis, as rebels from THIS region, continued to advance on the capital city, Addis Ababa. [#WACquiz]

A. Djibouti
B. Tigray
C. Afar
D. Gambela

Correct Response: B. Tigray
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/08/as-rebels-advance-ethiopia-braces-for-all-out-war.html

3. The United States, China, Australia and India did not join a COP26 agreement to take THIS action. [#WACquiz]

A. Commit to 50% domestic energy production from renewables
B. Reduce methane emissions by 25%
C. Increase passenger and truck fuel mileage by 20%
D. Phase out the use of coal

Correct Response: D. Phase out the use of coal
Economist Espresso

4. Leaders at the Group of Twenty (G-20) meeting of top global economies formally endorsed a 15% minimum global corporate tax, which will limit the “race to the bottom” among countries seeking to become tax havens. The agreement was championed by THIS American Treasury Secretary. [#WACquiz]

A. Janet Yellin
B. Jerome Powell
C. Gina Raimondo
D. Henry Paulson

Correct Response: A. Janet Yellin
https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/10/30/biden-g20-global-minimum-tax/

5. A plenum of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party is expected to “enshrine” THIS president, as a sign of his power, in official history, among legendary leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. [#WACquiz]

A. Li Keqiang
B. Zhao Qiang
C. Li Zhanshu
D. Xi Jinping

Correct Response: D. Xi Jinping
Economist Espresso

6. On November 4th, THIS country became the first to approve a COVID-19 antiviral in pill form. [#WACquiz]

A. Britain
B. China
C. Russia
D. United States

Correct Response: A. Britain
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/britain-approves-mercks-oral-covid-19-pill-2021-11-04/

7. This week the COP26, climate summit, conference was held in Glasgow. President Joe Biden called out China and THIS country, a major global source of greenhouse gases, for not showing up. [#WACquiz]

A. Japan
B. UK
C. Russia
D. Italy

Correct Response: C. Russia
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-59142646

8. The President of Nicaragua and his wife Vice President Rosario Morillo, were reelected to a five-year term in an election called a farce by international observers after THIS incumbent saw to the jailing of his opponents. His main rival Christiana Chamorro was placed under house arrest. [#WACquiz]

A. Daniel Ortega
B. Evo Morales
C. Rafael Correa
D. Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva

Correct Response: A. Daniel Ortega
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59202881

9. Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, especially in India celebrated THIS festival, known as the festival of lights, this week. [#WACquiz]

A. Holi
B. Palio
C. Nozawa Onsen
D. Diwali

Correct Response: D. Diwali
https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/world/2021/11/04/diwali-festival-lights-celebrated-around-world-2021/6280799001/

10. THIS Baltic nation has allowed businesses to fire workers who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccination or transfer to remote work? [#WACquiz]

A. Latvia
B. Italy
C. Spain
D. France

Correct Response: A. Latvia
https://www.reuters.com/world/latvia-allows-businesses-fire-unvaccinated-2021-11-04/

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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.

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