AGENTS:
Break out the dark sunglasses and throw on your sharpest suit because you are now part of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America! My name is Miss Kayla Tooma and I am thrilled to be your well-armed chair for PUNC V! I am a junior, fresh out of Long Island, NY. I have been participating in Model United Nations since the ninth grade and have loved it ever since.
If you have the munchies, here is some information for you to chew on. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was established on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947. Today, its primary functions are to collect information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals in order to provide national security intelligence to senior US policymakers. The CIA also engages in covert activities by request of the President of the United States.
The CIA deals with many areas of the world and numerous issues; however, in our committee we will be focused on the Middle East- an especially explosive area of the world. The aftermath of the execution of al-Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden will play a particularly crucial role in our committee. The victory of this execution is often misunderstood. Our victory does not lie solely in his execution, but rather the acquisition of his computers and hard drives containing crucial information on al-Qaeda. As President Obama stated, this effort has been, “…the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al-Qaeda.” However, CIA Director, Leon Panetta stated, “Though bin Laden is dead, al-Qaeda is not…the terrorists almost certainly will attempt to avenge him.”The U.S. has begun preparing itself for the high possibility retaliation.
It has also called for a re-evaluation of our relations with Pakistan in terms of fighting terrorism. In the past, we have gone out of our way to defend Pakistan’s efforts towards fighting terrorism. However, the world’s most wanted terrorist was found hiding in a city that is home to one of the most prestigious Pakistani military training facilities in a compound that is quite large, and in plain sight. This oversight is beginning to raise the question if Pakistan is really the war ally U.S. officials claimed it once was.
The execution has proven to be a tremendous step in the right direction towards combating terrorism in the U.S. However, it has raised many questions for the future: What will be al-Qaeda’s next move? Will other organizations react? What about our relations with the entire Middle East? Is Pakistan the ally the U.S. once believed it to be?
Again, I am ecstatic for PUNC V and the electrifying CIA: Project Middle East committee. I am ready to pique your interest, if you are ready to rise to the occasion, and by a stroke of luck, our committee will come to some great conclusions and accomplishments!
Until then,
Your Rocking Chair,
Miss Kayla Tooma
