Africa and America - How Does Culture Impact Teaching

BY: MUSUE N. HADDAD, MIPP

Are you a teacher? Have you taught before? Did you teach in Liberia, Africa or in the United States? If you were from Africa, and then became a teacher in the great United States, you probably have been asked, not once not twice, not thrice, but many times about your philosophy of teaching. Coming from Africa, initially, when I heard people asking others about their teaching philosophy, I would hold my chin in wonderment at the idea of having a sort of well-designed, and highly favorably perfect teaching philosophy. Many days, I asked whether an effective teacher in the great United States was defined by an appealing philosophy of teaching. But then again, being an African who was in exile in the great United States, who was I to ask about "what makes a effective teacher in an American school system," that is celebrated by many in Liberia, Africa, and some in the great United States.

However, later when I joined the teaching profession, I had to answer this question; not once, not twice, not thrice, but many times. In fact, I became so accustomed to being asked this question, that I probably had an "elevator ride" response waiting to dish out. An "elevator ride" chat or response is a 'one minute' concise response used to grasp the attention of someone or sell an idea. Born in Africa, raised on the dark soil, taught by teachers who also "helped raised me up" because of our culture and practices that it takes a village to raise child, it tickled me to put down on paper my teaching philosophy. Well, it took me awhile to pretend to detach my innermost desire to empower kids, and bring in my African or sacred belief that "each child is a gift from God, and it is our duty to positively impact their lives, and treat them as God's little one, "while drafting my philosophy. The wonderful teaching philosophy is one that must be built on academic theories. However puzzling, I knew that it was the order of the day. As the saying goes, 'when you live in Rome, you must learn to act like a Roman," so there I was carefully crafting a winning teaching philosophy, and then learning to summarize it into an elevator pitch, or catch phrase used to sell an idea or marketing product.

The "elevator" pitch or chat is definitely not something I developed. No, no! It is a strategy I learned from the Founder and then Director of [New York] Columbia's University Human Rights and Advocacy Training Program, Dr. Paul Martin. Dr. Paul Martin, a human rights advocate, a teacher and lecturer would look directly in my eyes and say with his typical American intonation, "Musue, imagine that you walked to an elevator and meet someone who's also ready to get on the elevator. The person will be stopping on the 2ndfloor, which will take approximately a minute. That means you have just one minute to chat with this person; and that one minute to get the person interested in your idea or your project?"

When Dr. Martin gave me that exercise, I had to really sit and do my homework. The homework didn't take a day, or two. Frankly, it took me weeks. I couldn't stop asking myself, "How do I condense Human Rights situations in Liberia and West Africa to a one minute pitch, but yet keep it captivating to grasp the attention of human rights groups, and international stake holders?'Truly, that was an enormously whopping assignment. Many days I would stand before a mirror and practice for hours - trying to get the idea, the flow, and the jargons. I must admit that I failed many times, and found myself running back to my desk to edit, rewrite and then vice versa. If this exercise went on for weeks at home, you can imagine how many times I stood before the mirror, and the number of times I found myself running back and forth in my room like a lone soccer player.

However, after completing what I had thought was the 'finest" 'elevator ride' selling pitch, I passed my colleagues, many from Africa, and some from Europe, and I walked briskly into Dr. Martin's office without any prior appointment. I then demonstrated what I had prepared. A practical teacher, Dr. Martin didn't take a pen or pencil, neither did he take a chalk; but he stood there and said again, "That is good, but you can make it better Musue." I asked him, "How?" Dr, Martin asked me to look at the various human rights challenges in Liberia and West Africa. We started verbally listing some of what were then the most crucial that reflected on many aspects of human rights issues. The issues I looked at included the infamous September 18, 1998 incident that led to the killing of opposition politician, Madison Wion near the great United States Embassy in Monrovia in 1998, the 1997 killings of Samuel Dokie, his wife, sister and cousin by members of Charles Taylor's security forces. Also in 1998, there is the incident of Market woman Nowai Flomo who was considered, " "Disappeared," in spite reports that she was killed by members of Taylor's security forces, the incarnation of political persons, including Charles Breeze, Gbai Ballah, among others. The discussion also included the implications of these issues on the West African sub-region. Let me add that this discussion was taking place in 2000, and therefore did not include the beating of Cllr. Taiwan Gongle's or the arrest and torture of journalist Hassan Bility's and other incidents that occurred after early 2000, but the skills learned from Dr. Martin and other staff at Columbia University were instrumental in helping me contribute to drawing international attention to subsequent violations including Gongloe's, Hassan Bility's and the imprisonment of The News Newspaper editorial staff, among others.

On the day on the brainstorming exercise, Dr. Paul Martin asked me questions rather than give me answers. Those questions helped me to dig deeper into myself, and look beyond the surface of each incident and issues that were occurring in my homeland Liberia. Whatever responses I provided, he didn't critically assess my responses. Rather, he asked additional questions. He also told me, "Let me hear your thoughts, "adding, "Think aloud." My responses and thoughts led to more and more questions. When I prepared to leave Dr. Paul Martin's office, he was still seated on his computer desk calmly, and with a thin smile on his face. I turned around looked at Dr. Martin and for a moment, I thought, "here's a man who's caring nature reminds me of my people and my culture. But here he sits, and so much involved in my life, and the lives of my colleagues, including those from Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and other areas. Yes, he wants freedom in my homeland Liberia, and on all countries on the African Continent and other countries around the world." My momentary pause might have caught the attention of Dr. Martin, but as he is always, he didn't abruptly interrupt my concentration. My concentration was broken by a sound of the keyboard. I then tilted my head in the direction of Dr, Martin, and asked in my innocent tone, "Dr. Martin, why are you so tolerant, and patient with me. I have taken up a lot of your time." Dr. Martin moved his hands from the key board, and said, "That is why I am here. I know you can do it Musue. The next time you are in class, or you come into my office, you will have the elevator ride selling pitch." I felt truly motivated by his response supported by his expression.

A day later, I sat in Dr. Paul Martin's class. Surprisingly, I was quiet, and for my classmates, and colleagues, and even my teachers, that was "far from typical." I watched my colleague from Rwanda and the Democratic of Congo as they tried to take their wars and conflicts from the continent to the classrooms on Columbia University. Dr. Paul Martin, Holly Bartling and other staff at Columbia University didn't chastise them for openly or privately fighting one another, or blaming one another for the conflicts in their individual countries. I guess, I was too much concerned, or overwhelmed by my own burdens- the conflicts in Liberia. I also was seriously thinking that I could just complete my programs, open my big mouth about Liberia, and then pack up and return home, and be warmly received and applauded by Charles Taylor and his people for studying, making fine speeches, and my great presentations at panels and conferences, and my excellent networking skills with human rights organizations and policy organizations. In my busy-ness, I didn't take the time to lecture with both of my colleagues about their disagreement that had become awkwardly personal. On that day in class, both my colleague from Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo were at it again- though indirectly, but they somehow send responses to one another while responding to questions. At the end of the class, as usual, students gathered around Dr. Martin and other staff. As we walked out, I asked Dr. Martin, "Why did you decide to get into human rights teaching?" Dr. Martin's response was illustrative, catchy, but concise. When I asked that question, little did I know that one day, I would also be asked similar question.

While I may not be standing before a classroom, I consider myself a public educator. When I taught, that's when I stood before a classroom, and even today, when asked about my teaching philosophy, I think about the path that leads me to teaching. That's simply because, my philosophy of teaching is closely tied to my educational experience, occurrences in the real world, and my world, and who I am. Throughout the years I met effective teachers who pushed me to go beyond what I believed I was capable of doing and achieving. Also, I met teachers and other persons who made assumptions of what I was not capable of doing based on who they believed I was. However, I learned from both situations. The teachers who believed in me and others who doubted my capability - they helped shaped my teaching philosophy.

Educational Theories
As I reflect on teaching and learning and teachers, I think about a few educational theories, including Abraham Maslow theory of Human Motivation. "The fact is that people are good, if only their fundamental wishes are satisfied, their wish for affection and security. Give people affection and security, and they will give affection and be secure in their feelings and their behavior." [Maslow, Abraham]. When I read this quote by Abraham Maslow, it reinforced my belief that each and every child has the potential to bring something unique and special to the world. This concept is and remains the foundation of my education philosophy - both for the classroom, and in my public education undertakings.
Learning multiplication through songs and visuals


As a teacher and an educator, I reflect on Maslow's quote and his notion of a hierarchy of needs: deficiency needs that people must meet in order to move on to growth needs that are never met, but rather expanded with experiences. I believe that a teacher should consider the needs of students, realizing that though deficiency needs is at the bottom of the pyramid, it provides the foundation for the growth needs of students. As I look at Maslow theory, I asked myself whether our illiterate parents and grandparents were actually subconsciously schooled about these theories, and therefore ensure that children from the community were fed, and taken care of before leaving home for school? I therefore have implicit belief that learning and motivation are interdependent, and the first step in guiding students and people in discovering who they are, and helping them develop their potentials.
Some of the questions that come to mind when I think about Maslow's theory about needs: How can someone who hasn't experienced hunger, poverty, or separation from family because of war successfully relate, or motive such child to learn? How can someone who lived under the wings of their parents, sleep in comfortable bed, eat sumptuous meals three times a day, have extra cash in their bank accounts, and carry credit cards that hold thousands of dollars, teach kids who are profoundly impoverished? I wonder how someone far from my culture and background, or someone who hadn't had the experienced I had as a child, would have taught me or view me in a school in the great United States? If that teacher found it hard to 'reach me,' would they have outright-ly written me off, or considered me un-teachable? These are questions that are yet to be considered in determining who's a good teacher in the great United States, or analyzing finely written Teaching Philosophies that are the first steps in recruiting teachers.
In Africa and other developing countries, play and interaction among children are not limited. Children play in neighborhoods without being under the watchful eyes of parents and caregivers. As seen in this photo, children share and eat together.

Unlike the great United States, in most African societies, the living and life styles of teachers are known in the community. The teachers are active member of the community, and therefore a part of everyday living in the community. Parents and students see and interact with their teachers on almost a daily basis. The teachers are not only available, but they are accessible to parents, and family members, as well as students. This "community' living, which is also reinforced by societal culture enables the teacher to understand the needs of his/her students, as well as help the student feel "comfortable' in the presence of his/her teacher. While there may be some disadvantage(s) to this concept, in many ways, it provides a human side to the teaching and learning process.

While there are divergent views on Maslow's theory, I believe that students do learn better and participate more when their basic needs are met, or understood. To breakdown this concept, ask yourself, "Is it possible to teach a child or someone who's hungry, cold, ill, disappointed or homeless?" If even as a teacher or educator, you cannot provide the student, or person, or people food on a daily basis, if you show genuine empathy to the student, or person, that compassion or understanding might motivate the child or person to come to school, participate, and learn. The student will say to others or to themselves: My teacher understands, or my teacher is with me. Teaching is not a job; it is a responsibility that requires some forms of relationship. For me, a teacher is one who is respectful, understanding, approachable, and supportive. The way I interact with students and people demonstrate my respect for them. For example, I never say anything derogatory to my students or people I interact with. I do not attempt to use my students or others (or any of their work) to demonstrate poor example. I illustrate understanding by listening to their needs, even if I am unable to comply or supply those needs. The reason for my outlook is obvious, when a child or person feels safe and comfortable, and motivated, I can then begin to assist or motivate that student to discover their strengths, and help them build on their weaknesses. When a student feels that he is understood, he or she can feel comfortable and motivated to express their own opinions and nurture their own ideas, they can become relax and lighten up to their environment.

Aside Maslow's theory, there is also another universal theory - The use of Multiple Intelligences theory, which also draws on the motivation of students' talents, thus helping teachers construct self-motivating educational experiences. Through creating educational experiences based on natural talents and gifts, I realize that I can increase the opportunities whereby students can become actively engaged in learning experiences that are interesting and responsive and motivational. The practicality of this theory is that "all human beings have strengths in certain areas, and that or those strength(s) can be used to motivate learning and in teaching certain skills. The practicality of this theory is that the teacher must appreciate the students' intelligences, whether the intelligences is at odd with their own practices. Imagine that you had the opportunity to teach the late American Musician Michael Jackson or the late Liberian musical star Tecumsey Roberts a mathematical skill. Which intelligence would you opt to use in teaching the musical star: would you use the Logical-mathematical intelligence or Musical intelligence? Of course, Roberts' talents as a musician would make it easier to teach him math using his musical intelligence. On the other hand, it may take you forever to teach singers MaYatta Zoe, Fatu Gayflor or Zaye Tete reading skills by using their Naturalistic intelligence. It doesn't take a scientist to know that though the singers possessed some Naturalistic intelligence, which has to do with classifying natural forms such as animal and plant species and rocks and mountain types; and the applied knowledge of nature in farming, mining, etc. but their strength lies in their musical (intelligences) skills. Therefore, to motivate learning, using their Musical intelligence (using reading notes to teach them songs, or asking them to use reading materials to write songs, and dance rhythms) would not only suffice, but proved successful. Using the naturalist intelligence would be motivational for those who have demonstrated interest in farming, gardeners, agriculture and related areas.
It is therefore important to note that the use of Multiple Intelligences also draws on the motivation of students' talents, thus helping teachers construct self-motivating educational experiences. Through creating educational experiences based on natural talents and gifts, I realized that I can increase the opportunities whereby students can become actively engaged in learning experiences that are interesting and responsive and motivational. Over the years, I also learned that every (school and public) classroom presents a unique community of learners that varies not only in abilities, but also in learning styles. That is why, I find Howard Gardner's theory that each individual manifests varying levels of different intelligences, and thus each person has a unique "cognitive profile." The use of the "cognitive profile" proved successful when I worked as a classroom teacher, and it has become relevant in my public education activities.
In order to be effective, each teacher must recognize that their role must include giving students the tools with which to cultivate their own area of knowledge. To accomplish this goal, I teach to the needs and intelligences of each child so that all learners can feel capable and successful. I present instructions that will include the interests of the students, and make learning relevant to life. I incorporate themes, projects, group work, individual work, and hands-on learning in order to make students active learners. In showing my students how to become responsible for their own learning, I am giving them the tools to become successful in life, to believe in themselves, and to love themselves, and to encourage creativity.

Real World Connection
Making real life and real world connection is also another important component of teaching and learning. Linking learning to activities and events in the world community has proven to help students become caring and active members of society, which can be achieved if one is tolerant of the views, the racial and other background of others. My vision in teaching and learning is to create an environment- whether in the classroom or a public arena - where we can learn to embrace our differences as the core of what makes life so interesting, make each person feel important and make a positive difference in the life of others. It has been established that education and information are ways for people to be empowered with the ability to accomplish things, and to contribute meaningfully to society. Personally, lifelong learning, and teaching have provided me the opportunity for continual learning and growth.

After many years, I sit back and reflect on Dr. Paul Martin's response to my question that cold day in the year 2000, when I asked him, "Why did you decide to get into [human rights] teaching?" As I look back, I can proudly say, "Dr. Paul Martin made a positive difference in my life." Not only did he use the Multiple Intelligences theory, he also used Maslow's and a series of other theories in teaching and empowering his students, including me to find our strengths; he and his energetic staff at SIPA building guided us on various ways to use our skills and knowledge to promote our work, and our societies. Most importantly, Dr. Martin built a relationship with each of his students, and made each feel exceptionally special to their home countries, to Columbia University campus, and to the world around them. His encouragement remains alive in me, and it is that positive touch that I endeavor to share with others, including my own son in my teaching and learning; it is an intrinsic part of my teaching philosophy-whether teaching in the classroom or the public arena.

About the author: Musue N. Haddad is a Liberian Journalist/Photo-Journalist. She holds a graduate degree from George Washington University, and has worked both at home and outside of Liberia. She received several national and international awards for her journalistic practices and human rights work, including the Nelson Mandela Award for "Best Student in Photo-Journalism," Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA), for "outstanding dedication and service towards the recognition, promotion and protection of the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family." and Human Rights Watch Hellmann-Hammett Award, granted to writers around the world who have been the targets of political persecution. In 1998/1999, she received the Press Union of Liberia "Journalist of the Year" and '"Photo-Journalist of the Year" awards.

Factors That Influence War

By: Musue Haddad,MIPP


Why do countries go to war? Why do nations that were once allies become bitter enemies? Why do people allow disagreement to degenerate into conflicts? Why do people of the same nation fight, and continue to fight even if their fights lead to loss of precious lives, and destructions of properties? Why were there civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia? Why Sierra Leoneans did chop the hands of their fellow citizens, including little kids? Why Liberians did butcher one another?

At the onset of the Liberian civil war, we were told that the war was a "revolution" and for a "cause," a cause that is yet to be identified and defined. Or did we fight for the usual "human rights, prosperity and freedom" that we hear most wars are being fought? Did we go to war to improve our own wealth and power, or at the very least to improve the wealth and power of others? Now that the guns are silent in Sierra Leone and Liberia, the wounds created by the war are still somehow fresh, and the scars are revealing. Did the wars benefit citizenry of Liberia and Sierra Leone? Were the wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone supported in any way? If so, why and for what reasons? Was there a vested interest in our wars? Were those benefits in any way based on interest, revenge, or fear, or all of the above?

There are several conflicts on the African continent. If we take a keen look at the conflicts in Sudan, Congo, Somalia, and the wars in the Middle East, we notice that most of the crises have characteristics that run through all of them: the fight for the usual human rights, prosperity and freedom. But how successful have we been in achieving these goals and objectives? But then again, we know that history has shown that wars and conflicts are fought and instigated for a number of reasons, including interest, revenge and or fear.

In order to take a look at some of the factors that influence wars, whether in Africa, the Middle East, the Gulf, and other parts of the war, this article takes a look at one of the most recent crisis that grasp the attention of both local and international media. The great United States played a pivotal role in the Iraq war, and continues to engage Iraq and its neighbors to promote democracy. This discussion looks at the processes used by the U.S. intelligence in its collection and analysis about Iraq's capabilities to develop and use weapons of mass destruction (WMD) - the key factor that presumably led to the war. This article also look at and discuss the four political models- the Bureaucratic Politics, Organizational model, Rationale Action, and Psychological model to analyze the perspective(s) that best explains the failure of the U.S. Intelligence Community to provide accurate information on Iraqi's capabilities to develop and use weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The Psychological Model

The U.S. Intelligence Community assessment that Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear programs was a substantial intelligence failure that can be largely attributed to the psychological perspective. Key actors of the U.S. Intelligence Community focused on assumptions, perceptions, and past historical behaviors of Iraq to make assessment and analysis. The major actors within the U.S. Intelligence Community included the CIA, NGIC, DIA, DOE, NIR, Air Force Intelligence, NGA, NSA, and FBI, worked within the confines of a preconceived notion that Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear weapons program and would again deceive the international community by concealing the program. When intelligence reporting indicated that Iraq was seeking tubes made of 7075 T6 aluminum alloy, that report served as an additional information used by actors within the Intelligence Community to counter their information as a way of retaining their view points and beliefs -that Iraq was reconstituting its weapons program. The CIA and NGIC insisted from the onset that aluminum tubes could be used for centrifuge rotors, as opposed to the DOE and IAE, who stated that the tubes were better, suited for use in Iraq's missile launcher program. Additionally, the claim that Iraq had attempted to buy uranium yellow cake from Niger and the case for the UAV further illustrates how biases, rigid perceptions and fixed beliefs by the U.S. Intelligence lead to faulty intelligence analysis. Despite the scanty evidence available, the CIA failed to confirm the foreign report on the uranium yellowcake but concluded that the information was cogent.

The various agencies responsible for data collection began with the idea that the Iraqi regime was procuring illegal arsenals to reconstitute its nuclear program. The psychological perception that when someone acts like they have something to hide, usually they are hiding something, further rationalized the underlying assumptions of key U.S intelligence actors than by available scientific evidence (pg 69).

Iraq's historical activities and the logic it seemed to imply made it counter-intuitive to U.S. Intelligence that Saddam was building and hiding Weapons of Mass Destruction. With this notion, it was likely that a contrary point of view would have been out rightly dismissed. Another psychological setback was the failure to independently reassess evidences and reconsider particularly foreign sources and their information. The data provided by Curveball and other sources were not evaluated. These factors among other assumptions led to unmotivated bias wherein intelligence organizations failed to analyze the data and verify the authenticity of the claims. This bias intensified the motivated biases wherein assumptions became stronger that "contradictory data was often discounted as likely false' (pg 169). It is obvious that a chain of psychological factors created a just right situation for intelligence failure.

Organizational Model

The organizational processes of the U.S. community was a second major contributing failure of the intelligence gathering and analysis concerning the reconstitution of Iraqi's Weapons program -the Weapons of Mass Destruction, (WMD). The overall collection of information for WMD in Iraq has many organizational flaws. The intelligence community's primary failure resulted from their routines and mission of collecting reliable and useful information. In this case, the intelligence community relied on very few sources -human intelligence without much effort to verifying the sources' background and information provided.

Routines procedure and short-cuts were also part of the organizational problems that led to the U.S. Intelligence Community's erroneous conclusion that Iraq was trying to procure uranium from Niger. Document concerning an Iraq- Niger oil contract were initially forwarded to the DOS but not to the CIA. The documents were later found to be forgeries, but failure to initially send the documents to the CIA caused a delay in officially discrediting he documents.

The lack of coordination and procedural problem among different agencies made information sharing difficult. The absence of coordination to address the different assessment from different agencies also contributed to the U.S Intelligence community faulty WMD report on Iraq. In order for an organization to be effective, it needs to have a defined structure, access to information and coherence. The U.S. Intelligence community lacked coherence between and among the various organizations - CIA, NSA, FBI's intelligence division, Naval Intelligence, Air Force Intelligence, Army Intelligence, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's intelligence division et others. Given the extensive organizational divisions of the intelligence community, there were undoubtedly overlap and duplications of duties by organizations that already had different standard operation procedures, missions and ideology. Another faulty organizational process was the issue of information and intelligence sharing, and the fact that there were several small intelligence agencies beholden to their government departments that may have had useful information but had little concept of the bigger issue at stake.

Divisions within organizations need to be made clear and there should also be minimum overlaps and duplication as much as possible in order for an organization to be efficient and achieve its goals. When there is an overlap and duplications of functions, or lack of coherence within an organization, there is a tendency for muddle up in the operations, ideology or lost sight of what they are seeking. The U.S Intelligence community comprised over a dozen organizations. The size of the individual organizations varied, having a single person at the top of the pyramid still doesn't eliminate problems of duplication. As information moves up any organization it is filtered by actors at various levels who make judgments as to what is important, sometimes using their expertise and/or judgment - to address particular issues without the knowledge of higher ups.

Another setback within the Intelligence community was organizational culture. When organizations merged, whether formally or informally, there is the possibility for an influence in the culture of one or all of the organizations. This cultural influence can have an effect on the ideology of the actors within the organization and their objectives which might be different from the mission and goals of the organization. As a result of the overlapping of functions, the Intelligence collection, analysis and reporting was not separated from that of the military operations. This was a major setback; military analysis and ideology are usually clearly interpreted differently from that of intelligence and, whenever possible intelligence analysis and reporting needs to be separated from military.

This was evident during the U.S Intelligence community collection and analysis of Iraq when the CIA began operating closely with Defense. It is possible that by working closely with Defense, the CIA, or both of the organizations borrowed an aspect of the other's approach and attitude in assessing and or interpretation of data on Iraq

Another organizational problem was the intelligence community tendency to do away with uncertainty and to seek conformity. Such practices resulted in the lack of knowledge or awareness of the availability of information inconsistent with data they had secured regarding the Iraqi situation. In general, the intelligence community's failure resulted from organizational processes attributed to the intelligence community tendency to place emphasis on dubious evidence because it fit presumptions, and they ignored contradictory evidence, which may have resulted in alternative hypothesis. This disregard for independent evidence or information that was inconsistent with data they had accrued impeded any possibility of truth on the Iraqi situation.

Organizational processes also determined the perspective of different organizations within the intelligence community. The CIA focused its mission in interpreting the deception of others; the CIA exposed itself to thinking that any absence of evidence or information was an indication of Iraqi's successful deception of the Intelligence community. The flaws and setbacks in the organizational processes of the U.S. Intelligence community explain the failure in its collection and analysis which resulted in a false impression of certainty for analysts' judgment.

Bureaucratic Politics Model

Although Bureaucratic politics behavior within the failed decision making regarding U.S intelligence community cannot be seen as significantly important as was the Psychological and Organizational models, the primary objective of bureaucratic politics was to protect the interest of the organization.

In most instances, the CIA and other bureaus utilized intelligence that was of poor quality. A bureaucratic problem was the unwillingness of the Intelligence Community and the CIA in particular to admit error and also discouraged the pursuit of information that would have revealed error. This reluctance was probably seen as a way of protecting and maintaining the credibility of the bureaus and organizations.

Other fundamental dynamics to explore that might shed light on the role bureaucratic politics played in the U.S Intelligence assessment of Iraq is whether the excessive layers of bureaucracy within the Intelligence community and the behavior of the major actors from individual organizations were consistent with the overall goal of the Intelligence Community. This leads to the issue of appointments and basis for which the appointments or reorganization made. A characteristic to also consider is the consistency of a position to a particular bureau and whether the position was consistent with the interest of the organization or geared towards accomplishing a specific goal or interest.

Rationale Action Model

The U.S intelligence community in assessing Iraq's WMD focused largely on Saddam's behavior in the past and determined that though his actions were seemingly irrational, from that determination constructed a pattern of behavior which they rationally considered the irrational behavior of Saddam. As a result of the presumptions drawn from Saddam's previous behavior, the Intelligence community used scanty data to support their hypothesis that Iraq did indeed have and was reconstituting its Weapons of Mass Destruction. Instead of testing the hypothesis, they treated the hypothesis as facts, ignoring all alternatives which resulted in failures in their analysis of Iraq's WMD.

The Intelligence community appeared to have been over-whelmed by the presumptions, and hypothesis with little considerations for measuring ranges between available alternatives and goals. It was based on the flawed theory that the Intelligence Community cashed in on a short-term consequences -a report claiming that Iraq had and was reconstituting its weapon of Mass Destruction.

About the author: Musue N. Haddad is a Liberian Journalist/Photo-Journalist. She holds a graduate degree from George Washington University, and has worked both at home and outside of Liberia. She received several national and international awards for her journalistic practices and human rights work, including the Nelson Mandela Award for "Best Student in Photo-Journalism," Human Rights Award from the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area (UNA-NCA), for "outstanding dedication and service towards the recognition, promotion and protection of the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family." and Human Rights Watch Hellmann-Hammett Award, granted to writers around the world who have been the targets of political persecution. In 1998/1999, she received the Press Union of Liberia "Journalist of the Year" and '"Photo-Journalist of the Year" awards.

Consequences of Untreated Mental Illness

By: Dr. Lawrence A. Zumo, U.S.A

Have you interacted with someone who has mental illness? There is a high possibility that you have, and that’s because the prevalence rate of mental disorders is increasing throughout the world. In 2010, WHO reports that around 450 million people experience mental or behavioral disorders (WHO 2010) Given the increasing rate of mental illness or mental disorders, you may have interacted with someone with mental illness. If so, during your interaction with that person, you may have noticed that that person is unable to recognize and understand other’s feelings from facial expressions, or carry on a conversation and stay on topic. That’s because mental illness has to do with the mind. Since mental illness has to do with the mind, don’t be surprised if you notice that a person diagnosed with mental illness may not recognize the fact that something is wrong with them.

Mental illness is as serious as any medical condition. Unfortunately the lay public (and some unenlightened educated) not seeing physical injury down plays mental illness, with serious consequences. Mental illness is not as a result of personal or individual weakness or poor upbringing. It can affect any person any time irrespective of age, race, religion or income. Of course, there are cultural specific mental illnesses, eg. anorexia nervosa in Western countries, koro in African and Oriental societies but there are common threads that run through all mental illnesses.. To meaningfully assess and treat mental illness, the afflicted person’s primary language and culture are important mileposts. It is also important to note that there are some mental illnesses, which are irrespective of culture, ie. schizophrenia which has a worldwide prevalence of about 1%. Thus resources must be made available to treat mental illnesses, the same as would be done for medical illnesses.

In many third world countries, supernatural beliefs and “over religiousity” contrary to scientific understanding mask mental illness even more . These along with social stigma makes this a tough disease to control or cure in many African societies. Public mental health education is seriously needed. (For example, epilepsy suffered a similar fate in developed countries several decades ago but with concerted professional and public health education, that is no longer the case here. A key breakthrough came when the public was made to understand that epilepsy was not contagious!).

The treatment of serious mental illness today are highly effective, if taken serious, treated with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial therapies as well as supports, not stigmatization or joking about. Nowadays approximately 70 to 90% of afflicted individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life, if treated early and consistently.

Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with or without rapid cycling, post traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder like kleptomania, borderline personality disorder, sexual paraphilas, bestiality, “theft addicts”, etc and other conditions that are grouped under criminal insanity.

The causes of mental illnesses are numerous. Among them: family history or genetics, neurochemical imbalances, external factors such as trauma (as in postwar countries), disease or injury, exogenous drugs, life experiences and poor coping mechanisms, societal and cultural maladaptive processes, and abnormal neuropsychological factors.

The WHO (World Health Organization) reports that four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the US and other developed nations are mental illnesses and projects that by 2020 (ie 8 yrs from now), the leading cause of disability in the entire world and children will be major depressive illness. Just imagine Liberia, post war, with either lip service or no service to treating mental illnesses. It must be made clear that attending church or “laying of the hands and prayers by reverends” will not cut it. These just delay the inevitable. Afflicted individuals need clinical help not religious help, contrary to the current trend in Liberia.

Recovery from mental illness is accelerated and further harm related to the course of mental illness is minimized if early identification and clinical treatment are promptly instituted. However without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society at large are staggering and can be devastating: unnecessary disability, unemployment, hard core substance abuse and the crimes that comes with it, homelessness, suicide, wasted lives, potentially dangerous dissociative disorders (that is currently so rampant in Liberia, via personal interviews and communications, 2/4/2012) and more worrisome, increase in violent crimes and tendency to general open hostilities tilting us back to civil war.

The problem is further compounded if you have a ministry of health (headed by a surgeon- a big no, no in any forward thinking society after such a horrific and horrendous national calamity) that is unable to appropriately stratify and prioritize these medical and mental health needs of the society. Thus you will get what you get-ie more tragedy, more danger for all and a lurking time bomb.

“The focus of the DDRR program (Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration) was just to get the arms away from the excombatants and now we are experiencing the repercussions of a failed demobilization program relating to the psychosocial needs and mental well being of the excombatants. The repercussion is glaring in the streets of Monrovia, the capital city and the rest of the 15 political subdivisions where young girls and boys, women and men roam and ramble crazy in the streets while ghettos continue to be crammed by the day with hopeless wild youths, who regard marijuana, cocaine and other illegal drugs and harmful substances as forms of appeasement for their mental torment.”- Dr. Benjamin Harris, 2008, IRIN News.

To add to that toxic mix is someone with ill intent to program these kids like the zombie “Manchurian candidate”, and the next thing we hear is pooffff and there we all go again, that is all of us this time around!!!

Forewarned is forearmed. We can’t wish mental illness and its consequences away. Prayers will not cut it either. For if that were so, all those decades of prayers and with the plethora of churches all over Liberia currently , we should have been able to cure mental illnesses thru these routes every since. No lip service, no criminal diversion of funds, roll up our sleeves and we all pitch in. Not the usual Liberian way of impugning the patriotism of others and riding them on a guilt shake down trip. That just won’t work. Many are shining their eyes more than ever before. Those who are paid the bucks to do these things must start the genuine efforts and then the rest of the population will follow. Not the other way around, as usual.

Need I say more?

Lawrence A. Zumo, MD
Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology
Member, American & European Academy of Neurology
International Advisory Board Member, Journal of Parkinsonism & Restless Legs Syndrome, www.jprls.org

LTA’S Introduction of the International Gateway Measuring System

Frequently Asked Questions


What is the IGM about?

When it is introduced the data generated by International Gateways Measuring Solution will allow the LTA to measure the quality of service, volume of international incoming traffic flow, audit revenues generated by International Incoming calls and detect fraudulent use of sim boxes, among other purposes.


Is it true that raising termination rates will cause the international incoming traffic to decrease, resulting in a loss of revenue both for the local operators and the State?

Several African countries have adopted the same policy on the termination rates of international incoming calls as Liberia. Among them: Guinea, the Central African Republic, Congo and Ghana. In these countries, the international incoming traffic have remained stable and even experienced substantial increases. In Ghana, the highest total monthly volume of traffic was recorded in August 2011; more than a year after the price-setting policy was adopted.

Indeed, if this policy had a negative impact on the international incoming traffic, an increasing downward trend would have been observed in the four countries mentioned above. Yet, the figures show the opposite.

Thus, the policy on the termination rates has no negative impact on the volumes of traffic. In other words, it does not affect how often people living abroad call Liberia, nor does it affect the number of minutes they dedicate to each communication.



In the African countries where this termination rate policy is in place, some operators may acknowledge that the international traffic has not decreased, but they say that the actual volume of traffic does not catch up with the increase in their customer-base and their network extensions. They complain they are not getting the much higher traffic they could expect because of the adverse impact of the high termination rate.”


This statement disregards three important facts that do not have anything to do with the price-setting policy on the termination of international calls.

Firstly, if the price-setting policy on the termination of international calls really affected the growth of international traffic on the networks of operators in the countries in question, one would notice a significant difference between the international traffic volumes of countries that still have not adopted the policy and the international traffic volumes of the countries that have. Yet, no statistically significant difference has been recorded in that respect.

Secondly, there is always a traffic distribution factor. In a community where the number of subscribers to mobile services is limited, the number of calls received on each line will inevitably be higher than in a community where the number of subscribers is higher. A person who used a relative or friend’s telephone to make and receive calls now uses his or her own, thus causing the number of calls made and received on the other telephone to decrease accordingly. Operators must therefore take this distribution factor into account when making traffic projections based on an increase in their customer-base.

In the whole of Africa, including in Liberia, a downward trend in the Average Revenue per User (ARPU) has been observed for a few years. This trend is due to several factors, specifically the fierce competition on prices, which has led to a substantial decrease in tariffs. The traffic distribution factor also played a role in this situation.

Thirdly, the impact of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): traditional operators across the world have seen their share of the telephone traffic decrease to the advantage of VoIP providers. The impact of VoIP is admittedly less important in Africa due to lower Internet penetration, but is more and more present as a result of the rapid development of mobile Internet, which makes it possible to access VoIP via Smartphones.

From 2005 to 2010, Skype-to-Skype communications grew much more than traditional telephone traffic, which also grew, but at a lower growth rate.

With the fiber optic development and the broader access to the Internet in Liberia in the near future, VoIP is expected to have an increasing impact on the growth in international traffic for the local traditional operators. So the IGM should not be misleadingly used as the reason for reduction in inbound traffic.

The operators and the GSMA say they have studies showing that the surcharge on international incoming calls has very negative impact on the revenues of the sector and impedes its development. (This assertion seems to be the conclusion of the Deloitte & Touche study commissioned in 2011.)


The studies on the potential impact of the surcharge of termination rates on the telecom sector in Africa are scarce and mostly based, not on an independent analysis of the operators’ traffic data, but rather on interviews with the same operators. For example, the Deloitte & Touche 2011 study commissioned by the GSM Association was actually based on comments and views expressed by African operators, as explained in the preamble of the study. Deloitte & Touche also stated in the same study that they do not guarantee the reliability of the statistics on which they based the study.

Actually, there is a lack of reliable statistics on international traffic data. The collection of these reliable statistics is precisely one of the many benefits of a system such as the International Gateway Measuring system being implemented by the LTA.

Some service providers are claiming that “Liberians living abroad will pay much more to call their families in Liberia.”

Supporting such a claim shows that one underestimates the importance of the law of supply and demand and the impact of competition on the international long-distance calls market. These two factors will have a crucial influence on whether or not a foreign operator will decide to pass on the termination rate increase to the retail rates of its prepaid cards or subscriptions. A foreign company has no interest in passing on this increase, as its customers would very likely be poached (or taken over) by one of its many competitors that might accept a slight decrease in the profit margin they make on the destination.

It is important that the following two things be understood: firstly, despite the increase of the termination rate in Liberia, companies based in Europe and in the Unites States will keep on making large profit margins on the Liberian destination. Secondly, fierce competition and the law of supply and demand mean that consumers living abroad will always benefit from competitive rates to call Liberia, particularly in very competitive markets such as North America and Europe. They will always have the option to not pay more than they currently do, or even to pay less.

In any case, we live in an interconnected world. This means that there are a multitude of possible routes to reach a destination and that the cheaper routes are always preferred by inbound callers.

Soon, when the IGM comes on stream in Liberia, people from the Diaspora who use heavily discounted pre-paid calling cards may see some positive difference after the implementation of the anti-fraud system, as a result of the International Gateways Monitoring System.

In general, analyses show that the implementation of the termination rates policy does not in itself significantly increase the costs of expatriate calls placed through legal channels. In other words, the rates for calls legally placed overseas remain stable. At the same time, because the system provides effective means to prevent international calling fraud, an increasing number of calls that were routed through grey market channels will henceforth be routed legally but will cost a bit more than overseas calls that are masked as local traffic by fraudulent operators.

Diaspora callers who are looking for the best possible rates may be unaware of this illicit practice and are often fooled into buying heavily discounted prepaid calling cards that provide extremely poor call quality and are ultimately not worth their reduced cost.

To be sure, the IGM system being put in place by the LTA will fight fraud, increase revenue not only for the State but also for the very Liberian service operators (some of whom are wrongly frowning on its use), and significantly improve the quality of service for the generality of Liberians who receive calls from their relatives living abroad.

It is further claimed that “Raising termination rates contravenes international telecom regulations and agreements that stipulate that interconnection rates must be cost-oriented.”

This is simply not true. Firstly, the surcharge on the termination rate is not something that is set by the operators themselves, as part of their settlement with their foreign counterparts. It is a government policy.

Secondly, ITU’s (International Telecommunications Union’s) Recommendation D.156 on network externalities clearly states that termination rates can include an increment imposed by governments and regulatory authorities to be used as a funding mechanism for universal service and development—which will enable affordable access to telecommunications services to the general population.

What about the view by some that “Foreign countries will respond to the new termination rates by applying reciprocity.”

It is the right of any sovereign country to adopt its own pricing policies with respect to international incoming calls. In Africa, termination rates are much higher than in North America, for example. Liberia is following a regional trend. Pricing policies in Africa reflect different national contexts and market conditions, such as the huge differences in teledensity (measurement of how many telephones are available), per capita income, international telecommunications trade balance, etc.

For all these reasons, although the ITU recommends that termination rates be cost-oriented, it does acknowledge that these interconnection rates are a big issue for developing countries, particularly in Africa. The ITU states that the universal access, in developing countries, requires an asymmetric approach. To quote a document published by the ITU’s Secretariat in October 1998: “the subsidies made from high teledensity economies to low teledensity ones should be unilateral, and should not carry the expectation of reciprocal treatment”.

How and why did the LTA choose Global Voices Group (GVG) for the IGM solution in Liberia?”

The LTA issued a world-wide request for proposal that was answered by 14 companies, including GVG. Of these 14 companies, 5 made a formal presentation. The LTA was looking for a provider with proven experience in the implementation of International Gateways Measuring Systems and with the technical and financial capacity to provide its solution according to a Build-Operate-Transfer Model.

GVG met all of these criteria, and is currently providing the very same solution to several other countries in Africa.

Alarms about confidentiality and privacy; for example, some claim that “The IGMS is a spy machine. It will be used to do tapping”.

The IGMS cannot be used to do tapping. Monitoring or tapping conversations is not the purpose of the solution; in fact, it does not even have the technical capacity to spy on anyone’s communications. The content of any phone calls remains totally inaccessible through the IGMS. The system only captures the signaling data, i.e.: data such as quality of service (QoS) indicators, volumes of calls, percentage of successful connections, etc. In addition to all these, the LTA Act of 2007 prohibits any such act by anyone without applying due process.

Published by the Public and Consumer Affairs Department of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, Monrovia, Liberia