The IMF is pursuing the goal of stability in the international money system. As this is their end goal they do not always find a unique strategy to fix different situations rather they use one solution for every problem. This does not always work as this one strategy is fiscal austerity. Fiscal austerity upsets citizens as is required major reductions to health and social expenditure. As the IMF has been criticized for this in the past, they are gaining respect back from many for their response to COVID 19. The IMF’s response to COVID 19 was different from other situations in the past because they prioritized health and social spending. Their goal was to protect vulnerable firms and people while creating a recovery plan to contain financial panic. Building off of this, they have created a $50 billion to vaccinate at least 40% of the population. The IMF has used their resources widely and proven that they can adhere to different countries social and health issues. It will be expected of the IMF to follow through with these changes.

Freedom of press is one of the most important aspects of democracy. It is surprising to see that the United States does not have complete freedom of press, as it is listed in our constitution. This also goes for many other fully developed countries like Sweden and Finland. Journalists in these countries do essentially have free rein but during the COVID 19 pandemic, it was brought to these journalists attention that not all information was accessible. An example of this is Norway. They are ranked first in the Index yet the media complained that they did not have access to state information about the pandemic. Taking a look at the other side of the index, censorship is real and many countries citizens are facing the consequences of it daily. China is known for having censorship and sharing propaganda to their citizens. They cannot find information on certain events that happened and they do not have access to social networking sites that are not Chinese based. As they have complete control over the media they were one of the first two countries to report no COVID cases, with no evidence and have stayed silent on the arrest of 11 journalists 20 years ago. This is blatant suppression of journalists and there is a multitude of evidence to support this.

I agree that the passengers must have been frightened that their plan had to suddenly land. So many tragedies happen on a daily basis and I'm sure almost every passenger on that plane feared for their life. I also agree that journalists are the backbone for democracy, and it is important to note how strongly the U.S. feels about democracy and freedom of speech which is why this arrest is outrageous to the U.S. government.

The United States making a statement on the diversion of Ryanair Flight to Belarus and arrest of Journalist Raman Pratasevich was necessary and the start of the fight for Pratasevich’s rights. Forcibly landing a plane with regular passengers is dangerous and unnecessary. The U.S. is working with the EU as well as Lithuanian and Greek officials to help solve this problem. Different countries putting their strengths together will help solve this case in a timely fashion, as they are asking for the immediate release of Pratasevich. Belarus overstepped many boundaries by landing this plane, and deserve consequences. As mentioned in the statement, “independent media are an essential pillar supporting the rule of law and a vital component of a democratic society”. The United States prides themselves on being a free country and allowing freedom of speech with very limitations. Independent journalists are a key factor of free speech, as they can report on what they please and relay information to the public. Arresting Pratasevich without valid proof of him being dangerous to society is violating his human rights, and the International Civiil Aviation Organization needs to take action quickly.

The NSI reachback report was very interesting. Before reading these articles, I did not know much about counterterrorism, so this was a whole new topic. Disengagement and deradicalization are concepts that are not well known to the public, yet they have been used fairly often. In this report it highlights different case studies and the level of success while using disengagement and deradicalization. It is important to note that every case is different, but there were many similarities in the studies. Programs that have demonstrated success have created a sense of hope, purpose and community. Creating opportunity for these people enables them to visualize a better future and it is likely they will listen. It is also important they have someone to rely on a trust while going through these tough moments. It is also important to share a long term plan, which builds trust.

There are many different takeaways from this article. In the past the U.S. foreign policy has been very questionable. The decisions made have been never fulfilled their goals, as the U.S. has not accommodated other countries for their struggles and have made decisions for their own benefit. The INSS has been made to protect the American people as well as focus on other issues that may come up. The Biden administration is determined to help Americans while strengthen relations with other countries. As mentioned the administration’s plan will also focus on security internally. Earlier this year we have seen a cyber attack in the United States. The pipeline was attacked and this caused chaos in our country. This is something that Biden plans on fixing through his new plans. There also seems to be growing tensions from both China and Russia and Biden and his administration need to stay on alert for this. At the end of the day it is important to focus on building security and strength in the United States, so we are a strong force and it will be easier to understand other countries and create strong relations.