The Historical background and current situation of the UAE-Iran dispute over three islands Essay Example for Free

The Historical background and current situation of the UAE-Iran dispute over three islands Essay The United Arab Emirates (UAE) dispute with Iran over the three islands is a historical conflict which relates to the ownership and sovereignty over of the islands. These three islands are the Abu Musa,the Greater Tunbs and the Lesser Tunbs . The islands are located in the Persian Gulf hence their strategic position in the Gulf can be very vital for a country that has sovereignty over them. For instance, the strategic importance of the three islands enables them to be used as a toll booth through which the passage of important regional commodities and oil can be controlled. Lack of adequate historical sources that point out clearly territorial boundaries in the Arabian Gulf has contributed to sovereignty conflicts, a good example being the UAE-Iran dispute. Although some recorded documents and historical events support UAE’s rightful ownership of the three Islands, Iran has constantly rejected those claims . The dispute has not yet been solved because as the United Arab Emirates maintain that it should have ownership over the three islands, Iran asserts that it should have sovereignty over the islands . This paper will discuss the historical background of the conflict as well as the current situation of dispute. Historical background of the dispute In the seventeenth century, Islamic conquests in the Arabian Gulf led to the Islamic caliphate decline in power. This had local powers such as Oman maintain sovereignty and control over the region. A close link of the Abu Musa, Greater Tunbs and Lesser Tunbs to the Southern Coast area remained until the presence of European colonial powers began to change leadership and governance issues in the Gulf. Historical records confirm that the fall of Ya’aruba state in Oman (1524-1741) paved way for the establishment of a new power in the Gulf referred to as Qawasin. Sharjah and Ra’s al -Khaimah were the two factions of Qawasin that had sovereignity over the Gulf islands. The first document to confirm the UAE legal title to the three islands is the official message that the Qawasin ruler sent to the British Resident. As a result, any form of interference with the sovereignty aroused protests. In the 1870s, Abu Musa served as a resort for the Qawasin rulers of Sharjah and also as an agricultural centre. The two Qawasin factions (Lingeh Qawasin and the Qawasin of the southern coast) were constantly involved in disputes about the Gulf islands. The dominant colonial power then (the British government of India) failed to interfere in the conflict because it considered it to be a local issue. However, efforts by a British political agent, Haji Abdurrahman to demonstrate that the Islands belonged to Lungeh Qawasin were disapproved. The Qawasin of the Southern Gulf continued to exercise sovereignty over the three islands until the late nineteenth century when the imperial Iran’s influence began to spread to the northern Gulf . Persian armies in 1887 invasion of Lingeh led to the expulsion of Qawasin governors expelled from the island of Sirri. Since the offensive launched by Persia enabled it to occupy to Island of Sirri, the Qawasin of the Southern Coast developed fears about the territorial ambitions of Persia. Iran confirmed the fears when it set forth claims to other Islands. However, the British government was opposed to Iran’s occupation of Sirri Island and supported Qawasin title to the Islands. As a result, the British government demanded that Iran explain hoisting of its flag on the Sirri Island as well as provide evidence of its claims to the Island. Iran pointed out that the strongest evidence of its ownership to the Island was its â€Å"occupation† and â€Å"possession† of the island. In 1904, Iran’s territorial and political ambitions together with the economic interests of some influential elements in the government strengthened its claim to Abu Musa Island . This marked Iran’s intentions to challenge Sharjah about its sovereignty over Abu Musa. For instance, Iran was interested in the red oxide resource that was found in the island. In efforts to take over control of the island, Iran sent a mission that was led by a Belgian officer to hoist an Iranian flag on Abu Musa. Protests against this move by the ruler of Sharjah were supported by the British Resident, who demanded that Iran submit evidence of ownership to the island. The failure by Iran to provide evidence had it withdraw quietly from the conflict three months later. British presence in the Gulf emphasized on the ownership of Abu Musa and the Tunbs by the states of Sharjah and Ra’s al Khaimah . Good relations between the two led to a signing of an agreement between the ruler of Sharjah and the British government in 1912 which facilitated the establishment of a lighthouse on Greater Tunbs. This allowed Sharjah to grant a five year red oxide exploration concession to a British national known as Strick. Iran protested against this move. Following a verbal understanding between the Iranian government and Britain that the three islands were Arab territories, the British administration on 24 August 1928 issued a memorandum to confirm that the islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs belonged to Ra’s al-Khaimah while Abu Musa belonged to Sharjah . The fact that Qawasin had title to the three Islands during the 1929-1930 negotiations between Iran and Britain confirmed the weakness of Iran’s claims of ownership over the islands. The Anglo-Iranian treaty which was signed affirmed that the three Islands (Abu Musa and the Tunbs) would remain under Arab territories and Iran would maintain the title to Island of Sirri . Iran’s desire to have control over the island motivated it to propose an offer to buy the Greater and Lesser Tunbs. This was strongly rejected by the rulers of Sharjah and R’as al-Khaimah. This was followed by Iran’s proposal to lease the two islands for a period of 50 years. The pressure by British officials on the ruler of Ra’s al-Khaimah to accept the offer on conditions that Iran refrain from inspecting Arab boats and ships as well as stop issuing order to them failed. This led the failure of Iran attempts to exercise sovereignty on the islands. Sharjah’s sovereignty over Abu Musa led to the issuing of red oxide concessions to the Golden Valley Ochre Oxide Company in 1935. On the other hand, Ra’s al-Khaimah gave an oil exploration concession to the Union Oil in 1964. The failure by Iran to annex Bahrain due to a United Nation’s endorsement of Bahrain’s independence in 1970 resulted to Iran’s emphatic claims to the three islands once again. Iran threatened to occupy the islands by force. To address the issue, intensive talks between Iran and the emirates of Ra’s al-Khaimah and Sharjah were held in 1970 and 1971. The talks did not prevent Iran from expressing its intentions to occupy the Islands by force. Pressure by Iran and Britain to have the rulers of Sharjah and Ra’s al-Khaimah hand over the islands to Iran peacefully did not succeed. This move aimed at preventing direct military occupation of the islands by Iran in a manner that would deprive the rulers’ sovereignty over the islands. Iran’s deadlines and threats that were issued to increase pressure on the rulers were unsuccessful. On 30 November 1971, Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allowed Iran to land on Northern part of Abu Musa. When Ra’s al-Khaimah rejected Iran’s concession to a title over Tunbs led to the launch of an offensive by Iran to occupy the islands. The offensive had some service men and civilians killed, a primary school and a police station, demolished and the citizens of the Greater Tunbs evicted. Since 1971 when it occupied the Tunbs, Iran has continued to claim ownership over the three islands despite the fact that it has failed to produce legal justification of its occupation under the international law. On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates has continually asserted that it has sovereignty over the islands . Current situation on the UAE-Iran dispute Since 1971, Iran and UAE have continually been engaged in the dispute over three Islands . After Iran’s occupation of the Tunbs, the UAE tried to win the title to the islands by resolving the dispute according to the international customs and laws. The UAE requested for assistance from the United Nations Security council to have the dispute solved peacefully. However, Iran continued to violate the MOU in relation to governance in Abu Musa and international boundaries in relation to the Tunbs. Iran had adopted an imperial arrogance approach during Shah’s’ reign and since 1980s, it continued to violate the MOU. Currently, Iran considers the Tunbs to be part of its territory and considers this issue undebatable . However, Iran agrees that negotiations over Abu Musa can be conducted based on an MOU that will ensure UAE sovereignty over the island does not compromise Iran’s economic, security and strategic interests in the Gulf region. The rights of sovereignty or ownership of the Abu Musa and the two Tunbs was transferred from the emirates of Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah to the Federal state of the United Arab Emirates on 2 December 1971. The Arab states under the British protectorate were referred to as trucial states . The UAE constitution states clearly that the federation exercises sovereignty over all waters and lands that are encompassed by the international borders of the emirates. . This includes the three islands of Abu Musa and the two Tunbs. Ownership claims by UAE over the three Islands is considered to be based on historical events, legal documents and the actual exercise of territorial sovereignty . Scholars of the international law argue that the border treaties provide for succession where the obligations and rights are passed from the predecessor to the successor state in accordance with the Article 4 of 1969 Vienna convention on the law of treaties . Furthermore, the highest federal authority of the UAE, the supreme council of the UAE has declared that the agreements which were concluded by the individual emirates with the neighboring states are believed to be agreements between the UAE and the neighboring states. The UAE-Iran dispute over the legal status of the islands has continued to affect UAE-Iran diplomatic relations . In addition, the dispute strains the relationship between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council Members (Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia). These nations support UAE claims of ownership. For instance, in 2008, there was tension between Iran and the GCC over this long-standing issue. The UAE supports regional cooperation in the region hence it has managed to win the support of some of its neighbors over the issue. Although the UAE has recommended that the case be taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Iran objects this measure . Britain which played a major role in the Gulf region and efforts to solve the UAE-Iran dispute would be expected to be involved in the case if it was taken to the ICJ. Iran criticizes the involvement of a third party in resolving the dispute hence it rejects the UAE’s request to have the dispute resolved at the international court of justice in the Hague. The UAE demands that the three Islands which were seized by Iran form UAE in 1971 be returned back . In 1992, Iran declared sovereignty over the three islands and had foreigners who run UAE sponsored school and several organizations in Abu Musa expelled from the Island. Iran’s political and economic influence in the region makes it a hegemonic power . Over the years, Iran has been making efforts to increase its military presence on the Island of Abu Musa by building an airport on the island and stationing troops on the Island. This indicates that Iran intends to maintain rightful ownership of the Island. For Iran, the Islands are strategically positioned to allow interdictions and observations of the Strait of Hormuz. This is believed to offer Iran land support to support stations boats, military troops and radars in the region. Iran’s opening a naval base in the Strait Hormuz and reluctance to resolve the territorial dispute confirms it political influence in the region. There is no doubt that the islands have economic and geopolitical significance to Iran . For example, during the 53rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Zayed Al Nahayan stated that the UAE is still concerned about the continued occupation of Iran on the three islands . The UAE has been making efforts to resolve the dispute in a peacefully, either through bilateral talks of the ICJ . The UAE sovereignty over the three islands of Abu Musa, Greater and Lesser Tunbs relate to acquiescence and recognition due to the fact that the UAE has maintained possession of the islands for a long time. This has been recognized by Britain which has made a declaration that it recognizes the title of the Qawasin to the islands. As a result, Iran’s occupation of the Tunbs is viewed by the UAE to be a violation of the principles of border issues in the international law and inviolability of the states’ territorial integrity which are vital in international relations. The UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed when speaking during the Federal National Council recently stated that the occupation of the three Islands by Iran is painful to many UAE nationals and compared Iran’s occupation on the three Islands to the occupation of Palestinians territories by Israel. A Memorandum of Understanding that governs the status of Abu Musa does not define the status of the island. Although the bilateral agreement between UAE and Iran promotes understanding between the two, the Iranian government sees the agreement to be a temporary measure that postpones the restoration of Iran’s sovereignty over the Abu Musa . The dispute is considered to have negative impact on the relations between UAE and Iran . Efforts by other countries such as Turkey in resolving the dispute are expected to improve relations between the UAE and Iran . Turkey is expected to play a vital rile in talks between Iran and UAE in future . For instance, when speaking during the Parliamentary Union of the Islamic Conference, Bahaeddine Jabaji supported Turkey’s role in resolving the dispute.

Nature Vs. Nurture in Sherri S. Teppers The Gate to Womens Country :: Psychology Tepper Gate Womens Essays

Nature Vs. Nurture in Sherri S. Tepper's The Gate to Womens Country Personality traits, are they learned or innate? Is it possible that once one is conceived his/her life and ways of communicating with other individuals are already set in stone and parents, environment, and peers have absolutely nothing to do with the ways in which one acts. Or could it be a combination of both genetics and learning? Reading The Gate to Womens Country by Sherri S. Tepper, I believe playing with the idea of learned or innate traits are the backbone for her novel. Knowing very well the nature vs. nurture perspective can be controversial to many, giving the reader an idea to ponder and debate. This novel is set in a time 300 years after a convulsion, a great war that was brought upon by men. It was men who were the diplomats and men who made the speeches about national pride and defenseand we died (pg. 301). The beginning of the novel starts out as a reflection and continues to be a reflection until the end, although the ways in which Tepper words happenings, put the reader in the moment so that he/she forgets they are reflecting and thinks that each happening is going on as you read, giving much more meaning to the piece. The reader is taken on a journey through the experiences of one girl from adolescence to adulthood, and as she comes to understand the way of life in Womens Country so do we the reader. Stavia (the main character) is reflecting everything that has made her who she is up to that point in her life. When Stavia was young the only worry she had to deal with was the coming and going of the male counterpart. Yes, it was a confusing emotional act at a young age, which would only become more confusing and emotional with age and wisdom. Stavia is a very intelligent, trustworthy, honorable, curious, open, loving girl, and to a point she conforms to the ways in which the council believes are appropriate. I believe the reason she is conforming is because either you agree with the council or you leave womens country. The councilwomen have worked to long and hard to have a revolting girl destroy what they have come to create and with high hopes of perfecting. In this novel there is a division of the two genders and they are put in their own communities, known as Womens Country and the Garrison, with the exception of few men who chose to return to Womens Country.

Night World : Huntress Chapter 7

She emerged on the rooftop. There was a sort of roof garden here-anyway, a lot of scraggly plants in large wooden tubs. There was also some dirty patio furniture and other odds and ends. But the main feature was a small structure that sat on the roof the way a house sits on a street. Morgead's home. The penthouse. It was as stark and unlovely as the rest of the building, but it had a great view and it was completely private. There were no other tall buildings nearby to look down on it. Jez moved stealthily toward the door. Her feet made no noise on the pitted asphalt of the roof, and she was in a state of almost painfully heightened awareness. In the old days sneaking up on another gang member had been a game. You got to laugh at them if you could startle them, and they got to be furious and humiliated. Today it wasn't a game. Jez started toward the warped wooden door-then stopped. Doors were trouble. Morgead would have been an idiot not to have rigged it to alert him to intruders. Cat-quiet, she headed instead for a narrow metal ladder that led to the roof of the wooden structure. Now she was on the real top of the building. The only thing higher was a metal flagpole without a She moved noiselessly across the new roof. At the far edge she found herself looking four stories straight down. And directly below her there was a window. An open window. Jez smiled tightly. Then she hooked her toes over the four-inch lip at the edge of the roof and dropped gracefully forward. She grabbed the top of the window in mid-dive and hung suspended, defying gravity like a bat attached upside down. She looked inside. And there he was. Lying on a futon, asleep. He was sprawled on his back, fully clothed in jeans, high boots, and a leather jacket. He looked good. Just like the old days, Jez thought. When the gang would stay out all night riding their bikes and hunting or fighting or partying, and then come home in the morning to scramble into clothes for school. Except Morgead, who would smirk at them and then collapse. He didn't have parents or relatives to keep him from skipping. I'm surprised he's not wearing his helmet, too, she thought, pulling herself back up to the roof. She picked up the fighting stick, maneuvered it into the window, then let herself down again, this time hanging by her hands. She slid in without making a noise. Then she went to stand over him. He hadn't changed. He looked exactly as she remembered, except younger and more vulnerable because he was asleep. His face was pale, making his dark hair seem even darker. His lashes were black crescents on his cheeks. Evil and dangerous, Jez reminded herself. It annoyed her that she had to remind herself of what Morgead was. For some reason her mind was throwing pictures at her, scenes from her childhood while she was living here in San Francisco with her Uncle Bracken. A five-year-old Jez, with shorter red hair that looked as if it had never been combed, walking with a little grimy-faced Morgead, hand in hand. An eight-year-old Jez with two skinned knees, scowling as a businesslike Morgead pulled wood splinters out of her legs with rusty tweezers. A seven-year-old Morgead with his face lit up in astonishment as Jez persuaded him to try the human thing called ice cream†¦. Stop it, Jez told her brain flatly. You might as well give up, because it's no good. We were friends then-well, some of the time-but we're enemies now. He's changed. I've changed. He'd kill me in a second now if it would suit his purpose. And I'm going to do what has to be done. She backed up and poked him lightly with the stick. â€Å"Morgead.† His eyes flew open and he sat up. He was awake instantly, like any vampire, and he focused on her without a trace of confusion. Jez had changed her grip on the stick and was standing ready in case he went straight into an attack. But instead, a strange expression crossed his face. It went from startled recognition into something Jez didn't understand. For a moment he was simply staring at her, eyes big, chest heaving, looking as if he were caught in between pain and happiness. Then he said quietly, â€Å"Jez.† â€Å"Hi, Morgead.† â€Å"You came back.† Jez shifted the stick again. â€Å"Apparently.† He got up in one motion. â€Å"Where the hell have you been?† Now he just looked furious, Jez noted. Which was easier to deal with, because that was how she remembered him. â€Å"I can't tell you,† she said, which was perfectly true, and would also annoy the life out of him. It did. He shook his head to get dark hair out of his eyes-it was always disheveled in the morning, Jez remembered-and glared at her. He was standing easily: not in any attack posture, but with the relaxed readiness that meant he could go flying in any direction at any moment. Jez kept half her mind on watching his leg muscles. â€Å"You can't tell me? You disappear one day without any kind of warning, without even leaving a note†¦ you leave the gang and me and just completely vanish and nobody knows where to find you, not even your uncle .. . and now you reappear again and you can't tell me where you were?† He was working himself into one of his Extremely Excited States, Jez realized. She was surprised; she'd expected him to stay cooler and attack hard. â€Å"What did you think you were doing, just cutting out on everybody? Did it ever occur to you that people would be worried about you? That people would think you were dead?† It didn't occur to me that anyone would care, Jez thought, startled. Especially not you. But she couldn't say that. â€Å"Look, I didn't mean to hurt anybody. And I can't talk about why I went. But I'm back now-â€Å" â€Å"You can't just come back!† Jez was losing her calm. Nothing was going the way she'd expected; the things she'd scripted out to say weren't getting said. â€Å"I know I can't just come back-â€Å" â€Å"Because it doesn't work that way!† Morgead was pacing now, tossing hair out of his eyes again as he turned to glare at her. â€Å"Blood in, blood out. Since you're apparently not dead, you abandoned us. You're not allowed to do that! And you certainly can't expect to just walk back in and become my second again-â€Å" â€Å"I don't!† Jez yelled. She had to shut him up. â€Å"I have no intention of becoming your second-in-command!† she said when he finally paused. â€Å"I came to challenge you as leader.† Morgead's jaw dropped. Jez let her breath out. That wasn't exactly how she'd planned to say it. But now, seeing his shock, she felt more in control. She leaned casually against the wall, smiled at him, and said smoothly, ‘I was leader when I left, remember.† â€Å"You†¦ have got to be †¦ joking.† Morgead stared at her. â€Å"You expect to waltz back in here as leader?† â€Å"If I can beat you. I think I can. I did it once.† He stared for another minute, seeming beyond words. Then he threw back his head and laughed. It was a scary sound. When he looked at her again, his eyes were bright and hard. â€Å"Yeah, you did. I've gotten better since then.† Jez said three words. â€Å"So have I.† And with that, everything changed. Morgead shifted position-only slightly, but he was now in a fighting stance. Jez felt adrenaline flow through her own body. The challenge had been issued and accepted; there was nothing more to say. They were now facing each other ready to fight. And this she could deal with. She was much better at fighting than at playing with words. She knew Morgead in this mood; his pride and his skill had been questioned and he was now absolutely determined to win. This was very familiar. Without taking his eyes from her, he reached out and picked a fighting stick from the rack behind him. Japanese oak, Jez noted. Heavy, well-seasoned, resilient. Good choice. The fire-hardened end was very pointy. He wouldn't try to use that first, though. First, he would go for disarming her. The simplest way to do this was to break the wrist of her dominant hand. After that he'd go for critical points and nerve centers. He didn't play around at this. A minute change in Morgead's posture alerted her, and then they were both moving. He swung his stick up and down in a perfect arc, aiming for her right wrist. Jez blocked easily with her own stick and felt the shock as wood clashed with wood. She instantly changed her grip and tried for a trap, but he whipped his stick out of the way and was facing her again as if he'd never moved in the first place. He smiled at her. He's right. He's gotten better. A small chill went through Jez, and for the first time she worried about her ability to beat him. Because I have to do it without killing him, she thought. She wasn't at all sure he had the same concern about not killing her. â€Å"You're so predictable, Morgead,† she told him. â€Å"I could fight you in my sleep.† She feinted toward his wrist and then tried to sweep his legs out from underneath him. He blocked and tried for a trap. â€Å"Oh, yeah? And you hit like a four-year-old. You couldn't take me down if I stood here and let you.† They circled each other warily. The snakewood stick was warm in Jez's hands. It was funny, some distant part of her mind thought irrelevantly, how the most humble and lowly of human weapons was the most dangerous to vampires. But it was also the most versatile weapon in the world. With a stick, unlike a knife or gun or sword, you could fine-tune the degree of pain and injury you caused. You could disarm and control attackers, and-if the circumstances required it-you could inflict pain without permanently injuring them. Of course if they were vampires, you could also kill them, which you couldn't do with a knife or gun. Only wood could stop the vampire heart permanently, which was why the fighting stick was the weapon of choice for vampires who wanted to hurt each other†¦ and for vampire hunters. Jez grinned at Morgead, knowing it was not a particularly nice smile. Her feet whispered across the worn oak boards of the floor. She and Morgead had practiced here countless times, measuring themselves against each other, training themselves to be the best. And it had worked. They were both masters of this most deadly weapon. But no fight had ever mattered as much as this one. â€Å"Next you're going to try for a head strike,† she informed Morgead coolly. â€Å"Because you always do.† â€Å"You think you know everything. But you don't know me anymore. I've changed,† he told her, just as calmly-and went for a head strike. â€Å"Psyche,† he said as she blocked it and wood clashed with a sharp whack. â€Å"Wrong.† Jez twisted her stick sharply, got leverage on his, and whipped it down, holding it against his upper thighs. â€Å"Trap.† She grinned into his face. And was startled for a moment. She hadn't been this close to him in a long time. His eyes-they were so green, gem-colored, and full of strange light. For just an instant neither of them moved; then-weapons down, their gazes connected. Their faces were so close their breath mingled. Then Morgead slipped out of the trap. â€Å"Don't try that stuff,† he said nastily. â€Å"What stuff?† The moment her stick was free of his, she snapped it up again, reversing her grip and thrusting toward his eyes. â€Å"You know what stuff!† He deflected her thrust with unnecessary force. â€Å"That I'm Jez and I'm so wild and beautiful' stuff. That ‘Why don't you just drop your stick and let me hit you because it'll be fun' stuff.† â€Å"Morgead†¦ what are you†¦ talking about?† In between the words she attacked, a strike to his throat and then one to his temple. He blocked and evaded-which was just what she wanted. Evasion. Retreat. She was crowding him into a corner. â€Å"That's the only way you won before. Trying to play on people's feelings for you. Well, it won't work anymore!† He countered viciously, but it didn't matter. Jez blocked with a whirlwind of strikes of her own, pressing him, and then he had no choice but to retreat until his back was against the corner. She had him. She had no idea what he meant about playing on people's feelings, and she didn't have time to think about it. Morgead was dangerous as a wounded tiger when he was cornered. His eyes were glowing emerald green with sheer fury, and there was a hardness to his features that hadn't been there last year. He does hate me, Jez thought. Hugh was wrong. He's hurt and angry and he absolutely hates me. The textbook answer was to use that emotion against him, to provoke him and get him so mad that he gave her an opening. Some instinct deep inside Jez was worried about that, but she didn't listen. â€Å"Hey, all's fair, right?† she told him softly. â€Å"And what do you mean, it won't work? I've got you, haven't I?† She flashed out a couple of quick attacks, more to keep him occupied than anything else. â€Å"You're caught, and you're going to have to let down your guard sometime.† The green eyes that had been luminous with fury suddenly went cold. The color of glacier ice. â€Å"Unless I do something unexpected,† he said. â€Å"Nothing you do is unexpected,† she said sweetly. But her mind was telling her that provoking him had been a mistake. She had hit some nerve, and he was stronger than he'd been a year ago. He didn't lose his temper under pressure the way he'd used to. He just got more determined. Those green eyes unnerved her. Move in hard, she thought. All out. Go for a pressure point. Numb his arm- But before she could do anything, a wave of Power hit her. It sent her reeling. She'd never felt anything exactly like it. It came from Morgead, a Shockwave of telepathic energy that struck her like a physical thing. It knocked her back two steps and made her struggle for balance. It left the air crackling with electricity and a faint smell of ozone. Jez's mind spun. How had he done that? â€Å"It's not hard,† Morgead said in a calm, cold voice that went with his eyes. He was out of the corner by now, of course. For a moment Jez thought he was reading her thoughts, but then she realized her question must be written all over her face. ‘It's something I discovered after you left,† he went on. â€Å"All it takes is practice.† If you're telepathic, Jez thought. Which I'm not anymore. The Night People are getting stronger, developing more powers, she thought. Well, Hugh had been right on that one. And she was in trouble now. Whack! That was Morgead going for a side sweep. He'd noticed her lack of balance. Jez countered automatically, but her head wasn't clear and her body was ringing with pain. He'd shaken her, distracted her. â€Å"As you said, all's fair,† Morgead said, with a small, cold smile on his lips. â€Å"You have your weapons. I have mine.† And then he threw another of those Shockwaves at her. Jez was better braced for it now, but it still rocked her on her feet, took her attention off her weapon- Just long enough for her to screw up and let him in. He drove upward to catch her stick from below. Then he twisted, sweeping her stick in a circle, forcing her off balance again, trying to topple her backward. As Jez fought to recover, he struck to her elbow. Hard. Wham! It was a different sound from the crisp whack when wood hit wood. This was softer, duller, the sound of wood hitting flesh and bone. Jez heard her own involuntary gasp of pain. Fire shot up her arm, into her shoulder, and for a moment she lost her grip on the stick with her right hand. She forced her fingers to close on it again, but they were numb. She couldn't feel what she was holding. She couldn't block properly with one arm useless. And Morgead was advancing, that deadly cold light in his eyes. Absolutely merciless. His movements were relaxed and easy; he knew exactly what he was doing now. Two more whacks and he got through her guard again. The oak stick slammed into her ribs and she felt another wave of sickening pain. Gray dots danced in front of her eyes. Fractured? Jez wondered briefly. She hoped not. Vampires could break each other's ribs in fun and know that everything would heal in a day or two. But Jez wouldn't recover like that. Morgead might kill her without even meaning to. She couldn't let him keep striking her-but she couldn't retreat, either. If he got her into a corner, she'd be lost. Whack-wham. He got her on the knee. Pain sparked up and down her leg, lighting every nerve. She had no choice but to back up. He was crowding her relentlessly, forcing her to the wall. Morgead flashed a smile at her. Not the cold smile. This one was brilliant, and very familiar to Jez. It made him look devastatingly handsome, and it meant that he was in absolute command of the situation. â€Å"You can give up anytime, now,† he said. â€Å"Because I'm going to win and we both know it.†

Sensitive Topics How to Write a Mercy Killing Essay

Among all the sensitive topics you may be asked to write on euthanasia is probably one of the most sensitive. The world is divided into the followers of two directly opposing ideas: one believe that murder is murder, no matter what the circumstances are. Even if we speak about the people with incurable illnesses that cause great suffering, doctors should follow the Hippocrates Oath and refuse to harm their patients in any way. The others state that euthanasia gives a person whose life turned into constant and hopeless cycle of pain the only freedom he or she still has – to leave this world with dignity. If there is no other hope, why not help the patient in the only way that is still left? Truly, a perfect topic for an argumentative essay – both sides have very strong arguments in their support, both are perfectly logical – only their hierarchy of values is somewhat different. But students often feel intimidated by the gravity and sensitivity of this topic, and a s a result we have bland, half-hearted attempts at writing that make only one effort – to avoid offending anybody. Don’t Forget to Study a Sample Argumentative Euthanasia Essay If you have no idea how to approach the topic, you may try and find some examples on the Internet. Although it will be a really bad decision to copy/paste any of them and try to pass it for your own writing, reading one may provide you with the much necessary insight and help you get to grips with the issue. If you have a strong opinion on the subject, you should probably look for an example of argumentative essay that promotes another point of view – when you see how wrong the author is and in what respects, it will be easier for you to build up your own argumentation. Your Own Take on Mercy Killing Essay There are a lot of possible approaches you may use when dealing with the topic of euthanasia. But whatever opinion you share, don’t forget that you shouldn’t found your essay on emotions, no matter how much this particular topic asks for it. What you need is real argumentation, supported with facts, statistics, examples from real life and so on. For example, if you support euthanasia, you may mention the number of patients slowly dying of incurable diseases with no hope for recovery who could be otherwise spared the pain and indignity of their position if they were allowed to die. If you are against it, you may mention the examples of people waking up from coma long after the doctors had given up on them and told their loved ones that they may just as well pull the plug on them. Study a sample argumentative essay on the topic and think about the arguments presented by another person – maybe you can disprove them? As you may see, the possibilities are boundless, e specially if you have a strong opinion on the subject in question.