Crisis Summary

Borrowing our theme from Kishore Mahbubani's book of that title, DISC 2010 will explore the rise of Asia on international affairs. Mahbubani, a revered diplomat and scholar, notes that "For centuries, the Asians have been bystanders in world history. Now they are ready to become co-drivers." He argues that Asians have adopted the best of western practices and combined it with their own cultural traditions in innovative ways. According to Mahbubani, the rise of Asia is not to be feared. He believes that Asians seek to replicate and not dominate the west, and that, if the West gracefully gives up its domination of global institutions like the World Bank and the UN Security Council, a new geopolitical equilibrium could be arrived at peacefully. Other scholars are less optimistic. John Mearshiemer, a political scientist of the realist school, predicts that the rise of China will result in regional instability and conflict with the United States. He believes that regional powers like Japan, India, and Russia will grow increasingly weary of China's ascent and join the US in balancing against China. Though the future implications of the rise of Asia remains murky, it is clear that we stand at a critical juncture in history. How the United States deals with the emerging powers of today, namely China and India, will shape the course of the 21st Century.

The United States, still a global hegemon in many regards, remains a powerful regional actor in Asia. However, while absolute American power continues to grow, its relative power has declined. Asia is home to powerful rivals, established regional powers such as Japan and Russia must contend with the emerging powers of China and India for influence. As American power declines, international institutions like the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will likely become an important forum for these rivals to air their grievances and settle their disputes. American foreign policy must adjust to this increasingly multi-polar world in order to maintain regional and indeed global security. This crisis simulation has a two-fold purpose, on the one hand, we will attempt to anticipate some of the economic, political, and military fault-lines that may spark conflict in the region; on the other, we are interested in testing whether international institutions, particularly the UN Security Council, can work to avoid and resolve these conflicts. We hope that DISC 2010 will lend you insight into one of the most interesting and important issue in international affairs and that your participation as delegates will help you become better global citizens and more enlightened future policy makers.

Also, feel free to explore the committee pages from DISC 2009