F.I.N.Ds are an essential part of the International Law curriculum. What they are is a debate whose topic is chosen and researched by a student in the class. The topics are often controversial and must be INTERNATIONAL in scope. The student then presents them in the FIND( Facts, Issue, Nations, Dilema) format. We are given the Weekly News and world report as a source for finds. However, many students find that they prefer to get their news from other sources, and that is not discouraged at all. This web sites news section also provides an excellent database of news from around the world to aid students in their research of finds. These debates usually occur on Friday, and we often do two finds on that Friday. We often order food to eat during the debates, thus making the finds one of the most fun aspects of the class. A student is required to present two finds throughout the course, and this requirement is usually very easy to complete. The find format is discussed in greater detail below.  

F.I.N.D. FORMAT:

Facts: Gather as much information from the article or articles at list it here. This is where you provide almost a summary of the articles you read. 

Issue: The is the problem or problems that is presented by the article or articles. This is what the class will discuss. 

Nations Involved: The nations that are involved in the problem

Dilemma: Usually where one provides statements from both sides of the issues to give the class a starting point form which to debate. These are usually in a list of YES reasons or NO-reasons, but there are many ways to present this.

Below is a sample FIND. It was given an 96 by the teacher. The Facts section was too long and criticized for being biased, but the rest of the find was considered very good. The topic was USA Secretary of State Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations in February 2003 on Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction and his terrorist ties.  

               Powell’s Presentation to the UN

Facts:

Since the beginning of the new crisis with Iraq , many who have opposed the war said that there was not enough evidence given by the Bush administration that would lead them to believe any of its claims. Many have even said, such as the Iraqi government, that the evidence simply didn’t exist. George W. Bush countered in his state of the union address when he said that there was evidence that existed and that the United States Secretary of State Colin Powell(who is considered by many to be the most dovish member of the administration) would present that evidence to the United Nations on February 5^th, 2003 . This was last Wednesday and indeed he did present a compelling case to the United Nations that day. There were three main points to his presentation. The first and foremost was that Iraq was working actively to deceive the inspectors led by Dr. Hans Blix of the United Nations Special Commission(UNSCOM) and by Dr. Mohammed El Baradi of the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA). By doing this he was flying in the face of all UN resolutions and that if nothing was done than the UN would prove it was powerless. This point was supported by many satellite images and intercepted communications between Iraqi officials. One conversation was between two Senior Iraqi officials discussing a modified vehicle that was to be moved a day before the inspections. Another one was an Iraqi official ordering the evacuation of materials produced by the Al Kendi Company (which produces weapons of mass destruction) from an inspection sight. The third conversation was an order by an Iraqi official to remove the phrase “nerve agents” form any conversations with the inspectors. Satellite Photos showing chemical and biological weapons plants were also used extensively to prove this point   

 The second point is that by possessing these weapons he poses a threat to his neighbors and to the international community.  One major piece of evidence that supported this was a video of a training drill that an Iraqi F-1 Mirage fighter was undergoing. It was a test drill for the possible deployment of biological and chemical weapons, and the frightening range of this was shown. Here human intelligence sources were also cited and former UN inspections reports showed how Iraq ’s UAV program was capable of ranges far beyond that demanded of them by the United Nations.

His final point was the most frightening of all, and this was the links between Saddam Hussein and Al-Quiada which would make Saddam’s regime a clear and present danger to the United States of America . The main link was made through a man named Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, who was a senior Bin Laden Lieutenant. He was chased out of Afghanistan by US forces, and he escaped to Baghdad , where he received medical treatment. He then continued to set up a biological and chemical weapons training facility in Northeastern Iraq , with the blessing and support of Saddam Hussein. This was the man who orchestrated the attack on the US diplomat just recently. Also, testimonies from detained Al Quiada prisoners have reveled that Saddam Hussein has been running and creating these camps for years. There have also been reports of contacts and links between Saddam and Al Quiada that go all the way back eight years. Also, the pattern appears to be the more successful Al Quaida operations go, the more activity between them and Saddam Hussein is spotted.

This riveting and compelling speech squashed those who believed that Saddam Hussein was complying with the Resolutions, and so far the only officials who have stated that have been the Iraqi government, who called Powell’s speech “A typical American show complete with Special Effects.”  However, dissent has not totally been abolished. Domestic support for the war has increased dramatically according to recent polls, and the only US officials who have spoke out against a war have been Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi. Also, the presentation convinced 10 other European nations(Eastern European nations such as Latvia and Estonia, Georgia) besides the eight already on the side of the US( Denmark, Spain, Britain, Italy, Poland, Hungary, The Czech Republic, and Norway) bringing the total to 18. However, the French have still stood firmly against any use of force as Well as the Germans. Other veto holding nations such as Russia and China have expressed concerns about war but both admitted that they now might support a resolution authorizing the use of force.

Issues: Has the case for a war been made? Will the United States get a second resolution authorizing the use of force? Can we go in without a second resolution?

Nations: The United States, Iraq, Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Israel

Dilemma:

YES- The coalition for war is growing, with the added ten European Allies and the recent announcement by Turkey that they will allow us to use military force, we have a multinational force.

YES- The French in the end will cave because they wouldn’t want to be left out of the rebuilding process, which means we will get the resolution. This is simply typical of French foreign policy to both appease dictators and smite the US even at its own peril.

YES-The Links to Al Quiada when added to the Satellite photos of the chemical weapons plant show a clear and present danger that Iraq poses to the Unites States, and we should go in ASAP, with or without the UN.

YES- Saddam Hussein has proven over the years that he is a ruthless tyrant who only understands the language of force. It was the Gulf War that caused him to finally leave Kuwait and over the last 12 years the inspection process has been a complete disaster. How much more time is needed to prove that war is the only language this man speaks?

NO- The evidence was too circumstantial to justify war.

NO-The Arab World will hate us for this and more terrorism will come about because of a war

NO- The inspections should be given more time to do their work, in the face of this strong case Saddam might cave, he has already began to let private interviews of scientists commence. Stronger inspections might work

NO- A war will cause Saddam Hussein to use the very biological and chemical weapons we fear, and our troops might suffer heavy casualties because of them.