Regional Security Organizations and National Interests: Analyzing the NATO-Greek Relationship

This article analyzes the reasons which account for Greece\u27s continuing membership in the Atlantic Alliance, even though NATO has not lived up to expectations and has failed to protect the nation\u27s security against threats from Turkey. Following a brief examination of Greek attitudes toward NATO and the nature of dissatisfaction, the article argues that strategic concerns are, at best, of secondary importance. Instead, Greece\u27s continuing membership in the Alliance is a result of the nation\u27s economic ties to the West and the dependency of its military on NATO and Washington for advanced training, arms, war materiel, and other professional considerations. The article concludes that domestic industrial-military complexes of small countries become closely connected to and often depend on alliance industrial-military cornplexes. Leaving military alliances, therefore, becomes difficult for professional military as well as domestic economic interests

The Greek Military Regime (1967-1974) and the Cyprus Question — Origins and Goals

This article employs the concept of military professionalism and its attributes to explain the Greek praetorian regime\u27s handling of the Cyrprus problem. Upon examining the relevant data it was found that for strategic considerations the U.S. and NATO sought to achieve a negotiated solution to the cyprus problem which would have amounted to double Enosis. It was also found that professional needs created a dependency of the Greek. military on NA TO for arms, sophisticated training, and support which let them view participation in NATO as indespensable. As a result, the Greek military confused the interests of their nation with those of the Atlantic Alliance and sought to solve the Cyprus problem on the basis of NATO\u27S interests even though such a solution went contrary to the national aspirations of Greece

Economic Measurements and Quality of Life in Mexico

Using the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), the article seeks to evaluate the quality of life in modern Mexico. The GPI employs the same indicators used to arrive at per capita GDP, but adds positive and negative monetary and non-monetary actors that affect people\u27s lives. Monetary factors include income distribution, increased health care cost due to air and water pollution, and loss of wetlands. Non-monetary factors involve parenting, time spent in highways, loss of leisure time, the cost of volunteer work, and other social costs. If one takes these into account, the purchasing power and quality of life of Mexican citizens are considerably lower than the per capita GDP would indicate

Racial and Ethnic Attitudes and Individual Relatedness Among Greek-Americans

The article looks at the self-identity of Greek immigrants in the U.S. and incorporation of American racial ideologies into their racial repertoires. It recognizes Greek Americans for creating a national and racial framework that blends elements of both home and host society institutions and ideologies. It recalls the arrival of thousands of Greek immigrants in the U.S. in the 20th century. The increasing inter-marriage rates between Greek immigrants and Greek Americans are also noted

Microfinance and Third World Development: A Critical Analysis

Microfinance is emerging as an integral part of the new development paradigm, described by the phrase participation and development. Although the idea has become quite popular among donor agencies, development practitioners, and academicians, theoretical premises on which this idea is founded seem entirely unexamined. Accordingly, this article investigates the academic merits, as well as potential consequences, of this popular poverty alleviating model from the supply-side perspective and asks a provocative question: Do the microfinance ventures have features which suggest that the establishment of this new finance industry in the Third World countries might further complicate their pervasive poverty problems? The answer to this question appears affirmative to be affirmative. First, the microfinance idea is founded on two theoretical premises, both of which are very controversial. Second, the lack of microcredit is not the cause of the Third World\u27s deplorable poverty situation--a fact that suggests that the supply of microcredit cannot alleviate poverty in these countries. Finally, the promotion of the microfinance ventures in the Third World has potentials to create private groups, which have vested interests in perpetuating their prevailing poverty situation

From Balconies to Tanks: Post Junta Civil-Military Relations in Greece

This article analyzes the reasons why praetorianism in Greece has not been followed by more of the same, as appears to be the case in most states that have experienced military rule. After a careful examination of the available data, it was concluded that having learned their lesson, both the civilian and military elites have played a role in keeping the armed forces away from the levers of political authority, the civilians by following carrot and stick policies designed not to encroach on the military\u27s corporate interests, and the armed forces by accepting the view that they can best protect their corporate interests by staying in the barracks. The continuing disputes with Turkey have also helped in that they have reinforced the positions taken by the civilian and military leaderships

Civil-Military Relations in a Civilized State: Panama

This article traces and analyzes civil-military relations in Panama. After a brief overview of the role of the National Guard in the country politics, the article concentrates on political developments since the 1989 U.S. invasion to overthrow the Noriega regime and the subsequent elimination of the Panamanian military. The study seeks to shed light on political life in an armyless and politically and socially fractionalized country occupying a sensitive strategic location. The concluding part of the study speculates on the possibility that terrorism, domestic security concerns, and regional considerations may prompt Washington and Panamanian leaders to reverse the decision to abolish the country\u27s military institution