Post A

• Citizenry - (pg. 187) - Citizens considered as a group. Emanating - (pg. 173) - To come or send forth, as from a source.
• "With the destruction of the Isfahan facility we have marked the beginning of the end of these tyrants, and the start of the fight for a true Islamic and democratic Iran."(pg. 180) This quote shows how even after taking part in the revolution, many Iranians are very unhappy with their new government.

Debate activity blog

Political debates
Where? – These debates usually occur at universities and other places of learning.
For what purpose? – The debates allow political candidates to present their views on issues and they also help voters decide who to vote for.
Does it help arrive at a better decision? – Yes, it gives the voters a better idea of the person they’re voting for.
Is the debate structured or unstructured? – The debate is structured.
Does this effect the decision making progress? – Yes, it makes it fair for both sides and allows all parties involved to get their fair share of talking in.

School debate team
Where? – These debates take place indifferent schools on teams.
For what purpose? – Some people enjoy debating and they do it for fun.
Does that help arrive at a better decision? – I would think that when people debate for fun, they would arrive at a better decision.
Is the debate structured or unstructured? – The debate is structured
How does this effect the decision making process? – The decision is based on evidence given in a structured manner and therefore the team that deserves to win should win.

Court cases
Where? – Courtrooms.
For what purpose? – Court cases occur when someone is accused of doing something wrong and is pronounced guilty or not guilty.
Does this help arrive at a better decision? – This doesn’t necessarily mean that the decision is right, but I guess it does make the decision better.
Is it structured or unstructured? – It is structured
How does this effect the decision making process? – The court can come to a more logical decision if it is structured.

Friend vs. Friend debate
Where? – This can happen wherever you talk with your friends.
For what purpose? – You may have different opinion about something than your friend does, so it may lead to a debate.
Does this help arrive at a better decision? – This may not help arrive at a very good decision.
Is this structured or unstructured? – This is unstructured.
How does this effect the decision making process? – This can make it very difficult to arrive at a decision at all sometimes.

Post B

So far this book has really intrigued me. I am at the point where the plot is thickening and details are being revealed which will set up the climax. I think that this book relates to our lives right now because it concerns Iran and their confrontations with us. The book is fiction but has a very believable premise. Iran having a nuclear weapons program which is bombed by the Israelis is an extremely possible scenario. Also, the fact that the Iranians would blame us is an accurate assumption. The switching of storylines at different locations is cool, because it allows for the reader to follow two storylines at once. From the other Vince Flynn books I’ve read, I also know that as the story continues, the separate storylines combine and become one. The author’s writing style is very enjoyable. The way that he writes makes you want to keep reading, whether he’s writing about a video-conference or the bombing of a nuclear facility, you just don’t want to keep reading. I think it is also interesting how Mitch Rapp, the protagonist, has such a high clearance in the government. Even though he is just a CIA operative, he is able to talk with the president, organize meetings with members of foreign agencies, and do other things that I would think would be reserved for members of the president’s cabinet. Overall, this book has been enjoyable. The plot has been thickening ever since the first few chapters. It will be very interesting to see how the book will progress from here.

Post A

• An emerging theme in the book so far is that an ego causes nothing but problems.
• Diminutive - (pg. 95) - (adj.) Extremely small in size; tiny. Edict - (pg. 104) - (n.) A decree or proclamation issued by an authority and having the force of law.

Post B

The protagonist of the story is Mitch Rapp. He is a special agent working for the United States government. He is a man who has no remorse when he kills. His wife was killed and therefore he is emotionally distraught. Even with her death, when he kills he is able to keep calm and do his job well. So far I like his character. He is likeable as you read farther into the book, and he becomes a very complex personality. He is extremely devoted to his job and it is a very large priority to him. All the things he does are in relation to his job. In addition to devotion to his job, he is determined to right any wrongs in his life. For example, in the opening chapter, he goes and kills a man who bombed the president’s motorcade, killing 8, in order to get his candidate elected. Mitch finds out that Stu Garret is behind the bombing and kills him. In the chapter describing the assassination, you can tell that he pays attention to the smallest details and works with precision. I am intrigued to read more about Rapp and what he will do about the nuclear facility in Iran. From the other Vince Flynn books I have read, I would expect Rapp to take matters into his own hands and correct the problem. He is an interesting character who has a complex personality, and he is a one man army. I would even compare him to a James Bond or, Jason Bourne. He drives the plot forward in a very exciting way.

Post A

• Paunchy - having a large and protruding belly; potbellied (pg 43) Sanctimonious - making a hypocritical show of religious devotion, piety, righteousness, etc. (pg 27)
• "Even those chameleons found a way to get under his skin." (pg 27). The author is describing political candidates and how they annoy Stu Garret. This is a metaphor because he is comparing politicians with chameleons without using like or as. "Something far simpler could cripple the entire facility." (pg 37). This is personification because it gives a human characteristic, being crippled, to an inanimate object, the nuclear facility. "For Ashani it was like being on a long car trip with his teenage daughters.'' (pg 49). This is a simile because he is comparing two things using "like".

Book Information

• "Protect and defend" by Vince Flynn
• October 2007
• Fiction
• 403 pages
• There are relatively advanced words such as coalesced, narcissistic, and proficiency, just to name a few.
• I chose this book because I have read Vince Flynn books in the past and have enjoyed them very much. I was going to read this book for fun, but seeing as though I have to do this outside reading assignment anyways it was a happy coincidence.