As Washington lawmakers scramble to reach a last-minute budget deal before the end of the year, Harvard and other research universities are bracing for what would be the most dramatic cut in federal research funding in recent history.

Failure to come up with a compromise to avert the so-called fiscal cliff by midnight Monday will trigger an 8.2 percent across-the-board cut in non-defense discretionary spending. As a result, Harvard will lose out on millions of dollars in promised federal grant money for the 2013 fiscal year.

Because the cuts will be applied to the current fiscal year, which began July 1, the loss in sponsorship will be compounded onto the second half of the fiscal year, worsening the blow for the remainder of the 2013 fiscal calendar.

The University received roughly $656 million in federal sponsorship during the 2012 fiscal year. Though the University has yet to release information for the 2013 fiscal year, sponsorship figures were not expected to change drastically from current levels. Federal sponsorship comprised about 16 percent of the University’s overall operating budget for the fiscal year 2012, according to the Office for Sponsored Programs 2012 annual report.

The schools most at risk from federal cuts are Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, both of which rely heavily on the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation for funding. The Medical School alone took in over $250 million in federal funds during the 2012 fiscal year, a sum that accounted for 34 percent of its operating budget. Though the School of Public Health brought in a slightly smaller total of nearly $193 million, that amount was 55 percent of the school’s overall budget.

Of all University schools receiving significant federal support, The Faculty of Arts and Sciences is the most diversified, relying heavily on private sponsorship in addition to federal support. FAS received just over $135 million in federal monies for the fiscal year 2012—about 12 percent of its overall budget.

Roughly 75 percent of federal sponsorship to Harvard comes from the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the NIH. But the University also receives funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense, which stands to experience cuts at the slightly higher rate of 9.4 percent.

Younger faculty who rely on upstart research money for their first projects are particularly vulnerable to federal funding cuts, but all University researchers receiving federal sponsorship will be forced to tighten their belts.

University President Drew G. Faust has already warned Congress twice about the dangers of cutting funds for research. This summer, she and more than 100 other university presidents wrote to Congress and the President, urging them to avoid the automatic cuts. “Sequestration is an undiscerning and blunt budget tool that would substantially harm our nation’s future by blindly slashing valuable investments in education and scientific research,” the letter read.

In November, Faust and 15 other leaders of Universities and other research institutions signed a letter sent to the entire Massachusetts congressional delegation, calling on the legislature to avoid cuts to funding that schools “depend on to deliver innovations essential to economic growth.”

Faust told The Crimson in early November that in the long term, the University could make up for federal funding shortfalls through new sources of revenue, including partnerships between researchers and industry or philanthropic support for research. The University already receives millions in private research funds, but those numbers will likely grow as long term cuts are made at the federal level.

According to University administrators, threats to federal funding are not a new concern. Robert D. Reischauer ’63, senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation—the University’s highest governing body—said that the Corporation’s budget meetings have discussed preparing for slower growth or reductions in research funding for some time.

“The flashing red lights have been flashing now for a few years,” he said in early December.

The recent set of fiscal cliff measures was written into the Budget Control Act of 2011 in order to force Congress to address mounting budget deficits before the end of the year. The law calls for the sequestration, or automatic trimming, of discretionary and non-discretionary federal spending to the tune of $100 billion. Cuts will take effect on Jan. 2 and increase progressively in coming years. Additionally, Bush-era tax cuts and other more recent breaks will immediately expire.

Any deal that is reached before the fiscal cliff deadline—now less than 48 hours away—is expected to address only taxes, not spending, though Congress has expressed optimism it will reach a broader compromise after the deadline passes.

ORLANDO — For more than 60 minutes last night, it appeared the rainy Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium had become watered down. Then the Rutgers football team’s offense made its own case.

For nearly an entire season, the Scarlet Knights trudged through mud. They found none on the soaked Citrus Bowl turf, but a 13-10 overtime loss to Virginia Tech dampened a once-promising run.

“You’d love your offense to score 40 points and be able to get into a fourth quarter where you’re rushing the passer every play, but that’s just not the case sometimes,” said senior defensive tackle Scott Vallone. “The style of offense that we run — wanting to run the football and commit to that — those are kind of the games we plan on playing in.”

The Knights (9-4) resigned themselves to a similar fate in the Russell Athletic Bowl, where the only offense from either team largely came from the other side of the ball.

Rutgers never followed up its fumble recovery in the end zone on Virginia Tech’s second play from scrimmage, and sophomore quarterback Gary Nova’s 16th interception of the season set up the Hokies’ (7-6) only touchdown.

Nova took blame for the error — he said it was a poor pass to sophomore wide receiver Brandon Coleman, but the two have a history of miscommunication on the field — as well as a fourth-quarter fumbled exchange Virginia Tech recovered.

He finished 17-for-40 for 129 yards despite — or perhaps because of — offensive coordinator Dave Brock’s catered play calling. A combination of three-step drops, screen passes and quick timing patterns littered Nova’s evening, but little worked.

Neither did the Knights’ 39 rush attempts, a mentality Vallone said is “the brand we play.”

“Obviously it’s a frustrating night, but you just try to keep fighting through it,” Nova said. “We didn’t get the outcome we wanted.”

Head coach Kyle Flood reiterated his faith in Nova the starter postgame, much like he did Aug. 20, when Nova emerged as Flood’s full-time quarterback. He has hitched his wagon on Nova’s 6-foot-2 frame, for better or worse.

His and Nova’s fates are inextricably linked.

“I don’t believe in just throwing things against the wall to see if they work,” Flood said. “Gary’s our starting quarterback. … When you invest the reps and the preparation in your starting quarterback, you have to believe that as he goes through the game he’s going to get better.”

After blowing a 10-point halftime lead and throwing 13 interceptions in the second half of the season, neither proved particularly true for Nova.

Six interceptions Oct. 27 against Kent State distort that number. Losing sophomore running back Jawan Jamison, who suffered an ankle injury Nov. 10 against Army and again last night, certainly hurt, as well.

But more than anything, a lack of offensive continuity ultimately proved Nova’s undoing.

“I think I got a little better every game,” Nova said. “Obviously the turnovers toward the end of the season were not I wanted. I just have to keep getting better.”

For the time being, the responsibility falls on Brock.

The career assistant spent nearly 10 months leaving his imprint on Rutgers’ offense, which spent five drives in Virginia Tech territory without scoring a touchdown. He said before the season he lacked the frame of reference on how Rutgers’ defense remained the program’s calling card.

“Sometimes if you have a decent day,” Brock said Aug. 11 during the team’s media day, “people think it’s a great day because I don’t know how many decent days people have had here.”

Flood said he could not discount the first share of a Big East title in program history in defining this season, his first with a head coach’s responsibility. He sat teary-eyed at his postgame press conference, answering more questions about the fate of his starting quarterback — nearly a year after trying to provide the position with stability.

He likely did not envision doing so three games ago, when Rutgers sat in first place in the Big East, prime realty for a BCS berth.

Flood, the Knights’ former offensive line coach, ultimately found himself following the muddied footprints of seasons’ past.

“We wanted to go out with 10 wins,” Vallone said, “and instead, we get a three-game losing streak.”

HOUSTON — The Gophers’ bowl game Friday against Texas Tech resembled their 2012 season. Minnesota overcame tough odds and adversity, yet it left room in the offseason for doubt and second-guessing.

The Gophers blew a late lead and lost 34-31 to the favored Red Raiders in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.

It was Minnesota’s fourth consecutive bowl loss dating back to 2005, but it was a step forward for a program that hadn’t made a bowl game since 2009. Once known as underachievers, the Gophers (6-7) have returned to respectability, and they showed it in Friday’s loss.

Until the end, anyway.

Texas Tech scored 10 points in the last 70 seconds, including a 28-yard field goal by Ryan Bustin as time expired, to overcome a 31-24 deficit that Minnesota had created with an effective game plan and solid all-around play.

“I think we did everything we could to win a game,” Gophers second-year head coach Jerry Kill said. “We just didn’t make a critical play.”

The Reliant Stadium crowd, which was mostly pro-Texas Tech, appeared shocked for most of the second half as the Gophers held the Red Raiders’ potent offense scoreless for 29 straight minutes. But fans erupted when quarterback Seth Doege found Eric Ward for a 35-yard reception to cut Minnesota’s lead to one.

They got even louder on the ensuing Gophers possession, when D.J. Johnson intercepted a deep third-down pass by quarterback Philip Nelson with less than a minute to play.

Nelson threw into double coverage on third-and-7 from his own 33-yard line, and his pass was tipped into the hands of Johnson, who returned the interception to Minnesota’s 22-yard line to set up Bustin’s game winner.

“We make two or three passes and kick a field goal and win the game,” Kill said of the Gophers’ strategy on their final possession. “We threw a corner route and they were in cover one … and they made a play.”

Nelson shined for most of his bowl game debut, but he misfired on his last five passes. He finished 7-for-18 with 138 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

“I wish I could have sent these guys off on a better note,” an emotional Nelson said postgame.

Nelson and MarQueis Gray split time at quarterback as Minnesota dominated time of possession with a powerful running game. The Gophers ran 54 times for 222 yards and two scores, but their offense stagnated whenever they had the lead.

Minnesota went three-and-out twice in the fourth quarter following interceptions by Michael Carter. On one of those possessions, Gray overthrew an open receiver twice.

Gray’s last game symbolized his disappointing Gophers career, which showed flashes of brilliance but rarely turned into success. But the future remains bright — albeit uncertain — for Nelson and the rest of Minnesota’s young core of players.

“The way we came out and played today is going to increase the confidence of the younger guys going into next season,” Gray said. “I feel like this will help turn the program around.”

Notes

– Minnesota blew a 38-7 lead in its only previous meeting with Texas Tech — a 44-41 overtime loss in the 2006 Insight Bowl.

– Gophers defensive back Troy Stoudermire broke the NCAA record for career kick-return yards in the first quarter.

By way of two safeties, perfect third-down defense and a pulverizing rushing attack, Syracuse earned its third consecutive victory against West Virginia, thrashing the Mountaineers 38-14 in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

A wintry mix of snow and sleet blanketed Yankee Stadium, and the storybook ending West Virginia fans had hoped would meet 21 departing seniors was erased as Syracuse achieved victory in convincing fashion.

The Mountaineers converted on none of their 11 third-down tries and were outscored 23-7 in the third quarter – a stretch that sucked the life from West Virginia and all but sealed a Syracuse victory.

Syracuse junior running back Prince-Tyson Gulley was named the Pinstripe Bowl MVP after gaining 208 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries – the first player in 11 years to rush for more than 200 yards against West Virginia.

Gulley also added 50 yards receiving and a touchdown on five receptions.

Fellow junior running back Jerome Smith carried 29 times for 158 yards, and senior quarterback Ryan Nassib completed 12-of-24 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen said his team’s inability to counter the Syracuse rushing attack ultimately led to the Mountaineers’ demise.

“Any time you get out-rushed by 300 yards, you’re going to have some problems,” he said.

“The team with the best run game was going to win and they clearly have a better running game.”

It took until the 2:28 mark in the second quarter before the Mountaineers found the scoreboard when a 32-yard screen pass from senior quarterback Geno Smith to redshirt junior wide receiver Stedman Bailey cut into the Orange lead and made it 12-7 heading into halftime.

Consecutive Syracuse touchdowns pushed the score to 26-7, but West Virginia answered, again via a Bailey touchdown reception, and trailed 26-14 with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter.

Smith completed 18-of-26 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns and zero interceptions, pushing his season mark to a national-best 42 touchdown passes.

Gulley hit pay dirt on the ensuing Orange possession, and a West Virginia safety on the subsequent drive spelled doom for the Mountaineers.

Holgorsen said there were many things that West Virginia did poorly, including being unable to overcome adversity.

“(This season) our pass defense was bad but our run defense was okay, and then to be in a game like this where you have to rely on your run defense to help you win and you’re not able to do it, it’s pretty frustrating,” he said.

“The bottom line is our team didn’t overcome a lot of things and didn’t do enough to stay in the game.”

West Virginia ends its season with an overall record of 7-6 – a far fall from the No. 4 ranked, 5-0 team that once was.

With the departures of key seniors and Bailey, the outlook for next season remains murky. Holgorsen said this individual loss is only part of the team’s big picture for the future.

“We’re going to learn a lot more about what happened in the Big 12 this year,” he said. “Moving on from here, it’s more about that than this specific game.”

Senior inside receiver Tavon Austin was limited to just 153 all-purpose yards, and he finishes his career as the all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.

Bailey, who will forego his senior season to enter the NFL Draft, finished with eight catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns; his 25 touchdowns this season lead the nation. He departs West Virginia as the school’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions.

Smith’s career ends as the most decorated passer in program history, as he set or broke every significant passing record during his career.

One thing lacking from Smith’s career resume is a victory against Syracuse; he finished his career 0-3 against the Orange.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Duke football put an end to many losing streaks in 2012. Becoming bowl eligible and earning elusive wins against ACC rivals North Carolina and Wake Forest were just some of the accomplishments the Blue Devils will ultimately use to define this season.

But as Duke enters its 2013 campaign, it will be haunted by the one streak it was unable to break this year—a winless streak in bowl games that now stands at 51 years and counting.

The Belk Bowl Thursday night against Cincinnati (10-3) marked Duke’s first postseason appearance since 1994, and its chance chance to bring home its first bowl victory since 1961. The Blue Devils (6-7) fell 48-34 at Bank of America Stadium. But in a game highlighted by the stellar play of two opposing quarterbacks, the defense decided the contest in the final minutes.

“At the end of the day, we still had a chance to win and I think that’s what you have to take out of this,” senior wide receiver Connor Vernon said. “But we weren’t satisfied with just making it to a bowl game. We came to Charlotte with the intention of winning.”

Five yards from the end zone with the contest knotted at 34-34, the Blue Devils had an opportunity with 1:20 left to notch the game’s winning score. Redshirt sophomore running back Josh Snead took the ball up the middle and seemed to have a crease before the Bearcats’ Brandon Mills collided with Snead, forcing the ball to come out at the six-yard line. Cincinnati quarterback Brendon Kay’s go-ahead 83-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce with 44 seconds left sealed Duke’s fate, finishing the season on a five-game losing skid.

Duke looked to have an answer to Kay’s long touchdown pass after a 13-yard completion from Renfree to Crowder and a roughing-the-passer penalty against the Bearcats gave the Blue Devils great field position. But it was Cincinnati’s defense that came up big in the end, when Renfree was hit by Malik Bomar, resulting in his pass being intercepted by linebacker Nick Temple and returned 55 yards for the game’s final touchdown.

“There’s a big difference between winning a bowl game and losing one,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said.

Throughout the game, both defenses fell victim to the opposing quarterback being able to pick through their coverage with ease. Redshirt senior quarterback Sean Renfree threw for 358 yards on 49 attempts, including a touchdown to Vernon.

Quarterback Brendon Kay and the Bearcat wide receivers were simply too explosive for a depleted Duke secondary. Kay finished his Cincinnati career throwing for 332 yards and four touchdowns on just 25 attempts. His two favorite targets in the vertical passing game, Kelce and wide receiver Anthony McClung, finished with 123 and 110 receiving yards, respectively, and combined for two touchdowns on eight receptions.

“They made big plays, they made too many explosive plays and we didn’t finish our opportunities,” Cutcliffe said.

Duke jumped out to an early lead with a drive which was capped by a five-yard touchdown run by redshirt sophomore quarterback Brandon Connette. Redshirt senior Cornerback Tony Foster provided a highlight on special teams when he blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, extending the Blue Devils’ lead to 16-0. Cincinnati responded by scoring 27 unanswered points.

Although both offenses appeared to steal the show, freshman punter Will Monday may have had the play of the game, booting a punt 79 yards to the Bearcat two-yard line. Kay, however, did not let the poor field position bother him, leading a 98-yard drive to give Cincinnati a 17-16 halftime advantage.

The Bearcats came out strong in the second half but had to settle for a field goal after a strong stand by the Duke defense. The Blue Devils tried to increase the pace, going back to the no-huddle offense they began the game with, but Renfree made a mistake when Arryn Chenault intercepted a ball thrown into double coverage.

On the ensuing drive, running back George Winn took a handoff and ran straight up the middle, mostly untouched, for a 46-yard touchdown.

Although Cincinnati gashed Duke’s defense, the Blue Devil offense operated on all cylinders going into the fourth quarter. They opened the quarter the same way they ended the third—throwing short passes for long gains. A two-yard pass from Connette to tight end David Reeves put the Blue Devils up 31-27 with 12:45 left in the game.

Kay answered once again, this time with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Chris Moore, putting the Bearcats up 34-31. After Renfree failed to complete a third-down pass on Duke’s next drive, freshman kicker Ross Martin hit a career-long 52-yard field goal.

“I was completely focused for that kick. I’ve done it a hundred times before,” Martin said.

The end of Duke’s season also marks the end of an era for the team’s senior class. Cutcliffe lauded his seniors, who gathered in the locker room after the game while he commended them for their efforts.

SAN DIEGO – The Baylor Bears will travel back home to celebrate the new year as the champions of the Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl. The game was one-sided from the start, and Baylor rode the momentum to a 49-26 win over the No. 17 UCLA Bruins.

“I think we came out tonight and played extremely well,” head coach Art Briles said. “Offensively, [we made] some plays when we [needed] to. It’s very seldom that you can not win the return yardage battle, not win the turnover battle…and win the football game.”

This bowl win is Baylor’s second in as many years. Junior defensive end Chris McAllister was named defensive MVP, and sophomore running back Lache Seastrunk was named offensive MVP.

Baylor came out strong despite playing in a hostile environment in San Diego, just two hours drive time from UCLA. Junior running back Glasco Martin scored on Baylor’s second drive to give the Bears an early lead. Martin finished with 98 yards and three touchdowns.

Sophomore wide receiver Antwan Goodley scored on a quick 8-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Nick Florence on Baylor’s next possession.

Florence wasn’t done, however. Baylor next took a 21-0 lead off of a 55-yard touchdown pass from Florence to junior inside receiver Tevin Reese.

Florence finished with two touchdowns on 10 of 13 passing. He also threw for 188 yards and passed former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III’s record for passing yards in a single season.

“I hope when people look at me and see what I’ve done that [they see] it’s always been a team-first mentality,” Florence said. “It’s not about me. It’s all about this team. It’s all about what’s written on the front of our jerseys, and that’s what I want to be remembered for: being a team player and doing whatever I can for my team.”

Baylor only threw the ball twice in the entire second half because the Bears took a 35-10 lead into halftime, but the Bears’ offense kept on rolling on the ground.

“[The run game] was huge,” Florence said. “Again, O-line. Best O-line in America making running lanes, and we’ve got the best backs in America. They’ve done a heck of a job running the ball. Hats off to the O-line…they deserve all of the credit.”

On top of Martin’s production, Seastrunk rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown that was a 43-yard run towards the end of the first half. Seastrunk saw an opening and got into the secondary. He planted his foot in the ground and changed direction quick enough to elude the two defensive backs standing between him and the goal line.

“My linemen locked up on everybody,” Seastrunk said. “I just saw the Red Sea part. I just took off.”

The Baylor defense really stepped up and helped earn the win. On the season, the Bears recorded 13 sacks. Against UCLA, the Bears sacked Bruin quarterback Brett Huntley six times and had 12 tackles for loss.

“They were a great opponent and a really good team,” McAllister said. “We were just prepared for the game and had a good game plan and were able to execute… Coach Bennett is an aggressive coach. He likes to blitz. We tried to get a lot of pressure [on the quarterback.]”

The defense also did a great job of containing Bruin running back Jonathan Franklin. Franklin rushed for over 1,700 yards this season, but Baylor held him to 34 rushing yards on 14 attempts.

“He’s a guy that’s been extremely productive throughout his entire career,” Briles said. “I just felt we played very well up front on both sides of the ball.”

During the trophy presentation, Briles thanked Baylor nation that was present at the game. This included the hundreds of students that endured the 27-hour bus ride from Waco to San Diego.

Briles turned to the stands and smiled. “Baylor nation is alive and well,” he said.

When Democrats call for broader levels of gun control, they’re potentially cashing in on a political winner. Most people—including this gun-loving, former NRA member—recognize, or at least are beginning to acknowledge, how unnecessarily dangerous assault rifles and oversized clips are. But let’s not kid ourselves into thinking an assault weapons ban or a clip size limit will substantially reduce gun violence. Though mass shootings have the unique ability to capture national attention, they account for a small fraction of yearly gun deaths.

Last year, guns killed 31,347 American civilians. Only forty died in mass shootings, and the most liberal estimates available claim only a few thousand gun-related deaths were a result of assault weapons. (These weapons most likely account for less than 1% of gun violence.) Even in the recent Newtown tragedy, the shooter had more than enough guns to use if his Bushmaster .223 rifle had not been available. Renewing some version of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban would be a great start towards preventing certain kinds of gun violence, but let’s not consider it anything beyond a start.

What else has been proposed? Some Republicans have called for more guns; the likes of Ann Coulter have regularly noted that more concealed carry permits would lead to fewer mass shootings, and that’s right. If the principal at Sandy Hook Elementary had a gun, priceless lives could have been saved. The same goes for those present in the Aurora theater, the Sikh temple, and the Tucson “Congress on Your Corner” event. This view, however, ignores the more important studies that find a positive relationship between gun ownership and gun violence in the United States; saving ten lives in a mass murder isn’t worth losing fifteen lives in a dark alley.

America might be better served if politicians heeded the oft-uttered mantra “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” International evidence confirms many countries, unlike the United States, have lots of guns and relatively few murders and vice versa. (Look at Switzerland.) While there may not be a correlation between some nations’ gun ownership rates and their gun violence, there seems to be a common cause that increases the lethality of this combination in America: culture. The issue is not easy access to guns, but instead our desire to obtain and use them. This is the root of the issue, and any attempt to limit gun ownership merely provides a temporary, patchwork solution. At the same time, there’s a lot we can do to reduce gun violence—we don’t simply have to throw our hands in the air and accept it.

Criminologists have identified a number of factors that noticeably increase violent crime: racism, gender inequality, bad parenting, poor schooling, bullying, alcohol use, religious involvement, lack of mental health treatment, income inequality, and so on. In relation to the rest of the industrialized world, America scores quite poorly on many of these indicators; not surprisingly, our firearm-related deaths are much higher than Europe’s.

The government cannot play Big Brother and try to fix all of these issues—many are beyond its scope or ability to fix. But let’s stop pretending guns are the main issue. Anyone truly interested in reducing gun violence shouldn’t write their congresspeople asking for gun control, but instead should request universal healthcare, better public schools, more progressive taxes, less public worship, expanded welfare programs, an Equal Rights Amendment, etc. Rarely, if ever, do advocates of a safer society bring these issues to the forefront; they seem undoubtedly partisan and unrelated to the problem.

America has developed a culture of fear and violence. To steal an example from Michael Moore’s Bowling for Columbine, Canada has gun laws as lax as ours, yet they have significantly lower rates of gun violence. Some cultural differences may remain forever embedded in American society, but following Canada’s lead in addressing the needs of the underprivileged could do more than any increase in gun control. Though another assault weapons ban is probably a good idea, it won’t go far enough towards solving the real issue. We cannot end violence with one bill, but we can begin to address gun violence by recognizing our societal flaws and pushing for broader public policy changes.

Extremist groups like Al-Qaeda are no strangers to the African continent with operations in Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia, most notably through the militant group Al-Shabaab. Their growing prowess, especially in Northern Africa, was illustrated by Al-Qaeda’s recent involvement in the Malian coup d’état.  Al-Qaeda’s naturalization in Africa has been perceived as a threat to not only regional security, but also global security. Stabilizing the region and containing the influence of extremist groups will depend on the international community’s ability to work with regional partners.

From Touré to Traoré

The March coup d’état in Mali spurred the resignation of president Amadou Toumani Touré a month before the scheduled presidential election in which he vowed not to participate. The coup was largely led by the disgruntled Mali army, which was critical of Touré’s handling of the Islamist-lead insurgency in the northern parts of the country.  Touré was forced to resign and hand over the presidency to the army captain and leader of the National Committee for Recovering Democracy and Restoring the State, Amadou Sanogo. After stringent economic and political sanctions from the United States, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States, Sanogo ultimately allowed the democratic process to take its course, leaving Dioncounda Traoré, the president of Mali’s national assembly, to act as the interim president.

The insurgency in Northern Mali, which ultimately led to the political coup, was precipitated by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad and by Ansar Dine, a suspected Al-Qaeda affiliate. The main objective of the two groups is to achieve independence for the northern region of Azawad. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad is a secularist group lead by the Tuareg people, an indigenous and nomadic ethnic group with a population in Mali exceeding 400,000. Ansar Dine, on the other hand, is a jihadist group that intends to implement sharia law in Mali.

In the midst of the instability created by the coup, another group, the Islamic Maghreb, has created a stronghold in the region and intends to spread a stringent version of sharia law throughout the country. The group has seized power in three major cities in the north, Kidal, Gao, and Timbuktu. The group is also accused of committing serious human rights violations, of propagating terror amongst the local population, and of desecrating important cultural monuments.

The President Emeritus of the World Peace Foundation, Robert Roberg, stressed in an interview with the HPR that the international community “cannot let the people of northern Mali cut off hands and stone adulterers for much longer,” without suffering great consequences. Likewise, advocacy groups, foreign governments, and even the United Nations have expressed concern over the growing humanitarian crisis in Mali.

France Leads the Charge

In response to the Islamic Maghreb’s threats to execute six French hostages it currently has under its control, French President François Hollande is emerging as a leading force encouraging military action in the region. Although this initiative is encouraging, recent comments by Jean-Yves Le Drian, France’s defense minister point to a slight change of tone from France, with a stronger emphasis on prudence and caution. Mali’s long collaborative history with France, a legacy of its former status as a French colony, explain France’s responsive attitude with regards to the Islamic Maghreb’s rapid ascent to regional dominance.

The UN Security Council’s decision to grant Mali and the Economic Community of West African States, its principal continental ally, forty-five days to present a credible and detailed military plan to reclaim the northern Mali exemplifies a bilateral effort designed to grant more authority to the African leadership. However, doubts still remain about the intervention. Algeria, the predominant military force in the region, favors a diplomatic solution to a military one, as evidenced by a reported meeting with Ansar Dine on Algerian soil. The prospect of a military intervention without Algeria’s support seems unlikely. Additionally, the fragile political situation in the Ivory Coast and the internal conflict created by Boko Horan, another jihadist organization, in Nigeria further weakens the coalition. The logistical and material limitations of Mali’s military limit Mali’s ability to act on its own.

America’s Role

As a global leader advocating peace and democratic stability, the U.S. would do well to mark the current situation in Northern Mali as a top foreign policy priority. Rotberg emphasized that “any destabilization of even a remote part of Africa is of concern to the United States’ program to encourage peace and stability everywhere.” Before the recent instability, Mali’s democratic governance was seen as a model of development in the region. Particularly concerning to the United States, Mali is a member of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, a program led by the United States to fight terrorism in Northern Africa. While the American public has generally devoted most of its attention to terrorist groups in the Middle East, failing to diversify its efforts to prevent the next wave of extremist movements could be a grave mistake. Strong logistical and intelligence support in Africa could symbolize a lasting statement of U.S. support on a continent whose development and security could be put at risk by Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups.

With a rapidly growing population that boasts a median age of roughly twenty years old, the continent’s human resource wealth should not be underestimated. In addition, the continent’s remarkable economic growth, as evidenced by the presence of African countries such as Angola, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Ghana amongst the fastest-growing economies in the world, highlights the continent’s economic importance. However, such development is not possible without a stable political atmosphere, an area that the United States must focus on. Collaborating with the continent’s leaders and supporting regional antiterrorism efforts exemplifies a course of action that could guarantee multilateral success.

Paul Finebaum’s daily radio show is a staple of the South’s passion for college football. Fans from all over the region — as well as other parts of the country now that the show is syndicated nationwide — give their two cents (and usually a little more) as Finebaum and his callers discuss the sport’s hot topics.

With the Jan. 7 BCS National Championship Game between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama looming, the game has been dissected from every angle and, as is typical with any mention of Notre Dame, everyone has an opinion.

Here are some of the highlights from this week’s broadcasts:

Wednesday

Finebaum has yet to give a score prediction for the national championship game, but he indicated Wednesday he expects Alabama to win.

“You give [Alabama head coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart] this much time to get ready for a team … almost across the board they’ve been able to take away what that team does best,” said Finebaum, who pointed to last year’s championship game rematch between Alabama and LSU, a contest won by the Crimson Tide 21-0.

Later in the show, a truck driver from Atlanta called in to the program, and he had little respect for Notre Dame or its chances to compete with Alabama.

“We haven’t heard from Notre Dame fans in 25 years, and now they think they’re the top dog,” the caller said. “If it wasn’t for NBC ramming them down our throats every week, we wouldn’t hear from them at all [the past 24 years].”

Hugh, an Indiana resident, later called in, saying he was on a geographical island as a Crimson Tide fan who grew up in Alabama. He now finds himself trying to coexist with Irish fans.

“If [the game] doesn’t go well, I’m going to live in misery the next year,” he said.

Hugh added that he greeted his doctor with a “Roll Tide,” and his physician, an Irish fan, told him to leave (in jest).

Friday

With various NFL jobs beckoning, rumors continue to swirl regarding Saban’s future, and that discussion dominated much of the airwaves this week. Finebaum discussed a Yahoo! Sports report that cited one source on each side of the Saban-to-the-Cleveland-Browns rumor. One unidentified caller was distraught at the thought of a Saban departure. Finebaum expects Saban, who left LSU for the Miami Dolphins following the 2004 season, to remain at Alabama after the championship game, but said he thinks there must be something to the rumors “because they won’t go away.”

“[Saban is] a liar, and he’s been a liar everywhere he’s been,” the caller said. “You know you’re going to the pros and walk out on the Bamers (Alabama fans) and break the hearts of the children of Alabama.

“There will be crying in the streets and people will take their clothes off and run around naked. The Bamers will blame it on George Bush because it’s popular to blame it on George Bush. Paul, this will be your fault because you are the voice of the SEC.”

The interesting Notre Dame-related tidbit of Friday’s show was a lifelong Alabama fan who called in and recalled a sign a fan held at Alabama’s final home game of the 1966 season that read, “Ara plays to tie, Bear plays to win.”

In that 1966 season, Bear Bryant’s 11-0 Alabama squad finished 11-0 but was ranked third in the country behind No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan State. The Irish and Spartans had just a week prior completed the famous 10-10 tie, known to this day as the ‘Game of the Century.’ Parseghian was criticized for a conservative approach to the game’s final minutes to preserve the tie, rather than go for the win and risk the loss.

Finebaum’s show runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, and can be heard nationally on Sirius XM Radio or at MyFoxFinebaum.com

When under pressure and with defenders clinging to his jersey, UCF redshirt sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles spun, ducked and dodged his way to a career game.

The Knights (10-4) defeated Ball State (9-4) 38-17 to win the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl, and Bortles turned in a memorable performance that earned him the MVP award.

Bortles completed 22 of 32 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns.

“I thought Blake Bortles played extremely well with his feet and his arm and made quick decisions and I thought that was the difference in the game,” head coach George O’Leary said.

The Knights offense was clicking from it’s opening possession. In it’s first possession, UCF and Bortles set the tone, driving the ball 78 yards in 13 plays. Bortles highlighted the drive with a 19-yard rush on third down and 12.

Bortles carried the ball nine times for 79 yards and had an emphatic touchdown as he bowled over two Ball State defenders on his way to pay dirt.

Bortles was criticized early in the season for forcing passes into coverage and protecting the ball. That was not a problem in this game, nor has it been a problem for the latter half of the season.

Bortles exemplified his patience many times on Friday night, especially on his third quarter touchdown pass to redshirt sophomore J.J. Worton. Bortles dodged the rush, rolled out to his left and lofted his pass into the corner of the end zone. Countless times Bortles was able to extend plays and give his receivers plenty of time to get open down field.

“I think he took some bad plays and made some good plays out of them,” O’Leary said. “Again he had a good night and when your quarterback does well, your offense moves the ball.”
OFFENSE
Knights fans were gifted this holiday season with a glimpse of the future. Freshman wide receiver Breshad Perriman was the beneficiary of Bortles career night, setting career highs in both catches and yards.

Perriman hauled in five passes for 90 yards.

“Clemson had some outstanding athletes and I don’t think these guys were very far off,” Ball State head coach Pete Lembo said of UCF’s athletes.

Perriman had three of his catches on the opening drive, and four total in the first quarter.

Up front, the Knights’ offensive line had a dominant performance, giving Bortles plenty of time to work through his progressions and allowing receivers to break open. The line was also instrumental in controlling the clock for over 35 minutes and rushing for 224 yards.

“The offensive line did a great job of just opening up seams and when they drop deep out there, it’s either check down or take off,” Bortles said.

Latavius Murray continued his productive ways, ending his career in style with 21 carries, 71 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Muray also caught six passes for 32 yards and two scores.

DEFENSE

The Knights’ defense was able to suffocate the Cardinals, and made it difficult for them to get into any kind of rhythm. The Knights presence inside was dominant and disruptive.

At a critical stage late in the second quarter, Ball State drove down into the red zone, and was in prime position to cut the score to 21-14 just before halftime. The Knights were able to track down junior quarterback Keith Wenning for a sack and for a loss of eleven yards.

“You penetrate deep in their end, and you absolutely love to come away with a touchdown there but at a minimum you have to come away with three,” Lembo said.

The Cardinals missed the ensuing field goal wide left, allowing UCF to push its lead to 28-7 at halftime.

UCF amassed sacks, hurries and senior safety Kemal Ishmael forced a fumble.

The Cardinals were held to 286 yards in the game and 2.8 yards per carry.

Ball State was unable to produce on third down consistently, converting on only three of nine opportunities.

The win boosted the Knights to their fourth ten-win season and provided the program’s second bowl victory.