Topicality

Topicality	1

Military Presence = Troops Only 1NC	2

Private Forces (PMCs) Troops 1NC	3

Resolved – No Phase Out 1NC	4

Substantial Reduce 1NC	5

Sub w/o Mat Qual 1NC	6

And/or = Both 1NC	7

ASPEC 1NC	8

*T Theory*	9

Competing Interpretations Good	10

A2: Lit Checks Abuse	11

Extra T is bad and a voting issue	12

*Definitions*	13

USFG = All 3 Branches	14

USFG = 3 Different Branches	15

Should = Desirability	16

Substantially -- A2 w/o Mat Qual	17

Substantial Percentage	18

Military Presence = Bases	19

Military Presence = Training	20

Military Presence = Weapons	21

Military Presence = Troops (Turkey)	22

Military Police = On Base	23

In = Within	24

Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its military and/or police presence in one or more of the following: South Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey.

To Do 1NC’s

Reduce = ?

ASPEC

Military Presence = Troops Only 1NC

A. Interpretation – military presence is defined as soldier or police only

MacMillian Dictionary accessed June 10, 2010, http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/presence

Presence: a group of people, especially soldiers or the police, who are in a place for a particular purpose

B. Violation – Aff removes weapons, equipment and/or training exercise

C. Standards

1. Predictable Limits – key exclude thousand of possible weapons/training/equipment combination cases

2. Ground – disad links are predicated off of troop levels and weapons/mission are core NEG Counterplan ground

3. Education – studies prove depth is better then breadth

Rebecca Arrington “Study finds that students benefit from depth, rather than breadth, in high school science courses”, March 4 2009, http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=7912

A recent study reports that high school students who study fewer science topics, but study them in greater depth, have an advantage in college science classes over their peers who study more topics and spend less time on each. Robert Tai, associate professor at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education, worked with Marc S. Schwartz of the University of Texas at Arlington and Philip M. Sadler and Gerhard Sonnert of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to conduct the study and produce the report. "Depth Versus Breadth: How Content Coverage in High School Courses Relates to Later Success in College Science Coursework" relates the amount of content covered on a particular topic in high school classes with students' performance in college-level science classes. The study will appear in the July 2009 print edition of Science Education and is currently available as an online pre-print from the journal. "As a former high school teacher, I always worried about whether it was better to teach less in greater depth or more with no real depth. This study offers evidence that teaching fewer topics in greater depth is a better way to prepare students for success in college science," Tai said. "These results are based on the performance of thousands of college science students from across the United States." The 8,310 students in the study were enrolled in introductory biology, chemistry or physics in randomly selected four-year colleges and universities. Those who spent one month or more studying one major topic in-depth in high school earned higher grades in college science than their peers who studied more topics in the same period of time. The study revealed that students in courses that focused on mastering a particular topic were impacted twice as much as those in courses that touched on every major topic.

D. Voter for competitive equity, fairness and education.

Private Forces (PMCs) Troops 1NC

A. Interpretation – military presence must be official troops

American Heritage Dictionary 2007 published on Answers.com http://www.answers.com/topic/presence

Presence: The diplomatic, political, or military influence of a nation in a foreign country, especially as evidenced by the posting of its diplomats or its troops there

B. Violation -- US troops are contextually distinguished from private security forces

Phillis Bennis, Fellow, Institute for Policy Studies, 2009, “ENDING THE IRAQ WAR” p 19

Most of all Iraqis want an end to occupation. While the pullout of US troops will not bring an immediate end to all the violence, the process of ending the violence cannot begin in earnest until the US, British, and "coalition" troops, as well as private security forces, are withdrawn.

C. Standards

1. Limits – key to limit out infinite number of corporations or foreign nations who hold presence in one of the topic countries

2. Ground – all DA/CP links are based off US official action – AFF could spike out of all links by saying they aren’t the US they are a corporation

3. Grammar – “its” directs the object the United States to reduce its forces – grammar uniquely key to education and only true way to see framers intent

D. Voter for fairness, education, and competitive equity.

Resolved – No Phase Out 1NC

A. Interpretation – fiat means that plan must be immediate reduction of military presense– no phase out

Resolved is to make firm

Websters Dictionary Accessed June 15, 2010, http://www.dictionary.net/resolve

Resolved: That which has been resolved on or determined; decisive conclusion; fixed purpose; determination; also, legal or official determination; a legislative declaration; a resolution

B. Standards

1. Ground – won’t know full effect of plan til months after implementation – takes out core DA/CP ground

2. Predictable Limits – something about how there could be infinite number of ways to reduce over time or in bursts

C. Voter for fairness, education, and competitive equity.

Substantial Reduce 1NC

A. Interpretation: AFF must substantially reduce military presence by at-least 30% of current state

Definitional support

1. Substantially reduce is at least 30-50%

Feras Hantash, 2006, Patent Attorneys & Engineers Lynch Kneblewski - Sâo Paulo

3/16, http://www.freshpatents.com/Method-for-detecting-cystic-fibrosis dt20060316ptan20060057593.php

[0011] A substantial increase in the amount of a CFTR target segment identified means that the segment has been duplicated while a substantial decrease in the amount of a CFTR target segment identified means that the target segment has been deleted. The term "substantial decrease" or "substantial increase" means a decrease or increase of at least about 30-50%. Thus, deletion of a single CFTR exon would appear in the assay as a signal representing for example of about 50% of the same exon signal from an identically processed sample from an individual with a wildtype CFTR gene. Conversely, amplification of a single exon would appear in the assay as a signal representing for example about 150% of the same exon signal from an identically processed sample from an individual with a wildtype CFTR gene.

2. Reduce is “to decrease and hold within a certain limit.”

Words and Phrases, 2002 Volume 36B, p. 80

The word “reduce” is its ordinary signification does not mean to cancel, destroy, or bring to naught, but to diminish, lower, or bring to an inferior state. Green v. Sklar, 74 N.E. 595, 188 Mass. 363

B. Violation: AFFF doesn’t decrease at-least 30% or doesn’t have a specific cap/limit

C. Standards

1. Predictable Limits – key to limit out minor repair cases – keeps topic from exploding to thousands of possible variations

2. Ground – key to access links based off major reduction of military policy – prevents shifting

D. Voter for competitive equity, fairness, and jurisdiction.

Sub w/o Mat Qual 1NC

A. Interpretation – AFF must reduce all of the military and/or police presence in one or more of the topic area countries not a specific portion of that presence

Substantial is without material qualifications

Blacks Law Dictionary 6th Edition 1990

Essentially; without material qualifications; in the main; in substance; materially, in a substantial manner. About, actually, competently, and essentially.

B. Violation – AFF materially qualifies their reduction

C Standards

1 Limits – key to limit minor repair cases that deal with insignificant or minimal issues

2. Ground – allows them to spike out of all DA links by saying their specific reduction wouldn’t be assumed the same

D. Voting issue for fairness, education and competitive equity

And/or = Both 1NC

A. Interpretation – the phrase “and/or” indicated that the AFF must reduce military AND police presence

Words and Phrases Permanent Edition 2007 Vol. 3A p 220, citing N.D. Cal. 1942 - McPherrin v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co., 44 F.Supp. 674

To the contention of the Hartford Company that it is exempt from liability under both of the provisions of its policy, first above quoted, and, in effect, that if either is determined to be applicable, it would be unnecessary to consider the other, the Phoenix Company contends that both are inapplicable. With respect to the paragraph in question appearing in the main policy the Phoenix Company's brief is largely devoted to a citation of authorities severely criticizing the use of the combined words and symbol "and/or" and it is contended that, if any consideration is to be given to the paragraph, the word "and" alone should be read into it and the word "or" entirely excluded. So read it could have no application to the facts of this case for it is apparent and conceded that the stoppage was made by the Union Pacific Railroad Company which was required by law to make such a stoppage of cars containing livestock in transit at least every thirty-six hours for unloading of the same for feed and rest for a minimum time of five hours. It does not follow, however, that a stoppage for unloading and detention may not be for a reason in no way connected with the legal requirement for such rest and feed or that if stopped for such purpose another reason may not exist or develop for a much longer detention than would otherwise be made.

B. Violation – AFF only reduces one of the two

C. Reasons to Vote Neg

1. Limits – key to limit out minor repair cases – excludes hundreds of possible combinations that would make research impossible

2. Education – studies prove depth is better then breadth

Rebecca Arrington “Study finds that students benefit from depth, rather than breadth, in high school science courses”, March 4 2009, http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=7912

A recent study reports that high school students who study fewer science topics, but study them in greater depth, have an advantage in college science classes over their peers who study more topics and spend less time on each. Robert Tai, associate professor at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education, worked with Marc S. Schwartz of the University of Texas at Arlington and Philip M. Sadler and Gerhard Sonnert of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics to conduct the study and produce the report. "Depth Versus Breadth: How Content Coverage in High School Courses Relates to Later Success in College Science Coursework" relates the amount of content covered on a particular topic in high school classes with students' performance in college-level science classes. The study will appear in the July 2009 print edition of Science Education and is currently available as an online pre-print from the journal. "As a former high school teacher, I always worried about whether it was better to teach less in greater depth or more with no real depth. This study offers evidence that teaching fewer topics in greater depth is a better way to prepare students for success in college science," Tai said. "These results are based on the performance of thousands of college science students from across the United States." The 8,310 students in the study were enrolled in introductory biology, chemistry or physics in randomly selected four-year colleges and universities. Those who spent one month or more studying one major topic in-depth in high school earned higher grades in college science than their peers who studied more topics in the same period of time. The study revealed that students in courses that focused on mastering a particular topic were impacted twice as much as those in courses that touched on every major topic.

D. Voter for fairness, competitive equity, and jurisdiction

ASPEC 1NC

A. Interpretation – AFF must specify one of the three branches that implements their plan

B. Violation – they don’t specify their agent of action

C. Standards

1. Predictable Ground: Neg loses ground for specific case debate, counterplans and disads. They can always shift in and out of the branch of the USFG that initiates plan.

2. CX does not check: 1NC strategy is based on 1AC plan text. Ground already lost, time skewed and strategy destroyed.

3. Non-topical: Resolved implies a definitive course of action. By not specifying their agent, they concede they are not a definitive course of action. Independent voter for competitive equity.

D) Voter: For competitive equity.

*T Theory*

Competing Interpretations Good

1. Offense/Defense Paradigm- it’s the only way to objectively judge debates by picking out what’s offensive vs defensive -- under their interpretation, we’d only discuss the in round abuse.

2. Prevents Judge Intervention- reasonability is subjective and puts the standard in the judges hand- competing interpretations prevents this.

3. Reasonability is a flawed standard

A. Invites judge intervention – no subjective way to see if something is reasonable – competing interps is about offense v defense

B. Unpredictable – anything could be reasonable – reason why we run T is to limit down the topic – allowing their unpredictable interp justifies anything

A2: Lit Checks Abuse

1. There is literature about everything – resolution limits the debate for a reason – no reason why having 100 untopical cards makes you topical

2. Err Neg on this question- the AFF will always be ahead in the research game if this is allowed considering they have more time to prepare

Extra T is bad and a voting issue

1. Ground- the NEG gets all ground outside of the resolution- the AFF has stolen this therefore hindering our CP and solvency arguments.

2. Predictability- there are an infinite number of potential extra topical plan spikes that we cannot prepare or anticipate.

3. Justification- proves the plan is not solely necessary and proper, which means they have not justified the resolution, a prima facia burden for the AFF.

5. Counterplans don’t check- put the negative at risk on theory and the AFF will always be more prepared for the counterplan.

6. Severance is just another word for conditionality

A. Time Tradeoff- We spend a large amount of time trying to figure out what to do with this unpredictable mechanism from the plan, allowing them to sever hinders negative time tradeoff.

B. Conditional- The plan is the most important part of the affirmative case- affirmative conditionality is uniquely bad because they can add or subtracts parts of the plan up until the 2AR.

*Definitions*
USFG = All 3 Branches

United States Federal Government is all three branches

Wordnet 2000 Princeton Cognitive Science Laboratory http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=united+states+government&sub=Search+WordNet&o2=&o0=1&o7=&o5=&o1=1&o6=&o4=&o3=&h=

S: (n) United States government, United States, U.S. government, US Government, U.S. (the executive and legislative and judicial branches of the federal government of the United States)

“The USFG” is the government in Washington D.C.

Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2000

[http://encarta.msn.com]

“The federal government of the United States is centered in Washington DC.”

Federal Government means all three branches

Blacks Law Dictionary 1990 (P. 695)

In the United States, government consists of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches in addition to the administrative agencies. In a broader sense, includes the federal government and all its agencies and bureaus, state and country governments, and city and township governments.

USFG = 3 Different Branches

Power in the federal government is divided in 3 branches

Rotunda 01 (18 Const. Commentary 319, “THE COMMERCE CLAUSE, THE POLITCAL QUESTION DOCTRINE, AND MORRISON,” lexis)

The Framers of our Constitution anticipated that a self-interested "federal majority" would consistently seek to impose more federal control over the people and the states. n10 Hence, they created a federal structure designed to protect freedom by dispersing and limiting federal power. They instituted federalism [*321] chiefly to protect individuals, that is, the people, not the "states qua states." n11 The Framers sought to protect liberty by creating a central government of enumerated powers. They divided power between the state and federal governments, and they further divided power within the federal government by splitting it among the three branches of government, and they further divided the legislative power (the power that the Framers most feared) by splitting it between two Houses of Congress. n12

Authority is not centralized in a monolithic federal government but divided among 3 branches.

Alabama Law Review, 2002 (l/n)

The Framers sought to protect liberty by creating a central government of enumerated powers. They divided power between the state and federal governments, and they further divided power within the federal government by splitting it among the three branches of government, and they further divided the legislative power (the power that the Framers most feared) by splitting it between two Houses of Congress.

Should = Desirability

“Should” denotes the desirability of performing the following verb.

Cambridge Dictionary of American English, accessed 5/10/2006 (http://www.mackinac.org/features/debate/2001/National/definitions.htm)

Should (adv): used to express that it is necessary, desirable, advisable, or important to perform the action of the following verb (adv): used to express that the action of the main verb is probable (adv): used to express a desire or opinion (adv): used after a question word, such as "how" or "why," when asking a reason for something.

“Should” is used to express “desirability.”

WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD COLLEGE DICTIONARY THIRD EDITION, 1996 (p. 1242)

Should. 2. used to express obligation, duty, propriety, or desirability [you should ask first, the plants should be watered weekly].

Substantially -- A2 w/o Mat Qual

“Substantial” does not imply an across-the-board increase.

Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, Accessed June 13, 2010 (dictionary.com/substanial)

Substantial Main Entry: sub·stan·tial Pronunciation: s&b-'stan(t)-sh&l Function: adjective 1 a : consisting of or relating to substance b : not imaginary or illusory : REAL, TRUE c : IMPORTANT, ESSENTIAL 2 : ample to satisfy and nourish : FULL <a substantial meal> 3 a : possessed of means : WELL-TO-DO b : considerable in quantity : significantly great <earned a substantial wage> 4 : firmly constructed : STURDY 5 : being largely but not wholly that which is specified <a substantial lie>

Substantial Percentage

“Substantially” has no precise, authoritative definition. Context should rule its use.

Bauschard, 2006 (Stefan, Wake Forest Topic Guide)

It is difficult for the negative to use the word “substantial” to limit much affirmative action because there are no precise, generally agreed on, definitions of the term. Dr. Rich Edwards, the author of the yearly FORENSICS QUARTERLY, explained last year that the “legal encyclopedia Words and Phrases presents more than 500 pages of fine-print definitions of this term.” He explains the origin of such different definitions: The context for these definitions should be understood: each one involves the judgment of a court in a particular case concerning what the word meant in the context of that case. It is natural that debaters will try to make use of these legal definitions, but it must always be done with a key question in mind: "Is the context for this court case similar to the way that the word ‘substantially’ is used in the debate resolution?" There is, for example, a major difference in the meaning of the word "substantially" in the phrase "substantially all" from the resolutional phrase of "substantially increase." Many of these definitions warn that the word is not a term of precision. In State v. Rose the court held that "the term ‘substantially’ is relative and must be considered within the context of the particular fact situation; in essence, it means less than totally or the whole, but more than imaginary" (Words and Phrases, Vol. 40, 1995, p. 458).

Military Presence = Bases

Bases are “present” in the countries

Catherine Lutz, (Prof., International Studies, Brown U.), THE BASES OF EMPIRE: THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE AGAINST U.S. MILITARY POSTS, 2009, p. 1

These bases bristle with an inventory of weapons whose worth is measured in the trillions and whose killing power could wipe out all life on earth several times over. Their presence is meant to signal, and sometimes demonstrate, that the United States is able and willing to attempt to control events in other regions militarily.

Bases are part of the US military presence

Catherine Lutz, (Prof., International Studies, Brown U.), THE BASES OF EMPIRE: THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE AGAINST U.S. MILITARY POSTS, 2009, p. 6

Bases are the literal and symbolic anchors, and the most visible centerpieces, of the U.S. military presence overseas.

Military Presence = Training

Presence includes training operations

Catherine Lutz, (Prof., International Studies, Brown U.), THE BASES OF EMPIRE: THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE AGAINST U.S. MILITARY POSTS, 2009, p. 5

The U.S. military presence also involves jungle, urban, desert, maritime, and polar training exercises across wide swathes of landscape. These exercises have sometimes been provocative to other nations, and in some cases become the pretext for substantial and permanent positioning of troops.

Training integrates foreign countries into US military operations

Catherine Lutz, (Prof., International Studies, Brown U.), THE BASES OF EMPIRE: THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE AGAINST U.S. MILITARY POSTS, 2009, p. 5

U.S. forces train 100,000 soldiers annually in 180 countries, the presumption being that beefed-up local militaries will help pursue U.S. interests in local conflicts and save the United States money, casualties, and bad publicity when human rights abuses occur. Moreover, working with other militaries is important, strategists say, because "these low-tech militaries may well be U.S. partners or adversaries in future contingencies, [necessitating] becoming familiar with their capabilities and operating style and learning to operate with them."

Military Presence = Weapons

Weapons are part of the US military presence

Catherine Lutz, (Prof., International Studies, Brown U.), THE BASES OF EMPIRE: THE GLOBAL STRUGGLE AGAINST U.S. MILITARY POSTS, 2009, p. 6

Much of the United States' unparalleled weaponry, nuclear and otherwise, is stored at places like Camp Darby in Italy, Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, and the Naval Magazine on Guam, as well as in nuclear submarines and on the navy's other floating bases. The weapons, personnel, and fossil fuels involved in this U.S. military presence cost billions of dollars, most coming from U.S. taxpayers but an increasing number of billions from the citizens of the countries involved. Elaborate bilateral negotiations exchange weapons, cash, and trade privileges for overflight and land-use rights. Less explicitly, but no less importantly, rice import levels or immigration rights to the United States or overlooking human rights abuses have been the currency of exchange.

Military Presence = Troops (Turkey)

Military presence in Turkey is contextual to troop basing

Xinhuanet “US Military bases in Turkey” March 21, 2003, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-03/21/content_792693.htm

Located in the southern province of Adana and about 56 km from the Mediterranean Sea, the Incirlik air base is the operational equipment and material reserve center for US troops in the event of an attack on the north of Iraq. More than 3,000 US troops, mainly from the US Air Force's 39th expeditionary joint force and support units for forces patrolling the "security zone" in northern Iraq, are stationed at the air base which has a main runway of over 3,000 meters and an off-duty runway of over 2,700 meters. About 500 troops, mainly from the US Air Force's No.7217 base contingent, are stationed at the Ankara depot, five kilometers from the center of Ankara, the Turkish capital. Their major task is also to provide aid for troops patrolling the "security zone" in Iraq. Enditem

Military Police = On Base

Military police perform duties on military installations only

American Heritage Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Updated in 2009, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/military+police

The branch of an armed force assigned to perform law enforcement duties, as on a military installation.

In = Within

In is within or inside

Marium-Websters Dictionary Accessed June 13, 2010, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in

1 a —used as a function word to indicate inclusion, location, or position within limits <in the lake> <wounded in the leg> <in the summer> b : into 1 <went in the house> 2 —used as a function word to indicate means, medium, or instrumentality <written in pencil> <bound in leather> 3 a —used as a function word to indicate limitation, qualification, or circumstance <alike in some respects> <left in a hurry> b : into 2a <broke in pieces>