While Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was meeting with President John J. Degioia and other University officials inside warm Healy Hall, Vox was shivering beyond the DPS barriers, waiting in vain to take a good photo of the Iraqi leader. However, the morning was not a complete bust because we were joined by a truly spectacular German Shepherd Dog.

The canine was part of the U.S. Secret Service team protecting the Iraqi leader during his visit to the United States. If any foolhardy Hoyas had breached security, they would’ve become better acquainted with this elegant yet unforgiving beast.

Vox is going to assume his name is something totally badass, like Gunther, Maximus or Panzer. We didn’t ask him what his name was because that would probably have been the last question we’d ever ask. We’ll call him Khan.

Khan was so cute Vox just wanted to love him up and coo in a baby voice, “Who’s the most ferocious dog in Georgetown? You are! That’s right! Such a fierce wittle puppy!” But he’d probably rip our face off.

More photos of Khan after the jump!
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Earlier today, Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq, met with various University officials, including President John J. Degioia and Dean of the School of Foreign Service Carol Lancaster, in Healy Hall. Although Vox wasn’t allowed into the building during the meeting, we did our best to capture the morning’s events from beyond the Secret Service security cordon.

Photos: Jackson Perry

This morning, Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister of Iraq, met with President John J. DeGioia, Dean of the School of Foreign Service Carol Lancaster and Georgetown professor and former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) in Healy Hall. Much of Healy and Copley Lawns was cordoned off for security reasons.

Photo: Georgetown University

Yesterday evening, Nirupama Menon Rao, Ambassador of India to the United States, spoke to Georgetown students, faculty, and alumni in Gaston Hall. Her visit was in anticipation of a summit on Indian and American higher education, which will be hosted at Georgetown next month, and the creation of a chair of Indian Culture and Affairs within the Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Dressed in a regal pink sari, Ambassador Rao emphasized the interconnectedness of all countries in today’s global environment. She cited acts of international terror as especially important in making more developed countries realize that third-world and developing nations are equally important and deserving of attention as larger powers. She also described India’s “rapid social and economic transformation” in a mere sixty years as a quiet example for developing countries. She then, to the crowd’s chagrin, discussed how India was not in a competition with China for the role of the ideal rags to riches nation.

In this vein, Rao was especially emphatic about education as a “vessel for social change.” She discussed India’s commitment to extending higher education and technical schools, as well as extending primary education to rural areas. The bigger challenge, she said, is keeping children, especially girls, in school through their teenage years.

As much as Ambassador Rao tried to preach about the democratic and peaceful tradition of India, economic advancement was never far behind. She repeatedly stated that one of the main reasons for wanting to ensure “a safe neighborhood” in Southeast Asia was so that India could meet its economic targets for the future—the growth of the country’s gross domestic product is obviously a priority. Furthermore, she said her nation was ready to take on a greater world leadership role, especially being included on the United Nations Security Council as a permanent member, a reform supported by President Obama.

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