tagged w/ US Foreign Policy
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It is evident that one of Barak Obama's major foreign policy ambitions is to change America's image in the Muslim world. Though there is some evidence that this image may slowly be turning around, the Muslim world is still in a 'show me' kind of mood.
Of course, speeches given in Ankara and Cairo earlier this year have stirred hope in the hearts and minds of many across the Muslim world. In Ankara, President Obama stressed that the United States was not at war with Islam. See the entire speech here accompanied by the text.It is evident that one of Barak Obama's major foreign policy ambitions is to... more
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General Raymond Odierno was resolute in his answers on the Sunday morning shows; the recent spike in violence in Iraq will not defer the pulling out of U.S. troops from Iraqi cities by the 30th of June. He was asked by a variety of show hosts if he thought that the Iraqi forces could secure the country as Americans withdraw; his response was positive, but also appeared to indicate what he didn't say, and that was: 'Whether they are ready or not, we've got orders to leave, and we're leaving'.
According to a report in Le Monde, an Iraqi soldier views this date, and the event it marks as the 'victory of Iraq' over 35 years of adversity, and because he hopes, that the American withdrawal of cities will signal the beginning of the end of foreign occupation. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki decided to call June 30th, 2009 a national historic celebration.General Raymond Odierno was resolute in his answers on the Sunday morning shows; the... more
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Robert Baer is a man you've seen on your TV screens before; he's not ubiquitous, but recognizable enough as an authoritative voice on world events. He's an ex-CIA operative, now living in California, and provided some insight on Iran today in a conversation with Fareed Zakaria.
Read Robert Baer's piece in Time Magazine: Baer, a former CIA field officer assigned to the Middle East, is TIME.com's intelligence columnist and the author of See No Evil and, most recently, The Devil We Know: Dealing with the New Iranian Superpower.
His assessment of what has happened in Iran is what he calls a military coup d'etat by the Revolutionary Guard against the clerics. The Revolutionary Guard has kept its activities within Iran's border for the last thirteen years; it is nationalistic in nature, hardline and boast a terrorist past, and at the moment, they represent the ultimate authority in Iran.Robert Baer is a man you've seen on your TV screens before; he's not... more
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Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian parliament, said recently: "If I am honest, I would say that his mission was a failure." - The Guardian - UK , June 1, 2009
International efforts to advance the Middle East peace process are facing imminent failure under Tony Blair’s leadership, aid groups operating in the region say in a report released today. UK Timesonline, September 25, 2008
So what exactly is Tony Blair doing in the Middle East, as the voice representing the so-called Quartet? And is he redundant, considering that now, George Bush is no longer President, and disengaged as he was in the Middle East, leaving all policy decisions to ex-Secretary of State Rice? The two statements above are almost a year apart, and both speak of failure on the part of the British ex-prime minister.Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian parliament, said recently: "If I... more
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Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, no Russian leader has spent time or effort on the African continent. Russian president Dmitri Medvedev just concluded his African tour, stopping in Egypt first, including Nigeria, Namibia and Angola, enabling large corporations and Russian agencies to develop their activities in Africa.
Medvedev was flanked by an important delegation of Russian ministers and businessmen who visited Egypt on June 23rd, 2009. This was the most important leg of the tour, where Medvedev spent four days; Egypt is seen by the Kremlin as a pillar in African politics with immense authority within the Arab League, where the Russian President made his address. Medvedev came to Egypt bearing gifts: submarines and a nuclear power station. The two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement to develop their relations in all area.Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, no Russian leader has spent time or effort on... more
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Ha'aretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper that began publishing in 1918 in Hebrew only. Today the paper also has an English version, and is available on the internet in both languages. It presents a more realistic view of Israeli society in that it allows leftist views, which are normally dismissed in the country as the voices of self-hating Jews. Wikipedia had a most interesting description: 'According to one media study, the likelihood of Ha'aretz readership rises with income, education, and age. Despite its relatively low circulation, it is more influential than Israel's other major daily newspapers.'
This particular opinion piece ran on June 9, 2009 and slipped under the radar. The 'Talkback" section should have been awash with responses, but it wasn't. Therefore, it is appropriate that after having waited about three weeks, a voice is needed to articulate coherence. You can find the original piece here.Ha'aretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper that began publishing in 1918 in... more
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"The farmers are not our enemy, they're just growing a crop to make a living," he said. "It's the drug system. So the U.S. policy was driving people into the hands of the Taliban.""The farmers are not our enemy, they're just growing a crop to make a... more
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Listen to Farah Pandith in 2007 talk about the necessity to bridge the divide between the United States and the Muslim world:
Today, the State Department announced Pandith's appointment by Secretary of State Clinton as head of a new government agency that would bear responsibility for outreach with Muslims around the world. Pandit and her team will implement Clinton's efforts to "engage with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organizational level", the notification saidListen to Farah Pandith in 2007 talk about the necessity to bridge the divide between... more
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IAEA's Gustavo Zlauvinen: Israel must join the NPT and get rid of their alleged nuclear weapons.
In the latest video, TRNN Senior Editor Paul Jay asked Gustavo Zlauvinen about the apparent hypocrisy of the IAEA's pursuit in limiting Iranian nuclear armament. Jay asks that if the major nuclear powers were not disarming, and not signing the NPT, by what standard should countries like Iran limit their own nuclear programs. The international pressure to prevent Iranian nuclear weaponization has drawn attention to the nuclear arsenals of other Middle Eastern countries like Israel, a country with allegedly extensive nuclear capabilities. Zlauvinen says that "there are number of resolutions" from the IAEA and other organizations "calling on Israel to join the NPT, calling on Israel to place all their nuclear facilities under inspection of the IAEA, and obviously by getting rid of their nuclear weapons, as allegedly they are."
See Part 1 at:
http://current.com/items/90171611_nuclear-threats-and-double-standards-part-1.htm
See Part 2 at:
http://current.com/items/90171627_nuclear-threats-and-double-standards-part-2.htmIAEA's Gustavo Zlauvinen: Israel must join the NPT and get rid of their alleged... more
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The viewing of this video is not intended to endorse what it implies, but rather to have the reader use critical thinking to come to his/her own conclusions. It's very provocative indeed, however, the allegation of CIA involvement blunts the success of a spontaneous, youth inspired Iranian uprising.
What do you think?The viewing of this video is not intended to endorse what it implies, but rather to... more
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Images of civilians rioting and chanting 'Mossavi' are flashing across the screen. Al Jazeera is reporting on some 3,000 people who protested in defiance of the Supreme Leader's warnings that severe action would be taken if demonstrations continued. At one point, a young woman is seen falling to the ground after having been fatally shot. Men are rushing to her side, and we see her head rolling back but the camera zooms away.
There are reports that many have been killed, and that Mossavi has declared that he will 'martyr' himself for the cause. This is the eighth day of unrest, and even though the world has been calling for justice and a cessation to police violence against civilians, Iran's leader is unmoved. In the meantime, the press in the Arab world is taking note.Images of civilians rioting and chanting 'Mossavi' are flashing across the... more
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Dear John:
Is it very warm in Arizona? You may wonder why I'm asking the question, but having traveled extensively all over the world, I find that heat, at times, has an effect on people's stamina and critical thinking abilities. Well, let's get to the point.
You have been crying out for President Obama to make certain statements about the situation in Iran,-in other words, you want him to be more vociferous in showing US support for the opposition. I don't know if this is actually a good idea. You know that you agree with me, just like you eventually agreed, after you lost the election, that you had very little to do with choosing Sarah Palin to run alongside with you. I mean, you won't even endorse the woman every time someone asks you about her. We've noticed, really.Dear John:
Is it very warm in Arizona? You may wonder why I'm asking the... more
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Former President Jimmy Carter was in Lebanon monitoring their election. As a former world leader, he has become so intimately familiar with the Middle East, - where he's learned to take the temperature and tells it as he sees it, since at this point, he had nothing to lose. On Tuesday, he was in the Gaza Strip, where he met with Ismail Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders. Carter has arrived at the conclusion, as have some of the leaders of the EU, that any peace accord must include Hamas, who is still considered a 'terrorist' organization by Israel and the United States.
He is carrying a letter from the parents of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who remains captive for nearly three years. During his visit to the strip he stopped at Ezbet Abed Rabbo, an area of Gaza that was severely damaged during the Israeli incursion which started in late December. Despite a shaky cease fire, Israel has maintained its blockade of the West Bank, and making essential humanitarian supplies as well as other essential goods and services scarce, which only serves to punish the Gazan population who depend on foreign aid.Former President Jimmy Carter was in Lebanon monitoring their election. As a former... more
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Massive protests as Revolutionary Guard consolidates power, likely to expand economic control.
Paul Jay speaks to Babak Yektafar, Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonprisom.org about the protests in reaction to the Iranian election results. Yektafar speaks of the power in Iran being in the hands of the Revolutionary Guard, and says that, "in the past five or six years we have seen a major step forward by this entity. They gained immense economic power... [and now] they've gotten more and more involved in the politics of the Islamic regime. They're extremely sensitive to guarding their interests."
Babak Yektafar, Editor-in-Chief of Washington Prism is a graduate of Farleigh Dickinson University with a B.A. in Communications. From 1999 to 2005, Babak was a producer with C-SPAN network’s national live morning program, Washington Journal.Massive protests as Revolutionary Guard consolidates power, likely to expand economic... more
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Pepe Escobar: Aggressive US and Israeli policy strengthens hand of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
Pepe Escobar, born in Brazil is the roving correspondent for Asia Times and an analyst for The Real News Network. He's been a foreign correspondent since 1985, based in London, Milan, Los Angeles, Paris, Singapore, and Bangkok. Since the late 1990s, he has specialized in covering the arc from the Middle East to Central Asia, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has made frequent visits to Iran and is the author of Globalistan and also Red Zone Blues: A Snapshot of Baghdad During the Surge both published by Nimble Books in 2007.
See Part 1 at:
http://current.com/items/90210342_struggle-within-iranian-elite.htmPepe Escobar: Aggressive US and Israeli policy strengthens hand of Iran's... more
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Libération.fr appears to be quite invested in the developments on the Iranian streets since the announcement of Ahmadinejad's 'victory' in the presidential election. They are reporting events as they happen, and last was heard that a civilian protester had been shot by Iranian police. This was at 7:45PM Paris time (EST + 6). Never had such public outcry been so damning, - the crowds were estimated to be between a million and a half to two million strong. They swore to 'fight to the end'.
The photographer who witnessed the shooting of the civilian refused to give his name, but indicated that the man had been shot dead by a bullet to the forehead. Another reporter from Agence France Presse said that he had heard several rounds being fired.Libération.fr appears to be quite invested in the developments on the Iranian... more
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The much anticipated speech by Benjamin Netanyahu is in progress; the only channel carrying the event live is al-Jazeera. Not CNN, not C-SPAN, but al-Jazeera.
As I listen to the Prime Minister, I am not surprised to hear revisionist history being told once again. According to Netanyahu, the core issue, aside from the 'imminent' threat paused by Iran, is the refusal of Arab states to accept the legitimacy of the Jewish state.
He had the courage to declare that if people are under the impression that the roadblock to peace is the Israeli 'occupation', he is about to disabuse those people of the notion.The much anticipated speech by Benjamin Netanyahu is in progress; the only channel... more
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There are some parallels between the North Korean and Iranian situation. The difference lies in the former having already reached weaponization of their nuclear capability while Iran is still in the development stage.
While President Obama is still extending a hand to Iran, he seems resolute about keeping a clenched fist toward Kim Jung Il, who had, at one point, requested direct dialogue with the American President. Why the snub?There are some parallels between the North Korean and Iranian situation. The... more
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There is no doubt that President Obama's speech in Egypt elicited an avalanche of reactions; most positive, some negative. Many saw the choice of a dictatorship country from which to address the Muslim world with a blasé attitude.Egypt and Mubarak made absolutely sure that there would be no dissent visible to the eye on the day of Obama's address. Shops were ordered to be closed, and the press reported what it was told. The people in Egypt who are hoping for democratic reform were disappointed.There is no doubt that President Obama's speech in Egypt elicited an avalanche of... more
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For all of its rhetoric about bringing people to justice, and instituting democratic values wherever it can through diplomacy, the State Department doesn't look good in this particular case.
Karadzic, who had been arrested and extradited to the Hague for his war crimes against humanity, has been crying foul for quite some time now, pointing to a promise made to him by now Ambassador Richard Holbrooke for immunity. Mr. Holbrooke has continued to deny any such arrangement with Karadzic.For all of its rhetoric about bringing people to justice, and instituting democratic... more
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