Wednesday Morning Headlines

Updated 10:55 am

Latest Headlines from the United States

Obama’s Transition Team Restricts Lobbyists’ Role
By HELENE COOPER and JEFF ZELENY, NYTimes

Key Points:

• "President-elect Barack Obama will bar lobbyists from helping to pay the costs of his transition to power or working for it in any area in which they have represented clients in the last year, his transition team said Tuesday."
• "But the new rules do seem to leave some wiggle room. Aides to Mr. Obama, who declared during the campaign that lobbyists would not “find a job in my White House,” said the guidelines allowed for lobbyists to work on the transition in areas where they have not done any lobbying."
• "Mr. Podesta said he expected the transition to employ some 450 people and have a budget of about $12 million. Of that amount, $5.2 million will be paid by the government, with the remaining $6.8 million coming from private sources, he said. Contributions will be limited to $5,000, he said, and the transition will not accept money from political action committees."
• "While aides to Mr. Obama say they are keenly aware that a lavish celebration might not be well received given the faltering economy, they indicate that the historic nature of Mr. Obama’s inauguration and the expectations of high turnout all but guarantee that the occasion, on Jan. 20, will be a huge one."

Read Full Article

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AIG Execs Hold Another Luxury Retreat
Democracy Now!

And executives at the government-rescued insurance giant AIG have been caught holding another secretive gathering at a luxury resort. Using hidden cameras, local ABC News reporters filmed AIG execs poolside at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix, Arizona. AIG has admitted to asking the hotel to ensure there were no AIG signs and to instruct staff not to mention its presence. It’s at least the second known resort getaway for AIG brass since their government rescue. In September, company executives held a week-long, nearly half-a-million-dollar retreat at a luxury resort just days after receiving an initial $85 billion in taxpayer money. On Monday, the Bush administration said it would give AIG an additional $40 billion, bringing its taxpayer tab to $150 billion so far.

Source: Democracy Now!

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Latest Headlines from the Middle East

Nasrallah: Israeli hands that attack Lebanon will be severed
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent

Key Points:

• "Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday accused Israel of operating multiple spy networks in Lebanon"
• "In his address, Nasrallah urged Arab nations to ban Israel's President Shimon Peres from an upcoming interfaith summit, sponsored by the United Nations, to be held in at the New York UN headquarters."

Read Full Article

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Abbas says Israel has proposed Jerusalem concessions in the past
By DPA, Haaretz

Key Points:

• "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that during peace talks over the past year, Israel had proposed concessions to him regarding Jerusalem, but he rejected them because they were partial."
• "Israel has consistently insisted in recent months that the sides had not yet touched on the issue of Jerusalem, although it had agreed 'in principle' to include it in the negotiations."
• "Abbas strongly attacked the Islamic movement Hamas, at one point calling them 'traitors.'"
  
• "Tens of thousands of Fatah supporters flocked to the Ramallah compound, which contains Arafat's mausoleum and tomb, since the early hours of Tuesday, carrying yellow Fatah flags and portraits of their late leader."
  

Read Full Article

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Media blackout? International journalists report being barred from entering, exiting Gaza
Bethleham/Gaza - Ma'an News Agency

Key Points:

• "Israel has limited food and fuel shipments into Gaza, and now appears to be preventing journalists from entering and even leaving the area."
• "Security officer for UNRWA Andrew Pollock said that there had indeed been some fluxuation in the number of journalists allowed in and out of Gaza"
• "Israeli journalists have been barred from Gaza for over two years."

Read Full Article

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Biden told not to change Iran policy
PressTV

Key Points:

• "Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has warned the US vice president-elect against changing the Bush White House policies toward Iran."
• "Earlier on Thursday, Livni had said that dialogue with Tehran would be 'interpreted as weakness' for the Obama-Biden administration, urging the continuation of the Bush carrot-and-stick approach toward Iran."
• "Senator Obama, in his first post-election press conference on Friday, said 'Iran's development of a nuclear weapon' was unacceptable, calling for international efforts to mount pressure on the country."

Read Full Article

Latest Headlines from Latin America

Vladimir Putin receives Cuban foreign minister
Granma International

Key Points:

• "Putin expressed his pleasure at being able to host a representative of the Cuban people in Moscow."
• "The official visit by the Cuban diplomat comes a few days after the visit to Havana of Igor Sechin, Russian deputy prime minister, who had meetings with senior government authorities with a view to developing relations between the two countries."

Read Full Article

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Bolivia asks US to extradite ex-president
By Dan Keane, AP

Key Points:

• "Bolivian officials said Tuesday they have formally asked the United States to extradite former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, who ordered a military crackdown on 2003 riots in which at least 60 people died."
• "The 2,700-page request charging the exiled leader with "genocide" was delivered Monday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Consuelo Ponce told The Associated Press."
• "The ex-president's lawyers say the extradition attempt is no more than political harassment by leftist President Evo Morales."
• "Chances that the extradition will be granted are slim. U.S.-Bolivia relations have soured dramatically in recent months."

Read Full Article

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Tuesday Morning Headlines

IAEA finds uranium traces at Syrian site: diplomats
By Mark Heinrich

VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. investigators have found traces of uranium at a Syrian site Washington says was a secret nuclear reactor almost built before Israel bombed the target last year, diplomats said on Monday.

They said the minute uranium particles turned up in some environmental swipe samples U.N. inspectors took at the site in a visit last June. They said the finding was not enough to draw conclusions but raised concerns requiring further clarification.

Read More

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Fed approves American Express as bank holding company

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve Board has approved an application by American Express Co to become a bank holding company, the central bank said on Monday.

The move will allow American Express to secure funds from deposits, which could be cheaper than borrowing in bond markets.

"In light of the unusual and exigent circumstances affecting the financial markets ... the Board has determined that emergency conditions exist that justify expeditious action on this proposal," the Fed said in a statement.

American Express follows Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley, which became bank holding companies after decades of having relied on debt markets for funding.

American Express' borrowing costs relative to a benchmark rate have risen dramatically this year as investors have become increasingly skittish about the company facing rising customer defaults.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USTRE4A97Z920081110

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Listen to Hamas

By Haaretz Editorial

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the ousted prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, described "the territories of 1967" as the territory of the Palestinian state "at this time." He told Haaretz correspondent Amira Hass that the Hamas government had previously made it clear that it was willing to accept a Palestinian state that followed the 1967 borders and to offer Israel a long-term hudna, or truce, if Israel recognized the Palestinians' national rights, as Haaretz reported Sunday.

Read More

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The following is a good read by Ali Abunimah, co-founder of Electronic Intifada that was published on November 5th. The article examines President-elect Obama's selection of Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff.

Obama picks pro-Israel hardliner for top post
Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 5 November 2008

During the United States election campaign, racists and pro-Israel hardliners tried to make an issue out of President-elect Barack Obama's middle name, Hussein. Such people might take comfort in another middle name, that of Obama's pick for White House Chief of Staff: Rahm Israel Emanuel.

Emanuel is Obama's first high-level appointment and it's one likely to disappoint those who hoped the president-elect would break with the George W. Bush Administration's pro-Israel policies. White House Chief of Staff is often considered the most powerful office in the executive branch, next to the president. Obama has offered Emanuel the position according to Democratic party sources cited by media including Reuters and The New York Times. While Emanuel is expected to accept the post, that had not been confirmed by Wednesday evening the day after the election.

Read More

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Starbucks 4Q profit drops 97 pct on closure costs
By Lauren Shepherd, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Fewer U.S. customers and venti-sized costs for closing poorly performing stores led to lower sales and profit in the fourth quarter at Starbucks Corp., the company said Monday.

The quarter's results came at the end of a transition year for the coffee retailer, in which former Chief Executive Howard Schultz took back the reins of the company to again fill the CEO and chairman posts.

Seattle-based Starbucks said profit in the quarter fell 97 percent to $5.4 million, or a penny a share, from $158.5 million, or 21 cents per share. The coffee retailer earned 10 cents per share when the costs from closing about 600 stores in the U.S. and 61 locations in Australia are excluded.

Read More

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From Democray Now!

Obama’s Afghan Plan Includes Iran, Taliban Talks

On foreign policy, the Washington Post is reporting the incoming Obama administration is planning what it calls a “more regional strategy” to the occupation of Afghanistan. The plan leaves open the possibility of holding talks with Iran and elements of the Taliban. Obama would also seek to renew what he’s called an aborted effort to capture Osama bin Laden. Obama has already vowed to increase the US troop deployment there.

Israel Blocks Gaza Fuel Deliveries

In Israel and the Occupied Territories, the Israeli government has re-imposed a cutoff of fuel shipments to the Gaza Strip. Gaza’s main power plant shut down last night, leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians without electricity. Areas across the Strip were plunged into darkness, and hospitals reported imminent shortages that could shut them down. Israel authorized a limited shipment earlier today. Israel has imposed several fuel blockades on Gaza, citing Palestinian rocket fire on nearby Israeli towns. Visiting Gaza, British Parliament member Nazir Ahmed said Israel should face international isolation for its siege of Gaza.

Nazir Ahmed: “It’s time that the international community said enough is enough, and if Israel is prepared to go down this route, then they must face isolation. This is unacceptable at a time when people of Gaza are already suffering. We have seen the result of bombing [of the plant last year], and those equipment has not been replaced even now. The capacity of this plant is down to one-third when it was supplying half of the Gazan electricity.”

As darkness fell across Gaza Monday, hundreds of children gathered for a candlelight vigil to protest the blockade. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called the move an act of collective punishment.

Ismail Haniyeh: “This is not a breach of truce. This is a programmed Israeli policy, and the Egyptian host of this truce should interfere for the sake of stopping the daily bloodshed of the Palestinian people.”

Haniyeh: Hamas Would Accept 1967 Borders

Israel’s fuel blockade comes just days after Haniyeh said Hamas would accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. A 1967-based solution would mean Israeli withdrawal from all of Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where Israel continues to build settlements. Haniyeh made the comments at a meeting with European lawmakers who had sailed from Cyprus to protest Israel’s Gaza blockade.

Source: Democracy Now!

Monday Morning Headlines

U.S. Provides More Aid to Big Insurer

By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN and MARY WILLIAMS WALSH, NYTimes

Key Points:

• "The revised bailout came as A.I.G. reported a loss Monday of $24.47 billion, or $9.05 a share in the third quarter, after a profit of $3.09 billion, or $1.19 a share, a year ago."
• "When the restructured deal is complete, taxpayers will have invested and lent a total of $150 billion to A.I.G., the most the government has ever directed to a single private enterprise. It is a stark reversal of the government’s assurance that its earlier moves had stemmed the bleeding at A.I.G.."
• "The new deal makes the government a long-term investor in A.I.G., something that Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. had said he hoped to avoid."
• "Finally, the government will invest another $22.5 billion in A.I.G. to help the company buy residential mortgage-backed securities that it also insured, and similarly place them into another entity off the company’s balance sheet. A.I.G. will put up $1 billion itself."

Read Full Article

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US Admits to Killing 37 Afghans in Attack on Wedding

In Afghanistan, the US has admitted to killing thirty-seven civilians and wounding dozens more in a military attack last week. The victims were bombed as they attended a wedding party outside the city of Kandahar. The Pentagon says the US bombed the area after coming under fire from nearby militants. It was the Pentagon’s quickest admission of a mass killing of Afghan civilians to date. It took nearly two months before the US admitted killing up to ninety civilians in a similar attack in August.

Source: Democracy Now!

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Secret Order Lets U.S. Raid Al Qaeda in Many Countries

By ERIC SCHMITT and MARK MAZZETTI,NYTimes

Key Points:

• "[M]ilitary raids, typically carried out by Special Operations forces, were authorized by a classified order that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld signed in the spring of 2004 with the approval of President Bush"
• "Some of the military missions have been conducted in close coordination with the C.I.A., according to senior American officials, who said that in others, like the Special Operations raid in Syria on Oct. 26 of this year, the military commandos acted in support of C.I.A.-directed operations."
• "The 2004 order was a step in the evolution of how the American government sought to kill or capture Qaeda terrorists around the world. It was issued after the Bush administration had already granted America’s intelligence agencies sweeping power to secretly detain and interrogate terrorism suspects in overseas prisons and to conduct warrantless eavesdropping on telephone and electronic communications."
• "The Pentagon has exercised its authority frequently, dispatching commandos to countries including Pakistan and Somalia. Details of a few of these strikes have previously been reported."
• "Administration officials said that Mr. Bush’s approval had paved the way for Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to sign an order — separate from the 2004 order — that specifically directed the military to plan a series of operations, in cooperation with the C.I.A., on the Qaeda network and other militant groups linked to it in Pakistan."

Read Full Article

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Israeli soldier beats Palestinian laborers with rock; three in hospital with multiple fractures
Ma'an News Agency

Read Full Article

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Olmert: To honor Rabin, Israel must cede land

Haaretz Newspaper

Read Full Article

BBC: Iran & U.S. --A Good Read

Obama quashes Iran's hopes for change

By Jim Muir BBC News, Tehran

If anybody had hoped that Barack Obama's election victory would lead to a swift breakthrough in Washington's relations with one of its toughest adversaries, Iran, the honeymoon seems to be over before it even began.

Many Iranians, including some officials, were thrilled by the stunning election victory, seeing it as offering hope of a radical change in US foreign policy and relations.

The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since shortly after the Islamic revolution in 1979, and tensions have risen recently over Iran's nuclear programme.

Both Mr Obama and his future vice-president, Senator Joseph Biden, have in the past advocated unconditional dialogue with Iran.

That was one reason behind the excitement generated in Iran by their election success.

No 'knee-jerk' response

That excitement led the country's quixotic president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to break with precedent and send a congratulatory message to the American president-elect.

But it swiftly became apparent that a whirlwind romance was out of the question, as political problems sprang up on both sides.

In Iran, both Mr Ahmadinejad's initiative and Mr Obama's cagey response drew fierce attacks from rival hard-line circles, where the political atmosphere is already heating up sharply in advance of Iranian presidential elections next June.

(Read more)

Statement by Rahm Emanuel's father

The following was written up in the Jerusalem Post regarding soon-to-be Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's father:

In an interview with Ma'ariv, Emanuel's father, Dr. Benjamin Emanuel, said he was convinced that his son's appointment would be good for Israel. "Obviously he will influence the president to be pro-Israel," he was quoted as saying. "Why wouldn't he be? What is he, an Arab? He's not going to clean the floors of the White House."

More information can be found on the following link:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/11/will-the-arab-w.html

US Consul General expresses condolences over loss of Darwish

From the Ma'an News Agency:

Jerusalem – Ma'an – US Consul General Jacob Walles sent his condolences to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the death of Mahmoud Darwish, who passed away on Saturday in the United States following open heart surgery.

Ma'an received a copy of the letter in Arabic.

The letter reads: “I console you for the loss of the great Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish whose death affected every Palestinian. He was always respected for his eloquence, and his poems communicated Palestinians’ grief and hopes to whole world. He dedicated his life to the Palestinian people and to the establishment of Palestinian state along with bringing peace to the region. I do realize that Palestinians lost a significant 'leader' with this death."

He added: “Darwish’s words will accompany us through our journey to remind us of our future hopes. We lost a dear friend but still we have his inspiration left. I hope you accept my condolence and I’m sad for your loss”.

With reverence,
Jacob Walles
US Consul General

Source: http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=31218

Palestinian Poet Mahmoud Darwish Dead at 67

By DIAA HADID, Associated Press Writer

Mahmoud Darwish, whose prose gave voice to the Palestinian experience of exile, occupation and infighting, died on Saturday in Houston. He was 67.

The predominant Palestinian poet, whose work has been translated into more than 20 languages and won numerous international awards, died following open heart surgery at a Houston hospital, said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Born to a large Muslim family in historical Palestine — now modern-day Israel — he emerged as a Palestinian cultural icon eloquently describing his people's struggle for independence while also criticizing both the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian leadership. He gave voice to the Palestinian dreams of statehood, crafted their declaration of independence and helped forge a Palestinian national identity.

(read more)

GW Parkway - Alexanderia, Virginia

GW Parkway Night2, originally uploaded by rabajoghli.

GW Parkway at night. Shot on my Holga camera. Exposed for 60 seconds.

Obama Flops Again?

After retracting what he said at the AIPAC conference back on June 6 regarding East Jerusalem, Obama once again says Jerusalem will not be the Palestinian capital:

Bethlehem – Ma'an - US democratic candidate Barak Obama said during a press conference on Wednesday in Sderot, a city in the south of Israel, that he does not support the idea of East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.

Obama made it clear that Jerusalem would remain the capital of Israel and that he would not see the city divided. He added that this position needed to be fixed through negotiations with the Palestinians.

Recent years have seen Obama's position on Israel/Palestine shift dramatically towards the Israeli side. He previously stated that the issue of Jerusalem should be on the table of any peace negotiation, but after criticism of his 'naïve' stance, Obama dropped this position.

The press conference was held with Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, who said, "Israel and the USA have a common understanding of what must happen in the region."

Earlier Obama met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, where he said that he would work hard to continue the peace process.

Obama stressed that if he takes office this fall he will not "start from zero" with the Palestinian peace process. Rather, he said, "we will continue peace process efforts." He also expressed the desire to show Palestinians that there was good reason to hope for a resolution.

Source: Ma'an News Agency: http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=30771

Spying on Americans

Tim Shorrock has written a new article on Salon.com about the Bush administration's historic abuse of power. Shorrock has detailed the extent of the current administration use of Main Core, a database that:

contains a vast amount of personal data on Americans, including NSA intercepts of bank and credit card transactions and the results of surveillance efforts by the FBI, the CIA, and other agencies.

The article also details plans inside the beltway of establishing a "Church Committee -style investigation" in hopes of implementing "government reforms aimed at preventing future abuses -- and perhaps to bring accountability for wrongdoing by Bush officials."

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Democracy Now! is reporting that Congress is introducing legislation to ban Iranian television channels:

A Republican lawmaker has introduced a measure to ban several Iranian television channels, including the news network Press TV. House Resolution 1308 would label each channel a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” Co-sponsor Gus Bilirakis says the networks broadcast “incitement to violence” against the United States.

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Ma'an News Agency is reporting that UN General Security Ban Ki-Moon has "called on Israel to immediately freeze settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem."

New Settlements...what peace?

The Associated Press is reporting that Israel is planning to expand their settlements in the West Bank by building a new settlement post. How will peace be achieved if the power broker in the deal, Israel, continues to build new settlements and expand old ones? Will the U.S. stand firm in their demands for Israel to halt their expansion?

I doubt it.

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NYTimes op-ed columnist, Nicholas Kristof, has written an interesting article this morning regarding the future of US policy in Israel.

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Ali Abunimah, the co-founder of Electronic Intifada (EI), details Obama's visit to Israel/Palestine and the disproportionate time he spent with Israeli officials compared to Palestinian officials. It's a good read.

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Democracy Now! has published the following headline regarding Obama's visit to the Middle East:

Obama Avoids Gaza Strip on Mideast Trip

Senator Barack Obama has wrapped up his Mideast tour. On Wednesday, Obama held a series of meetings with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem.

Senator Barack Obama: “I’m here on this trip to reaffirm the special relationship between Israel and the United States, my abiding commitment to Israel’s security and my hope that I can serve as an effective partner, whether as a United States senator or as a president in bringing about a more lasting peace in the region.”

Obama also visited Ramallah for a low-key visit with Palestinian officials. He did not visit the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently intensified its blockade. In Gaza, Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri said Obama is offering no alternative to Bush administration policy in the region.

Sami Abu Zuhri: “These positions mean that there is no minimal hope to any change in the US foreign policy towards the Arab-Israeli conflict. And this means that we are in front of one American policy, and the Palestinian people should depend on their own and on the Arab and Muslim world in facing this opposing American policy, which both the Democratic and Republican parties are adopting."

Castro Wishes Mandela a Happy Birthday

This post is late considering Mandela's birthday was last week but below I've posted Castro's birthday wish below. Also, I've uploaded a song in Mandela's honor- Special AKA's In The Studio.

MESSAGE TO NELSON MANDELA ON HIS 90TH ANNIVERSARY

GLORY to you, Nelson, who defended human dignity in the 25 years of solitary imprisonment you endured! Neither slander nor hatred could break your iron will. You held your ground and, unwittingly and unintentionally, you became a symbol of what is noblest in human nature. You shall live on in the memory of future generations, as will the Cubans who fell in defense of the freedom of their brothers in other lands of the world.

Source: http://www.granma.cu/INGLES/2008/julio/lun21/Reflections-21julio.html

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Special AKA's In The Studio:

Spinning Cubes

Spinning Cubes, originally uploaded by rabajoghli.

If you get a chance buy a holga camera. I've been tired of using a digital camera so I saved a mere $50 and bought a holga camera kit off of amazon.com.

You won't regret it...trust me!

B'Tselem-IDF Shooting

The video and text below are from B'Tselem, the Israeli information center for human rights in the occupied territories:
http://www.btselem.org/english/Firearms/20080721_Nilin_Shooting.asp

21 July '08: Following exposure by B'Tselem, Military Police investigate shooting of bound Palestinian

Yesterday (20 July), B'Tselem published footage it received of a soldier firing a rubber-coated steel bullet, from extremely short range, at a Palestinian detainee who was cuffed and blindfolded. The act occurred about two weeks ago in the presence of several security forces, among them the battalion commander, a lieutenant colonel, who held the Palestinian’s arm while the soldier fired.

According to press reports, the Military Police have opened an investigation and arrested the soldier who fired the shot. Apparently, until the video was aired, the army did not conduct a Military Police investigation, and settled for an operational debriefing. According to the reports, the debriefing reached the desk of the Judea and Samaria (West Bank) Division Commander, who failed to inform the Military Police or the Judge Advocate General’s Office, or to take any measures against the soldier or the battalion commander. Residents of Ni’lin stated that, the day after the incident, they saw the soldier still serving in his unit.

When questioned by investigators, the soldier stated, according to press reports, that the battalion commander had ordered him to shoot the detainee. The commander, however, admitted only that he had ordered the soldiers “to frighten” the bound Palestinian.

The incident took place on 7 July, in Ni’lin, a village in the West Bank. A Palestinian demonstrator, Ashraf Abu-Rahma, 27, was stopped by soldiers, who cuffed and blindfolded him for about thirty minutes, during which time, according to Abu-Rahma, they beat him. Afterwards, a group of soldiers and border policemen led him to an army jeep. The footage shows a soldier aim his weapon at the detainee’s legs, from about 1.5 meters away, and fire a rubber-coated steel bullet at him. Abu-Rahma stated that the bullet hit his left toe and that he received treatment from an army medic and was then released by the soldiers.

A young Palestinian girl from Ni’lin filmed the incident from her house in the village. B'Tselem received the tape yesterday and forwarded a copy to the Military Police Investigation Unit commander, with a demand that an immediate Military Police investigation be opened, if one hadn’t already been initiated, and that the soldier be brought to justice. B’Tselem also demanded an investigation into the involvement of the battalion commander, who held the detainee. B'Tselem stressed that members of the security forces are obligated to report unlawful acts and that a senior officer’s failure to do so is particularly grave.

Really?

What is exactly the Guardian trying to say with this photo that accompanied their exclusive breaking news on the Bush administration's plans to open an intersect office in Tehran? The media went crazy this past week over The New Yorker's cover- a cartoon ridiculing the Republican's attempt to portray Barack and Michelle Obama as a team of unpatriotic Americans- yet not a single word is uttered when photos such as the one on the left and on the bottom of this post is used. The heading of the article, US plans to station diplomats in Iran for first time since 1979, is followed by a mural depicting a burning American flag. The photo editors of the Guardian must not think highly of the intellect of Iranians and their readers. Photos and videos in news are suppose to supplement reports. They are not meant to cause readers to jump to far fetching conclusions. This photo can steer the reader to sway his or opinion regarding the article before ever reading a single word. This photo is a single frame that has been captured in a country with a population of over 70 million people. It does not reflect the realities of Iran. Scholars and experts on Iran have stated on many occasions that Iranians are the most pro-American people in the Middle East (disregarding the Islamic Republic's official stance towards the U.S.). However, with one look at this photo, Iran is being pigeon-holed into an un-American, flag burning country. Furthermore, this photo subtly hints that a U.S. Intersect Office in Tehran may be a dangerous situation for American diplomats.

It gets even better! Check out today's picture on the Guardian website. I'm interested to hear what other people have to say!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/17/usa.iran
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/18/iran.usforeignpolicy2

Detention of Drs. Arash & Kamiar Alaei --VOA Persian Service Report

Che's 80th Birthday

Here is an update from a blog entry from last month.

To celebrate Che's 80th Birthday I've included an excerpt of his speech to the U.N. in 1964. The audio is in Spanish with no English dub.

D.C. Lockdown

From today's Washington Post:

When D.C. police begin stopping cars at a "checkpoint" this weekend in the Trinidad neighborhood, they will record all license plate numbers, verify residents' addresses and ask others for phone numbers of those they are visiting, according to a directive issued by Chief Cathy L. Lanier.

Lanier, who has been working on the "neighborhood safety zone" program for two months, said the checkpoints can expand to any neighborhood in response to violent crime. Police said it is a tool they plan to use to increase visibility, make arrests and gather intelligence.

This initiative by the D.C. police department is similar to tactics used by nations constantly criticized by the U.S. as police states. Controlling the flow of traffic in and out of a neighborhood and gathering information on individuals traveling in an out of Trinidad is an infringement of rights. Johnny Barnes, the executive director of D.C.'s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is quoted in the article as saying "[D.C. law enforcement] seem so willing to cast aside cherished constitutional rights for quick fixes and lazy law enforcement."

A small checkpoint here can easily expand to several there. This is troublesome news for the city because it is trying to quarantine and hold hostage an entire neighborhood in response to the crime wave that has hit the city. Instead of tackling the real issue, illegal guns and automatic weapons, the police department is going to divert the problem to another neighborhood. Trinidad is not the only neighborhood vulnerable to crime. Criminals and gang members will continue their activities in other parts of the city. D.C. citizens should call their city council and file formal complaints. If we do not speak up now, tomorrow other checkpoints will be put into place. Before we know it, D.C. will become a police state.

Stay tuned for more updates...

Friday Morning Headlines

US Holds $50 Billion of Iraq’s Financial Reserves Hostage

The Independent of London reports the United States is holding hostage some $50 billion of Iraq’s money in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to pressure the Iraqi government into signing an agreement to prolong the US occupation indefinitely. Patrick Cockburn reports the Federal Reserve continues to hold Iraq’s financial reserves as a legacy of the international sanctions against Saddam Hussein. US negotiators are threatening to remove tens of billions of dollars of Iraq’s money to settle outstanding court judgments dating back to the 1980s unless Iraq accepts the highly controversial military deal. The deal would allow the US to permanently keep more than fifty military bases in Iraq. American forces would also be able to continue to carry out arrests of Iraqi citizens and conduct military campaigns without consultation with the Iraqi government. American soldiers and contractors will enjoy legal immunity.

D.C. Police Set Up Neighborhood Checkpoints

The Washington Examiner reports police in Washington, D.C. plan to begin sealing off entire neighborhoods, setting up checkpoints and kicking out strangers, under a new program to combat violence. Under a directive issued by Police Chief Cathy Lanier, officers will stop cars at the checkpoints, record all license plate numbers and ask drivers why they are visiting the neighborhood. The directive allows officers to turn away anyone who does not have a legitimate reason for entering the neighborhood. Motorists who resist answering questions from police officers will be arrested for failure to obey an officer. D.C. Councilman Harry Thomas said he is worried Washington, D.C. is “moving towards a police state."

Senate Report: Bush Deliberately Distorted Pre-War Intelligence

In other Iraq news, a newly released Senate report has concluded President George Bush and his top policymakers deliberately distorted Saddam Hussein’s links to al-Qaeda and ignored doubts among intelligence agencies about Iraq’s arms programs as they made a case for war. Sen. John Rockefeller, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee said the report shows the administration “led the nation to war on false premises.”

Source: Democracy Now!

Should We Be Worried?

It was difficult to watch Senator Obama's speech to AIPAC on Wednesday. Repeatedly throughout this campaign season he has promised to bring about change to the way Washington is run. He has promised that lobbyist will not set and dictate the agenda of his administration. If his speech was any indication of the change that he has been promising, we can rest assure that not much of anything will change. I've provided his entire speech below.

**Special Report: Live From Montana

The long road to the Democratic nominee will likely be settled as early as Wednesday morning. Neither candidate will reach the magic number of delegates by the end of voting tonight to secure the party's nomination. CNN is reporting that a score of super delegates will begin endorsing Senator Obama as soon polls close tonight.

The debate of an Obama/Clinton dream ticket is beginning to pick up steam. Pundits and advisors from both campaigns have publicly entertained the idea but no firm commitment from either camp has been given. Looking at the numbers and exit polls from the primaries held from the beginning of March to now, all the numbers point towards the practically of a joint ticket. As the NY Times reported this past weekend, Senator Clinton has won more states (7 out of 13) and more votes (6.7 million compared to 6.1 million) than Senator Obama. By the end of the day, Clinton will have around 17 million votes. She has built a movement of her own and it is a fact that cannot be ignored.

Obama has galvanized and attracted first time voters, but to go against John McCain and the Republican force, he cannot just rely on his own voting bloc. He is going to need the Latino, blue collar, women, and senior votes. These groups have consistently voted for Clinton in this primary season and with her credentials she is the best candidate to secure these votes for an Obama presidency.

Unity has been a word the Democratic party has been tossing around the last few weeks in an attempt to appease worries of a divided party. The best form of unity is to bring together two opposing forces with over 34 million votes between them. Both candidates repeatedly say that this election is bigger than themselves and it is an important moment in U.S. history. If either candidate is genuine in their comments then all talks about Obama's camp's dislike of the Clintons is not productive. Unity means bringing together opposing forces and working together for a common goal. That goal should be working to restore the U.S.'s image domestically and internationally. If anything has been learned from this primary season, it is that the U.S. is ready for change, and what a refreshing change an Obama/Clinton ticket will be.

Live From Montana

Tomorrow I will report live from Montana on the last Democratic primary....

Stay tuned.

What Now?

So what happens next?

In an ideal world, Hillary Clinton continues her fight for the Democratic presidential nomination all the way through the national convention in August. I can hear the throngs of Democrats now: this is horrible, why would we want a fight in the convention?; to beat John McCain in the fall we need a united Democratic party; why can't Hillary just give up? All of these questions/concerns are legitimate but I want to propose (remember, in an ideal world) a good reason for Clinton to take her fight to the halls of the convention. It is not that I want to see her as the Democratic nominee. I want something bigger. I want something that our friends in Great Britain, France, and to name a few, Canada have:

I want proper representation in local and state governments, U.S. Congress, and in the White House!

In the U.S., two parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, represent a population of over 300 million people. There are a few independent politicians, but definitely not enough to be collectively measured as serious political players. In an ideal world, Obama's camp (representing the so-called liberal Democrats) split from the Hillary camp (representing the so-called centrist Democrats), and we would, as a start, have three political parties representing the U.S.

Look at Great Britain, France and Canada:

The Brits have:

• Radical Party
• Conservative Party
• Liberal Party
• Labour Party
• Social Democratic Party

The French have:

• Socialist Party
• Union for a Popular Movement
• Rally for the Republic
• The Greens

The Canadians have:

• Bloc Quebecois
• Conservative Party of Canada
• Liberal Party of Canada
• New Democratic Party
  

Having more than two political parties will solve a few issues that plague the U.S. electoral process. Voter apathy is the most important (and embarrassing) problem facing the U.S. electoral process. Polls indicate that voter apathy is extremely high in the U.S., and repeatedly voter turnout lingers around 50% (and below). This year's Democratic primaries and caucuses have had record turnouts. The Democrats have two candidates that represent a different image compared to the status quo. Clinton (a female) and Obama (an African American) are vying for a chance to be President of the United States. Having two legitimate and qualified candidates that are not the stereotypical white males has really excited the nation. This excitement results from a connection the voters feel with either Clinton or Obama. For the first time in a long time, voters feel invested and properly represented.

It would be nice to see every election (local, state, and general) have this much excitement. It seems that we wait for "generational" candidates to emerge before we become passionate about politics. The problem with waiting for generational leaders is that they come every forty years, and when they do, they (to use a sports analogy) play ball in the same court as their predecessors. The problem with voter apathy is not the candidates; instead it is the lack of alternative political parties. The two-party system cannot, and I stress cannot, represent 300 million people. The U.S. is not a static country. She is a country comprised of farmers, factory workers, data analysis, engineers, doctors, teachers, students, businessmen & women, black, white, brown, old, young, rich, poor. The U.S. is a diverse country, yet, politicians represent as if the U.S. is uniform. The apathy of voters stems from a lack of voice in government, and too many times, voters vote out of necessity and desperation to see certain candidates not elected (the lesser of two evils argument).

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, this is an ideal situation. Do I think this will happen? Of course not! It would, however, be great to see a debate on the floors of Congress and State Halls between representatives of many different political parties advocating for the farmers, factory workers, data analysis, engineers, doctors, teachers, students, businessmen & women, black, white, brown, old, young, rich, poor. Until that day comes, notes will continue to post from the underground.

Che's 80th Birthday

Ernesto Che Guevara's 80th birthday is coming up in a few weeks (June 14th) and a new website was launched today to commemorate the occasion:

www.che80.co.cu

Che's widow sent a congratulatory message to award winning actor Benicio del Toro for his role in Steven Soderbergh's biopic. Del Toro received the Best Actor Prize in this year's Cannes Film Festival for his portrayal of the legendary revolutionary (see full article here).

Salon.com's Andrew O'Hehir attended the movie premier at Cannes and wrote a glowing review of the film.


Below I have uploaded some archival footage of Che.

McCain's America -- A World Citizen

Senator John McCain addressed the University of Colorado yesterday on his presumptive nuclear strategy if elected the next U.S. president. His address is laced with similarities resembling a continuation of George W. Bush's foreign policy. The full transcript of his address can be found here.

There is such a thing as good international citizenship, and America must be a good citizen of the world--leading the way to address the danger of global warming and preserve our environment, strengthening existing international institutions and helping to build new ones, and engaging the world in a broad dialogue on the threat of violent extremists, who would, if they could, use weapons of mass destruction to attack us and our allies.

McCain is using the same fear tactics that the Bush administration has successfully implemented since September 2001. His definition of a "good international [citizen]" is one that works with other nations on making a safer world from "violent extremists". Good citizens will use international institutions and agencies to confront extremists, and in some cases, create new alliances to help preserve the world from evil. Yet, based on his senatorial record, his declaration is inconsistent with his platform.

Senator McCain's inconsistency is twofold: at the core, the underlying problems are his vote to authorize the Iraq war in 2002 and his continued support of the war (and subsequent surge). The "good" citizen, as he notes above, works to "strengthen existing international institutions". The United Nations (U.N.) is an example of an international institution and on numerous occasions before the start of the war, the U.S. repeatedly defied the U.N. Leaders from France and Germany attempted to stop the run up to war but were unsuccessful in their bids. By invading and occupying Iraq-with only 40 nations in the U.S. coalition- the U.S. was acting at odds with the U.N. and the international community. This act by the U.S. illustrates the Bush administration's disregard for the international community. McCain reaffirms the Bush doctrine and the administration's disregard of the international community by voting to authorize the war in 2002 (H.J. Res, 114).

Furthermore, his continued support of the war and the surge demonstrates his lack of understanding of the realities in Iraq. This disillusionment is just another example of McCain's inconsistent promise that the U.S. will be a good citizen of the world. His response to interrupting protesters is a glowing example of his doublespeak:

McCain promises not leave to Iraq until the U.S. achieves its mission. A good citizen of the world includes international institutions and neighboring countries in the rebuilding effort of Iraq; a good citizen does not allow a civil war to break out between Shi'as and Sunnis; as journalist Nir Rosen notes, a good citizen of the world will not allow (under her watch) a country to cease to exist:

I don’t think Iraq even—you can say it exists anymore. There has been a very effective, systematic ethnic cleansing of Sunnis from Baghdad, of Shias—from areas that are now mostly Shia. But the Sunnis especially have been a target, as have mixed families like the one we just saw. With a name like Omar, he’s distinctly Sunni—it’s a very Sunni name. You can be executed for having the name Omar alone. And Baghdad is now firmly in the hands of sectarian Shiite militias, and they’re never going to let it go.

(read full transcript here)

McCain would like you to believe that he is bringing a fresh new approach to foreign and nuclear policy. Yet, as just shown, his record proves otherwise. A McCain presidency is just a continuation of the failed policies of one of the worst administrations in recent U.S. history.

Castro on Obama

Excerpts of Fidel Castro's article published yesterday on Obama. A link to the full article is below:

Reflections of Fidel (May 26, 2008)

• I feel no resentment towards [Obama], for he is not responsible for the crimes perpetrated against Cuba and humanity. Were I to defend him, I would do his adversaries an enormous favor. I have therefore no reservations about criticizing him and about expressing my points of view on his words frankly.

• Presidential candidate Obama’s speech may be formulated as follows: hunger for the nation, remittances as charitable hand-outs and visits to Cuba as propaganda for consumerism and the unsustainable way of life behind it.

• What did he say in his speech in Miami, this man who is doubtless, from the social and human points of view, the most progressive candidate to the U.S. presidency?

• What is the difference between what Monroe [in the Monroe Doctrine] proclaimed and what Obama proclaims and resuscitates in his speech two centuries later?

• In his speech, Obama portrays the Cuban Revolution as anti-democratic and lacking in respect for freedom and human rights. It is the exact same argument which, almost without exception, U.S. administrations have used again and again to justify their crimes against our country. The blockade, in and of itself, is an act of genocide. I don’t want to see U.S. children inculcated with those shameful values.

• We were always bound by previous forms of power and, following the institutionalization of this organization, we were elected by more than 90% of voters, as has become customary in Cuba, a process which does not in the least resemble the ridiculous levels of electoral participation which, many a time, as in the case of the United States, stay short of 50% of voters.

• I am not questioning Obama’s great intelligence, his debating skills or his work ethic. He is a talented orator and is ahead of his rivals in the electoral race.

• Nevertheless, I am obliged to raise a number of delicate questions. I do not expect answers; I wish only to raise them for the record.

• Is it right for the president of the United States to order the assassination of any one person in the world, whatever the pretext may be?
• Is it ethical for the president of the United States to order the torture of other human beings?
• Should state terrorism be used by a country as powerful as the United States as an instrument to bring about peace on the planet?
• Can the United States do without immigrants, who grow vegetables, fruits, almonds and other delicacies for U.S. citizens? Who would sweep their streets, work as servants in their homes or do the worst and lowest-paid jobs?
• Is it fair to stage pre-emptive attacks on sixty or more dark corners of the world, as Bush calls them, whatever the pretext may be?
• Is it honorable and sane to invest millions and millions of dollars in the military industrial complex, to produce weapons that can destroy life on earth several times over?

[just a sample of his questions...there are many more]

• Before judging our country, you should know that Cuba, with its education, health, sports, culture and sciences programs, implemented not only in its own territory but also in other poor countries around the world...

Alan M. Dershowitz -- Another Absurd Comment

Many Florida Jews Express Doubts on Obama

NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/22/us/politics/22jewish.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1211468464-h6/RiOTLnGncbjfRaWiUoA

If you haven't already read this article please do. It's very telling how closed-minded people are in their perceptions of Middle Easterners. More importantly, it illuminates the very sad, sad notion of acceptance of comments made by certain individuals that are down right offensive towards people of a certain region:

Israelis fear Iran “could be the first suicide nation, a nation that would destroy itself to destroy the Jewish nation,” Mr. Dershowitz said.

According to Harvard law professor, former O.J. Simpson attorney, and author Alan Dershowitz, the Iranian regime will martyr itself to destroy Israel. I'm not going to waste my time discussing the baseless and illogical statement made by Dershowitz. Instead, I want to address the culture of accepting offensive and absurd comments directed toward an individual or a to group.

Many articles, blogs, and books have been published on the culture of fear that has dominated the U.S. for many years. Countless U.S. administrations have used fear as a tool to promote and legislate certain policies that are not in the best interest of our country. This fear instilled in us has given rise to a new phenomenon that is governing who we are: acceptance. Fear is used to promote negative stereotypes of any given "enemy" (i.e., Native Americans, African slaves, Japanese, communist, Arab and Muslim terrorist, etc). Once the fear is established, acceptance begins to overtake our reason and our humanity, thus marginalizing specific groups of people. "Islam is a religion of hate. It breeds terrorist. Arabs want to kill all Jews." These horrid statements told and retold from officials and the media begins to slowly sway the perceptions of people. You hear it in the news, you read about it in the op-eds, Hollywood begins to produce films and made-for-tv series about terrorist sleeper cells in the U.S., and tons of books are published glorifying these negative images.

After being exposed to these negative images from all angles, acceptance creeps in. You are reminded of your “fear” when coming across absurd and offensive comments directed towards a specific group of people. This fear leads to accepting statements or the nature of events as true. Dershowitz's statement is an example of fear turned into acceptance. The media attention on Iran in the last thirty years has not been a favorable one. Bush has labeled Iran as part of an axis of evil and some in the media have even compared Iran's president Ahmadinejad with Hitler (this blog does not endorse Ahmadinejad nor does it agree with his policies, but to compare him with Hitler- the architect of the holocaust- is illogical and absurd). It plays into the fear card that is constantly being used and reused against Iran. Therefore, it becomes acceptable (and sadly by some, believable) to hear statements that imply Iran's, as a nation, willingness to attain martyrdom by destroying the state of Israel.

I use the word acceptable to explain this phenomenon because of the consequences (or lack thereof) of publicly making offensive comments. Very few, if any, public apologies have been given when comments of these sorts about Middle Easterners are made. When offensive comments about African Americans and Jewish Americans are made, public apologies are quick to follow. This happens when offensive and absurd comments are unacceptable by the public. Yet, I want to remind the reader that even though such comments become unacceptable, it does not mean the negative stereotypes have ceded to exist.

This way of governing, vis-a-vis fear of specific groups is a cycle that needs to be broken. It does nothing but divide people and create an atmosphere of hate that is neither desirable nor productive. The next time an offensive and absurd statement is made about any specific group (American, Arab, Black, Iranian, Jewish, etc.), it is vital that we all take a step back and really listen and decipher to what is being said. It's time to stop accepting insidious statements and start making an effort not to reinforce negative stereotypes and marginalizing specific groups.

General Peteraus Answers Senator Liberman's Question About Iran's involvement in Iraq

Sounds like the ground work for war no?

Obama Rap

I've met some interesting people on the road...

Questions I would ask...

If I had the opportunity to interview the three presidential candidates I would ask the following questions:

John McCain:

1. How do you explain to voters your continued support of a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of American soldiers?
2. How can you boast the success of the "surge" in Iraq when an entire country, to borrow the words from your colleague Senator Clinton, has been "obliterated"?
3. Many analyst suggest the U.S. economy is in, or is on its way, to a recession. You've been quoted as saying the economy is not your strong point. How can voters take your candidacy seriously if the number one pressing issue facing Americans is the economy?

Hillary Clinton:

1. After your victory in New Hampshire you claimed that you "found your voice". Yet, your campaign message has morphed a few times since then. It seems that in the last several weeks your populist message has been consistent and indeed you have a voice you are comfortable with. What do you say to voters who question whether your message is genuine or political, cold calculations?
2. What is the difference between Bush's "cowboy diplomacy" and your call for Iran's obliteration if they launch a nuclear attack on Israel?
3. If you really feel passionate about counting the votes of Florida and Michigan, why are you now voicing your opposition to the DNC's decision not to seat their delegates? Why not when the rules were first proposed and implemented?

Barack Obama:

1. What will you say to your followers if the changes you have promised to bring about in Washington are not achieved in time for the 2012 elections?
   
2. Your campaign claims to want to bring about change in Washington. Yet, just like Senator Clinton, your response to a hypothetical question regarding an Iranian nuclear attack on Israel, you sound a lot like Bush. How does your "forceful response" equate to change?
   
3. Both Senator McCain's and Clinton's position is clear regarding the plight of Palestinian statehood. What is your stance on the Palestinian question?

If I only had the opportunity to ask these questions...

One (Wo)man, One Vote

Covering the democratic and republican primaries has given me the opportunity to travel across the United States and visit many towns, cities, counties, and states that I would not have on my own. The people I meet in these places have really changed my outlook on the entire election/nomination process. Following the numerous presidential races as an adolescent, I was accustomed to the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary selecting the nominees for both parties. It did not even cross my mind that each state has a primary. I live in the Commonwealth of Virginia and I do not remember any discussion about its primary. As we all know, this has changed.

Every single state will cast a vote and unlike all the previous election cycles in my life-time (a little over two decades), the democratic candidates will campaign vigorously in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Watching this phenomenon up close I am witnessing the excitement of people for the elections. The pundits on TV lament on the "long" election season yet they fail to mention that this is exactly how the election process is suppose to be. Everyone should be afforded the right to vote. We live in a media dominated world and thus have been accustomed to short sound bites, flashy graphics, and pundits with their superficial "analysis". The media had declared this race over before a single vote was casted; they had declared this race over after the caucuses in Iowa; they declared the race over after Super Tuesday; and so forth. If the races is over, why are Senator Obama and Senator Clinton still splitting primary states?

Everybody I have met these past five months-from the early primaries to the latter one- want to vote! They want their voices to be heard. Let them vote. For a country that prides herself with the cliche slogan of "one (wo)man one vote", why can't we actually let the process ride itself out? For all the naysayers who claim this long process is hurting the democrats are simply wrong. In Indiana, the chairman of the democratic party was hoping for 800,000 ballots to be casted. Over 1.3 million votes were tallied in their primary. The excitement of the people can only benefit the democratic party and not hurt it.

First blog!

I should've kept a blog the moment I started covering the Democratic and Republican primaries...but I didn't. So it's the night of the Kentucky and Oregon primaries-five months after Obama's and Huckabee's Iowa wins- and I am starting a blog. As they say, it's never too late to start. So bare with me as I learn the ropes of blogging. I'll periodically update my Notes From the Underground on topics I cover- mainly the presidential elections and congressional hearings.

Ciao