Uncommon Thought Journal: Obama Administration Archives

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Obama signs police state legislation

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By Patrick Martin. Republished with permission from WSWS.

ObamaSigningNDAA.jpgPresident Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law on New Year's Eve. The bill provides a massive $662 billion for the US war machine and makes unprecedented inroads into democratic rights, authorizing the US military to seize individuals anywhere in the world and hold them in a military detention facility indefinitely, without a trial or any other legal recourse.

America's Media War on Iran

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By Stephen Lendman

IranMissiles.jpg

Remember the photoshopped missiles?


When Washington goes to war or threatens it, America's media march in lockstep, cheerleading. Fiction substitutes for fact.

News is carefully filtered, dissent marginalized, and supporting imperial belligerence substitutes for full and accurate disclosure.

As a result, patriotism means going along with rogue policies. Never mind rule of law principles and democratic values. Free and open societies are risked. So is humanity if belligerents overstep.

On "The Issue Of Character" And Empire

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by Phil Rockstroh

paprazzi.jpegLate last month, poet, musician, and self-termed "bluesologist," Gil Scott-Heron exited the hologram and returned to the source...to begin chanting, eternity will not be televised.

In an earlier era, Stephen Spender feted the following tribute to those who fell resisting Francisco Franco's fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War. His lines of verse serve as an apt epitaph to all those souls who devoted their art and labor to the ceaseless struggle against the perennially risen, death-besotted forces of coercive power: "The names of those who in their lives fought for life,/Who wore at their hearts the fire's center./Born of the sun, they traveled a short while towards the sun,/And left the vivid air signed with their honor."

The Obama Doctrine: Lawless Imperial Aggression (Part I)

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By Stephen Lendman

LibyaWar.jpgWikipedia says US presidential doctrines state "key goals, attitudes, or stances for United States foreign affairs." Except for James Monroe in 1823 asserting a declaration of regional dominance, later ones reflected Cold War and imperial politics since Harry Truman.

On March 29, eight New York Times contributors asked "Is There an Obama Doctrine," preceded by an introduction saying his previous day America's role in Libya speech asserted unilateral authority to intervene abroad "when our interests and values are at stake," an illegal position under international and constitutional law, unmentioned in the debate.

Remember Libya: One of History's Terror Bombing Victims

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By Stephen Lendman

LybiaPossCivilanCasualties.jpgLike Cast Lead against Gaza, Odyssey Dawn is criminal imperial war, willfully attacking non-combatants and civilian targets, including vital infrastructure, hospitals, non-military airports and buildings, ports, power generating facilities, and other sites unrelated to military necessity.

US-Led Libyan Ground Assault Planned

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By Stephen Lendman

LibyaBombing.jpgIn his weekly March 26 address, Obama said:

"As I pledged at the outset, the role of American forces has been limited. We are not putting any ground forces into Libya....And as agreed this week, responsibility for this operation is being transferred from the United States to our NATO allies and partners."


Democracy, Haitian Style

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By Stephen Lendman

MichelMartelly.jpgExcept for Aristide's tenure, what passes for Haitian democracy would make a despot blush, thanks to America's imperial grip on the hemisphere's poorest, long-suffering people.

As a result, last November's presidential and legislative elections might best be called a cruel joke. The entire process was rigged to exclude 15 parties, including by far the most popular, Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas.

Planned Regime Change in Libya

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By Stephen Lendman

Thumbnail image for GadaffiObama.jpgA March 25 White House press release announced Obama's planned March 28 national TV speech:

"to update the American people on the situation in Libya, including the actions we've taken with allies and partners to protect the Libyan people from the brutality of Moammar Qaddafi, the transition to NATO command and control, and our policy going forward."

US Rethinks Strategy: War as Opportunity in Libya

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By Ramzy Baroud

LibyaUndergroungJail.jpgThe brutality of Libyan leader Moammar Ghaddafi, and his refusal to concede power, is costing Libya much more than innocent lives. The country is now also facing a possible loss of future independence and sovereignty. From its early days, the Libyan revolt seemed to take a difference course than those of other Arab countries. It represented a window of opportunity for the United States and its western allies to reposition themselves, slowly but surely, around a conflict that promised grueling and bloodier times ahead.

No Place to Hide: Internet Tracking Probe Unveiled as New Smartphone Spy Scandal Unwinds

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling.


Thumbnail image for surveillance1.jpgAs the United States morphs into a failed state, one unwilling and soon perhaps, unable, to provide for the common good even as it hands over trillions of dollars to a gang of financial brigands engorged like parasitic ticks on the wealth of others, keeping the lid on is more than just an imperial obsession: it's big business.


By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling

ObamaTransparency.jpgWhen Politico reported late last month that President Obama quietly received a "transparency" award "in a closed, undisclosed meeting at the White House," I first thought it was an April Fool's gag.

Obama Again Capitulates

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By Stephen Lendman

SurrenderFlag.jpgA previous article explained his sellout to Republicans last year on extending tax cuts to America's aristocracy, accessed through the following link:
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/12/obama-capitulates-to-republicans.html

By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling.

SoupLineNY.gifCall it another sterling example of corporate-flavored "bipartisanship."

With a government shut-down looming over a manufactured "deficit crisis," the World Socialist Web Site reports that the "Obama administration and congressional Democrats have offered to triple the amount of cuts in social spending for the remainder of the current fiscal year, from $10 billion to $30 billion, in ongoing talks with congressional Republicans that face an April 8 deadline."



Review of Recent Polling on Defense Spending and Deficit Reduction

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By Carl Conetta of Project on Defense Alternatives.


Thumbnail image for ReaperUAV.jpgBottom line:  Poll response hinges on policy context and background knowledge.  Knowledge about the size of the US defense budget -- especially relative to spending in other policy areas and the amounts spent on defense by other countries -- prompts support for substantial reductions in the Pentagon's budget.  Also key is the relative weight that the public gives to economic and security concerns. The $100 billion annual roll-back in planned defense spending proposed by several deficit-reduction efforts accords with some poll results.


White House Plans to Launch Internet ID System, Further Eroding Civil and Political Rights

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling.

commercedept.jpgUrged by one and all to "tone down" what media pundits and political elites describe as "strident," even "violent" rhetoric that has "poisoned" our "national conversation" and "sharply polarized" the population, the shooting rampage in Tucson which claimed six lives, including that of a nine-year-old girl is, in fact, emblematic of the moral bankruptcy and utter hypocrisy of those selfsame capitalist elites.


Whitewashing Defeat: Obama's Indecisiveness Defines His Presidency

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By Ramzy Baroud

BarackObama.jpg He may still possess the poise of a confident leader and an eloquent intellectual, but the presidency of Barack Obama is now suffering its most difficult phase to date.

Tim Geithner "Discovers" Exchange Rate Problem

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By Richard Backus

CurrencyExchange.jpg It is quite amazing that our current Secretary of the Treasury has finally discovered that there is an exchange rate problem, and that he must do something quickly to correct it. Ex- Treasury Secretaries as well as central bankers have apparently been equally unaware that the U.S. was running "unsustainable" trade deficits of a magnitude that have ruined less-favored countries in the past. In fact, trade imbalances of a scandalous amount, caused by exchange rate manipulations, have existed for the past 30+ years with U.S. government official making feeble if not ludicrous efforts to correct them. But now, Tim has "discovered" this problem and is dealing with Chinese authorities with a view of correcting it. The real story, hidden from the public, is that currency manipulations by the Chinese have been going on for quite some time, having caused the near-bankruptcy of many developing countries. Those occurring in the early 1990s have had particularly negative consequences.

Tear down the walls of secrecy!

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PSL Editorial on the Wikileaks cables. Published at PSL on 12/6/10.

WikiLeaks.jpg WikiLeaks can currently be found at http://wikileaks.info/ and here are links to WikiLeaks Mirrors http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27007.htm

No one should be fooled by the U.S. political establishment's hypocritical denunciations of Wikileaks. The release of 250,000 confidential State Department cables is a daring act that intends to unveil the cynical, self-serving motivations of U.S. foreign policy. In contrast to the force-fed image of the U.S. government engaged in global politics to strengthen human rights, we see they only care about strengthening their own interests.

More Than a Bribe: Obama Surrenders Palestinian Rights

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By Ramzy Baroud

palestinianflag.jpg The Middle East policies of US President Barack Obama may well prove the most detrimental in history so far, surpassing even the rightwing policies of President George W. Bush. Even those who warned against the overt optimism which accompanied Obama's arrival to the White House must now be stunned to see how low the US president will go to appease Israel - all under the dangerous logic of needing to keep the peace process moving forward.

Despair Follows Delusion

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By Joel Hirschhorn

Despite all the hype and rhetoric, only one impact of the midterm elections is assured. Notwithstanding power shifts from Democrats to Republicans in Congress there will not be any deep, sorely needed true reforms of our corrupt, dysfunctional and inefficient government. The culture of corruption in Washington, DC will remain. Hundreds of millions of dollars from corporate and other special interests will assure that.

THE CIA, KKK, & USA

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By Sherwood Ross

CIASeal.jpg By assigning covert action roles to the Central Intelligence Agency(CIA), it is as if the White house and Congress had legitimized the Ku Klux Klan to operate globally. That's because the CIA today resembles nothing so much as the "Invisible Empire" of the KKK that once spread terror across the South and Midwest. Fiery crosses aside, this is what the CIA is doing globally.

FBI Raids Activists' Homes in Sinister COINTELPRO Replay

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By  Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling


endgame.jpg In a replay of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's infamous COINTELPRO operations targeting the left during the 1960s and '70s, America's political police launched raids on the homes of antiwar and solidarity activists on Friday.

Starving Africa's Future?

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By Beth Tuckey. Republished from Foreign Policy in Focus.

NubaFarming.jpg In what may be President Obama's most significant foray into changing U.S.-Africa policy since his election in 2008, the United States is embarking on a new initiative to boost agricultural production in the global south. Feed the Future (FTF) came out of the G8 summit in L'Aquila in 2009 where developed country leaders committed to acting to "achieve sustainable global food security." Obama pledged $3.5 billion over three years toward this goal, in hopes that other rich nations would also make significant investments in agricultural development.

Military Spying and Torture Continues Under Obama: CIFA's Nine (Corrupt) Lives

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling.

torture-2.jpg Despite promises to the contrary, the Obama administration has consolidated, even expanded privacy- and civil liberties killing programs launched by the Bush government.

What do BP and the Banks Have In Common? The Era of Corporate Anarchy

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By Gonalo Lira. Republished from Centre for Research on Globalization.

CorporateMapper.jpg (Click Corporate Nexus of Power to access interactive map for image.)

On the occasion of the BP oil spill disaster, President Obama's delivered an Oval Office speech last night--a masterpiece of milquetoast faux-outrage. The speech was all about "clean energy" and "ending our dependence on fossil fuels". Faced with the BP oil spill--likely the most severe environmental disaster ever--this was President Obama's response: Polite outrage, and vague plans to "get tough", "set aside just compensation" and "do something".

US consolidates occupation of Iraq

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By Peter Symonds. Republished from WSWS.

As the Obama administration escalates its war in Afghanistan, Iraq is cautiously being declared a success. The top American commander in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno, declared last Friday that the country had held "a legitimate and credible election", its security forces had improved and plans were "on track" for the withdrawal of all US combat troops from Iraq by September 1.

Cowardly Progressives

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By Joel S. Hirschhorn

After listening to a number of speeches at a national conference of progressives I come to this conclusion: Progressives are more than eager to take credit for electing President Obama and even to complain about the many failures of him and his administration. They overwhelmingly feel that his campaign promises were far, far better than what he has delivered. They are disappointed. They are frustrated. They are sad. But ultimately they are also cowards.

New Director of National Intelligence: Overseeing Aggression Abroad, Repression at Home

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling

Yesterday, President Barack Obama selected retired Air Force Lt. General James R. Clapper Jr. as his nominee as the secret state's new Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

Oily Obama: Lousy Response to BP Oil Invasion

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By Joel S. Hirschhorn

Thirty days into the BP oil spill one mile down into the Gulf of Mexico it should be clear to every objective person that President Obama has failed miserably. This oil spill is more than a disaster or crisis; it is a catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. This environmental catastrophe will quickly morph into a national economic catastrophe as economic doomsday facing the fishing and tourism industries generates countless negative economic ripples throughout the US economy. Unemployment and economic growth will suffer.

Karazai's Washington Visit: The War Awaiting Kandahar

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By Ramzy Baroud

Clad in his usual attire of a colorful, striped robe, Afghan President Hamid Karazai appeared more like an emperor as he began his fourth day in Washington. Accompanying him on a somber visit to the Arlington National Cemetery were US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and top US (and NATO) commander in Afghanistan Stanley A. McChrystal - the very men responsible for the war and occupation of his own country.

Obama's Slippery Slope. Ginning-Up the "Terror" Threat, Shredding the Constitution

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling.

When Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized American citizen and 30-year-old son of a retired senior Pakistani Air Force officer was arrested in the failed plot to detonate a car-bomb in Times Square May 1, U.S. counterterrorism officials and their stenographers in the corporate media proclaimed a "connection" between Shahzad and the far-right jihadi outfit, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

High-Tech Death from Above: U.S. Drone Wars Fuel War Crimes

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling.

As America continues its uncontrolled flight towards disaster, Israeli-style "targeted killings" (assassinations) of alleged militants and unarmed civilians in the "Afpak theatre" are on the rise.

Barack in the Crosshairs: Is the military threatening to kill Obama?

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By John Hankey. Republished with permission from Speaking Truth to Power.

There is a financial oligarchy in this country, that tries, by every means available to it, to control all essential political activity, including the education of the citizens, their thinking, the information available to them, etc.  Some politicians genuinely see themselves as public servants, and wish to serve the public good.  They can give passionate and inspiring speeches, spoken truly from the heart - but they know good and well that if they want to get elected they must carry out the agenda of the elite.   All politicians, even those trying to make society more fair, must be brought to heel, one way or another.  It is not a simple game.  And the tools used to control politicians are varied:  controlling the information they receive is often effective; some times bribery or a scandal is necessary.  It was necessary to shoot John and Robert Kennedy in the head.  The bloody deaths of the Kennedy brothers sent a message to every politician that still echoes today.  And I think the evidence shows that Obama received a reminder of this message recently.

Flexible Afghanistan War Objectives: And the Agony Grinds On

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By Ramzy Baroud

Washington and its willing mouthpieces in the media have for years been trying to sell us the preposterous war in Afghanistan. While they attempt to convince us that the war is predicated on a faultless military logic and moral wisdom, it remains in fact a tragic adventure with no decipherable objectives, and involving several countries, private contractors, and all sorts of firms seeking to make a quick buck.

Finding a Cure for the Insidious Cancers of "Hope" and "Faith"

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By Carolyn Baker of Speaking Truth to Power


At the risk of being accused of declaring "I told ya so", I must admit that three online articles made my day today-two of which I posted in Truth to Power's Daily News Digest, and one which I posted on the website itself. The first was by one of my heroes, Chris Hedges, in which he stated "We owe Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney an apology. They were right about Barack Obama. They were right about the corporate state. They had the courage of their convictions and they stood fast despite wholesale defections and ridicule by liberals and progressives." His article is a litany of how Barack Obama, using "hope" to get elected, has revealed himself as Bush III and how voting in national elections accomplishes nothing in a society rotting in putrifying political and moral corruption.

As Defense Budget Soars, Security Firms Reap Huge Profits, Go Offshore to Avoid Taxes

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling

The Obama administration is seeking to increase the obscenely bloated U.S. Defense Department budget to a whopping $708 billion for fiscal year 2011, 3.4% above 2010's record level, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Trillions to Burn? A Quick Guide to the Surge in Defense Spending

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By Carl Conetta of Project on Defense Alternatives

[This web memo is based on two recent publications of the Project on Defense Alternatives: An Undisciplined Defense - Understanding the $2 Trillion Surge in US Defense Spending and The President's Dilemma: Deficits, Debt, and Defense Spending, both dated 18 January 2010]
With his decision to further boost defense spending, President Obama is continuing the process of re-inflating the Pentagon that began in late 1998 - fully three years before the 9/11 attacks on America.The FY 2011 budget marks a milestone,however: the inflation-adjusted rise in spending since 1998 will probably exceed 100% in real terms by the end of the fiscal year.

The Useless Logic of Round Numbers: War is Criminal Any Day

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By Ramzy Baroud

The media's habit of revisiting certain issues at set intervals can be strange and even illogical at times. For example, many news outlets commented on President Barack Obama's first 100 days in office, as well as on the anniversary of his election win, and then again one year after his inauguration day. With every new round number, more commentators joined in and discussions heated up between proponents and detractors of his government's performance.

Reports Dissect "Unprecedented" Spike in US Defense Spending

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Reports by Carl Conetta, and Charles Knight of Project on Defense Alternatives

1) An Undisciplined Defense Understanding: the $2 Trillion Surge in US Defense Spending (PDA Briefing Report #20, 1/18/2010)
2) The President's Dilemma: Deficits, Debt, and US Defense Spending (PDA Briefing Memo 45, 1/18/2010)

Since 1998 the Pentagon has spent more than $6.5 trillion. More than $2 trillion of this sum was above the levels set in 1998. But only half of the $2 trillion in added funds was for recent wars and military operations. Among other things, the surge in spending has allowed the Defense Department to re-inflate its workforce to Cold War levels. And almost all the expansion is contractor labor.

Obama Executive Order Seeks to "Synchronize and Integrate" State and Federal Military Forces

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By Tom Burghardt of Antifascist Calling

In the wake of the Flight 253 provocation, over-hyped terrorism panics, and last year's Big Pharma and media-engineered hysteria over the H1N1 flu pandemic, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13528 on January 11.

News you can't use (Bagram Prison)

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By Rowan Wolf

I hate it when I get incomplete information. Of course, that happens all the time, but a piece of news today rang alarm bells. Namely, Afghans agree to take over U.S. prison at Bagram (1/10/2010). According to the piece from Reuters, and as noted elsewhere over the years, the Bagram prison (housed in a converted aircraft hanger) has been the "more evil twin" of Guantanamo.

The massacre at Kunduz and the policy of targeted killings

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By Peter Schwarz. Republished from World Socialist Web Site with permission.

The massacre which took place at the beginning of September in Kunduz, Afghanistan, taking the lives of up to 142 people, continues to dominate the German media. But while considerable attention is given to what happened and the cover-up which followed, barely anything has been said about the political, historical and international implications of the bloodiest military strike ordered by a German commander since 1945.

Will Obama's Surge Work? A Primer on the War in Afghanistan.

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By John Chuckman

The most fundamental realities of the war in Afghanistan include the following.

The Taleban is not an invading guerilla force. The word "insurgents" nicely hides the fact that they are natives of the land we have invaded.

Moreover, they are a substantial portion of the population, not a small group.

And they attacked no one.

A World of Abbreviated Criterions

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By Mathew Maavak of Panoptic World

The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to US President Barrack Obama is another revelatory instance of our shortening standards. We are not governed by reason but by acronyms. In fact, our self-worth is set by them.

How do you describe a leader who vowed to condemn the 1915 Armenian genocide once in office and makes a U-turn soon after? What if that leader spurns a meeting with a Buddhist monk to avoid provoking a dictatorship that actively undermines his nation?

Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Decision Points

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By Rowan Wolf

Obama is meeting with various advisers at length to determine a strategy for Afghanistan. However, this is truly a complex question with far reaching effects. The realities are grim, and seem counter-intuitive to any strategy whatsoever. Unfortunately Obama committed early on to Afghanistan as "the good war." A bad choice in my opinion, but that campaign rhetoric commitment is part of the anchor which now is likely to hold him to certain constraints.

Premature peace

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By Jim Miles

When I first saw the headline, in Rob Kall's OpEd News, I thought "This is a joke." However on further checking the joke on the web - through sites as diverse as al-Jazeera, the Globe and Mail, the Christian Science Monitor, Reuters and others - it became obvious that this was not a joke, but a farce. I do not think there is much a I can really add to what has already been said about the prize going to Obama as many commentators have reflected my sentiments quite accurately, but I could not resist doing something to get my personal bewilderment about this farce out of my system by writing about it.

Obama's Test: Democracy or Chaos in Latin America

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By Ramzy Baroud

Latin America stands at the threshold of a new era: one that promises a return to political uncertainty, violence and chaos or one of political stability and economic prosperity. Honduras is a crucial indicator.

Will Obama Have Veto Courage?

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By Joel S. Hirschhorn

Odds are pretty good that after some tortuous meetings and awful compromises by House and Senate bigwigs whatever health reform law is passed by Congress will not be close to what most thoughtful people want. Especially not what progressives and liberals wanted from a Democrat controlled Congress. Will President Obama act with integrity?

A Fresh Approach in Afghanistan: An End to War?

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By Ramzy Baroud

Left out of the options under consideration in "Obama's war" is the only one with any chance of success.

Despite assurances to the contrary in Washington and a major policy speech in London, one need not quibble with the obvious fact that the situation is deteriorating beyond repair in Afghanistan. Although international media is more concerned with what that means politically for United States President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, little attention is given to the browbeaten and war-weary people of that country.

Obama's Bottom Line on Healthcare Reform?

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By Rowan Wolf

People may find the full text and video excerpts of Obama's speech to the full Congress at Huffington Post. I am going to excerpt and discuss what I think are the most critical components.

White House Is Drafting Executive Order to Allow Indefinite Detention

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By Dafna Linzer and Peter Finn. Republished from ProPublica

The Obama administration, fearing a battle with Congress that could stall plans to close Guantanamo, is drafting an executive order that would reassert presidential authority to incarcerate suspected terrorists indefinitely, according to three senior government officials with knowledge of White House deliberations.

Obama Still on Wrong Side of Torture - Padilla v Yoo

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By Rowan Wolf

The Obama administration is continuing to actively pursue the Bush administration's assertion of immunity for those who crafted, approved, and engaged in torture. Yesterday, the Department of Justice and John Yoo were handed a stinging rebuke by Bush appointed Judge Jeffrey White of the Northern District of California.

Beyond The Soaring Rhetoric of Obama's Cairo Speech: A Toxic Innocence At Home

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By Phil Rockstroh

Even as President Barrack Obama waxed eloquent in Cairo, Egypt, on the moral imperatives of the community of nations, public opinion polls released in the United States revealed that, by a substantial percentage, its citizens believe torture is an acceptable option for interrogation of suspects deemed terrorists by various US governmental agencies. In addition, other polls show a majority of the American public hold the opinion that the all American theme park of state torture, located at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, should remain open for business and continue to welcome guests from around the globe, taking them for the ride of their lives through the dark id of the American psyche.

Blind Justice? The Argument Over Judge Sotomayor

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By Rowan Wolf

I have had it with the ongoing cant regarding Sonia Sotomayor. Not surprisingly, what has moved to the forefront of the so-called "discussion" are two related fabricated issues: "identity politics" and "blind justice." My brain has circled round and round these claims because they are so offensive on so many levels.

Obama's Guantánamo Appeasement Plan

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By Marjorie Cohn. Republished from The Centre for Global Research

Two days after his inauguration, President Obama pledged to close Guantánamo within one year. The Republicans, led by Senators John McCain, Mitch McConnell and Pat Roberts, immediately launched a concerted campaign to assail the new president. They claimed his plan would release dangerous terrorists into U.S. communities and allow released terrorists to resume fighting against our troops. Fox News agitator Sean Hannity and Bush team players like torture-memo lawyer John Yoo filled the airwaves and print media with paranoia.

By Phil Rockstroh

From time to time, events unfold that are so large in scope, so all-encompassing in their implications that one's initial response is muted by an inability to categorize it all within the realm of experience. Previous reference points prove of little service. One's image of oneself and one's place in the world is under siege, perhaps even in danger of being torn away. One stare's into the abyss, until the abyss removes its dark shades and makes direct eye contact. The mind buzzes; one's thoughts scuttle in circles like stunned insects.

Yes We Can Say No to Torture

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By Rowan Wolf

Not only CAN we say "No" to torture, we MUST say "No" to torture. Much of the torture "debate" has focused around the policies, legitimation, and use of torture under the Bush Administration. President Obama has repeatedly stated that he thinks that torture does not reflect our values. Indeed, he has said the he "believes" that waterboarding is torture. However, since taking office, he has increasingly shifted his rhetoric to "soften" the issue of torture. He increasingly refers to "enhanced interrogation." In his press conference marking his first hundred days in office, he referred to torture as a "shortcut." This conceptual and linguistic shifting is more than worrisome - it is downright alarming.

The Drones Are Coming: New War on Civilians

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By Ramzy Baroud

US President Barack Obama took the podium in a White House press conference and stood with an all-embellished confidence that often accompanies new presidents. He was flanked by two leaders whose apparent grandeur barely reflected their embattled situations on the ground: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

A Number of Bush Legal Memos Released

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The Department of Justice released a number of memorandum regarding George Bush's legal opinions today. The list may be found under Office of Legal Counsel Memoranda. Among the memos is Memorandum Regarding Status of Certain OLC Opinions Issued in the Aftermath of the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001 (01-15-2009), which is the Obama DOJ response.

Also released was THE PRESIDENT'S CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST TERRORISTS AND NATIONS SUPPORTING THEM.

All of them pretty dense reading so enjoy :-)

Blood on His Hands

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By Rowan Wolf

Well, Obama now has blood on his hands. He reportedly ordered (or authorized) predator drone attacks inside Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Both strikes are reported to have resulted in civilian deaths.

Struggle for peace: Obama has to take control of mediating Mideast conflict

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By Yousef Munayyer - a policy analyst for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. This article and request are from an ADC Flash Alert

Please see the Op-Ed below on the Israel's Attacks on Gaza and in this morning's Chicago Tribune. Consider writing a letter to the editor by sending an e-mail to [email protected] . You may also submit a letter directly online by clicking here.

Remember it is important to send letters to the editor and encourage others to do so to let them know this point of view is welcome. Letters are more likely to be published if they are no longer than 200 words and include the authors contact information for verification purposes.

In Israel, it is time to be tough. Not because being tough will stop rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, but because being tough will get you elected. With elections upcoming, the incumbents have a direct advantage over the challengers because they are in the position to create, and act upon, issues of national security to prove their ability to handle these challenges. This of course proves very useful when Benjamin Netanyahu, the front-runner for prime minister, has been campaigning on a platform of security and attacking the incumbents as too soft.

What Message is Obama Sending with Rick Warren?

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By Rowan Wolf

One has to wonder what message President-Elect Barack Obama is sending with his selection of Rick Warren to give the inaugural prayer. Warren is the head of the evangelical Saddleback Church (comprised of four "campuses") in Lake Forest, California.

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