In the ArenaUncategorized
Barack Obama has to be feeling whipsawed by the current hoo-hah over airport body searches. First, he catches all sorts of grief for the terrorist near-misses in Times Square and by the Undiebomber. Now, he’s catching all sorts of grief because of amped up TSA security measures. A Washington Post poll today shows solid approval for the …
(White House/Pete Souza)
–As Obama and Biden head to Kokomo, Indiana for an auto bailout victory lap out, the AP tells the back story.
–The White House “strongly condemns” North Korea for exchange of artillery fire with the South. Things are escalating.
–The administration is willing to go to bat for TSA screening …
Some observers viewed the single guilty verdict against the Tanzania Embassy bomber Ahmed Ghailani last week as the death knell for civilian trials for terrorism suspects. Opponents of trying 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) and his co-conspirators in Article III courts declared civilian trials too dangerous after the jury …
First, a few quick bits of context for Obama’s children’s book, Of Thee I Sing, released last week and now climbing up bestseller lists.
– According to the publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, Obama finished writing the book before he was in office. So let us put a hold on the indignation at his penning stories with a backdrop of 10% …
In the ArenaUncategorized
Les Gelb is certainly right that bribing the Israelis with $3 billion in military equipment in return for a 90-day West Bank settlement freeze is a terrible idea. The payment should be reserved for a more substantial commitment from the Israelis–a complete and permanent halt to settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. They are, …
(White House Photo by Pete Souza)
–Mike Huckabee tells the Iowa Family Policy Center the state supreme court ousters “may have been singularly the most important election that happened in America.” Back story here.
—New York Magazine‘s Jason Zengerle details how Chris Christie
This is startling–and more than a little discouraging:
KABUL — Afghans in two crucial southern provinces are almost completely unaware of the September 11 attacks on the United States and don’t know they precipitated the foreign intervention now in its 10th year, a new report showed on Friday…
Few Afghans in Helmand and
…
In the ArenaAfghanistan
Ahmed Rashid, the Pakistani journalist who knows Afghanistan better than anyone, has scored a disturbing interview with Hamid Karzai, in which the Afghan leader really does seem to be getting tired of the American military strategy–specifically, the special operations night raids targeting Taliban leaders, which have been the most …
–Despite remaining schisms over the preferred end game, Democrats are ready to hold votes on extending only the Bush tax cuts for those making $250k or less.
–Still searching for a brave soul to take over the DSCC, Harry Reid and White House court Patty Murray.
–Overtures ongoing, Jon Kyl still sees “no chance” of lame duck …
Sen. Ron Wyden, of Oregon, has a knack for linking up with Republicans to introduce innovative health care policy that can garner real bipartisan support. When the Affordable Care Act was but a glimmer in President Obama’s eye, Wyden and Republican Sen. Bob Bennett, of Utah, introduced the Healthy Americans Act. This health care reform …
After about three hours of private deliberation, the vote came back 9-1. Apart from expulsion, censure is the most serious penalty Rangel could receive. If the full House affirms the recommendation when the chamber returns after Thanksgiving, Rangel will get a formal rebuke from the Speaker in front of his colleagues, a public sanction …
Obama tells his veep to focus “day and night” on getting Senate approval for the seriously endangered nuclear arms treaty.
PS Republican foreign policy mandarin Dick Lugar (last seen trying to prevent a horrible Outbreak-type bioterror scenario) is ticked off about the START holdup. I’d never known Lugar to raise his voice before. But …
The House failed to pass a three-month extension of federal unemployment-insurance benefits, leaving up to 4 million Americans at risk of losing their benefits when they expire at the end of the month. Because the bill was fast-tracked to the floor, it required a 2/3 majority to pass. With 258 members in favor and 154 opposed, the vote …
