Laughing @ The issues: Joe Biden and the VP Debate

Harry Truman’s Grandson Visits Hiroshima for Ceremony; 1st Member of Truman Family to Do So

TOKYO (AP) — A grandson of ex-U.S. President Harry Truman, who ordered the atomic bombings of Japan during World War II, is in Hiroshima to attend a memorial service for the victims.

Clifton Truman Daniel visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on Saturday and laid a wreath for the 140,000 people killed by the Aug. 6, 1945, bombing authorized by his grandfather. Another atomic blast in Nagasaki three days later killed 70,000 more.

“I think this cenotaph says it all — to honor the dead to not forget and to make sure that we never let this happen again,” Daniel said after offering a silent prayer.

Daniel is in Japan to attend ceremonies next week in Hiroshima and Nagasaki marking the 67th anniversary of the bombings. His visit, the first by a member of the Truman family, is sponsored by the peace group Sadako Legacy, named after Sadako Sasaki, an A-bomb victim who died of leukemia at age 12. While in the hospital, Sadako folded hundreds of paper cranes after hearing a legend that people who make 1,000 origami cranes can be granted a wish. Origami cranes have since become a symbol of peace.

Daniel met Sadako’s 71-year-old brother, Masahiro Sasaki, who survived the bombing, at a peace event in New York in 2010. They agreed to work together to deepen understanding between the two countries, which are still divided over the question of the legitimacy of the atomic attacks.

for more: http://news.yahoo.com/truman-grandson-visits-hiroshima-bomb-memorial-123905648.html

Profs from Fordham, CUNY, and Brooklyn College Attend “Occupy Wall Street” Conference ……in Tehran

Watch the video:

http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/108/0/3339.htm

VIDEO: The Obama Legacy

Obama WH Appears to be Using the Carter Playbook: Negotiating Mubarak’s Departure

from the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is discussing with Egyptian officials a proposal for President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately, turning over power to a transitional government headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman with the support of the Egyptian military, administration officials and Arab diplomats said Thursday.

Even though Mr. Mubarak has balked, so far, at leaving now, officials from both governments are continuing talks about a plan in which, Mr. Suleiman, backed by Sami Enan, chief of the Egyptian armed forces, and Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi

, the Defense Minister, would immediately begin a process of constitutional reform.

The proposal also calls for the transitional government to invite members from a broad range of opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood, to begin work to open up the country’s electoral system in an effort to bring about free and fair elections in September, the officials said.

for full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/04/world/middleeast/04diplomacy.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes

Views on Egyptian Crisis from Viewpoint of Retired CIA

Just Briefed By VERY Senior Retired CIA Officer. “Egypt Is Possible/Probable Disaster For US”
Old proven source | Friends and Fiends

Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 6:01:22 PM by MindBender26

As many of you know, am old network TV newsie. Just tapped former proven source, retired VERY senior CIA officer. No Hq paper-pusher type, he is the real deal, a highly successful very senior ME field operator. Retired as ES-4.

From an intel assesment stanspoint, he is a proven source, with access to information, extensive field work in the area, no reason to lie and has always given good data in past.

His assessment (in shorthand:)

1. If Egypt falls, disaster for US. Put succinctly; “the horse we bet all our life savings on may be about to drop dead in the backstretch.”

2. If Egypt gmvt falls, radical Muslim Brotherhood will be the new power, totally.

3. If Egypt falls, Jordan and Saudi are in trouble, but not necessarily gone. Even Syria is not safe.

4. Although Muslim Brotherhood would take over, the cause of revolt is not religion but the lack of jobs, horrible standard of living. Saudi and Jordan citizens have somewhat better conditions, so might be saved.

5. Egyptian Army is the absolute key. If Army stays local, Mubarak may be safe. If they falter, he is absolute toast.

6. Problem is, Army does not like Mubarak. They loved Sadat, he was one of them, but they do not like Hosni.

7. If Egypt falls, biggest winners are Iran and Russia. Iran becomes big kid on block. Russia desperately needs crude oil prices to go up to help economy. They prosper at $90 barrel crude. This could create $220, $250 a barrel crude oil prices

8. Big loser? Surprisingly not Israel. Just more enemies… who all know Israel will take war nuc if necessary to save self…. but due to US aid, Egyptian Army has great American equipment.

9. Biggest loser #2; Western Europe

10. Biggest loser #1; USA. Oil prices cripple economy. Even worse, word in every diplomatic circle becomes “See what happens to America’s friends.”

Bottom line; possible/probable disaster for US

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2665096/posts

Iran’s “Leisure Suit” disses Our “Empty Suit”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100407/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_nuclear

“Mr. Obama, you are a newcomer (to politics). Wait until your sweat dries and get some experience. Be careful not to read just any paper put in front of you or repeat any statement recommended,” Ahmadinejad said in the speech, aired live on state TV.”

Missile Defense— Cowboy Diplomacy —- Now the Latest Obama Inconsistency

Well now I see on Drudge that Obama is sending loads of defensive missiles – plus two extra warships with missile defense capabilities – to the Middle East to help defend against the sort of attacks from Iran that Russia was going to help prevent.

Well golly gee whiz. Won’t people in DC express shock when Ahemdinijad says exactly the same things about missile defense in Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the Persian Gulf as the Russian leaders said about missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic?

I’m sure Robert Gibbs will be jumping through hoops tomorrow to explain this inconsistency. Anything Bush did related to defense was just a horrible act because it “made them hate us more” and raised the threat of war. What happened to giving diplomacy a chance? He’s given Iran endless chances and they’ve laughed him off every time. Obama hasn’t even been willing to go the sanctions route seriously. How can he take this action without UN approval? A couple years ago that was called “cowboy diplomacy” wasn’t it?

See full article: http://www.redstate.com/bk/2010/01/31/obama-inconsistencies-take-2873-missile-defense-to-the-middle-east/

Obama Picture of the Week

Campaigner-in-Cheif

“Sooner or later it is going to occur to Barack Obama that he is the president of the United States. As of yet, though, he does not act that way, appearing promiscuously on television and granting interviews like the presidential candidate he no longer is.“The election has been held, but the campaign goes on and on. The candidate has yet to become commander in chief.”

“Take last week’s G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh. There, the candidate-in-full commandeered the television networks and the leaders of Britain and France to give the Iranians a dramatic warning. Yet another of their secret nuclear facilities had been revealed and Obama, as anyone could see, was determined to do something about it — just don’t ask what.”

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=507335