Election 2008: Too early to predict party candidates
Despite the musings of pundits, spin from the campaigns and the results of respected national polls, the U.S. presidential primaries are not over. In fact, they have not even begun. National polls showing Senator Hillary Clinton and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani maintaining (and in Clinton's case, increasing) leads over their...
Republicans debate in Michigan while Democrats withdraw from state’s primary
October 13th, 20070 DEARBORN When foreign policy worked its way into the economy-focused Republican Presidential candidates' debate in Dearborn on Tuesday, the indignant voice of Texas Congressman Ron Paul stood out among the nine men on stage. When moderator Chris Matthews of MSNBC asked each candidate whether, if elected president, they would need...Vermont hurt by border tightening
A panel from the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has heard from Vermont businessmen that border restrictions are hurting business. A ski resort reported that a Montreal radio station reports on the border wait times, resulting in the discouragement of Canadian traffic. The problem is expected to get much worse once Department of Homeland...Election 2008: The Iraq factor
On November 4, 2008, the United States will elect a new president, a new House of Representatives, and a new third of U.S. Senate. The elephant in the room is the war in Iraq. Everyone knows it's there. Everyone knows it will be the biggest single factor determining the outcome of the elections. And no one is quite sure how to deal with...Anti-Iran hawks win in Congress
WASHINGTON (IPS) Amid growing speculation about prospects for U.S. military action against Iran, neo-conservatives and other hawks won a significant if somewhat incomplete victory in rallying the Democratic-led Congress to its side. In a 76-22 vote last week, senators approved a non-binding amendment to the 2008 defense...
The uncompromising Kucinich
October 10th, 20070 DEARBORN In response to criticism for an outspoken visit to Syria and Lebanon in September, the wife of uncompromising Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich defended the trip in an interview with The Arab American News this week. "You have to focus on what you're trying to achieve. You can't let small-minded people stop...America’s diplomatic fig leaf
What do diplomats do when they don't know what to do? You guessed it, they propose holding an international conference. The device is useful on several grounds. It covers one's political nakedness with the fig leaf of an impression that something is being done. It creates a crowd to divert attention from one's isolation. And, last but...Visa Lottery registration starts October 3rd
Fifty thousand people from around the world each year receive visas to come to the U.S. through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program. Created by Congress in 1990, the program is intended to boost racial and ethnic diversity in the United States, according to the State Department. Winners, chosen randomly from a pool of...Congress passes Mideast measures
WASHINGTON Coinciding with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to New York, the House of Representatives voted 397-16 Tuesday to pass a bill that would expand economic sanctions against Iran over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. The bill also calls on the State Department to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps...Clinton’s rivals tread carefully in N.H.
Washington As some of this city's chattering classes had it, the Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire Wednesday night was supposed to be a Hillary Clinton takedown. Senator Clinton had pulled so far ahead in the polls, the theory went, that her rivals would have to go negative to start to narrow the gap. But on the stage...There may be movement on the Jewish community front
Believe it or not, there seems to be some movement, slight and certainly not earth-shaking, within the American Jewish community and outside it vis-a-vis the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. But whether this will bring about more rational thinking in the United States and help in paving the way for a final settlement to this chronic...Fallon derided Petraeus, opposed the surge
Their differences highlight one of the worst clashes between military leaders in U.S. history WASHINGTON (IPS) In sharp contrast to the lionization of Gen. David Petraeus by members of the U.S. Congress during his testimony this week, Petraeus's superior, Admiral William Fallon, chief of the Central Command (CENTCOM), derided...
Michigan Dems set new primary date
September 11th, 20070 LANSING The leadership of the Michigan Democratic Party this week announced their intention to comply with the new state law establishing a January 15, 2008 presidential primary, and to select their delegates to the Democratic National Convention on that day. This was in response to what they say is the Democratic National...Judge strikes down parts of PATRIOT Act
New York - A federal judge struck down parts of the revised USA Patriot Act as unconstitutional Thursday, saying courts must be allowed to supervise cases where the government orders Internet providers to turn over records without telling customers. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero said the government orders must be subject to...FISA has groups fearing U.S. scrutiny
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The recent congressional expansion of surveillance powers, aimed ostensibly at terrorists abroad, has Jewish groups at home worried that their dealings with Israel could invite U.S. government scrutiny. The amended Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, rushed through Congress and signed into law by President Bush......
Presidential hopeful visits Syria, Lebanon
BEIRUT A Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency, Dennis Kucinich, met separately with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on a six-day trip to the region over the Labor Day holiday. The trip began in Syria. In the Golan region, they visited the site of the...Senator Levin pushes for Iraq withdrawal, al-Maliki replacement
Senator Carl Levin of Michigan came back from a trip to Iraq emboldened by a few new ideas. Significantly, he and Senator Hillary Clinton began calling for the Iraqi parliament to replace Iraqs Prime Minister, Nouri Al-Maliki. The purpose of Levin's trip was to get a better sense of the impact of the "surge" in American forces. He...
Clash with Cheney over Iran prompted Rove departure
August 26th, 20070 It is as though I'm back as an analyst at the CIA, trying to estimate the chances of an attack on Iran. The putative attacker, though, happens to be our own president. It is precisely the work we analysts used to do. And, while it is still a bit jarring to be turning our analytical tools on the U.S. leadership, it is by no means...Fatigue cripples U.S. army in Iraq
Exhaustion and combat stress are besieging U.S. troops in Iraq as they battle with a new type of warfare. Some even rely on Red Bull to get through the day. As desertions and absences increase, the military is struggling to cope with the crisis. Lieutenant Clay Hanna looks sick and white. Like his colleagues he does not seem to sleep.......
Nation’s soul is at stake in NSA case
Today (Aug. 15, 2007) the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is hearing arguments on two of the most important cases in decades dealing with the rule of law and personal privacy. The cases are Hepting v. AT&T and Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Bush. At stake is whether the government can immunize itself from...U.S. evangelicals meet Muslim envoys
OAKLAND (IPS) That it happened at all was a major feat. That not much was resolved was not surprising. That those involved are determined to meet again is fascinating. That it was organized by a controversial faith healer has made it that much more noteworthy. In early July, a historic meeting took place "behind closed doors" at the......
The neocon threat to American freedom
The Bush/Cheney White House, which told the American people in 2003 that the Iraqi invasion would be a three to six week affair, now tells us that the U.S. occupation is permanent. Forever. Attentive Americans of which, alas, there are so few, had already concluded that the occupation was permanent. Permanence is the obvious message...
Carter blasts U.S. policy on Palestinians
June 24th, 20070 DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - Former President Jimmy Carter accused the U.S., Israel and the European Union on Tuesday of seeking to divide the Palestinian people by reopening aid to President Mahmoud Abbas' new government in the West Bank while denying the same to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Carter Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize......
