What double standards, they have,

Israel Successfully Tests System To Shoot Down Iranian Missiles

Biden: Cheney "Dead Wrong," Country Is "More Safe" Under Obama

Biden: Cheney 'dead wrong' 1:24
Vice President Joe Biden says his predecessor is 'dead wrong' in criticizing the new administration.
Source: CNN Added April 7, 2009 more CNN video

Republican Caller Tells Limbaugh: "You're A Brainwashed Nazi"

ONE FOR THE GOOD GUYS

The Poisonous Queen Ahahahahahahah

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
The Poisonous Queen
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Don't tax their millions, just tax your thousands, right? Friking Wankers.

MEDIAWATCH: Fox News Hosts Join Right-Wing "Tea Party" Movement

Wish to hell they would go drown themselves in their money, and as John Stewart would say shut the f*** up.

Republicans Blackmailing Obama (planning to “go nuclear” over Bush torture memos)

Deal with them Obama, cut the wankers off at the knees, or decapitate them, either is good, in my opinion they are inconsequential anyway!!!!!!!

Senate Republicans are pressuring President Obama into not releasing the controversial torture memos we’ve all been waiting for (and which the administration again refused to release last week) by threatening to block confirmation of two key Obama Justice Department nominees, Scott Horton reports in The Daily Beast today.
The appointments of Dawn Johnsen, nominated to head the same Office of Legal Counsel that produced those memos (and who’s been strongly critical of the office’s work in the past), and of Harold Hongju Koh, the illustrious Dean of Yale Law School who has been tapped for State Department legal counsel, hang in the balance. Both have already been publicly attacked by conservatives as extreme leftists for, in Johnsen’s case, criticizing the torture memos and supporting the right to an abortion, and in Koh’s, for being a strong advocate of international law. (Dahlia Lithwick at Slate recently catalogued some of the more absurd attacks in her own defense of Koh.)

Horton wrote of the current political struggle:

“Senate Republicans are now privately threatening to derail the confirmation of key Obama administration nominees for top legal positions by linking the votes to suppressing critical torture memos from the Bush era. A reliable Justice Department source advises me that Senate Republicans are planning to “go nuclear” over the nominations of Dawn Johnsen as chief of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice and Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh as State Department legal counsel if the torture documents are made public. The source says these threats are the principal reason for the Obama administration’s abrupt pullback last week from a commitment to release some of the documents. A Republican Senate source confirms the strategy. It now appears that Republicans are seeking an Obama commitment to safeguard the Bush administration’s darkest secrets in exchange for letting these nominations go forward.”

LinkHere

In you friking dreams, after all it is not Georgie your dealing with now, is it?

Pakistan wants 'unconditional' aid to fight terror

Source: Associated Press
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari told two top U.S. envoys that his country needs "unconditional support" in a range of areas to defeat the al-Qaida and Taliban fighters.
The sentiments reflect Pakistani dissatisfaction with American pledges to tack conditions onto billions of dollars in expected aid designed to help Pakistan end militancy within its borders.
Zardari met with U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff late Monday, according to a press release from the president's office. Holbrooke was to address reporters Tuesday along with the Pakistani foreign minister.
(snip)
Obama has urged Pakistan's government to take the terrorist fight seriously, but has said his pledges for billions in increased aid to the country will come with unspecified conditions and measures to judge the performance of the Muslim nation in the fight against militants.

GOOD FOR YOU OBAMA!!!!!!!!!

LinkHere

Venezuela secures $33.5 bln investments from Japan

Source: Today (MediaCorp)
Venezuela secures $33.5 bln investments from Japan
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 8-Apr-2009 00:10 hrs
Venezuelan Pesident Hugo Chavez speaks at a press conference in Tokyo hotel. Chavez Tuesday said he secured 33.5 billion dollars in Japanese oil and gas project investments.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Tuesday said he secured 33.5 billion dollars in Japanese oil and gas project investments.
. The two countries plan to cooperate in 12 projects including in the Orinoco Belt, a hydrocarbon reservoir located in eastern Venezuela.
. "Japan needs oil. Venezuela wants to diversify its market. Japan is ideal for us," Chavez told reporters in Tokyo.
. The 33.5 billion investment from Japanese companies will include 8.0 billion dollars over the next five years in a block of the Orinoco Belt, said Chavez.
LinkHere

'Israel does not take orders from Obama'

You going to make congress hold back their money, Obama? that will do the trick, I would say.

Source: The Hindu
Jerusalem (PTI): In an unusually harsh criticism, an Israeli Minister on Monday said the Jewish state "does not take orders from Barack Obama" after the US President renewed support for the Annapolis agreement and the stalled roadmap plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan of the Likud party also praised hardliner Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who last week said that Israel was not bound by the 2007 Annapolis talks.
"In voting for Netanyahu the citizens of Israel have decided that they will not become the fifty first US state," Erdan, who is in charge of coordinating between the Knesset and the cabinet, said.
He, however, said that "Obama is a friend of Israel and the United States is an important ally, and everything between us will be decided through communication."
LinkHere

Israel fears US pressure to continue Annapolis process

Source: Ynet
After Obama reiterates commitment to two-state solution, Jerusalem officials say confrontation between Washington, rightist Israeli coalition unavoidable. 'You'd have to be blind not to see writing on the wall,' one of them says. Palestinians: US understands Netanyahu government threatens stability
Roni Sofer and Ali Waked
Published: 04.07.09, 08:23
In the wake of US President Barack Obama's speech before the Turkish parliament, Jerusalem is preparing for the possibility of increased tensions with the American administration ahead of special envoy George Mitchell's visit to the region next week and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled trip to Washington in about a month.
During his speech Monday, Obama demanded that Israel's new rightist government and the Palestinians adhere to their Road Map and Annapolis Conference obligations. "Let me be clear: the United States strongly supports the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security," he said.
The PM's Office responded to the speech by saying "Israel values the president's commitment to its security and desire to advance the peace process." But a senior official in Jerusalem said, "You'd have to be blind not to be able see the writing on the wall."
According to Israeli officials, a confrontation with the US administration is unavoidable in light of Obama's address before the Turkish parliament and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's recent statement, according to which Israel was no longer obligated to the Annapolis process.

LinkHere

MN SENATE ELECTION JUDGES COUNT FINAL BALLOTS, FIND FRANKEN WINS

Where is Pawlenty, has he made any statement? Couldn't he put an end to?

What a friking joke the repugs are.

Tally concludes finding 312 vote win for the Democrat, as Coleman prepares his final appeals
But does the Republican have a legal leg to stand on?...
Author and former radio talk show host Al Franken, the Democratic challenger for the U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota, will be the state's next U.S. Senator, according to a final tally by the bi-partisan three-judge panel overseeing challenger Norm Coleman's election contest against him.
This morning in St. Paul, officials from the Minnesota Secretary of State's office, under the in-court direction of the three-judge Election Contest panel in the former Senator's contest against Franken, tallied all remaining lawfully cast absentee-ballots that were not previously opened and counted. This was done on camera, in open court. The attorneys from both sides, along with the media, were all present.
The final tally of the remaining ballots was 198 votes for Franken, 111 votes for Coleman and 42 votes for "other." When this is combined with the initial 225 vote lead, certified by the bi-partisan State Canvassing Board in December, it adds up to a 312 vote Franken victory, arrived at by both a transparent, post-election hand-count late last year, and the painstaking care exercised by the three-judge panel.
Al Franken has now won the U.S. Senate seat, but do Coleman's promised appeal(s) stand a chance of winning? And will the Democrats in the U.S. Senate now assume their Constitutional right to dutifully seat the Senator from Minnesota?...
ANALYSIS:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the department would scale back significantly the role of contractors in support services.

Pentagon Purging Contractors, Hiring Thousands Of New Employees

By Katherine McIntire Peterskpeters@govexec.comApril 6, 2009
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday recommended major changes in the Pentagon's procurement priorities and acquisition practices, and said the department would scale back significantly the role of contractors in support services.
The recommendations are part of the Pentagon's 2010 budget request, which the White House will submit to Congress in a few weeks. Gates said President Obama agreed to the "unorthodox approach" of announcing the Pentagon's request before the White House sends the full budget to Capitol Hill, because the scope and significance of the changes warrant a deeper explanation in the context of military reform.
The recommendations also are sure to generate a lot of pushback from lawmakers. Within an hour of Gates' briefing to reporters, a bipartisan group of senators sent the president a letter protesting recommended cuts in missile defense funding.
Gates said Defense had three main objectives: take care of troops; rebalance programs to adequately support the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; and reform how the services buy weapons.
Among the most far-reaching changes he recommended were reducing the number of support service contractors from the current level of 39 percent of the workforce to the pre-2001 level of 26 percent and replacing them with full-time government employees.

Obama In Istanbul: Visits Mosque, Reaches Out To Turkish Youth

ISTANBUL, Turkey — President Barack Obama heralded a "new chapter of American engagement" with the world on Tuesday and vowed to forge new relationships in the Middle East and elsewhere. But he cautioned that turning U.S. policy in a new direction would take time. "States are like big tankers, they're not like speedboats. You can't just whip them around and go in another direction," Obama said in a question-and-answer session with Turkish college students.
"You turn them slowly, and eventually you end up in a very different place," he said, responding to a student who asked about differences between him and his predecessor.
Obama ended his first overseas trip as president with an appeal to the world to put aside stereotypes and misconceptions: the view by many Muslims that Israel is to blame for all problems, similar views in reverse by "some of my Jewish friends," the view in parts of the world that Americans are crass and selfish.
"The world will be what you make of it," Obama told the students. "You can choose to make new bridges instead of new walls." LinkHere

The former deputy commander-in-chief won't even turn his records over to the library of President George W. Bush

Cheney refuses to turn over his records to Bush library

It appears that Vice President Dick Cheney's penchant for keeping things close continues even beyond his term.The former deputy commander-in-chief won't even turn his records over to the library of President George W. Bush, though he originally appeared to be willing to do so.

Obama's Iraq Visit: Makes Surprise Trip To Baghdad On Way Home

"TIME FOR US TO TRANSITION TO THE IRAQIS"

BAGHDAD — Cheered wildly by U.S. troops, President Barack Obama flew unannounced into Iraq on Tuesday and promptly declared it was time for Iraqis to "take responsibility for their country" after America's commitment of six years and thousands of lives.
"You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country," the president said as he made a brief inspection of a war he opposed as candidate and now vows to end as commander in chief. "That is an extraordinary achievement." LinkHere

ABC: Month of gun violence claims 48 lives

In the last month, 48 lives have been claimed in just seven mass shootings across the United States, according to published reports."What is going on with the gun rampages in America?" asked ABC's Diane Sawyer on a Monday episode of Good Morning America. Link Here

Report: Iraqi children for sale

Photo credit: Ismail Turay, Dayton Daily News

Report: Numerous Iraqi children 'for sale'

This report just in from the Guardian:

Corruption, weak law enforcement and porous borders are compounding a growing child trafficking crisis in Iraq, according to officials and aid agencies, with scores of children abducted each year and sold internally or abroad.
Criminal gangs are profiting from the cheap cost of buying infants and the bureaucratic muddle that makes it relatively easy to move them overseas. Accurate figures are difficult to obtain because there is no centralised counting procedure, but aid agencies and police say they believe numbers have increased by a third since 2005 to at least 150 children a year.
One senior police officer said at least 15 Iraqi children were sold every month, some overseas, some internally, some for adoption, some for sexual abuse. Officials believe at least 12 gangs are operating in Iraq, offering between £200 and £4,000 per child, depending on its background and health. The main countries in which they are sold are Jordan, Turkey, Syria and some European countries including Switzerland, Ireland, the UK, Portugal and Sweden. LinkHere

In total agreement.

US Hypocrisy on North Korea

Let's Talk About Israel's Nukes

By Jeremy Scahill
Obama used the launch in his major address in Prague, which has been characterized as an anti-nuclear speech. "Rules must be binding," he said of North Korea's launch. "Violations must be punished. Words must mean something."
====
Many countries around the world certainly see hypocrisy in the Obama administration's position on North Korea. Israel has repeatedly been condemned by the UN for its occupation of Palestinian lands. Moreover, it has hundreds of nuclear weapons with estimates ranging from 200-400 warheads. What's more, Israel and the US are in league with North Korea in the small club ofnations that have refused to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
Continue

DOCTORS WITHOUT MORALS

Medical Officers Violated Ethics While Overseeing Interrogations, Red Cross Says

Red Cross: Medical Officers Essentially Participated In Torture At CIA Prisons… Report Quotes Doctor Telling A Detainee: “I Look After Your Body Only Because We Need You For Information”

F-16s Tracking Stolen Airplane From Canada

Plane May Be Shot Down If Deemed A Threat

Pakistan could collapse within six months: US expert

Source: Times of India
NEW YORK: Pakistan could collapse within six months in the face of the snowballing insurgency, a top expert on guerrilla warfare has said.
The dire prediction was made by David Kilcullen, a former adviser to top US military commander General David Petraeus.
David Kilcullen is the best known practitioner of counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and had advised Gen Petraeus on the counter-insurgency programme in Iraq. Few experts understand the nature of the insurgency in Af-Pak as well and he is now advising Petraeus in Afghanistan.
Petraeus also echoed the same thought when he told a Congressional testimony last week that the insurgency could "take down" Pakistan, which is home to nuclear weapons and al-Qaida.
LinkHere

"Isn't It Something"?

Isn't it something to listen to the President of the United States of America, Leader of the Free World, Speaking with such clarity, such dignity, after the last 8 years of Georgies utterances.

Obama's Speaking Turkish Parliament

The Obamas' Farewell Tour to Eight Years of Neo-Con Foreign Policy

The mainstream commentariat can nitpick all it wants about what President Barack Obama achieved or didn't achieve from the G-20 summit and NATO meetings in Europe last week but the far bigger story is how the First Couple's visit marked the total repudiation of the neo-conservative foreign policy project. It wasn't long ago when Donald Rumsfeld was crowing about "New Europe" and Republicans in the House forced the Capitol's cafeteria to serve "Freedom Fries" instead of French fries. Talk radio blowhards were even staging events across the country where "patriotic" Americans dumped French wine into the nearest gutter. And these embarrassing antics were because the Bushies were outraged that most of our traditional allies thought invading Iraq was a bad idea.

======

The beauty of seeing the President and First Lady treated like rock stars and royalty in Europe is that they are liberals who represent the exact opposite of what Bush and the neo-cons offered the world. Barack and Michelle Obama are connecting to the world's people in a way that Bush and Cheney never could (and never wished to). Not only are the Obamas young, hip, black, cosmopolitan, and urban, they care about the issues most people in the world care about. At the town hall gathering in Strasbourg, President Obama spoke about how only through working together through multilateral action can we begin to find solutions to the financial crisis, international terrorism, nuclear proliferation, climate change, and AIDS and other epidemics. The Obamas' first trip abroad has been a stunning symbolic success for the United States. Obama's the only politician in the world today who's popular. We should take pride that our institutions were responsive enough in 2008 to give us the opportunity to replace one of the most reviled presidents in history with one who could become one of the most revered.

LinkHere

George Soros: US Banking System "Basically Insolvent"

US Recovery Is Far Off, Banks Are 'Basically Insolvent': Soros

The U.S. economy is in for a "lasting slowdown" and could face a Japan-style period of relatively low growth coupled with high inflation, billionaire investor George Soros said on Monday.
Soros, speaking to Reuters Financial Television, also warned that rescuing U.S. banks could turn them into "zombies" that draw the lifeblood of the economy, prolonging the economic slowdown

LinkHere

Jeffrey Sachs: Geithner-Summers Plan An "Unconscionably Large" Rip-Off

Obama: U.S. "Not A Christian Nation Or A Jewish Nation Or A Muslim Nation"

At a press conference in Turkey, President Obama casually rebuked the old chestnut that the United States is a Judeo-Christian nation.
"One of the great strengths of the United States," the President said, "is ... we have a very large Christian population -- we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values." LinkHere

Syrian Arrested For Obama Assassination Plot:

'Turkey foils plot to assassinate Obama'

Turkish security services have arrested a Syrian man who was planning to assassinate US President Barack Obama during his current trip to Turkey, the Saudi daily Al Watan reported Monday.
LinkHere

Earthquake Hits Italy... More Than 150 Dead... Check For Updates... Death Toll Rising

L'AQUILA, Italy — Rescue workers using bare hands and buckets searched frantically for students believed buried in a wrecked dormitory after Italy's deadliest quake in nearly three decades struck this medieval city before dawn Monday, killing more than 150 people, injuring 1,500 and leaving tens of thousands homeless. The 6.3-magnitude earthquake buckled both ancient and modern buildings in and around L'Aquila, snuggled in a valley surrounded by the snowcapped Apennines' tallest peaks.
It also took a severe toll on the centuries-old castles and churches in the mountain stronghold dating from the Middle Ages, and the Culture Ministry drew up a list of landmarks that were damaged, including collapsed bell towers and cupolas.
The quake, centered near L'Aquila about 70 miles northeast of Rome, struck at 3:22 a.m., followed by more than a dozen aftershocks.
Firefighters with dogs and a crane worked feverishly to reach people trapped in fallen buildings, including a dormitory of the University of L'Aquila where a half- dozen students were believed trapped inside.

LinkHere

...Italy muzzled scientist who foresaw quake

In Brennan, Cheney has a Friend

In an interview with NPR’s Terry Gross last week, Seymour Hersh stated that Vice President Dick Cheney had “salted” the military and national security apparatus with trusted associates who were able to report back to him on what was going on. Hersh goes on to state that he thinks Cheney’s ability to influence or direct policy is limited. Still, keeping that in mind it’s interesting to watch the unfolding debate over the release of the torture memoranda.

=====

Brennan is a protege of former CIA director George Tenet and although he expressed some reservations about waterboarding, he was a defender of other Tenet-era torture programs. Now ensconced as a senior counterterrorism advisor, he has become the principle advocate of the “don’t look back” mantra with respect to the misdeeds of the Bush years. And in this, Brennan’s principal concern is the protection of Brennan and Tenet–but in the process he has emerged as Dick Cheney’s clear champion.
The disclosure of the OLC memoranda presents a key policy fork in the road for Obama. If he is faithful to his commitment to transparency and to end torture, the government will have to come clean with these memos. If Obama keeps them under wraps, the public will have good reason to question his undertaking to end torture–and good reason to question whether a Cheney “shadow administration” actually has the power to influence policy.

LinkHere

WATCH: Arianna Spars With George Will On Bank Bailout, Afghanistan

Arianna was a guest this morning on the roundtable of ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, along with David Frum, George Will, Richard Haas, Martha Raddatz. Towards the end, the subject turned from international affairs to the bank bailout and the economic crisis here in America. LinkHere

Arianna discusses US strategy in Afghanistan

A most Nobel nominee

War is cruel. But sometimes, a story comes along that redefines what cruel really means.

Dr. Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. And you might be thinking, 'Who cares? So was Henry Kissinger.' And you'd be right to treat the high honor with skepticism. But it's Dr. al-Aish's story and personal committment to peace that make him such a remarkable Nobel nominee.
The following video was published by Al Jazeera English on Jan. 17. LinkHere

Gaza doctor's tragedy caught on Israeli TV - 17 Jan 09

"If they do not comply with the subpoena, I will take them to court," Cuomo warned on March 19th.

What Did Cuomo Know About The AIG Bonuses?

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo won adulatory news coverage last month for his tough handling of the $165 million AIG bonus scandal. Now, Cuomo's office refuses to address questions about documents and emails suggesting that, as early as October, 2008, Cuomo knew about and tacitly approved bonuses to executives in AIG's financial products division.
Repeated attempts by the Huffington Post to get direct answers to these questions produced pointedly evasive and incomplete answers from Cuomo press secretary Alex Detrick, who initially refused to speak on the record, and who then issued a blanket refusal to discuss the matter.
On March 15, immediately after news of the $165 million AIG bonuses became public, Cuomo demanded the names of AIG bonus recipients. The N.Y. Attorney General backed up his demands with a subpoena, five press releases and a publicized letter to Barney Frank, chairman of the US House Financial Services Committee.
"If they do not comply with the subpoena, I will take them to court," Cuomo warned on March 19th.

Now wouldn't that be nice, Hmmmmmm?

Last year's top CEO paycheck: $104 million

Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha was last year's highest-paid public company CEO, pulling in a total package vauled at more than $104 million.

LinkHere

Speech President Obama delivered in Prague.

Obama Speech In Prague Outlines Effort To Rid World Of Nuclear Weapons

Barack Obama's full Prague speech

BEARING WITNESS!!!!! Pity they didn't bear witness for the last 8 years of Georgies Administration

Media To Cover Return Of War Dead For First Time In 18 Years

Fraud By Top Elites!!!!!!!

April 3, 2009The financial industry brought the economy to its knees, but how did they get away with it? With the nation wondering how to hold the bankers accountable, Bill Moyers sits down with William K. Black, the former senior regulator who cracked down on banks during the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s. Black offers his analysis of what went wrong and his critique of the bailout
>More about William K. Black

Transcript

Economist: US collapse due to 'fraud'; Geithner part of 'cover-up'

Geithner says some bank CEOs may have to go
‘Exceptional assistance’ to keep institutions running may come with strings

Geithner denies White House sidestepping CEO pay limit

UNFRIKINGBELIEVABLE!!!! Hey Women how do you like still living in the dark ages even in Israel!!!!!!

Women Photoshopped Out Of Israeli Cabinet Picture To Please Ultra-Orthodox

JERUSALEM — Two women serve in Israel's new Cabinet, but some Israelis would rather not see them.
Newspapers aimed at ultra-Orthodox Jewish readers tampered with the inaugural photograph of the Cabinet, erasing ministers Limor Livnat and Sofa Landver.
Ultra-Orthodox newspapers consider it immodest to print images of women.
The daily Yated Neeman digitally changed the photo, moving two male ministers into the places formerly occupied by the women.
The weekly Shaa Tova simply blacked the women out, in a photo reprinted Friday by the mainstream daily Maariv.
No response was available from the two papers.
During the election, campaign posters featuring female candidate Tzipi Livni were defaced near ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods.

Blagojevich Tried To Extort Rahm Emanuel: Lawyers

President Barack Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was the congressman targeted by an alleged extortion plan described in the indictment against former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, according to attorneys familiar with the case.
At the time, in 2006, Emanuel was the congressman from the 5th District on Chicago's North Side. The attorneys spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the congressman isn't named and the information is secret grand jury material.
The indictment says the congressman sought a $2 million grant for a school. But Blagojevich allegedly told a lobbyist to tell the lawmaker his brother would have to raise campaign funds or the grant wouldn't go through.
Some of the funds were later released, even though no fundraiser had been held.
The White House declined to comment on the indictment. LinkHere

Rep. Alan Grayson Vs. Cavuto: "A Stuck Pig Squeals Loudly"

The Fox Machine is at it again!!!!!!

Watch Grayson versus the Thug:

"I wish they would take their talent and practice their talent in Russia or China and bankrupt them instead of us."

LinkHere

Ahahahahahah I love it, Barack and Michelle are driving the thugs on Fox crazy.

OleLadySquawking

Michelle Obama for president in 2016! that should give Hannity a heart attack. And then she gets Congress to change the age rule and it will be Malia and Sasha.

Michelle Obama's Clothing Has Sean Hannity All Out Of Sorts

Listen to him if you have the stomach!!!!!!!!

Obama signs autograph

Indian Prime Minister Asks For Obama's Autograph

How big an international star is President Obama? Even other world leaders want his autograph. When Obama met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this afternoon, the soft-spoken leader noted that his daughter wanted his American counterpart to autograph something for her.

The open-press portion of the meeting treaded easy ground. Obama highlighted the importance of the two countries’ relationship and praised Singh's leadership in his remarks. Singh emphasized that the United States and India were two democracies with common values, and he expressed great respect for Obama.

Leahy: Commission Into Bush-Era Torture "Not Going To Happen"

Leahy: Commission Into Bush-Era Torture "Not Going To Happen"

Yesterday, the website Consortium News published an article by Charlotte Dennett pouring some cold water on the hope many liberals have that Congress will form a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate Bush-era torture and other instances of wrongdoing. Dennett reported that, at a meeting with Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Judiciary committee chairman had said the idea was dead in the water. "[I]t's not going to happen," Leahy reportedly said.
Today, Leahy released a statement addressing that article: "In contrast to reports circulating on the Internet, Leahy said he is continuing to explore the proposal."

He's not the one responsible for AIG Demise

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Obama talks world, U.S. economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Obama addresses world's press at G-20

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Maddow Presses Colin Powell Over His Role In Approving Bush Admin Interrogation Policy (VIDEO)

Powell refused to acknowledge his role in these meetings, and claimed ignorance about long-released legal memos that specifically authorized torture. Choosing his words carefully, he would say only that, "at least from the State Department standpoint," it was important to stand by the Geneva Conventions. Powell also questioned whether tactics like sleep deprivation, stress positions, or waterboarding were "criminal" -- despite specific U.S. statutes and international law forbidding torture LinkHere

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Go Wank Yourselves, It Was Your Corrupt Justice System, Georgies Corrupt Justice System, If I Remember Right.

"Mark Begich should resign his position to allow for a new, special election,

Alaska Republicans call for election redo

The Republican Party leader in Alaska today called for Democratic Sen. Mark Begich to step down from the seat he narrowly won in November over Republican Ted Stevens so a special election can be held.

LinkHere

Fast-track budget tool would kill bipartisanship, GOP says

RamboLiberal :

What a bunch of freakin' hypocritical whiners. Conveniently forgot when you stomped all over the Democrats in Congress for nearly 12 years!

Obama tried to extend a hand to you jerks. Screw you Republicans! Let the Democratic freight train roll!

Kangaroo Said: Right On

Source: CNN
A congressional tactic described as a "freight train" to run over the minority party could derail any hopes of bipartisanship with the Obama administration, some Republicans warn.

"Reconciliation" is a procedure that could put some of President Obama's major initiatives, such as overhauling health care, on the fast track to becoming law if lawmakers adopt it in their budget resolution.

The process would allow senators to cut off debate on some legislation with 51 votes -- a simple majority -- instead of the 60 usually required.

Senate Republicans said they worry the process effectively could silence any voice they have in negotiations since Democrats would not need their votes to move ahead with Obama's agenda. (The Democrats have 58 votes, including two independents, and Republicans have 41.)

LinkHere

Surprise recusal from judge

EXCLUSIVE: Rove-connected judge recuses self from appeal in case critics call political prosecution

There were startling new developments on Wednesday in a case of alleged political prosecution of a Mississippi attorney.Once-prominent attorney Paul Minor, jailed on charges of bribery, has alleged that his prosecution was politically motivated and timed to Mississippi's gubernatorial elections. He has also alleged that there was direct involvement by former Bush White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Karl Rove.
Surprise recusal from judgeThe United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals was scheduled to hear an appeal of the case today. Scheduled to serve on the three-judge panel were Judges Will Garwood, Priscilla R. Owen, and Catherina Haynes. This morning, however, only hours before oral arguments were to be presented, Judge Owen recused herself from the case.In August of last year, Raw Story reported on Judge Owen's possible conflicts of interest, including connections to former Bush White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Karl Rove:

"I hope that [Holder] will take a look at some of the other cases that are buried on his desk."

Siegelman: Justice misconduct in my case 'dwarfs' Stevens' trial

With the Department of Justice's decision to dismiss ex-Sen. Ted Stevens' corruption conviction on account of prosecutorial misconduct, another apparent victim of Bush-era DOJ wrongdoing, convicted former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, is hoping that Attorney General Eric Holder will turn to his own case for review.

In an interview withTPMmuckraker Wednesday evening, Siegelman said, "There seems to be substantial evidence of prosecutorial and other misconduct in my case, that would dwarf the allegations in the Stevens case."

Holder made the decision to dismiss Stevens' October conviction for failing to disclose $250,000 in gifts from an oil executive and others on Tuesday in light of a failure on the part of the prosecution to disclose all of its evidence to the defense.

"After careful review, I have concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial," said Holder in a released statement Wednesday. "In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial."

In a released statement, Stevens said, "I always knew that there would be a day when the cloud that surrounded me would be removed. That day has finally come."

Siegelman said he supports Holder's decision but added, "I hope that [Holder] will take a look at some of the other cases that are buried on his desk."

"For years, New Yorkers have done everything in our power to get this guy to leave town."

He then ended the segment by saying, "If you're heading out from Uptown, take 42nd Street west to Ninth Avenue take a left, go down four blocks, Lincoln Tunnel's on your right, and you know what? Here's my EZ-Pass. Get the fuck out of here." LinkHere

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Rush Limbaugh Leaves New York
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Republicans don't want ex-AIG chief testifying

House Panel Investigates Bush Administration Role In AIG Collapse... GOP Doesn't Want Ex-CEO Greenberg Testifying... Company Launches Pre-Emptive Strike, Attacks Greenberg's Credibility

A House oversight panel is investigating the role Bush administration officials and regulators played in the collapse of American International Group. The first step of the investigation begins Thursday, House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Towns (D-N.Y.) tells the Huffington Post, when the committee hears testimony from former AIG CEO Hank Greenberg.
In November 2004, the Bush Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission agreed not to prosecute AIG for allegedly helping companies fudge their books. In exchange, AIG agreed to host a government-appointed auditor in company meetings. At the time, Greenberg said it brought "finality to the claims raised by the SEC and the Department of Justice."
Towns said that Greenberg should be able to identify Bush administration officials involved in the decision-making around the settlement. Towns added the committee wants to know what Bush administration regulators knew about AIG's credit default swaps and other highly risky positions that brought the company down.
Asked if he would be directly pursuing Bush administration officials, Towns said: "No doubt about it. That's the reason I want to talk to Greenberg first. He might even point some folks out. That's of great interest to us."

Afghan Drug Lord Tricked Americans Into Taking Out Rival

A "high-ranking" member of al-Qaida was seized during a recent US mission in Afghanistan which left five people dead. But the Americans were set up: The tip-off as to his location came from a drug clan who wanted to get rid of a rival.
A secret mission by elite American Delta Force commandos in northern Afghanistan has triggered resentment among German forces, SPIEGEL has learned.

The American forces were tricked by a drug clan into taking out a rival as part of an operation to seize an al-Qaida member. Now German soldiers are paying the price for the operation's civilian casualties.
The raid took place on March 21 in Kunduz province, where German forces are helping with security and reconstruction. A US liaison officer asked the German reconstruction team to keep the Kunduz airport clear but said nothing about the impending mission. Around half an hour later, a Hercules transport aircraft landed at the airfield, together with a whole fleet of combat and transport helicopters, which then took off for the nearby town of Imam Sahib.

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A Brave Man Who Stood Alone.

If only the world had listened to him

By Robert Fisk

Tom Hurndall had stayed in Rafah. He was only 21 where - in his mother's words - he lost his life through a single, selfless, human act. "Tom was shot in the head as he carried a single Palestinian child out of the range of an Israeli army sniper."

The Absurdity of Spending US Tax Dollars on Israel

By PAUL J. BALLES

Paul J. Balles argues that if enough ordinary Americans "feel the pinch and connect the dots between their own financial losses and America's continued unbridled support of Israel's devastating war machine, Israel could be forced to make peace with the Palestinians".

Obama Meets Queen Elizabeth II At Buckingham Palace