Gaza crisis: a crossroads for Obama

I think this commentary gets it right - it is time for the U.S. to ask Israel to share some of the blame for the tragedy of the Middle East and realize that even the use of overwhelming military force will not solve their security concerns in the long run - they are only making more enemies and radicals in the Arab world. True, Hamas is an organization that has not respected human rights of Israelis and has defied international law by its attacks on civilians, but Israel and the U.S. must facilitate talks.

Gaza crisis: a crossroads for Obama csmonitor.com

UPDATE 1:
For some good background on this issue, here are some helpful resources:
Gaza: Why Israel and Hamas are trading rocket fire

Ezra Klein does a nice job on his blog of giving a short simple explanation of how each side finds the other at fault for starting the latest round of violence. Who Started It?

State Competition - Gig Harbor High School

Here they are - the winners of the State Finals of the "We the People" Competition for the 2008-2009 school year. I think they did a great job, and I hope the video will help all other "We the People" students learn some things about how to prepare for competitions.

Congrats to Gig Harbor students and their great teacher, Ken Brown!

12 things to throw at Bush / A shoe? Not bad. But surely we can do better

An amusing, yet sad reflection on the eight years of misguided leadership we experienced under George W. Bush.

12 things to throw at Bush / A shoe? Not bad. But surely we can do better

News Analysis - In Blagojevich Case, Is It a Crime, or Just Talk? - NYTimes.com

News Analysis - In Blagojevich Case, Is It a Crime, or Just Talk? - NYTimes.com

The Electoral College Has Spoken!

It's official: Obama elected 44th president - White House transition- msnbc.com

Well, not exactly. The votes are not counted until January 6th, 2009 after the new Congress is sworn in, and the ballots are counted that body. However, apparently according to this story, the AP has confirmed that the Electors actually voted for the candidates they pledged to vote for.

I'm really hoping that a 28th Amendment will be added to the Constitution soon, to get rid of this relic of the 18th century.

And by the way: Turnout in presidential elections hits high
61.6 percent of eligible voters cast ballots, the highest rate since 1968

Bush Visits Iraq, Iraqi Journalist Throws Shoes at Him

I wonder if he gets the message now? I fitting end to the Bush presidency, and an image that will probably endure throughout history as a symbol of the cluelessness and foolishness of the U.S. doctrine of pre-emptive invasion.



According to CNN:

The shoe-thrower -- identified as Muntadhar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist with Egypt-based al-Baghdadia television network -- could be heard yelling in Arabic: "This is a farewell ... you dog!"

While pinned on the ground by security personnel, he screamed: "You killed the Iraqis!"

FindLaw's Writ -

FindLaw's Writ - Mariner: A Public Accounting for Post-9/11 Abuses

Is Obama Truly Like Lincoln - As His "Team of Rivals" and Other Parallels Suggest?
By EDWARD LAZARUS

From The Onion: Should the Government Stop Dumping Money Into a Giant Hole

Some brilliant satire from The Onion on what passes for reasoned discussion of important issues on cable news these days.


In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?

Some Relevant Current Events

Here are some news stories I collected that I thought were relevant to issues of the Presidency, political parties, Congress, the rights of a defendant (who is accused of being a terrorist) being held at Guantanamo, and federal/state relationships.

And oh, by the way, they are saying that we are officially in a recession. As if we couldn't tell....

Obama Promises Governors That Federal Help Is on the Way
PHILADELPHIA — With the economic crisis tearing holes in most state budgets, President-elect Barack Obama promised the nation’s governors on Tuesday that he would come to their aid with an ambitious program to build or repair roads, bridges, schools and other public projects.

Summoning state executives from across the country here, Mr. Obama sought to forge a bipartisan approach to the nation’s economic problems. He was met with pleas for a rapid infusion of federal money to create jobs, help those without health coverage and balance recession-ripped budgets.

In Guantánamo case, a judge tightens the screws on the US csmonitor.com
Washington - A major battle is brewing in federal court here over the well-established legal requirement that the government must turn over any exculpatory evidence it has uncovered to an accused criminal it is seeking to imprison.

But what if that person is a suspected terrorist being held as an enemy combatant at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba?

That's the issue before US District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who is presiding over a high-stakes legal dispute involving allegations that US intelligence agents secretly sent a man to Morocco for 18 months of torture before transferring him to prisons in Afghanistan and then Guantánamo.

Republicans win crucial Georgia Senate seat

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss won a run-off election in Georgia on Tuesday, CNN said, denying Democrats the chance for a 60-seat "super majority" in the Senate that would have enabled them to pass legislation virtually at will.

Obama’s national security ‘team of rivals’ His choice of Gates, Clinton, and Jones reflects his goal of building a bipartisan cabinet.

Obama’s team of stars: Can he manage it?
Some inner-circle conflict can be of help to a president, but building a sense of teamwork will be key.
President-elect Barack Obama has earned accolades from Democrats and Republicans alike for the high-powered national security and economic teams he has unveiled.

Choice for U.N. Backs Strong Action Against Mass Killings - NYTimes.com

Choice for U.N. Backs Strong Action Against Mass Killings - NYTimes.com: "President-elect Barack Obama has chosen his foreign policy adviser, Susan E. Rice, to be ambassador to the United Nations, picking an advocate of “dramatic action” against genocide as he rounds out his national security team, Democrats close to the transition said Sunday."

Along with nominating Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State, General Jim Jones for National Security Advisor and retaining Bush's Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, Obama will make Susan E. Rice a high profile appointee today.

And I think it is great news. According to the NYTimes:

To reinforce his intention to work more closely with the United Nations after the tensions of President Bush’s tenure, Mr. Obama plans to restore the ambassador’s post to cabinet rank, as it was under President Bill Clinton, according to Democrats close to the transition.
While the cabinet consists of 15 department heads, a president can give other positions the same rank for the duration of his administration.

I'll try to post more on this after the announcement this morning.