Harry's Place

Impeach Obama!

“Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Obama and Biden will make progress on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a key diplomatic priority from day one.”

Brilliant! Because outside intervention has worked brilliantly. Remind me, how many times did the IAF bomb Gaza before Oslo? How many checkpoints before camp David? Where was the Wall in 1975?

Hopefully Bibi will tell Obama to jump in a lake. Given that his main policy is to bankrupt the Federal govenment by acting like Bush only more so, American influence will soon be nil anyway.

Hopefully Bibi will tell Obama to jump in a lake.

Hopefully he’ll never be in a position to do that. Do you think the Livni inauguration will be as moving as Obama’s?

The Obama/Biden ticket on Israel looks good. But what will he think now he’s president?

Apart from some minor points that’s pretty much a continuation of the Bush agenda.

Change you can beileve in!

Why does the Israel/Palestine situation come first in the list when, presumably, Americans (and Obama is an American President) will be primarilly focussed on their own economy, followed by the wars they themselves are directly engaged in such as Iraq and Afghanistan? Why do these conflicts come lower down your list? With the best will in the world if the first 25% of Obama’s agenda follows this post then presumably he’d be the Israeli president and not the American one as the conflict between 6-7m Jews in Israel and some hut-dwelling Iranian stooges with amateur rockets is a lot less important to the American electorate than, for eample, the US economy.

Additionally why, under Pakistan, does this post not note his campaign promise to pursue AQ into Pakistan over the Afghanistan border (at least in pursuit of OBL but arguable for other high value targets)?

“Pakistan: Obama and Biden will increase nonmilitary aid to Pakistan and hold them accountable for security in the border region with Afghanistan.”

So the policy is
a) throw good money after bad
b) hold them responsible, what, morally? Will they declare war?

“Eliminate Iran’s and North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons Programs Through Tough, Direct Diplomacy: Use tough diplomacy — backed by real incentives and real pressures — to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to eliminate fully and verifiably North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.”

Wow, they advocate a strategy for Iran whilst referencing a country where the exact same strategy failed. It’s almost as if they’re, you know, complete morons.

“Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.”

Tough one that. It’s gonna be difficult to rein in Harry Reid, though Pelosi might be amenable.

“Restore Scientific Integrity to the White House: Restore the basic principle that government decisions should be based on the best-available, scientifically-valid evidence and not on ideological predispositions.”

It’s a good job that they ascertained life begins at conception. Now we can dissolve the artificial “birth” barrier and get down to the serious job of leaving babies to starve to death. Infanticide: it’s not just for kooks in Chicago anymore!

“Additionally why, under Pakistan, does this post not note his campaign promise to pursue AQ into Pakistan over the Afghanistan border (at least in pursuit of OBL but arguable for other high value targets)?”

Because this post is about what was posted on the WH website today.

bissli
http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/likud-still-ahead-for-israel-election-after-gaza-war-poll-599011

Unfortunately, Yisrael Beiteinu seem to have gained popularity.

Great support for Israel is a coded message to the 1.8bn Muslims he also addressed in his speech. He says “Israel ain’t going nowhere and nothing you say or do will change that” If you don’t like that then piss off because we can’t do business with you”

A fine sentiment that I expect from a strong President.

“He says “Israel ain’t going nowhere and nothing you say or do will change that” If you don’t like that then piss off because we can’t do business with you”

A fine sentiment that I expect from a blank-slate deliberately vague President who I can just project all my dreams onto”

Quite.

There’s still time G! We need to have faith that the right woman will get the job!

American influence will soon be nil anyway… Wow… you know nothing G.

Obama and Biden support plans to increase the size of the Army by 65,000 soldiers [current strength 1.1 million] and the Marine Corps [current strength 190,000] by 27,000 Marines.

An INCREACE that, on its own, represents 60% of the British regular Army (110,00 personnel) and 403% of the Royal Marines (7500 men). Indeed, the US Marine corps will now on its own be close to twice as big as the British Army!

Given that the US population is 5 times the size of the US, it just shows how the Brits are – compared to our American cousins – just pissing around when it comes to defense.

“American influence will soon be nil anyway… Wow… you know nothing G.”

http://www.federalbudget.com/

It happened to Habsburg Spain, it will happen to you too. The difference is that Phillip II spent like a maniac mainly in order to save Christendom from the Turks, wheras the baby-boomer yanks have simply gone on a 40 year self-indulgent spending spree and sold their children into debt slavery to do it.

Not that Britain is any better. Israel, actually is (thanks to, dum de dum, Bibi mostly).

“When the people find they can vote themselves money,
that will herald the end of the republic.”

In fairness to Obama, none of this is really his fault, though, obviously, his spending plans are idiotic, as is everyone who supports them.

i.e. the vast majority of the American people.

Again, Britain is worse, but at least we’re not crowing about how this day heralds a new age of plenty.

“He says “Israel ain’t going nowhere and nothing you say or do will change that” If you don’t like that then piss off because we can’t do business with you”

A fine sentiment that I expect from a blank-slate deliberately vague President who I can just project all my dreams onto”

Obama is his own man! They said he can choose the dog and the drapes. What more do you want?

As for Israel he simply reflects USA policy and the will of the USA houses of State.

Great Leaders take consensus goals, articulate ithem and sell them to the pulic and World. That doesn’t mean they personally invent them.

I believe that Obama will deliver some elements of a Bush administartion regarding foreign policy as well as its own creative and innovative ideas from its own team.

There are just some policies he can’t do a 180 degrees on and supporting Israel is one of them. No USA President will ever change that (oh dear, am I accidentally spouting conspiracy theories here? No, reality theories)

In fairness to Obama, none of this is really his fault, though, obviously, his spending plans are idiotic, as is everyone who supports them.

Hahah, such bitterness. Great scenes

Apart from some minor points that’s pretty much a continuation of the Bush agenda.

I agree, but I think the ‘minor points’ are rather overstating any differences!

The advantage Obama has is, the bulk of the media are on his side, let’s hope he can capitalise on this and gain some momentum without having the bulk of the liberal media undermining his efforts. .

Oh…I secretly suspect that the ‘Zionist entity’ will have been shown to have played and timed operation Cast Lead rather well….er not so secretly now!

Herman, I bet you’re going to feel just as dopey-happy when your pension cheque turns up and a little note drops out saying “we aint got shit, sorry”.

So how long G. till the US collapses? And how many other countries will be harmed when it does?

As for Obama I am pleased with the turnaround on Science. This should open it up for stem cell research etc

1) 20-30 years, but it will be cumulative decline rather than a sudden fall-off.
2) We’re all fucked.

And the U.S. won’t collapse per se. Civil Society, at least in the Red States, is just about strong enough there to survive. The Federal Government will go bannkrupt, that, I’m afraid, cannot now be avoided.

The told me if I voted for McCain, the military establishment would just grow larger and larger.

And they were right!

mesquito :)
Well do you agree with the policy or not?

“Well do you agree with the policy or not?”

I don’t know. As long as it’s not a fig leaf to cover the abandonment of cool stuff like missile defense and killer drones.

IN some other countries the Communist movement is split into sections because these have failed to agree on some minor aspects of their programme; it has remained for the movement in Australia to introduce an ingenious variation of this procedure by first reaching complete agreement in the matter of its programme and then splitting. The A.S.P. brought the different Communist elements together; having done so, the A.S.P. has now left them. Its defection from the Communist Party is most decidedly a loss; a loss, however, which only necessitates that the Communist Party proceed to its work with redoubled vigour. We have no intention of entering any discussion of the merits or otherwise of the A.S.P.’s action; on that score quite sufficient has already been written. We simply accept the fact that at a moment when the present epidemic of strikes, the trade depression, and the growing amount of unemployment, make it increasingly plain to the workers that the property relations which the forces of production operate have turned from forms of development these forces into their fetters when a united Communist Party is urgently required to drive home the lesson that these fetters must be snapped by the proletariat — at this precise moment a section of the Communist Party of Australia has split off from the body which called itself into being. But, accepting this fact, we say also that we shall lose no opportunity to work for the reunion of this section with the rest of the Communists.

ah – such joy to be a cynic when everybody else is enthusing… a bit like being unmoved while elton john sings over the princess’s grave..

for me the whole thing: ceremony, speech, agenda spells out one thing: the return of civilisation (always be on the side of liberal democracy, try to achieve things through diplomacy, use force against barbarism where there is no other means left, try to establish a state welfare system, support science, don’t favour any particular faith etc). it’s not my political utopia or anything, but the world is in a state right now that emphatical civility is something i can enthuse about…

my vision of libertarian-democratic socialism (long live Millism-Marxism!) won’t happen anywhere in the near future – as long as that’s the case i stick with the directives of the communist manifesto: commies support the progressive liberals (and that’s what this agenda spells out) and shun the nationalists, traditionalists, etc.

Tagnuzlsx : ??

i’ve just mentioned the communist manifesto and hit the submit button then this pops up instead of – as i expected – my own little sentimental comment
Harry: is this an automatic reply that i’ve accidentally triggered, … i mean, like the sirens going of in Fry’s QI when somebody’s said the predictably stupid thing?

Use tough diplomacy — backed by real incentives and real pressures — to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons…

wonder what those “real pressures” will translate into.

Why do these conflicts come lower down your list?

I know this may sound weird, but blogging is not a paid activity. So in between work and the countless domestic chores, I managed to briefly throw up a post about the agenda on the Whitehouse site. If you are reading into the order of the list a motive, then you may as well kill your pets and try to read their entrails for clues.

“Eliminate Iran’s and North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons Programs Through Tough, Direct Diplomacy”

You’ve got to smile at that one. North Korea are Olympic champions at tough, direct diplomacy. And Iran are no slouches in that event – as our cowering sailors discovered.

Mesquito, they’re abandoning killer drones? MORONS!

you may as well kill your pets and try and read their entrails for clues

I’m afraid my Dog’s-Trust rescue Lurcher (yay qudos me but seriously – amazing charity, beautiful dogs, great service… little b*stard keeps me moving despite my MS!) moves too quickly to catch and be skinned. He’s also chaotic enough on the outside for me to have no real hopes for organised enlightenment on the inside.

But seriously, whether you intended an order or not, the order as evidenced reveals at least an interesting bias of presumed importance on the part of the author. Other pseudo-psychologists and ideally psychologists can now tear my presumptiveness a new butthole!

“Tough diplomacy” with Iran?

Without preconditions, he said.

Can’t you for one moment see through the fact that he’s black and judge him as a human being? The man’s a fake. When you let him off that because he’s black and that’s, like, so exciting you are patronising him.

It’s NOT the Whiethouse, it’s the White House. It’s a US government building, not a British porn mag cheekily named after the late Mrs Mary Whitehouse.

Or even the Whitehouse. Forgot to preview.

Mesquito, they’re abandoning killer drones? MORONS!

No no no no no. The Obama adminitration has NOT announced that they are cutting the Killer Drone program. I just worry that they may consider it.

“Tough diplomacy” with Iran?
Can’t you for one moment see through the fact that he’s black and judge him as a human being? The man’s a fake.

I don’t care whether he’s black or plain CMYK, RGB, or a whiter shade of pale. I just wonder: are all those options still on that table, to eliminate that 12th imam inspired apocalypse?

I could not imagine this President deedling an intern in the Oval Office, which is something I would have found perfectly plausible on January 20, 1993.

But seriously, whether you intended an order or not, the order as evidenced reveals at least an interesting bias of presumed importance on the part of the author.

I admit I have bias. I have little interest in the US healthcare system, since I do not use it myself. I am primarily interested in foreign policy. I found the reference to the two state solution and put it first because it is key issue, and the Israel agenda points next to counter any implication that Obama is abandoning Israel.

The rest was more or less less random in order as I found things, hence the appearance of science before Iraq. But enough of this bloggocks. Back to the issue in hand. There might be a change in the administration in the US, both in tone and policy, but a great deal of what they are planning is going to disappoint some on the left and people like Melanie Philips who will find their predictions about Obama off the mark.

I could not imagine this President deedling an intern in the Oval Office, which is something I would have found perfectly plausible on January 20, 1993.

Give Obama a chance before you start dragging him down like this…

I’m hoping for a naked “interns of the whitehouse” calendar next year, if all goes well.

“I don’t know. As long as it’s not a fig leaf to cover the abandonment of cool stuff like missile defense and killer drones.”

Ha ha!

Abandonment of the killer drone programme would be a slap in the trusting, smiley faces of all neo-conservatives, decents and realists everywhere.

I like the quotes. I think he will basically be fine. Quite good even. I will like him more when he’s done enough stuff to piss off both the Cameroons and the Trots (to be horribly parochial for a moment). He’s like Blair times a thousand. Except Blair was, like, better and stuff.

I could not imagine this President deedling an intern in the Oval Office, which is something I would have found perfectly plausible on January 20, 1993.

Really? I must admit I had never heard of Obama on January 20th 1993.

Really? I must admit I had never heard of Obama on January 20th 1993.

-neither had anyone else for that matter…

The striking thing is that, apart the tone or nuance, all those agenda points are very similar to the Bush administration.

But it’s not necessarily a bad quality. We have had the stability to become a world power.

All the things people bitch about now, i.e. Patrot act, Guantanamo bay detention center, confronting Saddam, exist because there was a public mandate at the time.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have consistently supported foreign assistance to Israel. They defend and support the annual foreign aid package that involves both military and economic assistance to Israel and have advocated increased foreign aid budgets to ensure that these funding priorities are met.

Yes, its amusing. The US must be the only country in the world that delivers what 25 per cent, a third of its foreign aid and assistance budget to a developed first world country with a GDP per capita (PPP) of $26,600.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have consistently supported foreign assistance to Israel. They defend and support the annual foreign aid package that involves both military and economic assistance to Israel and have advocated increased foreign aid budgets to ensure that these funding priorities are met.

Yes, its amusing. The US must be the only country in the world that delivers what 25 per cent, a third of its foreign aid and assistance budget to a developed first world country with a GDP per capita (PPP) of $26,600.

Eliminate Iran’s and North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons Programs Through Tough, Direct Diplomacy

Well, at least the title of that section is misleading, since it the judgment of the IAEA and the US intelligence services that Iran has no nuclear weapons programmes.

Lastly, I am slightly amused that a post discussing Obama’s agenda is simply a cut and paste from the White House website.

“President Obama will keep the broken promises made by President Bush to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. He and Vice President Biden will take steps to ensure that the federal government will never again allow such catastrophic failures in emergency planning and response to occur.” – White House Website

FEMA got a chance to practice their response capabilities so Obama can “avoid catastrophic failures in emergency planning,” because DC was declared a disaster area for the inauguration in order to get enough money to put on all of Obama’s pomp and circumstance (seriously, it was declared a disaster area).
So essentially, President Bush ordered FEMA to declare DC a disaster area so that Obama could mock Bush for misusing FEMA. You just can’t make this stuff up!
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=47284

Well, at least the title of that section is misleading, since it the judgment of the IAEA and the US intelligence services that Iran has no nuclear weapons programmes.

I don’t think the IAEA have said quite that and, in fact, neither did the NIE. There’s probably a good chance that they do have a weapons programme.

Abandonment of the killer drone programme would be a slap in the trusting, smiley faces of all neo-conservatives, decents and realists everywhere.

“Trusting, smiley faces,” yeah, we are pretty adorable aren’t we?

wrt to Obama’s agenda on Israel and the Muslim World I thought it was interesting to see what Islamist groups had to say of their hopes of his Presidency.

At MPAC UK, titled “Blackhouse” they list their 10 points http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/5277/102/#jreactions

1. Openly acknowledge that Muslims are not the enemy and Islam poses no threat to America. Admit that the US has damaged relationships between the West and the Muslim world.

2. Close Guantanamo Bay and release the captives being held there illegally.

3. Pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan. US troops serve no useful purpose there and their presence is like a running sore in the Muslim world.

4. Recognise the damage done by the neo-conservatives and investigate any criminal activity such as torture, illegal killings and imprisonment.

5. Recognise that the Israel Lobby in America is working to the detriment of the US and should be treated as a hostile entity because it serves a foreign power, Israel.

6. Treat the world with consistency. If Israel can have nuclear power – then so can Iran.

7. Stop funding apartheid and oppression. The money wasted on Israel would be better spent on bringing peace to the Middle-East by funding the Palestinians. If the US wanted Israel to pull out of Palestine it could apply pressure and solve the issues in a short space of time. Stop vetoing votes at the UN on behalf of Israel.

8. Accept that diplomacy is far more effective than military power and would serve American interests far better in the long run.

9. Help fund and reform the UN to apply policy consistently and fairly around the world.

10. Use diplomacy to call for democracy in all the Muslim countries including the gulf states, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria.

Well they got Guantanamo right!

Then its Israel, Israel, Israel. Next is “Install Muslim Brotherhood Democracy – just like Hamas”

And the highlight Openly acknowledge that Muslims are not the enemy and Islam poses no threat to America

Well, not yet!

Yup, disband Homeland Security and give a miniscule percentage of the population more bandwidth.

Recognise that the Israel Lobby in America is working to the detriment of the US and should be treated as a hostile entity because it serves a foreign power, Israel

I should have twigged this better.

Instead they want the USA to be more “Muslim Friendly” and so bow to a foreign power and idealogy called The Ummah, as promoted by Islamists and not your ordinary Muslim citizen. Please disarm, we come as friends in hijacked planes.

Given the USA’s natural hyper-sensitivity about 9/11 and a recent foiled plot I know that MPAC UK is just a non-entity gesture but its the sentiment that is indicative of wider thinking.

Do you think the Livni inauguration will be as moving as Obama’s?

So the White House can spend a lot of money on good speech writers. Big deal. So does North Korea. Proves exactly nothing about the quality of the leader, one way or t’other.

Recognise that the Israel Lobby in America is working to the detriment of the US and should be treated as a hostile entity because it serves a foreign power, Israel

“Check under the bed every night to see if there are Joos lurking there.
Or maybe abolish ALL lobbies, including the Arab.”

Really? I must admit I had never heard of Obama on January 20th 1993.

-neither had anyone else for that matter…

At least one racist pastor had.

Yes, its amusing. The US must be the only country in the world that delivers what 25 per cent, a third of its foreign aid and assistance budget to a developed first world country with a GDP per capita (PPP) of $26,600.

And it’s not even as though that’s the only country surrounded by hundreds of millions of genocidal maniacs who repeatedly try to annihilate it.
Yes, hilarious. But still and all, it tells us more about you than about the USA.

I don’t think the IAEA have said quite that and, in fact, neither did the NIE.

Latest IAEA report:

“The report also reiterated that IAEA inspectors had found “no evidence on the actual design or manufacture by Iran of nuclear material components of a nuclear weapon or of certain other key components, such as initiators, or on related nuclear physics studies … Nor has the Agency detected the actual use of nuclear material in connection with the alleged studies” Wikpedia.

Since there is no evidence of this progamme existing, it is rather difficult to “eliminate” a programme, as in the sub-section header, although the following text is more sensible – saying the US wishes to “prevent” – indeed, that is the correct word to use.

The 2007 NIE report stated with “high confidence” that Iran halted a nuclear weapons program in 2003. Even the allegation that it had a programme in 2003 is based on what some say is suspect information.

The 2007 NIE report was Cheneyised, but even then did not support the notion that an active programme existed.

And it’s not even as though that’s the only country surrounded by hundreds of millions of genocidal maniacs who repeatedly try to annihilate it.

You are gift to the anti-Zionist lobby, NO, although I am informed that your ravings do not represent all Zionists – a relief to them I am sure.

Well this is a good start.

The US president, Barack Obama, looked set to suspend the controversial Guantánamo Bay military tribunals, in one of his first actions after being sworn in yesterday.

Within hours of taking office, Obama’s administration filed a motion to halt the war crimes trials for 120 days, until his new administration completes a review of the much-criticised system for trying suspected terrorists.

Tom, please point to anything I have said which is not a hard fact.
You are a pathetic idiot.

Hey Chas Newkey Burden – Obama is a fake, acording to you – but then again , you are also say that Paris Hilton is a really intelligent , super sharp person, in your very impressive book “Paris Hilton: Life on the edge”. Please share more of your valuable insights

Lastly, I am slightly amused that a post discussing Obama’s agenda is simply a cut and paste from the White House website.

You are easily amused. For your information this is not a post discussing Obama’s agenda. It is a post directing you to the agenda which is, unsurprisingly to all but the dumbest of commentators, hosted on the Whitehouse website.

It is a post directing you to the agenda which is, unsurprisingly to all but the dumbest of commentators, hosted on the Whitehouse website.

How sweet. However, I don’t think the Americans are dumb enough to publish their agenda on the White House website!

you are also say that Paris Hilton is a really intelligent , super sharp person, in your very impressive book “Paris Hilton: Life on the edge”.

Come, come, Paris Hilton is smart and intelligent: she just told Chas that she was a strong supporter of Israel and he got weak at the knees and wrote a fluffy book about her. Smart move; that’s the way to his heart!

I don’t think the Americans are dumb enough to publish their agenda on the White House website!

No, their real agenda is guarded by their lizard overlords.

No, their real agenda is guarded by their lizard overlords.

Come on. The jews are apes and pigs (and the devil), not lizards! DUH!

No, their real agenda is guarded by their lizard overlords.

No, not by lizard overlords, although that sounds all rather exciting. I just suggest its not really elaborated upon on the White House website. It would seem an odd place to discuss such matters. Very odd indeed.

You are suggesting it is a very odd for Obama to set out key points of his agenda on the Whitehouse website? Seriously?

Would you prefer it if he wrote his agenda on old newspapers and stuck them in a broom cupboard in a plastic bag adorned with a sign saying “Beware of the Tiger”?

Have you nothing better to think about?

“Would you prefer it if he wrote his agenda on old newspapers…”

Toilet paper would be better and goes further like the starship Enterprise round and round Uranus.