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American Favorability Dropping

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Posts: 7,362 (120 of 254)
Re: American Favorability Dropping

Jun 4, 2011 7:41 PM
Report This is what the OP is really talking about. It's all about taking sides. It's going to come down to. Either you have Christian Judaic beliefs or Muslim beliefs or side with them.
Sooner or later your going to have to pick a side> whether you believe in a God or not.
If US sides with Israel, there'll be trouble
Tuesday, February 08, 2011


Dear Editor,
For sure the problems in the Middle East are going to force the world to choose sides when the showdown comes. Everybody's going to have to show their true colors.
Anti-government protesters pray at dusk amid the continuing protest in Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, yesterday. Egypt's embattled regime announced Monday a 15 per cent raise for government employees in an attempt to shore up its base and defuse popular anger, but the gestures so far have done little to persuade the tens of thousands of protesters occupying Tahrir Square to end their two-week long protest, leaving the two sides in an uneasy stalemate. (Photo:AP) Anti-government protesters pray at dusk amid the continuing protest in Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, yesterday. Egypt's embattled regime announced Monday a 15 per cent raise for government employees in an attempt to shore up its base and defuse popular anger, but the gestures so far have done little to persuade the tens of thousands of protesters occupying Tahrir Square to end their two-week long protest, leaving the two sides in an uneasy stalemate. (Photo:AP) 1/1
So often nobody really wants to let anybody else know where they really stand. Diplomats are usually such a bunch of deceivers. But whenever things like this are going on, then they have to come out and declare themselves. Diplomats are the world's worst prevaricators! They're famous for being expert at what they do. Lying is almost their main job. Politicians!
Lately, Egypt and the Arabs have been getting world sympathy pretty much on their side. At the same time, Israel is walking a real thin line to try to keep as much world opinion as possible on her side, especially if America shows her true colours as being so sympathetic to the Jews and tries to intervene. In a way that's good: If America again sides with Israel - the oil, that is - that could really bring on trouble!
Ted Rudow III
California, USA
Tedr77@aol.com

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~The result of shielding men from their follies is filling the world with fools.~
~ There are as many paths as there are people to walk them, and that each person is the best judge of which path they will walk at any given time.~

Brainwashed

San Mateo Daily Journal
Saturday
June 18 2011 11:02 am
Home Local News State / National / World Sports Opinion / Letters Business Follow us on Twitter! June 18, 2011, 02:51 AM Letter

Brainwashed
Editor,
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has filed a lawsuit accusing the Obama administration of waging unconstitutional military operations in Libya. The suit says President Obama violated the War Powers Act by failing to obtain congressional approval for the Libya attack within 60 days. On Wednesday, the White House issued a lengthy report arguing Obama had the authority to ignore the 60-day window because the U.S. role in Libya was limited, and therefore outside the scope of Congress.
Critics have described the hearings as a modern-day form of McCarthyism designed to stoke fear against American Muslims. In a rebuke of Rep. Peter King, Democratic Rep. Laura Richardson of California said the focus on Muslims is an act of racism. Have you noticed the nature of the cartoons now in the right-wing blogs? The Arabs are the villains.
Before all wars, they had to have a really good excuse to try to convince the people because, before World War II, most Americans had been involved in one world war and didn’t want to get involved in another one.
“Let them fight it out! So what if Hitler wins? At least he’ll be the buffer between us and the communists!” Before World War I, the United States spent years of antagonistic propaganda against Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.
“It was all his fault, it was all the Germans’ fault!” The people are brainwashed for years before a war.


Ted Rudow III, MA
Palo Alto

Give peace a chance

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Peninsula readers' letters: June 17

From Daily News Group readers
Posted: 06/16/2011 05:58:03 PM PDT
Updated: 06/16/2011 11:32:35 PM PDT

Give peace a chance

Dear Editor: Wayne Lyman Morse was a politician and attorney from Oregon known for his proclivity for opposing his party's leadership, and specifically for his opposition to the Vietnam War on constitutional grounds. Morse was one of only two senators who opposed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized the president to take military action in Vietnam without a declaration of war. He continued to speak out against the war in the ensuing years.

Barbara Lee is notable as the only member of either house of Congress to vote against the authorization of use of force following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. This made her a hero among many in the anti-war movement. Lee has been a vocal critic of the war in Iraq and supports legislation creating a Department of Peace. The peace movement in the United States has a proposed legislative history that dates to the first years of the republic.

Dr. Benjamin Rush, a "Founding Father" and signatory of the Declaration of Independence, wrote an essay titled "A plan of a Peace-Office for the United States." Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, re-introduced a bill to create a U.S. Department of Peace. This bill has since been introduced in each session of Congress from 2001 to 2009. It was reintroduced as H.R. 808 on Feb. 3, 2009 and is currently supported by 72 co-sponsors.

Ted Rudow III, MA

Palo Alto

Democracy

FORUM-A Monthly publication of the Daily Star
Volume 5 Issue 06 June 2011 Inside Original Forum Editorial Readers' Forum
Send your comments Forum Home Readers' FORUM
Corporal punishment
Democracy
As the conventional wisdom goes -- especially in the West -- Israel is the "only democracy" in the Middle East. And that is so, particularly for its Jewish citizens. However, Israel has been anything but democratic for the indigenous people of the land, the Palestinian Arabs. By nature and precedence, foreign military occupation is temporary. Colonialism on the other hand, and more precisely civilian colonisation, is a socio-political system of ruling over another people.
Israel is really a police state. If they don't put you in jail, they at least put you out of your job for saying anything they don't want you to say. They claim they don't have censorship -- possession is nine-tenths of the law. Occupancy is very difficult to overcome and Israel has already got the Palestinians' land.
The Jews seem divided among themselves and the unity of the Palestinians is the strong point of the latter. It is also encouraging to see many Jews sympathising with the Arabs. Let us hope that the Middle East crisis will one day be resolved.
Ted Rudow III, MAPalo Alto, CA, USA

Racism

RSN


Racism
by Ted Rudow III
Thursday, 16 June 2011
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has filed a lawsuit accusing the Obama administration of waging unconstitutional military operations in Libya. The suit says President Obama violated the War Powers Act by failing to obtain congressional approval for the Libya attack within 60 days. On Wednesday, the White House issued a lengthy report arguing Obama had the authority to ignore the 60-day window because the U.S. role in Libya was limited, and therefore outside the scope of Congress.Critics have described the hearings as a modern-day form of McCarthyism designed to stoke fear against American Muslims. In a rebuke of Rep. Peter King, Democratic Rep. Laura Richardson of California said the focus on Muslims is an act of racism Have you noticed the nature of the cartoons now in the right-wing blogs?--The Arabs are the villains! Before all wars, they had to have a real good excuse to try to convince the people, because before World War II most Americans had been involved in one World War and didn't want to get involved in another one. "Let them fight it out! So what if Hitler wins?--At least he'll be the buffer between us and the Communists!" Before World War I the U.S. spent years of antagonistic propaganda against Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany. "It was all his fault, it was all the Germans' fault!" The people are brainwashed for years before a war!

Brainwashed

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/06/16/18682036.php


Brainwashed
by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )
Thursday Jun 16th, 2011
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has filed a lawsuit accusing the Obama administration of waging unconstitutional military operations in Libya. The suit says President Obama violated the War Powers Act by failing to obtain congressional approval for the Libya attack within 60 days.
On Wednesday, the White House issued a lengthy report arguing Obama had the authority to ignore the 60-day window because the U.S. role in Libya was limited, and therefore outside the scope of Congress.
Critics have described the hearings as a modern-day form of McCarthyism designed to stoke fear against American Muslims. In a rebuke of Rep. Peter King, Democratic Rep. Laura Richardson of California said the focus on Muslims is an act of racism Have you noticed the nature of the cartoons now in the right-wing blogs?--The Arabs are the villains!
Before all wars, they had to have a real good excuse to try to convince the people, because before World War II most Americans had been involved in one World War and didn't want to get involved in another one. "Let them fight it out! So what if Hitler wins?--At least he'll be the buffer between us and the Communists!" Before World War I the U.S. spent years of antagonistic propaganda against Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany. "It was all his fault, it was all the Germans' fault!" The people are brainwashed for years before a war!
Ted Rudow III, MA

Dept. of peace

rsn

Dept. of Peace
by Ted Rudow III, MA Sunday, 12 June 2011
Wayne Lyman Morse was a politician and attorney from Oregon, United States, known for his proclivity for opposing his parties' leadership, and specifically for his opposition to the Vietnam War on constitutional grounds. Morse was one of only two Senators who opposed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized the president to take military action in Vietnam without a declaration of war. He continued to speak out against the war in the ensuing years.
Barbara Lee is notable as the only member of either house of Congress to vote against the authorization of use of force following the September 11, 2001 attacks. This made her a hero among many in the anti-war movement. Lee has been a vocal critic of the war in Iraq and supports legislation creating a Department of Peace. The peace movement in the United States has a proposed legislative history that dates to the first years of the republic.
Dr. Benjamin Rush, Founding Father (signer of the Declaration of Independence), wrote an essay titled "A plan of a Peace-Office for the United States". Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) re-introduced a bill to create a U.S. Department of Peace. This bill has since been introduced in each session of Congress from 2001 to 2009. It was re-introduced as H.R. 808 on February 3, 2009 and is currently supported by 72 cosponsors.
"They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Book of Isaiah

Dept. of peace

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/06/12/18681664.php
Dept. of peace
by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com ) Sunday Jun 12th, 2011
Wayne Lyman Morse was a politician and attorney from Oregon, United States, known for his proclivity for opposing his parties' leadership, and specifically for his opposition to the Vietnam War on constitutional grounds.
Morse was one of only two Senators who opposed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized the president to take military action in Vietnam without a declaration of war. He continued to speak out against the war in the ensuing years. Barbara Lee is notable as the only member of either house of Congress to vote against the authorization of use of force following the September 11, 2001 attacks. This made her a hero among many in the anti-war movement. Lee has been a vocal critic of the war in Iraq and supports legislation creating a Department of Peace. The peace movement in the United States has a proposed legislative history that dates to the first years of the republic. Dr. Benjamin Rush, Founding Father (signer of the Declaration of Independence), wrote an essay titled "A plan of a Peace-Office for the United States". Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) re-introduced a bill to create a U.S. Department of Peace. This bill has since been introduced in each session of Congress from 2001 to 2009. It was re-introduced as H.R. 808 on February 3, 2009 and is currently supported by 72 cosponsors. "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Book of Isaiah
Ted Rudow III, MA

P P and J

Peninsula Peace and Justice Centerwww.PeaceandJustice.org Free Forum Tuesday Evening . . .

PPJC's Award-Winning Monthly TV Program and Public Forum
FUKUSHIMA U.S.A.
A conversation withJackie CabassoExec. Dir.,Western States Legal Foundation
If there is one thing that the political parties in Washington agree on, it is nuclear power. They want more of it. In fact, building new nuclear power plants remains a major part of all future energy programs. We'll discuss the realities of relying on such a deadly form of energy, especially in light of what Japan has learned about its reliance on nuclear power and what might happen if a similar disaster struck in the U.S.
Jackie Cabasso has long been a national leader in the grassroots struggle against nuclear power and weapons. Her organization was founded in order to provide legal counsel to people who were arrested protesting the building of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California in 1982.
Tuesday, June 7, 7:00 PMCommunity Media Center900 San Antonio Road, Palo AltoFree and open to all. Wheelchair accessible.Simultaneous live TV broadcast on cable TV channel 27.Simultaneous live webcast on the Community Media Center webpage. Select channel 27. Be a part of the studio audience!
You are always an important part of each program as we turn to our in-studio audience and viewers at home for questions and comments. Home viewers can call 650-856-1491 to participate. I phoned in to express the opposition of nuclear power and weapons and on going work in Japan with my brother Jim to have peace.
Other Voices TV can be seen live at 7:00 PM on the first Tuesday of each month on mid-Peninsula cable channel 27. The program is also streamed live on the internet (select channel 27).

Interfering

Wednesday June 08, 2011
The Berkeley Planet

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Wednesday June 08, 2011
More about the Branch Libraries Controversy; Catholic Laundries; Republicans; Interfering; Shrinking Meat; Fair Share; Prison Overcrowding; Public Servants
Interfering
"Plainly, the U.S. and its allies are not going to want governments which are responsive to the will of the people. If that happens, not only will the U.S. not control the region, but it will be thrown out." Noam Chomsky
When Central American War going on somewhere in Central America, and it's not at all uncommon for the U.S. to step in and change things there if it doesn't like it. When Guatemala elected a Communist president, the U.S.A. sent in the Marines!--Like that. The U.S.A. feels they have a right to interfere in the affairs of Central America.
Of course, they did exactly the same thing in Lebanon years ago! When they elected a pro-Communist president, Eisenhower sent in the Marines!--And Lebanon's had nothing but grief ever since. And the same thing happened in Vietnam. When they looked like they were about to have a pro-Communist government, the U.S. stepped in to make sure they didn't!
"We heard was President Obama, immediately after the coup, did say that it was a military coup and that the President, President Zelaya, must return with no conditions. He was the democratically elected president. They got to President Obama, and he did not use that word ever again, along with Secretary of State Clinton and others. Those who used that word "coup" when it actually—what do you call it when the president, democratically elected president of a country" Father Roy Bourgeois
Ted Rudow III, MA
Palo Alto

Palin

rsn
Big Stick Return


by Ted Rudow III Monday, 06 June 2011
"Plainly, the U.S. and its allies are not going to want governments which are responsive to the will of the people. If that happens, not only will the U.S. not control the region, but it will be thrown out." Noam ChomskyTed Rudow III, MAWhen Central American War going on somewhere in Central America, and it's not at all uncommon for the U.S. to step in and change things there if it doesn't like it. When Guatemala elected a Communist president, the U.S.A. sent in the Marines!--Like that. The U.S.A. feels they have a right to interfere in the affairs of Central America. Of course, they did exactly the same thing in Lebanon years ago! When they elected a pro-Communist president, Eisenhower sent in the Marines!--And Lebanon's had nothing but grief ever since. And the same thing happened in Vietnam. When they looked like they were about to have a pro-Communist government, the U.S. stepped in to make sure they didn't! "We heard was President Obama, immediately after the coup, did say that it was a military coup and that the President, President Zelaya, must return with no conditions. He was the democratically elected president. They got to President Obama, and he did not use that word ever again, along with Secretary of State Clinton and others. Those who used that word "coup" when it actually what do you call it when the president, democratically elected president of a country" Father Roy Bourgeois
Ted Rudow III, MA
rsn

Palin
by Ted Rudow III Monday, 06 June 2011
Well, I think it’s important to look at who the tea party is, what the tea party is. I mean, let’s remember, it’s many different organizations. They wouldn’t be there if it hadn’t been for an enormous amount of money from a few ... well, Simon Johnson calls them the “13 bankers.” 13 bankers is the rise of concentrated financial power and the threat it poses to our economic well-being.
It turns out that not quite 20 percent of Americans are tea party supporters. Those who are tend to be white, Republican, male, older than 45 and wealthier than the rest of us. Fifty-seven percent hold a favorable opinion of George W. Bush. And where most Republicans describe themselves as "dissatisfied" with Washington, tea partiers are apt to use a different term.
They say they're angry. It is a telling word, especially in light of another survey, this one from the University of Washington's Institute for the Study of Ethnicity, Race & Sexuality. That poll offers strong evidence that, contrary to the denials of tea party enthusiasts, President Barack Obama's race plays a big role in their outrage.
After all, if the tea partiers were truly only concerned about so-called "tyranny," they'd have started howling when Bush claimed he need not be bound by laws with which he disagreed.
Ted Rudow III, MA

Big stick return

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Big stick return : Indybay by indybay.org Sun Jun 5 17:41:17 PDT 2011


"Plainly, the U.S. and its allies are not going to want governments which are responsive to the will of the people. If that happens, not only will the U.S. not control the region, but it will be thrown out." Noam Chomsky
When Central American War going on somewhere in Central America, and it's not at all uncommon for the U.S. to step in and change things there if it doesn't like it. When Guatemala elected a Communist president, the U.S.A. sent in the Marines!--Like that. The U.S.A. feels they have a right to interfere in the affairs of Central America. Of course, they did exactly the same thing in Lebanon years ago! When they elected a pro-Communist president, Eisenhower sent in the Marines!--And Lebanon's had nothing but grief ever since. And the same thing happened in Vietnam. When they looked like they were about to have a pro-Communist government, the U.S. stepped in to make sure they didn't! "We heard was President Obama, immediately after the coup, did say that it was a military coup and that the President, President Zelaya, must return with no conditions. He was the democratically elected president. They got to President Obama, and he did not use that word ever again, along with Secretary of State Clinton and others. Those who used that word "coup" when it actually what do you call it when the president, democratically elected president of a country" Father Roy Bourgeois
Ted Rudow III, MA

Education of the Homo Oeconomicus : Indybay Education of the Homo Oeconomicus : LA IMC Make Your Blog Attractive and Streamlined With Tum

Big stick return

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/06/05/18681157.php
Big stick return by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com ) Sunday Jun 5th, 2011
"Plainly, the U.S. and its allies are not going to want governments which are responsive to the will of the people. If that happens, not only will the U.S. not control the region, but it will be thrown out." Noam Chomsky
When Central American War going on somewhere in Central America, and it's not at all uncommon for the U.S. to step in and change things there if it doesn't like it. When Guatemala elected a Communist president, the U.S.A. sent in the Marines!--Like that. The U.S.A. feels they have a right to interfere in the affairs of Central America. Of course, they did exactly the same thing in Lebanon years ago! When they elected a pro-Communist president, Eisenhower sent in the Marines!--And Lebanon's had nothing but grief ever since. And the same thing happened in Vietnam. When they looked like they were about to have a pro-Communist government, the U.S. stepped in to make sure they didn't! "We heard was President Obama, immediately after the coup, did say that it was a military coup and that the President, President Zelaya, must return with no conditions. He was the democratically elected president. They got to President Obama, and he did not use that word ever again, along with Secretary of State Clinton and others. Those who used that word "coup" when it actually—what do you call it when the president, democratically elected president of a country" Father Roy Bourgeois
Ted Rudow III, MA

Bargain for peace

Palo Alto Weekly
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Bargain for peaceIssues Beyond Palo Alto, posted by Ted Rudow III, MA, a member of the Palo Alto High School community


In his famous book of 1795 Immanuel Kant advocated these three things: Standing armies must be totally abolished in due course; a country must not intervene with force to change another country's structure or government; during war a country must not act so that it becomes impossible to be trusted during a future period of peace.
The U.S. disarmed Japan to guarantee its war objective: that Japan never again becomes a threat to the U.S. In accordance with Kant's third principle, we must not apply limitless violence in war, and we must think about the period after the restoration of peace.
As we bargain for peace, let us remember there will be no refunds on lives given toward the same purpose. There will be love and laughter and peace ever after in God's tomorrow when the world is free of war. God blesses peace!








Sign up for Express New from Palo Alto Online, Express is a daily e-edition, distributed by e-mail every weekday.Sign up to receive Express!
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Bargain for peace
Issues Beyond Palo Alto, posted by Ted Rudow III, MA, a member of the Palo Alto High School community


In his famous book of 1795 Immanuel Kant advocated these three things: Standing armies must be totally abolished in due course; a country must not intervene with force to change another country's structure or government; during war a country must not act so that it becomes impossible to be trusted during a future period of peace.
The U.S. disarmed Japan to guarantee its war objective: that Japan never again becomes a threat to the U.S. In accordance with Kant's third principle, we must not apply limitless violence in war, and we must think about the period after the restoration of peace.
As we bargain for peace, let us remember there will be no refunds on lives given toward the same purpose. There will be love and laughter and peace ever after in God's tomorrow when the world is free of war. God blesses peace!

The Daily Star

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What Immanuel Kant said

Ted Rudow III, MA, Encina Ave, Palo Alto, CA
In his famous book of 1795 Immanuel Kant advocated these three things: Standing armies must be totally abolished in due course; a country must not intervene with force to change another country's structure or government; during war a country must not act so that it becomes impossible to be trusted during a future period of peace.
The U.S. disarmed Japan to guarantee its war objective: that Japan never again becomes a threat to the U.S. In accordance with Kant's third principle, we must not apply limitless violence in war, and we must think about the period after the restoration of peace.
As we bargain for peace, let us remember there will be no refunds on lives given toward the same purpose. There will be love and laughter and peace ever after in God's tomorrow when the world is free of war. God blesses peace!

Middle East

The Berkeley Planet
Wednesday June 01, 2011

Front Page Opinion Columnists Arts & Entertainment Contents Full Text
Letters to the Editor
Tuesday May 31, 2011 Tom Roberts, the Puppet Man; A Matter of Mattresses; Flute Concert; Peace; UC Berkeley: Chancellor Treats Cal as Fiefdom; Take Care of the Children; Safety Net; Geography; Middle East; Disfunctional Government Middle East
In a major speech on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and on the Arab Spring, President Obama said a Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders, the first time a U.S. president has explicitly taken this position. The Israeli government immediately rejected Obama’s comments, calling the 1967 borders "indefensible." President Bush, over three years ago, made a similar speech. He said that "There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967. [An] agreement must establish Palestine as a homeland for the Palestinian people, just as Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people." The Camp David summit of July 2000 was the latest in a long line of attempts by Israelis and Palestinians to attain peace in the Middle East. Zionist leader David Ben-Gurion unilaterally declared Israel a nation on May 14, 1948, following the UN partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. And the list goes on and on. So the World is fed up! And they have voted unanimously against further occupancy of the Palestinian lands by Israel. "The war crimes and occupation, oppression and inequality that Palestinians are suffering from must end. And it was absolutely despicable to see our Congress pandering to Netanyahu as if he was the president of the United States." --Rae Abileah, a Jewish-American activist.
Ted Rudow III, MA

Peace

The Berkeley Daily Planet
Wednesday June 01, 2011

Front Page Opinion Columnists Arts & Entertainment Contents Full Text



Letters to the Editor
Tuesday May 31, 2011
Tom Roberts, the Puppet Man; A Matter of Mattresses; Flute Concert; Peace; UC Berkeley: Chancellor Treats Cal as Fiefdom; Take Care of the Children; Safety Net; Geography; Middle East; Disfunctional Government;


Peace
In his famous book of 1795 Immanuel Kant advocated these three things:
Standing armies must be totally abolished in due course; A country must not intervene with force to change another country's structure or government; During war a country must not act so that it becomes impossible to be trusted during a future period of peace
The U.S. disarmed Japan to guarantee its war objective: that Japan never again become a threat to the U.S. In accordance with Kant's third principle, we must not apply limitless violence in war, and we must think about the period after the restoration of peace. As we bargain for peace let us remember there will be no refunds on lives given toward the same purpose
There'll be love and laughter and peace ever after, in God's tomorrow when the World is free of war. God blesses peace!
Ted Rudow III, MA

The Daily Star

The Daily Star Home About us Photos Videos Subscriptions RSS Feeds Today's Paper Classifieds Contact Us Sign in Register MONDAY, 30 MAY 2011 08:56 PM Beirut time Weather Beirut23 °C Blom Index 1,362.2 News Business Opinion Sports Culture Technology Entertainment Politics Local News Analysis Middle East International Environment Health
International Lebanon Middle East Analysis
Editorial Columnist Commentary Columnist Netanyahu was powerful, and misguided May 28, 2011 01:17 AM By Rami G. Khouri The Daily Star

By any standard, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s performance in Washington this week was stunning in its audacity and intensity.
However, his speech before the U.S. Congress will probably be seen as negative rather than positive for Israel in the long run, for the fault lines it revealed and the precedents it set.
Netanyahu’s performance exposed four major breaches that may be damaging for Israel: those between him and President Barack Obama; between the American presidency and the Congress; between the pro-Israel lobby in the United States and the rest of the country; and between the Israeli people and their government.
All four dynamics have their ups and downs, but when they converge, as may be the case now, Netanyahu the brash star performer in Washington, may be seen as a political jerk, in Israel and in the U.S.,,,,,,,,
Congressional subservience to Israel revealed itself as so exaggerated last week that many Americans took notice – and some started to speak out. Analysts, columnists and ordinary Americans alike started asking if they should put up with a foreign leader lecturing the president in the White House, and wondering if their Congress represents American or Israeli interests in the Middle East.
This attitude will once again open the debate that started a few years ago (after the publication of the book “The Israel Lobby”) about whether the pro-Israel lobbies are healthy or destructive for Americans. When the American and Israeli leaders mistrust or dislike each other and each other’s policies, and when foreigners intervene between the U.S. Congress and presidency, this can only spell trouble for Israel down the road, if these breaches are not quickly repaired.
The Obama position that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for a permanent peace accord should be based on the 1967 lines with agreed swaps is not new. But it is significant for the fact that it marks the second major issue (the Israeli settlements freeze demand being the other) on which Obama has publicly declared the preferred American policy as one that is independent of Israeli policy.
Israel cannot accept that the U.S. and its president take positions on issues of strategic concern to Israelis that diverge from the Israeli position. That the U.S. president has now done this twice in two years is the equivalent of an existential threat from Israel’s perspective. That is why Netanyahu went berserk and showed how Israel can effectively dictate the position of the Congress on Middle East-related issues.,,,,,,
With the U.S. Congress now finding its extreme position on Israel somewhat isolated from the relatively more balanced position of the American president and public, Israel is slipping dangerously toward a point where its political support in the U.S. is as much a consequence of frightened, nearly prostituted, legislators as it is a reflection of the deep and firm support for the security of Israel that the United States traditionally saw as a worthy goal in its own right.
These fascinating movements in the Israeli-American relationship are worth monitoring. While being dazzled by Netanyahu’s powerful, self-assertive, performance in Washington, we should pay more attention to the underlying fault lines that such a dramatic show reveals.
Rami G. Khouri is published twice weekly by THE DAILY STAR.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on May 28, 2011, on page 7. Comments
Ted Rudow III, MA May 28, 2011
Congress pander
Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77@aol,com ) In a major speech on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and on the Arab Spring, President Obama said a Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders, the first time a U.S. president has explicitly taken this position. The Israeli government immediately rejected Obama’s comments, calling the 1967 borders "indefensible." --> President Bush, over three years ago, made a similar speech. He said that "There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967. [An] agreement must establish Palestine as a homeland for the Palestinian people, just as Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people." The Camp David summit of July 2000 was the latest in a long line of attempts by Israelis and Palestinians to attain peace in the Middle East. Zionist leader David Ben-Gurion unilaterally declared Israel a nation on May 14, 1948, following the UN partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. And the list go on and on. So the World is fed up! And they have voted unanimously against further occupancy of the Palestinian lands by Israel. "The war crimes and occupation, oppression and inequality that Palestinians are suffering from must end. And it was absolutely despicable to see our Congress pandering to Netanyahu as if he was the president of the United States." Rae Abileah, a Jewish-American activist

History repeat

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/27/18680562.php
History repeat
by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.cm ) Friday May 27th, 2011
Solomon said,"There is no new thing under the sun." Soon after Nehemiah return to Jerusalem, he convinced the nobles and people of the city to unite under his faithful leadership to rebuild the city. At first everything went well, and the work progressed rapidly.
-->
At the same time a great drought had begun to strangle the land. Food production had dropped disastrously and many of the poorer Jews who lived off the land had begun to suffer greatly. But famine was not the only cause of their hardship. There were certain well-to-do nobles and Jewish money lenders in Jerusalem who began to take advantage of the impoverished state of the common folk. They viewed economic disaster not as a reason to help their needy brethren, but as a way to make even more money! Then money-hungry profiteers offered them loans, charging interest rates to make profits. To obtain these loans, many of the starving, desperate families were forced to mortgage their own fields, vineyards and homes to the moneylenders. Others had already mortgaged their properties in order to pay taxes to the Persian government, which were levied every year throughout all the provinces. Some were so bad off that having already mortgaged their lands and still being short of necessary food, they were forced to sell their own children into slavery in order to get enough money to survive! History repeat itself!
Ted Rudow III, MA

Congress pandering

Palestine U.S.
Congress pandering
by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77@aol,com ) Wednesday May 25th, 2011
In a major speech on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and on the Arab Spring, President Obama said a Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders, the first time a U.S. president has explicitly taken this position. The Israeli government immediately rejected Obama’s comments, calling the 1967 borders "indefensible."
-->
President Bush, over three years ago, made a similar speech. He said that "There should be an end to the occupation that began in 1967. [An] agreement must establish Palestine as a homeland for the Palestinian people, just as Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people." The Camp David summit of July 2000 was the latest in a long line of attempts by Israelis and Palestinians to attain peace in the Middle East. Zionist leader David Ben-Gurion unilaterally declared Israel a nation on May 14, 1948, following the UN partition of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. And the list go on and on. So the World is fed up! And they have voted unanimously against further occupancy of the Palestinian lands by Israel. "The war crimes and occupation, oppression and inequality that Palestinians are suffering from must end. And it was absolutely despicable to see our Congress pandering to Netanyahu as if he was the president of the United States." Rae Abileah, a Jewish-American activist

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May 22, 2011 at 4:00 PM Comments (0) E-mail article Print Share
President endorses '67 boundaries to ease Israeli-Palestinian disputes
Posted by Letters editor

A confused reaction
President Obama’s failure to end Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians seek statehood, has done much to quash the hopes many Arabs had in him two years ago.
“An eye for an eye” has always been the motto of those who live under the Mosaic Law — injury for injury, injustice for injustice, death for death.
Such is the situation in the Middle East today, where the Palestinians suffer at the hands of the Israelis though neither side is blameless and some on both sides have shed innocent blood.
I just love to see U.S. hypocrisy exposed! I’m afraid the poor Palestinians are going to have to suffer a while longer — along with many other refugees around the world. But blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.
This is a confused U.S. reaction to Arab revolts, where it has appeared to be irrelevant, and its challenge now is nudging them toward conclusions compatible with U.S. foreign-policy goals. Analysts suggested U.S. aid will have strings attached on foreign policy. And they have not any peace.
— Ted Rudow III, MA
Palo Alto, Calif.

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Flat-out failure

Ted Rudow III MA, Encina Ave, Palo Alto, CA
Special Envoy George Mitchell resigned, clearly angry at the lack of support his peace efforts received from the White House - and his resignation letter was about as curt and cold as any in recent memory. The announcement of his resignation followed reports that the president's Thursday speech on the Middle East will, amazingly, say virtually nothing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Obama administration intends to avoid deviation from the AIPAC/Netanyahu blueprint. Obama will "stress the importance of the U.S.-Israeli relationship," said White House spokesman Jay Carney, describing that partnership as an "unshakable bond."
The U.S. was trying to mediate a "roadmap to peace" between Israel and the Palestinians, but it's been a complete dead end so far. There's not even a road there, no sort of pathway that would lead toward peace, so I don't know if you could even say it went so far as a dead end, much less to the point where any sort of map would be required. It's just been a flat-out failure!

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Follow us on: Advanced Search Middle East Obama says U.S. will oppose U.N. acts against Israel May 19, 2011 08:00 PM (Last updated: May 19, 2011 09:06 PM) Reuters
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Thursday rejected what he called an effort to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September.

In a Middle East speech, Obama went further than he has in the past in laying out the parameters of an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, but stopped short of laying out a formal U.S. peace plan.

He said any agreement creating a state of Palestine must be based on a 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps. He said the U.S. commitment to Israel's security is unshakeable.

"For the Palestinians, efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure. Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won't create an independent state," he said. Home Middle East Comments
Ted Rudow III, MA May 19, 2011 08:45 PM
Dear Editor: Special Envoy George Mitchell resigned, clearly angry at the lack of support his peace efforts received from the White House, and his resignation letter was about as curt and cold as any in recent memory. The announcement followed reports that the president's speech today on the Middle East will, amazingly, say virtually nothing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Obama administration intends to avoid deviation from the AIPAC/Netanyahu blueprint. Obama will "stress the importance of the U.S.-Israeli relationship," said White House spokesman Jay Carney, describing that partnership as an "unshakable bond." Now it is blatantly adopting a policy that deeply grieves the very Arab democrats it supposedly champions.
The U.S. was trying to mediate a "road map to peace" between Israel and the Palestinians, but it's been a complete dead-end so far. There's not even a road there, no sort of pathway that would lead toward peace, so I don't know if you could even say it went so far as a dead-end, much less to the point where any sort of map would be required. It's just been a flat-out failure!

Mideast peace

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Peninsula readers' letters: May 21
From Daily News Group readers Posted: 05/20/2011 04:38:16 PM PDTUpdated: 05/20/2011 04:38:17 PM PDT


Mideast peace talks at dead end
Dear Editor: I rarely agree with Ted Rudow III (Letters, May 19) but he is absolutely correct that the Middle East peace talks are at a dead end. The Arab contingent has abandoned all pretexts that they are ready to negotiate in good faith. In the past, their leader Yasser Arafat rejected compromises offered by Israel that would have established a Palestinian state in Gaza and about 95 percent of the West Bank, with additional land taken from Israel.
Now the leadership under Abbas won't even go through the motions and has brought the terrorist group Hamas into its coalition. Read the Hamas charter and tell me if this is a partner for peace. President Obama has been wasting his time on this issue. He has been making demands on Israel but applying no pressure to Abbas, who has now decided to go in the opposite direction of negotiations and peaceful resolution.
Gil Stein,
Aptos

Obama's failure

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/20/18680128.php
Obama’s failure to end Israeli settlement
by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com ) Friday May 20th, 2011
Obama’s failure to end Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians seek statehood, has done much to quash the hope many Arabs had in him two years ago. "An eye for an eye" has always been the motto of those who live under the Mosaic Law--injury for injury, injustice for injustice, death for death. Such is the situation in the Mideast today, where the Palestinians suffer at the hands of the Israelis. Though neither side is blameless and some on both sides have shed innocent blood. I just love to see U.S. hypocrisy exposed! I'm afraid the poor Palestinians are going to have to suffer a while longer, along with many other refugees around the world. But blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.
A confused U.S. reaction to Arab revolts where it has appeared to be irrelevant, and its challenge now in nudging them toward conclusions compatible with U.S. foreign policy goals. Analysts suggested U.S. aid will have strings attached on foreign policy. And they not have peace.
Ted Rudow III, MA

Road map

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Peninsula readers' letters: May19
From Daily News Group readers Posted: 05/18/2011 03:04:57 PM PDTUpdated: 05/18/2011 10:39:34 PM PDT
Road map to failure
Dear Editor: Special Envoy George Mitchell resigned, clearly angry at the lack of support his peace efforts received from the White House, and his resignation letter was about as curt and cold as any in recent memory. The announcement followed reports that the president's speech today on the Middle East will, amazingly, say virtually nothing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Obama administration intends to avoid deviation from the AIPAC/Netanyahu blueprint. Obama will "stress the importance of the U.S.-Israeli relationship," said White House spokesman Jay Carney, describing that partnership as an "unshakable bond." Now it is blatantly adopting a policy that deeply grieves the very Arab democrats it supposedly champions.
The U.S. was trying to mediate a "road map to peace" between Israel and the Palestinians, but it's been a complete dead-end so far. There's not even a road there, no sort of pathway that would lead toward peace, so I don't know if you could even say it went so far as a dead-end, much less to the point where any sort of map would be required. It's just been a flat-out failure!
Ted Rudow III, MA
Palo Alto

SF Gate

SFGate
Home of the San Francisco ChronicleSubscribe to the weekend Chronicle SFGate Web Search by YAHOO! Businesses Advanced Home News Sports Opinion Politics Letters to the editor, May 18"California to close 70 state parks and beaches" (May 14) for lack of $22 million. That sum is peanuts to some California corporations. For example, Chevron, which says oil companies should put their profits to good use,...Special Envoy George Mitchell resigned, clearly angry at the lack of support his peace efforts received from the White House - and his resignation letter was about as curt and cold as any in recent memory. The announcement of his resignation followed reports that the president's Thursday speech on the Middle East will, amazingly, say virtually nothing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.The Obama administration intends to avoid deviation from the AIPAC/Netanyahu blueprint. Obama will "stress the importance of the U.S.-Israeli relationship," said White House spokesman Jay Carney, describing that partnership as an "unshakable bond." Now it is blatantly adopting a policy that deeply grieves the very Arab democrats it supposedly champions.
Ted Rudow III, MA
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/17/EDRE1JGTSR.DTL#ixzz1Mj26DCuG

Flat-out failure

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/18/18679965.php
Flat-out failureby Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com ) Wednesday May 18th, 2011
Special Envoy George Mitchell resigned, clearly angry at the lack of support his peace efforts received from the White House - and his resignation letter was about as curt and cold as any in recent memory. The announcement of his resignation followed reports that the president's Thursday speech on the Middle East will, amazingly, say virtually nothing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Obama administration intends to avoid deviation from the AIPAC/Netanyahu blueprint. Obama will "stress the importance of the U.S.-Israeli relationship," said White House spokesman Jay Carney, describing that partnership as an "unshakable bond." Now it is blatantly adopting a policy that deeply grieves the very Arab democrats it supposedly champions. The U.S. was trying to mediate a "roadmap to peace" between Israel and the Palestinians, but it's been a complete dead end so far. There's not even a road there, no sort of pathway that would lead toward peace, so I don't know if you could even say it went so far as a dead end, much less to the point where any sort of map would be required. It's just been a flat-out failure!
Ted Rudow III, MA

Spartan Daily

Spartan Daily
Monday, May 16, 2011
News Opinion Letters Sports
Fox News needs some 'Common' Sense

Wes Side Story
By Wesley Dugle

Published: Sunday, May 15, 2011
Updated: Monday, May 16, 2011 01:05
Wesley Dugle
You would think after releasing his birth certificate and getting rid of Osama bin Laden, President Obama would be spared frivolous non-issue attacks by conservative pundits on Fox News for at least a little while.
Nope.
Last week, Michelle Obama organized a poetry event at the White House in which she invited Grammy award-winning rapper Common to perform and Fox News went on the attack.
Fox lambasted this invite, calling Common a "vile" and "controversial" rapper and condemning the president for associating himself with him.
Being a fan of Common myself, I was infuriated by this.......
This is the final appearance of "Wes Side Story." Wesley Dugle is a Spartan Daily Staff Writer.
1 comments
Mon May 16 2011
My Dentist and his family from Hawaii went to school with President Obama! They were over developed in some of the world's most beautiful and peaceful cultures-- religions, art, sciences, philosophies, and beautiful, peaceful, pastoral ways of life. I know that this equality, this oneness of the races, this love between the brethren, this better world, cannot be found only through the path of legislation and politics. Itcertainly cannot be found through the path of violence and killing, and the destruction of our young people. It cannot be found when the brothers are pitted one against another in useless, wasteful neighborhood wars. I know that to become a reality is to love, the supernatural Love of God!
Ted Rudow III, MA
Class of 1996

Words of wisdom

San Mateo Daily Journal
Saturday
May 14 2011 Home Local News State / National / World Sports Opinion / Letters
Words of wisdom on war May 14, 2011, 03:44 AM The Associated Press
Editor,
Bertrand Russell, often considered among Britain’s leading philosophers and a recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature, felt he had to oppose World War II at the war’s outset. One of the things that makes me respect him so much is that he was so honest about talking about the conflict in his own feelings. Describing himself at that period, he said that, while he opposed war, “I desired the defeat of Germany as much as any retired colonel, and love of England is very nearly the strongest emotion I possess.”
One of my great uncles, Lt. Warren O. “Wedge” Grimm (March 9, 1888-Nov. 11, 1919), was born in Lewistown, Penn. An All-American at the University of Washington and an officer in the U.S. Army, he served with distinction as part of the American Expeditionary Force Siberia stationed in Russia in 1918-1919. He was assassinated Nov. 11, 1919, by members of the IWW (Wobblies) during the Centralia Massacre in Washington State.
Yet, when I think about the wars we’re engaged in today in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is nowhere that an American or anybody can go and see the toll of the war in this sense, especially since the great bulk of the casualties are Afghan and Iraqi civilians, as well as the American and allied troops who have died. Give them strength and give them wisdom. War is total waste, the most destructive total waste there is--in materials, in time, in lands, in people.


Ted Rudow III,MA
Palo Alto

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Nobel Peace Prize Blues
Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement, and drew both praise and skepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee's decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains, as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea, and now the war on Libya. The raid has further strained ties between the United States and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation that bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf criticized the United States for attacking the compound without Pakistan's knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty. "It's very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said. We've got to remove our young men and women from harm's way, and we've got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world does not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, you know, diminishes our national security.
Ted Rudow III ,MA
Palo Alto

Russell

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/12/18679533.php
Bertrand Russell, Britain’s leading philosopher
by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com ) Thursday May 12th, 2011
Bertrand Russell, Britain’s leading philosopher, and many years later won the Nobel Prize for Literature, was leading scholar, Cambridge intellectual. When the war broke out, he felt he had to oppose it.
-->
And one of the things that makes me respect him so much is that he was so honest about talking about the conflict in his own feelings. Describing himself at that period, he said, "I desired the defeat of Germany as much as any retired colonel, and love of England is very nearly the strongest emotion I possess." One of my Great-Uncle, Lt. Warren O. "Wedge" Grimm (March 9, 1888 - November 11, 1919), was born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. An All-American at the University of Washington and an officer in the United States Army, he served with distinction as part of the American Expeditionary Force Siberia stationed in Russia in 1918-1919. He was assassinated on November 11, 1919, by members of the IWW (Wobblies) during the Centralia Massacre in Washington State. Yet, when I think about the wars we’re engaged in today, in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is nowhere that an American or anybody can go and sort of visually see the toll of the war in this sense, especially since the great bulk of the casualties are, you know, Afghani and Iraqi civilians, as well as the American and allied troops who have died. All those poor boys and girls at the front. Give them strength and give them wisdom. War is total waste, the most destructive total waste there is--In materials, in time, in lands, in people.
Ted Rudow III, MA

The Daily Star

The Daily Star Home About us Photos Videos Subscriptions RSS Feeds Today's Paper Classifieds Contact Us Sign in Register WEDNESDAY, 11 MAY 2011 09:59 PM Beirut time Weather Beirut20 °C Blom Index 1,394.7 News Business Opinion Sports Culture Technology Entertainment Politics Local News Analysis Middle East International Environment Health
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Movie Guide Sudoku Str8ts Columnist Panetta’s and Petraeus’ brief is imagining the worst May 03, 2011 01:36 AM (Last updated: May 03, 2011 01:36 AM) By Fareed Zakaria The Daily Star
As Leon Panetta and David Petraeus move into their new jobs at the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency, they should use the occasion to fundamentally reorient U.S. intelligence and national security planning.

Consider the intelligence community. The United States spends around $80 billion on intelligence every year – more than the rest of the world put together – and yet the country seems perpetually unprepared for global events.
The CIA did not imagine the fall of the Soviet Union, the revolutions of Eastern Europe, the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against New York and Washington, the nonexistence of Saddam Hussein’s arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, the global financial crisis and, most recently, the Arab Spring.
I’m not suggesting that it was possible to predict these events. Very few people or organizations foresaw them, certainly not in a timely manner, and those who did might well have simply been lucky. International crises happen when they happen for a variety of complex reasons that are always easier to see in hindsight.
However, the goal should instead be preparedness. Government agencies should be readying policymakers and bureaucrats for sharp changes in international, regional and national patterns. They should be imaginative about the possibilities of sudden shifts and new circumstances, and force policymakers to confront the scenarios in advance.
This is what has distinguished the most successful private-sector firms in managing crises. Contrary to the mythology rampant in Washington and across the country, banks such as J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs did not “know” the housing market would collapse in 2007. They could have made that prediction as easily in 2005 or 2006, bet on it and lost lots of money, as many firms did. What J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs and others that weathered the financial crisis did was to carefully manage their risk – being prepared for sharp shifts in the market. Rather than betting on continuity – which is usually the default mechanism for people and organizations – they prepared for the possibility of a sudden shock.
That’s why I hope that at the highest levels of the United States government, there are multiple scenarios envisioned for a crisis in Saudi Arabia. Of all the possible effects of events in the Middle East, the most complex by far would be serious protests in Saudi Arabia. This is not probable, but it is possible. The Saudi monarchy has roots in its society, a compact with powerful religious groups and staggering amounts of money with which to bribe its people. But still, there are fissures – most notably between the kingdom’s Shiites and Sunnis. If these were to erupt, there would be seismic implications ($200-a-barrel oil, anyone?), and Washington would have to react shrewdly and quickly. It would make perfect sense to have a basic set of responses planned and even discussed with our allies instead of having to react on the fly as television images demand action in the heat of the moment.
The other way to be prepared is to be in a position of stable finances and commitments, so you can deal with a shock. The analogy with the private sector holds here, too. The key to riding out a financial crisis is to not be overleveraged but to have comfortable reserves of cash that will allow you to manage difficult times. And yet the United States is overextended in every sense: struggling with debt, fighting military actions in multiple places and beginning to be hit by a demographic time bomb. We might be able to navigate through all this as long as we don’t hit another big crisis. That’s not a comfortable place to be.
Look at Japan. It prepared well for the possibility of earthquakes, so that even when a mega-earthquake plus a tsunami hit, it was able to minimize the loss of life. But over the previous two decades, it had run up such enormous deficits – its debt is 200 percent of gross domestic product – that it lacks resources to properly respond and rebuild its economy.
We will never be able to predict the next geopolitical, economic or natural disaster. But we can position ourselves to be prepared, and have a little more cash in the bank than we do now.
Fareed Zakaria is published twice monthly by THE DAILY STAR.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on May 03, 2011, on page 7. Home Columnist Comments
Ted Rudow III, MA May 09, 2011
In Orwell’s book “1984, the main character worked for the “Ministry of Truth, dedicated to eliminating every vestige of the truth and replacing it with what the government said was truth. Winston is painfully aware of the telescreen, which is both a receiver and transmitter at the same time. It incessantly relays messages from the Party and simultaneously allows the dreaded “thought police to tune into the activities of any individual at any given time." Obama continued to give fear to try again to win the voter confidence, selling "the Party" agenda in his speech last night. "WAR IS PEACE- FREEDOM IS SLAVERY -IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH" It would have seem that the constant abuse of language by the Obama administration would end --This was Orwell's future, our present!

Fear

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Peninsula readers' letters: May 11
From Daily News Group readers Posted: 05/10/2011 05:32:29 PM PDTUpdated: 05/10/2011 11:43:31 PM PDT
Dear Editor: In George Orwell's book "1984," protagonist Winston Smith worked for the Ministry of Truth, dedicated to eliminating every vestige of truth and replacing it with what the government said was truth. Winston is painfully aware of the telescreen, which is both a receiver and transmitter at the same time.
It incessantly relays messages from "the Party" and simultaneously allows the dreaded "thought police" to tune into the activities of any individual at any given time.
President Obama continued to use fear to try again to win voter confidence, selling the party agenda on "60 Minutes" Sunday night: "War is peace ... freedom is slavery ... ignorance is strength."
This constant abuse of language by the Obama administration should end. Orwell's future is our present.
Ted Rudow III, MA
Palo Alto

Our security

San Mateo Daily Journal
WednesdayMay 11 2011 Home Local News State / National / World Sports Opinion / Letters
Diminishing our national security
May 11, 2011, 03:46 AM Letter
Editor,
Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and skepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee’s decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea and now the war on Libya.
The raid has further strained ties between the United States and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf criticized the United States for attacking the compound without Pakistan’s knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
“It’s very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for,” Representative Barbara Lee said.
We’ve got to remove our young men and women out of harm’s way, and we’ve got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world do not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, you know, diminishes our national security.


Ted Rudow III, MA
Palo Alto

Remove the troops

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Remove the troops Issues Beyond Palo Alto, posted by Ted Rudow III, MA, a member of the Palo Alto High School community
Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and skepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee's decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea and now the war on Libya.

The raid has further strained ties between the U.S. and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation that bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani president Pervez... Musharraf criticized the U.S. for attacking the compound without Pakistan's knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.

"It's very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said.

We've got to remove our young men and women from harm's way, and we've got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world do not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, you know, diminishes our national security.

Spartan Daily

Spartan Daily
Friday, May 6, 2011
News Opinion Letters Sports A&E
No, the war is not over now that Osama bin Laden is dead
By Melissa Sabile
The Real Deal
Published: Thursday, May 5, 2011
Melissa Sabile
I can still remember everything about that day. It was my mom's birthday, though she had already been at work at the coffee shop for three hours.
I was getting ready for school and still had no idea what was happening on the other side of the country, and all I could think about was how I hadn't gotten my mom a birthday present yet.
My dad called, like he did every morning, to tell me that he was on his way and I needed to be waiting outside for him to pick me up.
As I climbed into his car a few minutes later, I can remember him asking me what I wanted for my birthday, because in about three more weeks, I would be 15 years old. His radio was off, like every morning on the way to school, and still I had no clue what was going on in New York..............
When I heard the next day on the radio that people were celebrating bin Laden's death by running in the streets, screaming obscene things and wrapping the American flag around themselves like a blanket, I was upset.
Is the world a better place because his is dead? Yes, of course. Is it going to change the fact that thousands of people died because of his reign of terror? No. Is it going to bring the U.S. troops back? Absolutely not.
The war is not over, why are we running amok in the streets?
It's a debate that I've been following on my morning talk show and it's something I don't understand. One side of the debate is that people are celebrating bin Laden's death because it is an American victory. The other side of the debate is that people shouldn't be celebrating his death because it does nothing to improve their lives — celebration is pointless.
Don't get me wrong, I'm proud that our American soldiers have given him the justice he deserved.
I'm in no way relieved or believe that the world is at peace now that he's gone.
The fact of the matter is terrorism will still exist, regardless of whether bin Laden is dead or alive. No amount of U.S. troops deployed in any part of the world will change that.
Oprah had Tweeted shortly after the president's speech on Sunday, "Does this mean the war is over?" The answer is no. Many people, like Oprah, believe that we are safe now that bin Laden is dead.
Someone new will rise up and violent acts will still take place — perhaps there will even be more attacks as people in enemy countries, no doubt, will see bin Laden as a martyr.
I hope and pray that there will not be any more attacks on our nation and that our troops will soon return safely. In 10 years I probably won't remember so vividly what happened on May 1, 2011, but I will never, ever forget what happened on Sept. 11.

"The Real Deal" is a weekly column appearing on Thursdays. Melissa Sabile is a Spartan Daily Sports Editor.
1 comments
Fri May 6 2011 Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and skepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee's decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea and now the war on Libya.The raid has further strained ties between the U.S. and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation that bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani president Pervez... Musharraf criticized the U.S. for attacking the compound without Pakistan's knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty."It's very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said.We've got to remove our young men and women from harm's way, and we've got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world do not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, you know, diminishes our national security.
Ted Rudow III, MA.
Class of 1996

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Home » Featured, News, Speakers & Events » Friedman explains context of Arab spring
Friedman explains context of Arab spring
Thursday, May 5th, 2011 By Kabir Sawhney NYT columnist Thomas Friedman presented a lecture titled "Democracy and Energy: the View from Tahrir Square" in a packed Dinkelspiel Auditorium. Friedman broached a hodgepodge of topics, including the Egyptian uprising and the struggle for Palestinian statehood. (DAN SCHWARTZ/The Stanford Daily)
In a Wednesday evening discussion at Dinkelspiel Auditorium, New York Times columnist and Middle East expert Thomas Friedman explored the causes and implications of the popular uprisings in the Arab world. The talk, titled “Democracy and Energy: the View from Tahrir Square,” was sponsored by Students for a Sustainable Stanford, the ASSU Speakers’ Bureau, Stanford in Government and Hillel.
Friedman opened his talk by explaining the context of the Middle East’s recent history, especially the fact that nearly all of the region’s governments are autocratic.
“For the last 50 years, we in the West…basically treated and looked upon the Arab world as a collection of big gas stations,” he said. “Our basic message to them all was, ‘Guys — and they were only guys — here’s the deal. Keep your pumps open, your prices low, don’t bother the Israelis too much and you can do whatever you want out back.’”
He went on to describe how the al Qaeda terrorism network and its now deceased leader, Osama bin Laden, were a product of what was going on “out back.” He added that there were three large “human deficits” in the Arab world: freedom, women’s empowerment and education.
“[Arabs] know their own human potential and it was not being in any way developed,” Friedman said. “If I got to write the ‘bill of particulars’ for all these Arab regimes, they would be guilty of the worst crime I can think of: the soft bigotry of low expectations about their own people.”
Ted Rudow III · San Jose State University
Remove troops from danger.
Dear Editor: Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and skepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee's decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea and now the war on Libya.
The raid has further strained ties between the U.S. and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation that bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani president Pervez... Musharraf criticized the U.S. for attacking the compound without Pakistan's knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
"It's very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said.
We've got to remove our young men and women from harm's way, and we've got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world do not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, you know, diminishes our national security.
Ted Rudow III, MA.
Palo Alto

Selling the Party

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/05/18678966.php
Selling the "Party"by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com ) Thursday May 5th, 2011
In Orwell’s book “1984, the main character worked for the “Ministry of Truth, dedicated to eliminating every vestige of the truth and replacing it with what the government said was truth. Winston is painfully aware of the telescreen, which is both a receiver and transmitter at the same time. It incessantly relays messages from the Party and simultaneously allows the dreaded “thought police to tune into the activities of any individual at any given time."
Obama continued to give fear to try again to win the voter confidence, selling "the Party" agenda in his speech last night. "WAR IS PEACE- FREEDOM IS SLAVERY -IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH" It would have seem that the constant abuse of language by the Obama administration would end --This was Orwell's future, our present!
Ted Rudow III,MA

Time of America to end wars

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Time for America to end wars

Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Dear Editor,
Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honoured the first-year US president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and scepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee's decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan http://www.reuters.com/places/afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear stand-offs with Iran and North Korea, and now the war on Libya.

Barack Obama and Pervez Musharraf
The raid has further strained ties between the US and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation that bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf criticised the US for attacking the compound without Pakistan's knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
Representative Barbara Lee said, "It's very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for."
We've got to remove our young men and women out of harm's way, and we've got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world does not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, as you know, diminishes our national security.
Ted Rudow III, MA

California, USA

Tedr77@aol.com

Spartan Daily

Spartan Daily Wednesday, May 4, 2011

News Opinion Letters Sports A&E
Osama Bin Laden killed by U.S. forces; SJSU students react

Published: Monday, May 2, 2011
Updated: Monday, May 2, 2011 06:05} Photo courtesy MTC
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind al-Qaeda and the world's most wanted terrorist since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was killed by a U.S. operation, President Barack Obama announced on Sunday.
In an address to the nation, Obama said bin Laden was killed in a "targeted operation" in Abbottabad, a highland town north of Islamabad, Pakistan.
The operation started with an intelligence lead last August, and culminated in an firefight during which bin Laden was killed.
Osama's body is in possession of the U.S., according to initial reports from multiple U.S. television networks..........

1 comments
Tedriii Wed May 4 2011 Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and skepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee's decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea and now the war on Libya.The raid has further strained ties between the U.S. and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation that bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf criticized the U.S. for attacking the compound without Pakistan's knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
"It's very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said.
We've got to remove our young men and women from harm's way, and we've got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world do not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, you know, diminishes our national security.
Ted Rudow III, MA
Class of 1996

Labor fights

Peninsula Peace and Justice Center's Award Winning Free Forum & TV Programwww.PeaceandJustice.org Tonight! Now with two great guests...
Labor Fights Back, For All Of Us
A conversation with Shelley Kessler Executive Secretary-Treasurer, San Mateo County Central Labor Council Cheryl Brown Political Director, AFSCME District Council 57
Tuesday, May 3, 7:00 PMCommunity Media Center900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto [ Map]Free and open to all // Wheelchair accessible
Simultaneous live TV broadcast on cable channel 27Simultaneous live Internet broadcast at the Community Media Center website (select channel 27)
The country has been transfixed by the courageous resistance of public employees' unions – in Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and other places – as their basic rights have come under attack by politicians trying to enforce a radical right-wing agenda. We'll discuss those resistance efforts and what the right-wing is really after. We'll also look into other major issues affecting – and all of the rest of us, as well – such as the continuing wretched state of the economy, upcoming “free” trade agreements, issues before Congress, and the future of the labor movement itself.I phoned up to express my dismay toward the disable and the needy.
Be a part of the studio audience!
You are always an important part of each program as we turn to our in-studio audience and viewers at home for questions and comments. Home viewers can call 650-856-1491 to participate.
Other Voices TV can be seen live at 7:00 PM on the first Tuesday of each month on mid-Peninsula cable channel 27. The program is also streamed live on the internet (select channel 27).
On demand video streaming is available on our website beginning two days after the initial broadcast.
The current program is rebroadcast throughout the month on cable channel 27 (an internet webcast can also be seen at these times):Tuesdays 7:00 PMWednesdays 2:00 AM & 10:00 AMThursdays 11:00 PMFridays 6:00 AM & 2:00 PMSaturdays 4:00 PM

Remove troops

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Peninsula readers' letters: May 4
From Daily News Group readers
Posted: 05/03/2011 05:16:02 PM PDTUpdated: 05/04
Remove troops from danger
Dear Editor: Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and skepticism around the world. But critics called the Nobel committee's decision premature, given that Obama has achieved few tangible gains as he still grapples with challenges ranging from the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea and now the war on Libya.
The raid has further strained ties between the U.S. and Pakistan. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling for a review of billions in aid to Pakistan in light of the revelation that bin Laden was living inside a heavily fortified compound in a wealthy Pakistani suburb. Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf criticized the U.S. for attacking the compound without Pakistan's knowledge, calling it a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
"It's very important to use this defining moment, I think, to rally the American people and to remind the American people that we are spending trillions of dollars, billions every week, on this open-ended longest war in American history and that we have economic priorities, economic recovery, job creation priorities here in our own country that this money can be used for," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee said.
We've got to remove our young men and women from harm's way, and we've got to really make sure that our presence in countries throughout the world do not create more danger and more anger toward the United States, which, you know, diminishes our national security.
Ted Rudow III, MA
Palo Alto

The Daily Star

Daily Star
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Follow us on: Advanced Search Editorial Palestine united April 30, 2011 01:30 AM (Last updated: April 30, 2011 01:30 AM) By Daily Star Editorial The Daily Star The nascent Palestinian reconciliation, to be consummated next Wednesday in Cairo, is a welcome step that should result in a unified and stronger push for statehood led by the right group – a united Palestinian people.
Fatah and Hamas announced last Wednesday that they had come to an agreement – brokered by Egypt – to form a new unity Cabinet and hold presidential and parliamentary elections. Predictably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decried the reconciliation, saying Israel could not make peace with a Palestinian leadership which included Hamas. Such rhetorical contortions should not obscure the fact that Netanyahu has spent his time in office undermining peace efforts, with the robust pace of illegal settlement construction the most glaring example.
The West, however, has taken a wait-and-see approach to the Palestinian accord, evidently preferring to judge any future Palestinian by how it upholds the territories’ international commitments.
Such a stance gives the Palestinians a window to demonstrate their resolve to do what they must to achieve recognition for a Palestinian state. Indeed, it is past time that all Palestinian factions admitted the reality that, regardless of what their outside benefactors might whisper to them, the only clear path toward statehood requires Palestinian unity.
As long as the political leadership of the Palestinians remains divided, the factions will be confronted with a large number of outside actors who only wish to pursue their own interests by manipulating the bickering Palestinians.
When the Palestinians accept that they must act on the international stage as one nation despite varying positions on the issues, then they will become a powerful actor able to push forward their agenda.
The goal of statehood is inching closer, as a handful of countries have recognized Palestine and others continue to mull the move; the Palestinian Authority has made clear that it wants the U.N. General Assembly to vote on recognizing Palestine this fall.
First, however, the Palestinians must focus on themselves and create a united administration over the lands of a future state with a plan to bring that state into existence. The talks in Cairo must not – as has happened before – turn into an empty photo op; the deal must be followed by concrete and immediate steps toward reunification and the holding of democratic elections.
The Palestinians must know that the rest of the region is occupied with the unrest stretching from North Africa to the Gulf; their cause, however dear other Arabs say it is, is not at the top of anyone’s agenda. In this context, the Palestinians should take advantage of the opportunity for reconciliation as a means to reassert themselves as an independent force striving for the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Comments Ted Rudow III, MA April 30, 2011
Israel is anything but democratic for the indigenous people of the land, the Palestinian Arabs. Occupancy is very difficult to overcome and Israel has already got the Palestinians' land.
The only way they will ever give it up is if they're thrown out. There is no other way that they'll ever give back the Palestinians their share of the land. It's encouraging to see how divided the Jews are amongst themselves, "A house divided against itself shall not stand."- The Palestinians are a lot more together than any of them, at least they're united--the Christians and Arabs. I'm glad to see a lot of the Jews are sympathising with the Arabs.
Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Apr/30/Palestine-united.ashx#ixzz1LDUIFpOT (The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

Law of jungle

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/05/01/18678603.php


Law of jungle
by Ted Rudow III, MA ( Tedr77 [at] aol.com )
Sunday May 1st, 2011
The Civil War was supposed to be the war to free the slaves. That's not what the war was fought for at all. That was the excuse given the people so they could get the people behind them and make the people willing to fight.
What people are you going to sell on fighting a war so you can sell machines and grab cotton? Not many people are going to give their sons and daughters for a selfish commercial purpose that didn't do most of them any good anyway.
The U.S. fought a war with the French to grab French territory, they fought a war with the British before that to grab British territory, and they fought a war with the Spanish to grab Texas, California and nearly all the Western half of the United States. That's before the need for oil. W.W I was fought with the Germany because they were stealing the world markets. They need to think up a good excuse to tell the people, which they finally did: "The war to set the world free!"--World War I! And that has been the patterer in American war history.
The United States is a very aggressive and grabby nation! Speeches follow; political, legal and moral justifications are made. Politicians and their advisors claim truth in the face of war. Yesterday, Libyan leader Gadhafi escaped a NATO missile strike in Tripoli on Saturday, but his youngest son and three grandchildren under the age of 12 were killed, a government spokesman said. Al-Arab's compound in Tripoli’s Garghour neighbourhood was attacked "with full power" in a "direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country", Ibrahim said, calling the strike a violation of international law."What we have now is the law of the jungle," he told a news conference. "We think now it is clear to everyone that what is happening in Libya has nothing to do with the protection of civilians."
Ted Rudow III, MA