Where is Obama, as Libya erupts?

According to the BBC, President Obama has finally commented on the situation in Libya:

Libya protests: Obama condemns 'outrageous' crackdown

US President Barack Obama has said the violent crackdown by the Libyan authorities on peaceful protesters is "outrageous and unacceptable".

Mr Obama said the world had to speak with "one voice", and that the US was drawing up a range of options for action in consultation with its allies.

The Libyan government would be held accountable for its actions, he added....

More here. BHO's reticence in speaking out against the atrocities in Libya has been noted by more than Americans.

From Israel National News comes this:

Where is Obama? Explaining US Caution on Libya

by Amiel Ungar

Where is Obama?

This was the question posed by the Washington Post's and formerly Commentary blogger Jennifer Rubin. As opposed to staking out a clear position as he had done in the Egyptian crisis, the president of the United States has been surprisingly reticent on Libya. The restrained comments that were issued on Libya have been delegated to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the new Press Secretary Jay Carney.

Libya was ostensibly a no brainer, since Libyan strongman Qaddafi is universally loathed in the United States. The level and ferocity of the repression that he has launched against what he calls 'the rats' invites a strong response.

Whereas in Egypt, American politicians were cautious, on Libya they have been more up front. Republican Senators John Kyl and Mark Kirk released a joint statement calling upon Obama to speak out clearly in support of the Libyan people. Some Republicans, such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich enjoyed goading the president. Gingrich accused Obama of practicing a conspiracy of silence when dealing with anti-American governments such as Libya and Iran....

Read the rest here.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is urging Americans to leave Libya:

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Americans to leave Libya immediately and said the U.S. will examine “all possible options” to respond to the violence of the Qaddafi regime.

“Everything will be on the table,” Clinton told reporters at a joint news conference today at the State Department in Washington with Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota.

Before taking punitive measures such as economic sanctions, Clinton said, the U.S. wants to consult with other countries to better evaluate a “fluid” and “uncertain” situation in Libya.

“First, we have to get the international community together,” Clinton said.

She urged Americans in Libya “to depart immediately” and to contact the U.S. embassy for assistance if needed...

More at Bloomberg here.

Pay attention.

Iran sanctions: BHO administration says the right thing but...

THIS just in over the BBC:

29 September 2010 Last updated at 14:59 ET

US imposes sanctions on Iranian officials for 'abuses'

US President Barack Obama has ordered for the first time sanctions against senior Iranian officials for "sustained and severe violations of human rights".

The eight men include the head of the Revolutionary Guards, a former interior minister and the prosecutor general.

The treasury department said they would face a travel ban and asset freeze.

The alleged abuses include the killings and beatings of anti-government protesters after the disputed presidential election in June 2009.

Millions of Iranians defied official warnings and participated in mass rallies that drew the largest crowds since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The authorities launched a brutal crackdown, during which opposition and human rights groups accused the security forces of extra-judicial killings, rapes and torture. Thousands were held without charge.

Over the subsequent six months, at least 40 protesters were killed, although the opposition says more than 70 died. At least two people have been executed for related offences, and dozens imprisoned.

[...]

In a statement, the White House said: "As the president noted in his recent address to the United Nations General Assembly, human rights are a matter of moral and pragmatic necessity for the United States."

"The United States will always stand with those in Iran who aspire to have their voices heard. We will be a voice for those aspirations that are universal, and we continue to call upon the Iranian government to respect the rights of its people."

All of those named in the US sanctions list served in Iran's military, law enforcement and justice system around the time of the 2009 protests:...

There follows a list of those named in the sanctions, and a video clip of Secretary of State Clinton.

Check it out on the BBC here.

This declaration follows on the most recent symbol of disapproval of Iran, when the US and other nations walked out of the UN as the Iranian despot did his usual anti-Israel, anti-all- things-not-Iranian screed this past week.

My two questions are this:

1) what took you so long? and 2) what is the US actually going to do?

We have all watched the horrific videos and read the desperate emails/twitters that the Iranian people bravely got out to the watching west following the farce of an election last June. Who can forget grotesque images like this? (Yes, I have chosen to show the obscenity of Neda's death, as a reminder.)



The BBC story above quotes the official number as 40 killed and thousands were arrested. I would suggest that both numbers are grossly under-estimated, since at least one other story sated that 70 Iranian professors were arrested in the horrific days following June 2009. Many of those Iranians arrested were never heard of again, and we know that there were many who were beaten and tortured. There was also executions of those who dared to protest and demand a democratic vote.

Iranian 'leaders' have continued to laugh at the west's demands about their nuclear programme, and the UN has allowed Ahmadinejad to continue his unfettered mockery of the condemnation by the rest of the world. Since 1979, Iran has consistently ignored any rhetoric expressing disappointment, disapproval and even 'outrage,' spouted from the rest of the world. We also know that Iran has aided and abetted enemies of the west in this current Global War on Terror, as we hear of Islamic terrorists being trained and supplied with weaponry by the Iranian regime.

Since 1979, all the west has offered IS rhetoric, and empty words, symbols. Back in June 2009, the Iranian people were dying on their streets, and begging the world to hear them, to help them.

It appears that the wheels of diplomatic solutions turn really, REALLY slowly, but this pronouncement of sanctions today - unless backed up with real action and consequences for the Iranian despots - will accomplish nothing, except more mockery from Ahmadinejad.

Since BHO took office, he has talked a good talk (usually ad nauseum,) about human rights, but he has yet to prove - unequivocally - that he is prepared to walk the walk, and back his words with action.

Today's statement about sanctions is a good thing, a good first step. It also makes for a good soundbite on the evening news. However, if these words, these sanctions, are not backed up with actions that mean more than empty noise, we will have failed the people of Iran - again.

Mr President: the people of Iran, and the rest of us, are watching. The "always" you spoke of is NOW! It is long time past for the talking to stop, and for the people of Iran to know that we DO stand with them, whatever the cost.

To quote JFK of January 1961 (another Democrat president):

Let every nation know, [...] that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

America 'Moves Towards Abandonment of Israel'

All the signs are there. The US has signalled a very different relationship with Israel than has been to date. From Monkey in the Middle comes this:

Thursday, March 19, 2009

America 'Moves Towards Abandonment of Israel'

It is very unusual for a former intelligence official to come forward and speak about current American policy. So when one did for Northeast Intelligence Network (NIN) I took notice.

An unnamed former highly-placed U.S.intelligence official has broken silence and says that America may soon be abandoning Israel in favor of the Arabs. “This is just the beginning”, he said, "Israel could be about to lose the support of the United States."

The source made these remarks in an exclusive interview with Douglas J. Hagmann, the director of the Northeast Intelligence Network (NIN), which is comprised of veteran licensed professional investigators, analysts, military affairs specialists and researchers. The group has combined their resources to provide accurate and well-sourced information via their website.

When questioned about the possible abandonment of Israel by America, Hagmann told Yonah, "The Obama administration is no friend to Israel, is no friend to the Jews in America and is no friend to democracy or freedom in America. …Just by his very appointments, we can see him filling positions of power with people who are anti-Semitic, who want to see Israel essentially dissolved as a nation, if not by diplomacy, then certainly by war."...

Go read the rest of this here.

And Monkey in the Middle has another piece up about the petition to Hillary Clinton about Gilad Shalit.:

Friday, March 20, 2009

Gilad Shalit Supporters Wait for Hillary Clinton’s Reply

On March 13, 2009 I asked the following question:

Why are we giving money to terrorists, Secretary Clinton?

A simple question and yet there has been no reply to it.

Now the Sderot Media Center awaits the answers to its questions to Secretary Clinton.

View the video here.

By Anav Silverman

In their final effort to pressure the Olmert government to secure the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, the Shalit family have stationed themselves in a protest tent across the Prime Minister’s Residence for more than a week now. Rain or shine, the family gathers together each day as reporters, cameramen and thousands of supporters mill around, amid the sad faces of Gilad‘s parents, Noam and Aviva, and older brother, Yoel.

“We are cautiously waiting to see what will happen,” said Noam Shalit on a rainy Sunday standing outside the tent and speaking with Sderot Media Center and press. The family believes that these last few days are critical during the final attempts to negotiate a release deal with Hamas but continue to remain wary. “I am not at all optimistic. If I were optimistic, I wouldn't be here. I would be at home,” Noam Shalit said.

A sign at the protest tent lists the number of days that Gilad has been held captive by Hamas--this Saturday it will be 1,000 days. Palestinian terrorists captured Gilad at the Erez border crossing almost three years ago, when Hamas won control of the Gaza Strip. He has since been denied Red Cross visitations or communication with his family and the outside world...

Read the rest of this one here.

"...Against all enemies foreign and domestic..."

(source - from last year on the campaign trail.
I like this picture for what it really says!)

Political elite turns out for Clinton swearing-in

By ROBERT BURNS - Associated Press Writer - 2/2/2009 4:55:00 PM

WASHINGTON - Yes, that was Chevy Chase, the former "Saturday Night Live" funnyman, in the crowd at Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's ceremonial swearing-in Monday at the State Department.

Chase brought a touch of Hollywood star power to a gathering of Washington's power elite, including Henry Kissinger and three other former secretaries of state, as Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath of office.

Chase told The Associated Press that he and his wife Jayni have been friends with the Clintons since the early 1990s.

Among the other attendees: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark. Also, Sen. Carl Levin, with whom Clinton served on the Senate Armed Services Committee during her years as the junior senator from New York, and Sen. John Kerry, who presided over Clinton's confirmation hearing last month as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

And there were the other Clintons _ former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton, plus the secretary of state's mother, Dorothy Rodham and Clinton family friend and confidante Vernon Jordan.

In her remarks, Clinton thanked Biden and President Barack Obama for choosing her as the nation's top diplomat, saying she had assumed her new responsibilities "at a real hinge-of-history time."

"We have in the leadership of President Obama someone who wants us to reach out to the world, to do so without illusions, understanding that the difficulties we face will not be wished away," she said.

In a slightly awkward moment, Clinton thanked her husband, who stood behind her and beside Chelsea. "I am so grateful to him for a lifetime of," she said _ pausing as if searching for the right words _"all kinds of experiences." At that the crowd erupted briefly in laughter.(onenewsnow.com)

And if you really must, you can go to CBS News and see the video here. Yes, we really DO live in interesting times.