Thu Jul 02, 2009
The Withdrawal of American Troops from Iraq
On Tuesday, Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki led public celebrations in honor of the withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi cities and sovereignty from the indefinite US occupation.
Many Iraqis remain cautious, fearing that the Iraqi army is not ready to face the violence and insurgency that the country is rife with, alone. While Maliki makes proud claims of a finally independent Iraq, many doubt that the government and armed forces will be able to stand on their own. 130,000 American troops still remain in Iraq, and attacks are still ongoing, such as a recent suicide bombing in Kirkuk that killed 33, and the death of 4 US soldiers in an attack two days ago.
Violence is only expected to increase during the ongoing troop withdrawal. An inherent bitterness between the US and Iraqi military continues, as Iraq seems only too keen to expel American troops, despite expecting them to still come to the rescue when needed.
What do you think, Opinion Leaders? Is the withdrawal being dealt with correctly? How do you think Iraq will handle the insurgency with its own military? How long do you think a number of American troops will remain in Iraq?
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Mon Jun 29, 2009
Honduran Military Coup
In the first military coup in Latin America since the end of the Cold War, the Honduran military banished President Manuel Zelaya and instated Roberto Micheletti as president. The Obama administration denounced the coup, and its efforts to contact the Honduran military have been rebuffed.
There is growing debate over the legality of the coup. Zelaya, a close ally of the anti-US President Chávez of Venezuela, was embroiled in a battle with Honduran courts and Congress over his planned referendum to ask voters to get rid of the constitution, including the constitutional ban on re-election.
Some maintain that the coup was in service to democracy, overthrowing a president who was seeking to illegally remain in power, and who was seen as an arm of Chávez’s socialist movement. Others see a military coup that removed a popular leader who championed the poor. Weigh in, Opinion Leaders. What is your opinion on the Honduran coup? How do you think the Obama administration should respond? What effects and repercussions do you think this event will have on Latin America in general?
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Mon Jun 15, 2009
Iran’s Presidential Election
In the midst of controversy following the Iranian Presidential elections, large demonstrations held by hundreds of thousands of Iranians took place in midtown Tehran. The protest was largely peaceful except for one demonstration resulting in gunfire that killed one protestor and seriously injured others. Most protestors remained silent throughout the demonstrations. The three opposition candidates attended the protest as well as young and old Iranians dressed in traditional and western clothing.
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei initially declared Sunday President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner, but now has taken an unprecedented step and ordered an investigation into alleged voter fraud. The claims presidential candidate Mir Hussein Moussavi made will be investigated. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who won the election with a landslide two thirds of the votes, has compared the protestors to unhappy fans at a football game.
Many countries have shown concern over the Iranian election. Vice President Joe Biden said on Meet the Press “there’s some real doubt” and “there’s an awful lot of questions about how this election was run.” Other countries voiced similar concerns with both France and Germany issuing questions to their Iranian Ambassador about the fairness of the vote.
Opinion leaders weigh in…has this election been rigged with voter fraud? Do candidate Mir Hussein Moussavi and the Iranian protestors have legitimate claims? Will this protest make a difference within the Iranian government? Is supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei really questioning the result or is he just trying to appease the issue?
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Wed Jun 10, 2009
Elections in Lebanon
On Sunday, American-backed parties won in Lebanon’s parliamentary elections, taking 71 seats to the 57 won by Hezbollah and other parties backed by Syria and Iran. This upset seems to signal a moderating influence in the Middle East, that many attribute to President Obama’s policy actions and recent speech in Cairo.
One election cannot be cited as evidence of sweeping and dramatic change, and the moderate parties do not have such a majority that they can govern alone, but the victory was a pleasing surprise for the US and its allies.
Iran’s upcoming presidential election spells another opportunity for the triumph of moderates in the Middle East. Anti-American President Ahmadinejad has recently been losing appeal amongst his constituents, while Mir Hussein Moussavi, his moderate opposition, has been gaining force.
What do you think, Opinion Leaders? Will the success of an American-aligned coalition in Lebanon bring any real change, either to Lebanon or the Middle East in general? How do you think the Iranian presidential election will turn out, and what implications will it have for the US?
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Mon Jun 08, 2009
Don't Ask - Don't Tell
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny an appeal by former Army Capt. James Pietrangelo II, who was discharged from the military under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the fight for openly gay service in the military has come under increased scrutiny.
The court upheld “don’t ask, don’t tell,” a compromise formulated during the Clinton years, asking the Obama administration to continue compliance with the directive. Obama had expressed a desire to end the policy, which calls for the dismissal of anyone serving in the military that establishes themselves as openly gay or seeks to marry someone of the same sex. However, Obama has made no concrete move to stop “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and has not challenged the dismissal of armed service members under the policy.
The appeals court ruled that “don’t ask, don’t tell” was “rationally related to the government’s legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion.”
Weigh in, Opinion Leaders. Do you think the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is a justifiable practice? Do you think such a policy is integral to the military’s organization? What do you think about recent rulings on the matter?
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Thu Jun 04, 2009
President Obama Visits Saudi Arabia
President Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday to kick off his much anticipated tour of the Middle East with the purpose of ameliorating relations between the US and the region. President Obama gave a speech in Cairo addressing the Muslim world.
The main goal of Obama’s trip will be to nudge the Arab nations towards offering a concession to Israel in order to convince them to hasten the peace process. Experts predict that this plan will be met with a rebuff from Arab leaders, who feel that they have already offered large concessions to Israel, and that a gesture must be returned before there is any hope to continue the peace process.
The US’s image in the Middle East has already seen improvement since Obama entered office, but is clearly still tenuous. Coinciding with Obama’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, Osama Bin Laden released another tape, claiming that Obama had pushed for bombings and fighting in Swat Valley in Pakistan.
Weigh in, opinion leaders. What, if anything, do you think Obama will accomplish in his tour of the Middle East? Do you think there is any hope of continuing the Arab-Israeli peace process? What are your thoughts on the US’s ever-evolving image in the Middle East?
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Mon Jun 01, 2009
GM Files For Bankruptcy
General Motors officially filed for bankruptcy today, immediately making the questions of employment, plant closings, and the government’s stake in a restructured G.M., significant concerns for American taxpayers. G.M. currently has $172.8 billion in debts, and the company will face liquidation unless the government subsidizes the sale of G.M. assets and takes a large share of G.M. stocks.
In his speech today, President Obama is expected to lay out a plan for the government to take control of a significant portion of G.M. assets, using $30 billion of taxpayers’ money to help keep the company afloat. The risks of this plan will weigh heavily on the minds of many Americans, but the possible results of a G.M. liquidation—a skyrocketing unemployment rate and an overreaching effect on the economy—poses its own set of disastrous possibilities.
The government is expected to seek a limited role in the process of running a restructured G.M., and would want to sell off its shares as soon as the company can stand on its own feet.
Opinion leaders, weigh in. What do you think of G.M.’s bankruptcy and a possible government restructuring of the fallen auto giant? Do you think Obama’s plan is the best response possible at this point? How do you think G.M.’s bankruptcy should be dealt with?
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Wed May 27, 2009
Obama Nominates Sotomayor
This Tuesday, President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor, a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to replace Justice David Souter. If Sotomayor is confirmed, she will become the Supreme Court’s first Latina justice.
Born in the south Bronx, Sotomayor has inspired just as much political commentary about the importance of a candidate’s biography in influencing their rulings and future rulings, as the rulings themselves. Known for her exhaustively researched deliberations and slightly left of center rulings, Sotomayor’s controversial decision to uphold New Haven’s right to discard its promotional firefighter test due to its possible effect on minority employment discrimination, has come under particular scrutiny. Several white firefighters who had taken and passed the now defunct test, including one with dyslexia, sued New Haven and the case, Ricci v. DeStefano, is now being heard by the Supreme Court.
Many conservative politicians have already become energized in an attempt to block Sotomayor’s confirmation, implying that her rulings have been motivated by an attempt to advance a liberal agenda. However, with the Democratic Party holding a majority in the Senate and a generally positive opinion of Sotomayor, many feel that her confirmation will be likely.
Sotomayor once said, “whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences, our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging." Opinion Leaders, please weigh in, do you think Sotomayor will be confirmed? How do you think Sotomayor’s biography and the effects it has had on her rulings will influence her chances? What do you think of Sotomayor’s past rulings and what do they imply about future rulings she might make?
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Mon May 11, 2009
Health Care Reform 2009
Today President Obama is meeting with six key health care industry groups who have pledged $2 trillion in spending reductions over 10 years to help pay for the program. Hospitals, insurance companies, drug makers and doctors will present their plan to slow their rate increases in the coming years.
As part of the President’s budget $634 billion will be used as a down payment on health care reform. Obama will pay for his health care reform effort by rolling back the Bush tax cuts for Americans earning more than $250,000 per year and retaining the estate tax at its 2009 level.
Key highlights of the plan:
Require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions so all Americans regardless of their health status or history can get comprehensive benefits at fair and stable premiums.
Create a new Small Business Health Tax Credit to help small businesses provide affordable health insurance to their employees.
Lower costs for businesses by covering a portion of the catastrophic health costs they pay in return for lower premiums for employees.
Prevent insurers from overcharging doctors for their malpractice insurance and invest in proven strategies to reduce preventable medical errors.
Make employer contributions fairer by requiring large employers that do not offer coverage or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of their employees' health care.
Establish a National Health Insurance Exchange with a range of private insurance options as well as a new public plan based on benefits available to members of Congress that will allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health coverage.
Ensure everyone who needs it will receive a tax credit for their premiums.
Opinion Leaders please weigh in, do you feel that the funding is adequate to support this program? Do you feel that ultimately you will foot the bill? Do you feel that this will change the quality of the medical attention that physicians can provide?
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Wed Apr 29, 2009
Specter’s Move Across the Aisle
On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party. During his press conference he stated that he has found himself increasingly "at odds with the Republican philosophy. “This is a painful decision. I know I’m disappointing many of my colleagues. The disappointment runs in both directions. In the course of the last several months ... I have traveled the state and surveyed the sentiments of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania and public opinion polls, observed other public opinion polls and have found that the prospects for winning a Republican primary are bleak."
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele ripped Specter, calling him a Republican in name only who was out of step with the rest of the party because of his "left-wing voting record." "Some in the Republican Party are happy about this. I am not," Steele said in a written statement. "Let's be honest -- Sen. Specter didn't leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record."
Opinion Leaders, please weigh in. What do you think about this move? Politics as usual?
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