Are you over your hangover from partying up Obama tuesday night? Good, because here are some sober thoughts on Obama from Bolivia. -What could President Obama mean for improving US - Bolivian relations after Bush sent Goldberg to support a bunch of fascist coup plotters? Well if Obama´s current advisors signify anything, not much. A while back Gringo Tambo dug up this video of Obama´s Bolivia advisor, Greg Craig speaking about the possible extradition of Bolivia´s ex-Pres "Goni" Sanchez de Lozada for his role in the 2003 El Alto Gas War in which more than 60 civilian protesters were shot dead by the national military. Summerized:-"we do not accept your characaterization of those events as a massacre." He says there were no crimes against humanity, genocide, disappearances, or torture, but rather, "tragically, civil disturbances which cost lives." -Oh, did I forget to tell you?, that in addition to advising Obama on Bolivia, Craig is also Goni´s legal representive. Conflict of interst. What conflict of interest?-But hey, Bolivia is a small poor country anyways. Who cares? Obama is awesome, smart, unifying, and "transhistorical"- MLK´s dream fulfilled. Except Bolivians, like Americans, also elected in 2005 their first President from a group historically enslaved, racially segregation, and widely discriminated against. So Bolivia has been living a "postracial" politics ever since, right?
In a landmark speech, the next president pledges to revive Kyoto Protocol and end American isolationism over climate changeProspects for success in the world's struggle to combat global warming have been transformed at a stroke after US President-elect Barack Obama made it clear that America would play its full part in renewing the Kyoto Protocol climate-change treaty. His words, in effect, brought an end to eight years of wilful climate obstructionism by the administration of George Bush, who withdrew the US from Kyoto in March 2001, thus doing incalculable damage to the efforts of the international community to construct a unified response to the threat. The Bush withdrawal set back the international effort by nearly a decade - years in which it became increasingly clear that the warming of the atmosphere being caused by greenhouse gas emissions was proceeding much faster than UN scientists thought it would. Although Mr Bush and the oilman-caucus in his government justified their Kyoto withdrawal by casting doubt on whether climate change was happening, or was caused by human actions, by last year the scientific consensus on both propositions was so great that Bush aides had to reluctantly accept both were true. But Mr Bush's diplomatic stance hardly changed. In contrast, the President-elect's remarks, in a video address to a global warming summit in California attended by US governors and representatives from other nations, instantly injected a new mood of optimism among negotiators preparing for the conference at which Kyoto will be renewed and extended, due to take place in Copenhagen in December 2009.
Prospects for success in the world's struggle to combat global warming have been transformed at a stroke after US President-elect Barack Obama made it clear that America would play its full part in renewing the Kyoto Protocol climate-change treaty.
His words, in effect, brought an end to eight years of wilful climate obstructionism by the administration of George Bush, who withdrew the US from Kyoto in March 2001, thus doing incalculable damage to the efforts of the international community to construct a unified response to the threat.
The Bush withdrawal set back the international effort by nearly a decade - years in which it became increasingly clear that the warming of the atmosphere being caused by greenhouse gas emissions was proceeding much faster than UN scientists thought it would.
Although Mr Bush and the oilman-caucus in his government justified their Kyoto withdrawal by casting doubt on whether climate change was happening, or was caused by human actions, by last year the scientific consensus on both propositions was so great that Bush aides had to reluctantly accept both were true. But Mr Bush's diplomatic stance hardly changed. In contrast, the President-elect's remarks, in a video address to a global warming summit in California attended by US governors and representatives from other nations, instantly injected a new mood of optimism among negotiators preparing for the conference at which Kyoto will be renewed and extended, due to take place in Copenhagen in December 2009.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on a visit to India, said the international community should keep up pressure on Iran to be transparent about its nuclear program. "Iran is stalling at the moment in the expectation that the new American government will send a new signal," said Steinmeier Thursday, Nov. 20, while on an official visit to the Indian capital New Delhi. "International pressure should be sustained." US President-elect Barack Obama has said he wants to engage in direct negotiations with Iran after he takes office on Jan. 20. So far, group negotiations have taken place between Iran and the US, Germany, China, Russia, Britain and France. "Nothing changes the fact that Iran must move on this issue," Steinmeier said
"Iran is stalling at the moment in the expectation that the new American government will send a new signal," said Steinmeier Thursday, Nov. 20, while on an official visit to the Indian capital New Delhi. "International pressure should be sustained."
US President-elect Barack Obama has said he wants to engage in direct negotiations with Iran after he takes office on Jan. 20. So far, group negotiations have taken place between Iran and the US, Germany, China, Russia, Britain and France.
"Nothing changes the fact that Iran must move on this issue," Steinmeier said
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is facing yet another battle for power in gubernatorial elections. Even in his home state, a growing number of people are getting tired of the president and the Chavez clan. When Doña Elena Frías de Chavez goes to church, she is accompanied by seven bodyguards and driven in a small convoy of three armored Ford SUVs. It is shortly after seven, and the mass has just begun in the church of Cristo Rey in Barinas, a city of 270,000 people on the hot plains of western Venezuela. The mother of the Venezuelan president takes a seat in the second row. She is wearing a turquoise blouse and sunglasses, and her hair is dyed blonde. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez comes from a devout family. Doña Elena used to walk to mass at her church, which was only two blocks from her old house. But now she and her husband live in an enormous mansion in a well-to-do section of Barinas.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is facing yet another battle for power in gubernatorial elections. Even in his home state, a growing number of people are getting tired of the president and the Chavez clan.
When Doña Elena Frías de Chavez goes to church, she is accompanied by seven bodyguards and driven in a small convoy of three armored Ford SUVs. It is shortly after seven, and the mass has just begun in the church of Cristo Rey in Barinas, a city of 270,000 people on the hot plains of western Venezuela. The mother of the Venezuelan president takes a seat in the second row. She is wearing a turquoise blouse and sunglasses, and her hair is dyed blonde.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez comes from a devout family. Doña Elena used to walk to mass at her church, which was only two blocks from her old house. But now she and her husband live in an enormous mansion in a well-to-do section of Barinas.
Ecuador is the first country in the world to announce plans to leave the oil reserves beneath its rainforests in the ground. The country wants foreign businesses, including German companies, to compensate it for making this sacrifice. There are as many different types of wood growing on each hectare in the Yasuni rainforest in the northwestern Amazon as there are species in all of North America. Even rare species of animals, like the mountain tapir and the brown-headed spider monkey, exist in the region. This paradise is also home to a number of native tribes now living in complete isolation from the outside world. There is more biological diversity in the Yasuni rainforest than almost anywhere else in the world. The virgin forest is protected by its status as a national park and UNESCO biosphere reserve, but for how much longer? Several oil companies are pressuring the government in the Ecuadoran capital of Quito to finally issue drilling licenses for the biosphere.
Ecuador is the first country in the world to announce plans to leave the oil reserves beneath its rainforests in the ground. The country wants foreign businesses, including German companies, to compensate it for making this sacrifice.
There are as many different types of wood growing on each hectare in the Yasuni rainforest in the northwestern Amazon as there are species in all of North America. Even rare species of animals, like the mountain tapir and the brown-headed spider monkey, exist in the region. This paradise is also home to a number of native tribes now living in complete isolation from the outside world.
There is more biological diversity in the Yasuni rainforest than almost anywhere else in the world. The virgin forest is protected by its status as a national park and UNESCO biosphere reserve, but for how much longer? Several oil companies are pressuring the government in the Ecuadoran capital of Quito to finally issue drilling licenses for the biosphere.
Is it Too Late for Afghanistan? James Joyner | November 18, 2008 During his address this evening to the Atlantic Council, ISAF commander General David McKiernan emphasized the many positive trends in Afghanistan, noting that he preferred a "Glass Half Full" view. At the same time, he emphasized that Afghanistan is in the middle of a war -- not a peacekeeping, stability, or human assistance operation. Afghanistan is not Iraq and faces a myriad of complex challenges, including a near total lack of human capital, a population that has mostly faced a lifetime of violence, and a tribal relationship almost impenetrable to outsiders. Most interestingly, he defined -- for the first time I've seen from anyone close to his level of responsibility and seniority -- the answer to a seemingly simple question: What is winning? He did it, not from a U.S. or Coalition strategic perspective, though, but from that of the average Afghan: A sense of security at home and for the country Trusts government and is willing to defend it Expects economic and social progress This, he acknowledges, is mostly a political problem which will require a regional approach. One thing's for sure, McKiernan assured us: "We're not going to run out of bad guys."
James Joyner | November 18, 2008
During his address this evening to the Atlantic Council, ISAF commander General David McKiernan emphasized the many positive trends in Afghanistan, noting that he preferred a "Glass Half Full" view. At the same time, he emphasized that Afghanistan is in the middle of a war -- not a peacekeeping, stability, or human assistance operation. Afghanistan is not Iraq and faces a myriad of complex challenges, including a near total lack of human capital, a population that has mostly faced a lifetime of violence, and a tribal relationship almost impenetrable to outsiders. Most interestingly, he defined -- for the first time I've seen from anyone close to his level of responsibility and seniority -- the answer to a seemingly simple question: What is winning? He did it, not from a U.S. or Coalition strategic perspective, though, but from that of the average Afghan:
It's all very well thinking that it's wonderful that a commander on the ground starts asking the sort of questions our elites should have been asking 6 years ago, but the point is that in the absnece ofstrategic thinking from the elites no amount of thinking on the ground is going to make a difference. And if Obama thinks that sending in General Betray-Us with a surge is gonna be some cavalry charge that'll see off the bad guys I imagine we'll be having this conversation in 2011 & 2015.
They lost in vietnam and have been itching to get bogged down somewhere ever since. Now they're bogged down twice. You can't win against a whole population who fight a guerilla war against you. Nato would be insane to join them. keep to the Fen Causeway
