Sunday, April 12, 2009

Y! Alert: The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

Yahoo! Alerts
My Alerts

The latest from The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

SIMPSONS STAMPS: What's Your Favorite? Top
WASHINGTON — Who's your favorite Simpson? The post office wants folks to vote early and often for their favorite among the five new stamps honoring the nation's funniest dysfunctional family. The Simpson stamps will be issued May 7, portraying Homer, his wife, Marge, their son Bart, daughter Lisa and baby Maggie. The characters, created by cartoonist Matt Groening, have become pop culture icons in 20 years on Fox television. The 44-cent stamps will go on display at 8 a.m. Thursday at and votes can be cast at that site until May 14. http://www.usps.com/simpsons The price of a first-class stamp goes up 2-cents to 44 cents in May. ___ On the Net: U.S. Postal Service: http://www.usps.com
 
Evan Bayh "Agnostic" On Public Health Care Top
On Fox News Sunday this morning, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) trashed the idea of including a new public health insurance plan as part of health care reform, saying "that is exactly the opposite way" to improve health care in America. "We don't need more money," said Coburn. "What we need is true markets that will allocate this resource and create a way for everyone to have access." Host Chris Wallace then asked Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) about "private sector" concerns that a public option would mean "that everybody will end up in the government program." Bayh replied that he was "agnostic" about including a public plan in reform. More on Evan Bayh
 
DRUG CARTEL VIDEOS Flood YouTube Top
The violence among Mexican drug cartels is not filling just the streets of Mexican border towns: It's also spilling into gruesome online videos and chat rooms. The videos on YouTube and Mexican-based sites are polished -- professional singers croon about cartel leaders while images of murdered victims fade one into the next. In the comment area, those loyal to the opposing cartels trade insults and threats. Such videos are used to intimidate enemies and recruit members by touting "virtues" of cartel leaders, says Scott Stewart, vice president of tactical intelligence for Stratfor, a Texas-based global-intelligence company.
 
DARWIN EGG FOUND At Cambridge Top
Liz Wetton travelled to the University of Cambridge's Museum of Zoology a few weeks ago expecting to spend her volunteering session in exactly the same way as she had for the past 10 years: sorting through the extensive collection of birds' eggs and rehousing them in new boxes. On this particular day, during her routine egg sorting, however, the octogenarian noticed a tiny, chocolate-brown specimen with "C. Darwin" etched on it in faded ink. Assuming it belonged to the famous naturalist, Ms Wetton noted and boxed it as normal, assuming the museum must be aware of its existence. Only when Mathew Lowe, the museum's collections manager, reviewed her work a few weeks later did she learn the significance of her discovery. Not only was the egg one of only 16 collected by Charles Darwin during his five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle in the 1830s, but it was also the only one to have since been found.
 
Samson Obama Refused British Visa Over Attempted Sexual Assault: Paper Top
U.S. President Barack Obama's half-brother has been denied a visa to come back to Britain after he earlier gave a false name to police when accused of an attempted sexual assault, British newspapers reported on Sunday. A database showed that British police arrested Samson Obama, who lives in Kenya, last November after he allegedly tried to sexually assault a young girl, the News of the World said.
 
Top 5 Easter Traditions From Around The World Top
Easter is upon us! Easter Week began this past weekend with Palm Sunday and culminates in weekend commemorations of Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, and in some countries Easter Monday. Around the world, different cultures, countries, communities, and sects have their own traditions to celebrate the Easter holiday. As Catholics and Protestants gather in churches across the globe to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, people everywhere are celebrating in their own ways by eating chocolate bunnies, going on Easter egg hunts and flying kites. Here are the HuffPost's top 5 Easter traditions from around the world. Know of other interesting global traditions? Share them in the comments section below. 1) BERMUDA : Bermudians celebrate Good Friday by flying home-made kites, eating codfish cakes, and eating hot cross buns. According to Bermuda-Online.org , the tradition is said to have begun when a local teacher from the British Army had difficulty explaining Christ's ascension to Heaven to his Sunday school class. He made a kite, traditionally shaped like a cross, to illustrate the Ascension. The traditional Bermuda kites are made with colorful tissue paper, long tails, wood, metal, and string. 2) NORWAY : Norwegians have an interesting tradition for the season known for "Easter-Crime" or Paaskekrim . At this time of year, many around the country read mystery books or watch the televised crime detective series on national television, according to The Norway Post . Many families escape up to the mountains for the vacation week beginning the Friday before Palm Sunday and ending the Tuesday after Easter Monday. When spending time in a ski cabin in the mountains, a popular past time is playing Yahtzee, according to About.com . The image below shows Norwegian mystery novels in display during the Easter holiday. 3) EUROPE : In parts of Northwestern Europe large bonfires, called Easter Fires, are lit on Easter Sunday and Monday. While there are various explanations for the origin of the Easter Fires, the most common Saxon tale is that Easter is a time when spring becomes victorious over winter and the fires were to chase the darkness of winter away. Today, however, the meaning of the fires is simply to bring communities together. The nights are festive with heavy consumption of gin, lager, and snacks. 4) SWEDEN : A mainly secular holiday in the Lutheran country of Sweden, Easter is celebrated with meals of eggs, herring, and Jansson's Temptation (potato, onion and pickled sardines baked in cream). The most interesting tradition to come out of Sweden is that in the days leading up to Easter Sunday, children dress up as Easter witches, wearing old and discarded clothes, according to Sweden.se. Traveling from home to home in their neighborhoods, the children trade paintings and drawings for sweets. 5) HAITI : In Haiti, Holy Week is marked by colorful parades and traditional "rara" music played on bamboo trumpets, maracas, drums, even coffee cans. According to About.com , the holiday is a mixture of Catholic and Voodoo traditions. Voodoo believers make an annual pilgrimage to the village of Souvenance. In the photo below devout voodoo believers hold a goat head and other parts, as offerings to the spirits, during a ceremony in Souvenance village, Haiti. Showing devotion to the spirits, the celebration is marked by drumming, chanting and animal sacrifices. More on Europe
 
Bill Mann: Limbaugh's Dirty Little Secret of Radio "Success" Top
Ever wonder why Rush "Boss" Limbaugh's syndicated radio show is all over the place like the proverbial cheap suit? If you do much driving in rural areas -- e.g. between cities -- "Boss" Limbaugh's bloviations are often the only thing you can pick up on a car radio. Hey, that's what CD players are for. Did Rush accrue hundreds of local radio affiliates across the country because his political views are mainstream? That's obviously not it. OK, so why IS his show so "popular?" Why do hundreds of stations around the country carry his show, the most widely syndicated talkfest in the country? Glad you asked. The real story is not generally well-known. The only reason I know is through my covering the business of radio for years for several major daily newspapers and also, for industry trade magazines like Radio World. It's because -- ready for this? -- Rush's show was, and presumably still is, given away for free to many local radio stations. This shocker is because of a little-known practice in broadcast syndication called a "barter deal." (Barter deals were briefly mentioned in Michael Wolff's first-rate recent piece on Rush in Vanity Fair) . Here's how a barter deal works: To launch the show, Limbaugh's syndicator, Premiere Radio Networks -- the same folks who syndicate wingnut du jour Glen Beck -- gave Limbaugh's three hours away -- that's right, no cash -- to local radio stations, mostly in medium and smaller markets, back in the early 1990's. So, a local talk station got Rush's show for zilch. In exchange, Premiere took for itself much of the local station's available advertising time (roughly 15 minutes an hour) and packed the show with national ads it had already pre-sold. Think Gold Bond Medicated Powder. It's a very sweet deal for local radio station owners, explained Bill Exline a respected radio broker (he helped people buy and sell local stations). "Not only does the local station get three hours of free programming," Exline explained, "but that's one less local talk-show host on staff they need. It makes small- and medium-market radio properties more profitable and attractive by cutting down staff expenses." Shocking, isn't it, that Limbaugh would allow jobs to be cut to advance his dubious career? Not to mention helping to make small radio stations far less local? Major-market right-wing talk stations, like San Francisco's KSFO-AM ("Reichstag Radio") have to pay actual money, of course, to carry Boss Limbaugh's daily proclamation-a-thon. (Note: KSFO, which I referred to as "Sieg Heil on Your Dial" in my column when it first switched to righty talk, is the same station that gave hatemonger Michael Savage his first radio megaphone). Radio sources say that small- and medium-market stations still get Limbaugh's show for free, or pay only a token amount of cash for it. I asked Michael Harrison, editor of radio-syndicator-friendly Talkers magazine about this, and he claimed he didn't know how many Limbaugh affiliates still barter. . So, when you hear Rush bellowing as you're passing through Birdseed Junction, Beanblossom, or Pyrite, just remember: The radio station's getting what it paid for. Or, more accurately, DIDN'T pay for.
 
Pope's Easter Message: We Need Hope To End Wars, Poverty, Financial Turmoil Top
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI sought to give a message of hope on Easter Sunday to victims of wars, poverty and financial turmoil, saying it was urgently needed to overcome the miseries that are plaguing Africa, the Middle East and other parts of the globe. Benedict delivered his "Urbi et Orbi" message _ Latin for "to the city and the world" _ after celebrating Easter Mass before tens of thousands of people who packed St. Peter's Square and the boulevard leading up to it. The piazza, decorated with yellow tulips, azaleas, apple blossoms and other spring flowers, overflowed with the faithful celebrating the most joyous and important day in the Christian church calendar, Christ's resurrection. In his speech, Benedict said hope was urgently needed around the globe, despite mounting reasons for despair. "At a time of world food shortage, of financial turmoil, of old and new forms of poverty, of disturbing climate change, of violence and depravation which force many to leave their homelands in search of a less precarious form of existence, of the ever-present threat of terrorism, of growing fears over the future, it is urgent to rediscover grounds for hope," he said. In Jerusalem, the faithful celebrated Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, traditionally believed to mark the site where Jesus was crucified, buried and then resurrected. Brown-robed friars marched into the church to the sound of bagpipes, followed by clergymen in purple capes and others bearing crosses. And in the earthquake-ravaged central Italian city of L'Aquila, survivors gathered in makeshift chapels set up in tent cities that are housing some of the 55,000 people driven from their homes by Monday's 6.3-magnitude temblor. "We are all a little bit angry with God because we never expected a tragedy this big," L'Aquila Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari told the faithful gathered in a tent. "But even anger toward God is a sign of faith." Benedict, who is expected to visit the quake zone soon, issued special Easter wishes to the quake survivors praying that they have "the courage necessary to go forward together to build a future open to hope." Benedict delivered his Easter message from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, tripping slightly as he climbed up to his gilded chair. As aides lunged to steady him, he recovered and delivered his speech to the crowds below. He noted that he plans to travel to the Holy Land in just a few weeks and said he would bring a message of hope and love to the region. "Reconciliation _ difficult but indispensable _ is a precondition for a future of overall security and peaceful coexistence, and it can only be achieved through renewed, persevering and sincere efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," he said. And he recalled his recent trip to Africa in urging the faithful to keep up hope to combat poverty and wars. "Africa suffers disproportionately from the cruel and unending conflicts, often forgotten, that are causing so much bloodshed and destruction in several of her nations, and from the growing numbers of her sons and daughters who fall prey to hunger, poverty and disease," Benedict said. The crowd shouted "Benedetto" _ Italian for Benedict _ as they waited for him to appear at the loggia. They cheered as they awaited his Easter blessing, this year delivered in 63 languages. Benedict celebrated Easter Mass after presiding over the solemn, three-plus-hour Easter Vigil ceremony Saturday night. At the end of that service, Benedict sounded hoarse and looked tired. But the pope _ who turns 82 on Thursday _ appeared well-rested by Sunday morning and held up well throughout the Mass. He is expected to travel Sunday afternoon to the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, in the hills south of Rome, for a few days of rest after the busy Holy Week services. The pope's May 8-15 Middle East tour, his first to the region as pope, will include Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories, with stops in cities including Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth. More on The Pope
 
Tamar Abrams: So Much to Hear in Krakow Top
It took Krakow, Poland to turn me into an Ugly American - no easy feat given that I've lived in many countries, and traveled to at least 20 more in the past 10 years. On the other hand, perhaps it wasn't the town that should be blamed as much as the circumstances. I decided to take my elderly parents and my sixteen year old daughter on this trip. It made sense at the time. My dad's ancestors left Krakow in the late 1880s to start a new life in America so it would be a sort of pilgrimage for my folks. And my daughter had a strong interest in visiting Auschwitz so it would be a history lesson for her. Me? I am always eager to add a new stamp to my passport though, in this case, Poland never imprinted itself on the document. My parents are well-traveled people in their own right. My dad was Air Force JAG long before it became a TV show and was stationed in Asia, Canada and Europe during my childhood years. Since his retirement, my parents have enjoyed trips to the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, among other places. But they had not traveled since the increasingly restrictive days of 9/11. They are also - how to put this kindly? - hard of hearing. My dad's new uber hearing aids work well at times, but not so well at others. My mom is deaf in one ear, but I can never seem to recall which one. My daughter - who can hear me whisper to a friend in another county - turned her iPod on as we left for the Washington, DC airport and didn't appear to turn it off until our return. So there we were - four people - and one set of functioning ears. In Krakow. Using something called a zloty to buy things. What choice did I have but to speak VERY LOUDLY?? Many Poles speak English and so I can only assume they were cringing as I bellowed, "OKAY EVERYONE, HERE'S A PUBLIC TOILET." Or, "THE JEWISH QUARTER IS SO LOVELY. WHAT A SHAME THAT ALL THE RESIDENTS WERE KILLED." Yes, definitely entering Ugly American territory. Sometimes I even had to repeat myself several times for the benefit of my family and the Polish people who needed another reason to loathe Americans: "CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW MUCH THE CURRENCY HERE HAS BEEN DEVALUED?" We're safely home now. I believe my daughter has finally had to turn off her iPod in order to recharge it. My parents have retreated to their own house nearby where the TV is turned way up and they can communicate in sign language or written notes or telepathically or however they do it when no one else is around. I'm taking a vow of silence for a few days as I comb The Washington Post for any news of increasingly strained US-Polish relations last week. And I offer my heartfelt apologies to the good Polish people who heard me yell, "I THINK IT'S MADE FROM A COW!" last Tuesday to my daughter. As we flew out of Krakow the day before Easter, I realized that immigrations agents hadn't stamped our passports either when we entered or left Poland. An oversight perhaps. Or maybe intentional so we can all begin the healing process... More on Travel
 
"Tea Party" Merchandise Booming Ahead Of Protests Top
Move over, coffee: It's teatime in America. Just be sure you're sipping your Earl Gray from an official Tea Party mug when April 15 rolls around. Grassroots organizations have produced a cottage industry of Tea Party-themed products that are funding nationwide protests of government spending and bailouts -- and they're generating a mini-stimulus to boot.
 
Odierno Certain That All US Troops Will Be Out Of Iraq By 2011 Top
The top general in Iraq, Ray Odierno, appeared on CNN's "State of the Nation" with John King, and sounded a very upbeat note regarding the timeline to withdraw from Iraq. King asked General Odierno "on a scale of 1 to 10, sir, how confident are you, 10 being fully confident, that you will meet that deadline, that all U.S. troops will be gone at the end of 2011?" Odierno replied, "As you ask me today, I believe it's a 10 that we will be gone by 2011." [WATCH] ( H/t Politico for video ) In a lengthy interview about the current state of Iraq (and his new Facebook page, which chronicles his time in country), the general also said there was no reason to panic from a recent spate of deadly attacks that have left several U.S. soldiers dead: But this is not a significant increase in overall lack of security. There just are still some suicide bombers and those who profess suicide attacks that are still very dangerous. Odierno also praised his working relationship with Obama: Well, first off, he's our commander in chief. And as the commander in chief, we take direction from him. He has -- in all of the meetings I've had with him, he is very attentive; he's very -- he listens. He is incredibly intelligent. He talks through the issues, and -- and we discuss it. He makes a decision and then we execute those decisions. And that's all you can expect out of your commander in chief. And he's -- I've been very pleased with the interaction that I've been able to have with him. Full transcript of the interview is below. JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR Here to talk about the president's visit and the challenges in keeping with the withdrawal schedule is the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno. He joins us from Camp Victory in Baghdad. Sir. Happy Easter to you, and thank you for joining us. Let me start with the big challenge you face. In just 11 weeks you're supposed to have your troops out of Mosul, out of Baqubah, out of other major cities. And you have an uptick in violence in recent days. Will you meet the deadline or will you have to keep the troops there? GEN. RAY ODIERNO, COMMANDER, MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ: Well, first, John, if I could, I would like to wish happy Easter to everyone back in the United States, especially to all of the family and friends of our service members who continue to serve over here. It's a real dedication to their great work that has helped our soldiers over here. John, what I would tell you is overall violence remains at 2003 lows. However, as you have seen over the last week or so, there are still some elements here that are able still to conduct some very serious attacks. So we will continue to conduct assessments along with the government of Iraq as we move forwards the June 30th deadline. If we believe that we'll need troops to maintain a presence in some of the cities, we'll recommend that, but, ultimately, it will the decision of Prime Minister Maliki. KING: And when the president was there, sir, just the other day, did you discuss this with him and did you, in fact, maybe ask him to pressure the Iraqi government? You know the political pressures, not only on our president here in the United States, but on Prime Minister Maliki. Did you ask the president to say, look, if we need more time you need to nudge them to give it to us? ODIERNO: Well, again, we did have good discussions. We went through all of the major issues facing Iraq now with the president. What we discussed is there is some diplomatic actions that have to be taken. Listen, Prime Minister Maliki understands the tensions in Mosul. He understands there's an assessment that has to be made. I'm confident that we will make a joint assessment and then he will make a decision. We will tell him what we believe is the right thing to do but ultimately it will up to him to make that decision. KING: I want to remind our viewers, as we have this conversation, about the timelines and the deadlines you face. June 30th of this year, all U.S. combat troops are supposed to be out of Baghdad and the other major Iraqi cities. It is August 31st, 2010, all U.S. combat troops are supposed to be out of Iraq, leaving about 50,000 behind. And then by December 31st, 2011, all U.S. troops out of Iraq. Sir, in your conversations with President Obama, how comfortable do you feel that if you go to him at any point, whether it's one of these interim deadlines or the bigger deadline in 2011, you say, sir, I need more time or, sir, I need more troops, that you will get what you need? ODIERNO: Well, again, he understands, as he has stated, that there is still much work to be done here in Iraq. I believe he has given me the flexibility over the next 18 months in order to adjust the size of the force that I need in order to accomplish the mission. What we're trying to do is set the conditions for Iraq to take over and be able to secure themselves. And so we'll continue to do that. And I have the flexibility to do that. The president has given that to me. John, if I could make one correction. On August 31st, it is that we will have a change in mission here in Iraq and we will no longer conduct combat operations. It's not necessarily that all combat troops will be out of Iraq by that date. KING: Thank you for the correction, sir. And it's well noted, because let me follow on that point. Are you concerned at all? The mission went off-track at the beginning, way back, six years ago when there weren't enough troops to do everything that needed to be done. Are you concerned, sir, when you get to that point, when you're looking at 50,000 troops or so that you will have too few troops to do what you need to do or are you confident that if you need more, you'll get them? ODIERNO: Well, what has changed, John, is that the Iraqi security forces have matured significantly. They now have 250,000, army. They have over 400,000 police. They are continuing to improve in their competency. So that is helping significantly. So it is not the same as it was in 2004 or 2005 or 2006. So part of the judgment will be how much can they do. They are proving every day that they are becoming more competent, so the decision will be made as how much of U.S. forces are needed in order to continue to support them to keep the stability that we're starting to see here in Iraq. KING: And, sir, I've walked over to our map so can I show our viewers what has happened over the timeline of the past six years. Back in May 2003, a little over 142,000 troops. And if you follow the timeline over, you see here in October 2007 because of your surge strategy, 170,000 troops on the ground. And we're down now somewhere in the area of 140,000 troops on the ground. In terms of the pace of operations, the last time I was there and out with troops in the field was a little more than a year ago. And I did a convoy run up from Camp Anaconda up to Baqubah. That was a pretty dicey time, about every other convoy was experiencing an IED attack. In terms of the reports you get back from the daily operations of the troops, is it as bad as it was then or have things improved significantly? ODIERNO: Yes, they've improved significantly. And I think you would be surprised if you were here again. Obviously, we still have some very serious incidents, based on one this week. But, again, it's much safer. In March, our combat fatalities were the lowest they've been since the beginning of the war. The number of incidents in March was the lowest month of incidents we've had since really right back to June of 2003 before the insurgency started. So there has been a clear improvement of security here. The issue is, can we maintain that -- can the Iraqis maintain it? And that is what we're working through now is we want them to be able to maintain this stability as we pull out. And that is what we're assessing and constantly doing. I believe we're on track to do that. We have a schedule to reduce our forces. I have flexibility to change that within the next 18 months, and we'll continue to look at that very closely as we move forward. KING: And you mentioned that March was a relatively good month. I want to, again, play a little timeline here so that our viewers can see it here. This is U.S. troops killed in Iraq and you see the numbers from 2003 moving forward. 2007 at the height of the surge was the highest year and 51 so far, I hesitate to say, only 51 so far in 2009. You mentioned that March was a good month, sir. That was nine Americans killed in March. But already we've hit the number nine 12 days into the month of April because of a few tragic events in recent days. Why? Are you seeing that this -- is this just random events or are you seeing some coordination of increase in violence? ODIERNO: Yes. What I see is there are some cells out there who are still capable of conducting suicide attacks. And, unfortunately, had a tragic attack in Mosul this past week of a suicide bomber who killed five of our soldiers. Tragic, tragic event. They have that capacity still. It's much less than it has ever been. They are very small cells throughout Iraq. We continue to be aggressive at going after them with the Iraqi security forces. But this is not a significant increase in overall lack of security. There just are still some suicide bombers and those who profess suicide attacks that are still very dangerous. KING: And help those military families and other Americans watching on this Easter Sunday morning assess where you are now. We talked at the beginning about the potential that you might have to ask for a little bit more time in Mosul, in Baqubah, in other cities. Is this in part because you're saving the worst, the hardest challenges for last, if you will? That al Qaeda in Iraq and other groups that oppose your being there have concentrated in certain areas and these are the last fronts? ODIERNO: Well, what we've done is we've driven them there, John, through our operations over the last two years. And we've continued to eliminate areas where they are no longer welcome by the Iraqi people. They are rejected. They are no longer able to conduct operations so they've moved to certain areas. One is in the desert near Syria between Syria and the city of Mosul, and then inside of Mosul. So we now are working very hard with the Iraqi security forces to finish off this last group of individuals who are still able to conduct some serious attacks. The same in Baqubah. Although Baquba actually has been extremely safe, areas east of there towards the Iranian border still have some remnants of al Qaeda and other extremists that are still able to do some operations. So we're in the process of routing them out with the Iraqi security forces. KING: You just mentioned there, sir, areas near the Syrian border, and areas near the Iranian border which begs the question for the past six years we've had these conversations about Syria letting people back and forth across the border, in fact, maybe even supporting some of them. Iran letting people back and forth, letting weapons across the border, and in fact training some of the people who are trying to kill the men and women who serve under you, sir. What is the status of Iran and Syria? Are they still as problematic as they were before or have we seen any improvement? ODIERNO: Well, first, we've been able to significantly limit the ability of them to traffic foreign fighters in through Syria. We have done that through major operations. We made it extremely difficult. The Iraqis have helped significantly in closing their borders and making it more difficult for foreign fighters and suicide attackers to come across. They are still able to come across in very small numbers. There's still some of a facilitation network that still is in Syria. In terms of Iran, Iran, although I would -- the support is a bit less than it was, there's still reports that training, funding, and the providing of weapons still goes on. Although it's at a smaller level, it's still very sophisticated and is still trying to impact the stability situation here in Iraq. KING: More of our conversation with General Ray Odierno in just a moment. And later, also, is President Obama the most polarizing president of recent times? We'll debate that question and more with two of our top political strategists. Our "State of the Union" report will be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) KING: We're back with the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno. And, General, I want to ask you a bit about what I find fascinating is; that is, your relationship with the new commander in chief, someone who was so vigorously opposed to the war effort you now lead. And I want to show our viewers a bit of a timeline, here. It was back in October 2002 when then-Illinois state senator Barack Obama, not even in the United States Senate yet, declared he was against the war in Iraq. And then, in January of 2007, Senator Barack Obama, a United States senator, at this point, and candidate for the presidency of the United States, spoke out strongly against the surge policy that General Odierno pushed for. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: The responsible course of action for the United States, for Iraq, and for our troops is to oppose this reckless escalation and to pursue a new policy. (END VIDEO CLIP) KING: But since winning the election and becoming commander in chief, a decidedly different tone from President Obama, when it comes to the war in Iraq, including his visit to Baghdad just this past Tuesday. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: Every mission that's been assigned, from getting rid of Saddam to reducing violence to stabilizing the country, to facilitating elections, you have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement, and, for that, you have the thanks of the American people. (END VIDEO CLIP) General Odierno, you are the father of the surge strategy. You pushed for it when even many of your commanders wanted to get troops out of Iraq. How hard is it to develop a rapport with a president of the United States who thought your strategy was a reckless escalation? ODIERNO: Well, first off, he's our commander in chief. And as the commander in chief, we take direction from him. He has -- in all of the meetings I've had with him, he is very attentive; he's very -- he listens. He is incredibly intelligent. He talks through the issues, and -- and we discuss it. He makes a decision and then we execute those decisions. And that's all you can expect out of your commander in chief. And he's -- I've been very pleased with the interaction that I've been able to have with him. KING: Has he ever said, General, you know, Ray, you were right; I was wrong about the surge? ODIERNO: I don't think we talked about that ever. (LAUGHTER) KING: Let me -- let me ask you -- let me move back to a more serious question, and the idea that, in the previous administration and in
 
Byron Williams: Policy Toward Cuba that was Once Radical is now Logical Top
What is it about the congressional seat that represents Oakland and Berkeley? Is there some radical potion that one consumes before occupying it? Though radical tends to carry a definition of being an extremist, it is often a term given by the dominant culture because of the discomfort created by the proposed change. Sometimes radical is simply running ahead of contemporary thinking, pushing the envelope until others catch up. Radical today can be the status quo tomorrow. The decades that former Rep. Ron Dellums carried the South African sanctions bill looked radical to many before it finally passed in 1986. Today, the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 is viewed as critical to speeding the process of ending the suffocating conditions of apartheid as well as the release of Nelson Mandela. In that same tradition, Rep Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, and current chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, led a delegation on a visit to Cuba, which included a meeting with former President Fidel Castro, to discuss proposed relaxing travel and financial restrictions. For 50 years, any challenge to lifting the United States' economic embargoes toward Cuba has been viewed as radical. How radical is it to put an end to a policy that has not worked, based on Cold War thinking that no longer exist? I am aware of the arguments against normalizing relations with Cuba, it could open a virtual Pandora's box of dictatorships spreading throughout Latin America. Doesn't that echo with the hollow ring of the "Domino Theory?" Moreover, it assumes that Castro overthrew a paragon of democratic values in Fulgencio Batista in 1959. In 1954, Vice President Richard Nixon visited Havana to congratulate Batista on the winning an election in which his was the only name that appeared on the ballot. But unlike Batista, Castro showed little interest in bending to the political will of the United States, which was more of a problem than ideology. But even President Kennedy saw the virtue of normalizing relations with Cuba in 1963, despite of the CIA's Operation Mongoose. Opponents to normalizing Cuban relations also cite its human rights record, which includes limiting freedoms of expression, assembly, the press; it's lack of due process and arbitrary imprisonments. It's not as if the United States' foreign policy historically has been averse to supporting dictators in Latin America. U.S. support for individuals such as Augusto Pinochet and Anatasio Somoza may have been the necessary cost for America to maintain its sphere of influence in the region during the Cold War, but in retrospect it was propping up murderous dictators. But as Lee said to me during our interview, "We can't let this moment pass by. The climate is definitely changing." Not that long ago, it would have been inconceivable to imagine an official congressional delegation meeting with Castro, with the blessings of the Speaker of the House. Nontraditional bedfellows from Amnesty International to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have coalesced in support of ending a policy that has had five decades and 10 presidents to prove beyond any doubt to be a miserable failure. Economic trade can do more to alter Cuban politics internally than anything achieved by staying the present course. There are trading opportunities between Cuba and the U.S. that cannot happen as a result of the existing policies. Lee, whose district includes a number of biotech firms, told me about the advances Cuba has made in this area that could be beneficial to America. According to Lee, "This is a trading relationship that Cuba wants. It's closer. The prices are better, the quality. So they want to buy American. "Why in the world are we keeping our business from profiting from the Cuban market? It just doesn't make sense." Lee's right; it doesn't make sense. But making sense is not always the criterion that drives U.S. foreign policy. The Cold War that fueled the current Cuban policy ended in 1991. What's driving the policy now? Lee's leadership informs us that what was impossible in the '60s and '70s, radical in the '90s, is now simply the next logical step in a 50-year odyssey that has accomplished very little outside of political pandering.
 
Tom Vander Ark: Reconciliation on Poverty Bay Top
Poverty Bay is a quiet elbow of the Puget Sound north of Tacoma. Twelve foot tides leave their mark twice daily. Herons guard the beach with air support from a family of bald eagles. It's a spiritual place, which is a nice way of saying that for nine months of the year it is overcast and drizzling. But during the 100 Glorious Days, the view across the bay and the islands to the snow capped Olympic range is among the most spectacular on earth. Last year, Poverty Bay was ringed with $2 million homes--they're now $1 million homes. Modern inhabitants have gained a small amount of appreciation for the historical name of this popular crabbing hole. Like many American's most of our net worth was tied up in our home. It was exciting to watch the value of our home double with improvements and 15% annual appreciation. Now the place isn't worth much more what we owe Bank of America. We're grateful that we're not under water like millions of other but certainly appreciate their plight. When we moved out last August we gave away and sold a third of everything so that we could squeeze into a La Jolla, California townhouse never thinking we'd return. While the market was softening, we certainly didn't anticipate that the market would collapse. But shortly after we left the layoffs started--Boeing, Weyerhaeuser, Starbucks, Washington Mutual, even Microsoft. No sale means no purchase, so we're back and unpacking what's left of our stuff (and it's raining). Easter and Passover are celebrations of reconciliation--making all things new. Like billions around the world, we're coming to terms with a new reality, a massive global adjustment of expectations. CNBC said there are more Wall Street bankers attending church these days. I suspect they're seeking their own reconciliation, perhaps recalibration, for some re-creation. On my first day back on Poverty Bay, I have so much to be grateful for--health, a loving wife, two beautiful daughters (now college graduates), and work worth doing. Gratitude seems to be the first step to a life made new daily. Then comes reconciliation--the daily tasks of making things new: teach, heal, care, create. Did I mention that it's really green here? More on Real Estate
 
St. John's Church: Obama's Choice For Easter Service (VIDEO) Top
From a pool report just sent out to White House reporters: News - POTUS and First Family are attending church for EasterServices at St. John's Church north of Lafayette Park, just across from White House. More to come. The website for St. John's listed its Easter Day services: Sunday, April 12th, 2009 7:45 a.m.: Holy Eucharist and Homily 9:00 a.m.: Festival Holy Eucharist 11:00 a.m.: Festival Holy Eucharist 1:00 p.m.: La Sana Eucaristia At 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., music for choir, organ, brass and timpani. According to a historical website for the Decatur House, also located by Lafayette Square, the church played a notable role during the civil rights era : Though African Americans had been married by St. John's rector in the 1840s, in 1960, the church had no African-American members. As the Civil Rights Movement gathered force, the Church leadership recognized the need to actively welcome parishioners of all races. In August 1963, the same month that saw the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom during which the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. made his "I Have a Dream" speech, St. John's Reverend John C. Harper sent a letter to his parishioners that read, "This church building is open, as it has always been, to all who want to worship here; the ministry of this parish is extended to any who seek it; our fellowship one with another has no limitations whatsoever." On the day of the March on Washington, over 700 people meeting for the march filled St. John's. The Obamas attended church at St. John's on the morning of Barack Obama's inauguration in January (he was the fifth president to attend St. John's on inauguration morning, a tradition that began with President Franklin Roosevelt.)
 
Alex Rodriguez, Bethenny Frankel Step Out Together: Report Top
When it comes to dating housewives, A-Rod likes to keep it "Real." The Yankees slugger has been stepping out this weekend in Miami with Bethenny Frankel, one of the reality stars of "The Real Housewives of New York City."
 
Palin Skipping Town As Stimulus Showdown Looms Top
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has turned down a few invites to events around the country recently, citing her full-time job. But she's leaving town just as a battle over federal stimulus money comes to a head: With just one week left before the Alaska Legislature adjourns for the year, the conflict between Gov. Sarah Palin and lawmakers over taking federal economic stimulus money is the dominant issue left. [...] Palin herself will be leaving Alaska this week to attend the Vanderburgh County Right to Life dinner in Evansville, Ind. on Thursday, as well as an event for special-needs children. Fairbanks Republican Rep. Jay Ramras questioned her leaving town right at the end of the session, when critical decisions are being made. "There are some concerns (in the Capitol) about the focus of our chief executive because she's taken a speaking engagement in Indiana for a 36-hour period with only 72 hours left in the legislative session," Ramras said. Palin, who has barely left Alaska during the legislative session, is clearly irritated. "I'll be gone for one day," Palin said. "I already have been on record with lawmakers on this. I told lawmakers, you know what, 'Please, don't make me feel that I have to ask you permission, lawmakers, to leave the capital city.'" Legislators complain that even when Palin is around, she isn't very engaged. Leaders in the Republican-dominated Legislature tell the Juneau Empire they're "baffled" at the Palin administration's failure to push even their own priorities . They say they have to push Palin's team to support bills they themselves sought. Among the Republicans' biggest complaints: Palin is disengaged from the legislative process. There have been multiple complaints that Palin administration officials won't take positions on bills, including any indication about whether the governor is likely to sign bills that make it through the process. [...] Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, has been pushing a bill requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortions. That's something Palin continues to identify as a top priority for the session, but when it came up before Stoltze's committee, no one from the administration was there to support the bill or answer questions. "I can't explain their not even being in the room; that baffles me," Stoltze said. "This is supposedly a top administration priority." Palin, for her part, denies any problems. "We have a very good working relationship, as far as we know, with lawmakers," she said Friday. More on Sarah Palin
 
Magda Abu-Fadil: CNN Reporter Turned Princess Starts Jordanian J-School Top
(Blogger's note: I'm part of an advisory group helping Princess Rym Ali set up the Jordan Media Institute in Amman, but ever the journalist, I couldn't resist a request to interview her, notably since CNN viewers remember her as Rym Brahimi, who covered the start of the Iraq war in 2003 and was expelled from Baghdad with colleague Nic Robertson when they ruffled Saddam Hussein's feathers). Rather than curse the darkness, the princess who cut her teeth as a CNN war correspondent in Iraq, is serving her adopted country by setting up a media institute in Jordan similar to her alma mater, Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism , in a bid to raise professional standards and become a regional beacon. It's another way of keeping Princess Rym Ali , known to countless CNN viewers as Rym Brahimi, involved in her life-long passion for journalism. "I do miss telling stories," she reflected. "What I miss is meeting all these people from different backgrounds and not being able to tell their stories. That's really frustrating." CNN's Rym Brahimi at Baghdad Airport in 2003 (Arraf) She had endless stories to tell in Iraq, where she worked as a CNN producer and reporter for two years before the war broke out in 2003, her first experience with conflict coverage. Asked how she felt, she replied: "I was definitely scared. I thought the main war would be quick, but I did think it would drag on with minor conflicts going on. I didn't think to that scale." It was no easy ride given her experience speaking with, and getting to know, Iraqis. Although Iraqis were afraid to talk to other people, they felt comfortable conversing with her, and being an Arab helped, the princess said. Princess Rym is a shy modern royal with a common touch, despite her diplomatic pedigree, cosmopolitan background and the obvious trappings of security, protocol and obligations. She was born in Cairo in 1968 and spent her early years hopping capitals thanks to her father, veteran Algerian diplomat, Foreign Minister and UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi . Although diplomacy and politics weren't her cup of tea, covering them was. "My parents had a lot of journalist friends and they would come over at the house and they always had those incredible stories of historical events they'd covered and things they'd seen," she recalled about what first inspired her as a teen to pursue that career, little realizing that travel and adventure also involved hard work and risks. After a BA from the Sorbonne , and an MA from Sciences Po (a French Ivy League-type school) in Paris, Brahimi got another master's from Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism and began working for different news organizations, including UPI 's UN bureau in New York, before moving to CNN, where she stayed for six years. It helped being conversant in English, French, Arabic and Italian. She could take the pressure and like most journalists felt the adrenaline rush, but found "absurd competitiveness" in some situations counter-productive. In Baghdad she was upset at how certain foreign individuals in different media organizations were unfair to their local Iraqi staffers by not providing them with flak jackets and adequate protective gear. The rush ended suddenly when Brahimi and CNN colleague Nic Robertson were expelled from Iraq in the war's early stages. They landed in Jordan and a new adventure began. CNN correspondents Nic Robertson and Rym Brahimi expelled from Baghdad following the start of U.S. war on Iraq Enter Prince Ali bin Al Hussein , Jordanian King Abdallah II 's half-brother who then commanded the royal guard and had asked to see Brahimi to debrief her on the situation in Baghdad, as Jordan shares a border with Iraq and has hosted thousands of Iraqi refugees. Prince Ali bin al Hussein, Princess Rym's husband (www.princesshaya.net) Brahimi never imagined she'd be related to Queen Rania by marriage when she interviewed the king's wife for CNN in 2003, or that she'd also end up as a royal. "A very unexpected outcome of my being kicked out of Iraq," she said of her 2004 marriage to Prince Ali. Since then her professional energy has been focused on the Royal Film Commission (www.film.jo) -- she's the executive commissioner - that promotes Jordan as a location for films and develops Jordan's film industry. Princess Rym Ali at Jordan's Royal Film Commission (Abu-Fadil) "We have to develop a sense of who we are through film storytelling," she explained, noting that the aims included talking to other cultures and bridging cultural gaps. Equal enthusiasm is going into the Jordan Media Institute (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsnycvTECZk) funded by Jordanians, the European Union , Zain telecom, advertising agency Saachi and others who have contributed money and in-kind services to establish an Arabic-language program tailored to the highest international standards. It's a niche Princess Rym is building, coupled with an edge in technology by providing new media training in what she called Jordan's "enabling environment" and support from brother-in-law King Abdallah and Queen Rania. Asked whether schools of journalism were a must given the changing media landscape and who a journalist is today, Princess Rym said there was a need for a process that structured learning techniques and skills as well as hammered ethics into practitioners, since ethics were a problem worldwide. The ethics dimension came courtesy of mentor and veteran Le Monde correspondent Francoise Chippaux , a close friend who helped her as an intern at the paper in Paris and set a good example. Another mentor was former CNN Iraq bureau chief Jane Arraf who generously shared airtime when Brahimi was transitioning from producer to reporter. "I don't know many reporters who would do that." The princess still draws inspiration from Arraf's guidance and wealth of experience. Former CNN Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf (Abu-Fadil) Multitasking and a hectic schedule also require energy to be with daughter Jalila (3½) and son Abdallah (2) before they go off to school and time together becomes more limited. Squeezed in is staying in touch with old journalist friends through email, Facebook , and phone calls. Princess Rym and Prince Abdallah, 2 (Abu-Fadil) Her advice to young journalists today is: "Be persistent. Don't take no for an answer. Remember why you're doing this. It's not about you, it's about the story." To her, proper journalism is a major part of a healthy society and a public service, without being tied to the government. More on New York
 
James Dobson: We Have "Lost" Culture Wars, US "Awash In Evil" Top
James Dobson delivered a farewell speech to the Focus on the Family staff, and conceded that the culture war he helped start hasn't turned out well for the agents of intolerance. Indeed, Dobson almost sounded resigned to defeat. James Dobson, 72, who resigned recently as head of Focus on the Family -- one of the largest Christian groups in the country -- and once denounced the Harry Potter books as witchcraft, acknowledged the dramatic reverse for the religious Right in a farewell speech to staff. ... "We are awash in evil and the battle is still to be waged. We are right now in the most discouraging period of that long conflict. Humanly speaking, we can say we have lost all those battles."
 
Pavel Somov, Ph.D.: Still Gaga about Gagarin! Top
Human history tells the story not of facts but of subjectivity. Each era, each civilization, each society and even each and every one of our own minds narrates its own story of significance. But what would a value-free extraterrestrial witness of infinite patience consider to be the basic cosmological highlights of this 3d rock from the Sun? Perhaps, the following... 4 billion years ago: Pre-cellular life begins. (You call this life?! B-o-o-o-ring!) 2 billion years ago: Cellular life beings. (Cute but still b-o-o-o-ring!) 400 million years ago: Fish develop legs. (Hmm... Intelligence on land?) 500 000 years ago: Homo Sapiens appears. ( Consciousness on land? Uh huh... Yep... Noted...) April 12th, 1961: a Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man to fly into outer space. (Consciousness in space? Now, that's a development to watch! What's next?! Consciousness goes on AWOL from Matter?! !) I don't know about you but I am still gaga about Gagarin! Pavel Somov, Ph.D., author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, 2008) www.eatingthemoment.com Copyright, 2009
 
Krugman: Stress Tests "Self-Esteem" Class That No One Fails (VIDEO) Top
With the banking industry suffering from a crisis in confidence as much as liquidity, Paul Krugman says the Treasury Department will likely sugarcoat the stress test it is applying to the banks so that all of them are deemed solvent. "This stress test, I have to say, it is sounding like a class of self-esteem: 'You are all wonderful, each in your own way,'" said the Nobel Prize winning economist. "I don't think they are going to let anybody fail." Appearing on ABC's This Week, Krugman was prompted by a remark from host George Stephanopoulos, who noted that the political (and actual) capital being afforded to the Obama administration was running out. "Politically, you cannot get more money for the TARP and the second stimulus plan," said Stephanopoulos. "That would then lead to the temptation in the Treasury Department to sugarcoat what they are going to see from the banks, so that they don't have to ask for more money." Indeed, to this point, all 19 banks who have been submitted to the Treasury's stress test -- designed to figure out how these institutions will hold up under a deeper recession -- have passed. But regulators also note, per the New York Times , that it is a test "that a bank simply will not fail: if the examiners determine that a bank needs 'exceptional assistance,' the government, that is, taxpayers, will provide it." Only some of the data on the stress test will be made public. As for the broader economy, Krugman did ring a more optimistic note than in times past, but with a healthy dose of qualification. He said that Barack Obama's chief economic adviser Larry Summers "is right" in his assessment that the sense of the economy falling of the table was likely ending. But he noted that similar indications of a recession leveling off were experienced during the Great Depression, only to be followed by worsening conditions. "We are moving towards at least a pause," said Krugman. "All the news said that the economy is getting worse ... industrial production is falling, unemployment is rising, all the measures you use about the health of the economy continue to deteriorate, but they are getting worse more slowly. So Larry is right. We were crashing but it looks like it is leveling off. But if you look at history, there were several points like that during the Great Depression, so it is not clear that this is the end of the story." Get HuffPost Politics on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter . More on Paul Krugman
 
Wall Street Bracing For Profit Shock Top
The five-week old stock rally faces its biggest test yet this week: The arrival of the first big basket of what is likely to be a rotten batch of quarterly results. "Recessions are a great time to figure out who is winning and who is losing," said Kim Caughey, senior equity analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Partners. More on Financial Crisis
 
Vermont Considers Legalizing Teen "Sexting" Top
MONTPELIER, Vt.--The Vermont Legislature is considering a bill that would legalize so-called "sexting" between teenagers. Sexting refers to the exchange of explicit photos and videos via mobile phone. Under current laws, participants can be charged with child pornography, but lawmakers are considering a bill to legalize the consensual exchange of graphic images between two people 13 to 18 years old. Passing along such images to others would remain a crime. Supporters told The Burlington Free Press they don't want to condone the behavior but they don't think teenagers should be prosecuted as sex offenders for consensual conduct. The bill passed the state Senate earlier this month. The House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony on it this week.
 
Rick Warren Cancels ABC Appearance "Moments Before," Claims "Exhaustion" Top
Pastor Rick Warren who last week denied ever supporting California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 despite evidence to the contrary, has now bailed on an opportunity to explain himself. Warren canceled an Easter Sunday appearance on ABC's "This Week" just "moments before the scheduled interview," host George Stephanopoulos told viewers. Warren's representatives said the best-selling evangelical author was "sick with exhaustion." Stephanopolous told viewers that he hoped the pastor recovered quickly. On Larry King last week, Warren asserted that "during the whole Proposition 8 thing, I never once went to a meeting, never once issued a statement, never -- never once even gave an endorsement in the two years Prop 8 was going." However, Warren endorsed the measure in a video.
 
Glenn Beck Comedy Tour Announced Top
NEW YORK — Glenn Beck, Fox News Channel's latest sensation, is taking a comedy show on the road for six live performances over six days during the first week of June. Beck calls his act a "poor man's Seinfeld" and intends to mix topical humor with his modern-day reimagining of Thomas Paine's 1776 pamphlet "Common Sense." The radio and TV talk show host will start June 1 in Denver, then perform in theaters in Phoenix, San Diego, Kansas City, Houston and Richmond, Va., over the next five days, he said. Beck has done such live performances in the past, most recently during the downtime between his departure from CNN's HLN network and joining Fox's schedule in January. His profile has increased exponentially since then, with his 5 p.m. show nearly doubling Fox's ratings in the time slot. He's become a favorite target for Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert to lampoon, and been criticized by liberals for over-the-top criticisms of President Barack Obama. "I couldn't have guessed this success at Fox," Beck said. "We would never have put money down on the table that we would have had this kind of success." Since he began doing live performances in 2004, Beck has appeared before more than 100,000 fans. The live shows give him the chance to see firsthand what sort of themes are resonating among his regular followers, Beck said. For the first time during his most recent tour, there seemed to be no regional differences in the concerns that his fans expressed, he said. "I learn something from the audience," he said. "I know my thoughts but I can see their reaction to things." More on Fox News
 
Rioting follows state of emergency in Thai capital Top
BANGKOK — Thailand's ousted prime minister called for a revolution Sunday after rioting erupted in the capital, with protesters commandeering public buses and swarming triumphantly over military vehicles in unchecked defiance after the government declared a state of emergency. Bands of red-shirted anti-government protesters roamed areas of Bangkok, with some furiously smashing cars carrying Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his aides and others beating up motorists who hurled insults at them. At least 10 intersections were occupied by the protesters, who used buses to barricade several major roads, spawning massive traffic jams. Police Gen. Vichai Sangparpai said up to 30,000 demonstrators were scattered around the city. Police vans at some intersections were abandoned and looted. Ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, regarded by most of the protesters as their leader, called for a revolution and said he might return from exile to lead it. "Now that they have tanks on the streets, it is time for the people to come out in revolution. And when it is necessary, I will come back to the country," he said in a telephoned message to followers who surrounded the prime's minister office. Political tensions have simmered since Thaksin was ousted by a military coup in 2006 for alleged corruption and abuse of power. He remains popular for his populist policies in the impoverished countryside. His opponents _ many in urban areas _ took to the streets last year to help bring down two pro-Thaksin governments, seizing Bangkok's two airports in November for about a week. The emergency decree bans gatherings of more than five people, forbids news reports considered threatening to public order and allows the government to call up military troops to quell unrest. Army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said soldiers and police were being moved to more than 50 key points in the city, including bus and railway stations. He said the military presence was not a sign of an imminent coup _ a common feature of Thai political history. Abhisit's government suffered a major humiliation on Saturday when it failed to stop hundreds of demonstrators from storming the venue of a 16-nation Asian summit, forcing its cancellation and the evacuation of the leaders by helicopter. There were signs Sunday that the government might again not be able to contain the protesters. Demonstrators swarmed over two of three armored personnel carriers outside a luxury shopping mall in downtown Bangkok, waving flags in celebration. An old lady atop one of the vehicles screamed "Democracy!" before the protesters directed the soldiers to drive the APCs back to a military camp. Outside the Interior Ministry, a furious mob attacked Abhisit's car with poles, a ladder and even flower pots as it slowly made its escape. The prime minister's secretary and his driver were also attacked and badly injured. Police in riot gear nearby did nothing. "I believe that the people have seen what happened to me. They have seen that the protesters were trying to hurt me and smash the car," Abhisit said in a television appearance. "The government can't do anything," said Lada Yingmanee, a 37-year-old protester. "We will show them what tens of thousands of unarmed civilians can do. The people will finally rule our beloved Thailand." Demonstrators from the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship say Abhisit's four-month-old government took power illegitimately and want new elections. They also accuse the country's elite _ the military, judiciary and other unelected officials _ of undermining democracy by interfering in politics. Abhisit was appointed by Parliament in December after a court ordered the removal of the previous pro-Thaksin government for election fraud, sparking Thaksin supporters to take to the streets. Their numbers grew to 100,000 in Bangkok last week. The tensions have created a dangerous rift in Thai society, unleashing unprecedented passions among a large segment of the population, even those not directly involved in the street protests. About 400 soldiers armed with rifles ringed Chitralada Palace, the Bangkok residence of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. But the monarch was believed to be at his seaside palace. "We told our people to be ready and be prepared," said Jakrapop Penkair, a key protest leader. If the military uses force, "the people will be our weapon. We are not scared. Abhisit must be ousted immediately," he said. Abhisit vowed swift legal action against the protesters who stormed the venue of the East Asian Summit in the beach resort of Pattaya on Saturday, smashing through the convention center's glass doors and shouting demands for the prime minister to resign. A protest leader, Arisman Pongruengrong, was taken into custody Sunday and flown by helicopter to a military camp for questioning, said police spokesman Maj. Gen. Suport Pansua. Protests were also reported in areas of northern and northeastern Thailand, with one group threatening to blockade the main bridge linking Laos and Thailand across the Mekong River. Editorials in Bangkok newspapers Sunday lashed out at both the protesters for destroying Thailand's international reputation and the government for a massive security breakdown. Tourism Council of Thailand Chairman Kongkrit Hiranyakit predicted that the country would lose at least 200 billion baht ($5.6 billion) as foreign tourists shunned it as they did after the airport takeovers. Tourism, Thailand's major foreign currency earner, is especially important as the country grapples with the global economic crisis. The ongoing protests could prompt the military to intervene _ a high possibility in a country that has experienced 18 military coups since the 1930s. "The situation has gotten completely out of hand. Violence and bloodshed is very much possible" if Abhisit does not resign or dissolve Parliament, said Charnvit Kasetsiri, a historian and former rector of Bangkok's Thammasat University. "If the government cannot control the situation, military intervention is not out of the question." More on Thailand
 

CREATE MORE ALERTS:

Auctions - Find out when new auctions are posted

Horoscopes - Receive your daily horoscope

Music - Get the newest Album Releases, Playlists and more

News - Only the news you want, delivered!

Stocks - Stay connected to the market with price quotes and more

Weather - Get today's weather conditions




You received this email because you subscribed to Yahoo! Alerts. Use this link to unsubscribe from this alert. To change your communications preferences for other Yahoo! business lines, please visit your Marketing Preferences. To learn more about Yahoo!'s use of personal information, including the use of web beacons in HTML-based email, please read our Privacy Policy. Yahoo! is located at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94089.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)