Category Archives: foreign policy

The Olympics are Around the Corner…

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The political salience of sport has increased dramatically in the past 30 years. Governments in regimes of every type have shown a new willingness to invest and intervene in sport directly, steer and develop sport policy more purposefully, and, recently, engage in bidding for and hosting sports mega-events. With the London 2012 Olympics on the horizon, it is an apt time to reflect on the reasons behind the increasing politicisation of sport and sports mega-events, and the increasing competition between states to host an Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup or one of the smaller international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games.

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The Encyclodpedia of

Check out a thorough collection of articles about 9/11 via NYMAG‘s Encyclopedia of 9/11.

What Dinh didn’t anticipate was a profound shift in liberalism and, therefore, in the politics of the country. Even with a Democrat now in the White House, the liberalism that protects the right of the individual against the majority—the politics of civil rights and abortion and gay marriage—has diminished, in favor of one that aims to improve the lot of the median man. Obama’s liberalism is for the majority, not against it. This spirit, and the unlikely endurance of the Patriot Act, owes something to the central psychological events of the decade: the vitality and threat of new economic competitors, the social violence initiated by the authors of obscure financial instruments, but first and most of all September 11—each of which evoked a particular feeling, that we were all together, under attack. .::Patriot Act

DNC Hits McCain

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eejYoz3Nl0[/youtube]

It really is a great strategy to hit John McCain on the one issue that he is supposed to have the most credability on: foreign policy. They really need to keep throwing shurikens right at that artery to make people realize that though McCain served in the Navy for many years, and though he was a POW, he has never commanded any military operation or personel nor has he proven to be wise in this area.

What A Guy …

This is the new John McCain commercial set to air on national television:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpyOSLZw8qo[/youtube]

There is one line in there that’s more nauseating than most. Something like, “In a dangerous world with a broken economy,” … what? John McCain will make it more dangerous and put us further in debt? Two days ago, John McCain said that he would balance the national budget in his first term, should he be elected. This ninja here wants to know how he plans to do that. But that’s one of McCain’s secrets. In the past, candidates have offered some numbers to support their claims. But McCain’s got that one covered: if you don’t give any numbers, there’s no way people can do the calculations to shoot you down. Genius. Considering his plans to potentially lower taxes and maintain our current foreign policy that would leave him with only two more miracles before he would be canonized, right?

As far as the world being more dangerous … my ninja, please. I’m not sure I can get a ninja to tell me that this place is any more insecure (security-wise) than it was 12 years ago. Don’t buy it, folks.

John McCain Knows Iran…

NOT!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr6Va7PEBg8[/youtube]

McCain criticizes Obama on being willing to talk to Iran’s leaders and in doing so may got some basic facts wrong.

Ayatollah Khomeni is considered the Supreme Leader of the secular state, and McCain knows that most Americans don’t know that or basic history of Iran.

McCain just keeps offering samples of his ineptitude. Isn’t it really sad that this guy is supported by millions of Americans? Millions , ninjas, millions.

This ninja is considering repatriating.

Obliteration!

Hillary Clinton forgot one important factor to consider when she said that she would retaliate on Israel’s behalf should Iran attack them with nuclear weapons: ISRAEL IS A NUCLEAR POWER! They have nukes to take care of themselves. And you better believe they have some sort of First-Strike retaliatory plan.

I wonder what our Pennsylavia ninjas are thinking today when they sneak into the booths… Check back for the results tonight.

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Mehdi Militia Cease-fire Over?

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In Iraq’s southern city of Basra, a critically important location because of it’s proximity to valuable oil and it’s trafficking, it is being reported that “thousands of Iraqi troops [are battling] Shia militias.” This is bad news for everyone. The BBC is reporting that at least 30 people have died, we can assume many more. Apparently, the situation in Basra has instigated altercations throughout the occupied nation, including Sadr City, a neighborhood of Baghdad. There, the militia has ordered the Iraqi army to vacate the vicinity.
Now, I’m trying to make as much sense of this situation as possible with the sources I have available to me, and it appears to be pretty complicated. As I understand it, the Mehdi militia, loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr, has been subject to a government crack-down. As a result, the movement has threatened then acted upon a national campaign of civil disobedience in the form of demonstrations and protests. The latest fighting is clearly an escalation of these actions. Ninjas will remember that Sadr’s supporters are currently heeding a call for a six-month cease-fire ordered by al-Sadr.
Different Shia groups are fighting against each other in Basra, as are they fighting government and international forces (though it hasn’t directly been reported that international forces have been involved, air-strikes have been, so that’s got to be either the US or the Brits). The Brits had control of the city until December of ’07, when they turned it over to the local authorities. Now, apparently, these authorities tried to disarm the Mehdi army. Poor decision. The Iraqi government and the U.S. accuse the Mehdi movement of receiving munitions, training, and funds from Iran.
We at the dojo will be keeping a close eye on this situation.

Just Ig’nant

Over the weekend an Iowa Republican, Rep. Steve King, has claimed that “terrorists would be ‘dancing in the streets’ if Democratic candidate Barack Obama were to win the presidency.” Well, yesterday King reiterated these comments on (surprise surprise) Fox News. TPM, as always, hookin’ us up with the clip:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nu0QbLrDAg&eurl=http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/[/youtube]

It is most unfortunate that 1. people think like this and that 2. other people listen and agree. Aren’t we supposed to be a really well educated country?

Also, where the hell is Barack Obama coming out against these kinds of statements? He needs to be all over this kind of thing.

Krauthammer Makes Me Puke

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Today’s Op-Ed piece from Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post very well may be satire. I can’t tell. But based on his track record, I think he wants us to take him seriously. Considering everything that has come to light regarding McCain’s recent relationship with the FEC over his public financing any reference to McCain-Feingold should be laughed at. Yet, Krauthammer writes with conviction:

On the difficult compromises that required the political courage to challenge one’s own political constituency, Obama flinched: the “Gang of 14″ compromise on judicial appointments, the immigration compromise to which Obama tried to append union-backed killer amendments and, just last month, the compromise on warrantless eavesdropping that garnered 68 votes in the Senate. But not Obama’s.

Who, in fact, supported all of these bipartisan deals, was a central player in two of them and brokered the even more notorious McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform? John McCain, of course.

Yes, John McCain — intemperate and rough-edged, of sharp elbows and even sharper tongue. Turns out that uniting is not a matter of rhetoric or manner, but of character and courage.

Yes, what we really need is a President with enough courage to bring hypocrasy to new levels, and who has a track record of putting himself at arms length of the rules. A President who used to be able to cross party lines but now all of a sudden has pledged himself to the Bush agenda. A President whose campaign rhetoric has turned out to be a message for a dedicated Iraq war “victory.” WE ARE NOT AT WAR WITH IRAQ!!! We are occupying Iraq, and in the process making an attempt to supress al-Qaeda (which is only one piece of the transnational jihadist movement in the Middle East). Isn’t it working splendidly? It’s driven our economy to the gutter, it’s taken as many as 160,000 people away from their families in our own country, forced millions of Iraqis from their homes, and it’s creating incentive for generations of good Muslims to resent America. Bravo, let’s keep it up? 

Krauthammer has also come to the conclusion that Barack Obama’s uniter image is really only believeable because of his heritage crosses racial lines. His logic goes like this:

Because Obama transcends race, it is therefore assumed that he will transcend everything else — divisions of region, class, party, generation and ideology.

If you ninjas know a single person who thinks of Obama’s candidacy in this light, I’d love to meet them. Obama is a black man and race has been an infinately less significant talking point this primary season than what Clinton has tried to do with the gender-card. Rediculous.

We Don’t EU

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Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that he will not engage the EU in dialogue over Iran’s nuclear energy program. The prez said that the only institution Iran will communicate is the IAEA. A few days ago the UN Security Council approved another round of sanctions against Iran which prevents certain people from travel and freezes some foreign assets. Iran claims they are fully complying with the IAEA’s requirements for transparency. If they were, however, I don’t see why the Security Council would have gone ahead with these sanctions. Ahmadinejad said

“I have to stress again we will not have any nuclear negotiation with any individual and organisation outside the framework of the agency”

I wonder how long it will take for this issue to come to a head. Iran doesn’t want to play ball with the international community and the international community is not willing to offer Iran any incentive to do so. It’s clear why Iran wants nukes, but if they were to clearly and honestly rid themselves of the program the economic and social rewards would be more than significant.

Russia “Elects” Medvedev

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Russia has a new president in Dmitry Medvedev. Apparently, he will be acting as a Putin surrogate. Said to be a diciple of Putin, Medvedev recieved 70.2% of the vote. These results are widely regarded as phoney. The international community, however, has commented very little on the election, and many observers boycotted covering the election. I have to brush up on my Russian political knowledge to further my ninja education, but it seems to me like this election was far from free and clear. Protestors were promptly arrested after the results were announced. Putin has said he will remain very involved in governmental affairs, and Medvedev says protecting Russian security and interests will be of utmost concern. Medvedev headed the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom.