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The First Draft: No Shortage of High-Powered Advice for Obama
By David Morgan (Front Row Washington)
Submitted at 9/25/2009 7:18:40 AM
All week long, the U.S. mediahave been treating PresidentBarack Obama to a morningdrumbeat of high-poweredopinion about what to do inAfghanistan.First came Bill Clinton, whotold NBC that he thinks Obamashould do nothing yet about histop Afghanistan commander’s callfor more troops. Why not?Because the U.S. succeeded inIraq only because it had supportfrom the locals and lost inVietnam because it didn’t.Meanwhile, the jury of localAfghan sentiment is still out andprobably will stay out until doubtsabout the country’s recent electionare resolved in a manner thatenhances credibility. To Clinton’sway of thinking, if the U.S. poursin more troops without truepopular support, Humpty Dumptycould very likely fall, and all thebest forces and all our armed men… well, you get the idea.Then there was PervezMusharraf, the former dictator of Pakistan, using the royal “we” onABC to describe what he thinksObama should do. It’s quitesimple, really. Decide at once tosend more troops and tell thevoters to get used to the idea of higher casualties. The formergeneral dismissed the danger of the U.S. following the SovietUnion and the British Empiredown the road to defeat,suggesting victory is more likelyin the 21st Century. “There’salways a first time and we arebetter equipped,” he said.This morning came news of themost high-powered opinion of all:that of the American public — orfrom the standpoint of Washington, the American voter.More than 50 percent of Americans, as determined bypollsters for CBS News and theNew York Times, say the war inAfghanistan is going somewhat orvery badly. Fewer than one inthree say Obama should sendmore troops, about one-third favora decrease in forces and just overone-quarter suggest keeping thenumber of troops where it is now.Will it be A, B or C? Only timeand Obama can tell.But the mix of public opinionmay be slightly more favorablefor the president, should he decideto back a troop increase. InAugust, a larger percentage of Americans — 41 percent —wanted a decrease in forces andslightly fewer backed an increase.The CBS/New York Times pollalso showed Obama to be morepopular than Ronald Reagan atthis point in his presidency, with a56 percent overall job approvalrating — though that’s downfrom68 percent last spring.Reagan, who attracted substantialbipartisan support among voters,had an approval rating of 53percent nine months into his firstterm, according to the Times.For more Reuters political news,click here.Photo Credits: Reuters/FinbarrO’Reilly (Afghan landscape);Reuters/Molly Riley (U.S.Afghanistan casualty);Reuters/Richard Clement (Advicefor Obama)
US man linked to 9/11train plot
(BBC News | Americas | World Edition)
Submitted at 9/25/2009 11:30:15 AM
An Afghan-born Coloradoresident may have plotted anattack on New York commutertrains for this month's 9/11anniversary, a US prosecutor hassaid.The suspect, Najibullah Zazi, isaccused of receiving explosivestraining in Pakistan and buyinglarge quantities of bomb-makingchemicals.A judge has ordered that he bemoved to New York to facecharges of conspiracy to useweapons of mass destruction.Since his arrest, Mr Zazi haspublicly denied being a terrorist.Mr Zazi, 24, has been ordered tobe held without bail pending histransfer from Denver to NewYork.Prosecutor Tim Neff told theDenver judge who approved thetransfer that Mr Zazi "was in thethroes of making a bomb andattempting to perfect hisformulation"."The evidence suggests achilling, disturbing sequence of events showing the defendant wasintent on making a bomb andbeing in New York on 9/11, forpurposes of perhaps using suchitems," he was quoted as sayingby the Associated Press newsagency.Nail polish removerMr Neff said the suspect haddriven to New York on 9September before suddenlyreturning to Denver.Prosecutors say he returnedafter learning that he was beingwatched by federal agents.According to an indictment bythe New York federal grand jury,Mr Zazi brought "unusually large"quantities of hydrogen peroxideand nail polish remover frombeauty shops to make bombs,possibly for detonation on NewYork commuter trains.A government motion seekingto deny Mr Zazi bail said he hadtravelled to Pakistan in August2008 where he receivedexplosives training, AP reported.On his return early this year heused a computer to researchhomemade bomb ingredients, themotion said.Mr Zazi and his father,Mohammed, were arrested lastSaturday in Denver on charges of lying to FBI agents investigatingthe case.A third man, 37-year-old imamAhmad Wais Afzali, was arrestedin Queens, New York.All three have denied anyinvolvement in the alleged plot.Mohammed Zazi has beenordered to be freed under courtsupervision, while Mr Afzali hasbeen released on bail.Print Sponsor
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