Listening to the Great Mosque Debate, you'd imagine that minarets and domes are about to rise on the exact spot where the Twin Towers stood – and that at the appointed hour, a muezzin's voice will soon ring out, summoning a city to bow to the faith of Mohamed Atta and his fellow hijackers.

It's depressing to watch the so-called liberal media take the bait of rightwing hysteria about the first lady's holiday If you think you can't stand reading about how the media are covering Michelle Obama's Spanish vacation, then you deserve credit for good taste. But bear with me. Because, given the absence of any substance whatsoever, it serves as a perfect laboratory exercise in how rightwing activists bully the nominally liberal mainstream press into validating the most ludicrous of partisan talking points. As you may know, late last week the first lady and her daughter Sasha arrived in Spain for a few days. With the exception of a government-provided security detail, the trip is costing the taxpayers nothing. Yet it has come under withering attack from the right, as critics have seized on it as evidence that the Obamas are elitist elite liberal elitists. But there's no need for me to strain my limited vocabulary when I can simply send you to Rush Limbaugh's website,........

US President Barack Obama has attacked the financial policies of his predecessor George W. Bush as the country's troubled economy continues to take its toll on Americans.

Former Vice President Al Gore was cleared yesterday of allegations he groped and assaulted a masseuse in a luxury Portland hotel room in 2006, closing a case that could have tarnished the Nobel prize winner's reputation.

US President Barack Obama's approval rating has hit a new low, as nearly 60 percent of Americans say they have lost faith in him, an opinion poll shows.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has flown to Azerbaijan's capital where she is scheduled to hold talks with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev.

US President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan has faced questions by both Democrats and Republicans at her confirmation hearing.

Public approval for US President Barack Obama has receded amid growing discontent over his administration's failure to contain the country's worst ecological disaster.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has pledged to continue the US support for America's staunchest ally in Latin America, amid growing criticisms in the region against the military-focused ties .

Military chiefs are also accused of giving the advice that politicians and civil servants wanted to hear, rather than the cold facts that might make the political imperative — on this occasion, leading the Nato charge into southern Afghanistan — less palatable.

Muddying the planning process was a failure by the intelligence community to present a fuller analysis of the Taleban threat in Helmand, deeming it to be a containable force that numbered only hundreds — an estimate that proved inaccurate.

That contributed to a sense of blind confidence within Whitehall, where a principle concern was that the goal to enhance a tiny, American provincial reconstruction team in Helmand would be so successful it would put other provinces to shame. “There was a three-year time frame and Helmand would be peaceful, stable and prosperous,” said a civilian involved in the planning. “We said the time frame didn’t make any sense. We got huge push back from Whitehall, who wanted us to write something different for the ministers.”

General Mackay, who left the Army last year, accused the military of allowing itself to be politicised and “too acquiescent in rolling over to political bidding”. Such a culture, he said, promoted mediocrity. “The genesis of this approach is born of complacency, the thought that ‘we can deal with it as and when it happens’. It resulted, I believe, in the upper echelons of government (political, civil and military) going into Helmand with their eyes shut and their fingers crossed.

By cartoonist Leon Kuhn whose work can also be seen on his own website http://www.leonkuhn.org.uk where postcards of some of his cartoons can be ordered.

See Leon Kuhn's page on "SpideredNews | Politics" at http://www.spiderednews.com/LeonKuhn.htm

"Global Research," -- Interview with Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary US Treasury, Associate Editor Wall Street Journal, Professor of Political Economy Center for Strategic and International Studies Georgetown University Washington DC.

What is troubling the hearts and souls of non-Americans in NATO HQ is this fundamental question. Is NATO genuinely a mutual defence organisation, or is it just an instrument to carry out US foreign policy? With its unthinking defence of Israel and military occupation of Afghanistan, is US foreign policy really defending Europe, or is it making the World less safe by causing Islamic militancy?

"Nobody but the Americans doubts the US position on the Gaza attack is wrong and insensitve. But everyone already quietly thought the same about wider American policy. This incident has allowed people to start saying that now privately to each other."

Former US President Bill Clinton has become an indispensible on-call fixer for the incumbent President Barack Obama in an unprecedented way.

If America can't broker peace in the Middle East, is it time for the Russians to step in? They have a long history with the region – and aren't hobbled by an Israeli lobby

The administration of President Barack Obama has taken sides with the Vatican over sexual child abuse lawsuits, saying the Holy See is immune from prosecution in the US.

US President Barack Obama has been strongly criticized for condemning a new law in Arizona that calls for a crackdown on illegal immigration.

As the Afghan occupation continues to prove troublesome for the Obama administration, a report says US-led troops torture and execute prisoners in the country.

US President Barack Obama will name Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace the retiring John Paul Stevens at the Supreme Court, a report says.

The United States will continue supporting Israel in the United Nations, the White House was quoted as saying by Army Radio on Saturday, denying reports that Washington offered Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to allow the UN Security Council to censure Israel over its West Bank policy so to encourage the Palestinians to participate in peace talks. ...

Palestinian hopes that U.S. President Barack Obama will bring an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory have significantly declined in recent months, a public opinion poll published Wednesday has found. ...

The volcanic ash cloud over Europe has called off US President Barack Obama's visit to Poland for the funeral of late President Lech Kaczynski.

I wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told me 20 years ago that America would someday be routinely firing missiles into countries it’s not at war with. For that matter, I wouldn’t have believed you if you’d told me a few months ago that America would soon be plotting the assassination of an American citizen who lives abroad.

Campaigning and advocacy organisation One is using social media to ensure international development is on UK general election agenda The advocacy organisation One last night launched an online campaign to ensure international development is not forgotten in the run up to the UK general election next month. The One Vote 2010 campaign is using online social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to encourage the public to petition politicians and candidates on development issues and to get them "on the record" with their election pledges. So, if your MP, or prospective MP, says the UK aid commitment should be increased to 0.8%, tweet it, stick it on Facebook, tell the world, and hold that person to account after May 6. To get the ball rolling, the campaign began with short videos from each of the three main political parties (featuring Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg), outlining their policies on development. According to Weldon Kennedy, One's online campaigns manager, these videos were in response to requests from thousands of One supporters. One has quite an army of supporters - around 2 million of them are registered around the world. It also has 122,500 Facebook fans and more than 430,000 followers on Twitter. Alexander Woollcombe, One's UK government relations manager, says the videos give the public a chance to compare and contrast the policies of each party, but he adds: "The overarching reason for the campaign is to raise the profile of international development in the election campaign and beyond. Getting politicians on the record gives us something to hold them accountable for." He wants the public to write to their MPs, turn up to hustings and spread the word about the campaign through social media sites, then "politicians will have to take these issues seriously". One Vote 2010 is modelled on a campaign used by the organisation during the US elections in 2008, which featured video statements from Barack Obama and John McCain and mobilised tens of thousands of supporters across the US. One believes the campaign helped shape both Democrat and Republican development policies. Indeed it received the Center for Global Development's commitment to development award for the impact it had on making global poverty a leading foreign policy issue. Tom Hart, senior director, US government relations at One, says the American election campaign "really set the issues forward". "Every US candidate was talking about our issues on the record, taking positions." Hart says Obama's government went into the White House already armed with a number of initiatives on Africa. "We played a role in his [Obama's] ambitions," says Hart. Fifteen months on, is the Obama administration delivering on development? "I would give them high marks so far. It's still early and the administration is dealing with an extremely difficult financial situation," he says diplomatically. He added that there are "real challenges" in getting policy through Congress, which is why it was important that the public continued to push politicians on development. One of Obama's election pledges was to double foreign assistance, which clearly included "strategic financing" for countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq. Hart said One is less focused on the financial commitment and more on the substantive commitments – what's the government doing on tackling HIV and malaria, or supporting agriculture or getting every child into school, for example. Hart did, however, add that One would be checking that funding commitments didn't slip "dangerously" towards increased spending on specific defence initiatives. Woollcombe echoed these sentiments. He believes that development "needs to be at the heart" of all international policies, whether that relates to security, climate change or agricultural policies, and that would be his hope for the next parliament, whichever party gets in. "Development needs to be on the table," he says, adding that One "will be..

The Obama administration is hopeful that the Senate will ratify a new US-Russia nuclear accord despite some negative signals from Republicans.

For the first time in history, an American president has officially ordered the assassination of a US citizen.

The decision to kill Awlaki takes Washington’s lawlessness to a new level. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) drone assassination program has killed between 400 and 500 “militants,” the vast majority in countries with which the US is not officially at war. The Bush and Obama administrations have declared the right to attack or invade countries Washington deems to be threats to US interests, and have institutionalized a worldwide regime of kidnappings and indefinite imprisonment without trial in the so-called “war on terror.”

US President Barack Obama has assured his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili that Washington supports the pro-Western country's independence.

Phrase coined by Churchill out of step with reality, notes committee as it recommends more hard-headed approach to US MPs today urged the government to adopt a more hard-headed approach towards the US and avoid the phrase "the special relationship" as Britain's influence over America was likely to diminish.

General Petraeus: Israeli-Palestinian peace is not a private matter between the two parties, but a supreme national interest of the U.S.. That means that the U.S. must give up its one-sided support for the Israeli government and impose the two-state solution.

Death threats against 10 Congress members may not mean the onset of fascism, but Republican cynicism is the wrong response

The strife between Israel and the United States concerns something far bigger than the proximity talks with the Palestinians. As far as President Barack Obama and his senior advisers are concerned, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to blame for nothing less than damaging the standing of the U.S.in the Middle East and the Muslim world. ...

with America's strategic interest on the line, Bibi's favorite political game (playing the Jewish community and Congress against the White House and the State Department) isn't working anymore. Obama decided his moderate Middle East coalition is more important than Netanyahu's extremist one. This is a point of no return.

New US polls show the lowest job approval rating for President Barack Obama as well as a declining endorsement of the already low-regarded Congress among the American public.

Israel will defy American pressure to halt the construction of controversial Jewish housing in Arab east Jerusalem, when President Obama meets Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, in the White House today.

US President Barack Obama has characterized the Sunday's congressional vote on his sprawling healthcare reform as historic, saying he would expect a tough vote this weekend.

A US antiwar organization says it has been targeted by the government because it wants US troops to immediately return from Afghanistan and Iraq.

US Department of Justice Asked to Regulate AIPAC as a Foreign Agent of the Israeli Government.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denies US-Israel relations are in crisis amid a row over Jerusalem settlements.

Hamas has designated this day, in this place, its Day of Rage. Why, then, the smiles on the faces of Mahmoud Zahar and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?

Perhaps it's because after more than 22 years of costly trial and error, Hamas has finally come upon the secret of how to bring down the Jewish state:

Let the ship sink itself.

This month, down here in the engine room of the Titanic, a single coherent order continues to sound from the officers shrouded in fog on the bridge: "More power!"

To the delight of Mahmoud Zahar and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Israel's homemade weapons of mass destruction - pro-settlement bureaucrats with conflicts of financial and ideological interest - have done in one meeting what Israel's foes have sought for generations: driving a stake through the heart of Israel's relationship with the White House.
...
The Holy City, meanwhile, has the held-breath wariness of a fuse whose end had been lit, but whose other end was not in sight. For some on the right, there was evident relish in the situation, and not a little pride.

In one of the more remarkable, and ill-advised, editorials in its 77-year history, the Jerusalem Post poured oil on the smolder this week, rewriting Jewish history and tradition to declare that the newly dedicated Hurva synagogue in the Old City, "symbolizes, perhaps more than any other site, the Jewish people's yearnings to return to its homeland."

The piece is an extraordinary example of internal logic, and an indirect confirmation of fundamentalist Islamic fears of hopes to encroach on the Muslim shrine of Al Aqsa for the ultimate purpose of building a third Jewish Temple. Referring to the literal meaning of the Hurva, the editorial goes on to state that "To name something that is built a 'ruin' reveals a stubborn unwillingness to accept the present reality as unassailable."

"Israel has stabbed Obama in the back." U.S. President Barack Obama is said to be "incandescent with anger."
...
It appears that British newspapers have sensed that Israel is now fair game. Papers that pointedly ignored George Galloway's efforts to break the siege of Gaza with convoys of trucks and ambulances are now publishing scathing columns.

Pressure mounts on Barack Obama as Jerusalem homes plan shatters talks hope TV show host Jay Leno made a cruel joke last week that will have hurt the White House more than a hundred critical comment pieces in the New York Times or Washington Post. Leno, host of the Tonight Show, said a poll showed some people in favour of Barack Obama's presidency so far and some opposed, but most reserving judgment until he had done something.

The US President Barack Obama has been cautioned about a humiliating defeat in mid-term elections next autumn if his Democratic Party fails to bring change in Washington.

US President Barack Obama has called for a speedy Congressional vote on his contentious healthcare overhaul bid despite obstacles for the bill's passage.

President Obama has opted for a version of healthcare reform that was passed by the Senate and contains added sweeteners There have been so many versions of healthcare reform in the last year that people have lost count. But there have been none, until yesterday, with Barack Obama's name on. That is because when he first set out on this increasingly booby-trapped path, he thought he had learned from Hillary Clinton's (and her husband's) debacle in 1993, when the idea was to submit a fully formed plan to Congress and then strike a deal with Republicans. This time round, Mr Obama enunciated principles but remained haughtily vague on the details, leaving it up to Congress to hammer them out. That proved to be one of the biggest mistakes he has made, and the two houses of Congress passed different bills which have gridlocked the system. So the first break with recent practice in the 11-page summary published on the White House website yesterday was its title: The president's proposal. It turned out to be a modest one. Essentially, it is the version of healthcare reform that was passed by the Senate, with added sweeteners, the chief of which is the creation of a body that will have the power to regulate increases in insurance premiums. This is an element which had not surfaced in either the house or Senate bills, but which capitalises on the anger created by premium increases of up to 39% announced by an insurer in California. There are other changes, such as an end to the special deal to win the support of a wavering Democrat senator for Nebraska, and delays on a tax on high-end insurance plans. But there is no return to the public option contained in the house bill, a government-run insurance scheme which would drive down the premiums of private insurance companies, and this will anger some Democrats in the house. The president's proposal was presented as an opening bid of a bipartisan debate, part of which will take place on television tomorrow. In reality, all thoughts of getting Republicans onside have been abandoned. So a public debate is a way of turning the populist tables on the Republicans, of challenging them to produce their counter-proposals or appear obstructionist to a nation calling for answers in an election year. Mr Obama's problems lie not just with an opposition whose mere threat of a filibuster is enough to stop a vote. They lie also with his own party, which comprises such a variety of wildlife, from the radical reformer to the rabbit transfixed in headlights, as to make the very words "healthcare reform" optimistic. Mr Obama now has a policy, but it remains to be seen whether he has a process that would survive the centre ground of his own party. In any event, there is no way back for him and no obvious tactical retreat. If this attempt fails, his presidency will be bogged down. Obama administration Barack Obama US healthcare US domestic policy Health policy Healthcare industry US Congress guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

US President Barack Obama's Democratic Party has suffered another major setback as one more top Democratic senator has announced his retirement plans, hinting rifts in Congress.

US President Barack Obama says he is willing to cooperate on job creation, deficit reduction, and the health care overhaul, but warned Republicans they will be taken to task if they reject cooperation.

US President Barack Obama's approval rating has dropped to the lowest level since his inauguration for the way he has stirred the country's trouble-ridden economy through the financial crisis.

Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has sharply criticized US President Barack Obama over his national security policies.

US President Barack Obama has accused Republicans of caring more about scoring political points than resolving the country's major issues.

US President Barack Obama seeks a record $708 billion military spending for fiscal year 2011 despite earlier vows to trim Pentagon's 'wasteful' weapons programs.

US president vows "forceful response" after court lifts limits on corporate spending.

Americans murdering civiilians for fun in Iraq - Leaked Video Wikileaks

An exclusive interview with Cynthia McKinney: US Campaigner covering War Crimes, Torture, Vote rigging via computer counting, Obama's total failure in international politics and Canada's...

Congress says that with no way to actually pay back our debts, faking a coup to eliminate financial obligations is the best plan for the U.S. economy.

If you were to ask someone in the Middle East why the US is fighting two wars over there, about half of the responses you'd hear would be that the US is trying to impose Christianity on the...

Covers the economy (@ 3 minutes) and then covers Israeli's control of American policy (@ 5 minutes in)

Max Keiser interviews Alex Jones on civil liberties, the clamping down on the internet, the growing unrest in the USA and the crisis of confidence in the government, and the associated...

Countdown's Keith Olbermann names former CIA bin Laden analyst Mark Scheur Worst Person in the World for saying, "The only change we have as a country right now is for Osama bin Laden to...

Postcards of this and other images can be bought at www.leonkuhn.org.uk

Music by Akemi Kuniyoshi, Paul Moss and Russell Lambert available from www.akemikuniyoshi.co.uk also...

The Obama Deception is a hard-hitting film that completely destroys the myth that Barack Obama is working for the best interests of the American people.

The Obama phenomenon is a hoax...

A must see video which urges Americans to stand up against Congress and reclaim their republic now – or perhaps lose it forever.

Bob Basso, who posts videos under the name...

Vincent Bugliosi presents a tight, meticulously researched legal case that puts George W. Bush on trial in an American courtroom for the murder of nearly 4,000 American soldiers fighting in...

George Galloway's Siege Buster Tour appearance was very well attended, at the MCA Santa Clara California sponsored by the Palestine Awareness League. Respect MP Galloway appealed for a...

Keith Olbermann: Dick Cheney on Face The Nation

I stumbled on a stunning disconnect between the major media version of election coverage and candidate appearance trends on the internet. The Mainstream Media seems to have largely ignored...

Jewish Scholar: Israel commited MASSIVE atrocities in Gaza

Finkelstein also lambasts Barack Obama saying if he was white people would see right through him.

The Audio/Visual is...

The great Robin Williams at his best taking the **** out of Bush, total respect.

A journalist throws his shoes at George W Bush during a Press Conference. Bush shows good reflexes dodging BOTH shoes at close range! Fox might report this as an assassination attempt by...

Tavakoli has been pen pals with Warren Buffett for 3 years; Tavakoli: We bailed out a lot of bad guys; Analysis by Janet Tavakoli, author of 'Dear Mr. Buffett'

Barack Obama's policies will unleash a greater economic crisis than the world is now facing, believes US financial forecaster, Peter Schiff.

Dr. Paul discusses the invasion of Gaza on 3 January 2009 and its implications for America.

With Dick Cheneys admission that he authorised the use of TORTURE including Waterboarding, should he be prosecuted as a War Criminal. It makes no difference WHAT provoked him to do such a...

"Joe the Plumber" the Republican Poster boy says that a vote for Obama is a vote for the "Death of Israel", Fox News Anchor Shepard Smith after 5 minutes of talking to the "meathead"...

Bill O'Reilly says that John McCains close friendship with Watergate Criminal G Gordon Liddy is a FABRICATION by Left Wing elements!, Call yourself a Journalist O'Reilly? John McCain admitted...

Colin "My Lai" Powell the man who lied us into the current War in Iraq (And attempted to whitewash the My Lai Massacre) has endorsed Barack Obama, will it be a Poison Chalice to him or will...

"Heroic" Journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi has reportedly been beaten and tortured whilst in detention. Where does this case lead the "New" Iraqi "Democracy" into a Brave New World or back into...

Oct. 14: In a brief Special Comment, Keith Olbermann expresses his disapproval of the McCain/Palin campaigns lynch-mob mentality and their refusal to discourage surrogates and supporters from...

From a philosopher of our Times, the late great Bill Hicks, who although has now been gone from us for over 14 years, his insights are still so relevant and true. Listen and marvel at the...

McCain I believe realises he and his campaign have gone to far, trys to defend Obama and gets booed

An investigation into HOW the US Election could be stolen(again)
Accusations of BOTH Republicans AND Democrats are raised.

As Stalin once noted, "It is not who votes who makes a...

Repeated invoking of a dead nemesis makes the candidates look ridiculous, Benazir Bhutto announced to the world that Bin Laden had been killed and that his SON Hamza had been charged with...

On the eleventh day of the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, two UN schools were bombed by Israeli jets. The schools were housing people who had been displaced from their homes as...

Video of Sarah Palin sending her support to the Alaskan Independence Party(AIP). Founded by Joe Vogler who was killed buying Plastic explosives, he is on record as saying,

"I'm an...

Interview with John McCain by the Notorious G Gordon Liddy, convicted of his role in the Watergate Scandal that cost President Nixon his Administration. A Personal Friend and financial...

‘Gorgeous’ George has shared company with some of the world’s most colourful figures like former president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, and Cuban chief, Fidel Castro and now he wants to share his...

Sarah Palin smears Obama with Terrorist association! The Times article she mentioned concluded that Obama and Ayers did not appear to be close.

Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan released a...

A condensed version of the VP debate of the Would be, (Could be) President Sarah Palin. Set to an appropriate song it shows how Pretty Vacant she really is, shows the repeated mantra that is...

When asked about Supreme Court Rulings, she can only refer to one over 30 years ago, yet one that happened just FOUR MONTHS ago in ALASKA (Exxon Vs Baker), escapes her memory, even though she...

Interesting their is NO discernible smile or shame as he says it this is NOT "dry humour" this is intent. The admission is at 0:35

After Bush admitted the same over THREE times it...

The $700 Billion Dollar bailout of Wall Street was rejected today. Wall Street should NOT be looking for a Bailout, they should be seeking BAIL for their Criminal actions

So grave are...

Sounds like he was thinking "Black man in a dinner jacket" not Ahmadinejad: For a guy who wants to destroy Iran NOT to be able to pronounce the Leaders name whom he wants to depose is just...

Sarah Palin takes time during her visit to NYC for her second legitimate interview, with Katie Couric of CBS.

George Galloway's very popular radio show covering current topical discussions, including heavy weight interviews with Tony Benn (the best Prime Minister Britain never had), David Davis...

George W Bush has clearly lost his marbles and is seeing in the mirror all he has done but is seeing it as other Countries doing his crimes. Look at this Video and judge for yourself

Militants torched 160 vehicles, including dozens of Humvees destined for U.S. and allied forces fighting in Afghanistan, in the boldest attack so far on the critical military supply line...

The Republican walk across the dead victims and laugh in the face of the survivors. It is a disgrace that a party that uses this imagery for its own campaign purposes when the jury is still...

Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar were arrested by the Minneapolis Police Department. Charged with conspiracy to riot. Footage from Rick Rowley and Brandon...

George Galloway's very popular radio show covering current topical discussions, including covering RBS continuing to hand out, with our money, mega bonuses to failed executives who drove...

Breaking News » Politics » US Administration

THE VIDEO THE USA TRIED TO BAN: The torturer is seen to strangle this man with a cable tie and then chillingly tell him, "You have 3 minutes to live"

Is this really how the United...

This is supposed to be a day of remembrance. Remembrance of the attack, remembrance of the national unity which followed it.

Most important of all, remembrance of the dead.

But...