Friday News Roundup - International
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-05-04/friday-news-roundup-international
Secretary of State Clinton concluded talks in China on trade and security. But the trip was over-shadowed by the plight of a dissident who sought refuge in the U.S. embassy in Beijing. President Obama paid a visit to Afghanistan and outlined the U.S. role in that nation in the years to come. A new picture of Osama bin Laden emerged from newly released documents taken during the raid on his Pakistan compound a year ago. Russia threatened a pre-emptive strike if the U.S. builds a missile shield in Europe. And Egypt's military pledged to give up power by the end of June. Elise Labott of CNN, David Ignatius of The Washington Post and Elisabeth Bumiller of The New York Times join Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.
Guests
Elise Labott
CNN foreign affairs reporter.
David Ignatius
columnist, The Washington Post; contributor to “Post Partisan” blog on washingtonpost.com. His latest book is titled "Bloodmoney: A Novel of Espionage."
Elisabeth Bumiller
Pentagon correspondent, The New York Times.
Comments
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Not long ago, Americans were warned that an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites was neigh inevitable, now that "threat" has all but completely fallen off our radar.
Can your guests discuss what facts, if any, have changed regarding Israel, the U.S. and Iran's nuclear program?
Thank you,
-- J.M.
Diane, Thank you for correcting your commentator in incorrectly referring to the Presidents health care bill as "Obama Care' when is properly named the Affordable Care Act.
A real breakthrough in the US MSM. Christiane Amanpour has done a documentary on Iran. She has Iranian expert Hillary Mann Leverett on and former weapons inspector Robert Kelly and they talk about the facts. They do not repeat the unsubstantiated and inflammatory claims about Iran that we have heard repeated on MSM outlets that have generally gone unchallenged. Can your guest please discuss this documentary about Iran.
http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/14/special-presentation-nuclear-ir...
If Diane and her guest have not seen this special it is a must watch. While some Americans may be surprised about what Christiane reports. Millions of us who have been going to Flynt and Hillary's website Race for Iran what is on this program is not news. http://www.raceforiran.com/ But for CNN...better late than never . Not to late for the Rehm show to have these experts on your program
Can you please have Hillary and Flynt Mann Leverett on your program and former weapons inspector Robert Kelly to discuss Iran?
The Chinese dissident story is an important one. But amazing how the MSM decides to focus on this and continues to ignore the serious human rights abuses taking place in the West Bank.
Why is this?
Diane and Rehm team it has been a very long time since you have even whispered about the ongoing expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank. A long time since you have even mentioned this conflict on your show. Just because you ignore it does not mean crimes against humanity are not taking place in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories
Israel destroys dairy farm in occupied Palestine
by Annie Robbins on May 3, 2012
http://mondoweiss.net/2012/05/israel-destroys-dairy-farm-in-occupied-pal...
I had the great honor of getting to know a young man who is from Afghanistan and was studying here in the states for three years on a Fulbright scholarship. He is now back in his country He tells me I can use his name when referencing what he says. But I do not. Last night after President OBama's speech about Afghanistan I contacted my friend about our role in his country and President Obama's speech:
This is directly from Afghanistan from someone who worked in the Karzai government
"Regarding the Obama speech, we are glad for the signing strategic partnership agreement with the US. Afghanistan is located in a very sensitive region with two main regional powers, Pakistan and Iran, always want to keep Afghanistan politically and economically weak country in the region. Suppose Afghanistan rejects to sign strategic partnership with the US based on its moral obligation to care of the regional political sensitivities, but the Pakistan and Iran would not understand and appreciate this sacrifice. The only point they know is to fight for their political powers at the region. Therefore, Pakistan tries to use Taliban as a political tool in the region to put forward their internal interest in the region. We need a strong country like US to protect us from the regional distablizers.
However, Afghanistan still needs to fight for its political and economical better condition in the future. The desired outcomes will not be gained soon. It needs decades."
Could your guest respond to my friend in Afghanistans take on the situation in his country
There are many important international stories today. To my mind the most crucial is the ongoing crisis in Fukushima, Japan. Senator Ron Wyden, who traveled to Japan last month, is sounding the alarm that the emergency at Fukushima could quickly worsen. Japan’s former Ambassador to Switzerland, Mitsuhei Murata, has recenlty sent letters to Barack Obama and Ban Ki Moon, pleading for international help in containing the crisis. Helen Caldicott and Arnie Gunderson are warning of a global extinction event, in which they plan to evacuate to the southern hemisphere! Japan is taking all of its operating nuclear plants off line by this weekend in response to universal rejection of nuclear power by the Japanese. Please have the panal address this issue and keep Fukushima, which had been largely dropped by the US media, on the front burner.
I will always believe that BHO wanted out of both wars on January20th 2009. BUT the GOP chicken hawks would have been screaming blood..that barack Obama "CUT AND RAN". If you know someone who lost a child or parent in the last 3 1/2 years...blame the GOP
At what point does American government concerns about "human rights" in foreign countries become interference in the internal affairs of another nation? Does this set a precedent for other countries to be commenting on human rights violations in America? This country has the largest percentage of incarcerated persons of any industrialized nation in the world, approximately 5%of the world's population and 25% of our nation imprisoned. I'm sure if anyone was to look at the conditions of confinement in many of the nation's prisons (particularly state prisons) they could also be commenting and making those political issues as well.
Republicans were NOT upset with the President taking a victory lap over Osama Bin Laden (even Karl Rove admitted that was a valid thing to do).
They WERE upset with his making a reelection commercial over the event questioning whether Mitt Romney would have pulled the trigger if he'd had Osama in his sights.
THAT's what was over the line.....a fact you and the panel have conveniently overlooked.
Gary in Huntersville NC
Throughout his campaign the President argued that Afghanistan was the place to be and that is where he moved us.
Where's the build up for the invasion of Iran? Both candidates have set the table conceptually for that. If we have a build up, like for Iraq, the Iranians could buy bombs from North Korea or Pakistan to deter us.
Interesting that you insist on not referring to it as "O'Bama Care" - obviously you are as ashamed and afraid of this devastatingly bad bill as Conservatives.
Gary ludwick correct me if I am wrong but I am sure Bush and maybe mcCain both used images of the twin towers in their campaign. If that is true once again conservatives see only the things they want to see and believe only the things they want to believe!!!