Friday News Roundup - International
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2013-02-08/friday-news-roundup-international
Iran's supreme leader rejects direct talks with the U.S. Turmoil in Tunisia following the assassination of an opposition leader. And the remains of England's Richard III are found and identified. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top international news stories.
Guests
Mark Landler
current White House correspondent and former diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times.
Elise Labott
CNN foreign affairs reporter.
James Kitfield
senior correspondent for National Journal.
Comments
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I was very disappointed when I read an article about the new right wing Greek government. The IMF is insisting on a faster selling of Greek`s assets. The Greek P.M. called these State owned treasures Communist and not in touch with 21st Century economics. What a tragedy. The Parthenon is a gift left by their ancestors,their heritage,as is`our Alamo or the Statue of Liberty. Some things must be protected from the greedy Wall Street crooks.No matter what names or language the NeoNutzi`s use.It`s beginning to look like war is the only road to for Greeks in escaping from the Fascist`s death grip of AUSTERITY.
When will the Rehm show have real expets on Iran on your program. Former Bush administration officials and Iranian scholars Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett have written this a their very informative website "Going to Iran"
"as we noted in our Reuters op ed the Obama administrations current strategy "negotiating on terms that could not possibly interest Iran while escalating covert operations, cyber attacks and economic warfare against it"-will not work. Indeed it puts the United States on a trajectory toward yet another, even more self damaging war in the Middle east"
Please have your guest respond to this comment by the Leveretts which is part of their Reuters op ed
A caller's comment about the US populace getting more exercised about drones when they find it is being used domestically was dismissed too lightly. There was example just today:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/07/seattle-police-dron...
Dave
Kathleen,look to Ron Paul for expertise. He understands the aftermath of 1/2 century of insane U.S. foreign policy.The "Cold War",was 60 years of insanity. The United States has supported just about every Fascist dictator available. These guys were for the most part brutal and monstrous dictators. Until the United States cares about the people of a country,senseless conflicts and wars will follow. People forget,the Iranian government,around 2003, offered a peaceful solution through the Swiss,only to get the Bush byiatch slap.That offer included the recognition of Israel to exist.The United States has chosen to be an Imperialist Nation,and the big bully of the world. It`s expensive and deadly.
Glad to hear discussions on WAMU about US drone use overseas. But one big issue about drones never seems to make it onto WAMU or the media:
What will the US do when in 5-10 years when lethal drones could be available to attack the US from within the US? It will take a short or no runway and relatively avaiable technology and weaponry come 2018 to launch and use a drone bomb. And in our country just one event that is disruptive but not hugely destructive could shut down society and economy a lot. Such as one loaded commercial airliner on the ground. How can our country stop then a hostile group from using a drone effectively within US or against our allies? is there any effective defense against drones? Across a 3000 mile wide nation?
So all the discussion of military drones now is about US or Israel using them overseas. In a vacuum.
But could this weapon or surveillance tool come round to bite us bad?
Is the US being responsible promoting drone war or counter terorism?
One of your panelists commented that arming the rebels in Syria would give us "influence" -
Does she remember the US arming Afghans against the Soviet Union? How did that work for us in Afghanistan?
I am amazed at the number of journalists who do not recall their history, when they move from reporting, to editorializing...
Regarding John McCain's comments on Syria - have we EVER seen a conflict or war John McCain didn't want to attend??
I don`t get the drone paranoia.(#1) In my lifetime we`ve had to give blood and urine for tests,aka warrantless searches.That in the 80`s. We`ve seen red light cameras installed.Actually cameras everywhere,watching every move we make.We`ve watched government intercept phone and our internet traffic.The loss of HABEAS CORPUS after 9/11.We must strip naked at airports. They peep at what we take out of libraries.Bad credit score,no job for you...
Liberals warned everybody of the erosion of liberty 30 years ago ,when Reagan installed #1. Drones are just the next step.
@clifffromparma: "I don`t get the drone paranoia"
Perhaps thinking of the frog in the pot of warm water that eventually boils will help.
I'm not religious, but it offends me when your moderator from the BBC says "for Ch--st sake" when talking about the skeleton of King Richard III. I used to be a teacher and I had to moderate my language. Katy Kay needs to work on that.
I thought the same thing as BC0001. We armed Osama Bin Laden when he was fighting the Russians. I feel pretty certain that we didn't get any influence in Afghanistan from that exercise. It was a faulty analysis.
Katty Kay was too quick to dismiss Richard III as the murderer of the Princes in the Tower. It is far more likely that Henry VII was the guilty party. Shakespeare's play was based on accounts written by Richard's enemies. A fun corrective is Josephine Tey's classic "Daughter of Time".
On the drone issue, I have been worried about both the use of drones by other countries, and the use of drones at home, practically since I first heard about them. In this context, I have just finished a very worrying book, "Cities Under Siege" by Stephen Graham.
@pendem re offensive language. Every culture has their own standards. Think of how you might react if someone extolled John Wilkes Booth acting,to use an inapposite comparison. Richard III is, as I understand it, reviled and not without cause. (although I probably defer to KMWCarey above who seems to know what s/he is talking about)
I noticed the language too; but I am far less offended by such than by glossing over the actually offensive lies and policies, lets just say of the administration, as business as usual.
Google Maps North Korea, A Country without Netizens
http://22oftheday.blogspot.com/2013/01/google-maps-north-korea-country-w...
I usuallly find the show both enlightening and done in good taste but take exception to the 2/8 talk about King Richard III in which the moderator used an offensive (swea)r word to illustrate her opinion.
Such expression is unneccessary and blasphemous in my (yes, Christian)opinion as well as bad taste!
I was disappointed to hear Katty Kay hosting the Diane Rehm show on Friday, 2/8. I hope that despite her British accent she is an American because as a supporter of NPR I feel that it is best to provide jobs to Americans first unless we lack the local talent. I travel extensively, so it is not xenophobia, but a belief that creating jobs here in the United States it an important value and one I hope NPR supports.
I appreciate the work of all the guest moderators that I have heard on this show. I was disappointed to hear Ms. Kay's "Christ's sake" interjection toward the end of the 8 Feb 13 show (Roundup: international). The Diane Rehm show appears to stand for inclusive and tolerant dialog, and therefore I think moderators and guests should refrain from such phrases in future broadcasts as they are well known to be upsetting to some listeners.
I was outraged when one commentator stated that it was "very disturbing" that the US cancelled a provocative aircraft carrier trip to the Mideast because of "lack of funds." Not using military threats and saving money are good things! Come on people ...
Why must I abide by the following :"Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments."? Yet, Katty Kay does not on your radio show? Shows her limited vocabulary, for sure.