Posts Tagged by Obama
What is Karzai Inhaling?
| 3/28/2009 | Posted by Patti under Afghanistan |
On Friday, US President Obama announced the result of the American review of the mission in Afghanistan. In addition to sending the already announced 17,00 troops to Afghanistan, the US plans on sending 4,000 military to accelerate and expand the training of Afghan military and police forces. That is right in line with what Canada has been doing in addition to our combat role. Although Canada is unable to send more troops.
Another aspect of Obama’s new focus is a willingness to reach out to more moderate Taliban sympathizers. Mostly those who have taken up the cause more out of cohersion or economic need. This is something Afghan President Karzai has previously indicated a willingness to do, the difference is that Karzai has even opened the possibility of the highest level of the Taliban being invited to the negotiating table. Wonder if Karzai has ever tried negotiating with an active rattlesnake?
Many, if not most of the, Taliban command structure has been placed on the UN’s “Consolidated List” which makes them subject to things like travel bans and seizure of assets. That seems to be a pretty fair response to those who not only harboured Al Qaeda prior to and after 9/11 but have been part of the command structure responsible for Afghan and coalition deaths, including 116 Canadians to date. (more…)
Cooler Heads Need to Prevail in Trade Issues
| 2/3/2009 | Posted by Patti under economy |
OK, so US lawmakers have slipped in some “buy American” provisions into the stimulus bill that President Obama is trying to get passed into law. I expect that the people who had those provisions put into the package had the best of intentions towards the thousands (millions?) of Americans currently seeking work or on the verge of losing jobs.
In many ways the policy makes a lot of sense, when the people closest to you are hurting, why wouldn’t you want to move to give them a hand up? In fact, it is a bit hard to believe that any government wouldn’t have that approach as a first line of purchasing, buying from domestic sources if at all possible or even if it might cost the taxpayer a bit more in the long run. After all those firms don’t only pay taxes, they employ people who pay taxes.
I am inclined to think that the bigger problem the Americans might be taking on is determining what is ‘buying American’ in a global economy where American firms have moved production offshore to cheaper locales thus reducing their American workforce. (more…)
Obama Takes the Reigns
| 1/23/2009 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics, World Politics |
I started this post yesterday but my site went down, then I had to go to work and time shifted by until yesterday’s post is now today’s. c’est la vie!
Well, the world watched as Obama took the oath of office to become the 44th American President. I don’t normally follow American politics beyond the most basic information. The Americans are after all, the next door neighbour to my own country and what happens there has an effect on Canada. Do I hang on their every sneeze, no, as small as our little boys in Ottawa are, they are the ones who truly impact my life.
I watched fascinated and almost unable to believe what I was watching as the first black American took the reigns of power. I’ve said it before in these pages, I never ever thought it would be possible for that to happen in the USA of all places in my life time. This man is a man like no other, of any colour. (more…)
Dion Needs to Find a Posture
| 3/12/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
You know, I’ve often been of the opinion that if you don’t really have the courage of your convictions, or for that matter, any convictions — you keep a low profile and keep your mouth shut. That likely came about from my late father often commenting about keeping ones mouth shut rather than opening it and proving yourself the fool.
These days, Dion and some other Liberals are doing a real good job of proving the wisdom of that advice. This behaviour of mouthing to the media and anyone who will listen that the Harper Conservatives are the ‘worse’ government ever for whatever soapbox of the day topic and then either walking out or failing to even show up to defeat them is utter spineless crap.
Ok, the Liberals aren’t ready to fight an election. Fine, believe it or not, Canadians are adult enough to realize that. If the Liberals aren’t able to vote in favour of the government policies and aren’t bothered enough by the government’s actions to bring them down then bloody stand up and say so. (more…)
Obama’s Life Expectancy
| 2/25/2008 | Posted by Patti under American Election |
Yeah, I really did write that title. As I’ve watched with some curiosity as Obama gained steam in his bid to become US President, actually the first black President, the thought has crossed my mind to wonder how long he’d be allowed to live during the quest. Face it, our American neighbours to the south do have a bit of a history in that regard.
It’s a question I have been loath to ask. It has been a generation or two since someone assassinated a prominent political leader in the US. It is possible that attitudes down there have changed and even the hard core revolutionary types can figure ways to fight other than through political murder. After all, Bush managed to get through his two terms without anyone taking a shot at him. (more…)
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