http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090210/wl_nm/us_security_usa_guantanamo
U.S. politicians: Don't send Guantanamo inmates here
A cry of "not in my backyard" is growing louder over where to relocate terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay once the military-run prison is closed."We're the new Guantanamo Bay if they move to Indiana and what does that mean for us?" asked Republican state Senator Marlin Stutzman, who wants detainees kept away from the prison in Terre Haute, site of the federal execution chamber . . .

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/nile_gardiner/blog/2009/02/09/joe_biden_dumps_war_on_terror_in_global_pr_move
Joe Biden dumps [words] "war on terror" in global PR move
In a rather dull and weak-kneed speech, Biden spoke in soft terms of "a shared struggle against extremism," and of "a small number of violent extremists (who) are beyond the call of reason," as well as the need to seek with the Muslim world "a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect." There was no indication given of the sheer scale of the global battle against al-Qaeda and its partners, and the followers of Osama Bin Laden were mentioned just once—only within the context of Afghanistan. . . .

". . . a small number of violent extremists (who) are beyond the call of reason,"? Our president and VP are living in a swamp of numbers that mean nothing to them, obviously. A "small" number of extremists is estimated (by the experts in this subject) as 15%-25%. Or, using real #s: 180,000,000 to 350,000,000 PEOPLE ready to die for Allah and take as many unbelievers with them as possible. Even at the low end, that's more PEOPLE than voted in the last national election. We're sitting ducks here. ---DOB

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/02/09/muslims.america/index.html
Muslims in America: a "voyage of discovery"
"The Muslim world population is 1.4 billion people. By the middle of the century, one out of four people will be Muslim. ... [There are] 57 Muslim countries today. Think of the number," Ahmed said. "America -- as a superpower, as a world leader -- needs [emphasis mine --- DOB] to be able to interact in a positive way with one-fourth of the world's population." . . .

". . . needs to be able to interact in a positive way with one-fourth of the world's population." You'll note, when reading this article, that there's precious little in here about how the Muslim world has to do anything except continue to get bigger. Why does America need to be able to interact with Muslims? If Islam would pull itself out of the stone age, dump murderous jihad as its 6th pillar, nobody anywhere would need to interact positively or negatively with Muslims. And the whole world would be a lot safer place. Not that that's going to happen. ---DOB

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,490364,00.html
Ahmadinejad Says Iran Is Ready for Talks With U.S.
. . . "If you really want to fight terrorism, come and cooperate with the Iranian nation, which is the biggest victim of terrorism so that terrorism is eliminated. . . . If you want to confront nuclear weapons . . . you need to stand beside Iran so it can introduce a correct path to you," he [Ahmadinejad] said. . . .

Good heavens. ---DOB

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IRAN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-02-10-12-08 -
Clinton holds out hope for useful talks with Iran
The U.S. and Iran have a chance to "work out a way of talking" that could lead to understandings on a range of issues, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday. In a hopeful assessment of prospects for improved relations with Tehran, Clinton told reporters at the State Department that the U.S. remains opposed to Iran getting nuclear weapons. She added that the Obama administration hopes the two nations can work out "a better understanding of one another." . . .

I take it she didn't read Ahmadinejad's comments, above. ---DOB

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&5071F49C5BAFC9DFC225755900210997
Obama: Iran's Financial Support for Hizballah, Hamas Threatens Peace
U.S. President Barack Obama said Monday his administration is looking for opportunities to open direct talks with longtime adversary Iran, but criticized Tehran's financial support for Hizballah."My national security team is currently reviewing our existing Iran policy, looking at areas where we can have constructive dialogue, where we can directly engage with them," Obama said. . . .

Does NObody in Washington listen to Ahmadinejad? ---DOB

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/09/the-cost-of-criticizing-jihadists/
Obama says Pakistan needs to work against terror [Whoa, news to them, I bet.]
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says there's "no doubt" that there are safe havens along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan where terrorists are operating. And he says his envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, will be trying to convince Pakistan that it is endangered by that situation just as the United States is.

He says Pakistan needs to know that it's "not acceptable" for Pakistan or the United States to have people in that border region who will act "with impunity" to kill innocent people.

Obama says he believes Pakistan's new government "cares deeply about getting control of the situation," and that the Pakistanis want to be "effective partners" in the anti-terror fight. [And I wonder, really, what proof of that he has.]

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/09/the-cost-of-criticizing-jihadists/ Geert Wilders -
HENTOFF: The cost of criticizing jihadists
UN resolution is part of Islamic muzzle
Nat Hentoff, OP-ED: a film producer and also a member of parliament in the Netherlands - is facing a prison term there for "insulting" Muslims. His short film "Fitna" in 2008 juxtaposed verses from the Koran with scenes of violence committed by jihadist terrorists. The Dutch appellate court refused a free-speech defense because the insults were so egregious. . . .

I suspect the ramifications of punishing people for "insulting Muslims" will completely escape Obama. ---DOB

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/090210-wilders-britain-banned
Dutch MP Wilders refused entry to UK “A threat to public order”
Dutch right-wing politician and controversial anti-Islam campaigner Geert Wilders has been refused entry to the United Kingdom despite being invited to visit by a member of the House of Lords, the British parliament's upper chamber . . .

". . . right-wing politician and controversial anti-Islam campaigner . . ." High on him in the Netherlands, huh? And, unfortunately, proof that Obama is not alone in his inability to grasp the mistake of muzzling people.