|
71 Senators write Obama to press Arabs to improve Israel relations
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Seventy one U.S. senators have written to President Obama to say that Israel has been showing its good faith towards Arabs as potential peace partners, and now it’s time for Arab nations to reciprocate.
Circulated by Democratic Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Republican Senator James Risch of Idaho, the August 7 letter included the signatures of six of the 13 Jewish Senators: Joseph Lieberman (Independent, Connecticut); Ron Wyden (Democrat-Oregon); Charles Schumer (Democrat-New York); Benjamin Cardin (Democrat-Maryland); Arlen Specter (Democrat-Pennsylvania); and Barbara Boxer (Democrat-California).
Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky both signed the letter. It also was signed by Obama’s Republican opponent in 2008, John McCain of Arizona.
No explanation was offered for why seven Jewish senators were absent from the signers. Those missing were: Democrats Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, , Dianne Feinstein of California, Al Franken of Minnesota, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Carl Levin of Michigan, and Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
“Over the past few months Israel has taken concrete measures to reaffirm its commitment to advancing the peace process,” the letter to Obama read. “Notably, Prime Minister Netanyahu has publically expressed support for the two-state solution and called for the immediate resumption of peace negotiations. We have also been encouraged by Israeli efforts to improve the daily lives of Palestinians, through measures such as removing roadblocks, assisting with economic development in the West Bank, and supporting the training of professional Palestinian Authority security personnel. These actions have demonstrated that Israel is willing to back up its words with concrete actions, even in the face of continuing threats to its security.
“We encourage Arab leaders to take similar tangible steps to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process. Such steps could include ending the ‘Arab League boycott of Israel, meeting openly with Israeli officials, establishing trade relations with Israel, issuing visas to Israeli citizens, and inviting Israelis to participate in academic and professional conferences and sporting events. We also believe that Arab states must immediately and permanently end official propaganda campaigns which demonize Israel and Jews.
“Given these facts, we would like to understand what steps you are urging Arab states to take and what your expectations are from Arab states in the coming weeks and months. We also hope that you will continue to press Arab leaders to consider dramatic gestures toward Israel similar to those taken previously by brave leaders like King Hussein of Jordan and Anwar El-Sadat of Egypt. Such gestures would send a powerful signal that Arab nations are committed to the peace process and could help usher in a new era of peace and security in the Middle East.”
At the White House on Thursday, press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked if the President had seen the letter and whether it would have any impact on policy
Gibbs responded that he did not know “whether or not the President has seen this letter.” He added “you can't have comprehensive Middle East peace without asking both sides for -- to live up to their responsibilities.
Without having seen the letter, it's hard for me to comment on what exactly they wrote, but sufficient to say -- safe to say that the President, in talking with leaders throughout the region, have asked for different -- for them to live up to different responsibilities. This is not a one-way street.”
Clinton says U.S. deeply concerned about fate of U.S. hikers in Iran
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)--Following is a statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued Saturday, August 15, concerning the status of Americans held in Iran.
"The United States is deeply concerned about the welfare of our American citizens who have been detained or are missing in Iran. We once again urge Iran’s leadership to quickly resolve all outstanding American citizen cases.
"This includes the case of the American scholar, Kian Tajbakhsh, who has spent his career working to enhance mutual understanding between Iran and the United States. The government of Iran should immediately release Mr. Tajbakhsh from detention and allow him to depart Iran to continue his academic pursuits.
"Regarding the three American hikers, Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd, who were detained by Iranian authorities on July 31, we once again call on the Iranian government to live up to its obligations under the Vienna Convention by granting consular access and releasing these three young Americans without further delay.
"We also remain concerned about the case of Robert Levinson, who has been missing in Iran since March 9, 2007. We call on the Government of Iran to assist in providing any information on his whereabouts and in ensuring his prompt return to the United States.
"Our goal is to ensure the safe return of all our missing or unjustly detained American citizens to the United States as quickly as possible so that they can be reunited with their families."
State Department quiet on North Korea-Syria connection
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)--Following is an excerpt from a briefing conducted Friday by Assistant Secretary of State Philip Crowley:
QUESTION: There is a report on – that Syria test-fired some short-range missiles in May, and that was done with cooperation with Iran and North Korea, that they were both there for the test and cooperated in developing that missile. Do you have any --
MR. CROWLEY: I’m not familiar with that.
QUESTION: Do you have any – can you talk about cooperation between Iran and North Korea and Syria on missiles or nuclear technology?
MR. CROWLEY: There have been some indications of cooperation. I mean, obviously, there’s a relationship between Syria and Iran. It’s of concern to us. It’s a concern to others in the region. It’s one of the reasons why we have reopened dialogue with Syria. Likewise, there are reports of cooperation between Syria and North Korea. We have the same concerns. So this is one of the reasons why we have made the decision we’ve made to resume dialogue with Syria, to eventually return
an ambassador to Syria so we can have a detailed and lengthy
Go to top of next column
| |
and comprehensive discussion. But beyond that, I won’t comment.
Media probes Ezekiel Emanuel's role in health care policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)--Following are White House press secretary Robert Gibbs responses on Thursday to questions about Ezekiel Emanuel (brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel) and the national health care issue.
Q And one other question. Do you know if the President has ever consulted on health care with Rahm's brother, Ezekiel Emanuel?
MR. GIBBS: Has he ever?
Q Consulted on health care matters.
MR. GIBBS: I think Zeke has talked to -- certainly to staff and to others about health care. I've not been in every health care meeting the President has been in.
**
Q All right, well, there's -- let me also ask just, how familiar are you with the language that some of the people are debating about -- or bringing up about the stuff that Zeke Emanuel has written?
MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry, say again?
Q Zeke Emanuel has written some articles that people are using to say that the government will ration care.
MR. GIBBS: I think we've dealt with that as another one of the continuing misconceptions.
Q Right, but in the context of talking about universal health care, he does talk about a scenario in which somebody with dementia would not get care.
MR. GIBBS: Yes, again, that's not what the President believes and that's not what the President's policy would be.
Q I know that it's -- I know that the article is theoretical, but it's in the context of universal care and I think --
MR. GIBBS: Again, this is -- the President is -- I won't use the word -- but the President is the one that sets policy. I think he was pretty clear in New Hampshire that something like that is not involved in health care reform and isn't his policy.
Q Just -- I'm sorry to belabor this, but -- (laughter) -- we're dealing with finite or limited or dwindling resources when it comes to health care and there are decisions that have to be made about who gets care and who doesn't. Does the President believe that individuals and their health care providers should make those decisions or the government?
MR. GIBBS: As he said in New Hampshire, not to belabor my answer again, he was very clear in New Hampshire that those are decisions that are made by the individual patients and their health care provider. What we want to do, and I think what the President was pretty clear about, is let's also not have those decisions made by health care bureaucrats and insurance company bureaucrats that have, as the President said, decided for 12.5 million people that they're -- they can't get an insurance policy based on what some one of them determines a preexisting condition. Let's not have a health insurance company decide that they get to change the rules on their premiums if somebody gets too sick.
Let's -- the President is a strong believer that those decisions should be made by the individual and their health care provider. They shouldn't be made by the government -- by a government bureaucrat, just as they shouldn't be made by an insurance company bureaucrat.
Judicial Watch raises questions on Barney Frank's TARP role
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)--Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Department to obtain records related to evaluation procedures used by the government to determine which financial institutions received funds from TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program). Of particular interest to Judicial Watch is a $12 million TARP cash injection provided to the Boston-based OneUnited Bank at the urging of Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank.
Judicial Watch filed its original FOIA request on January 23, 2009, seeking access to the following records:
a. Any and all records concerning evaluation procedures for federal banking agencies and the Treasury Department to distribute/award TARP Funds.
b. Correspondence with Congressman Barney Frank or any representative of his office concerning TARP Funds and/or any bank in Massachusetts.
c. Any and all records concerning OneUnited Bank in Boston, Massachusetts, (including correspondence from any lobbyist, correspondence from any other government agency, correspondence with any elected government official, correspondence directly with the Bank, the Bank’s application for TARP funds, etc).
The Treasury Department has acknowledged receipt of Judicial Watch's FOIA request, but has provided no documents and has failed to inform Judicial Watch when a response to its request will be forthcoming. By law, Treasury was required to respond to Judicial Watch's request by March 9, 2009, (following a 10-day extension Treasury granted to itself to conduct a review).
As reported in the January 22, 2009, edition of the Wall Street Journal, the Treasury Department indicated it would only provide funds to healthy banks to jump-start lending. Not only was OneUnited Bank in massive financial turmoil, but it was also "under attack from its regulators for allegations of poor lending practices and executive-pay abuses, including owning a Porsche for its executives' use." Congressman Frank admitted he spoke to a "federal regulator" and Treasury granted the funds.
"TARP has created a whole new form of earmarking, where politicians lobby to receive mass cash infusions for special interests in their states. OneUnited Bank did not appear to be a suitable candidate for federal assistance until Barney Frank intervened and shook loose a $12 million TARP grant. The American people deserve to know if Congressman Frank's intervention improperly colored the decision to give precious tax dollars to his hometown bank," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
| |
