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foreign policy

Stuxnet Virus Could Cause Iranian ‘Chernobyl’

January 31, 2011 by Daniel

It appears that the work of the Stuxnet Virus that targeted Iran is not finished. It is now being reported that the virus could cause a ‘Chernobyl’ disaster, or worse.

Associated Press Exclusive:

VIENNA (AP) — The control systems of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant have been penetrated by a computer worm unleashed last year, according to a foreign intelligence report that warns of a possible Chernobyl-like disaster once the site becomes fully operational.

Russia’s envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, also has raised the specter of the 1986 reactor explosion in Ukraine, but suggested last week that the danger had passed.

The report, drawn up by a nation closely monitoring Iran’s nuclear program and obtained by The Associated Press, said such conclusions were premature and based on the “casual assessment” of Russian and Iran scientists at Bushehr.

With control systems disabled by the virus, the reactor would have the force of a “small nuclear bomb,” it said.

“The minimum possible damage would be a meltdown of the reactor,” it says. “However, external damage and massive environmental destruction could also occur … similar to the Chernobyl disaster.”

The virus, known as Stuxnet, has the ability to send centrifuges spinning out of control and temporarily crippled Iran’s uranium enrichment program. It is believed to have been the work of Israel or the United States, two nations convinced that Iran wants to turn nuclear fuel into weapons-grade uranium.     Continue reading . . .

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, Politics, World Tagged With: Cybersecurity, foreign policy, Iran, nuclear, politics

Egypt; Chaos in Cairo

January 29, 2011 by Daniel

Political turmoil has overtaken the streets of Cairo, Egypt. Tanks have been called in, and President Hosni Mubarak has released his entire cabinet. Along with the shutdown of their internet, including Facebook and Twitter, the citizens have taken their voices of opposition to the streets and formed some very intense protests that have led to some deaths. While many things have unfolded because of the violence, it certainly is not over. And, things only look to get worse.

Watch HERE at Aljazeera for a live stream of the happenings.

Defiant Protesters in Egypt
People power: As dawn breaks, an Egyptian man stands in front of a burning armoured vehicle in central Cairo. Despite the one-sided nature of armed troops versus civilians, protesters remain defiant

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, Politics, World Tagged With: current events, foreign policy

Top Political Issues in 2010

December 18, 2010 by Daniel

There is no doubt that 2010 is one for the record books. The year was filled with events and issues, both political and not, that will forever change lives and nations. Even as the year comes to an end, new and pressing issues come to be.

As you could list hundreds of issues, some of the most important are:

  • Health Care
  • Gulf Oil Spill
  • The Ground Zero Mosque
  • Tea Party/Mid-Term Elections
  • Wikileaks

As previously stated, this is not a complete list but a list of some of the most influential issues that shaped 2010. [Read more…] about Top Political Issues in 2010

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, National, Politics, World Tagged With: current events, foreign policy, politics

The WikiLeaks Vindication of George W. Bush

December 9, 2010 by Daniel

by Larry Elder

The WikiLeaks de facto declassification of privileged material makes it case closed: Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction — and intended to restart his program once the heat was off.

President George W. Bush, in the 2003 State of the Union address, uttered the infamous “16 words”: “The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.”

Former Ambassador Joe Wilson sprang into action and, in an op-ed piece, in effect wrote, “No, the Cheney administration sent me to investigate the allegation — and I found it without merit.”

Put aside that Wilson’s CIA-employed wife, not the evil Vice President Dick Cheney — as Wilson implied — sent him on the African errand. Put aside that the British still stand by the intelligence on which Bush made the claim. And put aside that the anti-Bush Washington Post, in an editorial, concluded that Wilson had lied about not finding evidence to support the Iraq-in-Africa-for-uranium claim, since he told the CIA the opposite when he reported back from Africa.

Bush claimed that Iraq sought uranium, specifically “yellowcake.” What is yellowcake, and why would its presence or attempted acquisition corroborate the nearly unanimous assumption that Saddam possessed WMD?

Continue reading . . .

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, National, Politics, World Tagged With: Conservative, current events, foreign policy, nuclear

Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange Arrested

December 7, 2010 by Daniel

Julian Assange

WikiLeaks Founder Assange Surrenders In London

WikiLeaks Founder Assange Arrested in London Over Rape Case

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested in U.K.

British Police Arrest Julian Assange

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, National, Politics, World Tagged With: foreign policy

Wikileaks Trouble

November 29, 2010 by Daniel

Hat tip to DrudgeReport

If you are looking for more on the saga of Wikileaks, start here:

CLASSIFIED NO MORE: USA RACES TO LIMIT DAMAGE…
250,000 State Dept. cables cover Iran, NKorea, Putin… MORE
Reveal: Dangerous standoff with Pakistan…
Gitmo became game of ‘Let’s Make A Deal’…
US to Slovenia: Take a prisoner if you want meeting with Obama…

Reveal: Clinton Orders US Diplomats to Spy on Other Countries at UN…
Reveal: Iran obtained missiles from NKorea — capable of striking Europe…
WIKILEAKS: We’ve been hit with ‘mass distributed denial of service attack’…
MOST EMBARRASSING, DAMAGING DISCLOSURE IN DECADES…
Reveal: China conducting computer sabotage…
Saudis are chief financiers for al Qaeda…

Reveal: Saudis repeatedly urge US attack on Iran…
SENATORS: PROSECUTE THE LEAKERS!
NYT EXPLAINS: THE DECISION TO PUBLISH…

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, Politics Tagged With: foreign policy, politics

Obama’s in Asia, but where’s his foreign policy?

November 12, 2010 by Daniel

by Ian Bremmer

Almost as soon as the midterm elections ended, President Barack Obama set off on a 10-day Asia swing. He’s found friendly footing abroad so far: a receptive India looking for a general counterweight to China and a rapturous day in Indonesia, where Obama spent several formative years as a child. Next came a G20 summit hosted by South Korea, a strengthening U.S. ally, and then he’ll hit Yokohama for an APEC summit and to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the U.S.-Japan alliance. But this happy-go-lucky itinerary doesn’t even hint at an overarching foreign policy. Which got me thinking, is Obama ever going to come up with one?

Plenty of commercial and defense deals were delivered during the India visit, which shows how that relationship is improving. There were high hopes for a breakthrough in Seoul on the U.S.-Korea trade agreement, though that now seems unlikely (at least for now). The Japan visit should include broad agreement on Tokyo moving ahead (along with the United States) with a trans-Pacific partnership (TPP). But these are all small things.

What’s the big picture?

Continue reading . . .

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, National, Politics, World Tagged With: foreign policy

Barack Obama: The Most Anti-Israel President

November 12, 2010 by Daniel

by Ken Blackwell

With his remarks in Jakarta, Indonesia, President Obama made history once again. Sadly, it’s a most unenviable title. I believe he is the most anti-Israel President in U.S. history.

In going to Jakarta, Indonesia, to launch his latest attack, he literally went to the ends of the earth to give voice to his displeasure. He emphasized his opposition to the policies of the elected government of Israel.

He used his Jakarta platform to complain about Israel building apartments for her growing population. Where? In Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.

To make matters even worse, Jakarta is a city no Israeli is allowed to enter! The symbolism of saying what he said in the country and city where he said it is simply atrocious.

Continue reading . . .

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, National, Politics, World Tagged With: Blackwell, Conservative, foreign policy, Obama

A Different View of Foreign Policy

August 30, 2010 by Daniel

by Ron Paul

As one who is opposed to centralization, I am wary of attempts to turn a grassroots movement against big government like the Tea Party into an adjunct of the Republican Party. I find it even more worrisome when I see those who willingly participated in the most egregious excesses of the most recent Republican Congress push their way into leadership roles of this movement without batting an eye — or changing their policies!

As many frustrated Americans who have joined the Tea Party realize, we cannot stand against big government at home while supporting it abroad. We cannot talk about fiscal responsibility while spending trillions on occupying and bullying the rest of the world. We cannot talk about the budget deficit and spiraling domestic spending without looking at the costs of maintaining an American empire of more than 700 military bases in more than 120 foreign countries. We cannot pat ourselves on the back for cutting a few thousand dollars from a nature preserve or an inner-city swimming pool at home while turning a blind eye to a Pentagon budget that nearly equals those of the rest of the world combined.

Our foreign policy is based on an illusion: that we are actually paying for it. What we are doing is borrowing and printing money to maintain our presence overseas. Americans are seeing the cost of this irresponsible approach as their own communities crumble and our economic decline continues.

I see tremendous opportunities for movements like the Tea Party to prosper by capitalizing on the Democrats’ broken promises to overturn the George W. Bush administration’s civil liberties abuses and end the disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A return to the traditional U.S. foreign policy of active private engagement but government noninterventionism is the only alternative that can restore our moral and fiscal health. I am optimistic, and our numbers are increasing!

Original article appearing at ForeignPolicy.com

Filed Under: Foreign Policy, Politics Tagged With: foreign policy, libertarian, tea party

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