Big Five: A Breakthrough with Iran?
A roundup of opinions in today's Los Angles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and USA Today:
Iran: In the NYT, Abbas Milani argues that as a result of U.S. and U.N. pressure, Iran is ready to suspend its enrichment activities, and reports that "top leaders of the Islamic Republic" consider sanctions a more serious threat than the possibility of an invasion ... similarly, WaPo columnist David Ignatius notes that U.S. and European officials "think Iran's new interest in negotiations is a sign that pressure on Tehran is working," but adds that the United States won't come to the bargaining table until Iran halts its enrichment program ... the WSJ is less optimistic, arguing that U.N. sanctions on Tehran aren't working because European companies continue to do business with Iran.
Clinton, Obama and David Geffen: WaPo columnist E.J. Dionne argues that the winners of the Clinton-Obama-Geffen spat were all candidates not named Clinton or Obama: "In truth, both campaigns showed they care a lot more about themselves than the causes (and the party) to which they claim to be devoted" ... the LAT argues Geffen had a point when he criticized Hillary Clinton for being part of a political dynasty: "Is the country prepared to be governed, potentially, for 28 years by two families who alternate turns in the White House?"
Today's Editorials:
LAT ... encourages hospitals to work more closely with homeless service facilities to ensure that homeless patients have a place to go after receiving emergency room care ... urges California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to support a proposed bill allowing illegal immigrants to receive California driver's licenses.
NYT ... endorses a federal "Passenger Bill of Rights" for airline travelers, arguing that "Congress needs to ensure that passengers have the right to escape involuntary confinement, to be adequately fed and cared for, and to receive timely and accurate information about their prospects for taking off" ... says the sub par condition of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the treatment facility for many veterans, shows that the country is "failing the war's wounded" ... urges Congress to investigate for-profit colleges to ensure that federal student aid money isn't being wasted in fraudulent "diploma mills" ... mocks Congress for the extra time and money it has taken to complete the underground Capitol Visitor Center, which is scheduled to open four years later than planned, in the summer of 2008.
WaPo ... encourages Congress to restore the right of habeas corpus to detainees at Guantanamo Bay ... applauds the Federal Election Commission's positive response to Barack Obama's proposed plan to help save the public financing system during the 2008 presidential campaign ... praises the Prince George's County Police Department for training dogs in its canine unit to apprehend suspects without biting them ... approves of Wimbledon's All-England Club's decision to pay its female champions the same as it does its male champions.
WSJ ... criticizes Democrats who blame the alternative minimum tax on President Bush's tax cuts, arguing that the "AMT is one more liberal monster that was created in the name of soaking the rich but has now come back to swallow the middle class" ... applauds Apple CEO Steve Jobs's recent criticism of teachers unions.
USA Today ... supports the merger of XM and Sirius satellite radio stations, but cautions the government to thoroughly vet the deal ... uses Forest Whitaker's portrayal of Ugandan dictator Adi Amin, a performance that is expected to win him an Oscar this weekend, as an opportunity to encourage the United States to take on "today's Amins," like Sudan's Omar Bashir and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.
Today's Columns:
LAT: Rosa Brooks argues that over the past year, Americans have become desensitized to the fact that the U.S. practices torture ... English Professor John Sutherland looks to classic literature to explain our fascination with the late Anna Nicole Smith: Following the story's "twists and turns," he argues, "it's impossible not to get the blurry feeling that one is reading a good old-fashioned novel."
NYT: Thomas Friedman challenges conventional wisdom by arguing that the Bush administration "has been one of the most internally divided administrations" ever: "The only thing the Bush folks all agreed on was that they would never do anything Bill Clinton did. Beyond that, it's been a food fight."
Plus ... Paul Krugman on California's successful energy policies ... Perry Chen and Aviva Yael compile an online photo gallery of people with tattoos of celebrities.
WaPo: Mark Sanford on why conservatives should be searching for climate change solutions ... Charles Krauthammer on why Iraq war opposition will only "complicate the war and make it inherently unwinnable" ... Eugene Robinson on Hillary Clinton's Iraq war position.
WSJ: Jerry Taylor and Jagadeesh Gokhale counterintuitively argue that company CEOs should be paid more, not less, to improve corporate performance ... David Rivkin and Lee Casey explain how al-Qaeda and the Taliban are using "lawfare" -- lawsuits as a tool of war -- to "delegitimize the use of American military force" and "undermine public support for the war effort."
Plus ... Nick Cohen on the Western far left's "alliance" with the Islamic far right ... Paul Peterson on the RAND Corporation's "deceptive and misleading" analysis of the Philadelphia school system.
USA Today: Rebutting the paper's editorial, Jimmy Schaeffler urges the Federal Communications Commission to reject the merger between XM and Sirius satellite radio companies, calling the proposed merger a "government bailout for their shockingly bad business decisions."
By Rob Anderson |
February 23, 2007; 5:58 AM ET
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Posted by: c. perry | February 23, 2007 04:20 PM
Dear Editors:
It is difficult to be optimistic about anything to do with the next Presidential election. The Democrats do not have any front runner that seems to have a majority stake or much of a chance of capturing majority support.
The Republican President will leave office having increased the possibility of more terrorism not less. The Republicans should not have a chance to win the election, except for the fact that the Democrats have little to offer when it comes to picking a candidate with experience especially in foreign affairs.
We should be worried now about terrorism, not because of 911, but because the tactics used by the US have antagonized if not dared for retaliation. Remember 911 was done by a bunch of Saudi's with boxcutters. The only possible way they would have used such primitive techniques was if they had tested the system and figured out internal security. There is no reason to believe they or someone will not find a way again.
It is hopeful that we can find a President that can bring about change that discourages terrorism without using illegal practices of torture or payoffs in cash to try and passify those we have harmed.
Good Luck Democrats in warding off the attacks of political partisianship the Republican right uses on any contender who may possibly have the ability to bring necessary change to not only foreign policy but domestic policy in regards to health insurance or illegal immigration.
Posted by: Randy | February 25, 2007 12:42 AM
Why are we wasting our time when there is so much important work to do to secure the security of our country?
Anna Nicole Smith, her mother, her baby, and all of the possible "fathers" along with Britney Spears, her babies, the father and of coarse her bald head are still a big part of most "news" broadcasts today, as they have been now for some time. Unfortunately it seems that a great many people in this country are more interested in the nonsense of Hollywood then the important decisions coming out of Washington.
I blame the media itself for much of this problem as the economic benefit to the bottom line seems to require that they give the people (customers) what they want and, indeed, they do what they can to keep it a "hot" news story.
More distressing than this unfortunate focus on nonsense, is the lack of focus by our elected leaders on this country's most important issues.
Currently, the top two democratic contenders for president, Sen. Barack Obama and Sen.Hillary Clinton are spending much of their media time arguing about David Geffen's(Hollywood mogul) negative remarks about Clinton.
In general, I believe it is much too early to be conducting their campaigns for president. To be focused on anything but the most important issues of today is a disservice to our country. The country cannot afford to put these issues off to a later date; not into 2008 and certainly not into 2009. There will still be plenty of time to position before the 2008 elections.
I think it is the duty of all the elected officials now campaigning for president to take their running shoes off and get back to the nation's business. We are at a pivotal time in the country regarding our continued efforts in Iraq and Iran and the needs of our military are many; from its overall readiness to the treatment of the families of those wounded and killed.
It is time to get things done. I think it would be appropriate if all the contenders agreed to govern together in the coming months. The republican administration has proved that it is not up to the task. Past republican congresses have done nothing to address the mishandling of our war efforts.
There is a small window here for democrats to actually have some control of the direction the country takes in the months ahead. It will be too late if we have to wait until 2009 to start corrective measures. It is time for the democratic majorities to put their presidential aims and allegiances aside and to work together to start putting this country back on track. It is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. The country is going to reward the party that succeeds in correcting the mistake that is Iraq. The democrats can compete for who the actual candidate will be later. Right now the best thing they can do to secure the presidency is to forget about the campaign and fix the problems we already elected them to deal with.
Posted by: John F. Lupiani | February 25, 2007 11:42 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
It is unfortunate that this campaign is going to be so long. There is plenty of time for the lack of conviction and pandering of Hillary to be exposed.Sen. Obama's lack of experience will be pointed out to all.We Dems will come to the critical months with two badly frayed contenders.About November we must drag Al Gore out of hiding. Al Gore can win again. All the "swiftboat" lies about him are old news.A Gore/Obama ticket will win.