Link to Entire Interview with al-Maliki and der Spiegel

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,566852,00.html

PM al-Maliki Wants U.S. Troops Out

I heard on MSNBC this morning that the Iraqi's Prime Minister al Maliki supprts a plan for withdrawing US troops that is closer to the Obama 16 month withdrawal plan.  I could not find anything about this on the MSNBC website, but through a google search I turned up the following from cbs2chicago.com.

"In an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel, Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he supported a plan proposed by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months.  When asked when he thinks U.S. troops should leave Iraq, al-Maliki told the magazine, "As soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." 

The article goes on to say that Prime Minister al Maliki added, "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama is right when he talks about 16 months."

MSNBC in their coverage this morning stated that the prime minister wants to stay out of the American presidential campaign and does not want his comments seen as an endorsement of Senator Obama.

I think that the "Horizon" verbiage used by the Bush McCain camp is a smoke screen. The bottom line is that Iraq wants the American military out of Iraq A.S.A.P. and Bush McCain want to leave on THEIR timetable not the timetable of the country America chose to invade.

When Racism is a Last Resort

Have you seen seen the much-talked about cartoon on the cover of

the New Yorker yet? Here's a description from the Right:

"It's got Obama in his Muslim dress with a turban, and he's

there with his wife. His wife has a 'mad at the world' afro,

circa 1968, she -- she's got bandoliers and an assault weapon,

and there in their fireplace is burning the American flag. The

New Yorker finally got it right." -- G. Gordon Liddy.

Regardless of whether you think this particular satire is

offensive or funny or a failure, there's no doubt that it

focused some attention on the kind of outrageous attacks that

continue to be made against Sen. Obama's patriotism and faith. I

believe many of these attacks on Sen. Obama, and on his wife

Michelle, are proxies for race.

I remember watching Sen. Obama's major address on race on my

second day on the job as president of People For the American

Way. It felt like the start of a different kind of conversation

about race in America, one that is honest, direct and

respectful. It hasn't always turned out that way. We've seen

plenty of ugliness, from anonymous e-mailers to national

television figures, attempting to stir up and exploit the racism

that stubbornly infects our society. And I am sure we'll see

more of it between now and November.

But when I ask myself why this election is shaping up to be so

ugly, I realized that the Right must think its only chance is

character assassination. I think some of the stuff being thrown at

Obama by the Far Right is a sign of desperation. Their old wedge-issue

tactics aren't quite as reliable as they used to be. The

country, especially the younger generation, is moving beyond its

bigotries. People want to focus on solving the nation's urgent

problems. When Larry King asked about the New Yorker, Obama

downplayed its importance, saying, "But you know what, it's a

cartoon, Larry." I think his instinct not to have the

presidential campaign get mired in the muck is a good one.  

For our part, we should not let this history-making campaign,

or other signs of progress, keep us from being keenly aware of

the ways that racism and other prejudice do still affect the

lives and opportunities of millions of Americans -- and the role

we can play in challenging bigotry and discrimination, and

preserving the legal and constitutional principles of equality

under the law for everyone.   

Those principles are at stake this year, and that's why we're

here. That's why the future of the Supreme Court is so important

... why we're so committed to defeating the Right's efforts to

use gay rights as a divisive wedge issue in California this year

... why our African American Religious Affairs program equips

and mobilizes progressive Black clergy and other leaders to

resist these wedge campaigns and to bring their voices more

effectively into the public arena ... and why in this election,

as with every election, we'll be working hard to stop voter

suppression and make sure eligible voters are aware of, and able

to exercise, their rights.  

If you have thoughts about the ways that race is being handled

or manipulated in this campaign season -- or suggestions for

what we can do about it -- e-mail me at Kathryn@pfaw.org.

All the best,

Kathryn Kolbert, President 

P.S. I love it when our opponents go after us when our work

makes them uncomfortable. This week Pat Robertson griped on the

700 Club about People For the American Way distributing segments

of his program to reporters. I can't understand how he thinks

we're stifling free speech by encouraging news coverage of his

statements ... but I can sure understand why he and his guests

are embarrassed by some of the things we catch them saying. 

http://www.PFAW.org

James Dobson Doesn't Speak for Me from jamesdobsondoesn'tspeakforme.com

From James Dobson Doesn't Speak For Me

James Dobson doesn't speak for me is a coalition of pastors and other Christians, led by Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell who are standing up for our Christian faith and supporting Barack Obama. We are signing in our individual capacities and not on behalf of our churches or denominations.

JAMES DOBSON DOESN'T SPEAK FOR ME

James Dobson doesn't speak for me.

He doesn't speak for me when he uses religion as a wedge to divide;

He doesn't speak for me when he speaks as the final arbiter on the meaning of the Bible;

James Dobson doesn't speak for me when he uses the beliefs of others as a line of attack;

He doesn't speak for me when he denigrates his neighbor's views when they don't line up with his;

He doesn't speak for me when he seeks to confine the values of my faith to two or three issues alone;

What does speak for me is David's psalm celebrating how good and pleasant it is when we come together in unity;

Micah speaks for me in reminding us that the Lord requires us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him;

The prophet Isaiah speaks for me in his call for all to come and reason together and also to seek justice, encourage the oppressed and to defend the cause of the vulnerable;

The book of Nehemiah speaks for me in its example to work with our neighbors, not against them, to restore what was broken in our communities;

The book of Matthew speaks for me in saying to bless those that curse you and pray for those who persecute you;

The words of the apostle Paul speak for me in saying that words spoken and deeds done without love amount to nothing.

The apostle John speaks for me in reminding us of Jesus' command to love one another. The world will know His disciples by that love.

These words speak for me. But when James Dobson attacks Barack Obama, James Dobson doesn’t speak for me.