"Iran was rebuked for its 'hypocrisy'..."

pots and kettles.

There seem to be a good deal of Arab seasonal springs since the 1950s and this systemic set has the feel of "deja vu all over again." No one seems to question what a young boy who spent 4 years of his early life iunder a regime change that cost a half million people may have assimilated; and no one denies that Obama spent early years just following the CIA orchestrated violent transition from Sukamo to Suharto (1965-1967, or that his step father at that time was the mediator between the violent Suharto regime and what was essentially Mobile oil.
It is interesting to see the right wing republicans talk of kicking out the Democrat, when after all ...he is doing their bidding like a mercenary president in active duty across the board.

BULLSHIT.
What Obama continues to be all about:
If you had carefully and dispassionately examined his record as a Senator, you would have been encouraged ONLY if you were a fan of the Military Industrial Complex and the corporate state.
The "Defense" industry supported this person over McCain. The financial services sector and securities industries preferred him to McCain. The Healthcare industry was extremely generous, giving him 3 times as much money as they did McCain. These people would have thoroughly vetted both candidates, and clearly liked what they saw in Barack Obama.
Just a few things that the MIC wanted us to overlook:
1. He sided with credit card companies against legislation which would have capped interest rates. (When confronted on the campaign trail about this, he stated that he opposed it because the caps were set too HIGH, a curious claim, because he never suggested this while the legislation was being debated).
2. He opposed the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 which would have updated a statute from 1872. (The 1872 law was intended to encourage development of western lands, and had enabled industry to obtain mining rights to public lands for $5 or less per acre and waived royalties. These terms are still in effect today!) Anyway, the act which Obama opposed would have imposed small royalties on extracted material, and he opposed it on the grounds that it would be burdensome to the mining industry.
3. He joined Republicans in voting for CAFA from 2005. (Class Action Fairness Act- essentially a big wet kiss to big industry to make it more difficult for consumers and employees to pursue class action lawsuits) --He also voted to cap non-economic damages in medical mal-practice suits.
4. He allowed the Nuclear Industry to essentially rewrite legislation which was intended to regulate it, (changing what would have been mandates to disclose leaks, for example, to "guidelines"). "Senator Obama has all the necessary leadership skills required to be president,'' said Frank M. Clark, chairman of Exelon's Commonwealth Edison utility. --Exelon is the nation's largest nuclear power plant operator.
5. He voted against an amendment to a Commerce Appropriations Bill during which was designed to protect workers from unfair trade practices and outsourcing.
6. He promised to escalate the War in Afghanistan.
7. He promised to strike (presumed) terrorists in Pakistan or wherever else they may be. (an aside: This kind of extrajudicial killing doesn't only contravene international law, but our very own Constitution, which requires that we comply with treaties to which we are signatories, such as the U.N. Charter. Not to mention that only Congress has the legal authority to declare war!)
8. He supported corn based ethanol subsidies.
9. He traveled to Connecticut to campaign on behalf of Joe Lieberman against an anti-war progressive Democrat.
10. He used his Hope Fund Pac money to fund campaigns of Blue Dog Democratic candidates over grassroots progressives.
11. He voted for the Secure Fence Act on the border of Mexico, (but when campaigning for Latino votes suddenly realized that it wasn't a great idea).
12. He voted for the Patriot Act.
13. He refused to even go along with Russ Feingold in his attempt to merely censure George W. Bush for his misdeeeds.
14. A day after clinching the Democratic nomination thanks to the work of his progressive base, he appeared before AIPAC, only to give one of the most despicable speeches in American history.
We owe Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney an apology.

Shakespeare's ANTONY:
Blood and destruction shall be so in use
And dreadful objects so familiar
That mothers shall but smile when they behold
Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;
All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:
And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate by his side come hot from hell,
Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.

The whole Western world is creaking, sliding over into an abyss, from its hypocrisy, duplicity, criminality, corruption, fascist corporatism, military fascism and destruction of international and constitutional laws i.e. the destruction of the RULE OF LAWS, for fascist corporate, military elites.

Peace is a grand delusion in the Middle East and both the Jews and Palestinians have been the victims.

How about a Unified States of Palestine/Israel where the national capitol is a shared Jerusalem. What would be more fitting to the decendents of Ishmael and Abraham. G-D is once again the broker of a promised land for all the great religions. My concern about a Palestinian State along side Israel is we the United States will be the police.

The truth be told is that I am an Israeli supporter but am a realist that since 1948 nothing called Peace has really existed.

Hope the President can hit at least a double since we have had nobody in this tragedy get to first base.

Another smoke and mirrors speech by Obama.

- Tunisia & Egypt: Obama once again, after the fact (government overthrows) shows some rhetorical support for Tunisia and Egypt. The problem is that the overthrows aren't complete in either country and the US seems to be supporting the status quo (incomplete overthrows). Even with that, as far as the aid to Egypt, I read that there are no new funds, just a reshuffling of funds and maybe some debt forgiveness.
- Bahrain: Obama mildly rebukes Bahrain but at the same time says the Bahraini government has a legitimate interest in the rule of law and tries partially to blame Iran (unproven) for Bahrain's turmoil.
- Palestine & Israel: Obama is pathetic as he states that Israel should be a Jewish state (nevermind that 20% of the population is Arab/Palestinian); that whatever state of Palestine arises, it should be non-militarized (so it can't defend itself); it is up to Israel and Palestinians to reach "peace" as "it can't be imposed upon them" while the US politically and monetarily supports Israel's ethnic cleansing of Palestinians; the borders should be "based" on the 1967 lines (rather than state the borders should be the 1967 lines; that Palestinians should recognize Israel's right to exist while Israel refuses to recognize Palestinians right to exist as Israel expropriates Palestinian land on a daily basis; the US's support for Israel is unshakeable (in other words, all that I am saying may sound even-handed but In the end, we'll support Israel no matter what atrocities it commits); and finally, the speech has no time-line or action plan for Israel/Palestine (supports status-quo).

It really doesn't matter what Obama says. We can count on him to lie and lie again, worse than Bush. The man is psychopathically committed to serving the super wealthy investors in war, chaos, and misery. He really doesn't care one whit about the people in misery.

Regarding Western duplicity, fascist appeasement by both Israeli fascism, and Amerikan, fascist Empire, Obama was given a letter regarding democracy, international laws against PIRACY, ISRAELI FASCISM.......by Ray McGovern........SO FAR IGNORED:

Don't Shoot Up "The Audacity of Hope" (DON' T APPEASE ISRAELI , AMERIKAN FASCISM)
http://warisacrime.org/content/dont-shoot-audacity-hope

EXCERPT: "Obama, Tell Netanyahu – Don’t Mess With Flotilla to Gaza

Ed. Note: The U.S. boat, “The Audacity of Hope,” will depart for Gaza next month with 50 on board, including Ray McGovern, who wrote this open letter to President Barack Obama after watching his speech Thursday on the Middle East. Speaking for passengers and crew, McGovern asks the President to serve notice on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Friday that Obama will hold him accountable for ensuring safe passage.

May 19, 2011

Dear Mr. President:

Your speech on the Middle East earlier today emboldens me to claim your protection as we set out to put flesh on your rhetoric. Fifty of your fellow citizens will be sailing on “The Audacity of Hope” to Gaza in June.

You spoke eloquently today about “times in the course of history when the actions of ordinary citizens spark movements for change because they speak to a longing for freedom that has been building up for years.” And you lamented “failure to speak to the broader aspirations of ordinary people.”

We, the passengers and crew of “The Audacity of Hope,” sailing to Gaza together with the 2nd International Freedom Flotilla, represent ordinary Americans determined to speak to the aspirations of the 1.5 million ordinary Gazans yearning to be free.

We will be delivering thousands of letters of support and friendship from other ordinary Americans who are persuaded, as Dr. King put it, that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

I write you for assurance of your support and protection as we try to embody your rhetoric. You emphasized that “the United States supports a set of universal rights,” and that this U.S. support is “not a secondary interest.” It is, rather, “a top priority that must be translated into concrete actions.”
Bold words. With respect to the situation in Gaza, though, perhaps you will agree that it hardly suffices to bemoan the fate of one “Palestinian who lost three daughters to Israeli shells in Gaza” — who, as you put it, has a “right to feel angry.”

That Palestinian and his dead daughters are four. But Israeli forces killed 1,400 Gazans in December 1998-January 1999 — and 1.5 million Gazans remain deprived of the universal rights of which you spoke.

Gaza is a sequestered, crowded open-air prison, in which Israel keeps “inmates” at a subsistence level of existence. This amounts to the kind of collective punishment banned by international law and is enforced by an equally illegal Israeli naval blockade.

Many Americans have long been puzzled that you choose to exempt Gazans from your stated concern about universal rights; and, frankly, we have tired of waiting for a cogent explanation. So we ask you to look upon our voyage to Gaza as our attempt to implement your rhetoric about what ordinary citizens can do — not only to “speak,” but also to act to meet the broader aspirations of the ordinary people of Gaza.

On May 20, you will have an opportunity to inform Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of our intention to sail to Gaza next month. You have probably already been briefed on Israel’s far-flung diplomatic and propaganda offensive to prevent our boat and the other boats of the international flotilla from embarking for Gaza.

Those Israelis determined to enforce their illegal blockade may feel emboldened by your lack of response to the killing of nine passengers — including an American citizen — on the 2010 relief flotilla and the wounding of dozens of other peaceful passengers. This is your chance to disabuse those Israelis of the notion they can attack unarmed civilians with impunity. This year we expect you to speak up for us beforehand.

And please do not try to pretend that $3 billion of our taxes — our annual gift to Israel — cannot be translated into the kind of leverage that will spare “The Audacity of Hope” from harm at the hands of the “Israeli Defense Forces.”

Finally, allow me to suggest talking points not likely to be included in your briefing papers. These points transcend rhetoric and spring from a faith heritage you share with Netanyahu. They deal with the doing of justice — the preoccupation of the prophets of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Before meeting with Netanyahu, have a look at what Isaiah says about “proclaiming liberty to captives and release to prisoners” and how Jesus of Nazareth repeats that, word for word, eight centuries later. Please give that some serious thought, and be prepared to put justice above politics.
And please let us – and the world – know how the discussion goes.

Yours truly,

Ray McGovern"

I WILL BET THAT OBAMA WILL SIDE WITH ISRAELI, ZIONIST FASCISM!!!! ALL OF HIS CORPORATE MONEY FOR MY MORALTY!!!......HE LOSES!!!

Obama is SUCH a fucking loser

selective u.s. response to 'arab spring'?

selective, as in whatever will expand corporate america's reach and influence

whatever means are necessary

water-boarding encouraged

with a preference for war?

The only words I'm looking to hear from the lips of this pathetic and disgusting Traitor to the Republic are "I therefore resign from the Office of President...".

Anything other than that and I'll just as soon tune out thanks.

Don't need more bullshit in my ears just now. ;)

I honestly don't know why anyone bothers to even give air-time to this fucking liar any longer, or listen to what he has to say. Every word that leaves his mouth is a lie; the tired, worn-out bullshit that we hear every day from the MSM and the corporate whores that masquerade as "representatives" of the people in Washington. Unequivocal support for Israel's "security," whatever that means. As if Israel is being threatened by anybody, not the reverse. More billions on "aid" that America doesn't even have. Vague, wishy-washy bullshit that sort-of applauds the protestors in select countries in the ME that aren't our allies, and slightly less wishy-washy bullshit that absolves the brutal dictators in those countries we support. And pure, unadulterated hypocrisy directed at Syria and Iran, the usual suspects. Accusing Iran of "hypocrisy" - that's a good one. This, from a man who has literally broken every single promise he made on the campaign trail, and in most cases done a complete 180 degree on every stance he ever had.

I thought I could never despise any man more than Bush Jr. I was wrong.

Barry's robotic delivery of this pathetic nonsense shows that even he doesn't believe the lines the corporations have given him to read. This sock puppet, whose sell out to big money, is an offense to anyone who has any shred of critical thinking skills.

His very presence as the head of the Amerikan fascist state demonstrates how far the criminal enterprise of the former democracy known as the United States of America has slid toward its demise.