April, 06 2009, 03:53pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
Did North Korea Break the Rules? Does the U.S.? Does Israel?
WASHINGTON
In Prague on Sunday, Obama addressed nuclear policy, saying that North Korea "broke the rules once again." Today, speaking in Turkey, he said the U.S. does not seek conflict with Muslim countries.
JOHN FEFFER
Feffer just wrote the piece "What's Up with North Korea?" -- which states: "North Korea has signed the appropriate international protocols governing satellites and given the proper notification. The UN resolution sanctioning North Korea after its 2006 nuclear test does not explicitly forbid satellite launches."
His books include North Korea/South Korea: U.S. Policy at a Time of Crisis and The Future of U.S.-Korean Relations. Feffer is co-director of Foreign Policy In Focus.
JOHN STEINBACH
A journalist and activist focusing on nuclear weapons issues, Steinbach said today: "Non-nuclear countries are outraged that the nuclear powers have not lived up to their commitments under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to eliminate their nuclear weapons. Successive U.S. presidents declare their intention to eliminate nuclear weapons, but they never do. Obama's statements [about eliminating nuclear weapons] should be seen in this context."
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ALI ABUNIMAH
Abunimah is co-founder of the Electronic Intifada web page and is author of the book "One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse."
He said today: "Rules are only rules if they apply to everyone. Obama's silence in the face of Israel's violation of international law, and UN calls for war crimes investigations in its on attacks on Gaza, contrast to his strident calls for Security Council action regarding North Korea. Israel has violated dozens of UN Security Council resolutions. Obama has even refused to acknowledge the existence of Israel's nuclear arsenal, though former President Jimmy Carter has confirmed that the country has 150 nuclear weapons."
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A nationwide consortium, the Institute for Public Accuracy (IPA) represents an unprecedented effort to bring other voices to the mass-media table often dominated by a few major think tanks. IPA works to broaden public discourse in mainstream media, while building communication with alternative media outlets and grassroots activists.
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Civil liberties defenders on Thursday decried the U.S. Senate's advancement of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, which critics say lawmakers are trying to ram through without protection against warrantless surveillance and with a provision that would effectively make every American a spy whether they like it or not.
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In addition to the "Make Everyone a Spy" provision, civil libertarians have sounded the alarm over the House lawmakers' rejection of an amendment that would have added a warrant requirement to the legislation.
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