1. Steve Gill: Secession Talk
Underscores Fundamental Differences in Red and Blue States
2. Joseph Klein: Palestinian
Statehood: An Ominous Vote at the U.N.
3. Al Fadi: The Israeli-Hamas
Cease Fire: Winners & Losers
4. Ryan Mauro: What Americans are paying
for in Egypt
Secession Talk
Underscores Fundamental Differences in Red and Blue States
By
Steve
Gill
The talk of "secession"
in the wake of the 2012 elections, which has produced signatures from citizens
in virtually every state with nearly a million nationwide (and over 100,000
from Texas alone), has fueled flashbacks to the 1860s. While the viral
petitions have been dismissed as "silly" by most serious politicians,
the divide that such talk underlines is real and should not be ignored. [more...]
Palestinian
Statehood: An Ominous Vote at the U.N.
By
Joseph
Klein
Permanent
United Nations Observer of Palestine, Riyad H. Mansour, heralded the upcoming
vote by the United Nations General Assembly on November 29th to upgrade the
Palestinians’ status to an observer "state" as an "historic
event." He boasted that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s
maneuver, in which Abbas will personally appear at the General Assembly and
present the resolution for a vote, was a form of resistance to Israeli
occupation that Mansour labeled "diplomatic resistance." [more...]
The Israeli-Hamas
Cease Fire: Winners & Losers
By
Al Fadi
Since
last week the world has been celebrating a brokered cease fire deal between
Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The cease fire was the result of what
appeared to be an imminent ground assault by the Israeli troops against the
militant Islamic group Hamas. The fighting which began few weeks earlier was
the result of the constant missile firing by the militant group from the Gaza
Strip against Israel. For years Hamas has been firing thousands if missiles onto
Israel in an effort to instigate a fight. Supported by Iran, Hamas' missile
arsenal included long range missiles capable of reaching prominent cities
including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Such a non-stop assault was the reason for
the Israeli retaliation against the terrorist group. However, one must ask: who
are the winners and losers out of this deal? [more...]
What Americans are paying
for in Egypt
By Ryan Mauro
The U.S. government is about to add $450 million to its
$16 trillion debt for the sake of Muslim Brotherhood-run Egypt. According to
the New York Times the emergency cash
transfer is part of a $1 billion aid package pledged in May. The original plan
was to provide $190 million as soon as possible, but the declining economic
conditions of Egypt convinced the Obama Administration to more than double that
amount. Another $260 million will be delivered once Egypt secures a $4.8
billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. [more...]