Pres. Obama and Landmines.... What's Going On?

The Oblogger received a press release from the State Department entitled "The United States is a World Leader in Humanitarian Mine Action."

This release comes days after the Obama administration received much-deserved criticism for not signing a treaty calling for a global ban on landmines.

One of the reasons given for the U.S. refusal is due to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. This DMZ is filled with landmines and is allegedly the only deterrent from stopping an aggressive North Korea from attacking South Korea.

Veterans for America posts about the "Myths vs. the Realities" of U.S. landmines in Korea.

Dig a little deeper and the situation becomes complex. The Oblogger will wait to learn more.

Any information my readers would like to share on this subject would be most welcome.

Why We Failed to Get Osama Bin Laden

The report by the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as to why we did not capture Osama Bin Laden and why it matters today.

For those of you who don't have time to read the entire Senate report, this Associated Press story gives a good rundown.

Osama bin Laden was unquestionably within reach of U.S. troops in the mountains of Tora Bora when American military leaders made the crucial and costly decision not to pursue the terrorist leader with massive force, a Senate report says.

The report asserts that the failure to kill or capture bin Laden at his most vulnerable in December 2001 has had lasting consequences beyond the fate of one man. Bin Laden's escape laid the foundation for today's reinvigorated Afghan insurgency and inflamed the internal strife now endangering Pakistan...

Read more here

Video: Special Briefing by Richard Holbrooke on Afghanistan and Pakistan

Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, speaks on Sec. Clinton's recent trip to the region.

An interesting highlight of the briefing: The U.S. is pulling out from financing the heroin poppy eradication program, this will now be run by the Afghan government. The U.S. will instead put substantial effort and money toward rebuilding the agricultural sector. Afghans have traditionally been very productive farmers, and it would be wise to offer support in this area.

Click here to read the full text.

Video: Sec. Clinton on Cooperation with India

Obama Pardons Thanksgiving Turkey

President Obama Welcomes India's Prime Minister

Sarah Palin's Magical Misinformational Tour

From Mitch Stewart of Organizing for America:

Right now, Sarah Palin is on a highly publicized, nationwide book tour, attacking President Obama and his plan for health reform at every turn.

It's dangerous. Remember, this is the person who coined the term "Death Panels" -- and opened the flood gates for months of false attacks by special interests and partisan extremists.

Whatever lie comes next will be widely covered by the media, then constantly echoed by right-wing attack groups and others who are trying to defeat reform.

As we approach the final sprint on health reform, we can't afford more deception and delay. We need to be ready for anything -- and have the resources to respond with ads, events, and calls to Congress when the attacks come.

So we're setting a big goal: $500,000 in the next week to help push back against Sarah Palin and her allies. Can you chip in $25 or more to help reach our goal?

Earlier this month, Palin publicly said that she hopes health reform will be "dead on arrival." And since then, she's been working fiercely toward that goal.

On Tuesday, Palin went on Rush Limbaugh's radio show where she outrageously -- and falsely -- suggested that Americans could "face jail time as punishment" if they don't buy insurance.

Palin has many more interviews scheduled on Hannity and other conservative shows in the next few weeks, with more platforms to go after the President. As soon as she does, the rest of our opponents will likely parrot those attacks.

We need to be prepared. And we're counting on you help. Can you chip in $25 or more?

https://donate.barackobama.com/SarahPalin

Video: President Obama at Fort Hood

President Obama's speech at the memorial service for those killed at Fort Hood.

From Whitehouse.gov:

Video: Healthcare Reform Passes House of Representatives

The scene in the House when the healthcare bill passed.

Video: President Obama's Health Plan

A four-minute video covering the basics of the President's healthcare plan.