He's got another term. (Shah Marai/AFP/Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai was sworn in for a second term today, and at his inauguration in Kabul promised to crack down on corruption. This comes, of course, after an election marred by massive fraud.

As NPR's Philip Reeves reports from Kabul, Karzai has "been under intense pressure from the international community, especially since he was elected in August in a contest marred by widespread fraud. His speech was tailored to address some of those concerns. He heavily emphasized the need for his government -- which has a reputation for rampant graft and ineptitude -- to bring an end to corruption":

Just across the border from Afghanistan, in Peshawar, Pakistan, there's been more deadly violence. Reuters writes that "a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a court building in Peshawar on Thursday, killing 18 people, officials said, in the latest of a series of attacks on the northwestern Pakistan city."

Later this morning, the Senate Homeland Security Committee opens hearings on the Fort Hood massacre. Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and ranking Republican Susan Collins of Maine want to know about any breakdowns in communications that might have contributed to the tragedy.

Yesterday, as Frank posted, NPR's Daniel Zwerdling reported on a memo written in 2007 about the lone suspect in the killings of 13 people and wounding of more than 30. The chief of psychiatric residents at Walter Reed, Maj. Scott Moran, detailed a series of problems concerning Army Maj. Nidal Hasan.

On Morning Edition today, Daniel followed up with more about that memo:

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama is on his way home from his tour through Asia. He left South Korea earlier today.

The Los Angeles Times says the White House is trying to put a "positive spin" on the president's trip.

Other stories making headlines this morning include:

-- ABC News -- Which Hospitals Are Ignoring New Mammogram Recommendations? There's A List: "Medical leaders across the country announced they will not heed the recommendations to stop routine mammograms for low-risk women in their 40s." ABC compiled a list of such centers that told the network about their decisions.

Related reports on Morning Edition --

NPR's Richard Knox on the medical debate:

NPR's Mara Liasson on the politics of the recommendation:

-- Politico -- "Obama Rewards Big Donors With Plum Jobs Overseas": "Of the nearly 80 ambassadorship nominations or confirmations since Obama's Inauguration, 56% were given to political appointees and 44% have gone to career diplomats, according to records kept by the American Foreign Service Association. ... White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said it is unfair to judge the Obama administration by its first wave of ambassadorial nominations. ... 'We're well-aware of the historical target of career vs. noncareer ambassadors, and we will be right on that target,' said Vietor. That historic benchmark is roughly 30% political appointees to 70% career diplomats."

-- The Wall Street Journal -- "Some Courts Raise Bar On Reading Employee E-mail": "Recent cases have shown that employees sometimes have more privacy rights than they might expect when it comes to the corporate email server. Legal experts say that courts in some instances are showing more consideration for employees who feel their employer has violated their privacy electronically."

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

New construction site at the Jewish West Bank settlement of Har Gilo, on Jerusalem's outskirts, Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. (Sebastian Scheiner / AP Photo)

By Frank James

(This posting was revised since its initial posting to update with the White House's reaction.)

Obama Administration efforts to persuade Israel to stop expanding settlements aren't exactly having the desired effect. Local officials in Israel on Tuesday approved the construction of 900 housing units in a Jerusalem area that lies beyond the Green Line, essentially giving the green light to building in an area Palestinians consider theirs.

The approval came despite a last minute requests by George Mitchell, President Barack Obama's special envoy to the Middle East, that the Israeli government stop the approval of the additional housing units on the disputed land.

An excerpt from Ynetnews.com, the online presence of Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth:

American pressure against construction in east Jerusalem continues to mount, but Israel shows no signs of folding. On the backdrop of the new American demand to freeze construction in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, the regional committee for planning and construction on Tuesday approved a motion to expand Gilo and south Jerusalem and build 900 new housing units in the neighborhood.

"The fact that the United States is against this or not is not a factor," one of the committee members told Ynet. "According to what is accepted at the moment, this territory belongs to Jerusalem and to Israel, and thus the Israeli planning and construction law applies to it and the committee must discuss the plan..."

The White House issued the following response:

We are dismayed at the Jerusalem Planning Committee's decision to move forward on the approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem. At a time when we are working to re-launch negotiations, these actions make it more difficult for our efforts to succeed. Neither party should engage in efforts or take actions that could unilaterally pre-empt, or appear to pre-empt, negotiations. The U.S. also objects to other Israeli practices in Jerusalem related to housing, including the continuing pattern of evictions and demolitions of Palestinian homes. Our position is clear: the status of Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the parties.

Continue reading "Israel Ignores US, OKs 900 New Houses On Disputed Jerusalem Land" >

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

As the day begins there are reports from Iran that one of its officials has told Reuters that neither economic sanctions nor the threat of a military attack will derail its nuclear program. And:

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, told Reuters the agency's concern that Tehran may be hiding more nuclear work after it unveiled the enrichment site was an unfair political judgment beyond its mandate.

On Morning Edition, NPR's Mike Shuster talked with host Steve Inskeep about the first look that international inspectors have gotten of a previously secret uranium enrichment facility in Iran:

Other stories making headlines this morning include:

Hu and Obama reveiw the honor guard at the Great Hall of the People today in Beijing. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

-- The Associated Press -- "Obama, Hu Divided Over Economy, Human Rights": "President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao emerged from hours of intense talks Tuesday determined to marshal their combined clout on crucial issues, but still showing divisions over economic, security and human rights issues that have long bedeviled the two powers."

Related report on Morning Edition -- From Beijing, NPR's Scott Horsley talked with Steve Inskeep about Obama's effort to press the Chinese leader on human rights issues:

Also on Morning Edition -- NPR's Anthony Kuhn reported on the Chinese people's reaction to Obama's visit:

-- ABC News -- Officials Say Hasan Sought 'War Crimes' Prosecutions of American Soldiers: "Major Nidal Malik Hasan's military superiors repeatedly ignored or rebuffed his efforts to open criminal prosecutions of soldiers he claimed had confessed to 'war crimes' during psychiatric counseling, according to investigative reports circulated among federal law enforcement officials." Hasan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder for the Nov. 5 shootings at Fort Hood in Texas.

-- The Seattle Times -- "Paul Allen Being Treated For Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma": "The Microsoft co-founder was diagnosed earlier this month with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer similar to the one that led to his early retirement from the software company in 1983." Allen is 56.

From a related story by the Associated Press: "In a memo sent to employees, the CEO of Allen's investment firm says the 56-year-old Allen received the diagnosis this month and has begun chemotherapy. The CEO, Jody Patton, noted that doctors say Allen has a relatively common form of the disease -- and that Allen survived Hodgkin's disease in the 1980s."

-- The Salt Lake Tribune -- Woman In Elizabeth Smart Case Expected To Plead Guilty: Wanda Eileen Barzee, "the 64-year-old wife of street preacher Brian David Mitchell," is expected to plead guilty today to federal charges for her role in the 2002 abduction of Utah girl Elizabeth Smart.

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

By Mark Memmott

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown last night "raised the prospect of agreeing (to) a timetable for international withdrawal from Afghanistan, in a speech in which he claimed that almost half of al-Qaida's leadership had now been killed," The Guardian writes.

According to the Guardian, Brown:

Said the damage already inflicted on al-Qaida gave international forces the chance to set a timetable for pulling out.

Meanwhile, the BBC reports that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband says Britain has not committed to a "war without end" in Afghanistan.

According to Reuters, "nearly 68,000 U.S. and 40,000 allied troops are at present
deployed in Afghanistan." President Barack Obama is currently debating how many more U.S. forces should be sent to the Central Asian nation.

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

As we reported just a short time ago, there's word this morning that General Motors plans to repay the $6.7 billion in government loans it's gotten by 2011 -- four years early.

Among the other stories making headlines:

-- Morning Edition -- "Obama Pushes China Not To Censor Information". NPR's Scott Horsley reports from Beijing:

The president held a town hall meeting with future Chinese leaders in Shanghai. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

-- The Washington Post -- "Cleric Says He Was Confidant To Hasan": " In his first interview with a journalist since the Fort Hood rampage, Yemeni American cleric Anwar al-Aulaqi said that he neither ordered nor pressured Maj. Nidal M. Hasan to harm Americans, but that he considered himself a confidant of the Army psychiatrist who was given a glimpse via e-mail into Nadal's growing discomfort with the U.S. military."

-- The Associated Press -- Afghan Officials Announce Anti-Corruption Effort: "Afghan officials launched a new anti-corruption unit and major crime fighting force Monday amid stiff international pressure to clean up the government following a fraud-tainted presidential election. ... Law enforcement agencies from Britain and the United States, along with Interpol, helped set up the unit, Interior Minister Hanif Atmar said. The British and U.S. ambassadors to Afghanistan attended the launch in a show of support."

Related story from the Associated Press -- "Clinton: U.S. Wants More Accountability From Kabul": "The United States is limiting its goals in Afghanistan and demanding better accountability from that country's underperforming leader, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday, and she tied additional U.S. civilian help to results from Kabul."

Related story on Morning Edition -- "Afghans Grow Frustrated Waiting For Obama's Plan. NPR's Philip Reeves reports from Kabul:

-- Chicago Tribune -- Officials Will Tour Prison That Might House 'Gitmo' Detainees: "A delegation from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is scheduled to tour and inspect the Thomson Correctional Center Monday as part of a White House proposal to buy the facility and use it to house some terror suspects now detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, officials said Sunday morning. Speaking Sunday at news conferences in Moline and Chicago, Gov. Pat Quinn called the Obama Administration's interest in the prison near the Mississippi River a 'great, great opportunity for our state.' "

-- The New York Times -- "Drug Makers Raise Prices In Face Of Health Care Reform": "Even as drug makers promise to support Washington's health care overhaul by shaving $8 billion a year off the nation's drug costs after the legislation takes effect, the industry has been raising its prices at the fastest rate in years. ... Drug makers say they have valid business reasons for the price increases. Critics say the industry is trying to establish a higher price base before Congress passes legislation that tries to curb drug spending in coming years."

-- The Associated Press -- "U.N. Summit Approves New Approach To Hunger Fight": In Rome, "world leaders at a food summit on Monday rallied around a new strategy to fight global hunger and help poor countries feed themselves, but failed to pledge funds sought by the U.N. ... The summit did not commit to a specific figure of $44 billion a year for agricultural aid that the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says will be necessary in the coming decades."

-- Florida Today -- Shuttle Atlantis On Schedule For Afternoon Launch: "Shuttle Atlantis is being fueled for flight at Kennedy Space Center this morning as NASA gears up for a planned launch this afternoon of Atlantis and six astronauts on an International Space Station outfitting mission. The 18-story spaceship and its crew are slated to blast off from Launch Complex 39A at 2:28 p.m. ET, the middle of a 10-minute opportunity to put the shuttle on course for a ground-up rendezvous and docking at the station just before noon Wednesday."

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

All dressed up. Obama with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. (Pool/Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

Every year at the summit of leaders from Asia and the Pacific Rim nations, the presidents and prime ministers put on shirts that reflect the host nation's sense of style and gather for what have become light-hearted photos.

The Associated Press calls it the "funny shirt photo." The 2004 photos of then-president George W. Bush and other leaders in Chilean "Chamantos" are well-remembered.

In 2004. (Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama, attending his first annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, was in Singapore yesterday for this year's funny photos. The garb: Silk tunic shirts with mandarin collars, in a choice of red or blue-gray.

Of course, there's also been work to do at the summit. NPR's Scott Horsley, who's traveling with the president on Obama's 10-day trip across Asia, says Obama "became the first American leader in decades to sit in the same room with Myanmar's military ruler." According to one of Obama's national security advisers, Scott reports, the president took the opportunity to call for political reform in Myanmar, and specifically for the release of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other pro-democracy political prisoners.

Obama also met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the two discussed the ongoing problem of Iran's nuclear ambitions. The leaders said they aren't satisified with the pace of talks with Iran and that "other options" might have to be explored.

As The New York Times writes, Obama also said that "the reset button has worked" to improve U.S.-Russian relations.

It's was announced that the 2011 APEC summit will be held in Obama's native state; Hawaii.

We suspect we know what type of shirt the leaders will be wearing in that year's group photo.

The 2009 class photo (Obama is ninth from the left). (Pool/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama are two new leaders faced with remaking their nations' long alliance. ( Kyodo via AP Images)

By Frank James

President Barack Obama is scheduled to make what his administration is billing as a major speech Saturday morning Japan time.

One major purpose of the speech, like so much of the president's nearly 10-day trip to Asia, is to demonstrate that the United States is once again focusing on Asia.

Asia experts say Asians felt overlooked in recent years as the U.S.' attention was locked first on Afghanistan, then Iraq, then Afghanistan again.

At his Friday press conference with new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Obama underscored that the U.S. has Asia firmly on its mind now.

Throughout my trip and throughout my presidency, I intend to make clear that the United States is a Pacific nation, and we will be deepening our engagement in this part of the world. As I said to Prime Minister Hatoyama, the United States will strengthen our alliances, build new partnerships, and we will be part of multilateral efforts and regional institutions that advance regional security and prosperity.

Continue reading "Obama In Japan Stresses U.S.' Renewed Asian Focus" >

By Frank James

John Limbert at a 2005 memorial service for the eight U.S. service members who died in a failed 1980 attempt to free him and other American hostages from the U.S. embassy in Iran. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

A U.S. diplomat who will be central to State Department efforts to engage Iran is John Limbert, who has been named deputy assistant secretary for Iran and who has the distinction of being one of the former American hostages held in 1979.

NPR's Michelle Kelemen reports on All Things Considered that the choice of Limbert underscores how serious the Obama Administration is about reaching out to Iran since Limbert is committed to doing so.

An excerpt from her report:

MICHELLE: Limbert was a career diplomat -- who says US officials HAVE to engage Iran.

LIMBERT: I mean, after all, if we never could agree with the Iranians on anything, I and my colleagues would probably still be in Tehran 30 years later.

Continue reading "Key U.S. Player On Iran, An Ex-Hostage, Seeks Engagement" >

By Mark Memmott

An extraordinary story in Great Britain -- of a grieving mother who read the prime minister the riot act when he called to apologize for misspelling her family's name and other mistakes in a condolence letter about the death of her son in Afghanistan -- has moved to a new stage this morning.

"I Accept Humbled PM's Apology" is the headline this morning at the website of Britain's The Sun, which has been aggressively pursuing the story.

"Let's let's move on to what's really important -- whether we do enough to protect our soldiers when we send them to war," says Jacqui Janes, who lost her son Jamie and is making the case that if the British Army had more helicopters in Afghanistan he might have been saved.

As NPR's Rob Gifford reported on Morning Edition, the story of Janes' outrage over the condolence letter she got is just one symbol of a "growing disenchantment" in Britain over the Afghan War. We'll embed Rob's full report below -- but here's a key part of it that's worth listening to alone. It's Janes' recording of her telephone conversation with the prime minister, during which she lets him have it with all the fury of a mother who's just lost a child (you'll also hear Rob's voice in the middle, as he narrates):

And here is Rob's full report:

Protecting the nukes is critical. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

Investigative reporter Seymour Hersh's latest piece for The New Yorker has this page-one-worthy conclusion:

Current and former officials said in interviews in Washington and Pakistan that (the Obama) administration has been negotiating highly sensitive understandings with the Pakistani military. These would allow specially trained American units to provide added security for the Pakistani (nuclear) arsenal in case of a crisis.

Hersh adds that the U.S. has a highly trained response team that stands ready to enter Pakistan and grab the nuclear weapons' triggers in the event of a crisis. The goal: Keep those triggers out of terrorists' hands.

He continues:

Continue reading "Might U.S. 'Secure' Pakistan's Nukes? Seymour Hersh Says Yes; Countries Say No" >

By Mark Memmott

Afghanistan, and today's declaration that President Hamid Karzai has been re-elected despite the massive fraud during the August election, was topic No. 1 at today's White House briefing.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said that Karzai is "obviously ... the legitimate leader of the country" now that he has been "declared the winner of the Afghan election." The U.S. will continue to discuss with Karzai and his ministers, Gibbs added, "governance, civil society and corruption ... to ensure that we have a credible partner in our efforts to help secure the country":

As for whether this means President Barack Obama can now come to a decision about how many, if any, additional U.S. troops to send to Afghanistan, Gibbs said that "the decision is still -- will be made in the coming weeks":

Matthew Hoh. (John Poole/NPR)

By Mark Memmott

Saying that "we just keep going into more valleys and finding more enemies because we're going into their valleys," former U.S. foreign service officer Matthew Hoh just spoke with NPR about the decision he made to leave the State Department because he disagrees with U.S. policy in Afghanistan.

Hoh's resignation, as we predicted, brought him national attention after it became front-page news in The Washington Post on Tuesday. It came, of course, as President Barack Obama continues to consider whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.

In an interview, much of which will be broadcast later today on All Things Considered, Hoh told host Melissa Block that he's convinced the U.S. is losing "soldiers and Marines in combat to people who are fighting us, really only because we're occupying them":

Hoh believes most Afghans just want to be left alone in their villages and valleys. "They're concerned with the events in their local area, in their village and valley and that's what they fight for":

American policy has been misdirected, Hoh thinks, because "we only talk to Afghans who come into our headquarters and talk to us. We don't get out and talk to the people who live in the villages and valleys. And you realize that they want is to be left alone":

The U.S. had to go after the Taliban and al-Qaida after the 9/11 attacks, Hoh believes, but now is in danger of making al-Qaida stronger, not weaker:

And, he does not think leaving Afghanistan would turn that country into a "safe haven" for al-Qaida again. He maintains that al-Qaida no longer needs that country. Al-Qaida, he maintains, is an "ideological cloud" that spreads via the Web:

Your opinion?

Click here to find an NPR station that broadcasts ATC.

By Frank James

In comments to journalists in Pakistan shortly after a market bombing in Peshawar killed more than 100 people, mostly women and children, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed outrage at the violence. And she wasn't being diplomatic.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Pakistan's violent militants "cowards" at a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009. (B.K. Bangash / AP Photo)

She called the terrorists out, essentially labeling them chickens. They knew they didn't have the popular will with them, she added, which is why they don't submit their radical Islamist vision for Pakistan to a popular vote; they knew they would lose.

She said:

These attacks on innocent people are cowardly. They are not courageous. They are cowardly. If the people behind these attacks were so sure of their beliefs, let them join the political process.

Let them come forth to the people of Pakistan in this democracy and make their case that they don't want girls to go to school, that they want women to be kept back, that they believe that they have all the answers and that the rest of us who are people of faith have none.

Let them make that case in the political arena and see how far they would get. They know they are on the losing side of history, but they are determined to take as many lives with them as their movement is finally exposed for the nihilistic, empty effort that it is.

So for us who believe that there can be differences among us, as there are differences of background, experience, culture, religion - all the differences that make life interesting and varied - we are willing to put our beliefs on the line in a democratic political process and let the people decide.

By Mark Memmott

A draft agreement has been reached for Iran to export most of its enriched uranium, NPR's Eric Westervelt and the Associated Press are reporting from Vienna, where negotiators have been meeting.

Diplomats from Iran, the U.S., Russia and France have been discussing Iran's nuclear ambitions and the other nations' concern that it wants to develop weapons of mass destruction.

According to the AP:

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei said Wednesday that Iran and the U.S., Russia and France have signed off on a draft deal that he hoped would be approved by the nations' capitals by Friday.

He gave no details. But a diplomat inside the closed meeting told the Associated Press that the draft foresees the export most of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.

Getting Iran to send its enriched uranium elsewhere for processing has been a critical goal of the other nations because that would in theory reduce the chances of the Persian nation obtaining enough of the material to produce a weapon.

Update at 8:30 a.m ET. The AP's latest version of the story adds a bit of uncertainty about Iran's position (we've highlighted key phrases used by AP):

Iranian negotiators on Wednesday agreed to consider a draft deal that -- if accepted by the Tehran leadership -- would delay its ability to make nuclear weapons by sending most of the material it would need to Russia for processing, diplomats said Wednesday.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei confirmed that representatives of Iran and its three interlocutors -- the U.S., Russia and France - had accepted the draft, which still has to be finalized by the four nations' capitals. ElBaradei said he hoped that would occur by Friday.

Update at 7:55 a.m. ET. NPR's Westervelt reports that:

Diplomats say if the deal is finalized, most of the enriched uranium would be sent to Russia for conversion into fuel that could be used for medical research and cancer care.

By Mark Memmott

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in the case of men who have challenged the U.S. government's right to continue holding them at the Guantanamo Bay detention center even though it's been determined they represent no threat to the USA.

Whether the case will ever really reach the High Court isn't clear, however. All but one of the group -- ethnic Uighurs from western China -- have already been released or will be soon. If none are left at the detention center by the time the case would be heard next year, it might be dismissed instead.

Also today, a new coalition of retired U.S. military officers and the progressive group VoteVets.org released the first of what it says will be a series of national TV ads urging Congress to "close Gitmo now":

Former representative Tom Andrews, D-Maine, is among the group's organizers.

By Frank James

Based on signals U.S. State Department officials sent journalists before Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today, there was an expectation that Clinton would be asking her Russian counterpart what specific actions Russia would be willing to support to punish Iran for pursuing nuclear arms.

The indication was sanctions against Iran would be specifically discussed.

And maybe they were but that's unclear. What came across clearly at a Tuesday news conference was that Clinton's position today is that it didn't ask the Russians to take specific steps at this juncture and the Russians still think it's too early to discuss sanctions.

According to Reuters:

"We did not ask for anything today. We reviewed the situation and where it stood, which I think was the appropriate timing for what this process entails," Clinton said after talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reports the Russian position thusly:

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said after meeting with Clinton that "all efforts should be focused on supporting the negotiating process" -- instead of sanctions.

Continue reading "Russia Resumes Foot Dragging On Iran Sanctions" >

By Mark Memmott

Just about every media outlet imaginable, from China's Xinhua to Voice of America to News24 of South Africa is noting this:

The U.S. says senior American and Iranian delegates have met one-on-one on the sidelines of a high-stakes gathering on Tehran's nuclear program.

U.S. spokesman Robert Wood says U.S. Under Secretary of State William Burns met with Saeed Jalili, Tehran's chief negotiator.

Western diplomats said the two discussed issues during a lunch break at Thursday's seven-nation talks in Geneva. Wood, and two Western diplomats who demanded anonymity for discussing the confidential information, declined to elaborate.

It is the first known direct high-level meeting between Washington and Tehran in years of attempts to persuade Iran to freeze its uranium enrichment program. Iran says the program is peaceful, some western nations fear it could eventually produce nuclear weapons.

The Associated Press.

By Mark Memmott

Congress is about to OK a tripling of non-military aid to Pakistan, bringing the amount to $1.5 billion a year through 2014.

Earlier, All Things Considered's Robert Siegel asked Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, about the conditions that have been attached to that aid -- most notably, that the secretary of State must certify every six months that Pakistan is helping in the war on terrorism. Haqqani says frequent recertification and conditions are not good, but that he believes it won't be long before his nation proves there's no longer any need for them:

More from Robert's conversation with the ambassador will be on today's edition of ATC. Click here to find an NPR station near you.

By Mark Memmott

Millions protested the official outcome, thousands were jailed and there are credible reports of the torture and killing of some of those prisoners.

Still, this morning Iran's foreign minister told Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep that the Persian nation had a "glorious" presidential election in June that has been distorted by some in the Western news media.

European media outlets in particular, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said just a short time ago, "tried to distort the realities and undermine our glorious presidental elections."

Like the sun, he added (through an interpreter), his country's "glorious" election can't be hidden by "clouds." Here's a short audio clip of that moment in the conversation:

(Update at 12:55 p.m. ET: We've replaced the earlier audio, recorded off a phone line, with audio recorded simultaneously at the New York office where Mottaki was speaking.)

Mottaki also said that "the majority of the protesters" subsequently changed their minds and now believe that the election was not rigged in favor of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

That, of course, may be news to those protesters.

As for the talks that get underway tomorrow in Geneva on Iran's nuclear ambitions and the revelation last week that Iran has been building a second uranium enrichment facility, the foreign minister said "the burden of proof" regarding claims that the facility might be used to produce fuel for weapons "remains on the claimant."

Much more from Steve's conversation with Mottaki is due on tomorrow's edition of ME. Click here to find an NPR station near you.

By Mark Memmott

Iran once again has shown its "provocative nature" by test-firing more missiles in recent days, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters a short time ago.

Gibbs went on to say that the U.S. and other major nations that plan to meet with Iranian diplomats in Geneva on Thursday expect Iran to give international investigators "immediate and unfettered access" to a site it acknowledged late last week where it plans to enrich uranium. Iran says the enriched uranium will be used for peaceful purposes. The U.S. and some of its allies suspect Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Here is some of Gibbs' exchange with reporters at the White House today:

By Mark Memmott

There's word from Iran as the day begins that it has test-fired a long-range missile capable of reaching Israel and U.S. bases elsewhere in the Middle East. NPR's Carl Kasell introduces this report:

Sticking with news about Iran, The New York Times reports that the Obama administration "is scrambling to assemble a package of harsher economic sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program that could include a cutoff of investments to the country's oil-and-gas industry and restrictions on many more Iranian banks than those currently blacklisted, senior administration officials said Sunday."

Also this morning, the death toll continues to climb in the Philippines, where at least 140 people have died after a tropical storm caused massive flooding.

As for other stories making headlines, they include:

-- The Washington Post -- "U.S., Allies Vow Support For Karzai": "The United States and NATO countries fighting in Afghanistan have told President Hamid Karzai's government that they expect him to remain in office for another five-year term and will work with him on an expanded campaign to turn insurgent fighters against the Taliban and other militant groups."

Related story by CBS News' 60 Minutes -- Gen. Stanley McChrystal lays out his case for more troops.

-- USA TODAY -- "Confidence, Optimism Grow In Pockets Of U.S.": In communities such as Paris, Ill., unemployment remains high but some people are heading back to work. And "there is growing confidence as workers who are getting paychecks spend money, spreading optimism to small-business owners and city leaders."

-- Morning Edition "Honduras Restricts Liberties To Prevent Rebellion". NPR's Jason Beaubien reports from Tegucigalpa that the current government is allowing warrantless arrests and has banned "unauthorized" public meetings as ousted president Manuel Zelaya remains holed up in the Brazilian embassy (ME co-host Renee Montagne introduces his report):

-- The Associated Press -- "Merkel Vows Quick Deal On German Coalition": "Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed to press ahead quickly with forming a new center-right German government following her election victory. Sunday's election gave the conservative Merkel a second four-year term. It allows her to dump her 'grand coalition' with the center-left Social Democrats and form a new government with the pro-business Free Democrats."

-- The New York Times Safire Was "Oracle Of Language": "William Safire, a speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon and a Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist for The New York Times who also wrote novels, books on politics and a Malaprop's treasury of articles on language, died at a hospice in Rockville, Md., on Sunday. He was 79." He was, among many other things, "an unofficial arbiter of usage."

Related story on Morning Edition -- It Was "Hard Not To Love" Safire. NPR's David Folkenflik reports:

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

By Mark Memmott

We tried something earlier and it didn't quite work (don't click here because that would be cheating).

But a good suggestion came in from reader Caitlin Jenkins, so we'll try something else.

Basically, with the so-called Group of 20 in the news today because of the gathering of world leaders in Pittsburgh, the question comes up: Who's in the G-20?

Here's a little test. We've thrown in 30 possibilities. See how you score:

By Frank James

President Barack Obama's decision to undo the Bush Administration's plan to base interceptor missiles in Eastern Europe appears to already be paying dividends.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and President Barack Obama, seen here in Pittsburgh, talked in New York this week and the Russian leader was reportedly more open than ever to sanctions against Iran. (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

The Russian government was always hostile to the idea of siting such missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic to counter a theoretical threat from Iranian long-range missiles.

The Russians complained the missiles would change the strategic balance in the region. Thus it welcomed Obama's announcement that missile interceptors would be based elsewhere.

Now the New York Times reports that the Russians seem more willing to talk about potential sanctions against Iran for pursuing nuclear weapons than was previously true. That new inclination on Russia's part appears to be the fruit of Obama's revamped missile plan.

As the New York Times reports:

Earlier this week, Mr. Obama's discussions with President Hu Jintao of China on Tuesday and his meeting with President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia on Wednesday focused largely on Iran, administration officials said. During his meeting with Mr. Medvedev in particular, Mr. Obama pressed his case, expressing pessimism that talks scheduled for next week with the Iranians over the nuclear issue would yield much progress, administration officials said.

Continue reading "Obama Missile Move Appears To Get Russians Closer To Iran Sanctions" >

By Mark Memmott

With all the attention being paid to the Group of 20 (or G-20) meeting underway in Pittsburgh, a logical question doesn't always get answered.

Who's in the G-20?

The first person to correctly answer in this post's comments thread gets ... well, nothing but his or her name mentioned in The Two-Way and a virtual round of applause.

Oh, and no peeking.

If no one gets the answer by noon ET, we'll add it here.

Update at noon ET: OK, maybe this was a stupid idea. Nobody wanted to play.

But as promised, the G-20 members are:

Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
China

European Union
France
Germany
India
Indonesia

Italy
Japan
Mexico
Russia
Saudi Arabia

South Africa
South Korea
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States of America

Sarkozy, Obama & Brown (left to right). (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

By Mark Memmott

Saying that Iran "is refusing to live up to its international responsibilities," President Barack Obama just called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to immediately investigate what that country is doing at a second nuclear enrichment site it is constructing and had kept hidden for years.

The president has been joined by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy as he makes the announcement in Pittsburgh, where leaders of the G-20 nations have gathered for an economic summit.

Update at 9:03 a.m. ET. Here's the full audio of the president's statement:

Update at 8:51 a.m. ET. Tough talk from the leaders:

Obama also said Iran has "presented a direct challenge" to the world's efforts to present the spread of nuclear weapons. "The size and the configuration of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful (nuclear) program," Obama said. "Iran is breaking rules that all nations must follow."

Sarkozy said that "if by December there is not an in-depth change by the Iranian leaders, sanctions will have to be taken."

Brown said "the level of deception by the Iranian government ... will shock and anger the whole international community." The U.S., U.K. and France have "no choice but to draw a line in the sand," he added.

Iran, the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany are due to meet Oct. 1 in talks about Iran's nuclear ambitions.

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

The U.S., Britain and France will this morning accuse Iran of secretly operating a second facility that produces nuclear fuel, NPR, the Associated Press, The New York Times and other news media are reporting.

President Barack Obama is expected to make the announcement at 8:30 a.m. ET in Pittsburgh, where he and other leaders of the so-called G-20 nations are meeting to talk about global economic issues.

As the Times says:

"The revelation ... appears bound to add urgency to the diplomatic confrontation with Iran over its suspected ambitions to build a nuclear weapons capability."

Iran has long insisted that it is pursuing peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Yesterday, as we reported, Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep interviewed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For complete coverage of their conversation, click here. And here's what was on ME this morning:

Update at 8:25 a.m. ET: Iran has acknowledged the facility's existence, the International Atomic Energy Agency says.

As for the G-20, NPR's John Ydstie says the leaders have agreed on new compensation rules for executives at financial institutions:

The Wall Street Journal says the leaders will announce today that the G-20 is becoming "the permanent council for international economic cooperation, eclipsing the Group of Eight."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is following the protests in the Steel City. Yesterday, more than 60 people were arrested.

Later today, by the way, Obama is due to hold a news conference. It's scheduled for 4:40 p.m. ET, after the close of the G-20 summit.

Other stories making headlines this morning include:

-- NPR News -- Zazi Due In Court Again Today; Arrests Made In Separate Plots Involving Alleged Attempts To Bomb Targets In Texas And Illinois: NPR's Dina Temple-Raston and Giles Snyder report:

Related story by The Denver Post -- Feds Say Zazi "Shopped For Bomb Materials At Beauty-Supply Stores": "For nearly a week, Najibullah Zazi told the FBI, reporters and even his own attorney that he had nothing to do with plotting a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. But an FBI affidavit and indictment unsealed Thursday charge that for weeks Zazi had been following bomb-making instructions, collecting chemicals from beauty-supply shops and testing the preparation of a hydrogen peroxide bomb in a metro-area hotel room."

Related story by the Dallas Morning News -- "Man Arrested In Alleged Attempt To Bomb Dallas Skyscraper": "A 19-year-old Jordanian citizen was arrested Thursday in a dramatic FBI sting operation after he parked a vehicle laden with government-supplied fake explosives at an iconic downtown Dallas skyscraper and attempted to detonate it, authorities said."

Related story by The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Ill. -- "Alleged Downtown Terrorism Plot Defused": "Over the two years that authorities tracked Michael C. Finton, accused Thursday of trying to bomb Springfield's federal courthouse, they gave Finton plenty of chances to drop the idea. According to a 25-page affidavit filed in support of the charges against Finton, however, he would not be deterred. Authorities say Finton tried Wednesday to ignite what he thought was a huge quantity of explosives contained in a van parked near Sixth and Monroe streets."

-- CBS News' 60 Minutes -- "McChrystal: Violence 'Worse' Than Expected": "As the news from Afghanistan moves to the front pages of Americans' newspapers, the general tasked with turning things around there tells 60 Minutes that the spread of the violence in Afghanistan was more than he expected. Gen. Stanley McChrystal's interview with CBS News National Security correspondent David Martin will be broadcast on the 42nd season premiere of 60 Minutes this Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Related report on Morning Edition -- McChrystal Moves To "Reposition" Forces. NPR's Jackie Northam reports:

Related story by USA TODAY -- "Poll: 50% Oppose U.S. Surge In Afghanistan".

-- The New York Times -- "In Poll, Public Wary Of Obama On War And Health": "President Obama is confronting declining support for his handling of the war in Afghanistan and an electorate confused and anxious about a health care overhaul as he prepares for pivotal battles over both issues, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll."

-- The Associated Press -- "Justice Ginsburg Hospitalized": "Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the 76-year-old Supreme Court justice who underwent pancreatic cancer surgery earlier this year, fell ill at work after a treatment for anemia and was hospitalized overnight. Ginsburg was taken to Washington Hospital Center at 7:45 p.m. ET Thursday and would remain there for the night as a precaution, a statement from the court said."

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

Ahmadinejad. (Tom Bullock/NPR)

By Mark Memmott

Challenged again about his statements regarding the Holocaust, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told NPR's Steve Inskeep today that the murders of more than six million Jews by the Nazis during World War II are "claims" based on "the opinion of a few."

But he also called the Holocaust a "historical event" -- after referring to it just days ago as a "myth."

Interviewed in New York, where he's been attending the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly, Ahmadinejad also said that one of the most documented atrocities in modern history still needs to be researched and is being used to justify Israel's existence.

As you'll hear in this clip, the conversation gets somewhat heated as Steve challenges Ahmadinejad. At one point, the Iranian president, his interpreter and Steve are all speaking at the same time:

Much more from Steve's interview will be on All Things Considered today and Morning Edition tomorrow. Click here to find an NPR station near you.

Update at 2:05 p.m. ET. Steve sums up the interview this way:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmaindejad appeared to admit the existence of the Holocaust in an interview with NPR's Morning Edition on Thursday.

The Iranian president is a target of widespread criticism after he used a speech in Iran to refer to the genocide of Jews during World War II as a "myth." He briefly retreated from that statement while taking questions in New York.

"The first question is, Is the holocaust a historical event or not? It is a historical event," he said. He went on to complain that this event is given too much prominence. Later in the interview, Ahmadinejad shifted his position yet again, saying the accounts of Holocaust survivors were merely "claims," and adding, "I do not wish to pass a judgment."

It's also worth noting that "historical event" is a phrasing he's used before when discussing the holocaust.

The holocaust discussion was one portion of wide-ranging interview in New York, Ahmadinejad's first appearance before the United Nations since his disputed re-eletcion in June.

In a lengthy exchange, the Iranian president was pressed repeatedly about the arrest, torture, and murder of Iranians who protested against the official election result. Under questioning, he said that members of his country's security forces "may lose their jobs" if they are found guilty of torturing and murdering protesters who disputed Ahmadinejad's claim to have won an re-election June 12. Ahmadinejad had previously denied that security forces were involved in prisoner abuse, suggesting that the mistreatment had been orchestrated from outside.

In the NPR interview, Ahmadinejad said there was "free speech in Iran," and denied that anyone had been arrested for protesting against him. "No one is persecuted simply because of speaking something against Ahmadinejad or against Ahmadinejad's policies," he said.

Asked if he would call for the release of 100 suspected political opponents who were convicted en masse in a much-criticized trial earlier this year, the Iranian president said, "I do not want to say that what actions are taken by judges are always 100% correct, but for there to be order in society we have to accept the verdict of the judge."

Calling the council to order. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

For the first time in the United Nations Security Council's history, an American president is in the chairman's seat.

President Barack Obama just opened a session at which the leaders are to discuss the issues of nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.

He's been joined at the session by a who's who of world leaders, including British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The U.N. is webcasting the session here (scroll down its "live schedule" and click on "channel 8").

We'll update this post with highlights. Click your "refresh" button in order to see our latest additions.

If you're interested in reading through lots of information about the Security Council and its history, the U.N. has quite a bit here.

Update at 10:25 a.m. ET. The White House has sent reporters a "fact sheet" about the resolution (if you click on the box in the top right corner you can "toggle" to a full screen and then expand the document):

White House on U.N. Resolution 1887

Update at 9:56 a.m. ET: Here's audio of the president's opening statement and the vote:

Update at 9:45 a.m. ET: Speaking about a world free of nuclear weapons, Obama says "we harbor no illusions ... we know there are plenty of cynics and setbacks that prove their point."

But "we will leave this meeting with a renewed determination to achieve this goal," Obama says.

Update at 9:40 a.m. ET: By a 15-0 vote, the Security Council just approved Resolution 1887. As Reuters reports, that is "a U.S.-drafted resolution ... calling on nuclear weapons states to scrap their deadly arsenals."

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

For the first time ever, a U.S. president will chair a meeting of the U.N. Security Council when President Barack Obama assumes that role this morning in New York. The session is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. ET. We're planning to live-blog the highlights, so check back as the time draws near.

On Morning Edition, NPR's Don Gonyea talked with host Steve Inskeep about the Security Council meeting and about what Obama has been saying this week as he meets with leaders at the U.N. (and prepares for the opening later today of the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh). As Steve says, Obama's message so far has basically been "we're changing, now it's your turn":

For more on the Security Council session and Obama's agenda, there's The Washington Post account of how the president "will use the forum of the U.N. Security Council ... to press his efforts to slow the spread of nuclear weapons and reduce global stockpiles."

And The Wall Street Journal wraps up the news with this:

A draft nuclear-safeguards resolution, expected to be adopted unanimously Thursday by the United Nations Security Council, would begin to lay the legal framework for military and diplomatic action against nations that use civilian nuclear technology for military purposes.

Last night at the U.N., Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- speaking to a mostly empty chamber -- renewed his verbal attacks on Israel and claimed his country has one of the most democratic governments in the world. NPR's Michele Kelemen filed this report for Morning Edition:

Ahmadinejad, in an interview yesterday with reporters and editors from The Washington Post and Newsweek, said Iran "is willing to have its nuclear experts meet with scientists from the United States and other world powers as a confidence-building measure aimed at resolving concerns about Tehran's nuclear program," the Post writes.

Among the other stories making headlines this morning:

-- Reuters -- "U.N. Agencies Say AIDS Vaccine Results Are Promising": "Two U.N. agencies said on Thursday promising results with an experimental AIDS vaccine in Thailand gave 'new hope' in the fight against the disease, but more work was needed to see if it could be used elsewhere."

Related video report from ITN News:

-- Morning Edition -- "FBI Not Showing Cards" As Terror-Plot Suspects Prepare For Court. "Three men arrested in connection with a possible terrorist plot are scheduled to be back in court for detention hearings Thursday in Denver and New York." NPR's Dina Temple-Raston reports on the case investigators are building:

Related story in The Denver Post -- "No More Arrests Expected In Colorado."

-- Dow Jones Newswires -- "TARP Watchdog Questions Whether Taxpayers Will Be Repaid $700B": "The U.S. government's $700 billion financial rescue program has improved market stability but has fallen short on broad goals, highlighted by the likelihood that U.S. taxpayers won't get 100% of their investment back, a watchdog will tell lawmakers Thursday. Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, said in prepared testimony for a Senate Banking Committee hearing that Treasury has frequently ignored suggestions to increase the transparency of the program and has never solved the difficult issue of what to do with the toxic assets that still remain on banks' balance sheets."

-- Los Angeles Times -- Rallies, Walkouts And Teach-Ins Across UC System Today: "Rallies, walkouts and teach-ins are scheduled today across the University of California system, with professors, students and staff expected to protest state cutbacks in higher education funding and UC's handling of the crisis. The extent of the protests was hard to predict; many faculty and students said they were reluctant to skip classes today, the first day of fall classes for the seven undergraduate UC campuses on the quarter calendar."

-- Boston Globe -- New Mass. Senator To Be Announced This Morning; Signs Point To Kirk: "Governor Deval Patrick huddled with a small group of trusted advisers last night to finalize his choice for an interim US senator, with indications pointing to former Democratic National Committee chairman Paul G. Kirk Jr., who has the strong backing of the immediate family of the late Edward M. Kennedy, as the overwhelming favorite. ... The governor will announce the appointment at an 11 a.m. press conference today at the State House."

-- Morning Edition -- Biden Decries "Hokum" About Health Care Overhaul And "Death Panels". NPR's Julie Rovner reports:

Contributing: Chinita Anderson of Morning Edition.

He blames the U.N. (Seth Wenig / AP)

12:38 p.m. ET: Since we first put this post up, Gadhafi went on for considerably longer than scheduled and brought up so many different issues -- from JFK's assassination to the 9/11 attacks -- that we updated below several times. Read through to see how it played out.

By Mark Memmott

Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, leader of a country that for decades was on the USA's list of nations that sponsor terrorism and that is home to those responsible for such acts as the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, just told United Nations delegates that the U.N. Security Council should be known as the "terror council."

As the Associated Press writes:

In his first appearance at the world body, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi chastised the United Nations on Wednesday for failing to intervene or prevent some 65 wars around the world since the world body was founded in 1945.

In a long, rambling address to the General Assembly that's been going on for nearly an hour, Gadhafi has been railing about what he says is the U.N.'s failure to adequately represent the developing nations of the world.

Meanwhile, officials in the suburban New York town of Bedford, the AP adds, are "threatening criminal action if work continues at Donald Trump's estate, where the Libyan government pitched a tent that could be used by Gadhafi."

Update at 1:20 p.m. ET: FoxNews.com, which has the headline "Q-Daffy" on its main webpage right now, has started to post videos segments from Gadhafi's address. Here's a piece to give you a sense of what it was like -- with some commentary from the folks at Fox, who obviously aren't fans of the Libyan leader and make sure to note that Gadhafi referred to President Barack Obama as a "son" of Africa:

Update at 12:45 p.m. ET: On CNN, they're noting that Gadhafi referred to President Barack Obama several times as a "son of Africa" or "my son."

Update at 12:36 p.m. ET: He's finally done.

Update at 12:32 p.m. ET: Someone just handed Gadhafi a note -- perhaps a suggestion that he finish up?

Update at 12:29 p.m. ET: Pharmaceutical companies create viruses in order to then sell vaccinations, Gadhafi says.

Update at 12:23 p.m. ET: Throughout his address, Gadhafi has been shuffling what look like hand-scrawled pages of notes written on legal-sized paper. At times, he's seemed to lose his place. The video highlights of this are going to be YouTube hits and fodder for much ridicule on The Daily Show and other faux news reports.

Update at 12:20 p.m. ET: Gadhafi just said that Jack Ruby's killing of Lee Harvey Oswald needs to be investigated (no, we're not making that up).

Update at 12:17 p.m. ET: Now he's asking why the U.S. went to war in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. By Gadhafi's reasoning, since Osama bin Laden is not an Afghan and most of those who were with him there were not Afghans, then it wasn't right to go to war in Afghanistan (where, of course, al-Qaida was being allowed to operate by the Taliban).

Update at 12:07 p.m. ET: Gadhafi just called the Iraq War (according to the interpreter being heard on the CNN broadcast) the "mother of all evils."

Eventually, a transcript of his address is supposed to be posted here.

Addressing the delegates. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

President Barack Obama is this morning delivering his first address to the United Nations General Assembly. As we reported earlier, among the messages he has for other world leaders will be that they can't wait for the USA to solve all of the globe's problems.

You'll have many ways to follow the address. NPR will broadcast it live (click here to find a station near you). NPR.org will be streaming the audio. The cable news networks will have it on the air as well.

And we're live-blogging in this post as the president speaks. Just click "play" below and our updates should flow in automatically. You can also submit comments at the bottom of the player. We'll publish as many as we can while the president's speaking.

Update at 10:50 a.m. ET. The president has finished his address. Now, if you click the "play" button, you can read what he had to say. Or, you can click here for a transcript.:

By Mark Memmott

There was mention made this morning on Capitol Hill of a subtle change in something that's very important to diplomats -- language.

During a House Subcommittee on National Security hearing about U.S. efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., noted that State Department Inspector General Harold Geisel kept saying "Pak-Af" (short for Pakistan and Afghanistan) instead of the abbreviation that in recent years has been so common -- "Af-Pak."

Flake wondered: Is this some sort of State Department shift in emphasis between the two nations?

At first, Geisel said he just likes the sound of "Pak-Af" better. Then he said that maybe his staff was "pulling a fast one" on him.

A bit later, Geisel came back with what he said is the real reason for the change: "Ambassador Holbrooke ... started using Pak-Af."

That would be Richard Holbrooke, who's latest State Department title is "special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan." (Hmm: Will he have the title changed too>)

Here's how the Flake-Geisel exchange sounded. We've taken two clips and combined them into one. There's a pause at the 56-second mark. Then Geisel's it-was-Holbrooke explanation follows:

(Our thanks to NPR State Department correspondent Michele Kelemen for the tip.)

Who's he calling bourgeois? In 2005, Chavez teed it up in India. (AP photo)

By Mark Memmott

It was "out of bounds" for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to label golf a "bourgeois sport," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley declared today in a pun-filled shot at one of the American government's least-favorite foreign leaders.

At the opening of State's daily news briefing, Crowley said he "wished to protest" Chavez's "unwarranted attack" on the game.

Golf, Crowley argued, is a "truly global sport." Here's his full statement:

According to The New York Times, Chavez' recent "brief tirade" about golf prompted officials "to shut down two of the country's best-known golf courses, in Maracay, a city of military garrisons near here, and in the coastal city of Caraballeda."

Our thanks to NPR's Michele Kelemen for the tip about Crowley's comments.

By Mark Memmott

The subject is deadly serious -- whether the ongoing crisis in Sudan is still genocide or not.

Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, reportedly wasn't happy when President Barack Obama's special envoy to Sudan referred to what's happening there as the "remnants of genocide." Her worry: That Jonathan S. "Scott" Gration's comment would signal that the U.S. is less concerned about what's happening in that African nation, where hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions displaced.

But at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing today, Gration had a unique way of downplaying any intra-administration friction.

"There's few women in the world that I say 'I love you to.' Susan's one of them. I love Susan," Gration said, generating some laughs from those at the hearing.

"I'm heartened that people in the administration are fond of each other," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Wicker's is the first voice on this audio clip:

Gration's prepared remarks, by the way, are posted here. He says at one point:

The great human tragedies that have occurred in Darfur and the rest of Sudan are deeply embedded in our memories. Many people in Sudan suffer terribly from the pain and loss brought by conflict, and it is these people who deserve our support.

We have made progress in recent months, but we have much work ahead.

(Our thanks to NPR's Michele Kelemen for telling us about that exchange.)

Jay Z performs at the 9th Annual BET Awards on Sunday, June 28, 2009, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

 

By Frank James

Fans of hip hop who are also students of geopolitics should be sure to check out Morning Edition host's Steve Inskeep's discussion with political scientist Marc Lynch who likens the U.S.'s present position in global power politics to uber rapper Jay-Z and competing rapper The Game to North Korea.

As an NPR report accompanying audio of the interview puts it:

Some of the greatest minds in national security have turned their attention to a classic problem: When there is one dominant power, the rest of the world tries to challenge it. That's what happened to Britain in the 19th century and to the United States today. The same thing is happening in the world of rap.

"The way that rappers compete with each other -- this is soft power," says... Lynch, author of a recent article for Foreign Policy.com comparing world politics to rap feuds. "This is the way you try and make a reputation, try and get what you want, and you have to do it through this very intricate series of alliances."

He adds, "There's rules to follow and, when you break those rules, there's consequences." That's because groups of rappers will get together and gang up on other rappers.

Continue reading "But Does Jay-Z Have A Nuclear Deterrent?" >

A young fighter shows the wound he got battling Somali government forces on July 13. Mohamed Dahir/AFP/Getty Images

 

By Laura Conaway

Of the 10 foundering nations on the Foreign Policy's latest Failed States Index, seven are in Africa, two are the scenes of U.S.-led wars and the remaining one has been cited among America's worst nightmares.

Topping the list (and amazing map), again, is Somalia, which Foreign Policy notes was too rough a neighborhood even for al-Qaida:

A recent report by West Point's Combating Terrorism Center, drawing on captured al Qaeda documents, revealed that Osama bin Laden's outfit had an awful experience trying to operate out of Somalia, for all the same reasons that international peacekeepers found Somalia unmanageable in the 1990s: terrible infrastructure, excessive violence and criminality, and few basic services, among other factors. In short, Somalia was too failed even for al Qaeda.

After the jump, the 10 most failed states.

(Thanks to the Daily Dish for the link.)

Continue reading "Somalia Tops 'Failed States' -- 'Too Failed' Even For al-Qaida " >

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today that Iran has the right to a program for domestic nuclear power, but not a program for nuclear weapons. Clinton warned that Iran faces new penalties and increased isolation if it doesn't accept American overtures to talk things over.

"We remain ready to engage with Iran, but the time for action is now," she said. "The opportunity will not remain open indefinitely."

Clinton said the offer to talk still stands, though she said Iran's violent crackdown on protesters had "shifted" the prospects for it.

By Mark Memmott

Two stories that couldn't be much more different are dominating the news this morning.

There's President Barack Obama's speech in Russia today, during which he promised that the U.S. wants "a strong and vibrant Russia" -- and also said that Russia, like other nations, must respect other countries' sovereignty. "That includes nations like Georgia and Ukraine," Obama said.

On Morning Edition, NPR's Scott Horsley spoke with co-host Renee Montagne from Moscow, where he's covering the president's trip:

On Fox News Channel this morning, Obama had this to say about Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, whom he met for the first time today:

"I think he would admit that his formative years were shaped on the cold war and that some of his continued grievances with respect to the West are still dated in some of the suspicions that came out of that period."

Also, Obama told Fox News' Major Garrett, he found Putin to be " tough, smart shrewd , very unsentimental, very pragmatic."

And then there's the story out in Los Angeles, where fans are gathering to pay tribute to pop king Michael Jackson, who died on June 25. On Morning Edition, NPR's Carrie Kahn filed this preview:

We'll be posting updates throughout the day about the Jackson memorial, which gets underway around 1 p.m. ET. If you want to watch it, all the cable news and many of the broadcast networks will be airing the show. NPR.org plans to stream the webcast.

Our friends at Planet Money, by the way, say the Jackson memorial could give the Los Angeles tourism industry a $4 million boost. On the other side of the ledger, it's expected the city will have to spend about $1 million to pay police officers who have to work overtime.

Need a "who's who" about those in Jackson's circle? ABC News put one together.

As for some of the other stories making headlines this morning, they include:

-- BBC News -- "Riots Engulf Chinese Uighur City": "Groups of ethnic Han Chinese have marched through the city of Urumqi carrying clubs and machetes, as tension grows between ethnic groups and police. Security forces imposed a curfew and fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, who said they were angry at violence carried out by ethnic Muslim Uighurs." Authorities say 156 people were killed in clashes on Sunday.

Related report on Morning Edition -- NPR's Anthony Kuhn was out among the marchers:

-- Miami Herald -- "Zelaya Plots New Strategy To Get Home To Honduras;" Will Meet With Secretary Clinton: Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya is on a "country-hopping campaign to reclaim his post" that is expected to bring him to Washington today for a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

-- The State -- South Carolina GOP Censures Gov. Sanford: "After nearly four hours of discussion Monday evening, leaders of the South Carolina Republican Party voted to censure Gov. Mark Sanford, reprimanding him for secretly leaving the state to visit his lover in Argentina. While the vote reveals how the state's GOP leadership feels about the scandal, it has no practical effect on whether the (Republican) governor remains in office."

-- The Washington Post -- "Hospitals Reach Deal With Administration": "The nation's hospitals agreed last night to contribute $155 billion over 10 years toward the cost of insuring the 47 million Americans without health coverage, according to two industry sources."

Related stories on Morning Edition --

Congress takes up legislation aimed at overhauling the health care system:

What is a "public plan"?

By Mark Memmott

President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with reporters in Moscow today. They are mid-way through Day One of a two-day summit that will be largely focused on arms control.

Click the "play" button below for our live-blogging of the news conference. Our updates should flow in automatically:

By Frank James

Even as President Barack Obama has tried to avoid getting pulled into Iran's domestic politics, the House voted 405 to 1 to send the Iranian government a strong message, condemning that government's crackdown and use of roving militia groups as well as the Iranian government's interference with the Internet.

Curiously, the House resolution didn't also condemn the crackdown on the foreign media's ability to report events in Iran.

The short resolution reads:

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) expresses its support for all Iranian citizens who embrace the values of freedom, human rights, civil liberties, and rule of law;

(2) condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators by the Government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well as the ongoing government suppression of independent electronic communication through interference with the Internet and 10 cellphones; and

(3) affirms the universality of individual rights and the importance of democratic and fair elections.

Continue reading "House Condemns Iran's Regime, White House Sticks To Script" >

By Mark Memmott

Iran's political turmoil crossed over into sports today, the BBC reports, when six members of the country's national soccer teams wore green wristbands during their World Cup qualifying match against South Korea. Green is the color of Iranian reformist presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, who says President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the ruling clerics rigged last week's presidential election:

Reuters says some fans unfurled banners reading "Free Iran."

The game, played in Seoul, ended in a 1-1 draw that makes it tougher for Iran to get into the World Cup tournament.

By Frank James

Despite all President Barack Obama's efforts to keep from being pulled into Iran's post-election drama, the Iranian government is complaining of U.S. interference in its domestic affairs.

The following is from the Associated Press:

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran has accused the United States of "intolerable" meddling in its internal affairs, alleging for the first time that Washington has fueled a bitter post-election dispute.

A state television channel in Iran says the government summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents U.S. interests in Iran, to complain about American interference. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. An English-language state-run channel quoted the government as calling Western interference intolerable."

It's not surprising that the Iranians would make this charge because of the history between the two nations. In 1953, the Central Intelligence Agency played a key role in the overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq in order to restore Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi to the Peacock Throne.

Continue reading "Iran Accuses U.S. Of Meddling " >

President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak take part in a joint White House news conference, Tuesday, June 16, 2009. AP Photo/Ron Edmonds

 

By Frank James

President Barack Obama and President Lee Myung Bak of South Korea made a show of solidarity against North Korea's recent provocations in their joint press conference following their meeting in the White House Oval Office.

But if they had a solution to the menace of North Korea that went beyond the carrot-and-stick approaches used to date to little avail, it wasn't obvious. So they did exactly the opposite of what Theodore Roosevelt recommended. They talked loudly but carried a little stick.

In his statement, Obama talked of the shared goal of U.S. and South Korean policymakers to denuclearize (is that really a word?) the Korean peninsula:

"So I want to be clear that there is another path available to North Korea, a path that leads to peace and economic opportunity for the people of North Korea, including full integration into the community of nations. That destination can only be reached through peaceful negotiations that achieve the full and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. That is the opportunity."

South Korean President Lee agreed:

As reiterated by President Obama, we agreed that under no circumstance are we going to allow North Korea to possess nuclear weapons. We also agreed to robustly implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874. Of course, all the parties will faithfully take part in implementing this resolution.

Also we agreed that based on this firm cooperation between the U.S. and Korea, the five countries taking part in the six-party talks will discuss measures and policies that will effectively persuade North Korea to irrevocably dismantle all their nuclear weapons programs.

Continue reading "Obama, S. Korea President Talk Tough on N. Korea But... " >

President Barack Obama with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in the White House Oval Office, Monday, June 15, 2009. AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

 

President Barack Obama told reporters today that the events in Iran haven't made him change his view that his administration would engage with newly and controversially re-elected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without preconditions, a vow Obama made during the U.S. presidential campaign.

Obama said:

I have always felt that, as odious as I feel some of President Ahmadinejad 's statements (have been), as deep as the differences that exist between the United States and Iran on core issues, the use of tough hard headed diplomacy, diplomacy without illusions, is critical when it comes to pursuing a core set of national security interests...We will continue to pursue a tough, direct dialogue between our two countries.

Obama made his remarks after a White House meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Following the meeting, the White House announced the Italian government had agreed to take four Guantanamo detainees.

Obama also said he was disturbed by the increasing post-election conflict in Iran.

OBAMA: I am deeply troubled by the violence that I've been seeing on television. I think that the democratic process, free speech, the ability of people to peacefully dissent, all those are universal values and need to be respected.

When I see violence perpetrated on people who are peacefully dissenting and whenever the American people see that, I think they are rightfully troubled... I would say that the world is watching and inspired by the participation.

By Corey Flintoff

Amid the ongoing questions about the legitimacy of Iran's presidential election, there was a flurry today over whether the State Department's special adviser on Iran is on his way out.

Dennis Ross in 2002. AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

The rumor surfaced in the on-line edition of the Israeli daily newspaper, Haaretz. An article headlined "Why is Dennis Ross being ousted as Obama envoy to Iran?" quoted Washington sources as saying that Ross "will be abruptly relieved of his duties."

Ross is a diplomat and author who began his career during the Carter administration. He's probably best known for his work as Middle East envoy under President Bill Clinton.

Haaretz Correspondent Barak Ravid said "Washington Insiders" were speculating that Ross would be removed from his position for a variety of reasons. One possibility, Ravid noted, was that the Iranians were refusing to accept Ross because he was Jewish and because he was purported to have "pro-Israel leanings."

Another possibility, the article said, was that Ross is the co-author of a recently released book that raises the possibility of military action against Iran. The book, called "Myths, Illusions and Peace-Finding: A New Direction for American in the Middle East," advocates diplomacy with Iran, but adds "tougher polices - either militarily or meaningful containment - will be easier to sell internationally and domestically if we have diplomatically tried to resolve our differences with Iraq in a serious and credible fashion."

Continue reading "Dennis Ross Out As Obama's Special Iran Adviser?" >

Former Guantanamo detainees Khelil Mamut, left, and Salahidin Abdulahat, smile while taking a swim on the ocean near Hamilton, Bermuda, Sunday, June 14, 2009. AP Photo/Brennan Linsley

 

By Frank James

After seven years at the Guatanamo prison facility, even after the U.S. determined they posed no terrorist threat to American interests, four Uighurs are apparently enjoying their new-found freedom in Bermuda where they were transported last week after the government there granted them entry as refugees.

From the available reporting, the men appear to be relishing Bermuda (who wouldn't?) and marveling at their good fortune to end up in such circumstances after many difficult years.

As the New York Times reported:

Almost exactly seven years after arriving at Guant??namo in chains as accused enemy combatants, and four days after their surprise predawn flight to Bermuda, four Uighur Muslim men basked in their new-found freedom here, grateful for the handshakes many residents had offered and marveling at the serene beauty of this tidy, postcard island.

In newly purchased polo shirts and chinos, the four husky men, members of a restive ethnic minority from western China, might blend in except for their scruffy beards. Smelling hibiscus flowers, luxuriating in the freedom to drift through scenic streets and harbors, they expressed wonder at their good fortune in landing here after a captivity that included more than a year in solitary confinement.

"I went swimming in the ocean for the first time ever yesterday, and it was the happiest day of my life," said Salahidin Abdulahat, 32.

Over a lunch of fish and chips on Sunday, they praised Bermuda for showing courage in the face of potential Chinese pressures that, in their view, powerful European countries had failed to muster.

The New York Tims failed to mention what the men had for dessert. Fear not, the Associated Press was on the case:

The four men in short-sleeve shirts looked like ordinary tourists, enjoying a Sunday lunch and butter pecan ice cream afterward as they observed the sparkling waters surrounding this Atlantic resort island.

Continue reading "Former Gitmo Uighurs Love Bermuda (Who Wouldn't?)" >

By Frank James

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is calling on President Barack Obama to reverse his pledge to close the Guantanamo prison facility for terrorist suspects and unlawful combatant detainees.

Lieberman, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, is the first senior member of the Senate's Democratic caucus to call for Guantanamo to remain open.

His position isn't surprising, however, since on national security issues he's frequently aligned with Republicans, one reason he was forced to become an independent in 2006 after losing his state's Democratic primary.

NPR's David Welna reports:

WELNA: Connecticut Independent Senator Joe Lieberman's call to keep Guantanamo open follows moves by Congress to deny President Obama funds for shutting down the facility until he offers a detailed plan for doing so. In an interview, Lieberman said the President should reconsider his decision to close Guantanamo.

LIEBERMAN: The president had a good intention in saying that he would close Guantanamo, because Guantanamo has become a symbol for past bad behavior by the United States. But maybe we just have to say 'Look, today it's as humane a facility as you're gonna find for prisoners of war' and we have to explain to the rest of the world that that's the place we have chosen to keep prisoners of war.

WELNA: Many GOP lawmakers have also demanded that Guantanamo remain open. Two days after taking office, President Obama ordered its shutdown within a year .

By Frank James

The United Nations Security Council has approved new sanctions against North Korea as punishment for its recent nuclear test.

According to the Associated Press:

The resolution imposes new sanctions on the reclusive communist nation's weapons exports and financial dealings, and allows inspections of suspect cargo in ports and on the high seas.

U.S. deputy ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo said Friday's vote was a strong and united international response to North Korea's unacceptable behavior.

This is precisely the kind of step recommended by experts who argue that increased multilateral pressure on North Korea is among the limited steps available to the U.S. and its international partners.

Continue reading "UN Security Council Votes New North Korea Sanctions" >

By Mark Memmott

This headline at Haaretz.com catches the eye --

"Settler Leaders: Hussein Obama Bought Into Arab Lies."

Here's how the story begins:

Settler leaders reacted with frustration in the wake of U.S. President Obama's speech in Cairo on Thursday, Israel Radio reported.

"Today, the State of Israel is paying is paying the price of its leaders' defeatism," Yesha Council said in a statement. "Hussein Obama gave priority to Arab lies, which have always been told with determination and daring, at the expense of the Jewish truth, which has been said in a weak and unconfident voice."

The council is, of course, making a point to use President Barack Obama's middle name in its statement.

By Mark Memmott

On Morning Edition a few minutes ago, NPR's Michele Kelemen said one of President Barack Obama's goals in the speech he just delivered in Cairo was to "change the debate" on Arab-Israeli relations.

Here's the discussion she had with hosts Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne, and analysts Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland and Rami Khouri, editor of Lebanon's Daily Star:

The president spoke at Cairo University. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

 

By Mark Memmott

How is President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo playing? Here are some of the early reactions:

-- At the liberal Huffington Post, the front page of the site is making much of the "standing ovation" Obama got and that "I love you" was shouted three times.

-- Over at the conservative National Review's The Corner blog, Michael Rubin's headline is "Obama abandons Democracy." He makes the case that Obama "studiously" avoided the word "democracy." Only problem with Rubin's post: The president used that word at least four times and spent considerable time addressing the need for governments "to reflect the will of the people."

-- The New York Times' headline right now is "Obama Calls For Alliances With Muslims."

-- The Wall Street Journal is leading with this:

President Barack Obama called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims" Thursday, and said together they could confront violent extremism across the globe and advance the timeless search for peace in the Middle East.

We'll add more reactions and analyses as they come in.

By Mark Memmott

Good morning.

As Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep said a short while ago, the story that the news media will be following all morning is the speech President Barack Obama is giving at Cairo University. Steve and NPR's Don Gonyea, who is in Cairo, talked this morning about what's expected. Don says the president will tell the Arab and Muslim worlds that they need to do more to allow true democracies to develop.

We'll be posting updates from the speech as they happen. Just click the "play" button below and our posts should flow in automatically.

You'll also be able to listen to the speech at NPR.org, watch it on the official White House Facebook page or at WhiteHouse.gov, and of course it will be carried on the cable news TV networks.

After the speech, we'll put up posts with highlights, reaction and analysis.

By Frank James

It's hard to know what to make of the speculation that Kim Jong Il has named his son Kim Jong-un to succeed him as the maximum leader of North Korea.

On one hand, the Washington Post reported today that the 26-year old heir apparent is a Michael Jordan fan. So he evidently has good taste in basketball players.

But he is, after all, the little known scion of an oppressive, outlaw regime which is developing and proliferating nuclear weapons technology, providing a lot of reasons for concern.

NPR's Anthony Kuhn reported on All Things Considered today that North Korea's military appears to be coalescing around the younger Kim, which is all that really matters.

An excerpt of his report:

There are few countries left where a ruler can say he has the right to rule because his father and grandfather did.

But Kim Jaebum, professor emeritus at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security in Seoul says that's the prevailing logic in Pyongyang.

KIM JAEBUM: "This is a kind of inherited philosophy, that the Great Leader founded the country and the party, and his son was an heir, so that the third generation has a kind of legitimacy."

South Korean media today quoted lawmakers briefed by intelligence officials. They said that following last week's nuclear test, Pyongyang ordered officials to pledge loyalty to Kim Jong-un, third son of the "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-il and grandson of the "Great Leader" Kim Il-sung. Professor Kim says the orders seem to be having an effect.

Continue reading "North Korea, Land Of The Rising Son " >

By Frank James

Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal is testifying before the Senate Armed Service Committee today in his confirmation hearing to be the nation's top commander in Afghanistan.

Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, President Barack Obama's nominee to be commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 2, 2009. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

His confirmation is widely expected, despite controversies over the way he handled the aftermath of the death of former pro football star Pat Tillman in a friendly fire case and the detainee abuses attributed to a unit he commanded in Iraq.

There was nothing in the early questioning by the senators to suggest that McChrystal's nomination was in trouble.

Here are a few excerpts from McChrystal's testimony:

The challenge is considerable this is not the environment we or our NATO allies and other international partners envisioned four or even two years ago. But it is the environment we have today and the place from which we must navigate a way forward.

There is no simple answer. We must conduct a holistic counterinsurgency campaign. And we must do it well. Success will not be quick or easy. Casualties will likely increase. We will make mistakes. The commitment and the continued support of this committee, Congress and the American people will be vital. With the appropriate resources, time, sacrifice and resources we can prevail..."

Continue reading "Won't Measure Afghan Success By 'Enemy Killed': McChrystal" >

Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep writes about some of the questions that come to his mind after interviewing President Barack Obama at the White House Monday:

Michele Norris and I pressed the president on Israel, the latest subject on which Obama wants to reconcile seemingly irreconcilable interests. During his presidential campaign, he gave a speech on race in which he said that he could even accept his own white grandmother despite her bigoted statements. A few weeks ago he spoke about national security, and again tried to weave potentially conflicting interests, like the Constitution and fighting terrorism.

Now he wants to steer between Israel -- America's staunch ally --- and Arab nations that are considered critical to the region's security. Obama's speech in Cairo this week might be the hardest task yet of seeking some elegant way to embrace opposing parties, and suggest that they can be on the same page -- his page.

We got some hints of how he wants to approach the problem, and we expect to report further in the coming days.

He sat down with us knowing that Israel rejected his demand to stop building West Bank settlements. So what was his response? First, he tried to be understanding of Israel --- "well, I think it's still early in the process. They formed a government, what, a month ago?"

Later, he warned that his patience is not limitless --- "the United States has to follow through on what it says." He seemed to suggest that Israel may face consequences for defying America. Not now, but eventually. He didn't say what the consequences would be. But he said it's time to "be honest" about how he thinks Israel is damaging its own interests and America's.

That's all nuanced and subtle; but Israel doesn't yet seem willing to heed his demands. What now?

There's also the question of dealing with militant groups on Israel's flanks; Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Obama suggests that if Hezbollah wins elections in Lebanon this weekend, the U.S. might have to "engage" with Hezbollah --- in other words, talk to a militant group --- much as it is trying to engage Iran. What would that mean for Israel? What would it mean for America?

It's an intricate problem. The president approaches it knowing that all his maneuvering could be blown away by the next cataclysmic news from Iraq or Afghanistan, and the Muslim world's reaction to it.

A camel-mounted police officer patrols near the Cheops pyramids in the Giza plateau today, in preparation for a possible visit by President Obama. Cris Bouroncle/AFP/Getty Images

 

By Frank James

President Barack Obama used the opportunity of his meeting today with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to restate U.S. support for a two-state solution and to call for both sides to live up to their obligations under the roadmap agreement. The meeting came a week after Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Talking to reporters with Abbas at his side, Obama said:

We are a stalwart ally of Israel, and it is in our interest to assure that Israel is safe and secure. It is our belief that the best way to achieve that is to create the conditions on the ground and set the stage for a Palestinian state as well.

And so what I told Prime Minister Netanyahu was, is that each party has obligations under the road map. On the Israeli side, those obligations include stopping settlements. They include making sure that there is a viable, substantial Palestinian state.

On the Palestinian side, it's going to be important and necessary to continue to take the security steps on the West Bank that President Abbas has already begun to take, working with General Dayton. We've seen great progress in terms of security on the West Bank. Those security steps need to continue because Israel has to have some confidence that security on the West Bank is in place in order for us to advance this process.

And I also mentioned to President Abbas, in a frank exchange, that it was very important to continue to make progress in reducing the incitement and anti-Israel sentiments that are sometimes expressed in schools and mosques and in the public square, because all those things are impediments to peace.

Continue reading "Obama Wades Deeper Into Mideast Morass" >

BY Frank James

Secretary of State HillaryClinton, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit, speak to reporters during a State Department news conference, Wednesday, May 27, 2009.AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

The Obama Administration responded Wednesday to North Korea's latest threat to attack South Korea by trying not to raise the temperature on the crisis any more than necessary.

Officials walked the tightrope of talking tough without trying to say anything that would further inflame the North Koreans.

In a media availability with her Egyptian counterpart, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked about North Korea. Saying the U.S. would like nothing more than the North Koreans to return to the negotiating table, her words sounded like the triumph of hope over experience.

Meanwhile, she tried to allay fears in Asia by reassuring its allies South Korea and Japan that the U.S. has their backs.

Here's her exchange with a reporter:

Q Thank you, Madame Secretary and Mr. Foreign Minister.

Madame Secretary, on North Korea, Pyongyang is threatening to go to war, with South Korea, over joining -- (off mike). Do you take those threats seriously. And how will the U.S. protect your ally, South Korea?

There are also reports that North Korea is restarting its reprocessing facility. Would that be a violation of the U.S. agreement, through the six-party talks? What should the consequences be?

CLINTON: ... With respect to North Korea, North Korea has made a choice. It has chosen to violate the specific language of the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718. It has ignored the international community. It has abrogated the obligations it entered into through the six-party talks. And it continues to act in a provocative and belligerent manner toward its neighbors.

There are consequences to such actions. In the United Nations as we speak, discussions are going on to add to the consequences that North Korea will face coming out of the latest behavior, with the intent to try to rein in the North Koreans and get them back into a framework where they are once again fulfilling their obligations and moving toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

But they have chosen the path they're on. And I'm very pleased that we have a unified international community, including China and Russia, in setting forth a very specific condemnation of North Korea and then working with us for a firm resolution going forward.

Continue reading "Obama Team On N. Korea: Talking Tough But Not Too Much" >

One of a few buildings with lights is seen on the North Korean bank across the Yalu river from the Chinese border town of Dandong, northeastern China's Liaoning province, Monday, May 25 , 2009. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

 

By Frank James

It may be the Memorial Day holiday in the U.S. but it would appear North Korea never takes a holiday from jerking the world's chain.

Today, it was the suspected underground test of a nuclear device, evidently the first such test by the North Koreans since 2006. And as if to punctuate its defiance, the North Koreans test fired three short-range missiles.

The U.S. hasn't confirmed the test through its own devices, at least not publicly. But the Russians are reporting that they've confirmed the nuclear test, according to the Associated Press.

An excerpt from the AP story:

Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed an atomic explosion occurred early Monday in northeastern North Korea and estimated that its strength was similar to bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II.

The 15-nation Security Council was to hold its emergency session on the matter later Monday at U.N. headquarters in New York.

This morning, before heading to Arlington National Cemetery, to mark Memorial Day, President Barack Obama reacted to the reported nuclear test:

I wanted to say a few words about North Korea's announcement that it has conducted a nuclear test, as well as its decision to attempt a short-range missile launch.

North Korea's nuclear ballistic missile programs pose a great threat to the peace and security of the world and I strongly condemn their reckless action. North Korea's actions endanger the people of Northeast Asia, they are a blatant violation of international law, and they contradict North Korea's own prior commitments.

Continue reading "North Korea Tests Nuclear Device" >

Vice President Joe Biden, right, speaks during a press conference with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, left, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, May 22, 2009. AP Photo/Hussein Malla

 

By Frank James

While his predecessor is making headlines for attacking the Obama Administration's approach towards Guantanamo and terrorist suspects, Vice President Joe Biden is in Beirut, Lebanon today where his job is to demonstrate the Obama team's support for the weak Lebanese government in the run-up to the June 7 elections.

There's a very real fear in Washington that Hezbollah, the militant Islamic group, could make larger electoral inroads in the election. Pro-democracy forces within Lebanon are also worried that outreach by the U.S. to Iran and Syria might result in the U.S. weakening its support for the democracy movement there.

Syria has long viewed Lebanon as one of its provinces and has used Hezbollah as a proxy to exert control in the country.

So Biden's public comments today in Lebanon were all about reassuring officials in the weak government and Lebanon's pro-democracy movement that the U.S. was their stalwart ally.

Here's a large excerpt from the statement he made after his meeting with Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman:

We support your sovereignty, Mr. President. We support -- admire your democratic process, and will do all in our power to help you enforce your democratic institutions.

We appreciate the broad support in Lebanon and around the world for you, President Sleiman; for your efforts to produce a -- pursue a national unity dialogue and to revitalize the vision of a peaceful Lebanon, a democracy that obviously cannot be strong without strong institutions.

And therefore the United States remains committed to making sure that Lebanon's institutions are as strong as possible. That's why it's so important that the people of Lebanon participate in your democratic elections in June, Mr. President.

Continue reading "Biden Tells Lebanon: 'We Support Your Sovereignty'" >

By Frank James

David Welna, NPR's congressional correspondent, gathered reactions on Capitol Hill today to President Barack Obama's speech on closing Guantanamo and former Vice President Dick Cheney's response. Here's some of what he heard. And, to no one's surprise, the views lined up neatly along partisan lines.

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md), House Majority Leader

(On Cheney) I don't think he's doing it for the Republican party, however, I think he's doing it for Vice President Cheney and the legacy that he might or might not have, well, the legacy he's gonna have.

Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) House Minority Leader

(On Obama) I think on this one, he's dead wrong. And I think most Americans agree. The decision to close this prison, without an alternative in place, is irresponsible.

The president spoke a great deal about trust. But he declined to provide Americans with a clear plan for what to do with these terrorists. despite the overwhelming opposition, from the American people and a bipartisan majority here in Congress, he's moving ahead with importing terrorists into the United States for trial in our civilian federal courts. I think this is a pre - 9/11 mentality. And I think it will make our nation less safe.

Sen. Mitch McConnell Senate Minority Leader

And with all due respect to the president, what we need here is not a speech, but a plan. And the plan was what was clearly missing from the speech here today in my view what is driving this issue is a quest for popularity in Europe more than continuing policies that have demonstrably made America safe since 9/11.

The president didn't mention what has happened since 9/11 a single time. And what's happened, of course, is we haven't been attacked again here at home. So clearly, these procedures and policies worked.

A big, flowery campaign speech is fine, but what the Congress voted for yesterday is not for a speech, but for a plan.

(On delaying Gitmo's closing) It may cost you a few popularity points in Europe, but as you indicated, Mr. President, in your speech today, figuring out what to do with these folks is quite complicated. And it's better to do that in a timely fashion without the arbitrary deadline for closing Guantanamo. We can bring them here. The question is, should we? And I think in most instances the answer would be no. Guantanamo has worked very well. I've been there. Others have been there. No one has escaped from there. I'm not sure this is broke and needs fixing.

We can put them in u.s. jails, the question is, should we? Could we? Yes. the issue is, should we? The answer is, no.

Continue reading "Congress Reacts To Obama Gitmo Speech With Typical Partisanship" >

By Mark Memmott

Right now at the White House, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is unveiling some details about the $110 million in humanitarian aid the U.S. plans to send Pakistan.

Also, during her briefing for reporters, Reuters says, Clinton has called recent U.S. policy toward Pakistan "incoherent."

As she's been speaking, the White House has sent reporters this breakdown of the aid:

Continue reading "Clinton Lays Out Some Details On $110M In Aid To Pakistan" >

By Mark Memmott

Yesterday, Frank ran through some of the differences between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over steps needed to make any progress toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Today, as if anyone needed yet another reminder of how intractable the quest for peace in the Middle East is, there's this headline at Haaretz.com:

"Shin Bet: No Chance For Peace While Hamas Rules Gaza."

Need a refresher on Shin Bet, the Israeli domestic security agency? The BBC has one here.

By Mark Memmott

"Will we kill everyone who is associated with the Taliban? No," Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, just told Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep as they opened a conversation about whether Pakistan will be able to assert control over largely lawless areas on its border with Afghanistan.

Ambassador Haqqani during a June, 2008, interview with the Associated Press. Gerald Herbert/AP

But, Haqqani continues, "all those who are engaged in terrorism and whose objective is to topple the Pakistani state ... will be fought and defeated."

The keys to bringing order to regions where Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters are in position, Haqqani says, will be for his nation's military "to clear the area of the Taliban and then hold it." But, he adds, "at the same time, we have to rebuild" the region to give people there a reason to reject the groups that oppose his government.

Update at 11:05 a.m. ET. More on Pakistan's nuclear weapons.

As we noted earlier, Steve pressed the ambassador on whether Pakistan is adding to its arsenal of nuclear weapons. If you click "play," Steve notes that Haqqani threw in several qualifiers when giving his answer:

Update at 10 a.m. ET: As he finishes up the interview, Steve asks if the more than 1 million refugees from Pakistan's Swat Valley represent a danger to the stability of the nation's government.

Haqqani makes the case that if the government does a good enough job helping those people rebuild their lives, any terrorist groups will lose favor in that region.

"The way to beat them is to make sure that the government and the secular groups are more effective in delivering aid than they are," the ambassador says.

Update at 9:50 a.m. ET. If the U.S. gives Pakistan billions of dollars in additional aid, Steve asks, will that money go toward building more nuclear weapons?

"Certainly not," Haqqani said, "and I think the American government knows that." Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, he adds, is only meant to deter "a much larger neighbor" -- India.

But, Steve asks, is Pakistan expanding its nuclear arsenal? "There's no way for me to technically know," the ambassador responds. He then repeats that his nation's strategy is one of deterrence.

Steve's interview with Haqqani is scheduled to air on tomorrow's Morning Edition.

Former President Bill Clinton helps distribute food in the in Cite Soleil slum of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince during a March 2009 visit. THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP/Getty Images

 

By Frank James

Former President Bill Clinton is to be named a special United Nations envoy to Haiti according to reports which say the announcement will come Tuesday.

An excerpt from an Associated Press story:

An official announcement is expected Tuesday from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said.

Clinton is popular among many of Haiti's poor because as president in 1994, he used the threat of military force to oust a dictatorship in the Caribbean nation. U.S. Army troops and Marines then quickly arrived to pave the way for the return of elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who had been ousted in a coup.

Continue reading "Bill Clinton To Be UN's Special Envoy To Haiti" >

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu listens in the Oval Office. JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

 

By Frank James

If there were any uncomfortable moments between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, you'd never know it based on the body language and words of the men following their first private meeting in the White House as leaders of their respective nations

Both men spoke of their determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Both spoke of the need for a durable peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

And both men lauded each other with words seemingly meant to inspire each man to do what was seen as the right thing in the eyes of the other.

Obama said of Netanyahu:

Prime Minister Netanyahu has the benefit of having served as prime minister previously. He has both youth and wisdom.

PRIME MIN. NETANYAHU: Well, I don't dispute youth, so that's
good. (Chuckles.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA: -- and I think is in a position to achieve the
security objectives of Israel, but also bring about historic peace.

And I'm confident that he's going to seize this moment and the United
States is going to do everything we can to be constructive, effective
partners in this process.

At another point, Obama said:

And I have great confidence that he's going to rise to the occasion, and I actually think that you're going to see movement in -- among Arab states that we have not seen before.

In that way, Obama appeared to be saying Netanyahu should set aside any narrow, parochial, political considerations and become the prime minister who crafts a lasting Israel-Palestinian peace.

For his part, Netanyahu, who came to the U.S., according to reports, determined to drive home the point that Iran could under no circumstance be allowed to get a nuclear weapon, reminded Obama that he was a world leader and a "true friend" to Israel. It went unsaid that such descriptions came with major expectations:

Continue reading "Obama, Netanyahu Agree On Iran, Peace (At Least Publicly)" >

By Frank James

The last time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Oval Office as leader of his nation in 1998, President Bill Clinton was in the White House pressing Netanyahu to negotiate with Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat.

Netanyahu did, negotiating the Wye Memorandum with Arafat, an understanding for Israel to turn over as much as 40 percent of West Bank territory to the Palestinians. That led to a revolt by Israel's right-wing groups and contributed to Netanyahu's ruling coalition crumbling.

That's the difficult background President Barack Obama will be working against in his meeting with Netanyahu at the White House today.

Obama would like Israel to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority towards achieving a two-state solution -- Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. In the nearer term, he would like the Israels to stop building West Bank settlements.

For Netayahu, talks with the Palestinians didn't work out so well politically for him the last time. So whatever Obama suggests that looks from Netanyahu's point of view as more concessions to the Palestinians, may not get friendliest reception.

Indeed, it's hard to see how the two leaders bridge their different political and strategic needs. Their differences almost appear irreconcilable from the outside.

Continue reading "Obama, Netanyahu: Irreconcilable Differences?" >