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Despite the interruption, Benjamin was not immediately removed from the audience. However, after allowing Obama to continue with his remarks for several more moments, Benjamin once again interjected, this time regarding the death of the 16-year-old Abdulrahman. As her voice rose--and Obama paused to listen--security then intervened:
Charting a New Course on Terrorism President Obama offered a comprehensive review of U.S. counterterrorism policies since 9/11, while vowing to ratchet down the violence and acknowledging harm done to America's principles and image. Still, many details of his plans remain fuzzy and follow-through far from certain, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.
Obama Distorts 'Just War' Principles In assessing the consequences of the decade-plus "war on terror," President Obama sought to place his continued – albeit more targeted – use of violence within the context of just-war principles, stressing self-defense and proportionality, a point that religious ethicist Daniel C. Maguire disputes.
Obama outlines counterterrorism policy Both the military and the CIA use armed drones in surveillance and strike operations around the world. The military uses them routinely in war zones, while the CIA uses unmanned planes in top-secret operations to track and kill insurgents in the border regions of Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. Estimates from independent groups on U.S. drone strikes and deaths...
Guantanamo, Drone Strikes and the Non-War Terror War: Obama Speaks In a carefully crafted - at times defensive, discourse, Obama said, "In some cases, I believe we compromised our basic values - by using torture to interrogate our enemies and detaining individuals in a way that ran counter to the rule of law," adding, "We unequivocally banned torture." But Obama failed to note that the United Nations Human Rights Commission determined in 2006 that the violent force-feeding of detainees at Guantanamo amounted to torture and that he has continued that policy.
What Does Terrorism Mean in 2013? For example, the murder of a Muslim man by white supremacists this month. That wasn't labeled as terrorism by the press. Right, even though hate crimes have very clearly ascertainable, political goals–they are designed to terrorize communities; to express all sorts of political sentiments–and yet very rarely do they get called terrorism.
Britain braces for possible copycat attacks Britain is bracing for clashes with right-wing extremists and possible copycat terror attacks after the brutal slaying of a young soldier.
Exiled cleric who taught UK knifeman praises 'courage' A Syrian-born Islamist cleric who taught one of the attackers accused of hacking to death an off-duty British soldier on a London street praised the attack for its "courage" and said Muslims would see it as a strike on a military target.
RAF jets escort diverted Pakistani passenger plane However, the Guardian understands that the pilot, concerned about a disruptive passenger who had started shouting, asked to divert to Stansted, London's third airport, as a precaution.
'They don't want to integrate': Fifth night of youth rioting rocks Stockholm Youth gang riots in the Swedish capital Stockholm have entered fifth straight night. Hundreds of mostly immigrant teenagers tore through the suburbs, smashing windows and burning cars in the country's worst outbreak of violence in years.
Take Syria seriously, stay out Syria's civil war inspired some in Congress and in the media. Stupidity or insanity? Some people don't learn from past mistakes? Why start another body count in a Middle East conflict with no direct relationship to U.S. security? New York Times reporter Bill Keller says, "Get over Iraq," like commanding AIDs patients to get over their disease, and "poof," it will magically happen.
Revenge of the Bear: Russia Strikes Back in Syria President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation has drawn a line in the sand over Syria, the government of which he is determined to protect from overthrow.
ANC, US congratulate Zimbabwe on constitution South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the United States ambassador to Zimbabwe have congratulated President Mugabe and the generality of Zimbabweans following the coming into law of a new Constitution for the country on Wednesday.
26 killed in 2 simultaneous car bombs in Niger Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously on Thursday, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing a total of 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France.
Britain 'should apologise for colonial injustices' Posted: Thursday, May 23, 2013
Moments leading to fatal FBI shooting in Orlando still unclear Initially, FBI officials said Todashev, 27, became violent and lunged at an agent with a knife while he was being questioned about Tsarnaev and an unsolved 2011 triple murder in the Boston suburb of Waltham. The agent, acting on an "imminent threat," then shot Todashev, they said. However, later in the day, some of those officials had backed off that preliminary account, and it's no longer clear what happened in the moments before the fatal shooting, The Associated Press reported.
Mugabe signs constitution into law, paving way for vote Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe signed a new constitution into law on Wednesday, replacing a 33-year-old document forged in the dying days of British colonial rule and paving the way for an election later this year.
Sweden riots expose ugly side of 'Nordic model' Conversations with residents of this Swedish immigrant neighborhood soon bring tales of fruitless job hunts, police harassment, racial taunts and a feeling of living at the margins that are at odds with Sweden's reputation for openness and tolerance.
Swedish riots rage for fourth night Police attacked and cars torched in Stockholm suburbs as unrest sparked by long-term youth unemployment and poverty spreads
Sergio García: I'm sorry ... I'm not a racist Sergio García has denied racist intent in his comments towards Tiger Woods on Tuesday night, with the Spaniard also escaping any punishment from golf's ruling bodies for his now infamous remarks at the European Tour's annual gala dinner.
Obama Gets Heckled About Guantanamo Bay During Speech On Terrorism OBAMA: There is no justification beyond politics for congress to prevent us from closing a facility that never should have been opened. HECKLER: Excuse me, President Obama, you are commander-in-chief--
What is the U.S. REALLY doing in Syria? The Syrian conflict has become a proxy fight between the opposition and its various allies (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Turkey, etc.) and Bashar al-Assad's regime and its various outsider supporters (Iran, Russia, Hezbollah).
Austria says peackeepers may quit Golan if EU arms rebels Austria may pull its peacekeeping troops from the Golan Heights, evacuating the U.N. buffer zone, its defence minister warned on Tuesday, as Syria and Israel exchanged fire across a long dormant frontline now inflamed by civil war.
'March Against Monsanto' Posted: Thursday, May 23, 2013
Obama, in a Shift, to Limit Targets of Drone Strikes President Obama plans to open a new phase in the nation's long struggle with terrorism on Thursday by restricting the use of unmanned drone strikes that have been at the heart of his national security strategy and shifting control of them away from the C.I.A. to the military.
Man killed in deadly terror attack in London street Dramatic footage of the suspected terrorist attack near the Woolwich barracks today that left one man dead has emerged, showing a man with blood covered hands using jihadist rhetoric to justify the violence.
FBI agent shoots, kills Orlando man questioned in Boston bombing probe An FBI agent in Orlando shot dead a man questioned in the Boston bombing investigation whom the agency says turned violent during an interview late Tuesday. The suspect was identified by the FBI as Ibragim Todashev, 27, of Orlando.
Noam Chomsky: Obama was willing to start nuclear war... Posted: Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Noam Chomsky: Obama was willing to start nuclear war to kill bin Laden "We were very close to war with Pakistan, which easily could have turned into a nuclear war, which could have destroyed all of us," he told Jason Liosatos of Global Peace Radio. "The Obama administration was willing to take that chance, though there were other ways of finding and apprehending bin Laden."
The Globalization of Hypocrisy The damage caused by the relentless corporate drive for profits has become more clear in recent years. In the most important areas of American life, devastating changes have occurred...
Senate panel OKs tax-welfare benefits for newly legal immigrants The SenateJudiciary Committee voted Monday to allow illegal immigrants who get legal status to begin collecting tax-welfare payments, as the panel spent a fourth day working through amendments to the massive immigration bill and party-line splits began to emerge.
CIA Honored Benghazi Chief in Secret Ceremony Part of why the State Department has taken the brunt of the political blame for the Benghazi attack, writes Eli Lake, is that clandestine services by definition have very little public oversight.
AP CEO calls records seizure 'unconstitutional' The Associated Press' president and chief executive says the government's secret seizure of two months of reporters' phone records has already had a chilling effect on newsgathering, a week after the subpoenas were revealed publicly.
Iraqi tribal leaders demand federation All-out war threatened by Anbar's Sunni leaders as new wave of sectarian violence leaves at least 77 people dead.
28 Hezbollah Reported Killed as Fighting in West Syria Continues Hezbollah isn't exactly a militia looking for a cause. They got their start resisting the early 1980?s Israeli occupation, and while they've had political and social work auxiliaries, the combat force has centered on fighting Israel.
State Medical Examiner: 37 People Dead, Death Toll Expected To Rise A monstrous tornado at least a half-mile wide roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. At least 37 people were reported killed.
'Co-Conspirator': Fox News Reporter James Rosen's Private Emails Given To Justice Dept. By Google As a result of Fox News Channel's State Department reporter James Rosen's 2009 investigation into the government's response to North Korea's repeated provocations, it was reported on Monday that the Department of Justice tracked Rosen's movements as well as subpoenaed telephone and email records. According to the DoJ's subpoena, Google surrendered Rosen's emails, who is described as "an aider and abettor and/or co-conspirator," to the government.
Mary J. Blige 'hit with $3.4 million tax bill' Mary J. Blige's financial troubles have gotten a whole lot worse. The singer has reportedly been hit with a $3.4 million bill on top of the $900K she already owes the state of New Jersey.
Monday Mayhem: 133 Killed, 283 Wounded in Iraq Coordinated bombing attacks resumed today. At least ten blasts were seen in the capital alone, and a pair of rare explosions occurred far south in Basra. Both Sunni and Shi'ites targeted in them.
100 Days of Guantanamo Hunger Strike: Special Coverage
Cannibalizing Syria: The West to blame The latest shocking video to emerge from Syria - showing a militant commander carving out the internal organs of a dead regime soldier and proceeding to eat them in front of the camera - has prompted a telling reaction from the Western corporate-controlled news media.
Mystery Sponsor Of Weapons And Money To Syrian Mercenary "Rebels" Revealed Previously, when looking at the real underlying national interests responsible for the deteriorating situation in Syria, which eventually may and/or will devolve into all out war with hundreds of thousands killed, we made it very clear that it was always and only about the gas, or gas pipelines to be exact, and specifically those involving the tiny but uber-wealthy state of Qatar.
Lavrov says Russia, U.N. agree on Syria Russian Defense Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday he and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are in agreement on the future of Syria.
3 Glaring Hypocrisies in Obama's Iran Policy In testimony to Congress on Wednesday, Obama's State Department official Wendy Sherman reiterated the administration's policy on Iran. Since the intelligence community has concluded for some time now that Iran has not yet decided to pursue nuclear weapons, Sherman felt compelled to recite a litany of supposed Iranian transgressions to justify America's harsh economic sanctions and overall belligerence toward the country.
Report: IRS Deliberately Chose Not to Fess Up to Scandal Before Election The IRS commissioner "has known for at least a year that this was going on," said Myers, "and that this had happened. And did he share any of that information with the White House? But even more importantly, Congress is going to ask him, why did you mislead us for an entire year?
Rangel: 'This Is Wrong to Abuse the Tax System' Rep. Charlie Rangel (D., N.Y.), who was notably censured for not paying 17 years worth of taxes on rental income from a Dominican Republic villa he owned, said Friday morning, "This is wrong to abuse the tax system."
Jimmy Carter: 'I do not favor' legalizing marijuana Six months after the former president told a Georgia crowd he supported state efforts to legalize marijuana use, Carter told gathering in Atlanta on Friday he supported keeping weed illegal.
Michelle Obama speaks of 'hunger' for education First lady Michelle Obama spoke passionately about the importance of education to the African-American community in a commencement address Friday, urging more than 600 graduates of Bowie State University to honor the school's history and to pass their commitment to education on to future generations.
DR Congo clashes kill at least 21 Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013
'Massive' troop deployment in Nigeria Forces being sent to states of Borno, Yoba and Adamawa after emergency imposed in wake of violent attacks by Boko Haram.
DR Congo clashes kill at least 21 Violent clashes between rebels and government troops in the restive eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have left at least 21 people dead, a military official said Thursday.
Karzai says U.S. wants to keep 9 bases in Afghanistan Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in a speech Thursday that the United States wants to retain nine bases in Afghanistan after NATO’s formal withdrawal in 2014, his first concrete statement on American plans to stay in the country beyond 2014.
Israel Hints at New Strikes, Warning Syria Not to Hit Back In a clear warning to Syria, Israel was considering additional military strikes and that the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, would face crippling consequences if he retaliated.
Feds crack down on bitcoin exchange The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) executed a seizure warrant to shut down the world’s largest bitcoin exchange for operating an unlicensed money transmitting service, according to documents filed in a Maryland court on Tuesday.
London police launch probe against Altaf Hussain The London Metropolitan police Wednesday launched an investigation against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain following complaints by hundreds of British and Pakistani citizens.
IRS Abuses Power in Targeting Tea Party The extraordinary revelation this week that the Internal Revenue Service targeted Tea Party groups for more aggressive enforcement highlights exactly why caution is needed in any response to the much-vilified Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC.
The IRS wants YOU — to share everything A POLITICO review of documents from 11 tea party and conservative groups that the IRS scrutinized in 2012 shows the agency wanted to know everything — in some cases, it even seemed curious what members were thinking.
Obama, the uninterested president Late Monday came the breathtaking news of a full-frontal assault on the First Amendment by his administration: word that the Justice Department had gone on a fishing expedition through months of phone records of Associated Press reporters.
IRS official Lerner speedily approved exemption for Obama brother's 'charity' Lois Lerner, the senior IRS official at the center of the decision to target tea party groups for burdensome tax scrutiny, signed paperwork granting tax-exempt status to the Barack H. Obama Foundation, a shady charity headed by the president’s half-brother that operated illegally for years.
Eric Holder defends AP seizure citing major security threat to public The US attorney general, Eric Holder, has defended the Obama administration's controversial seizure of phone records from the Associated Press, saying that a story run by the news organisation had posed a major security threat to the American public.
Deadly Benghazi blast caused by fisherman's explosives A blast that killed three people in Libya's second city Benghazi was caused by fishing explosives that detonated accidentally, not a car bomb as originally thought, a local government official said on Tuesday.