#1
It's worse than that. On an interview with her shown on MEMRI, she says that the Egyptians should look to the Constitutions of South Africa or Canada, not to the US Constitution, for what to include in their new constitution.
Their constitutions are "newer", so they must be better.
For my money this is just as bad as when justices Kennedy, Stevens, Breyer, O'Connor, and Ginsburg embraced the idea that the SCOTUS should consider what foreign judges and world political opinion should be in evaluating American law for constitutionality. (Breyer specified in particular about the death penalty and homosexuality).
#2
Common academic wisdom is that the US Consitution gives too much power to the executive branch and that's susceptible to strongman tactics and take over. On the other hand, it took 200+ years for that to happen here.
Section 1. The judicial power of the United States shall not extend rights or privileges, provided to citizens by this Constitution, to foreign enemies of the United States who shall fall under the military jurisdiction of the United States in time of war or military conflict; except as shall be agreed to by the United States under international treaty on the conduct of war.
Section 2. The judicial power of the courts established under Article III of this Constitution shall not be guided by any precedent or opinion by any foreign court or tribunal; except as shall be agreed to by the United States under international treaty.
Section 3. The Fourteenth article of amendment to this Constitution shall not be construed to provide or require a benefit or emolument to foreign nationals who are found to be residing illegally within the United States or its territories.
Section 4. Only citizens of the United States, properly registered to vote in the state in which they reside, shall vote in any election held by the United States or any state; and no foreign national in the United States shall be counted for purposes of apportionment or voting.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/02/2012 20:18 Comments ||
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#4
Section X. That no individual appointed to a federal judicial office shall hold the office for more than 12 consecutive years, but will must be reconfirmed by the Senate in order to retain that office or any other judicial seat.
Section 4. Only citizens of the United States, owning property or paying taxes, properly registered to vote in the state in which they reside, shall vote in any election held by the United States or any state; and no foreign national in the United States shall be counted for purposes of apportionment or voting.
Posted by Steve White
#1
From the source article: So what the hell, exactly, are we doing rushing around the world, acting as if we were under siege from an alien race living at the Earths core, popping up in a new hot spot every 15 months? Why have we seen the need to remake our national character and Constitutional principles to bring democracy to Libya? The issue is not withdrawing from the worlda solid, reliable, credible, alliance-defending America could still stiffen the global communitys spine at key points without making every new chaotic outbreak its business, and without allowing presidents to claim the right to parachute into any war that struck their fancy.
We wait, calmly and without much expectation, for a political leader who might begin to see all of this as an authentic Danger to the American Republic.
This month, the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department reported that China imported 102,779 kilograms of gold from Hong Kong in November, an increase from October's 86,299 kilograms. Beijing does not release gold trade figures, so for this and other reasons the Hong Kong numbers are considered the best indication of China's gold imports.
Analysts believe China bought as much as 490 tons of gold in 2011, double the estimated 245 tons in 2010. "The thing that's caught people's minds is the massive increase in Chinese buying," remarked Ross Norman of Sharps Pixley, a London gold brokerage, this month.
So who in China is buying all this gold? China is going through what the US did in 2005-2006. When they fall, who will buy our debt? I see the gravy train derailing this year.
#3
TW: The article says it is capital flight. Property prices are collapsing and the only real hedge against currency and property devaluation is gold. The US did the same thing in 2006 and gold shot up to record levels.
#5
Why Are the Chinese Buying Record Quantities of Gold?
They took Goldfinger seriously.
Gold:
1. You can't eat it.
2. You can't grow food in it.
3. It has a couple of industrial uses that can be substituted with other metals.
4. It looks purty inna wedding ring but silly and fake in large quantities. (Return to Step 1.)
Go for it, China!
Posted by: Gabby Cussworth, Man of a Thousand Nyms ||
02/02/2012 16:35 Comments ||
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On this day last year, I posted two charts that I developed using the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Banks interactive website.
Those two charts showed that the current recovery was very weak compared to the boom of the early 1980s.
But perhaps that was an unfair comparison. Maybe the Reagan recovery started strong and then hit a wall. Or maybe the Obama recovery was the economic equivalent of a late bloomer.
So lets look at the same charts, but add an extra year of data. Does it make a difference?
Meh not so much.
Lets start with the GDP data. The comparison is striking. Under Reagans policies, the economy skyrocketed. Heck, the chart prepared by the Minneapolis Fed doesnt even go high enough to show how well the economy performed during the 1980s.
Under Obamas policies, by contrast, weve just barely gotten back to where we were when the recession began. Unlike past recessions, we havent enjoyed a strong bounce. And this means we havent recovered the output that was lost during the downturn.
[Dawn] THE list of those charged or accused under the country's questionable blasphemy laws -- that too on the flimsiest of pretexts -- is far too long. Soofi Mohammad Ishaq, sentenced to death by a judge in Jhelum on Monday in a blasphemy case, is another addition to this unenviable list. As reported, Mr Ishaq, a holy man settled in the US, returned to Talagang, Punjab in 2009. The custodian of a shrine, he received a rousing reception from his followers. However, there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly... some people apparently felt that his disciples were overzealous in their adulation and considered 'bowing' before the holy man 'blasphemous'. At this point, we cannot but wonder whether the accusation of blasphemy was driven by ulterior motives, as is usually the case.
Reportedly, the man who made the complaint against Mr Ishaq was unhappy with the fact that he had been granted custodianship of the shrine. The background of this case is suspect. What is also cause for concern is that the judge who first heard the case in Chakwal felt he could not announce the verdict due to 'security risks', hence the case was transferred to Jhelum. The matter must be thoroughly probed.
Along with their misuse as a weapon against minorities, the blasphemy laws are used by Mohammedans against Mohammedans to settle personal scores or grab property. With growing polarisation in society, accusations of blasphemy are also being made to persecute followers of 'rival' schools of thought within Islam. Criticism of these laws, even mere talk of reforming them let alone their repeal, invites emotional responses, violence or even death. Not only do we oppose the death penalty, we also feel that laws such as these -- which are open to abuse and have brought much opprobrium to Pakistain domestically as well as internationally -- at the least need to have iron-clad legal provisos that prevent their misuse.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/02/2012 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Hey, at least Pakistan goes through the motions of a legal process. In other parts of Dar "blasphemers" are simply murdered.
Iran has enough nuclear material for four bombs, Director of Military Intelligence Major General Aviv Kochavi warned Thursday. Kochavi made a rare appearance at the 2012 Herzliya Conference, where he reviewed regional changes, the effects of the Arab Spring and the Iranian threat.
"Iran is vigorously pursing military nuclear capabilities and today the intelligence community agrees with Israel on that. Iran has over four tons of enriched materials and nearly 100kg of 20% enriched uranium that's enough for four bombs," he said.
According to Kochavi, Iran's motivation stems from three reasons: Regional hegemony, deterrence and its desire to be a key regional player and while Iran still maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian, peaceful purposes, "We have conclusive evidence that they are after nuclear weapons."
Still, according to the MI chief, the final decision whether or pursue nuclear weapons has little to do with technical capabilities and much to do with one man's decision: "When Khamenei gives the order to produce the first nuclear weapon it will be done, we believe, within one year."
Iran, he added, has to deal with various pressures: The international spotlight on its every action, the crippling international sanctions, the deteriorating relations with Syria and its own internal problems. "These pressures have yet to result in a change in Iranian strategy, but if they intensify they might lead to change, because the most important thing to them is the regime's sustainability."
But Iran is not the only threat to Israel: "Israel's enemies possess more rockets than ever before," Kochavi said. "Our enemies have 200,000 rockets and missiles capable of hitting every pary of Israel.
"The missiles' warheads are more accurate and more lethal, the array is sporadic hidden in urban areas. The quantity has become a strategic dimension the IDF has to deal with.
"We're also witnessing the disappearance of the enemy off the classic battlefield. The battlefield is now in urban terrain, which harbors large quantities of modern weapons. That forces intelligence gathering to change as well," he said.
"The Middle East is rediscovering its voice and translating it into political power," Kochavi added. "There is a new component in the Middle East, one the leaders and the political parties have realized that they have to pay attention to the public. This public has discovered that it can overthrow regimes and shape the public agenda.
"This public demands its basic right The young Arab person today is educated, exposed to what's going on in the world and in the West through TV and the Internet. The contrast between that and what they experience is very sharp, creating growing frustration. The public is growing stronger and it's encouraged by the power of social media," he said.
"The main asset possessed by the Arab regimes fear is dissipating. The public dares to dare, while the regimes' power is dwindling. The public in the Middle East has become a pivotal factor in the regimes' decision making process.
"This change has led to various things, first and foremost the rise of Islam in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt. But that was not the driving force behind the uprising. The Islamists recognized the wave (of unrest) and translated their vast infrastructure into political power. The upset in balance was devoid of two things leadership and clear ideology. The Islamic organizations entered that void with their clear ideology. That move was natural.
"Egypt will continue to have a significant role in the shaping of the new Middle East and whatever model it chooses is likely to have significant impact on the rest of the Middle East."
The Middle East, he continued, "is clearly undergoing a process of Islamization and religious argumentation may find its way into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the expense of a national one. We're also seeing an old-new altercation in the Middle East, of the tribal ethos.
"These changes are not limited to the arena of the public versus the regime. We can also see them between nations: There's tension between three countries Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. They each aspire for regional hegemony: Saudi Arabia aspire to have things remain as they are in the Gulf; Iran, for years, has been pursuing an agenda meant to increase its global influence and its influence over the Gulf; and Turkey, that refuses to give up any of its influence in the region, given Europe's cold shoulder."
Kochavi added that Iran is watchful of the political changes in the region, which it sees as an opportunity to infuse the Middle East with Iranian funds and arms actions that have the Saudi's view Tehran as a political and military threat.
Turkey, meanwhile, offers democracy-infused Islam nationalistic passion combined with a link to the West. But Turkey and Iran though they have bilateral ties are at odds: Turkey has taken several steps that are in contrast to Iranian interests, Kochavi said.
The regional changes, he continued, "Also spell a decrease in the power of the radical axis, Iran-Syria-Lebanon-Hezbollah on the on hand, and Iran-Hamas-Islamic Jihad in Gaza, on the other hand.
"( ) The difficulties are compounded by shrinking economy, which is that all of these countries have in common. That will be their test in the next few years."
Still, according to Kochavi, Israel's deterrence is intact: "We're preserving deterrence but we are now facing a more hostile Middle East. This Middle East will be permanently unstable, which means we have to be ready for all kinds of twists and turn.
"Military Intelligence is constantly reviewing how it can modify its practices to comply with the new reality. We're establishing ourselves as an operational branch, not just a supportive one If the veil of secrecy could be lifted from over all the thousands of soldiers involved in intelligence work, I assure you, the Israeli people would be very proud," he concluded.
#1
Pragmatically, IRAN'S FOUR > doth not = ISRAEL'S OFT-REPORTED 300.
The signs as per unquestioned or reliable US support may not bode well for Tel Aviv ...
To wit,
* TOPIX > [JCS Chairman] DEMPSEY TOLD ISRAEL US WON'T JOIN IN THEIR WAR ON IRAN, widout first achieving prior common consensus/agreement.
* SAME > OBAMA SIDES WID ISLAMIC IRAN IN THE 1983 BOMBING [Beirut, Lebanon] THAT KILLED 241 US MARINES.
* SAME, DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > [JCS Chairman] DEMPSEY TOLD ISRAELIS US WON'T JOIN THEIR WAR ON IRAN, widout first achieveing prior mutual or common agreement on same.
* TOPIX > OBAMA ADMINISTRATION: US WOULD "COME TO ISRAEL'S DEFENSE" IFF IRAN ATTACKED IT.
* WAFF > {StrategyPage] THE EGYPTIAN NUKE.
A variety of Egypt-specific internal factors deemed as detrimental to Israel by Israel leads Egypt's Military = Top Eggs to conclude that EGYPT IS LIKELY NEXT ON ISRAEL'S TARGET LIST AFTER IRAN???
-----------
The Signs also don't bode well for CONUS ...
* TOPIX > VARIOUS > ISRAEL: IRAN IS READY TO BUILD A LONG-RANGE MISSLE [10,000-km = 6000+ miles] THAT REACH THE US [East Coast].
Iran's NucProgs aimed or focused more at US than Israel = OWG-US-SUPERPOWER-VS-OWG-RISING-NUCLEAR-CALIPHATE.
Lest we fergit, SUCCESSFUL "ARAB SPRINGS" + PRO_ISLAMIST NUCLEAR AGENDUM = neither NORTH KOREA NOR PAKISTAN, etc. ARE IRAN'S SOLE SOURCE(S) ANYMORE FOR NUCTECHS.
DItto as per REGIONAL MUSLIM RESISTANCE [Nuke-WMD] to any US-led invasion + occupation of Iran.
#2
Its not that anyone forgot to tell swing-staters yet, its that it isn't time.
I think the idea was for el prez to sink low so that there would be nothing other than a reboud, the SOTU supposedly marking the bottom of that trough, perhaps it didn't work like it was supposed to, quite indicative of his tenure. So, in this case, it is appropriate for the pres to be crying over spilled milk.
To be simple, as so far he is following the Republicans on their campaign, as his campaign. If I were an idealist democrat I would be embarassed. If I were a collectivist looking for the dear leader to push into the new paradise, I would be disappointed. If I were buddies with one of his czars, I'd be rich.
#4
It is possible for the Republicans to lose. That is the only real way Obama could win.
Obama can't run on his record, he can't run on it takes four more years to finish what I started (since he's trashed things so far). He can't run against Congress which he had total control of for two years and which his party still controls the Senate and he'll just look pathetic if he runs against Bush again. All he's got is Bin Laden.
He's mostly lost the left and the center has wised up. He'll have the black vote and a handful of staunch partisan democrats and will probably lose big.
#7
Someone should come up with a TOTUS website. You can enter in any question you like, and it will spit out some drivel which the president has actually said.
#10
Back in the 90s PJ O'Rourke put together an enemies list. It was enemies of the US and was done tongue in cheek. Seems something along those lines could be done once again.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
This month, the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department reported that China imported 102,779 kilograms of gold from Hong Kong in November, an increase from October's 86,299 kilograms. Beijing does not release gold trade figures, so for this and other reasons the Hong Kong numbers are considered the best indication of China's gold imports.
Punjab
