When our leaders don't have a clue

Last night President Obama held his first press conference to plead for passage of his economic stimulus bill. He also made it clear that left-leaning media will get preferential treatment, which I guess is payback for open bias on their part during his election.

As I watched the former Senator turned most powerful man in the world passionately talk about his $800 billion plus bill, I couldn't help but feel that he, nor anyone at the White House or Congress, has a clue how to counter our free falling economy. They are doing something, but do you think they really have a clue whether it will work, or is it more a PR move to make us all think it will work.

By the same token, elections were held today in Israel for the next government. As of this writing, centrist Kadima party candidate Tzipi Livni is edging past Bibi Natenyahu, the favorite. Bibi was prime minister once before and Tzipi has been in the current government for a number of years. Both talk about how they will being peace to Israel. Do you believe either knows?

Leaders need to make their flock feel good. Too bad it is more PR than substance.

Cheney says an independent Palestinian state is 'long overdue'

So is Arab recognition of Israel...

Virus of Hatred Spreads Again

From Wire Services:

Hamas claimed responsibility Friday for a militant attack on a Jerusalem rabbinical seminary that killed eight Israelis.

A Hamas radio presenter said the group's military wing had "promised a jolting response" to this week's violence in the Gaza Strip in which more than 120 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military, many of them in the northern Gaza town Jebaliya.

The radio referred to the Jerusalem attack as "the fruits of what happened in Jebaliya" and called on believers to "celebrate this victory against the brutal enemy."

Leave Israel Alone!

Hero of Entebbe Dies

AP Reports:

Dan Shomron

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Former Israeli military chief Dan Shomron, the paratrooper who commanded the famed 1976 hostage rescue at Entebbe airport in Uganda, died Tuesday from the effects of a stroke. He was 70.

He never recovered after being rushed to Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv on February 5, hospital spokeswoman Aviva Shemer said.

Israeli leaders remembered Shomron as one of the greatest military minds in the country's 60-year history.

Is Anything Not Israel's Fault?

From Jerusalem Post:

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas gestures during a press conference following his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, not pictured, in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, Egypt.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urged the US on Monday to make good on its promise to work for a Middle East peace settlement by the end of the year, warning that there would not be any future chances.

The US "must understand it is to play an active role, not just as a supervisor, by intervening directly to help make peace," Abbas told reporters. He also urged Israel "to stop escalating the situation in the Palestinian territories and stop all attacks in the Gaza Strip, including firing missiles there."

Jerusalem On The Table?

Jerusalem Post reports:
Hatem Abdel Qader, the Jerusalem affairs adviser to Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad, confirmed Tuesday that Jerusalem is one of the issues currently being discussed by Israeli and PA negotiators.

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Abdel Qader said Jerusalem "is not only on the table, it's also under the table."

Asked to explain the second part of his remark, he said: "This means that the negotiations with the Israelis are taking place both openly and secretly."