US Opinion and Commentary

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Debate over Iran Nuke Deal Intensifies

Posted August 26th, 2015 at 2:12 pm (UTC-4)
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Both sides in the debate over the Iran nuclear deal are in full campaign mode, counting heads in Congress for the vote in mid-September, and making contingency plans. The hashtag #IranDeal is being used to promote arguments pro and con. The White House praised last week’s endorsement by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat from New York, who is Jewish. Deal opponents point to Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York, who is also Jewish. Republicans are reportedly preparing legislation to sanction Iran if the deal is rejected by vote – or Obama invokes his right to veto.

Why China’s Economic Bubble Burst

Posted August 25th, 2015 at 3:41 pm (UTC-4)
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As American economists try to assess the health of the U.S. economy, Asian markets tumbled further after last week’s so-called “correction.” Much of the blame for the 500 plus point drop on the New York Stock Exchange is being directed at China. Beijing has lost control of its economy, experts say, pointing out that the formerly fast-growing economy was unsound from the start.

American ‘Birthright’ Citizenship Re-examined

Posted August 24th, 2015 at 1:55 pm (UTC-4)
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“All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside… ” So reads a key clause in the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. Republican presidential nominee contender Donald Trump has reignited a heated and emotional debate over so-called “birthright citizenship,” unleashing a new look at America’s immigration policy. The issue taps into what some say is the heart of what it means to be an American.

Busted: The Implications of Hacking an Adult Cheating Website

Posted August 21st, 2015 at 2:12 pm (UTC-4)
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The data breach of the marital cheating site Ashley Madison may result in much more than public shame and broken marriages. It could turn out to be a security threat given that the stolen data includes 10,000 email addresses belonging to U.S., British and Australian government officials. It is not known if these addresses are real or fake. But the possible compromised security of U.S. military officials has prompted the Pentagon to investigate. Although adulterers are – by definition -untruthful, it remains to be seen if the personal data of more than 33 million Ashley Madison members poses a real threat to national security.

American Jewish Lobby a Crucial Player in Iran Nuke Deal

Posted August 20th, 2015 at 4:33 pm (UTC-4)
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‘When it comes to Iran’s nuclear capability, this [deal] is the best option,” wrote retired Israeli Admiral Ami Ayalon, former head of Israel’s secret service agency Shin Bet, in a full-page ad in The New York Times newspaper. The ad, signed by more than two dozen leaders in the American Jewish community, directly opposes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu’s very public criticism of the accord. A Congressional vote on the pact will take place next month. In the meantime, members of the American Jewish lobby find themselves split over a deal that everyone agrees will have long-term consequences.

Democrats Worry About the ‘Probable, but No Longer Inevitable’ Hillary Clinton

Posted August 19th, 2015 at 2:56 pm (UTC-4)
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Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential bid is hitting bumps in the road. Her resume is one that campaign professionals would drool over: Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, First Lady. But with the recent slow drip of details about her emailing habits as Secretary of State, combined with a history of tough media scrutiny, there is concern about her candidacy. With fellow Democratic contender Bernie Sanders nipping at her heels, party operators are asking whether she can weather the gathering storms.

Remembering Civil Rights Icon Julian Bond

Posted August 17th, 2015 at 12:39 pm (UTC-4)
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The death at age 75 of Bond, a towering civil rights leader, comes at a moment when America is revisiting its history of racial inequality all over again. A new movement, #Black Lives Matter, has been born amid a series of deadly incidents involving white cops and African Americans. One observer hoped that Bond’s legacy would result in a new generation of young leaders filling the void he leaves behind.

AS US Raises Flag Over Embassy in Cuba, New Challenges Emerge

Posted August 14th, 2015 at 12:07 pm (UTC-4)
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The fruits of the Obama’s administration’s new policy towards Cuba paid off Friday, when Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Havana to reopen the new US embassy there. Of his Cuba policy, President Obama has said he is not interested in refighting battles that started “before I was born.” Today, the United States and Cuba now friends. But much of the real work of undoing more than 50 years of hostility remains.

Iran Nuclear Deal: Inviting War or Securing Global Safety?

Posted August 12th, 2015 at 10:16 am (UTC-4)
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The arguments for and against the nuclear accord between Iran and the United States and the rest of the P+5 countries have ramped up per the open letter signed by three dozen retired generals and admirals supporting the pact and urging Congress to do the same. Others are decrying one of President Obama’s main justifications for the pact: there exists no other alternative – except war.

Is History Repeating Itself 50 Years After Watts?

Posted August 11th, 2015 at 2:35 pm (UTC-4)
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As Ferguson, Missouri marks the first anniversary of the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, by a white cop, it feels like the racial divide that sparked the deadly riots in the Watts district of Los Angles in 1965 remains a sad reality of American life. With #Black Lives Matter protesting a string of deaths of African-Americans by white policemen, leaders are urging its members to be focused and peaceful — and not give in to the kind of despair Watts came to symbolize.

Ferguson: One Year After the Shooting of Michael Brown

Posted August 10th, 2015 at 1:05 pm (UTC-4)
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The first anniversary of the shooting death of unarmed African-American teenager Michael Brown at the hands of a white police offer was marked by another shooting – in Ferguson. Police say during a protest last night, a black male opened fire on police, who then returned fire, leaving the shooter in critical condition. Since Ferguson, there have been numerous other deaths of African-Americans while in police custody, which begs the question: a year later, what has changed?

In Unstable World, Is the US Pursing “Soft Power” Options?

Posted August 7th, 2015 at 5:36 pm (UTC-4)
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President Obama’s race to the White House in 2008 included a promise the get the United States out of Iraq. Just over six years later, US combat troops are back home from Iraq. But thanks to a failed experiment with US-backed democracy there, the Islamic State has taken over parts of both Iraq and Syria, pulling the US back into the turmoil.

Is Trump The New Face of the Republican Party?

Posted August 6th, 2015 at 5:03 pm (UTC-4)
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The GOP is holding its first debate of candidates vying to be on the Republican ticket for next year’s presidential election. It’s a crowded and diverse field. Despite that, there are worries that with front-runner business mogul Donald Trump – given to offensive comments – onstage, there won’t be enough oxygen to go around.

Making the Case For (and Against) Historic Nuclear Pact with Iran

Posted August 5th, 2015 at 4:44 pm (UTC-4)
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With a September deadline hanging over the US Congress to vote on the accord, stakeholders are out in force, either selling or debunking the deal. President Obama said the choice is between diplomacy or “some form of war” during remarks in Washington. Opponents in turn burned up the web, arguing Tehran can never be trusted.

‘Run, Biden, Run’

Posted August 4th, 2015 at 3:33 pm (UTC-4)
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Even since New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote about the deathbed wish of Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Beau – he asked his father to run for president – the media has been debating his merits. Other than the obvious curveball thrown at the Democratic favorite, Hillary Clinton, the possibility of a Biden run has ramped up political chatter.