The question arises, why has the military leaders sign on to a strategy instead of quitting en mass as Obama and his men feared they just might do?

Because Woodward reveals, Obama threatened them with an immediate withdrawal. He repeatedly told them that the only alternative were 11,000 trainers.

General Petraeus may have agreed with special envoy Richard Holbrook that the plan won't work but he hoped to live to fight another day. After all, they probably decided, buying time is preferable to immediate defeat and that would have been the alternative offered by the new president.

Woodward writes that Obama told him that his decisions are going to be based on his judgment of whether an action is going to make the country stronger or weaker. 80% of the public has since concluded and I concur that he has succeeded in making the country weaker, much weaker.

To be honest, I cannot see how America's enemies cannot read this book with glee. It presents them with a timely account of the American strategic thinking in addition to informing them that they are dealing with a most political and haughty strategic ignoramus.

Oh, yes, Woodward also reveals that the CIA record of being wrong has not been broken. They missed the direct involvement of the ISI (Pakistani intelligence) in the Mumbai bombing. Their analysis led President Bush to tell the Indians that the atrocity was perpetrated by rogue ISI. Next time the Indians will know better than believe in the quality of CIA information.

Something ticked Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of. He blew his top at an end of a most successful charm offensive. Or, perhaps, he merely reverted to form by pulling the rug from under those who have been reporting that Iran signals interest in talks on nuclear program, diplomats say

Why?

For a year an a half Barack Hussein Obama has not only disdained the importance of democracy and human rights rhetorically but has demonstrated that disdain by his unwavering support for the Iranian regime as it was murdering its own people. Yesterday, Barack Obama changed course: At U.N., Obama puts human rights, democracy at center of foreign policy He said

I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights -- for the student who seeks to learn; the voter who demands to be heard; the innocent who longs to be free; the oppressed who yearns to be equal.

Well connected Christiana Amanpour said on Bloomberg that having to acknowledge the failure of engagement, Obama is going to try to use human rights against the Iranian regime and that means questioning the legitimacy of Ahmadinejad's presidency.

Clearly, no one understood the import of the change in Obama rhetoric better than his Iranian counter part. After all, that means that he and his allies are no longer going to get a free ride from Washington. Hence the ludicrous conspiracy theory and the subsequent Western walk outs. Ahmadinejad argued that the 9/11 terror attack of home made

some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime.

The majority of the American people as well as other nations and politicians agree with this view.

I always thank G-d for small favors. Nothing horrified me and people around the world more than the Obama led democratic party's betrayal of America's traditional support for democracy both rhetorically and practically as evidenced in Iran. Yes, I do mean government"by the people" i.e., voting and not only"for the people" as determined by their ruling elites.

The timing of the Obama change of heart is probably election driven. Americans are not fond of presidents who do not share their ideals. It also gave Obama a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate righteous anger and his newly discovered sensitivity to 9/11 families by calling Ahmadinejad's words"offensive and hateful" especially as they were uttered"so close to where families had lost their loved ones."

Still, let's hope that Obama means it, will put his resources where his mouth is and that it is not too late. The recent defection of a number of Iranian diplomats in Scandinavia is an attempt to convince the rest of the world that it is not. Ahmadinejad's tantrum is certainly encouraging and experts, like Michael Ledeen, have long argued that the regime is much more fragile than assumed. In other words, as often is the case the moral policy may be also the most practical one.

This charming holiday video cannot be embedded. But do watch.

Those doubting the fact that American investors and analysts have indeed embarked on a kind of strike Ayn Rand would have predicted, have only have to refer to the results of the latest quarterly Bloomberg global poll of investors and analysts.

77% of the Americans polled consider Obama anti business.

74% of them have an unfavorable view of Obama.

70% of them say that"they aren’t taking any action in anticipation of a potential increase in U.S. capital-gains taxes."

66% of them believe a Republican take over of Congress would improve matters.

66% believe Obama tax plan will damage the US economy.

Yes, the world likes him better. 66% have a favorable view of Obama and only 50% of them believe his is anti-business. Why shouldn't they like him? He has weakened America and made a world a"fairer" place as they hoped he would do. At least the eyes of American investors and analysts has been opened.

Also see, Corporate leaders are slamming the president over taxes and the uncertain effects of his policies, and the executives' siege mentality is holding back the economy.

A Harris poll found

Majorities in Britain and Spain, and large minorities in the U.S., France, Italy , and Germany think that immigration has a bad impact on the economy;

Majorities in the U.S., Britain, Italy, and Spain believe that immigration makes it harder to find a new job, as do 45% in France and 46% in Germany;

While most people who are working do not believe that immigration has had any effect on their pay, those who think they are paid less greatly outnumber those who say they are paid more;

Only minorities, between 13% in France and 40% in Italy, believe that immigration has made it more affordable to hire services such as cleaners, builders or plumbers;

Majorities in the U.S., Britain, France and Spain and over 40% in Italy and Germany believe that immigration makes the level of health care services worse; and,

Majorities in the U.S., Britain and Germany believe that immigration has made public education worse, as do over 40% in France, Italy and Spain.

Overall, many people in all six countries believe that the current level of immigration makes their countries worse places to live in , varying from 64% in Britain, 60% in Spain, and 57% in Italy to 49% in the U.S., 44% in Germany, and 43% in France.

He can add the rise of anti-immigrant parties to the list. Sweden is the latest

The entry into parliament of the anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats, who won almost 6 percent of the vote, was a new turn for politics in Sweden, traditionally one of the most open countries in Europe for asylum seekers and refugees.

But it also highlighted a real concern among some voters, which observers say established parties completely failed to address in the run up to the election, about integration and cultural clashes.

To be Jewish means standing with the community before G-d and asking for forgiveness and mercy for failure to keep promises. The inter-generational conflict is the theme in both movies. The 1939 movie intuits the ultimate fate of European Jewry. The more optimistic 1980s one presents a very American Jewish return to the flock. The non Jewish wife pushes her husband to return.

What has not changed is the warm welcome afforded both returnees. Even in the bible, Jewish parents are notorious softies. Indeed, Jewish prayer repeatedly demands that G-d be as merciful as a parent"because you created them and you know their weaknesses." Yes, lawyers could do worse than read the Jewish High Holidays prayer book.

May you be sealed in the book of life.

Yom Kippur Guide for the Perplexed
Yoram Ettinger, "Second Thought", September 15, 2010
Assembled from various Jewish Sages


1. Yom Kippur is observed on the tenth day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, which is an Akkadian word for forgiveness and Genesis. Ten has special significance in Judaism: G-D's abbreviation is the tenth Hebrew letter (Yod); Ten attributes of God – Divine perfection – in the Creation; Ten Commandments; Ten Plagues; Ten reasons for blowing the Shofar; Ten percent gift to God (tithe); Ten days of repentance; The Ten Martyrs (Rabbis who were tortured/murdered by the Roman Empire); Ten generations between Adam & Noah and ten generations between Noah & Abraham; a Ten worshippers quorum (Minyan) required for a Jewish prayer; etc.



2. Yom Kippur is a Happy Jewish Holiday, replacing vindictiveness and rage with peace-of-mind and peaceful co-existence between God and human-beings, as well as among human-beings. It highlights forgiveness, pre-conditioned upon genuine repentance. Thus, Yom Kippur enhances family, social and national cohesion. It underlines unison, as synagogues become a platform for both righteous and sinning folks – all of whom are fallible. Yom Kippur emphasizes God's Covenant with the Jewish People, ending God's rage over the sin of the Golden Calf and commemorating the day of Abraham's circumcision, which initialed God's covenant with the Jewish People.



3. Yom (Day of) Kippur constitutes a Jewish contribution to humanity. It highlights the most essential human attributes, which are prerequisites to constructive leadership: humility (as featured in the Netaneh Tokef prayer), soul-searching, admitting fallibility, confessing wrong-doing, asking and granting forgiveness, accepting responsibility, collective responsibility and magnanimity. Yom Kippur is not driven by punishment, but by behavioral-enhancement.



4. The Hebrew spelling of "fast" (öí/öåí) – abstinence from food - highlights the substance of Yom Kippur. The Hebrew word for "fast" is the root of the Hebrew word for "reduction" and" shrinking" (öîöåí), which alludes to one's "spiritual diet," clearing the body and the mind. It is also the root of the Hebrew words for "slave" (öîéú) and "eternity" (öîéúåú) – enslavement to God, but not to human-beings. At the same time, "fast" is the root of òöîé (being oneself), òöåí, òöîä, òöîàåú (awesome, power, independence), which are gained through the process of fasting, soul-searching and submission to God.



5. The Hebrew word Kippur ëéôåø (atonement/repentance) is a derivative of the Biblical words Kaporet ëôåøú - which covered the Holy Ark at the Sanctuary - and Kopher ëåôø, which covered Noah's Ark and the Holy Altar at the Temple. The reference is to a spiritual cover (dome), which does not cover-up, but separates between the holy and the secular, between spiritualism and materialism. The Kippa ëéôä (skullcap, Yarmulke), which covers one's head during prayers, reflects a spiritual dome. Thus, Yom Kippur constitutes the cover (Dome) of the Ten Days of Atonement (between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), separating them from the rest of the year.



6. Teshuvah-úùåáä is the Hebrew word for repentance, sharing the same root of the Hebrew word for Return ùéáä – returning to root/positive values, morality, and behavior) – and Shabbat ùáú. Yom Kippur is also called Shabbat Shabbaton - the highest level Sabbath. The last Sabbath before Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Teshuvah (based on Hosea's prophesy, chapter 4). While the Sabbath is the soul of the week, Yom Kippur is the soul of the year.



7. The prayer of Veedooi-åéãåé (confession/confirmation/reaffirmation in Hebrew) is recited Ten times during Yom Kippur, re-entrenching genuine repentance and plea for forgiveness. The prerequisites for forgiveness are the expression & exercise (talking & walking) of confession (assuming full-responsibility), repentance and significantly altering one's behavior. King Saul sinned only once – ignoring the commandment to annihilate the Amalekites – but was banished from the crown and killed, because he raised mitigating circumstances, while responding to Samuel's accusation. King David sinned twice (The "Bat-Sheba Gate" and the "Census Gate"), but was forgiven, because he accepted full-responsibility and unconditional blame and the death sentence (as expressed by Nathan the Prophet), which was promptly rescinded.



8. The initial prayer on the eve of Yom Kippur, Tefilah Zakah, enables each worshipper to announce universal forgiveness. While transgressions between human-beings and G-D are forgiven summarily via prayers, transgressions among human-beings require explicit forgiveness. Ill-speaking of other persons may not be forgiven.



9. The Memorial Candle, commemorating one's parent(s), is lit during Yom Kippur. It reaffirms Honor Thy Father and Mother, providing another opportunity to ask forgiveness of one's parent(s), as well as asking forgiveness on their behalf.



10. The Scroll of Jonas is read on Yom Kippur, demonstrating that repentance and forgiveness is universal to all Peoples, commanding one to assume responsibility, to get involved socially-politically, to sound the alarm when wrong-doing is committed anywhere in the world, to display compassion to all peoples and to adhere to Faith and Optimism, in defiance of all odds. It behooves good folks to roll up their sleeves, lest evil triumphs!



11. A long sound of the Shofar concludes Yom Kippur. It commemorates the covenant with God (the almost-sacrifice of Isaac), the receipt of the Torah on Mt. Sinai, Liberty and anti-slavery (Jubilee) and the opening of Gods gates of forgiveness. The Hebrew root of Shofar ùåôø means to enhance/improve oneself (ùôø). A Hebrew synonym for Shofar is Keseh ëñä, which also means cover-Kaporet-Kippur.

They thought it was all Bush's fault. Indeed, they thought electing Barack Hussein Obama will sooth the savage Islamist beast. Lexington writes in the Economist:

If the emergence of home-grown Muslim terrorism has been bad enough, the failure of Barack Obama to engineer the transformation some expected from him in the wider world has been no less dispiriting. After the toxic impact of George Bush on Muslim opinion, many hoped that the advent of a kinder, gentler president whose middle name was Hussein would help America to draw the poison. Mr Obama himself seemed to think that this might be possible. Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, told the New York Times earlier this year that Mr Obama counted his Cairo speech to the Muslim world of June 2009 as one of the three most important things he had done to combat terrorism.

And yet Mr Obama’s programme of Muslim outreach is already faltering. The Pew Research Centre reported in June that the percentage of Muslims expressing confidence in him had declined in a year from 42% to 33% in Egypt and from 13% to 8% in Pakistan.

And now Islamists are burning Obama in effigy just as they enjoyed burning Bush. They are also burning Christian schools and, of course dying.

Clashes between security forces and protesters in India-controlled Kashmir killed a policeman and at least 13 people on Monday as crowds defied a curfew after reports surfaced that Qurans had been desecrated in the United States, according to Indian authorities.

AND -

Hundreds of angry Muslims chanting anti-US and pro-Islamic slogans marched through the streets of Tangmarg village, 40km west of the main town Srinagar, before attacking the Tyndale Biscoe School.

No one was injured in the torching of the school on Monday, which was already shut due to unrest.

The school is a branch of one of the oldest missionary-run schools in Indian Kashmir. The main one is in Srinagar, which has produced some of India's leading bureaucrats, doctors, lawyers and engineers.

Kashmiri Islamists are not alone. All the usual suspects join them merrily:

Clashes at anti-US protests in Tehran over Koran burning and as could have been expected from such"respected" religious authorities Iran Ayatollahs Issue Fatwas Against Koran-Burners

2 killed in Afghan protest over Quran-burning plan

Whose fault is it? Obama's, of course, writes Lexington. No, not because his appeasement policy failed as it was bound to but because he did not kow tow enough:

Like Americans waiting for economic recovery, Muslim countries have been waiting for Mr Obama to match his words with deeds, and have so far been disappointed.

Apparently, apology tours, scraping and bowing to the Saudi monarch, respecting the Iranian supreme leader while his thugs are murdering his own young people on the streets does not suffice. The least he should have gotten rid of Israel and the first amendment by now.

Then Lexington would bemoan his failure to accede to some new Islamists demands. For they are sure to continue coming just as the cancellation of the public Koran burning did not suffice. Islamists need exploitable issues and they will find them come hell or high waters. The people may get it but Obama and the chartering class refuse to see. So, people are taking matters into their own hands and the results are ugly:

Man Ignintes Koran near ground zero

Defaced Koran found in Michigan

Australian lawyer smokes pages of Bible and Koran, asking 'Which is best?'

The cartoonist is right. The war on terror is in shambles.

In Iran, Afghanistan and India, demonstrators accuse US, Israel of"orchestrating Zionist plot," chant"Down with Koran desecrators." Well, this is to be expected from our"respected" Islamists.

To put it another way, the real roots of Mr. Obama's economic problems are intellectual and political. The Administration rejected marginal-rate tax cuts that worked in the 1960s and 1980s because they would have helped the rich, in favor of a Keynesian spending binge that has stimulated little except government.

More broadly, Democrats purposely used the recession as a political opening to redistribute income, reverse the free-market reforms of the Reagan era, and put government at the commanding heights of economic decision-making.

But has income really been redistributed?

No way. 30 Statistics Showing The Elite Are Getting Richer, The Poor Getting Poorer And The Middle Class Is Being Squeezed Unemployment hit the less educated and African Americans and Hispanics the hardest. (Only 4.6% of the college graduates are unemployed compared 14.0% of high school drop outs and 45.4% of Black teenagers). The fall in housing prices hurt those who relied on their home as their sole retirement asset the most. The low interest rates paid by banks reduces the income of the least economically savvy elderly the most.

My over 50 white cleaning lady told me she is voting for Obama regardless of his inexperience because she trusted his advisers. Since then she lost her husband. He died of a heart attack a month after losing his job and with it his life insurance.

Does Obama understand? Does he care? According to Jonathan Alter his advisers tried to tell him to postpone the economically ruinous healthcare legislation burden. They lost:

CHARLIE ROSE: On health care, he insisted on going forward with health care when a lot of advisers said"Don’t go for so much so early."

JONATHAN ALTER: That’s right. I mean, this was one of the really big revelations to me as I was working on this was that Joe Biden told me that, you know, he said that he advised the president"Don’t do this. You didn’t promise the American people you were going to do it right away. It was only by the end of four years you promised. We’ve got to work on preventing a depression first."

Rahm Emanuel told me quote"I begged the president not to the do this." David Axelrod thought they should do energy first. Christina Romer, the chairwoman of the Council of Economic Advisors . . . said,"Look, we’ve got to deal with the economy first."

Affirmative action is based on the idea of"good enough." President Obama undermines the myth that with a strong team, an inexperienced novice is good enough to be an American president.

He is not but he thinks he is.

What is to be done?

We must reduce his ability to do harm but given control of the Congress to his rivals.

Two more years of unlimited Obama power would be disastrous to all of us and most especially the most vulnerable amongst us.

UPDATE: If we needed more proof, the census numbers show that Poverty Explodes To Record Highs Under Obama