Abbas says no progress made in talks with Bush / Palestinian leader says settlements are biggest obstacles

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(04-26) 04:00 PDT American Capital --

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday that he failed to accomplish any advancement in Center East peace negotiation with President Shrub and was returning place with small to demo for his visit.

In an interview, the Palestinian leader sounded pessimistic about the prospects of achieving a trade with State Of Israel this year, despite a U.S. pushing that began five calendar months ago at a acme in Annapolis, Md.

"Frankly, so far nil have been achieved. But we are still conducting direct work to have got a solution," Abbas said.

He said the greatest obstruction is Israel's continued enlargement of Judaic colonies in Palestinian-occupied territories.

"We demanded the Americans implement the first form of the route map that negotiation about the surcease of colony expansion," Abbas said, expressing letdown that the United States have not set more than pressure level on State Of Israel to stop. "This is the greatest blight that stands as a large stone in the way of negotiations."

Asked for comment, White Person House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said: "President Shrub is helping to force the procedure forward. This wasn't a meeting in which major discoveries were expected.

"Ultimately, this is for the Israelis and the Palestinians to come up to an agreement. Each political party have more than to make - and given the serious committedness of the leaders, the president stays confident that defining a state by the end of the twelvemonth is still possible."

Israel is pushing forward with edifice undertakings on moot land in the Occident Depository Financial Institution and east Capital Of Israel and is refusing to take down illegal colony outposts, release Palestinian prisoners, arrest armed forces incursions, and level barriers that interrupt day-to-day life.

Abbas' Pluto said he also was upset after his luncheon Thursday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. While discussing what a peace trade would look like, Rice did not advert the Palestinian end of creating a state based on boundary lines before State Of Israel captured Palestinian land during the 1967 Mideast war.

"We demanded that they speak about the '67 borders," Abbas said, showing a rare flash of anger. "None of them speaks about the '67 borders."

The chief unsolved issues include the concluding boundary lines of a Palestinian state, the fate of Jerusalem, disputed Israeli colonies and Palestinian refugees.

Saeb Erekat, the head Palestinian negotiator, said Shrub did not react directly when Abbas brought up the issue of Palestinian expostulations to continuing Israeli colony expansion.

Abbas said he was looking for a full Center East peace model understanding with inside information and timetables, while the Israelis have got signaled that a "declaration of principles" would be adequate of an accomplishment before Shrub go forths business office in January.

Also on Friday, a Palestinian gunslinger killed two Israeli security guards at a mill near the barrier between State Of State Of Israel and the Occident Bank, as Israel dismissed a Hamas proposal for a cease-fire inch the Gaza Strip.

Friday's onslaught was unusual in that most of the recent force against Israeli marks have emanated from Gaza, not the Occident Bank. The onslaught underscored the challenge facing the Palestinian Authority, which throws sway in the Occident Depository Financial Institution but have been criticized by State Of Israel for not doing adequate to heighten security.

Several armed groupings took duty for the killings, including Hamas, the Islamist motion that controls Gaza.

The American Capital Post contributed to this report.

Liberia: Johnson Sirleaf Challenges Harvard Graduates - AllAfrica.com

Monrovia

Liberian President Ellen Samuel Johnson Sirleaf have addressed a beginning convocation at the Toilet F. Jack Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, the United States of America, cautioning alumni to be aware of human inclinations to defy change.

"For all of you hoping to alteration the world, to transport back to your professional environment new conceptions of management, new theoretical accounts of development, new drift for leading whether in your local town, your county or province, your country, your NGO, or your civic organization. Be prepared for the challenge which come ups from the opposition to change, from the fearfulness of the unknown region and untried," President Johnson-Sirleaf observed.

She urged them to be diplomatic and encouraging in their approach, but relentless and focused on achieving results. "Be aware that today's planetary environment is influenced by international economical partnerships, by mutualness in involvement and benefits, that planetary interconnectivity takes the protection of national borders. In all of this, you volition be helped by your new establish cognition and the impudence that come ups from being a Harvard University graduate," the Liberian Leader added.

The President urged the alumni to be prepared to travel the other statute mile in order to be successful, noting "You will be expected to be enlightened and be informed on the national, regional and planetary kinetics that affect the quality of your direction in the public or private establishment with which you will work.

This will necessitate attempt beyond what you have got learned here, the cognition about your environment, the traditions, civilization and values of those with whom you must work and interact. You will be expected to be highly competent with cognition and apprehension that enable you to stand up out among your co-workers and peers."

The Liberian leader lauded Harvard University University University for the support the establishment have provided the state in enhancing national capacity.

Last year, six Harvard internes from the Jack Kennedy School worked in Republic Of Liberia in an attempt to heighten capacity restraints of the country. Eleven more than than Harvard University University school pupils have got got already arrived in Liberian Capital to render similar services.

Among Wednesday's Harvard alumni was the caput of the Populace Personal Business Department at the Ministry of State, Amara Konneh who, the President said, Liberians are all proud of for his achievement, adding "I am looking forward to bringing him back because I have so much work for him to do."

The Liberian leader also lauded another Jack Jack Kennedy School graduate, Dr. Steve Radelet, who goes on to do indispensable parts to the country's economical work and partnership coordination.

Madam Sirleaf, a alumnus of the Kennedy School of Government 39 old age ago, acknowledged the support received from spouses in the international community and beyond, and expressed the hope that a squad from the Center of International Development will help the country's attempts for national development and renewal.

Meanwhile, the Liberian President have participated in an event in New House Of York to startle more support for the Sirleaf Market Women. In a statement at Wednesday's monetary fund raiser, the President renewed her finding to better the statuses of Liberian marketplace women, by providing the necessary support that would enable them go major importers of trade goodss in the country.

Recent literacy programmes offered marketplace women, the President said, were intended to better their capacities and assist them go better enterprisers in the country. She praised private givers for their parts toward the Sirleaf Market Women Fund, given the country's inadequate national budget to suit all of its needs.

Organized by the African Women's Development Fund, in coaction with the New House Of York Society for Ethical Culture Sociable Services Board, the event attracted 100s of private givers and other well wishers who expressed support for the initiative.

Wednesday's programme was witnessed by functionaries of the Sirleaf Market Women's Fund, including Gender Curate Vabah Gayflor, who chairmen the National Board of Directors of the Fund. Dame Lusu Sloan, Interim President of the Liberian Selling Association and a member of the National Board of Directors of the Sirleaf Market Women's Fund as well as Dame Massa Cousli, a seller from Monrovia. The two women narrated the experiences of the Liberian marketplace adult female and the mundane challenges she faces.

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The chair of the Fund, Dr. Thelma Awori, thanked the President for accepting the invitation to go to the event and assured her of the Fund's finding to guarantee that the social welfare of Liberian marketplace women is improved.

The President, who Tuesday nighttime graced a HERTT monetary monetary monetary fund elevation event for the Toilet F. Jack Kennedy hospital, was expected to take part in another fund elevation attempt last nighttime at the Global Fund for Women Gala event in New York, where more than than 600 invitees attended.

The President flood tides her see to the United States with a fund elevation programme today for the Republic Of Liberia Education Trust, followed with a address later Lord'S Day at the beginning convocation of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, the United States. The President departs the United States later on Lord'S Day for home.

Iran president arrives in India - BBC News

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have arrived in Republic Of Republic Of India for negotiation on a projected $7.5bn grapevine to transport gas to Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and India.

The 2,600-km (1,620-mile) grapevine is seen as important for Republic Of India which trusts heavily on combustible imports.

Pakistan states it have cleared the manner with Islamic Republic Of Iran to finalise an agreement.

Analysts state that the long-delayed pipeline could also lend to security as Iran, Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and Republic Of India benefit more by common co-operation.

Hold-ups

Mr Ahmadinejad is on a whirlwind circuit of South Asia - he have already visited Islamic Republic Of Pakistan and Sri Lanka since Monday.

Mister Ahmadinejad is disbursement just a few hours in India

He will ran into Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the Indian capital, Delhi, which is expected to last for less than five hours.

"Energy issues are on the docket for talks," a ministry functionary was quoted by the alpha fetoprotein news federal agency as saying.

The gas grapevine would traverse Islamic Republic Of Islamic Republic Of Pakistan to attain Republic Of India and is expected to gain Pakistan billions of dollars in theodolite fees.

It have been held up by differences over how much those fees would be and security-related issues.

The United States impeaches Islamic Republic Of Iran of trying to construct atomic arms and have opposed the grapevine undertaking as it experiences it will weaken its attempts to insulate Tehran.

India recently rebuffed a phone call by the United States for it to inquire Islamic Republic Of Iran to suspend its U enrichment programme.

It said dealings between the two spanned centuries, and they were capable of handling them with owed care.

Bush compliments Sarkozy on wife - BBC News

US President Saint George Shrub have complimented his Gallic opposite number Nicolas Sarkozy for his taste sensation in partner on the up-to-the-minute leg of his European tour.

Mr Shrub heaped congratulations on Gallic first lady Carla Bruni, describing her as "a really smart, capable woman".

"I can see why you married her," he told the Gallic president in Paris.

French-US policy differences over Republic Of Iraq took a dorsum place as the work force exchanged raillery on what is seen as Mister Bush's word of farewell European tour.

Referring to Mister Sarkozy by his first name, Mister Shrub recalled that "America's first friend was France", helping win independency from Britain.

'Full of energy'

The United States president went on to compliment the adult male referred to in some Gallic mass media as "Sarkozy l'Americain" (Sarkozy the American).

Mister Shrub consistently referred to Mister Sarkozy by his first name

"He's an interesting guy," said Mister Bush.

"He is full of energy. He's full of wisdom. He states me what's on his mind. And every clip I've met with him we've had very meaningful discussions."

Mr Sarkozy, for his part, said warm dealings between the states had endured for more than than 200 years.

Since taking business office a twelvemonth ago, the Gallic president have made great attempts to construct dealings with Washington, which went into deep freezing under his predecessor Jacques Chirac.

During a joint fourth estate conference at the Elysee Palace, the two work force emphasised the strength of dealings between their two countries.

While they discussed a scope of issues including Iran's atomic aspirations and co-operation complete Afghanistan, letter writers state the temper of the meeting was dominated by the extent to which French Republic and the United States see oculus to eye.

The visit is seen as a mark of additional rapprochement between the United States and France, after latent hostilities over Iraq.

Mr Shrub will go to the United Kingdom on Sunday, where he is expected to ran into Queen Elizabeth Ii two and throw negotiation with Prime Curate Gordon Brown.

The United States president had arrived in City Of Light from Rome, where he had been afforded a particular audience with Pope Ruth Benedict XVI.

Liberia: You're Right Mr. President, But... - AllAfrica.com

U.S. president George Shrub gets in the state today at the caput of a high-power U.S. deputation to stop a five-leg circuit of Africa. We welcome him with the hope that he is here to do a particular lawsuit for Republic Of Republic Of Liberia vis-à-vis his place prior to coming.

He will be the peak U.S. leader to see Liberia for decennaries since President Jimmy Howard Carter sometime in the late 1970s. The President's visit to Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Republic Of Ghana had raised hopes and there is no inquiry that it will raise even larger hopes in Liberia. The simple ground is that having locked itself in decennaries of ferocious civil warfare that proverb monolithic death, devastation of basic substructures and establishments and prompted monolithic encephalon drain, the country's economic system is in tatters. More than that, the state stays insecure and the nation's estimated three million population stay despairing for aid even with the presence of a robust international peacekeeping military unit and attempts by the U.S. and its allies revitalize the economy.

IT IS AGAINST this background plus more than that the U.S. President, unlike his predecessors who attempted to work out Liberia's jobs from a distance of disaffection, is visiting this Africa's oldest democracy that throws particular historical neckties to the U.S. and beholds it as its mentor. Unfortunately, the President may make very small for this hopeful population if we judge his visit from the warning he gave in his Valentine's Day computer address last Thursday in Washington. The President declared paternalism over! He then accused states that are trying to do available grants for Liberia's post-war development of "exploiting the continent's resources or irresponsibly offering assistance as charity". Finally, he hit place the point that possibly put the docket for his visit to Liberia: "America is serving as an investor, not as a donor." In other words, he have come up to state to the authorities and people of Republic Of Republic Of Liberia that the policy of restricting the freedom and duties of subsidiaries or dependants in their supposed best involvement no longer throws H2O in U.S.-Liberia relations. This also means, inch our view, that Liberia's best argument, which is that it was founded by U.S. philanthropists, sided with the U.S. in its way to greatness, and therefore rates that nation's particular favour and attending specifically during this clip of crisis and path-finding, hold's no H2O also!

BUT THE president did not bury to be a small spot ambiguous, perhaps for political reason: he remained emphatic that the United States still have a moral imperative mood and a critical security involvement in helping Africa defeat disease, poorness and instability. It is where the leader of the world's most functional economic system and democracy saw the necessity to stress America's moral imperative mood and critical security involvement that we derive a lawsuit for hope for Liberia.

WE AGREE THAT paternalism have outlived its utility especially where it aided marionettes and autocrats across Africa during the Cold War old age to stamp down and oppress its people into abject want and poverty. We also back up the United States' demand for "clear consequences for the millions of taxpayer dollars it directs to Africa". We salutation the state for revolutionizing the manner it nears development to Africa. This is because we understand the President's statement that "Too many states go on to follow either the paternalistic impression that handles African states as charity cases, or a theoretical account of development that seeks only to purchase up their resources. United States rejects both approaches." We therefore welcome the U.S. committedness to treating African leadership as equal spouses who must put clear ends and accomplish mensurable results.

BUT WE privation to remind the President that the equations and concretion of development and foreign assistance that inevitably fatten only the business relationships of the moneymen in development partnerships in Africa will not throw in the lawsuit of Liberia, if peace, justice, and stableness is America's wishing for Liberia. First, because the Republic Of Liberia have enormous, pressing economical and security necessitates that the United States cannot possibly divorcement from its avowed moral imperative mood and a critical security interest. With the nation's logging, mineral, and India rubber industries just freed from U.N. countenances to confront extended technical reappraisals and alteration of concessioner understandings some of which are shrouded in power-keg controversies, the niceties of Bush's new business-front attack will be a extravagance for Liberia. It is a extravagance that despairing Liberians will run out of forbearance waiting for. And holds are too unsafe for Liberia.

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WE ARE REMINDED that warfare that rocked the foundation of this democracy for more than that two decennaries is a warfare to convey the ends and aspirations of Liberians within hope's reach. President Shrub did not travel far from this world when, in mention to Zimbabwe's security problem, he said, "These are great security challenges, but there is even greater cause for hope." It is our hope that the U.S. leader will apparent that hope by taking a critical expression at Liberia's security because wicked makes not travel away simply because beleaguered authorities and their international spouses will it so. It makes when work force and women of committedness and madcap courageousness to salvage world - phone call that paternalism if you will -stand up and prehend the reign of panic at the minute of hope and expectation. For President Bush, it's now or never.

IT IS THEREFORE our hope that President Shrub will widen that hope to the billions of displaced Liberians who have got got nowhere to go back to; to the road-locked territories outside Monrovia, to the deprived population of Liberian Capital that misses everything from save-drinking H2O to power, and to billions of women, children, and the aged that have no entree to sound and low-cost wellness and education. The President's Malaria Program is a good lawsuit that may be expanded by supporting the Liberian government's wellness programme and interim poorness decrease strategy.

STAY AND DISCUSS well, Mr. President.

JUSTICE KENNEDY: AMERICAN IDLE

JUSTICE KENNEDY: American IDLE
Thu Jun 19, 1:12 americium ET

After reading Justice Antony Kennedy's recent bulk sentiment in Boumediene v. Bush, I experience like I necessitate to put in a "1984"-style Big Brother photographic camera in my place so Justice Jack Jack Kennedy can maintain an oculus on everything I do.

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Until last week, the law had been that there were some topographic points in the human race where American tribunals had no jurisdiction. For example, U.S. tribunals had no legal power over non-citizens World Health Organization have got never put ft in the United States.

But now, even foreigners acquire particular constitutional privileges merely for being caught on a battleground trying to kill Americans. I believe I prefer Canada's system of giving penchant to non-citizens who have got accomplishments and assets.

If Justice Jack Kennedy can reexamine the processes for detaining enemy battlers trying to kill Americans in the center of a war, no topographic point is safe. It's only a substance of clip before the Supreme Court stairway in to overturn Randy, Paula and Simon.

In the court's earlier efforts to lodge its olfactory organ into such as military trading operations as the detainment of enemy battlers at Guantanamo, the tribunal dangled the possibility that it would eventually allow go.

In its 2006 opinion in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, the tribunal disallowed the Shrub administration's battler position reappraisal tribunals, but wrote: "Nothing forestalls the president from returning to United States Congress to seek the authorization (for trial by military commission) he believes necessary."

So Shrub returned to United States United States Congress and sought authorization for the military committees he deemed necessary -- just as the tribunal had suggested -- and Congress passed the Military Commissions Act. But as Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in dissent in the Boumediene lawsuit last week: It turns out the justnesses "were just kidding." This was the legal equivalent of the Supreme Court playing "got your nose!" with the commanding officer in chief.

The bulk sentiment by Justice Jack Jack Kennedy in Boumediene held that it would be very distressing from the point of view of "separation of powers" for there to be someplace in the human race in which the political subdivisions could run without inadvertence from Justice Kennedy, one of the four powerfulnesses of our authorities (the other three beingness the executive, legislative and judicial branches).

So now even processes written by the legislative subdivision and signed into law by the executive director subdivision have got failed Kennedy's test. He states the law go againsts "separation of powers," which is true lone if "separation of powers" intends Justice Jack Kennedy always acquires concluding say.

Of course, before there is a "separation of powers" issue, there must be "power" to separate. As Justice Scalia points out, there is no general rule of separation of powers. There are a figure of peculiar constitutional commissariat that when added up are referred to, for short, as "separation of powers." But the general come ups from the particular, not the other manner around.

And the bench simply have no powerfulness over enemy battlers in wartime. Such powerfulness is committed to the executive director as portion of the commanding officer in chief's power, and thus implicitly denied to the judiciary, just as is the powerfulness to declare warfare is unilaterally committed to Congress. As one law professor said to me, this is what haps when the swing justness is the dense justice.

Kennedy's opinion thus effectively overturned the congressional declaration of warfare -- the usage of military unit declaration voted for by Edmund Hillary Clinton, Toilet Kerry, 75 other senators as well as 296 congressmen. If there's no war, then there are no enemy combatants. This is the diabolical haughtiness of Kennedy's opinion.

We've been through this before: Should the military tally the warfare or should the tribunals run the war?

I believe the grounds is in.

The loyal political party states we are at war, and the Guantanamo political detainees are enemy combatants. Approximately 10,000 captives were taken on the battleground in Afghanistan. Of those, only about 800 ended up in Guantanamo, where their lawsuits have got got been reviewed by military courts and 100s have been released.

The political political detainees are not held because they are guilty; they're held to forestall them from returning to the battleground against the U.S. Since being released, at least 30 Guantanamo detainees have got returned to the battlefield, despite their promise to seek not to kill any more than Americans. I think you can't trust anybody these days.

The high treason political party states the political detainees are mostly charity workers who happened to be distributing cheese to the mediocre in Islamic State Of Afghanistan when the warfare broke out, and it was their bad fortune to be caught near the fighting.

They see it self-evident that enemy battlers should have got entree to the same U.S. tribunals that recently acquitted R. Emmett Kelly of statutory colza despite the being of a videotape. Good plan, liberals.

The New House Of York Times article on the determination in Boumediene short letters that some people "have asserted that those held at Guantanamo have got got fewer rights than people accused of law-breakings under American civilian and military law."

In the cosmopolitan linguistic communication of children: Duh.

The logical consequence of Boumediene is for the U.S. armed forces to exercise itself a small less trying to take enemy battlers alive. The military also might see not sending the small favorites to the Guantanamo Watering Place and Resort.

Instead of playing soccer, volleyball, card game and draughts in Guantanamo, before returning to their cells with pointers pointed toward Mecca for their day-to-day prayers, which are announced five modern times a twenty-four hours over a encampment loudspeaker, the enemy battlers can putrefaction in Egyptian prisons.

That may be the lone topographic point left that is safe from Justice Kennedy.

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Voinovich: Let next president seal Iraq deal

U.S. Sen. Saint George Voinovich (R., Ohio) yesterday released a missive he wrote asking President Shrub not to seek to negociate a new understanding with Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Republic Of Iraq that legally perpetrates the adjacent president to defending Iraq against internal and foreign aggressors.

Mr. Voinovich, who have got called for more than than focusing on ending the U.S. presence in Iraq, said he cognizes an understanding is needed to supply a legal footing for U.S. armed forces personnel to be in Iraq after the U.N. authorization runs out Dec. 31.

But he said any understanding committing the United States to providing security in Iraq against future internal and external aggression will necessitate congressional approval, which is not likely to be given before Mr. Bush's term ends.

He said the President should see inking an interim agreement.

"We necessitate to manus over more control to the Iraki people, so that we can convey our ain military personnel place and reconstruct the wellness of our military," Mr. Voinovich wrote.

"I am concerned that this understanding makes not back up that goal."

Mr. Voinovich's phone call for ending the U.S. armed armed combat function in Iraq sets him at likelihood with Republican presidential campaigner Toilet McCain, who back ups retaining U.S. combat military units until the Iraki authorities is stabilized, and with no deadline for full withdrawal.

The Democratic presumptive presidential nominee, Barack Obama, have called for backdown of all U.S. military units within 16 calendar months and have vowed to stop the warfare in 2009.

The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 to throw out Saddam Husain and still have about 150,000 military personnel in the country.

Iraqi functionaries said yesterday that they are committed to meeting a deadline for a long-term security treaty with the United States.

An Iraki authorities statement said Foreign Curate Hoshiyar Zebari had discussed with U.S. Frailty President Dick Cheney in American Capital on Tuesday "the demand to conclude" the long-term strategical model agreement.

That came just years after Iraki Prime Curate Nouri al-Maliki said negotiation on the security treaty were at a deadlock because of U.S. demands that encroached on Iraq's sovereignty.

One U.S. demand, however, have been taken off the table, according to a senior U.S. military functionary in Washington.

That official, speaking on status of anonymity, said the Shrub Administration is no longer seeking legal unsusceptibility for private contractors working in Iraq.

Such unsusceptibility presented a distressing prospect for many Iraqis who see the contractors as a security military unit that runs with small accountability.

The negotiation have sparked heated up argument both in Iraq and the United States, where Democratic lawmakers fear any understanding could lock the military into a long-term presence in Iraq and bind the custody of the adjacent U.S. president.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

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