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Saturday, September 25, 2010

News Nuggets 441

A giant manta ray off the coast of the Socorro and San Benedicto Islands off the Mexico coast.  
From the Daily Mail of the UK.

UP-FRONT IMPORTANT NEWS NUGGET!!
"Iranian media reports say the country's nuclear agency is trying to combat a complex computer worm that has affected industrial sites in Iran and is capable of taking over power plants."
It seems that SOMEONE has declared very high-level cyber-war on Iran.  I'm sure this has been going on for years at a lower, easier-to-hide level.  Now it's out in the open.  ABC News has more on the worm HERE.  I have no doubt that the White House and Obama's NSC (or similar agency) are important enablers of this development.

Why is this important?  Issued the same day from the Associated Press via RealClearWorld:
"Iran would consider ending higher level uranium enrichment, the most crucial part of its controversial nuclear activities, if world powers send Tehran nuclear fuel for a medical research reactor, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told reporters Friday.  Addressing a packed press conference in a New York hotel, Ahmadinejad also said Iran was prepared to set a date for resumption of talks with six world powers to discuss Tehran's nuclear program, saying October would be the likely time for the two sides to meet."
Prediction: Iran is throwing in the towel on its nuclear enrichment program.  Their supply lines for key materials are completely corrupted; since the Green Revolution, the program has been leaking intel like a sieve; and, NOW, we see that not only is the program's software going through a computer-worm infested meltdown, the worm has now attacked software in key sectors of the Iranian economy -- and they have no clue how to stop it.  Thus, the "see you in October" tail to this story.

Obama's Freedom Agenda Announced at the UN from Foreign Policy Magazine
"With this speech, the historically bipartisan U.S. commitment to supporting liberty and human dignity abroad has returned, and on the world stage of the United Nations General Assembly."

Obama and His Audacity of Hope for Middle East Peace Talks from the Editorial Board of the Christian Science Monitor
"At the UN, Obama put his presidency on the line with his hopeful statements about the fragile Middle East peace talks. But now is exactly the time for risk taking. Above all, by Abbas and Netanyahu."

"After months of leaving Sudan policy on a back burner, President Obama put the weight of his administration and his own personal esteem in Africa on the line Friday, demanding that north and south Sudan ensure that their likely split into two nations early next year proceed peacefully."

Wallowing in Decline (James Traub) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Americans have gone from gloating over their global influence to bemoaning the loss of it. They were wrong then, and they're wrong now."

"Belgium and the Netherlands both held general elections in June. Since then, both have limped on under caretaker governments as the emergence of radical new movements has upset the usual cozy coalition building among conservative, liberal and socialist parties."

Another Reason To Question the "Enthusiasm Gap" (Ed Kilgore) from the Democratic Strategist
"Public Policy Polling's Tom Jensen's recent post on Obama approval ratings among his own 2008 voters is so very interesting: "Our national poll last week- which is conducted with registered, rather than likely, voters- found that 88% of people who voted for Obama still approve of the job he's doing.""

Get Off Your Butts, Dems (Matthew Yglesias) from the Daily Beast
"As health care goes into effect and the GOP lays plans to repeal it, progressives are sitting on their hands. Matthew Yglesias on the case for going to war to help sick kids."

The Timorous Republican Pledge to America (Jacob Heilbrunn) from the National Interest
"The pledge, in other words, doesn't really believe in pledging very much."
Heilbrunn references THIS hilarious assessment of the pledge from Erik Erickson at Redstate.com:
"These 21 pages tell you lots of things, some contradictory things, but mostly this: it is a series of compromises and milquetoast rhetorical flourishes in search of unanimity among House Republicans because the House GOP does not have the fortitude to lead boldly in opposition to Barack Obama."
WOW!! You mean Democrats aren't the only ones guilty of "compromises and milquetoast rhetorical flourishes"!?  Who knew?

GERMAN CULTURE NUGGET!!
Germany's Enduring Divide (Doug Saunders) from the [Toronto] Globe and Mail
"After trillions of euros, Berlin next week will begin celebrating the 20th anniversary of that experiment’s beginning. Chancellor Angela Merkel, a former East German, has been able to produce statistics that allow her to boast of a modest success. But by its own terms, and those set by her predecessor, there is nothing much to celebrate."

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