Obama Has Low Global Approval Ratings Says Expert

Andrew Kohut, President of the Pew Research Center, says that the Pew Global Project's 2010 Survey finds that Obama has low approval ratings internationally about the way he has handled issues with Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. (0:17)

KBR Accused Of Employee Inefficiency As Iraq Withdrawal Date Approaches

By Justine Rellosa-Talk Radio News Service

According to the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, defense contractor Kellogg, Brown and Root, Inc. are not using their employees in Iraq efficiently as the withdrawal date for U.S. troops approaches.

“The audit report basically says that if KBR staffing was to be reduced ... the government could save up to $193 million,” said Commission member Robert Henke, who noted that KBR is currently considered over-staffed. Concerns have also been raised that these excess workers are not performing enough work to justify the costs of maintaining their presence.

While the KBR has been criticized for not proactively reducing its Iraq workforce, a representative from KBR blamed government officials Monday for not providing an adequate direction through their oversight efforts.

“Why can’t the contractor be brought into this process sooner, so we can do a better job in preparing, in conjunction with the military, the plan?” asked KBR Principle Program Manager Guy A. J. Laboa during his testimony before the commission.

Commission Co-Chair Michael Thibault echoed a similar sentiment, and noted that the government should be more active in the oversight of contractors.

Petraeus Open To Ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said on Tuesday that he is open to a review of the military's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

“I believe the time has come to consider a change to DADT,” he said.

Regarding Iran, he said CENTCOM is networking with other countries that are concerned about Iran’s nuclear project and who hope to prevent it from growing.

“The Iranian regime continues its nuclear program. Indeed, Iran is assessed by many analysts to be engaged in pursuing nuclear weapon capability,” said Petraeus. “[Iran] is likely to spur a regional arms race.”

To prevent a nuclear war, Petraeus said CENTCOM has been working on building regional security architecture in that region to establish “security relationships and partnerships" between nations that share concern over Iran.

On Afghanistan, Petraeus said that in roughly 18 months from now, the total number of American troops in Afghanistan will top 139,000.

Meanwhile, American forces in Iraq are expected to be reduced from 97,000 to 50,000 by the end of August 2010, he said.

Millions Head To The Polls In Iraq, Despite Violence

By Benny Martinez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Amid fears of attacks, Iraqis rushed the polls this weekend to choose their future leaders in the country’s second ever parliamentary election.

Despite some acts of violence on the part of al-Qaeda and other extremist groups that left 38 dead, the U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad said the election “went very, very well.”

Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. military commander in the country, said that most of the casualties resulted from one single attack in Baghdad that brought down an apartment building.

"In the rest of Iraq, it was extremely peaceful," he said. "I was very impressed with the coordination and work done by the Iraqi security forces."

President Barack Obama also commended the Iraqi people for the strong turnout at nearly 50,000 voting booths. The President said that nearly 19 million Iraqis exercised their right to vote “with enthusiasm and optimism.”

“[The election] makes it clear that the future of Iraq belongs to the people of Iraq,” Obama said.

Ballots are being counted but it will most likely be months until results from the historic election are finalized.

Clinton: For Every Dollar We Spend, We Must Show Results

By Benny Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee Wednesday that the State Department’s FY2011 budget request has increased to $52.8 billion, a $4.9 billion increase over 2010.

$3.6 billion will be directly allocated to supporting efforts for what Clinton referred to as “frontline states”; Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.

“These figures are more than numbers on a page,” Clinton said. “They tell the story of challenges we face and the resources we need to overcome them.”

Clinton said that the investments in these nations will focus on security, developing democratic institutions and ensuring that the right personnel are adequately trained in order to take full advantage of these investments.

“For every dollar we spend, we have to show results,” she said.

In her opening statement, Clinton said there will be an increase in civilian presence in Afghanistan, and continued efforts to develop institutions and increase economic opportunities.

Regarding Pakistan, Mrs. Clinton said investments will concentrate on combating and diluting extremism. Iraqi investments will be allocated toward reducing our military presence and increasing our civilian presence.

Clinton also emphasized that despite a $2.6 billion dollar investment in Iraq, the Department of Defense’s budget for the country will decrease by nearly $16 billion, “a powerful illustration of the return on civilian investment.”

The Mrs. Clinton expressed optimism over the State Department’s budget request, saying it “will help build the foundations of peace, stability and prosperity in these ‘frontline states.'”