Obama's Pacific Trip Aimed At Bolstering Diplomatic, Economic Ties

By Laurel Brishel Prichard University of New Mexico/ Talk Radio News Service

White house officials voiced the serious nature of President Barack Obama's upcoming diplomatic visit to Indonesia, Guam and Australia during a conference call with reporters Monday and stressed that the focus of the trip is to strengthen both political and economic relationships with the countries.

“This trip to Indonesia and Australia is an important opportunity to advance Americas’ security and economic interests in a very vital part of the world,” said Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes during a conference call with reporters. “The Asia Pacific region is of growing importance.”

Obama will first make a one day visit to Guam, where he will host a public with military personnel posted in area. Obama will then be off to Indonesia, which, according to Rhodes, has been critical to the United States' direction in the war on terror.

The president will be giving a speech directed to the Indonesian people during his stay to relay his personal sentiments with the country stemming from the time he spent in the country as a child.

“This is an opportunity for [Obama] to discuss the comprehensive partnership that we’re developing with Indonesia and the Indonesian people,” said Rhodes.

After the two day stay, Obama will travel to Australia, which has become an increasingly strong ally to the U.S. in recent years.

According to Rhodes, Australia has been pushing with the U.S. to help forward action to decrease environmental factors that damage the planet

“In many ways its a model alliance for the United States. We have very robust cooperation with the Australians on security issues, economic issues and environmental issues,” said Rhodes.

The president was initially supposed to leave Wednesday, but has re-scheduled the trip for Sunday amid Congressional action on health care reform.

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.

California Campuses Rocked By Student Protests

By Laurel Brishel Prichard -University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Students held protests at over 100 California college campuses Thursday in response to the state’s proposal to raise tuition by 32 percent and a series of significant budget cuts.

“Today’s the day that the students are on strike and standing up in solidarity with our fellow brothers and sisters, who are facing cuts in K-12, community colleges and the California state university system," activist Don Kingsbury, a teaching assistant and former graduate of University of California Santa Cruz, told Talk Radio News Service. "No more business as usual. We’re changing things."

Kingsbury said the administration at UC Santa Cruz has misplaced its priorities, as has the California state government.

“We think it's ridiculous that the UC president makes more than the President of the United States,” he said.

The students are urging the UC's Board of Regents to return to “The Master Plan,” which was a 1960 document that would allow for free, high quality and universally accessible education for all citizens of California.

“My students are telling me daily that they aren’t sure what they are going to do. Some of them are literally being priced out of their education,” said Kingsbury.

New Osama Tape Shows Desperation, Says Middle Eastern Affairs Expert

By Monique Cala University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

James Phillips, a senior research fellow with a focus on Middle Eastern affairs at the Heritage Foundation, says that the recent tape allegedly featuring Osama Bin Laden taking credit for the failed Christmas eve bombing of a commercial airliner shows desperation from the terrorist leader.

"He was so desperate to get his name back in circulation he would attach his name to this failed situation," said Phillips told Talk Radio News.

"One interesting aspect of the latest Bin Laden tape is that it was entitled 'Osama to Obama,'" Phillips added. "Osama wants to be seen the equal of a U.S. President."

Although Phillips contends that Bin Laden may be appearing weaker, he does not believe that should give the U.S. an excuse to abandon their search.

"The catching or killing of Bin Laden would be an important signal that the United States will not rest until it's brought to justice those who indiscriminately murder American citizens," said Phillips.

Phillips discussed the authenticity of the audio tape saying that to his knowledge none thus far have been fake. He does think that it is important to recognize the fact that Bin Laden only sends audio and not video, as to not give any clue away to where he might be or of his appearance.

Senate Republicans Wary Of Possible Climate Change Pledge In Copenhagen

Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

While President Barack Obama is taking the Environmental Protection Agency's ruling of the dangers and the toxicity of CO2 emissions and greenhouse gasses (GHGs) to Copenhagen climate change conference, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) told reporters Thursday that the Senate must ratify any proposed climate change pledge that President Barack Obama will make during his visit.

“Any action that would be binding on the U.S., in the form of an international agreement, will of course have to be ratified by the U.S. Senate,” Kyl said at a press conference Thursday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) spoke out against the possibility of the EPA and President Obama making any law on CO2 emissions or climate change.

“We’re not going to allow the Executive Branch or the Environmental Protection Agency, through the Clean Air Act or any other act, appropriate themselves the power to make laws to govern the people of the U.S.,” Graham said.

Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she will file a resolution of disapproval in hopes of stopping the EPA from regulating GHGs.