Just Foreign Policy News
October 16, 2009

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Summary:
U.S./Top News
1) Iran experts and regional analysts say that Iran finally may be ready to make a deal on its nuclear program, less because it is under pressure than because it has already achieved what it set out to do, the New York Times reports. The point when both sides have a chance to declare victory may have been reached. "If the Iranian endgame is to keep enrichment, and if the United States' endgame is to make sure there are no nuclear weapons in Iran, then it can be a win-win," said Trita Parsi of NIAC. Experts say Iran's intention all along was to strengthen its hand in dealing with the West, to achieve legitimacy, security and recognition of its leadership in the region. Iran's meeting with the US and Western powers in Geneva brought it within reach of those goals. The US negotiated directly with Iran and, perhaps more important, Iran walked away with an implicit acceptance of its right to continue enrichment on its own soil, which it considers a matter of national sovereignty.

Just Foreign Policy News
October 15, 2009

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In Defense of Rachel Corrie
When a local theatre company does a production of the play "My Name is Rachel Corrie," based on the writings of the slain American peace activist, controversy is sure to follow. But here are a few things strident critics of the play don't want you to know.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/372

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Just Foreign Policy News
October 13, 2009

McChrystal's 40,000 Troop Hoax
Even if Obama were to approve General McChrystal's request, the 40,000 troops wouldn't arrive in time to significantly affect the 12-month window McChrystal says will be decisive. So McChrystal's request isn't about what's happening in Afghanistan right now. It's about how many troops the U.S. will have in Afghanistan a year from now and beyond. There is no emergency requiring a quick decision by President Obama.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/369

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Summary:
U.S./Top News
1) Some national security officials, concerned President Obama might be abandoning full-fledged counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan, are claiming new intelligence assessments suggesting that al Qaeda would be allowed to return to Afghanistan in the event of a Taliban victory, writes Gareth Porter for Inter Press Service. But two former senior intelligence analysts question the alleged new intelligence assessments. They say that the Taliban leadership still blames Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda for their loss of power after 9/11 and that the Taliban-al Qaeda cooperation is much narrower today than it was during the period of Taliban rule.

Just Foreign Policy News
October 12, 2009

Feingold Calls For Flexible Timetable to Draw Down Troops in Afghanistan
Senator Feingold urges an accounting of the cost of sending more troops; argues that more troops could be counterproductive by causing more people to join the insurgency and by destabilizing Pakistan; points out the folly of expending a disproportionate share of U.S. resources on war in Afghanistan, compared to other challenges.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o90aljNSLw

Obama Begins Meaningful Engagement With Iran
Many were alarmed by the Obama Administration's apparent "saber-rattling" around the revelation of Iran's nuclear enrichment facility at Qom. But more significant than how vigorously the Administration was pounding the table was the fact that it was pounding the table in pursuit of realistic, achievable goals - like the introduction of inspectors at Qom, which Iran had in fact already agreed to - rather than the pie-in-the-sky goal of ending Iranian enrichment of uranium.
http://www.truthout.org/1008097

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Just Foreign Policy News
October 9, 2009

Just Foreign Policy News on the Web:
[To receive just the Summary and a link to the web version, you can use this webform:
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Nobel Committee, Strategic As Ever, Taps Obama for Peace Prize
Some initial commentary has called the award unprecedented and wondered why the committee would give President Obama the award when he "hasn't done anything yet." But anyone who thinks this award is unprecedented hasn't been paying attention. The Nobel Committee was being strategic, as it has been in the past: praising Obama's moves towards diplomacy as a way of strengthening those moves and beating back his right-wing critics.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/366

Obama Begins Meaningful Engagement With Iran
Many were alarmed by the Obama Administration's apparent "saber-rattling" around the revelation of Iran's nuclear enrichment facility at Qom. But more significant than how vigorously the Administration was pounding the table was the fact that it was pounding the table in pursuit of realistic, achievable goals - like the introduction of inspectors at Qom, which Iran had in fact already agreed to - rather than the pie-in-the-sky goal of ending Iranian enrichment of uranium.
http://www.truthout.org/1008097

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Just Foreign Policy News
October 8, 2009

Team Obama: Afghan Taliban Not a Threat to U.S.
At long last, the Obama Administration is acknowledging that the Afghan Taliban don't threaten the United States - the first step to rejecting General McChrystal's request for 40,000 more troops. Opposition inside the Administration to sending more troops is apparently being driven by Afghanistan scholar Barnett Rubin - someone who actually knows something about Afghanistan.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/363

BBC World Have Your Say: How many troops are needed in Afghanistan?
Just Foreign Policy joins with Die Linke to make the case against military escalation, talks with the Taliban, and for a timetable for military withdrawal.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/whys/
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/worldservice/whys/whys_20091007-1928a.mp3

Urge Congress to Support the Lee Bill
Representative Barbara Lee has introduced a bill [H.R. 3699] prohibiting any increase in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Urge your Member of Congress to support it.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/lee

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Just Foreign Policy News
October 7, 2009

BBC World Have Your Say: How many troops are needed in Afghanistan?
Just Foreign Policy joins with Die Linke to make the case against military escalation and for a timetable for military withdrawal.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/whys/
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/worldservice/whys/whys_20091007-1928a.mp3

Urge Congress to Support the Lee Bill
Representative Barbara Lee has introduced a bill [H.R. 3699] prohibiting any increase in the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Urge your Member of Congress to support it.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/lee

Is Team Obama Really Rethinking Afghanistan?
Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal suggest that Obama and his advisers are indeed rethinking key assumptions which have underpinned U.S. policy: in particular, the assumption that al Qaeda would have a "safe haven" in Afghanistan if the Taliban regain control of parts of the country. Two other assumptions that have driven U.S. policy also deserve White House review: the assumption that an al Qaeda safe haven in Afghanistan would significantly increase the terrorist threat to the United States, and the assumption that a Taliban military victory would necessarily follow a U.S. military withdrawal.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/360

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Just Foreign Policy News
October 6, 2009

Is Team Obama Really Rethinking Afghanistan?
Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal suggest that Obama and his advisers are indeed rethinking key assumptions which have underpinned U.S. policy: in particular, the assumption that al Qaeda would have a "safe haven" in Afghanistan if the Taliban regain control of parts of the country. Two other assumptions that have driven U.S. policy also deserve White House review: the assumption that an al Qaeda safe haven in Afghanistan would significantly increase the terrorist threat to the United States, and the assumption that a Taliban military victory would necessarily follow a U.S. military withdrawal.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/360

Peace Action West: Online Vigil at the White House
Peace Action West is organizing an "online vigil" through Wednesday on the White House's Facebook page.
http://peaceactionwest.org/fb/action.html

Attend a Screening of Robert Greenwald's "Rethink Afghanistan"
Find a screening or host one.
http://rethinkafghanistan.com/screenings/

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Just Foreign Policy News
October 5, 2009

Attend a Screening of Robert Greenwald's "Rethink Afghanistan"
Find a screening near you or host one yourself.
http://rethinkafghanistan.com/screenings/

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Summary:
U.S./Top News
1) Nearly two dozen House liberals have signed onto a bill that would prohibit an increase of troops in Afghanistan, The Hill reports. Rep. Barbara Lee and 21 lawmakers introduced H.R. 3699 on Thursday.

2) National security adviser Jones rebuked Gen. McChrystal's public campaign for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan, saying that "it is better for military advice to come up through the chain of command," the Washington Post reports. McChrystal had criticized as "short-sighted" an alternative strategy put forward by Vice President Biden that would not involve sending more troops. Jones indicated that the Obama administration expects McChrystal and his military superiors to broaden the range of alternatives for how best to proceed in Afghanistan.

Just Foreign Policy News
September 25, 2009

[The editor of the JFP News will be traveling and presenting next week; the JFP News will resume on October 5.]

MoveOn to Obama: Exit Strategy, Not More Troops to Afghanistan
MoveOn.org is asking MoveOn members to write to President Obama in opposition to demands for more U.S. troops to be sent to Afghanistan.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/node/352

Tell President Obama: No More Troops for Afghanistan
Some of Obama's advisers are urging him to reject General McChrystal's request for more troops. With Obama publicly deliberating, now is the time to weigh in. Send President Obama a letter. Urge him to reject the request for more troops and turn U.S. policy away from military escalation and towards diplomacy and negotiation.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/nomoretroops

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Summary:
U.S./Top News
1) Americans are more likely to say they would oppose (50%) rather than favor (41%) a possible decision by President Obama to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll. By an overwhelming 82% to 14% margin, those opposed to a troop increase say they favor withdrawal over keeping the status quo. As many Americans overall favor withdrawing troops from the country (41%) as favor increasing troop levels (41%).