The Short List - April 12, 2011

• The budget compromise that averted a government shutdown last week would cut $38 billion from the federal budget, with over half of those cuts coming to education, labor, and health programs.  All parties to the budget showdown share blame, according to a new CNN poll, but President Obama came out slightly ahead.  Meanwhile, DC Mayor Vincent Gray and several council members were arrested outside the Capitol yesterday, protesting congressional meddling in the affairs of the District.


• No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Minsk subway system yesterday that killed 12.


• Japan has raised the nuclear crisis in that country to the highest possible level, seven, a level not seen since Chernobyl.  The change in the level does not reflect a change in the immediate situation, but rather a better understanding of the contamination over the past month.


• In other bad nuclear news, Iran has announced a major breakthrough in their nuclear program.  The country claims to be one month away from a commercial nuclear reactor.


• Following the arrest of Gbagbo yesterday, President Ouattara has asked all fighters to lay down their arms.  Ouattara has moved quickly to declare that Gbagbo, his wife, and his entourage will be tried in the Ivory Coast, not at the International Criminal Court.  Additionally, Ouattara indicated he will set up a truth and reconciliation panel to address the violence.


• The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower judge ruling that blocks implementation of the most controversial parts of Arizona's immigration law.  Specifically, the ruling blocks the requirement that immigration status be confirmed if someone is stopped by police.


• Student loan debt outpaced(NYT) credit card debt for the first time last year.


• Once more with feeling, the birther claim is ludicrous and those that peddle to it, Mr. Trump and Mrs. Palin, are facilitating a lie.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• Laurent Gbagbo's claims to the presidency of Ivory Coast met an ignoble end today, as he was arrested after French forces intervened. 


• The strain in U.S.-Pakistan relations increased today as Pakistan requested the United States scale back CIA activity in Pakistan (NYT). Until recently, despite rhetorical disapproval of the drone campaign, it had been clear that Pakistan was cooperating with the United States in its war in Northwest Pakistan. 


• Libyan rebels rejected outright the AU cease-fire proposal already accepted by Qaddafi. Despite claiming a willingness to accept the cease-fire, Qaddafi pressed the attack in Misurata. 


• A likely bomb was detonated in the Minsk subway, killing 11 so far. 


• Without much fanfare, Mitt Romney is officially running for President (NYT).


• And the uncompromising wing of the GOP will apparently occupy the 2012 Senate field.

The Short List - April 11, 2011

• The federal government shutdown was averted late Friday, and so now, before the complete FY2011 budget compromise is passed talk turns to the FY2012 budget.  President Obama will announce his plan to deal with the deficit this week, following the release of Rep. Ryan and House Republicans' "Path to Prosperity" budget plan which would fundamentally change Medicare and Medicaid as well as lowering the highest tax bracket by 10%.


• The African Union has said Qaddafi has accepted a cease-fire and the AU's roadmap to peace.  Stops along that roadmap remain unknown and rebels were understandably skeptical of the roadmap.  Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, will present the roadmap to the rebel leadership today.  Meanwhile, Qaddafi's attempts at PR with the journalists in the country are amateurish(NYT), poking further holes in his anemic credibility.


• Violence continues(NYT) in the Ivory Coast, as French forces seek to oust deposed president Gbagbo from the bunker he has been hiding in for over a week.


• A moderate Wahhabi leader was killed in Kashmir on Friday.


• Women were detained in Paris today, protesting the France's veil ban.

The Short List - April 8, 2011

• A government shutdown looms over DC, as no agreement has been reached so far this morning.  A major point of contention has little to do with money and lots to do with ideology, as Republicans continue to insist on so-called riders.  Among them is a rider that will prevent the EPA from enforcing the Clean Air Act.  One potential money related point of negotiation is cutting the salaries of federal employees.  The economic impact of the shutdown would be dependent on its duration, but could stifle an already weak recovery and create uncertainty in the markets.  **Editorial Notes:  Public service through federal employment should, more often then not, be considered an honorable thing.  That we're still chasing after their salaries bodes poorly for the government's ability to attract and retain great talent.  Also, I've not been a DC statehood supporter, but if my trash piles up because Congress can't reach a budget deal, I may have to reconsider my position.**


• Japan experienced a 7.4 magnitude aftershock(NYT) Thursday night, leaving hundreds or thousands without power in a country that can't seem to catch a break.


• NATO forces accidentally bombed Libyan rebel forces and have blamed the rebels for using Libyan army tanks.  


• People are getting a look inside Libya's Revolutionary Committee headquarters.


• As Gbagbo holds on(NYT) in the Ivory Coast, violence escalates.


• Less than two years ago, U.S. diplomats were made aware of the tenuous nature of President Salah's rule in Yemen.


• SecDef Gates is in Iraq today noting the progress the country has made since he took the job in late 2006.


• Fox News has decided to pull Glenn Beck's daily program, Dana Milbank reacts.  All sane people realize John Stewart and Stephen Colbert have risen victorious over Beck.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• Opposition forces have stormed Laurent Gbagbo's bunker as surrender talks collapsed.


• Reuters carries the requisite "high oil prices are here to stay" piece.


• Portugal will seek EU bailout.


• Libyan rebels made meager advances today.


• The US Government Shutdown looms.

The Short List - April 6, 2011

Sorry for the slacking Short List fans, but I've got a laundry list of links for you this morning.

• Libyan rebels contemplate a de facto two state stalemate after recent military defeats.


• Gbagbo "on the brink" of yielding power in the Ivory Coast albeit from a bunker.  In case he has second thoughts, forces loyal to Ouatara have launched an attack(NYT) against Mr. Gbagbo's bunker.


• Yemeni president Saleh continues to look for an exit, but is adamant about departing his way.


• SecDef Gates is in Saudi Arabia today to meet with King Abduallah.  Reportedly on the agenda is a discussion of a US-KSA arms deal.  Decidely not on the agenda, is a discussion of KSA's military intervention in Bahrain last month.


• Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly has been declared the winner of the presidential election in Haiti.  His election is a watershed moment in Haiti's political movement, but Haiti remains a country with a broken infrastructure, if filled with resilient people.


• The federal government careens toward a shutdown as a summit at the White House yesterday yielded nothing, except Speaker Boehner suggesting he'll pursue another $7 billion in cuts past the $33 billion that had been floated around a week ago.


• Even as the budget fight over FY2011 rages, the fight over FY2012 begins.  Rep. Paul Ryan has unveiled the Republican budget proposal for 2012, but it goes way beyond that as the proposal seeks to end Medicare and Medicaid as people have known them for year.  Here are articles from The Washington Post and The Economist, as well as, Rep. Ryan's op-ed in WSJ.  Ezra Klein breaks down the key points of the proposal.  Fact Checker explores if Rep. Ryan's rhetoric matches the facts.  The CBO has a preliminary analysis that indicates seniors would pay more under Ryan's plan versus existing Medicare and Medicaid recipients would simply receive less aid.  Paul Krugman considers the Heritage Foundation's employment projections if Ryan's plan is implemented.  Matt Yglesias on why we should question promises made by the Heritage Foundation.


• Finally, this is a MUST READ article on the role Islamist fundamentalism in the context of the Arab Spring from The Economist.  If you know next to nothing on this subject, you should read this.

The Short List - April 4, 2011

• The situation in Libya muddles on as the rebels try to find a leader or three(NYT), while their military effort has stalled.  However, the rebellion may be having some effect as emissaries for Qaddafi have met with leaders in Greece and plan to meet leaders in Turkey.


• In the Ivory Coast, the UN has decided to relocate 200 civilian workers after days of sniper fire and harassment by pro-Gbagbo forces.  Meanwhile, French forces have locked down the airport in Abidjan.


• In an apparent shift, the Obama administration is quietly seeking the removal(NYT) of President Saleh in Yemen.


• Protests entered their third day in Afghanistan, after people took to the streets to protest a Florida pastor's burning of the Koran.  As if further evidence was necessary, the pastor appears to be an egomanical leader requiring cult like obedience from his followers, the number of which have dwindled since the Koran incident.


• A government shutdown is looming for Friday unless a budget deal can be worked out, but Congress remains publicly divided even as the staff of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees seek compromise, continuing the Kabuki theater of Washington, where admitting to seek compromise is tantamount to defeat.


• President Obama, almost a little surprisingly (snark intended), has announced he will seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2012.  Though widely expected, what's unexpected is that President Obama would officially declare his candidacy before any major Republican candidate would do the same.

The Short List - April 1, 2011

• In Yemen, the fate of the country could rest on the wrangling between two men.


• Nasdaq and ICE have joined forces to make a counter bid for NYSE Euronext, which is $1.3 billion more then the previous bid by Duestche Boerse.


• It appears Gbago reign is reaching it's end(NYT) in the Ivory Coast, as fighters loyal to Ouattara descend upon Abidjan after facing limited resistance and often a warm welcome in other cities.


• House Republican freshmen continue to balk at a compromise over the 2011 federal budget.  The current, prominent compromise on the table would cut $30 billion dollars from the the budget, the largest single year reduction in history.


• Michael Gerson sees the Bush Doctrine in Obama's actions.  DCExile on the dangers of doctrines.


• The claim that climate change isn't real took another hit Thursday, as research was presented to the House.  Meanwhile, likely presidential candidate, Tim Pawlenty, says he was wrong to support cap and trade.


• Newt Gingrich is bummed out by the prospect of his own presidential candidacy.  He reportedly said, "People are actually getting excited about the guy who engineered the 1995 government shutdown? I'm sorry, but that's just sad."

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• More members of Qaddafi's government defect as public discussions of covert support for the rebels increase. For DCExile's take on covert support for Libyan rebels, click here.


• Ireland's bank protection scheme will cost $100 billion.


• WTO rules against the United States over its subsidies to Boeing. The US does not have a great record of success before the WTO -- it also does not have a great record of complying with those judgments.


• Japan may nationalize TEPCO.


• And Syria took some half measures.

The Short List - March 31, 2011

• The CIA is on the ground in Libya, sizing up rebel groups and clearing the way for the implementation of President Obama's (briefly) secret directive to equip the rebels with arms.


• There is early agreement between Democrats and Republicans on the hill to cut approximately $33 billion from the federal budget in 2011.  Details remain to be worked out and the specter of riders (policy amendments "riding" the budget bill) remain contentious.


• Bureaucratic wrangling over the speed and scale of the planned withdraw of U.S. troops from Afghanistan is set to kick off.  Gen. Petraeus has yet to give a formal recommendation. 


• Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (Oskee Wow Wow Illinois) have created a fast charging battery that will reach 90% charge in two minutes.  The breakthrough is expected to be a key technology if electric cars are to be viable alternatives to internal combustion.


• Republicans are going after AARP for its support of the Affordable Care Act.


• CNN conducted a poll and nearly half of those polled hold an unfavorable view of the Tea Party.


• A cricket match is more then a cricket match when India plays Pakistan.  The Economist talks about the event's significance.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• Another mixed one for Libyan rebels. Qaddafi's foreign minister, Musa Kusa, quit and sought asylum in London. After a brief hiatus, NATO/coalition air strikes against Qaddafi resumed. But the rebels continued to retreat as the interim council tried to fend off suggestions that al-Qaeda and Hezbollah were among their ranks. **Editor's Note: The idea that both Hezbollah and al-Qaeda are supporting the Libyan rebels is rather curious.** 


• Ouattara has seized the capital of Ivory Coast.


• Tom Donahue, head of the powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce, gave national embarrassment and GOP hopeful Donald Trump a thumbs down.


• SEIU is investigating its own (well, really Workers United) Bruce Raynor for expense account abuses.


• And the Burmese Junta came to an end (sort of).

There is no Obama Doctrine, and that's Okay

On Monday night, President Obama gave a speech meant to explain U.S. actions in Libya.  It has been widely perceived as a declaration of the Obama Doctrine, but I think his speech was less about a doctrine and more about a rationale for action in a specific situation.  But that’s okay.  President Obama doesn’t need a doctrine, indeed doctrines can be counter-productive.  However, there are people who like the structure a stated doctrine provide.  They like a fixed lens, with which to view a president’s actions.

First, I want to come back to the concept of a doctrine in international affairs.  Perhaps the most often lamented doctrine of late was the Bush Doctrine.  A doctrine largely defined by American unilaterialism and preventative war.  The costs of this doctrine were made plain in Iraq, still that same drumbeat often associated with the neo-conservative movement reared it’s ugly head regarding Libya, which drew this stern rebuke to Max Boot that I penned a few weeks ago.  There are other doctrines out there though.  

The prevailing foreign policy posture of the United States for about 45 years could be summed up as the Truman Doctrine.  Basically, the Truman Doctrine said the U.S. would combat communism anywhere it appeared.  This doctrine begot the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and dozens of other incursions into foreign lands that, on the whole, have had disastrous consequences for the United States.  The hang over from the Truman Doctrine continues to impede American credibility around the world long after the Cold War.  I point out both the Bush Doctrine and the Truman Doctrine because they are the clearest examples we have of a president acting based on a specific, unified doctrine.  Results from that sort of approach to international engagement are nothing short of calamitous.

President Obama, on Monday, laid out the humanitarian case for intervening in Libya.  Much has been made of Susan Power’s voice in the administration.  Ms. Power’s was in the Clinton administration during the run up to the war in Bosnia and during the genocide in Rwanda.  While history has been kind to Clinton for the final outcomes in Bosnia, inaction in the face of the Rwandan genocide is a mark on the record of his administration and indeed a point of personal shame for many involved, including Ms. Powers.  To be sure, her voice and the voice of many Democratic hands during the Clinton administration, obviously inclusive of Secretary Clinton herself, were loud in the president’s ear and you could feel the memory of bumbling Clinton press conferences during the Rwanda genocide in the background as Obama laid out the goal of preventing a massacre.  It’s good to learn from history, but I think many pundits forget why Clinton didn’t intervene in Rwanda.  People forget that not 8 months before the genocide began, American troops were dragged dead through the streets of Mogadishu following the failed attempt at intervention in Somalia.  People weren’t kind to the Clinton administration following the Black Hawk Down incident, and I wonder how the U.S. might have intervened in Rwanda without putting boots on the ground.  In Rwanda, a no-fly zone wouldn’t have cut it.  And that brings me back full circle.

President Obama, in laying out the case for intervention in Libya, cited several reasons.  First, there is an opposition that asked for help, second, there were declarations from Qaddafi that he would massacre dissenters once the rebellion was squashed, third, intervention had the public support of the Arab League, fourth, intervention had the authority of a UN resolution, and fifth, there was a viable alliance to intervene (we didn’t bribe our way to a Coalition of the Willing).  Based on all those things, we decided to intervene in a limited way.  People want to call Obama’s willingness to intervene a doctrine.  To me, it sounds like a reasoned decision based on the facts at hand.  Could the U.S. intervene elsewhere?  Maybe.  Should we have intervened in Bahrain or should we be intervening in Syria?  I have my doubts, but of course I had and have doubts about intervening in Libya.  However, when you are the bad neighbor that doesn’t cut his lawn, the neighborhood committee can turn against.  Such is the case in Libya.  When you swear to burn down the kitchen because the stove didn’t work right, somebody is going to step in and take away your matches. We could make an impact on the situation with the low-intensity no fly zone, and so we did.

There is no doctrine here.  Like so many of President Obama’s policy choices, you don’t find a doctrine or a dogma.  You see a policy that reflects the contours of the moment and the situation.  You see a policy that works now for this instance, but may not be the best in six months time or a year’s time.  And that’s boring policy-making.  You can’t put someone in a category when they look at each decision and situation independently with an appreciation for time and history.  That’s not sound-bite governing.  I remain skeptical of our intervention in Libya and I’m not sure what the end game for our involvement is and I’m fearful for what might happen to the Libyan people in the future no matter if Qaddafi or the rebels "win," however, I’m encouraged the president laid out a case for intervention here that was compelling (if not entirely convincing) and by acknowledging no two situations are the same.

The Short List - March 30, 2011

• In Libya, government officials have confirmed reports that a limited number of the rebels in that country are part of or have ties to al Qaeda and Hezbollah.  Libyan opposition groups have maintained contact with these groups for years.  The United Kingdom has expelled five Libyan diplomats loyal to Qaddafi.  Reuters is reporting (no link available at press time) that Uganda has offered Qaddafi asylum, which helps explain Ugandan President Museveni's op-ed at CNN about the Qaddafi he knows.  Seriously.


• Syria's President Assad has said "conspirators" are fomenting unrest in that country, in what has become a classic turn of phrase for dictators.


• International recognized president-elect of Ivory Coast, Ouattara, and forces loyal to him have seized several towns in that country.


• House Republican leaders have begun appealing to moderate Democrats in hopes of avoiding a government shutdown over the budget CRs.  They appear ready to make concession to those Democrats, in the face of staunch resistance to compromise on their party's right flank.


• In Wisconsin,a judge has enjoined the implementation of the controversial bill that would strip public employee unions of their collective bargaining rights.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• A mixed one for Libyan rebels. On the one hand, foreign ministers met in London to discuss support for the rebels, resulting in envoys, promises of financing and even provision of arms. On the other hand, rebels were driven from Bin Jawad, Ras Lanuf, and potentially Brega, mere days after retaking those cities.


• Syria's cabinet has resigned in what has become a familiar--if futile--tactic among Middle Eastern despots attempting to cling to power in the face of the Arab Spring.


• BP may be subject to manslaughter charges arising from the blowout on Deepwater Horizon.


• The government shutdown potentiality rears its ugly head once more.


• Bachmann hedges.


• Finally, the Guardian reports that there may have been a meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• Libyan rebels advanced on, and were halted at, Qaddafi's hometown, Sirte. NATO took control of operations over Libya. Politico previews the President's speech tonight.


• Japan continues to struggle with its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility. 


• Angela Merkel suddenly appears to be on the ropes in Germany.


• Donald Trump: National Embarrassment.

The Short List - March 28, 2011

• Airstikes in Libya escalate, as the nation awaits President Obama's national address tonight on the crisis.


• A roundup of the Sunday talk show circuit.  Secretaries Clinton & Gates made the full circuit, while Newt Gingrich claims he's not a hypocrite on Libya and not being lame for explaining away his affairs because of his passion for America.


• Radiation levels at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have hit new highs as the long work to prevent a total meltdown continue.


• Syria's president has called in the army in an effort to quell the rebellion in the repressive, secular nation.


• The Israeli army has deployed an experimental anti-missile system, anticipating additional volleys originating from inside the Gaza Strip.


• Sen. Jim Demint says there's room for more Republican candidates for 2012, which, if true, could give us a bakers' dozen of GOP hopefuls.

The NFL Lockout and Union Struggles

Stephen Squibb over at n+1, rights the piece I've been trying to write since the Wisconsin union battle and the NFL lockout overlapped.  The whole thing is worth your time, but I'm going to pull out two passages that get to the heart of the issue.  First:

For this obvious restraint of trade the league needs and has needed the blessing of the federal government in the form of an exemption from the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. First secured in 1966 on the occasion of the merger of the AFL and the NFL, the exemption was granted on the condition of Commissioner Pete Rozelle’s promise that teams would not relocate, the idea being that if owners had the right to move teams from city to city they could blackmail local constituencies for millions in public financing. This is, of course, exactly what they’ve done, again and again, in the forty-five years since, to the tune of about $7 billion in taxpayer dollars. It’s unclear whether this figure includes sums like the $36 million paid by the Municipality of San Diego to Alex Spanos, patriarch of the Chargers, for empty seats after the city was forced to guarantee him revenue equivalent to an attendance of 60,000. To put that number in perspective, $36 millon is a little over six times the amount Spanos donated to 527 separate groups to help reelect George W. Bush in 2004, putting him in the GOP’s top five. It is also roughly one-tenth the subsidy demanded by Spanos’s son, Dean, currently team president, to, again, prevent a move to Los Angeles and San Antonio.  “I don’t know how many cities are going to be willing to put up $400 or $500 million,” San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said of a possible relocation in light of San Diego’s dire financial situation. “But I take every city as a credible threat.”

And Squibb concludes his piece with this:

Most convincing of all is the simple fact that, at the very least, the American people have paid $7 billion in operating expenses for the privilege to watch football in the fall, and have not complained about the rising ticket prices or the thoroughly oppressive advertising included in the increasingly bullshit bargain. Instead, in the face of overwhelming evidence that the game is more dangerous and more profitable than ever before, the owners have decided that it is still not dangerous or profitable enough, and they have shut it down rather than hear otherwise. Those behind Scott Walker and the others like him have made a similar determination about the rights of American citizens. Collective bargaining, like collective ownership before it, is an unacceptable check on the flow of public monies into fewer and fewer private hands. History needs a push and our clients aren’t interested in being partners with your guys. In other words, Fuck You.

It should come as no surprise that I'm siding with the players in this particular labor dispute.  The chief reason for my support of the unions is the categorical refusal by owners to open up their books to attempt to justify the additional $1 billion that want to skim off the top.

The Short List - March 25, 2011

• In Libya, it is clear some of the populace remains loyal to Qaddafi.


• In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood rises in prominence, causing concern among the secular opposition groups.


• It appears President Saleh of Yemen is preparing for an exit, but conditions are being negotiated, and there remains a great deal of uncertainty.


• Thousands in Dara'a, Syria marched in protest of government killings of demonstrators from earlier protests.  The outburst of dissent in that country has been remarkable, and violent acts by the government seem to sustain the protests much as they did in Iran in 2009.


• Japan has only begun to assess the extensive damage to its infrastructure following the earthquake and tsunami that befell the country two weeks ago.


• As U.S. Special Forces trainers prepare to leave Iraq, there are concerns the 4,000 strong force they leave behind could become the private militia of Prime Minister al-Maliki.


• As state budgets are tightened, unemployment benefits are on the chopping block.  Ten Year U.S. T-bills are trading at 3.39% this morning.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• As NATO appears to ready itself to takeover operational control of the intervention in Libya, the tide in the fight between Qaddafi and rebels appears to be turning. If a tipping point is near, look for events to start accelerating as the regime crumbles.


• While the world is fixated on Libya, the Arab Spring continues in Jordan, Syria, and Yemen.


• Spasm of violence between Israel and the Palestinians may be related to a split within Hamas.


• Michele Bachmann moves yet closer to running for President.


• Gentrification has had a serious impact on DC's demographics--the African-American population dropped by 11% in a decade and now barely forms a majority of the District's residents.


• Meanwhile, I'm puzzled by the sudden interest in the (Constitutional) meaning of "war" in the United States. A notable change compared to the last . . . sixty years.

The Short List - March 24, 2011

• In Libya, pro-Qaddafi forces have resumed attacks on rebel held cities.  In the U.S., President Obama has come under criticism from House Speaker Boehner over the mission and level of consultation regarding military intervention in Libya.


• In Japan, even as power has been restored to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, there are many challenges that remain including potential salt build up linked to previous efforts to cool the reactors using seawater.


• In Syria, there are reports the government continues to crackdown on protesters, killing several people.


• In Yemen, President Saleh's control grows more tenuous as the web of tribes in the country start to turn on him.


• The Justice Department and the SEC have been stepping up prosecution of U.S. companies allegedly perpetrating bribes to foreign governments.


• As state budgets find ways to balance their budgets, support to municipalities is on the chopping block.  Meanwhile, the 10 year treasury rate sits at 3.39%, over half a point from the 52-week high of 4.01%.


• Sen. Rand Paul mulls a presidential run, to ensure the Tea Party point of view is represented.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• Tokyo drinking water is unsafe for infants, raising more fears about radiation.


• Largely unnoticed, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians seems to be heating up.


• Rumsfeld has the nerve to criticize another administration's handling of a military intervention. Newt caught being completely inconsistent on Libya.


• Crude.

Interesting Graphic

So I stole this from Ezra Klein, and I also stole regular viewing of xkcd.com from a friend of mine, but I thought this was an interesting graphic concerning radiation levels.

Click to Enlarge

You should definitely follow his less serious, but seriously funny comics through your preferred reader.  An example:

The Short List - March 23, 2011

• In Libya, as the air strikes have been successful, managing the allies has not.  If you haven't,  read the account of the four NYT journalists captured and brutalized by the Libyan government.  The New York Times explores the diplomatic no-man's-land for ambassadors from the Middle East with governments in turmoil.


• Elsewhere in the region, six people were killed by government forces in Dara'a Syria.  Jordan's King Abdullah II is blaming the country's prime minister for the lack of political change.


• A report by Human Rights Watch claims the Ugandan police are guilty of torture and killings of their own citizens.


• The Justice Department has sued on behalf of a former Illinois math teacher who quit after her request to complete the Hajj, or a Muslim's pilgrimage to Mecca, was denied.


• The Affordable Care Act, often derisively referred to as "Obamacare," was passed a year ago this week. While legal challenges persist, even as calls for repeal have quieted, Republicans have failed to clearly articulate an alternative that would cover as many people.

What Kind Of Day Has It Been

• The No Fly Zone over Libya got more complicated today, as Turkey blocked NATO's taking command of the operation. The United States, which is currently in operational control of coalition forces, is trying to extricate itself from that role as quickly as possible. AFRICOM, the youngest U.S. Combatant Command, is getting quite a bit of exposure from the Libyan operations.


• Moshe Katav, former President of Israel, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for rape.


• Romney accuses Obama of a "fundamental disbelief in American exceptionalism." That makes him a realist, right? Imagine, a President who makes foreign policy decisions on the basis of the national interest and not blind ideology.


• More inconsistently fiscally conservative Republicans. I wonder how much the tax payers will end up shelling out in the inevitable taxpayer suit challenging this if it becomes law?

Presidential Power and the Libyan Intervention

Yesterday, a debate emerged over whether the President has the authority to order U.S. armed forces into action over Libya without Congressional ascent. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle attacked the President for exceeding his Constitutional authority in launching attacks against Libya without prior Congressional authorization. While it is nice to see members of Congress cross party lines to defend Congress’s institutional prerogatives—something woefully absent when Republicans dominated Congress during the Bush Administration—the criticism here leveled is nonsense. Jack Goldsmith explains why here.