Tag: Barack Obama

  • Obama, Bill Clinton, and Kompany pay tribute to late basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo

    Obama, Bill Clinton, and Kompany pay tribute to late basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo

    Former U.S. President Barack Obama and various prominent figures in the basketball and football communities have expressed their sorrow over the passing of Dikembe Mutombo, the renowned Congolese-American NBA icon.

    Mutombo, an eight-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer, succumbed to brain cancer on September 30, 2024.

    In his heartfelt tribute shared on X, Obama celebrated Mutombo’s exceptional skills, recognising him as one of the finest defensive players in NBA history.

    He also emphasised Mutombo’s profound influence, noting how he inspired countless young Africans and made significant contributions beyond the basketball court, impacting athletes and communities alike.

    “Dikembe Mutombo was an incredible basketball player—one of the best shot blockers and defensive players of all time. But he also inspired a generation of young people across Africa, and his work as the NBA’s first global ambassador changed the way athletes think about their impact off the court. Michelle and I are thinking of Dikembe’s family and everyone who knew and loved him,” the former US president wrote.

    Former US President Bill Clinton also paid tribute to the NBA legend, acknowledging the latter’s devotion to humanitarian work.

    From the football world, Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany, who is half Congolese, also paid an emotional tribute to Dikembe Mutombo, recounting how the former Houston Rockets player inspired a generation in Congo.

    “Today a legend has passed away. Dikembe Mutombo was a legend of the game in the NBA and a legend of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    He has inspired and given hope to an entire generation of young Congolese people all over the world. We grew up watching the NBA because of him.

    We took pride in our origins because of him. He showed us that we could dream big and be successful. He showed us to cherish our roots, not only in words but also in action.

    The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation does immense humanitarian work in the DRC, focussing on improving health and quality of life. He will be missed. My thoughts go out to his family and loved ones. RIP,” he wrote.

    Dikembe Mutombo, born in 1966 in Kinshasa, Congo, passed away in 2024 in Atlanta, USA, at the age of 58. His illustrious NBA career spanned 18 seasons, during which he earned the nickname “Mount Mutombo” due to his exceptional defensive skills, making him one of the greatest shot-blockers in history.

    Throughout his career, Mutombo played for six teams: the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.

    His accolades include being a two-time leader in rebounds, a three-time blocks leader, and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year. He was also recognised as a member of the NBA All-Defensive Team multiple times.

    Beyond his basketball achievements, Mutombo was deeply committed to humanitarian efforts, notably funding the construction of a modern hospital in Kinshasa.

    This facility, which cost $29 million and has 300 beds, is named in honour of his late mother, Biamba Marie Mutombo, reflecting his dedication to improving healthcare in his home country.

  • Tyla, Rema and Tems feature in Obama’s Summer playlist

    Tyla, Rema and Tems feature in Obama’s Summer playlist

    Barack Obama has just released his annual summer playlist, and it’s a dynamic mix of global and local sounds that reflects his eclectic musical taste.

    This year’s list ranges from emerging artists like Tommy Richman and Paul Russell to music legends such as Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones, showcasing a diverse array of genres.

    Notably, Nigerian artists Tems and Rema are featured prominently. Tems’ “Love Me Jeje” from her debut album highlights her unique emotional expression and style.

    Rema’s hit “Yayo” from the album “Rave & Roses” (not “HEIS”) also makes the playlist, having achieved notable success with 60 million Spotify streams and topping the charts in Greece.

    On his X account, Obama expressed his enthusiasm for the playlist, stating, “As summer comes to a close, I’m thrilled to share some of my favorite recent tracks. This year’s selection is as varied as ever, and I hope you find something new to enjoy!”

    The playlist also includes Charli XCX’s “365,” Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby,” “Wanna Be” by Glorilla & Megan Thee Stallion, Billie Eilish’s “CHIHIRO,” and timeless classics like 2Pac’s “How Do U Want It” featuring K-Ci & JoJo and Bob Dylan’s “Silvio.”

    In a recent chat with influencer Carter Gregory (thecarterb), Obama mentioned that his daughters, Sasha and Malia, play a significant role in shaping his current musical preferences.

    “They help me stay updated and avoid being stuck in the ’80s,” he shared.

    See below post:

  • How did I get so lucky? – Obama’s Val’s day message to Michelle

    How did I get so lucky? – Obama’s Val’s day message to Michelle

    Former US President Barack Obama captured hearts worldwide with a touching Valentine’s Day message dedicated to his beloved wife, Michelle Obama

    In a heartwarming gesture that epitomizes their enduring love, Barack Obama expressed gratitude and admiration for his “best friend” on this special occasion.

    With the simple yet profound words, “How did I get so lucky? Happy Valentine’s Day to my best friend,” shared on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Obama’s message radiated affection and appreciation for the woman who has been his partner, confidante, and source of strength throughout their journey together.

    The sentiment shared by Barack Obama not only encapsulates the deep bond between the former First Couple but also resonates with millions who have followed their inspiring relationship over the years. 

    Their love story has become an example of enduring partnership, transcending the political arena to touch the hearts of people around the globe.

    The sincerity and warmth of his message also reflect the depth of their connection and the profound impact Michelle has had on his life.

    Their commitment to each other and to their family has inspired countless individuals to strive for love and unity in their own lives.

  • Reason behind Michelle Obama’s initial lack of of interest in Barack

    Reason behind Michelle Obama’s initial lack of of interest in Barack

    The couple crossed paths in 1989 and tied the knot a mere three years later, indicating that despite their initial meeting not being particularly enchanting, Barack must have done something right.

    Their first encounter occurred shortly after their graduation from Harvard, both finding themselves at the same law firm—Michelle embarking on her career and Barack serving as a summer associate.

    While Barack wasted no time in extending an invitation for a date, Michelle initially declined, deeming it somewhat tacky.

    At that juncture, there was considerable buzz surrounding Barack, though Michelle remained skeptical of the hype.

    Following their eventual date and Barack’s introduction to her family, Michelle’s initial skepticism found an echo in her brother Craig.

    There was a prevailing assumption that Barack wouldn’t stick around for the long haul, swiftly departing from Michelle’s life.

    However, as history reveals, this assumption couldn’t have been more wrong. Barack had been captivated by Michelle from their very first meeting, and even today, their enduring love is evident in the way he gazes at her.

  • Thoughts on Israel and Gaza – Barack Obama writes

    Thoughts on Israel and Gaza – Barack Obama writes

    It’s been 17 days since Hamas launched its horrific attack against Israel, killing over 1,400 Israeli citizens, including defenseless women, children and the elderly. In the aftermath of such unspeakable brutality, the U.S. government and the American people have shared in the grief of families, prayed for the return of loved ones, and rightly declared solidarity with the Israeli people.

    As I stated in an earlier post, Israel has a right to defend its citizens against such wanton violence, and I fully support President Biden’s call for the United States to support our long-time ally in going after Hamas, dismantling its military capabilities, and facilitating the safe return of hundreds of hostages to their families.

    But even as we support Israel, we should also be clear that how Israel prosecutes this fight against Hamas matters. In particular, it matters — as President Biden has repeatedly emphasized — that Israel’s military strategy abides by international law, including those laws that seek to avoid, to every extent possible, the death or suffering of civilian populations. Upholding these values is important for its own sake — because it is morally just and reflects our belief in the inherent value of every human life. Upholding these values is also vital for building alliances and shaping international opinion — all of which are critical for Israel’s long-term security.

    This is an enormously difficult task. War is always tragic, and even the most carefully planned military operations often put civilians at risk. As President Biden noted during his recent visit to Israel, America itself has at times fallen short of our higher values when engaged in war, and in the aftermath of 9/11, the U.S. government wasn’t interested in heeding the advice of even our allies when it came to the steps we took to protect ourselves against Al Qaeda. Now, after the systematic massacre of Israeli citizens, a massacre that evokes some of the darkest memories of persecution against the Jewish people, it’s understandable that many Israelis have demanded that their government do whatever it takes to root out Hamas and make sure such attacks never happen again. Moreover, Hamas’ military operations are deeply embedded within Gaza — and its leadership seems to intentionally hide among civilians, thereby endangering the very people they claim to represent.

    Still, the world is watching closely as events in the region unfold, and any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs could ultimately backfire. Already, thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the bombing of Gaza, many of them children. Hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes. The Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water and electricity to a captive civilian population threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.

    It’s therefore important that those of us supporting Israel in its time of need encourage a strategy that can incapacitate Hamas while minimizing further civilian casualties. Israel’s recent shift to allow relief trucks into Gaza, prompted in part by the Biden administration’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy, is an encouraging step, but we need to continue lead the international community in accelerating critical aid and supplies to an increasingly desperate Gaza population. And while the prospects of future peace may seem more distant than ever, we should call on all of the key actors in the region to engage with those Palestinian leaders and organizations that recognize Israel’s right to exist to begin articulating a viable pathway for Palestinians to achieve their legitimate aspirations for self-determination — because that is the best and perhaps only way to achieve the lasting peace and security most Israeli and Palestinian families yearn for.

    Finally, in dealing with what is an extraordinarily complex situation where so many people are in pain and passions are understandably running high, all of us need to do our best to put our best values, rather than our worst fears, on display.

    That means actively opposing anti-semitism in all its forms, everywhere. It means rejecting efforts to minimize the terrible tragedy that the Israeli people have just endured, as well as the morally-bankrupt suggestion that any cause can somehow justify the deliberate slaughter of innocent people.

    It means rejecting anti-Muslim, anti-Arab or anti-Palestinian sentiment. It means refusing to lump all Palestinians with Hamas or other terrorist groups. It means guarding against dehumanizing language towards the people of Gaza, or downplaying Palestinian suffering — whether in Gaza or the West Bank — as irrelevant or illegitimate.

    It means recognizing that Israel has every right to exist; that the Jewish people have claim to a secure homeland where they have ancient historical roots; and that there have been instances in which previous Israeli governments made meaningful efforts to resolve the dispute and provide a path for a two-state solution — efforts that were ultimately rebuffed by the other side.

    It means acknowledging that Palestinians have also lived in disputed territories for generations; that many of them were not only displaced when Israel was formed but continue to be forcibly displaced by a settler movement that too often has received tacit or explicit support from the Israeli government; that Palestinian leaders who’ve been willing to make concessions for a two-state solution have too often had little to show for their efforts; and that it is possible for people of good will to champion Palestinian rights and oppose certain Israeli government policies in the West Bank and Gaza without being anti-semitic.

    Perhaps most of all, it means we should choose not to always assume the worst in those with whom we disagree. In an age of constant rancor, trolling and misinformation on social media, at a time when so many politicians and attention seekers see an advantage in shedding heat rather than light, it may be unrealistic to expect respectful dialogue on any issue — much less on an issue with such high stakes and after so much blood has been spilled. But if we care about keeping open the possibility of peace, security and dignity for future generations of Israeli and Palestinian children — as well as for our own children — then it falls upon all of us to at least make the effort to model, in our own words and actions, the kind of world we want them to inherit.

  • Donald Trump’s 2011 tweet concerning Libya resurfaces

    Donald Trump’s 2011 tweet concerning Libya resurfaces

    A tweet from former U.S. President Donald John Trump, posted in 2011, has resurfaced on Twitter (now X) due to recent developments in Libya.

    The tweet, dated August 23, 2011, pertained to the political events that led to the overthrow of then-leader Muammar Gaddafi. Trump had foreseen that the situation in Libya would deteriorate, even though he believed Gaddafi needed to be removed. His tweet read: “As bad as Qaddafi was—what comes next in Libya will be worse—just watch.”

    Many people commenting on this 12-year-old tweet largely agree with Trump’s prediction while also defending Gaddafi. Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi was the Libyan leader who ruled the country from 1969 until his assassination in 2011 by rebel forces.

    The rebels received support from a multinational NATO-led coalition, which initiated a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war. The intervention began on March 19, 2011, and Gaddafi was killed on October 20. However, Libya has since remained divided among rival governments.

    Former U.S. President Barack Obama has acknowledged that the intervention at the time was a mistake. He recently faced criticism after sharing a fundraiser for Libya in the aftermath of the devastating Derna floods.

    See Trump’s tweet below:

  • Accidental drowning confirmed as what killed former White House Chef, Tafari Campbell

    Accidental drowning confirmed as what killed former White House Chef, Tafari Campbell

    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Massachusetts has concluded that the manner of death for former White House sous chef Tafari Campbell was an accidental drowning resulting from being submerged in a body of water.

    According to Timothy McGuirk, a representative from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Massachusetts does not make autopsy findings public. Nevertheless, the chief medical examiner determined that Campbell’s demise was accidental.

    The Massachusetts State Police’s preliminary inquiry yielded no indications of foul play in the death of 45-year-old Campbell, as reported by The Boston Herald. The investigators did not uncover any signs of external harm or injuries on the body, according to the same source.

    Campbell, a father of two who was a personal chef to former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, died in a paddle boarding accident near the Obamas’ Katama estate in Martha’s Vineyard on July 23.

    The chef, who was from Dumfries, Virginia, lost his balance while standing on a paddle board and fell into the water, another paddle boarder on the pond told police, reports the Herald. The other paddle boarder attempted to swim to Campbell, but could not reach him in time, per the Herald.

    Campbell’s body was recovered by divers from a pond on Edgartown Great Road shortly before 10 a.m. ET on July 24, Massachusetts State Police had said in a news release.

    Chef Tafari Campbell in 2008.

    AP Photo/Ron Edmonds

    “MSP Underwater Recovery Unit divers made the recovery after the victim’s body was located by Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers deploying side-scan sonar from a boat,” the department said in the release, noting the recovery was made “approximately 100 feet from shore at a depth of about eight feet.”

    MSP later told PEOPLE in a statement, “Mr. Campbell was visiting Martha’s Vineyard at the time of his passing. President and Mrs. Obama were not present at the residence at the time of the accident.”

    The Obamas shared a tribute to Campbell, who they called “a beloved part of our family”.

    “When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House — creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together,” the Obamas said in a joint statement sent to PEOPLE. “In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter.”

    The statement continued, “That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.”

    “Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari — especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin — in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man,” they added.

    In an Instagram post shared on July 24, his wife Sherise wrote: “My heart is broken. My life and our family’s life is forever changed. Please pray for me and our families as I deal with the loss of my husband.”

    In another post, Sherise — who owns a baking and catering company called Sweet Sage — said her company was putting orders on hold due to “the recent tragedy in our family.”

  • Seeing Sarkodie’s ‘Try Me’ song being aired on TV is surprising – Blakk Rasta

    Seeing Sarkodie’s ‘Try Me’ song being aired on TV is surprising – Blakk Rasta

    Renowned Ghanaian musician and radio presenter, Abubakar Ahmed, popularly known as Blakk Rasta, has expressed shock at the airing of ‘Try Me’ released by Sarkodie on television.

    Speaking to the media, the Barack Obama hitmaker expressed concerns about the content of the song, describing it as vulgar, and childish.

    The comments by Blakk Rasta come on the back of the airing of the ‘Try me’ song by the Accra-based television station.

    The song which happens to be Sarkodie’s response to Yvonne Nelson after he was indicted in her book titled ‘I am not Yvonne Nelson’, contained some explicit words.

    He criticised Sarkodie and the song for its explicit content and questioned the decision to air it on national television, emphasizing the potential negative influence it may have on the younger generation.

    “I am really shocked this song is being played on TV. Vulgarity, immaturity, childishness, 3ye ya paa to wit [its hurtful]. Because this thing is going to come online for them to watch. You can get access to this, you can say it’s night so I will air it, but the daytime it’s vulgar,” he said.

    In responding to the hostess’ justification for airing the song on TV, Blakk Rasta said it gives the song a wider reach.

    “if you ask me that, you are trying to endorse the fact that you are giving it milage. Maybe on his platform, only people will watch but a huge fat programme like this, you’ve given it more mileage,” he said.

    “I thought that there will be a clean version. What you played is the dirty version,” he added.

    Some days after Yvonne Nelson launched her memoir, ‘I am not Yvonne Nelson’, Sarkodie released a song to respond to claims made in the book against him.

  • I respect Blakk Rasta for his job and everything he does – Efya

    I respect Blakk Rasta for his job and everything he does – Efya

    Ghanaian Neo-Soul and Afro-Soul singer Efya, as she is known in the music business, has professed her admiration and love for Blakk Rasta, a well-known radio host and performer.

    In her words, Blakk Rasta is a person she respects and there is no way she will ever forget to know him and his contributions to the industry.

    She stated: “Oh yes, I’ll never not know that man ever again in my life. I’ll know him every day, forever and ever and I pay respect to him for his job and everything he does.”

    As earlier reported by GhanaWeb, on February 2, 2023, Efya in an interview with GHone TV was quizzed if she knew the radio presenter, Blakk Rasta.

    In her response, she answered by saying that she doesn’t know him including Blakk Rasta’s personality and his works.

    She said: Who is that? He is a rapper; he is what? He’s a radio journalist? But journalists say what they want. They don’t care. I don’t think I know who he is. What does he do, radio?

    The host in order to help the singer recall the radio presenter sang Blakk Rasta’s popular song, ‘Barack Obama’ that was when she remembered the name sounded familiar to him.

    “Oh, that funny man, yeah yeah yeah. He does funny songs, right? Listen, everyone for himself, God for us all”, she stated.

    Blakk Rasta then replied to the comment she passed but was livid when Efya said he does funny songs. This, therefore, generated some tension between the singer and the radio presenter.

    Efya, in an interview with Asempa 94.7 cleared the air by stating that she mistook Blakk Rasta for someone else which is why she denied knowing him earlier on.

    She said: “I mistook him for someone else, yeah that is why”.

  • Barack Obama and friends pulls a surprise on Barcelona restaurant

    Barack Obama and friends pulls a surprise on Barcelona restaurant

    An ex-president, a well-known Hollywood director, and a rock legend walked into a restaurant.

    It sounds like the setup for a joke, but the staff at Barcelona’s Amar restaurant saw exactly that on Thursday night

    Employees were left in shock when 44th US president Barack Obama, director Steven Spielberg and musician Bruce Springsteen walked in unannounced.

    Chef Rafa Zafra said Amar had been suggested by Spanish-American celebrity restaurateur José Andrés.

    “They came recommended by José Andrés, who has a very close relationship with Obama,” Mr Zafra told Spanish radio.

    Mr Zafra said José Andrés told him that the booking was important. It was then that he realised that Mr Obama and his wife Michelle were in the city to attend a Springsteen concert, as was Spielberg.

    Staff member Pol Perello uploaded a photo of them posing with wait staff and chefs to Instagram with the comment: “The pleasure this job brings you!”

    “We gave them oysters, shellfish and fish from Roses, my classic – the caviar bikini – a little bit of everything… and super grateful!” Mr Zafra said.

    Accompanied by security detail, the Obamas and Spielberg used Friday to visit some of Barcelona’s most famous sights, such as the Sagrada Familia basilica and the Picasso museum.

    Springsteen’s E Street band began their European leg of their tour on Friday at the city’s Olympic Stadium.

    The former president first met the rock legend on the presidential campaign trail in 2008. In 2021, they hosted the podcast Renegades: Born in the USA.

  • China issues a warning over tensions around Taiwan as US and Philippine defense ties deepen

    China issues a warning over tensions around Taiwan as US and Philippine defense ties deepen

    Being tucked between two Pacific giants, the Philippines has historically had to tread carefully when managing the clashing interests of Beijing and Washington, an intricate juggling act that has been vividly on show in recent weeks.

    In addition to staging the largest joint military exercises with the US to date, the Philippines has had a very busy diplomatic month in April. China, which has grown increasingly alarmed and vocal about the archipelago’s defense ties, sent a top envoy to the country.

    There was a sensitive period in US-Philippine relations only a few years ago.

    The country’s then leader, Rodrigo Duterte, routinely launched obscenity laden rants against US counterpart Barack Obama while downplaying longstanding territorial disputes with Beijing and seeking to attract investment from its giant neighbor to the north.

    But the election of his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, last year has returned relations to a more even keel, in part because Manila has become wary of a more assertive China.

    Marcos Jr, who has been on a charm offensive to mend ties with Manila’s historical ally, is set to fly to the United States to meet with President Joe Biden in Washington next week.

    He visit caps a month of frenetic exchanges with the United States.

    More than 12,000 American troops joined some 5,000 soldiers from the Philippines over the last three weeks to take part in the largest “Balikatan” joint military exercises to date, an event Beijing’s state-run media has labeled an “attempt to target China.”

    The climax of the war games came Wednesday when US and Philippine forces fired on a mock enemy warship in the West Philippine Sea, the part of the South China Sea that encompasses the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone.

    Just as those drills kicked off, the US also hosted two top diplomats from the Philippines, for talks during which both sides agreed to complete a roadmap for the US to provide security assistance to its regional ally the next five to 10 years, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a “2+2 meeting” in Washington.

    Last year the US granted $100 million to boost the Southeast Asian country’s defense capabilities and military modernization. It also plans to allocate $100 million for the improvement of military bases to which the US has access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

    In February, the Philippines granted new rights to the US military to add four bases to the five originally covered under the EDCA. The new facilities include three on the main island of Luzon, close to Taiwan, and one in Palawan province in the South China Sea (SCS).

    That appears to have alarmed China.

    Earlier this month Beijing’s ambassador in Manila, Huang Xilian, accused the Philippines of “stoking the fire” of regional tensions by offering expanded military base access to the US, saying that the goal was to interfere in China’s affairs with Taiwan.

    China’s ruling Communist Party has never controlled Taiwan but claims the self-ruled island democracy as its own and has repeatedly refused to rule out taking it by force, a threat which Manila perceives as reason to ramp up its guard with help from Washington.

    Huang also appeared to threaten overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan, which prompted a backlash in the Philippines.

    “The Philippines is advised to unequivocally oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ rather than stoking the fire by offering the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait, if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWs,” Huang said.

    National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya responded to the Chinese ambassador’s remarks by saying that “the Philippines has no intention of interfering in the Taiwan issue,” and added that the EDCA sites were “not meant for offensive operations against China or for interference in the Taiwan issue.”

    With tensions high over the Beijing ambassador’s comments, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang arrived last Friday for a three-day visit to Manila, where he met with Marcos Jr and Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

    The readouts suggested both sides were keen to calm the waters with Marcos Jr announcing “more lines of communications” to resolve conflicts between the two countries over the West Philippine Sea and Manalo also pledging to “overcome difficulties and interference.”

    Qin said Beijing hoped the Philippine side would “properly handle Taiwan-related and maritime issues in line with the overall interests of regional peace and stability.”

    Analysts say the positioning of the Philippines makes the archipelago vital for anyone wanting to project power across the Pacific.

    “The Philippines is crucial in safeguarding the national security interests of both China, as well as the security or strategic interests of the United States in the Pacific,” said Aries Arugay, a visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

    “And this is why both superpowers are very sensitive every time the Philippines is being perceived as leaning more towards one or the other,” he added.

    What the last month has shown, added Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI), is that Filipinos “do not want to be compromised for the geopolitical interests and agenda of the United States in the region.”

    Manila may be thousands of miles away from Washington, but their defense alliance dates back to the end of World War II, as America sought to protect its interests in the Pacific.

    The Philippines was a former US territory and used to be home to two of the US military’s largest overseas installations, Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Base, which were transferred to Philippine control in the 1990s.

    A mutual defense treaty signed in 1951 remains in force, stipulating that both sides would help defend each other if either were attacked by a third party.

    Moderninzing the Philippines’ military capabilities by working with the US, and establishing well-connected regional defense cooperation with players like Japan, South Korea and Australia, is a priority for Marcos Jr, according to Richard Heydarian, senior lecturer in international relations at the University of the Philippines Asian Center.

    Heydarian describes the approach as a “multi-vector foreign policy of maximizing ties with all major powers without excessively relying on any one of them.”

    “He’s doubling down in the Philippines’ alliance with the United States so that we deal with China from a position of strength,” Heydarian said.

    Heydarian added that China has to rethink its strategy towards the Philippines, as the Marcos Jr administration is openly more aligned with the US.

    China remains one of the top trade partners of the Philippines, while Marcos Jr also continues to negotiate energy and agriculture investments from Beijing.

    But Manila’s growing caution towards Beijing in recent years has been furthered by recent maritime aggressions – including accusations China used a high-powered laser against a Philippine Coast Guard vessel in February – Beijing’s increased drills around Taiwan as well as maritime patrols in the South China Sea, said Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore.

    “These give the Philippines a lot of reason for caution towards Beijing. But at the same time, they do want to keep relations with Beijing on an even keel,” Chong said.

    Supportfor the expanded defense ties with Washington is far from unanimous.

    Some worry Marcos Jr might be giving too much access to the US, especially when it comes to bases and facilities close to Taiwan, Heydarian said.

    The president’s own sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, has publicly questioned why the Philippine government should rely on foreigners for its external defense, urging for defined limitations on the EDCA pact should the country be dragged into regional conflict.

    As the US-China rivalry intensifies the Indo-Pacific, their competition for influence has been localized within the Philippines, particularly in the provinces where American bases are located, Arugay added.

    There were pockets of protest in Cagayan province, the northern mountainous region where three out of the four new EDCA sites are to be built.

    At least 5,000 people in Cagayan held demonstrations and prayer rallies, as they believed that America’s self-interest were prioritized before the native residents, according to the Cagayan Provincial Information Office.

  • A decade-long relationship with plenty of change

    Few leaders can claim the familiarity Biden and Xi have with each other – the first of their many meetings came in 2011, just before then-Vice-President Biden was asked by President Obama to try to establish a rapport with the incoming Chinese leader.

    But a great deal has changed since those friendly, exploratory encounters, a time when Biden said the US did not fear but welcomed the rise of China.

    Back then differences over human rights and trade could be managed more easily behind the broader consensus over issues like the need to promote economic recovery from the 2008 financial crash and countering terrorism.

    Over his ten years in power Xi Jinping has turned out to be a more ruthless, authoritarian and nationalist leader than expected, determined to restore his country’s status as a world power and to resist what he sees as US efforts to contain and encircle China, perhaps eventually even to overthrow its one-party system.

    As president Biden’s descriptions of Xi have been much harsher: “He doesn’t have a democratic bone in his body”.

    So what hope, in this frosty superpower stand-off, is there for any progress at this first face-to-face meeting of the Biden presidency?

    Biden seems to be putting his faith in straight-talking – outlining clearly what the US red lines are over most of all Taiwan, but also the Russian invasion of Ukraine, nuclear weapons and many other disagreements – and in using the residue of their past, easier familiarity to rebuild trust, and in a conviction that both sides need and want to avoid a dangerous escalation.

    He is a stronger figure now after the results of the US mid-term elections, though will still be viewed by the Chinese side as a leader with probably only two years left in power. He has insisted that for all his willingness to listen, he will not be offering concessions at this meeting.

    And Xi, after entrenching his power indefinitely after last month’s Communist Party Congress? His goals, and readiness to overcome his mistrust of the US are much harder to guess.

    Source: BBC

  • Noose discovered at Obama Presidential Center construction site, work halted

    Construction of the Obama Presidential Center came to a halt this week after a noose was reportedly discovered at the $830 million worksite.

    Lakeside Alliance, a coalition of Black-owned construction firms overseeing the project, confirmed the news in a statement Thursday, shortly after the noose was found. The group told outlets it was suspending operations indefinitely so it could hold additional anti-bias training for its workers.

    “We reported the incident to the police and will provide any assistance required to identify those responsible,” Lakeside Alliance said in a statement to the Chicago Tribune. “We have zero tolerance for any form of bias or hate on our worksite. Anti-bias training is included in our onboarding process and reiterated during sitewide meetings. We are suspending all operations on-site in order to provide another series of these trainings and conversations for all staff and workers.”

    Lakeside Alliance is also offering a $100,000 reward for information that helps find the culprit(s).

    “Our priority is protecting the health and safety of our workforce,” the group added. “We have notified authorities who are investigating the incident.”

    Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker addressed the incident via Twitter on Thursday, saying “hate has no place in Illinois.”

    “The noose is more than a symbol of racism, it is a heart-stopping reminder of the violence and terror inflicted on Black Americans for centuries,” he tweeted. “I condemn this act of hate in the strongest possible terms, and the state of Illinois will make all needed resources available to help catch the perpetrators.”

    The center is being built in Chicago’s Jackson Park and will celebrate the legacy of the nation’s first Black president.

    It will reportedly include a museum, two-story public meeting space, a library, and an athletic center. The 19.3-acre campus will be free and open to the public.

    Source: Complex.com
  • US midterm elections: Biden praises Democrats ‘strong’ results, but the Senate race remains tense

    The president stated that he would decide whether to run for a second term early next year.

    Joe Biden has called his party’s positive midterm results a “good day for America,” but the Senate race remains tight.

    Democrats are expected to lose only seven seats, defying predictions of a “giant red wave” of Republican gains.

    Though the Republicans would retake control of the House of Representatives, this would be a far better outcome for the US president than his recent predecessors.

    Donald Trump lost 40 seats in the 2018 midterms, while Barack Obama suffered 63 losses in 2010.

    With three states left to declare, the battle for control of the Senate remains in the balance.

    The Republicans have picked up 49 seats to the Democrats’ 48. The Republicans need to win two more seats to win back the Senate from the Democrats.

    Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday
    Image: Former US president Donald Trump claimed the Republican results were a ‘very big victory’ for him personally

    Speaking at the White House, President Biden described the midterm results so far as a “good day for democracy” and a “good day for America”.

    Although many results are still unclear, he said they represent a “clear and unmistakable message to preserve our democracy”.

    “The American people have spoken and shown that democracy is who we are,” he said.

    But he added that “the voters were also clear that they’re still frustrated, I get it, it’s been a really tough few years for this country”.

    In reference to Donald Trump‘s claims he “stole” the last elections, he said vote counters and officials “did their job and fulfilled their duty… without any interference”.

    He also said he would make a decision on whether he would run for a second term early next year.

    Although losing the House of Representatives would thwart the president’s legislative programme, it is a much smaller loss than some had predicted.

    The race between Georgia’s incumbent Democrat senator and his Republican challenger is unlikely to be decided until 6 December, as strict state laws require a run-off if no candidate reaches 50%.

    ‘Democrats had strong night’

    Mr Biden said the Democrats “had a strong night” despite losing seats.

    “We don’t know all the results yet, but here’s what we do know, the press were predicting a giant red wave and it didn’t happen,” he said.

    “You were somewhat miffed by my obsessive optimism, but I thought we were going to do fine.”

    He said that the “future of America is too promising” for it to be “trapped in endless political warfare”.

    While he would not compromise on healthcare or abortion, he said: “I’m going to do everything within my power to unite the country.

    “I’m going to continue to work across the aisle to support the American people. Regardless of what the final tally of these elections show, I am prepared to work with my Republican colleagues.

    “And the American people have made clear they expect Republicans to work with me as well.”

    He addressed the nation after Donald Trump described his candidates’ results so far as “somewhat disappointing”.

    Almost all the people Mr Trump chose to endorse appear to have fared worse than the Republicans he did not back.

    Reports claim behind the scenes he is “livid” and “angry” at his wife Melania for advising him to back Dr Mehmet Oz in the Pennsylvania senate race.

    Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago home, the former president claimed the results were a “very big victory” for him personally.

     

  • Michelle Obama shares personal stories of coping in new book

    Michelle Obama said she struggled with a “crushing sense of hopelessness” after the 2020 presidential election that was brought on by the death and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, a summer of political and racial unrest and the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

    “I was in a low place,” she said. Then she got an idea.

    “Everyone was searching for some answers of how to cope. And for some reason they were asking me, ‘What do you do?’ I had to start thinking about that,” the former first lady told People magazine in an interview pegged to Tuesday’s release of her second book, “The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.” She is set to open a six-city book tour in Washington on that day.

    In the book, former President Barack Obama’s wife, who is one of the world’s most famous women, tells how she steadies herself during these anxious times and how she works at overcoming her lifelong fear of change and doubts about herself.

    “Over the 58 years that I’ve lived, I can look back and I can say, ‘This is how I deal with fear. These are the things I say to myself when I need to pick myself up. This is how I stay visible in a world that doesn’t necessarily see a tall Black woman,’” she said. “This is how I stay armored up when I’m attacked. The book is that offering.”

    “I think people learn not through edict, but through stories,” she said. People posted a report on the interview on its website on Thursday, and it will appear in the magazine’s Nov. 21 issue, available nationwide on Friday.

    Mrs. Obama, the mother of Sasha and Malia Obama, opens up in the book about everything from how awkward it is to make new friends to her experiences with racism, marriage, parenting and even menopause.

    She also writes about leaning on a “kitchen table” of close girlfriends, led by her 85-year-old mother, Marian Robinson. The group includes Kathleen Buhle, a hiking and yoga pal who is the ex-wife of President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and the mother of Maisy Biden, Sasha Obama’s best friend.

    In 2018, Mrs. Obama released her best-selling memoir, “Becoming,” and embarked on a U.S. and international book tour to promote it. The book has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide, surpassing the sales of any memoir by a previous first lady or modern president, including her husband.

    In her new book, the former first lady describes looking in the mirror and only seeing her flaws, and how she practices being kind to herself.

    She said she also copes by indulging in what her husband calls “lowbrow TV.”

    “You name it, I watch it,” she said, naming HGTV, anything on the Food Channel and dating shows like “Married at First Sight” among her viewing choices.

    The former first lady described herself as an informed citizen who reads the newspaper, gets briefs, sits with her husband every night and knows what’s happening in the world.

    But she said that “when I’m by myself, I need to be able to turn my head off and think about wallpaper.”

    Source: AP news.com 

  • Let’s end the dialogue with American conspiracy theorists

    We have been bombarded, since childhood, with the truism that it is important to open dialogue with those with whom we disagree. We have been pressed – we are still pressed – by the news media, workplaces and academia to have conversations with “the other side”, with the promise that open and honest dialogue is the means to come about peace and change.

    If this was ever true before, it is a lie now.

    Those rebranding themselves as “Western chauvinists” shouting “West pride!” under the flag of a tradition that once held Man to be the rational animal, now believe in lizard people. Those who hold tight to their belief in the superiority of Western civilisation as proven by its “values” and traditions of Athenian (slaveowners’) democracy are caught on camera breaching voting machines.

    For sensible dialogue to exist at all, parties must be committed to hearing and to speaking about the world as it is – however differing their interpretations of it. Today, dialogue is a shouted plea to be reasonable over the din of a side who replies by making obscene noises with their mouths while praising Benito Mussolini. Whether it is election outcomes, the reality of the pandemic, mass school shootings, police gosh-darn klutziness, or Barack Obama’s birthplace, conversation is attempted with a side that has simply decided to lie.

    We are asked, nevertheless, to hear them out. We are told that a democratic society requires hearing out all voices; both sides must come to the table – even a table bolted onto colonised land. Both sides, of course, always means the inclusion of those in red baseball caps and confederate battle flag t-shirts. It means a conversation between the left and right sides of the unfinished American Civil War – never included are those in the tradition of the slave revolt.

    Anti-Black people are always the sought-out and invited guests while their opposition, Black revolutionaries, are never a side to be included in the conversation. Those who have resisted the “deep state” of anti-Blackness in American policing institutions are marooned in exile or silenced as political prisoners languishing behind the soundproof walls of American prisons for decades, their writings removed from libraries and syllabi.

    American conspiracy theory is not a set of odd perspectives. It is not even perfectly accurate to refer to it as the nonsense that generally plays sidecar to fascism. It is closer to a move away from thought itself – a slip off the premises and the bases for argument.

    American conspiracy is the acceptable way to toll the bell of racial hatred while wearing gloves so as to leave no fingerprints. One can speak of Jewish lasers, “thugs” putting fentanyl in Halloween candy, or “gender identity radicals” with a secret mass agenda to groom preschoolers and be assured that the worst one would be called is wacky. With conspiracy, one can shout white power from the hilltops – targeting the same populations targeted by German Nazis with equally as outlandish claims – and be pitied as a victim of brainwashing.

    And it is not their fault. We are told that this brainwashing is the work of unknown racists and social media echo chambers and far-right politicians. And yet, these susceptible, unfortunate conspiracy theorists only seem to be swept up in conspiracies that have the potential to harm people who are not white.

    There can be no conspiracies that lead to its adherents fighting on the side of racial justice. None that inspire following NGO profits and Western conservationist land grabs in Africa, or poring over treaties and maps of ever-receding Indigenous land in North America and Palestine and wondering aloud if the colonised world is, at this very moment, being scammed. These naïve souls do not seem interested in picking up on talk of police officers being linked to racist organisations or police gangs within the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department being linked to murders of men of colour or rumours that there are racists making laws in Los Angeles’ city council.

    Those going on about “secret cabals” do not seem interested in what the infamous American secret society, the hooded Invisible Empire of the Ku Klux Klan, is up to. Those anxious about the “deep state” rarely mention the secretive Knights of the White Camelia who had its members of the upper classes of white society, including judges and politicians, swear an oath to maintain “the supremacy of the white race.”

    There seems to be no healthy suspicion about whether certain current congressional caucuses swore a similar oath, despite members climbing onto stages and parroting the “great replacement theory” found in the manifestos of the white supremacists who massacred Black and Brown people in supermarkets, churches and mosques.

    For these “theorists” it is “Jewish space lasers” and “Black crime” and “Antifa terrorist false flags” and never the open conspiracy of capitalism where lobbyists auction off what little remains of the world’s forests and where billions of snow crabs turn up dead, with fossil fuel money fleeing the scene; where NFL Hall of Famers divert money earmarked for the poor into their coffers and the water in majority-Black cities is brown.

    Generations of Black, Indigenous and the colonised world’s people have cried out about the open conspiracy of white supremacy, settler-colonialism and neo-colonialism, telling everyone who would listen that American “freedom” is not what it appears to be. That the country is hiding something – and, in fact, that it is not a “country” at all but a colony. What’s more, smartphones and secret recordings have for over a decade confirmed the existence of widespread conspiracies from local police departments to the White House.

    Still, those on treasure hunts for chemtrails and crisis actors at the sites of mass school shootings are apparently not intrigued. How quickly these gullible people we are asked to pity immediately become cynics and the epitome of discernment when the conspiracy does not offer any clear advantage to racist power.

    Those spreading white supremacist conspiracy theories, as well as those who invent them, are not crackpots and kooks. They are the propagandists of white power. Their being treated as madmen reflects less their state of mind than it does the drive in liberal society to seek innocence in white supremacist compatriots and the ablest desire to pathologise clear-minded and sober racism.

    American conspiracy theorists are not in the throes of delusion. They believe – that is they claim to believe – what they do because they do not like the vulnerable populations they tar and feather with shadowy misdeeds. They do not care that blood will be shed as a result of their hate speech.

    The most powerful US white supremacist media platform of the 21st century repeatedly pushed the “great replacement theory” even after white supremacists explicitly referenced this conspiracy in their writings before they massacred African Americans in Buffalo, Latinos in El Paso, and Muslims in Christchurch.

    They continue to push it today, broadcasting it from “news channels” more efficiently than last century’s Southern conservative editorialists did as they incited and organised lynch mobs after an alleged “Black Outrage!” They broadcast it with greater reach than European anti-Semites did through texts about “the international Jewish conspiracy” in the years building up to the Holocaust.

    American conspiracy is not a tragedy of ignorance, it is a continuation of tradition. It expresses the very heart of white supremacy: the lie. It is the further desecration of its victims. It does not merely lead to racial violence, it is a racist act. On social media, it tars the traditionally hated in white supremacy in the same way the Black and biracial characters were presented as devilish in the novels and films of the last century. It expresses the anxiety over Black and colonised people’s liberation just as the feverish articles warning of “slave conspiracies” did two centuries ago.

    The people who invent and spread racist conspiracies are not racist because they believe them but because they do not. They know this paints a larger target on people already marked for death and they do not care because, for them, these people are disposable. Those who entertain these white supremacists are, at best, collaborators.

    All that is ignoble, all that is pernicious, all that is degenerative of the pensive mind, all that is a lie and the backside of truth and beauty is snorted up by white supremacist conspiracy. It is not where conversation has gone off of the rails, it is what lies beyond its last stop – a travelling past the endpoint of thinking beings. No reasoned speech is muscular enough to pull it back from the brink. It is, and has always been, the abyss.

    It is a serious thing to commit one’s being to the bearing of false witness, a serious thing to give the human spirit over to lies in exchange for makeshift rationalisations of race hatred. It is a serious thing to wilfully join the cult of the ferociously and consciously incorrect. But that is their choice. We are under no obligation to pursue further talks.

    No dialogue is useful with white supremacy. No common ground is achievable. Nor should there be.

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

    Source: Aljazeera.com

  • Duelling US presidents descend on key swing state Pennsylvania

    It is rare for Donald Trump to deliver the same message as Barack Obama and Joe Biden – but it happened when the Republican and two Democrats campaigned in Pennsylvania on the same day.

    The political foes all urged Americans in the crucial state: go vote.

    Mr Biden and Mr Obama cast the election as a battle for democracy, while Mr Trump said the country’s safety and security were on the line.

    Tuesday’s US midterm elections will determine control of Congress.

    All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are being contested, while 35 are up for grabs in the Senate.

    In Pennsylvania a razor-thin margin separates Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman, 53, from Republican Mehmet Oz, 62. The appearances of two ex-presidents and President Biden on the last weekend before the election signalled the state’s importance.

    Mr Trump’s victory in Pennsylvania helped deliver him the White House in 2016, when his message of populist anger struck a chord with blue-collar voters in the state.

    An opposing sentiment of pragmatism and liberal politics in urban centres gave it back to Democrats in 2020, when Mr Biden won his home state by a margin of less than 2%.

    Speaking in Philadelphia on Saturday, Mr Biden declared that it was “good to be home” as he stumped for Mr Fetterman and Josh Shapiro, the Democratic candidate for governor.

    He warned the crowd that failing to return Democratic majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate would mean further restrictions to abortion rights and cuts to public healthcare.

    Though Democrats currently hold both chambers of Congress, they are expected to lose the House and are in a dead heat for control of the Senate, according to polls.

    “Here in Philadelphia, a place that defines the soul of America, today we face an inflection point,” Mr Biden said. A vote for Democrats would be a vote for women’s health, gun control and healthcare, he said.

    Outside the rally, voters queued early to see two presidents – Mr Biden and his Democratic predecessor Mr Obama – on the same stage.

    One Pennsylvanian, Steve Phillips, told the BBC’s Sarah Smith he hoped it would get people out to vote, regardless which party they supported.

    But some of the crowd admitted it was really Mr Obama they had come to see, and they might not have turned up if Mr Biden had been here alone.

    Midterms are often seen as a referendum on the sitting president, and with Mr Biden’s approval hovering at 40%, Republicans have found plenty to criticise as Americans worry about high inflation, guns and immigration.

    Some 250 miles (402km) west of Philadelphia, Mr Trump warned Pennsylvanians in the small town of Latrobe that continued Democratic control in Washington would lead to more crime and unfettered immigration.

    Supporters there, too, gathered hours early to see Mr Trump.

    “If you want safety and security for your family, you need to vote every single Democrat out of office,” he said.

    “There’s only one choice – if you support the decline and fall of America then you must vote for the radical Democrats. If you want to stop the destruction of our country then you must vote Republican in a giant red wave.”

    The former Republican president also hinted again at the possibility of running for office in 2024 – even as he has continued to make false claims that the US election system is fraudulent. “The election was rigged and stolen – it’s a shame,” Mr Trump said.

    One attendee told RSBN, a conservative network, that he was there to support Mr Trump because the former president had helped ensure that people could “live a life without suppression and being told what we need to do”.

    Fears and false claims of fraud have haunted these midterms, with many arguing that the 8 November vote will be a test of the fidelity of the election system.

    Back in Philadelphia, taking the marquee speaking slot after Mr Biden, Mr Obama warned: “Truth and facts and logic and reason and basic decency are on the ballot. Democracy itself is on the ballot – the stakes are high”.

    Source: BBC

     

     

     

     

     

  • American horror: POTUS after POTUS wronged this old Pakistani man

    Saifullah Paracha was released recently after 19 years in Guantanamo Bay for no crime. He won’t even get an apology.

    I find it infuriating when a scarred life is reduced to a quirky curiosity.

    That is what has happened to Saifullah Paracha, a 75-year-old Pakistani entrepreneur who was finally released in late October from the United States-run dungeons in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

    In reporting on Paracha’s belated liberation, several news organisations noted that he was the oldest captive there without, of course, admitting that, like so many others, he should not have spent a moment in jail given his US captors never came even remotely close to finding him guilty of a crime.

    Paracha was locked up for 19 years at what one New York Times correspondent called a “seafront compound“. Sounds almost like a sun-kissed tourist resort rather than a brutish, remote prison featuring barbed wire fencing, guard dogs and armed US soldiers manning lookout posts.

    In any event, that Paracha was an anomaly at Guantanamo Bay – where most of the other captives were much younger men – is what made him newsworthy.

    Not the fact that Paracha wasted nearly two decades of his life in a dungeon as part of a covert, worldwide abduction racket. Nor the fact that Paracha was never charged by his American abductors and jailers during his long imprisonment.

    But journalists, ultimately, aren’t the villains here.

    The responsibility for this horror is shared by a succession of unrepentant US presidents who will likely never experience even a minute measure of regret or discomfort for what they did to an ageing, frail man and his family.

    Paracha was “accused” of being an al-Qaeda sympathiser and “suspected” of bankrolling the group. That sentence, which quotes the BBC, contains two of the three most popular weasel words governments use to “link” – that’s the third – anyone to terrorism without proof.

    In July 2003, a suspicious FBI lured Paracha to Thailand where they abducted him and flew him – bound, shackled and hooded – to Afghanistan, in an obscene affront to international law.

    While being held incommunicado at a US military prison at Bagram, Paracha suffered the first of a series of heart attacks. Fourteen months later, he was taken – bound, shackled and hooded again – to Guantanamo Bay where, without a scintilla of evidence that he helped finance or promote al-Qaeda’s interests, he remained until a few days ago.

    In 2005, Paracha’s son, Uzair, who was living in New York, was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison for allegedly “providing material support to terrorism”. Thirteen years later, in 2018, a US federal court judge ordered his release after exculpatory information was discovered that raised doubts about his conviction.

    Justice Sydney Stein said he was granting Uzair a new trial because permitting the original judgement to stand would be “a manifest injustice”. Two years later, prosecutors dropped the case against Uzair.

    The Paracha family has indeed been the victim of a “manifest injustice”, perpetrated by powerful men who, today, are being rehabilitated and feted as “elder statesmen”.

    American presidents are not only immune to accountability; they are also immune to shame.

    I doubt that George W Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump remember who Paracha is or care a whit about his fate since one of the principal qualifications to become commander-in-chief is to be prepared to deploy American force to harm and kill people in defence of the “national interest”.

    And this, at least, Paracha has over those who have presidential libraries built as monuments to their importance: There is no basis to claim that he has ever harmed or killed another soul.

    In particular, the conduct of that smug liberal darling, Obama, in connection with Paracha’s ordeal is shameful.

    A “task force” established on inauguration day by the then-new president reported to him in 2010 that there was “no evidence” to justify laying charges against some of the Guantanamo “detainees” but added that they were “too dangerous” to be set free. In April 2013 it emerged that Paracha was one of 71 captives who were innocent.

    Still, politics trumped integrity. And Obama allowed a sick, honest man to remain captive rather than release him into the care of his loving family in Pakistan.

    What makes Paracha’s lengthy incarceration in America’s gulag all the more egregious is that the businessman had lived and worked in the US since the 1970s and throughout his inhumane odyssey professed not only his innocence but love and gratitude for his adopted country.

    None of that history mattered.

    The US – spurred on by revenge-thirsty columnists who told Iraqis to “suck on this” – was hunting “terrorists” in Kabul, Baghdad and beyond.

    Paracha was merely disposable, forgettable fodder to be used to show how ruthless both Republicans and Democrats could be in shielding their “homeland” from future attacks.

    The rule of law didn’t matter. International law didn’t matter. The US Constitution’s rights and guarantees didn’t matter. Fairness didn’t matter. Due process didn’t matter.

    And of course, Saifullah Paracha didn’t matter.

    The prime years of his life didn’t matter. He was a nobody. Not a husband. Not a father. Not a brother. Not a son. Just another Muslim that a sham, illegal apparatus run by soldiers at the behest of presidents got what he deserved.

    But what Paracha and his family deserve, at the very least, is an apology. That won’t happen. It should, but it won’t. Presidents don’t apologise to men like Saifullah Paracha. It would be beneath them and the office of the presidency to apologise. They’re important. He’s not.

    But a recent photo of Paracha reveals that, through it all, he held tight to his humanity and perhaps his sense of humour. Arms crossed, wearing a white t-shirt and a wry smile, he sits at a table in a McDonald’s restaurant in Karachi.

    I suppose that after this burst of attention, Paracha will slip back into anonymity and try, as best he can, to recover and enjoy the sunset of his life. He will do that in the quiet knowledge that he is a better man than the preening presidents who will always carry the blot of the indecency they visited on a decent human being.

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

  • Barack Obama calls for end to US voter suppression

    Former US President Barack Obama has sharply criticised what he described as Republican attempts at voter suppression in a speech at civil rights leader John Lewis’s funeral.

    He said people in power were “attacking our voting rights with surgical precision” and called for wide reform.

    He also decried the police killing of George Floyd and the subsequent use of federal agents against protesters.

    Lewis died of cancer earlier this month aged 80.

    He was one of the “Big Six” civil rights leaders, which included Martin Luther King Jr, and helped organise the historic 1963 March on Washington.

    In a fiery eulogy delivered in Ebeneezer Baptist Church in the city of Atlanta, Mr Obama, a Democrat, launched a stinging attack on Republican President Donald Trump’s administration and some police departments.

    “Today we witness with our own eyes, police officers kneeling on the necks of black Americans,” he said. “We can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.”

    He said people in government were “doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting” by closing polling stations and imposing “restrictive ID laws” on minorities and students.

    Mr Obama singled out the role of the US postal service in delivering postal votes amid the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier on Thursday Mr Trump suggested the 2020 presidential election in November should be delayed because he said – without providing evidence – that postal voting would enable large-scale voter fraud.

    Mr Obama also proposed a series of reforms to voting in the US, including:

    – making sure Americans are automatically registered to vote
    giving the vote to former prison inmates who had “earned their second chance”

    – creating new polling stations and expand early voting

    – making election day a national holiday so workers who can’t get time off can vote

    He also called for people in Washington DC and Puerto Rico to have the same representation as other Americans, a long-cherished ambition of Democrats.

    Washington is a federal district and so does not have representatives in Congress, but only a delegate to the House of Representatives with limited powers. Puerto Rico is a US territory that does not have representation in Congress and Puerto Ricans cannot vote in presidential elections.

    And he called for an end to the filibuster – which requires 60 votes to pass legislation instead of a simple majority of 51. He described it as a “Jim Crow relic”. Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation in southern states until 1965 and were used to disenfranchise black people.

    “If all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do,” he said.

    Paying tribute to Lewis, Mr Obama said he had becomes the first black US president because of the congressman’s fight for civil rights for black Americans.

    Lewis, also a Democrat, did “everything he could to preserve this democracy and as long as we have breath in our bodies, we have to continue his cause,” Mr Obama said.

    The service was also attended by former presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush and House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

    Mr Bush, a Republican, said he had his “differences” with the late congressman, but “we live in a better and nobler country today because of John Lewis”.

    “He believed in humanity and he believed in America,” Mr Bush added.

    During the civil rights movement, Lewis was one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and then became its chairman from 1963 to 1966.

    He co-organised and spoke at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the rally at which Dr King delivered his historic I Have a Dream speech. Lewis was the last surviving speaker from the march.

    Source: BBC

  • John Lewis: Former presidents join tributes to civil rights icon

    Former US presidents and foreign leaders have joined the tributes to civil rights icon John Lewis, who has died aged 80.

    Lewis was one of the “Big Six” civil rights leaders, which included Martin Luther King Jr, and helped organise the historic 1963 March on Washington.

    Barack Obama is among those who have praised Lewis’ legacy.

    US presidential candidate Joe Biden, meanwhile, described Lewis as “truly one-of-a-kind, a moral compass”.

    Mr Biden said he had spoken to the former congressman, who had been suffering from pancreatic cancer, in the days before his death.

    “His voice still commanded respect and his laugh was still full of joy. Instead of answering our concerns for him, he asked about us. He asked us to stay focused on the work left undone to heal this nation.”

    “Not many of us get to live to see our own legacy play out in such a meaningful, remarkable way. John Lewis did,” President Barack Obama said. “And thanks to him, we now all have our marching orders — to keep believing in the possibility of remaking this country we love until it lives up to its full promise.”

    His predecessor George W Bush said Lewis had “worked to make our country a more perfect union”, while Bill Clinton described him as “the conscience of the nation”.

    Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton praised Lewis, whom she described as “the truest kind of Patriot”.

    Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of the civil rights activist, told CNN: “From a historical standpoint, there are few who are able to become giants… John Lewis really became a giant through his examples that he set for all of us.”

    Current US President Donald Trump, whom Lewis had publicly criticised, has not commented on his death so far, although Vice-President Mike Pence called Lewis “a great man whose courage and decades of public service changed America forever”.

    Flags were flown at half-mast on Saturday morning and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany described Lewis as “an icon of the civil rights movement, and he leaves an enduring legacy that will never be forgotten”.

    A number of foreign leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have also mourned Lewis’ death.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Obama criticises Trump administration’s virus response

    Former US President Barack Obama has criticized his successor Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.

    In an online address to graduating college students, he said the pandemic had shown that many officials “aren’t even pretending to be in charge”.

    It is the second time in recent days that Mr Obama has hit out at the Trump administration’s coronavirus response.

    He said it had been “an absolute chaotic disaster” during a leaked conference call last week.

    The former president also gave an address to high school students that was hosted by NBA star LeBron James and was part of a special programme that featured numerous celebrities including the Jonas Brothers, Megan Rapinoe, Pharrell Williams and education activist Malala Yousafzai.

    In his speech to graduates from several dozen historically black colleges and universities, Mr Obama said the Covid-19 outbreak had exposed failings in the country’s leadership.

    “More than anything this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing,” he said.

    “A lot of them aren’t even pretending to be in charge,” he added.

    Why are Trump and Obama in a new spat? Why has the virus hit African Americans so hard? Trump says US reopening ‘vaccine or no vaccine’ More than 1,200 people have died with coronavirus in the US over the past 24 hours, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.

    The total death toll now stands at almost 89,000, which is the highest anywhere in the world.

    Mr Obama also spoke at length about the impact the pandemic is having on black communities in the US.

    “A disease like this just spotlights the underlying inequalities and extra burdens that black communities have historically had to deal with in this country,” he said.

    African Americans make up a disproportionate number of coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations in the US.

    The former president also referenced the killing of Ahmaud Arbery – an unarmed black jogger who was shot and killed by two white men in February – during his address.

    He said racial inequalities in the US were made apparent “when a black man goes for a jog and some folks feel like they can stop and question and shoot him, if he doesn’t submit to their question”.

    “If the world’s going to get better, it’s going to be up to you,” he told the graduates.

    Source: bbc.com