Rejecting Allah-like powers, Obama vows end to 'dictating' in Mideast

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By Ward Harkavy, Tuesday, Jan. 27 2009 @ 8:40AM

Categories: Al Jazeera, CRUSADERS, Cheney, Featured, GOD, GWOT, Israel, Madoff, Morning Reports, Obama Drama, SARACENS

Al Jazeera's morning report, proving once again that it's ridiculous censorship for U.S. cable outlets to not carry the Arab world's most powerful news outlet.

Dick Cheney's dream of an imperial vice presidency lording over all the world's oil fields is now officially dead.

President Barack Obama snuffed it out during his first formal interview on Arabic TV. He did it with Al-Arabiya, not Al Jazeera, but it's a stunning change from the bellicose Bush regime, as this excerpt from the AP proves:

"What I told [envoy George Mitchell] is start by listening, because all too often the United States starts by dictating," Obama told the interviewer.

The president reiterated the U.S. commitment to Israel as an ally and to its right to defend itself. But he suggested that both Israel and the Palestinians have hard choices to make.

"I do believe that the moment is ripe for both sides to realize that the path that they are on is one that is not going to result in prosperity and security for their people," he said, calling for a Palestinian state that is contiguous with internal freedom of movement and can trade with neighboring countries.

Obama also said that recent statements and messages issued by the al-Qaida terror network suggest they do not know how to deal with his new approach.

"They seem nervous," he told the interviewer. "What that tells me is that their ideas are bankrupt."

You mean not all Muslims are bomb-throwers? And you can blast the ones who are while still pressuring the ones who aren't? And you can even put pressure on Jews to start making nice? What an unusual thing for a U.S. president to say.

Slow on the uptake this morning was the New York Times, this country's version of Al Jazeera. Several hours after the rest of the world noted the Obama interview on Al-Arabiya, the Times makes it truly official with "Obama Interview Signals New Tone in Relations With Islam."

Now, if Obama's people could start working quietly behind the scenes to get U.S. media goniffs to start carrying Al Jazeera on their cable systems.

Then, he could actually do an interview on Al Jazeera, and most Americans could watch it.

While you're waiting for the cable guys, start clicking...

NO PARTICULAR ORDER:

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A spurned boyfriend was being grilled in the brutal murders of Eddy Curry's ex-girlfriend and her infant daughter.

N.Y. Daily News: 'Firefighter blames memory-loss on "mind-altering" drugs'

A firefighter who survived the deadly Black Sunday blaze admitted taking a "mind-altering" drug before he got on the witness stand Monday and can't clearly remember what happened.

N.Y. Times: '"Crack Babies": The Epidemic That Wasn't'

Research suggests that the long-term effects on children exposed to cocaine before birth may be relatively small.

Wall Street Journal: 'Obama's EPA Move Likely to Spur Fight'

Obama opened the door to state-level regulation of greenhouse gases, setting up a long battle with industry.

Jewish Daily Forward: 'J Street's Disappearing Gaza Statement'

ABC: 'Obama Chooses Arab Network for First TV Interview'

The president expressed an intention to engage the Middle East immediately and his new envoy to the region, former Sen. George J. Mitchell, was expected to arrived in Egypt on Tuesday for a visit that will also take him to Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

"My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy," Obama told the Saudi-owned, Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel.

Wall Street Journal: 'College Endowments Plunge'

N.Y. Times: 'In Midtown, the Return of a Barfly's Paradise'

N.Y. Post: 'OBAMA & CONGRESS BLAST CITI OVER JET'

N.Y. Times: 'At $235 Million, Bloomberg Was Biggest Giver in U.S.'

Wall Street Journal: 'Caterpillar to Cut 20,000 Jobs'

N.Y. Daily News: 'Blago: I considered Oprah for Senate'

Call it the Oprah defense. Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who is accused of peddling Barack Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder, said this morning he considered selecting TV talkshow queen Oprah Winfrey for the post.

N.Y. Daily News: 'Commodities trader arrested after trying to start a fire inside 7 World Trade Center'

A boozed-up commodities broker with a penchant for fiery pranks tried to set the freight elevator on fire in a lower Manhattan skyscraper after trapping himself in it early Saturday, authorities said.

A still-loopy Ryan Brinkerhoff was laughing and grinning as he was led away in handcuffs hours after his 4:40 a.m. arrest outside 7 World Trade Center.

Wall Street Journal: 'Democrats Subpoena Rove, Testing Their Clout and Obama'

N.Y. Daily News: '"It's horrible ... I want out," Rikers guard held in beating cries from her jail cell'

N.Y. Post: 'CELL THIEVES RIDING RAILS'

N.Y. Times: 'Queens Man Dies in House Amid Disarray and Flames'

An elderly man died in a house fire in Queens on Monday night as firefighters battled flames and what they called cluttered, Collyers' Mansion conditions.

CityFile: 'Your Tax Dollars at Work: Citi's $50 Million Jet'

N.Y. Post: 'RACIST BRUTE PLEADS GUILTY'

N.Y. Daily News: 'Grifter claims NYPD officer paid him $5,000 to kill ex-wife'

Wall Street Journal: 'Afghan Guards Confound U.S. Forces'

Armed private security companies are proliferating in Afghanistan, presenting a challenge for American forces.

Jewish Daily Forward: '"Schmooz Me Timbers!": John Derbyshire's Jewish Pirate Lexicon'

N.Y. Post: 'CEO'S "$100" PAD IS A TOUGH SELL: FOES RIP LEHMAN BIG'S SNEAKY $14M ESTATE DEAL'

CityFile: 'Lower East Side: Now Featuring One Hotel Per Block'

N.Y. Post: 'SHUL BE SORRY, TORAH THIEF'

'Bernie Cheated at Golf, Conference Goers Say'

From Clusterstock's Henry Blodget:

Handicaps have always been a bit of a racket, and Bernie Madoff appears to have capitalized on that.

N.Y. Post: 'CONGRESS TO GRILL SEC BIGS OVER MADOFF'

N.Y. Daily News: 'LI has its very own "Madoff," feds charge'

N.Y. Daily News: 'Celebrity side dish'

...Nora Ephron had the full house at the 92nd Street Y collapsed in giggles Wednesday night at the Huffington Post bloggers' panel hosted by Arianna Huffington, fresh from Washington. "I was thrilled that Bernard Madoff got bumped off the headlines with the appearance of Blagojevich [pronounced Bla-GOY-o-vich], because now we had someone with 'goy' in his name instead."

Financial Times (U.K.): 'Lawyers plan global action on Madoff'

Wall Street Journal: 'Madoff Questions Dog Santander's Botín'

The chairman of Banco Santander faced down critical shareholders and promised to unveil "magnificent" annual results next week.

Wall Street Journal: 'Madoff's Firm Lays Off Dozens'

Several dozen employees of Bernard Madoff's firm were laid off, including numerous traders from the firm's legitimate trading arm.

Jewish Daily Forward: 'Discussing Madoff'

When I mentioned to someone that I'd be attending the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research's January 15 panel discussion, "Madoff: A Jewish Reckoning," the snap retort was: "That momser! They should hang him like in the Wild West."