President Obama gets a mountain named after him for his birthday

No, Mount Rushmore has not been updated to inlcude a granite image of President Obama, but Barack Obama does now in fact have a mountain named in his honor. As the president celebrated his 48th birthday yesterday, the Prime Minister of Antigua named that country's highest mountain after him.

Mt. Obama, formerly known as "Boggy Peak."

A little ironic considering the mountain of debt and economic turmoil this country finds itself in, but a very nice gesture nontheless.

Formerly known as "Boggy Peak," Mount Obama stands 1,300 ft. over Antigua's southern tip. Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua held a ceremony on the island yesterday to celebrate the occasion. There is a plaque at the base of the mountain that reads:

"Mount Obama, named in honor of the historical election on Nov. 4, 2008, of Barack Hussein Obama, the first black president of the United States of America, as a symbol of excellence, triumph, hope and dignity for all people."

Video of the ceremony that took place in Antigua.

What a birthday present. Happy belated President Obama.

Swag Award of the Week August 3-9

I know it's only Wednesday, but I don't think anyone can take the award from Bill Clinton this week. In a 20 hour trip, Clinton flew to North Korea, met with Kim Jong Il and accomplished a feat the U.S. government had been trying to accomplish since March; broker the safe return of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the two American journalists who were sentenced to 12 years hard labor after being arrested while crossing into N. Korea from China. Clinton and the journalists returned home today to tearful eyes and open arms of family members and Al Gore, who owns the media company the journalists work for.

View the emotional press conference:

Apparently this trip had been in the works for some time as the White House & the N. Korean Foreign Ministry had been engaging in talks for months. Possible candidates to make the trip included Bill Richardson New Mexico governor Bill Richardson as well as former President Al Gore, but the Koreans let it be known that Bill was their choice to engage in talks.

Clinton's visit was the first visit by such a high-ranking U.S. official since then Secretary of State, Madeline Albright visited with N. Korean officials in 2000. According to the White House "Mr. Clinton went to North Korea as a private citizen, did not carry a message from Mr. Obama for Mr. Kim and had the authority to negotiate only for the women’s release"... Right.. Bill Clinton has had a vested interest in N. Korea and its nuclear capabilities since his time a president and officials close to the matter said “It would be someplace between surprising and shocking if there wasn’t some substantive discussion between the former president, who is deeply knowledgeable about the nuclear issue, and Kim Jong-il."

Whatever was said at that table may never be known by anyone who was not in attendance, but the outcome is clear. Two U.S. citizens have been reunited with their families and have escaped a terrible fate thanks to the efforts of Bill Clinton and other U.S. diplomats.

Eight and a half years removed from office, and Bill Clinton's appeal and effectiveness on a global stage cannot be overstated. The fact that he was sought by the Koreans, made the trip there and came back with the two journalists in under 24 hours says something. Someone told me a long time ago that "you have to be in demand to make demands." President Clinton's successful trip embodies that phrase. SWAGGER !!

Bye Bye Iraq: US troops to withdraw within a matter of hours

Within a matter of hours, all of the 130,000 U.S. combat soldiers stationed in cities around Iraq will have vacated to bases outside of the cities. These actions are a result of an agreement between the U.S. and Iraqi governments as America slowly hands the reigns off to the Iraqi's as the rebuilding effort in that country continues. The agreement calls for all U.S. troops to leave the country by 2011. 

Six years after George W. Bush declared "mission accomplished" aboard the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, the United States is finally getting the hell out of dodge...but has the mission really been accomplished??

Remember this speech??

Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani to the Associated Press that when the sun rises on Tuesday  "Iraqi citizens will see no U.S. soldiers in their cities. They will see only Iraqi troops protecting them."

Many Iraqi's are ecstatic about this news, and a massive party has been planned on the banks of the Tigris river with performances by popular musicians and a fireworks show. The Iraqi government has declared June 30 a public holiday, "National Sovereignty Day."

The Iraqi government is confident that its forces can combat violence and militant uprisings. There are concerns that with the absence of U.S. troops violence will spike in Iraqi cities. More than 250 people have been killed in little over a week  by bombings.

Attention now shifts to the ongoing struggle to combat the Taliban in the mountainous, rugged terrain of Afghanistan. When you look back on the time our soldiers spent in Iraq, how do you feel? Do you think Iraq is better off now than it was in 2003? 2005? 2007? 

No weapons of mass destruction were ever found. Insurgent violence, IED's, and roadside bombs continue to take the lives of soldiers and civilians alike. There is still much unrest in Iraq and the rest of the region... 

I hope the outcome in Afghanistan will be different, and that we don't declare "mission accomplished" until the mission truly has been accomplished. Considering that troops have been there since 2001 and the Taliban's strength has not been lessened (in fact they seem to be making advances in some territories), suggests that it may take some time to reach a favorable outcome. 

A shift in foreign policy. President Obama calls for new beginning with the Muslim world

"No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust." This is what President Obama said today as he addressed an auditorium full of Muslim leaders in Cairo, Egypt. While the President acknowledged that the speech he gave alone cannot heal the wounds left from 9/11, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Iraq and Afghanistan, his words have been the strongest breath of fresh air coming from an American president in almost a decade. The president's tone is in stark contrast to the "you're either with us or not" philosophy of the Bush doctrine that for two terms expanded the rift between America and countries in the Middle East. 

President Obama, quoted the Koran, addressed ill feelings towards the west, addressed the Israel-Palestine conflict, and vowed that words alone will not be enough and that ultimately the actions of America and Middle East nations going forward will be the only way to ensure cooperation, peace and success in the years to come.

The importance of today's speech cannot be overstated as President Obama determines the tone of our country's foreign policy and the relationships America will seek to build and maintain with the Middle East. Osama Bin Laden was aware of the speech's magnitude and came out of hiding to release an audio tape accusing the president of "planting new seeds of hatred and vengeance toward Americans" yesterday. 

We live in a different time than we did during World War II and prior. President Obama understands that diplomacy and negotiations are more effective in this era than isolationism and flexing our militarys muscle. There is much unrest in the Middle East. Some conflicts are a direct result of Americas actions. Others have their roots in struggles that began before The United States became a country. Peace in the Middle East, as cliché as it might sound is a daunting task that will take some time to achieve, if ever. The olive branch that President Obama extended today is a very important first step towards that goal.

 
President Obama's entire address in Cairo:

Swag Award of the Week April 13-19

Over the last few weeks, piracy off the coast of Somalia has been receiving a tremendous amount of coverage worldwide following the attack on the Maersk Alabama and subsequent hostage situation that ensued with its captain, Richard Phillips.

While piracy occurs worldwide, the lion's share of pirate attacks have occurred off the coast of Somalia. Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, and the waters off its coast are notoriously some of the most lawless in the world. In addition to not having a functioning govt., Somalia sits next to one of the busiest shipping routes in the world as ships from the Middle East and Asia sail past towards the Suez Canal en route to Europe & the western hemisphere.

Piracy in the region is not a new occurrence, as Somalians originally began attacking commercial fishing vessels that were illegally exploiting the country's abundant tuna population 10-15 years ago. The pirates kicked it up a notch last year though, attacking more than 120 ships and netting more than $150 million in ransom...or booty I guess we can call it. Get your money up Jack Sparrow. In November 2008, Somali pirates seized the Sirius Star, a Saudi oil Supertanker the size of an aircraft carrier carrying over $100 million of crude oil. The pirates were paid $3 million in ransom, divided it amongst themselves and left the boat.

Equipped with fast-moving boats, guns, grenade launchers, and grappling hooks, these dudes speed up to the much slower vessels, hop on board and hold everyone hostage until the money arrives. Pretty ballsy. They even target yachts and smaller vessels, which is the case of the French yacht Tanit that was attacked last week.

The situation involving the Maersk Alabama was the first attack of its kind on an American ship. Navy seals had to be parachuted in to the location, and snipers took out the 3 pirates who were holding Captain Phillips hostage on speedboat. 

Many thought the use of sniper fire to eliminate the pirates would send a strong message and deter them from future attacks... The Somalians said F!&K THAT! and attacked another U.S. vessel, the Liberty Sun on Monday. While the grenade launchers and guns damaged the ship, pirates were not able to board. Here's the catch though...the USS Bainbridge, the same Navy destroyer that was sent to help rescue Captain Phillips and bring him to safety was sent to rescue the Liberty Sun with Captain Phillips still on board! Wow. 

It is apparent that more than one warship and a handful of snipers will be needed to deter the Somali pirates from their objectives. With more than a decade of experience and a hefty sum of money to purchase weapons and other resources, Somali pirates do not appear to be backing down. The African waterfront could become our country's next foreign theatre. President Obama has already vowed to take a more active approach in confronting the issue. I have no idea how and if this situation will end, but one thing is certain...the Somali pirates have swag for days. YARRR!!!