nations security council Archives - Where Is The Outrage?

United States and Russia agree on Syria

Well, it appears that the United States and Russia have agreed on some sort of mechanism for Syria to give up or destroy all of their chemical weapons. I really think that President Obama and Secretary Kerry have pulled a rabbit out of their hat. They were going lose a vote in the House on striking Syria. This could be the best of all options. No missile strikes and Syria gives up their chemical weapons. Totally cool.

From NY Times:

The United States and Russia reached a sweeping agreement on Saturday that called for Syria’s arsenal of chemical weapons to be removed or destroyed by the middle of 2014 and indefinitely stalled the prospect of American airstrikes.

The joint announcement, on the third day of intensive talks in Geneva, also set the stage for one of the most challenging undertakings in the history of arms control.

“This situation has no precedent,” said Amy E. Smithson, an expert on chemical weapons at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. “They are cramming what would probably be five or six years’ worth of work into a period of several months, and they are undertaking this in an extremely difficult security environment due to the ongoing civil war.”

Although the agreement explicitly includes the United Nations Security Council for the first time in determining possible international action in Syria, Russia has maintained its opposition to any military action. (more…)

Grab Bag – Friday

Really running late this morning. Sick patient on the way to the ER.

From Political Animal:

Japan: “Amid widening alarm in the United States and elsewhere about Japan’s nuclear crisis, military fire trucks began spraying cooling water on spent fuel rods at the country’s stricken nuclear power station late Thursday after earlier efforts to cool the rods failed, Japanese officials said. The United States’ top nuclear official followed up his bleak appraisal of the grave situation at the plant the day before with a caution that it would ‘take some time, possibly weeks,’ to resolve.”
President Obama offered an update this afternoon: “The White House sought Thursday to show it is on top of the Japanese nuclear crisis with a Rose Garden statement and a presidential-ordered review to ensure nothing like the Fukushima Daiichi disaster happens here at home.” He also urged an evacuation for Americans living within 50 miles of the facility.
Libya: “Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi warned Benghazi residents on Thursday that an attack was imminent, as the United Nations Security Council seemed headed for a vote Thursday on a resolution authorizing not just a no-flight zone but additional steps to halt the movement of Colonel Qaddafi’s forces.”
The Senate approved the House-passed budget extension this afternoon, with an 87-to-13 vote. It will soon receive the president’s signature, and impose a new, April 8 deadline. (Ed note: I’m not sure that we needed a new extension. We need our lawmakers to do what we hired them to do which is compromise and get something done.)
Getting better: “The number of people who filed applications for jobless benefits fell by 16,000 last week to 385,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.”
Of the funds lent to banks through TARP, 99% of the money has been paid back. At the time, it was widely assumed we’d never see that money again.
James O’Keefe thought he had another big scoop today. As it turns out, his “story” was not only dull, it was common knowledge months ago. (Ed note: I’m going to try to put together a post on this guy who the right continually listens to like he has earned someone’s trust.)
Those who thought applying to law school would be a great idea are starting to think otherwise.
In an interesting video, which you’ll probably be seeing again, Ronald Reagan proclaimed, “Where free unions and collective bargaining are forbidden, freedom is lost!” It’s a reminder of how little Reagan-lovers have in common with Reagan, and if Democrats today said the same thing Reagan said 30 years ago, Tea Partiers would condemn the sentiments as radical liberalism.

What’s on your mind? What stories are you following?