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Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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Congress members urge dialogue with Iran
A bipartisan slate of 19 members of the U.S. House of Representatives called on President Bush to initiate direct talks with Iran.
“The U.S. has not pursued formal diplomatic dialogue for nearly 26 years,” said the letter, sent last week, before Congress adjourned for midterm elections. “This ‘no negotiation’ stance has not yielded positive results.”
The Bush administration wants Iran to stop enriching uranium, a step toward building a nuclear bomb, and to end its backing for terrorists who target Israel before it engages Iran in any way.
“Dialogue is needed to explain clearly the compelling nature of America’s objectives in the Middle East,” the letter said. “More than 25 years of isolating Iran has moved us farther from, not closer to, achieving these goals.”
The letter acknowledges the “inflammatory rhetoric” of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has denied the Holocaust and called for an end to Israel, but says the United States could engage moderates in the government. One signatory is Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), the influential chairman of the House foreign appropriations subcommittee, who is retiring.
Controversial Air Force commander promoted
The U.S. Senate promoted a U.S. Air Force commander who promoted evangelical Christianity at the Air Force Academy.
Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida was brought in to reform the Colorado Springs, Colo., academy in 2003, after a sexual harassment scandal.
He soon was embroiled in charges of religious coercion after he told cadets their first duty was to God and encouraged them to observe the national day of prayer.
The actions contributed to what some cadets said was a coercive atmosphere. Weida apologized in June 2005, saying he “fell short.”
Last week, the Senate promoted him to major general at the Air Force’s behest. Mikey Weinstein, a former Air Force officer who is Jewish and who has campaigned against evangelism in the military, condemned the promotion. “Weida has repeatedly imposed his own fundamentalist Christian biblical worldview on those attending mandatory military events and non-sectarian events,” Weinstein said. “Weida’s promotion sends the message that this illegal behavior is not only acceptable, but is applauded by our country’s current leadership.”
http://www.jta.org/
posted by Somebody @ 10:54 PM Permanent Link
 
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