| This could be about Thomas tasers, or Dick's tortured poll, or what Harry's gang may be doing. But it is not. As a year end round up let's look at what four foreign countries' news services had to say lately about the doings in our Congress.
Canada
With a Toronto-born inmate in the Guantanamo facility, the move to a prison in Illinois was of interest to our neighbors to the north.
Khadr's trial by military commission is expected to resume next July. It is unclear whether the Illinois prison will be ready to receive detainees by then. A source at the Pentagon told CBC News that the U.S. government will need to get money from Congress to buy the prison and upgrade it.
Canadian Omar Khadr was 15 when he was captured by U.S. medics in Afghanistan.Canadian Omar Khadr was 15 when he was captured by U.S. medics in Afghanistan. (Janet Hamlin/Associated Press/Canadian Press)
Republicans condemned moving Guantanamo prisoners to the Illinois prison.
"Gitmo is not being closed, it's being moved to northwest Illinois," said Republican Congressman Don Manzullo.
With a common border and a large trade relationship, Canadian business news keeps its eyes on the unemployment figures in the United States.
The government said that the number of people receiving regular benefits rose by 5,000 to 5.19 million for the week ending Dec. 5. That figure does not include millions of people who have used up the regular 26 weeks of benefits typically provided by the state and are now receiving extended benefits for up to 73 additional weeks, paid for by the federal government.
The people receiving extended benefits jumped to 4.73 million for the week ending Nov. 28, an increase of 143,759 from the previous week. That big rise reflected the fact that a total of 17 states are now processing claims for the extension of benefits that Congress approved last month.
United Kingdom
Having committed their own blood and treasure, the British monitor Congressional testimony of one general.
The BBC's North America editor Mark Mardell says it is clear from the senators' questions that they want to hear that the Pakistani military is resolved to tackle all of what they call the extremist groups along the border and see that as crucial to success in Afghanistan.
Asked about the danger of pushing militants over the border to Pakistan, Gen Petraeus said he hoped to co-ordinate with Pakistani forces so they were waiting like "a catcher's mitt or anvil", but that it would take time.
"They'll say that you can only stick so many short sticks into so many hornets' nests at one time, and they have a very impressive military and an increasingly impressive frontier core, but again there are limits on their capacity and that's the challenge that they're working with".
and another one, too.
"I don't think that we can finally defeat al-Qaeda until he's captured or killed," said Gen McChrystal of Bin Laden.
"I believe he is an iconic figure at this point, whose survival emboldens al-Qaeda as a franchising organisation across the world."
The general said that killing or capturing Bin Laden would not spell the end of al-Qaeda, but that the movement could not be eradicated while Bin Laden remained at large.
The promise of U.S.emission curbs at the Copenhagen Summit are of interest.
The US declaration could mean the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can order cuts in emissions without the approval of Congress.
Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the UN scientific network on climate change, said the Obama administration was "showing what it can do, even while legislation is pending".
"It also sends a powerful signal to Congress. It shows a degree of resolve on the part of the president," he told the Associated Press news agency.
Russia
After Sen. McCain's R-AZ suggestion that the U.S.should intervene on the side of Georgia, Russia a still sensitive to pronouncements by Republican Congresspersons.
A US congresswoman is urging NATO and the European Union not to sell weapons to Russia.
Itar-Tass news agency says that the resolution has been introduced in Congress by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a republican representative for Florida, who is on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
With their own history in Afghanistan as a benchmark, Rep. Kucinich's D-OH views on the war are of interest.
US Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who is circulating a resolution to end the war in Afghanistan, says he is simply trying to reclaim the forgotten constitutional responsibility of Congress to start and end war.
Qatar, Washington Bureau
After the GOP criticism of the administration's dealings with Yemen, it could make one wonder if some in Congress are aware of the previous Defense Department appropriations, or are availing themselves of available secure briefings. Are you shocked that politics are going on in the Capitol when it comes to war?
Before Wednesday's clashes, Yemeni forces backed by US intelligence carried out two major strikes against al-Qaeda hideouts this month, reportedly killing more than 60 fighters.
Al Jazeera's Owen Fay reports on al-Qaeda's increasing presence in Yemen
The US has increasingly provided intelligence, surveillance and training to Yemeni forces in the past year, and has provided some firepower, according to a senior US defence official, who requested anonymity.
Bryan Whitman, a US defence department spokesman, said Yemen received $67m in training and support under the Pentagon's counterterrorism programme last year, second only to $112m spent in Pakistan.
The health care debate was also of interest, and it was noted who voted that day.
All 60 members of the Democratic caucus voted in favour; 39 Republicans were opposed.
The vote was overseen by the senate's president, US Vice-President Joe Biden.
Among the notable attendees was 92-year-old Robert Byrd of West Virginia, who had to be wheeled into the chamber to cast his vote.
"I'm doing it for my friend Ted Kennedy," he told his colleagues, referring to the long-time Massachusetts senator who had done so much for healthcare reform in this country but who died in August and whose spirit was very much felt around Capitol Hill on Thursday.
Washington, DC
Considered not real America by some people in the GOP, American University's Campaign Management Institute course on campaign planning and lobbying. This morning was Day 3. Casual Wednesday describes it this way.
This is what I have been doing all week and will be doing next week. I hope to make a triumphant return to the inter-toobs next Friday or so.
These videos from C-Span are classes on campaigning and lobbying. I'm a TA for the campaign class and take care of all of the logistics. In other words, I'm the first person in and last person out.
Anyway, this is some great information for working on campaigns, as both a pro and a volunteer, and lobbying for your own pet project.
Looking at the balance of powers between Congress and the executive branch can be frustrating. Here is some music for howling at the blue dogs moon from danps. Links will be live for a week.
Joyous Festivus, Happy New Year, and for some, Merry Christmas, yet to come. See you on the flip side. |
