This is really a no brainer. Why would the President of the United States embark on a policy of rapprochement with Iran, declare they have a right to peaceful nuclear technology and appoint someone, nay rather create a position called special adviser for the Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia and give it to someone who is expressly against your stated goals? Doesn’t anyone see that as grooming a policy to fail? Well that’s what has taken place in the appointment of Dennis Ross to the above mentioned position. Ross’ name is also prominently displayed here on the website of a group called United Against Nuclear Iran where he, along with Richard Holbrooke, is even congratulated on being appointed to the Obama administration. It really makes one wonder if all this talk of change is so much window dressing, when the real nuts and bolts of policy is still being decided by the Democrats‘ answer to the neocons of the Bush administration.
Widely viewed as a cog in the machine of Israel’s Washington lobby, Ross was not likely to be welcomed in Tehran–and he wasn’t. Iran’s state radio described his appointment as “an apparent contradiction” with Obama’s “announced policy to bring change in United States foreign policy.” Kazem Jalali, a hardline member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, joked that it “would have been so much better to pick Ariel Sharon or Ehud Olmert as special envoy to Iran.” More seriously, a former White House official says that Ross has told colleagues that he believes the United States will ultimately have no choice but to attack Iran in response to its nuclear program.
One has to shake one’s head at Obama’s inability to distance himself from the perpetual forces for war in order to implement the progressive initiatives articulated in his Cairo speech. It is quite possible such key appointments like the Ross and Holbrooke appointments will lead America into another war, abroad and on the political front at home. Why this is apparent to everyone but Obama is simply incredible! This isn’t change, this is business as usual.
Miscellany101's Weblog 
An open letter
Dear Mr. President,
Please help to stop the torture of people in Democratic Europe!
Law enforcement officers, primarily police and security guards, have the ability to arrest people, especially dark-skinned people, in the name of law, regardless of their guilt. They can escort these people to a room, such as a dressing room (even the Law enforcement call it Swedish & German lager)! , a vehicle or another place without public views nor security cameras. There they can beat, torture or even sexually assault these people.
When victims of such cases try to stand up for their rights and seek justice, the guilty officers have the excuse: violent resistance to the law; thus it is their duty to deal with them. Law enforcement often censors such cases so society never hears about them from the media. There have been numerous cases all over the Democratic and Humanitarian Europe (for more information 120–cases) contact Mr. Juan Fonseca, chief of Discrimination bureau in Stockholm and former member of Swedish Parliament (Cell # +46 733421988) or Amnesty International’s EU Office. Some cases are covered by the media; for example, in Swedish Channel 4 News showed a video taken with a mobile phone where European police officers are seen torturing refugees in “torture rooms.” In Stockholm, a central police station had pictures of non-Caucasian officers with “SS” written on them. There are many other similar cases happening, possibly now as you are reading this letter, and the guilty parties suffer no consequences. If this type of violence committed by law enforcement isn’t stopped, victims will continue to be damaged not just physically but mentally. This type of behaviour may result in even more violence when victims want to release their anger and aggression for this injustice. There have been numerous cases in France, Sweden and other countries where people have obtained weapons for shooting, explosions, and so on. There are even more cases in the US and around the world available online as evidence to back up this proposal in order to end these kinds of barbarian behaviors
A possible solution to stop this type of violence would be to require all law enforcement officers to carry a small digital video camera (with a few GBs of memory), attach it to their uniforms, and require them to tape their actions on duty. It is not an expensive technology when you compare it to the costs of court when dishonourable officers are sued by their victims. The cameras should be encrypted and not able to be stopped or viewed by officers. The footage should be collected from all officers and archived daily, when they finish their working day.
There should also be cameras placed in all law enforcement premises and officers should not be allowed to take arrested people to any “blind” places. Law enforcement communication should be recorded 24 hours a day by a higher level law enforcement unit. This unit should consist of a diverse group of people from as many different nationalities and races available in that country. The recorded materials should be publicly available for use in court.
I sincerely hope that you will kindly consider this matter not only as President but as someone who deeply cares about humanity. I hope you will further this idea by talking to your colleagues around the world because it is the Start of new beginning to make changes and have positive effect on every country. The next generation would remember you not only as the 44th President but as someone who has done good for the entire world, making big changes for justice and human rights by stopping racism and discrimination all over the world.
With best wishes and a hope for a better world for us and our children.
Yours truly,
Rico Hendran