Message from Berlin

[Raffi Aftandelian]

Dear all,

A number of spaceniks have been having an energetic, respectful, and lively
exchange about the Obama candidacy offlist.

Indeed, there is much about him that is encouraging, and the more one
explores him more carefully, the more troubling questions come up.

The Real News Network (realnews.com started by former Canadian Broadcasting
Company journalist Paul Jay) has offered a critical, progressive perspective
on Obama.

Among the latest pieces after the Berlin speech:
Mustafa Barghouti, leader of the Palestinian National Initiative, interviewed:

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=1965

From the transcript:

PEPE ESCOBAR, SENIOR ANALYST: Senator Barack Obama, in his world tour, spent
less than an hour in Palestine, compared to 32 hours in Israel. Very few
people know the facts on the ground in Palestine as well as Mustafa
Barghouti. Barghouti, born in Jerusalem and a resident of Ramallah, is a
member of Parliament and the leader of the Palestinian National Initiative,
a democratic, reformist alternative to the Palestinian Authority in Hamas.
The Real News spoke to Mustafa Barghouti in Washington about Obama's visit
to Israel and Ramallah and the facts on the ground in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, PALESTINIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: I found it astonishing
that he spoke so well about the issue of walls in Berlin, where the wall is
gone. He should have said this while he was visiting Israel and Palestine to
refer to the wall that we have in Palestine that is three times the length
of Berlin Wall and twice as high as Berlin Wall is, and very drastic in its
effect on Palestinian population.

***

Even if Obama is elected/selected, I'm not holding my breath. He's now
pushing for more troops in Afghanistan.

Indeed, I think it all comes down to opening more space wherever one is. 
Thanks for the encouragement Harrison.

warmly,
raffi

*
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