Obama changes mind: Opposes POW abuse photos

Per USA Today, United States President Barack Obama has decided that he is now against the release of photos detailing alleged abuse of prisoners of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to Pentagon spokesperson Geoff Morrell, some military commanders have raised concerns that releasing said images could aid al-Qaeda in their propaganda efforts.

The 44 images in question were part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and are slated to be released to the public on May 28th.  

Early Twitterverse reaction appears to be in favor of President Obama's switched view on the issue:

1. 
   BeaconOfLight (Unlisted location) Obama finally realized release of pictures would put US soldiers in danger. Da, 4 as smart as he is supposed 2 B, it took him long enough. 
2. 
   Jamey_F (Unlisted location) Wow Obama... You actually are thinking and not releasing pictures.. Finally good job 
3. 
   MoBrain (Unlisted location ) Just heard Obama is blocking the pictures of "torture" under Bush Admin. I'm suspicious. Maybe Cheney hit a nerve! 
4. 
   ehlersd (Texas) RT @texaszman: LOL! Obama Reverses Course, NOW opposes release of Prison Pictures! Wait! Which way is the Wind Blowing?? 
5. 
   MSGTAM (Woodland, WA) Sitting here thinking that President Obama made a great decision in not releasing the interrogation pictures. 

Obama changes mind: Opposes POW abuse photos

Obama meets with Afghan, Pakistani leaders

Per Voice of America, President Obama says his meetings with Afghan president Hamid Karzai and Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari were "extremely productive" and is pleased with the "unprecedented cooperation" between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with the leaders earlier and expressed that both these nations have a common enemy and the U.S. will aide both countries in minimizing civilian casualties.

Karzai acknowledged the fact that democracy in Afghanistan is young and needs special attention from the U.S.

CBS White House Correspondent Mark Knoller tweeted from the news conferences in Washington, D.C.

1. 
   markknoller Obama proclaims "extraordinarily productive day" in talks with Karzai
   and Zardari. 06 May 2009 from TwitterMail
2. 
   markknoller flanked by karzai and zardari, obama says we must work together with renewed sense of partnership ... and “take out our common enemy..." 06 May 2009 from web
3. 
   markknoller Obama said he, karzai and zardari are joined by "a common goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaeda its extremist allies.." 06 May 2009 from web
4. 
   markknoller @janieo actually more surprising that Karzai and Zardari didn't speak, much less take questions. WH wanted to control the message today. 06 May 2009 from web

Tweets from the rest of the country react to the sit-down meetings:

1. 
   boogman7 (Pennsylvania/Colorado) The Afghan and Pakistani President meeting with Hillary and Obama doesn't make me feel any better. Would rather see them meet w/Gen Petraeus 06 May 2009 from web
2. 
   jtotheCVS (McKees Rocks, Pa.) @ricksanchezcnn I feel meeting today with Obama will help solve the Taliban problem 06 May 2009 from TwitterFon
3. 
   benmcinnis (Seattle, Wash.) this Obama press conference on the new Afghanistan-Pakistan-US arrangement sounds EXACTLY like a corporate reorg "all-hands" meeting 06 May 2009 from web

Obama meets with Afghan, Pakistani leaders

Afghan women demand repeal of new restrictive law

Per The New York Times, 300 Afghan women in Kabul marched to the Afghan Parliament to deliver a petition calling for a repeal of a new law that introduces a range of Taliban-like restrictions on women.

Violence erupted as 1000 counter-protesters surrounded the women pelting them with stones and gravel, per CBC News.

Per Al Jazeera,the Shia family law effectively legalises the rape of women by their husbands, ban women from working or receiving an education without their husbands' permission and forbids them from leaving their homes except for "legitimate purposes."

Twitterers react:

1. 
   BrandonHough (Colorado Springs, Col. )RT @ nytimes Afghan Women Protest New Restrictive Law http://bit.ly/SGoZl ... amazing that parts of the world are still like that 15 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   debbiebuck (Illinois) am sickened by the new Afghan law! All women n the world need 2 go there @ same time. kick some ass! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30223599 15 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   tassodikaios (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Finally, it looks like democracy is actually starting to take shape...Afghan Women Protest New Restrictive Law http://bit.ly/SGoZl 15 Apr 2009 from web

Many Twitter users noted the courage of the Afghan women:

1. 
   heathereileen (Tennessee) Not sure if I would have this kind of courage: Afghan Women Protest New Restrictive Law (permitting marital rape!) http://is.gd/sAt9 15 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
2. 
   RookieCookery (Sacramento, Calif.) Such courage! The world needs to support these women. RT @nytimes: Afghan Women Protest New Restrictive Law http://bit.ly/SGoZl 15 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   Womens_eNews These fearless women will make a difference. RT @AlterNet: Afghan Women Pelted By Stones While Protesting Rape Law http://tinyurl.com/cw66q3 15 Apr 2009 from web

Afghan women demand repeal of new restrictive law

Afghan president legalizes marital rape

Per the Times of India, President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai signed a law legalizing the lack of need for sexual consent between married couples.

The law also restricts married women from leaving their house without permission of the husband. Infuriating women's groups all over the world, the Shia Family Law was put into action in efforts to win over conservative Shia muslims before the upcoming election in August.

Much of the Twitterverse voiced opposition to the passed law.

1. 
   NYUProf (New York, N.Y.) RT @arenda UNCONSCIONABLE! (via @goldlis @susanneure) Karzai backs law to legalize rape of Afghan women w/in marriage http://twurl.nl/3kiieg 31 Mar 2009 from TwitterFon
2. 
   buzz7 (India) New blog post: Afghan women condemn Karzai's decision to sign law legalizing rape http://tinyurl.com/dfbrfd 31 Mar 2009 from Twitter Tools
3. 
   dylanlamb (Dublin, Ireland) Afghanistan's President just passed a bill to 'legalize rape', which a MP has dubbed 'one of the worst bills passed this century'. Ya sure? 31 Mar 2009 from web
4. 
   JanersM (Huntsville, Ala.) The new pro-rape law in Afghanistan is just absolutely appalling. http://tinyurl.com/cqcer3 01 Apr 2009 from web

Some twitterers linked the law back to the U.S. and its responsibilities in Afghanistan.

1. 
   shadowfax_rulz (Undisclosed location) Another Bush accomplishment - legalizing rape in Afghanistan http://tinyurl.com/c9r9qb 01 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   mrmmosh (Los Angeles, Calif.) Hamid Karzai signs a pro-rape bill into law. This is the Afghanistan we're supporting? Please. We need the troops in Iraq. http://tr.im/i4f9 01 Apr 2009 from web

Afghan president legalizes marital rape

Obama Adminstration adopts new Afghanistan strategy

Per The Washington Post, President Barack Obama has laid out a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan. The new strategy includes significant increases in military spending on the war, increasing aid to Pakistan to $1.5 billion a year, and adding 4,000 military trainers and advisers from the 82nd Airborne Division. The new strategy has not been officially released by the Obama administration. The President will officially announce the changes at a NATO summit on April 3-4.

Per MSNBC's First Read the Obama administration appears to be minimizing the military aspect of the war. Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro raise the point that, "...this is a dramatic shift away from the philosophy some in the Bush administration pushed -- which was democracy for Afghanistan."

Public reaction on Twitter was mixed. Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) was the only major elected official to tweet a response.

1. 
   ChuckGrassley (Iowa) Listning Prez on FOX anounce his Afhgan stategy Now it bcomes Obama War Not Bush war any longer 27 Mar 2009 from txt
2. 
   FrankCanzolino (Elmhurst, Ill.) #tcot Obviously, Bush has won Iraq, allowing for troop reinforcements in Afghanistan, which we should begin calling Obama's war 27 Mar 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   Kadiyah (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) Obama just announced that more troops and more money will be invested in the war in Afghanistan. What about our ECONOMY? 27 Mar 2009 from web
4. 
   kbestor (Salt Lake City, Utah) Obama just presented plan for Afghanistan. Finally US using world community and diplomacy instead of only weapons. Women rights pushed .A+ 27 Mar 2009 from Twittelator
5. 
   mrush909 (Location undisclosed) Is wondering why there is not the same outcry about extra troups going into Afghanistan as there was with Itaq. 27 Mar 2009 from TwitterBerry
6. 
   thisisnomad (Location undisclosed) Im watching the news. They are calling Afghanistan, Obama's war. WTF? They are tryn to dump all of Bush's mess on Obama. Rewrite History. 27 Mar 2009 from PockeTwit
7. 
   KingRobertIV (Louisiana) He's not commiting nearly enough troops; Thinks he can police pakistan and afghanistan 27 Mar 2009 from web

Obama Adminstration adopts new Afghanistan strategy

Four Canadians killed in Afghanistan

Per the Winnipeg Free Press, four Canadians died and eight were wounded after two separate attacks 40 kilometers apart in Afghanistan.

The soldiers were just days away from returning from service, according to the article.

Canadian twitterers quickly shared thoughts about the news.

@erindrawson (Ottawa, Ontario): we lost four more in afghanistan.




@elysiabrooker (Montreal, Quebec): 4 soldiers killed today in Afghanistan. What is it going to take for the government to wake up & withdraw. This war will have no "winner"


@StephenBlais (Orleans, Ontario): is very concerned about new CDN deaths in Afghanistan



@Bill_Owen (Ottawa, Ontario): 4 More Canadians killed in Afghanistan. 116 down, how many more to go? Why are we there again?



@ChrisLaBossiere (Edmonton, Alberta): Holy [expletive], I am [expletive] steaming. Four Canadians killed in Afghanistan http://tiny.cc/GfB84 (TODAY). APOLOGIZE NOW Fox.

Four Canadians killed in Afghanistan

Obama to send more troops to Afghanistan

Per the Times of India, U.S. president Barack Obama plans to expand the number of troops in Afghanistan to 400,000 in an effort to promote stability to the nation.

Breaking Tweets found twitterers in the U.S. had mainly negative things to say about the idea.

NYMACGirl (Las Vegas, Nevada): New Surge of troops in Afghanistan? I hope not. http://tinyurl.com/c2gdmp



ranggrol (Florida): 400,000 troops??? While I agree that we (America) broke it (Afghanistan), I passionately oppose Obama's plan to buy it. (LBJ anyone??)


rbaer (San Francisco, CA): @iava what about the recall? Troops being out a year getting recalled and going back to iraq and Afghanistan for 18 months


tiffyness (Oceanside, CA): @iamdiddy i wouldn't demand anything bt my hope is tht he pulls our troops out of Afghanistan asap. how many more kids have to die for Bush?

Obama to send more troops to Afghanistan

U.S. wants to talk with Taliban

Per New York Times, U.S. President Barack Obama wants to talk with moderate elements of the Taliban. Voice of America says the proposed new strategy comes after a realization the U.S. is not winning its war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. According to the Boston Herald, President Obama thinks the situation in Afghanistan is more complex than the situation in Iraq with regard to engaging enemy forces in dialogue.

Here's a snapshot of early Twitter reaction from North America, which seemed negative towards the idea:

@BruntonWells (Cleveland, USA) Agree in talking to other nations to try to settle issues if it makes sense. But Obama wants to talk to "Moderate Taliban." There are none.



@delmer (Arizona, USA) Obama says he will talk w/"moderate" Taliban. Whats that? Taliban that only believes in "moderate" (forced) female circumcision?



@Bighit15 (Florida, USA) What the hell is a Taliban moderate? Are they the ones who don't beat their women? Have American women been fitted for their abaya?



@michaelbyrns (Ontario, Canada) IT appears likely that Obama intends to lower the relationship with Britain, and now wants to improve it with the Taliban. http://tinyurl ...

U.S. wants to talk with Taliban

Afghan president seeks to move up elections

Per A Pakistan News, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai orders elections to be held by April, overturning the Independent Election Commission's decision for August 20 elections; that date set as a response to security and logistics issues.

Twitterer @nhangen, currently in Kabul, shared his opinions with Breaking Tweets.

@nhangen (Kabul, Afghanistan): I think it makes sense to do it before his term is up, but I don't think the country is ready AT ALL for it. Need a 2nd Candidate.


@nhangen (Kabul, Afghanistan): Karzai is the George Bush of Afghanistan. Not enough security and lack of campaigns, which assures Karzai's re-election.


Al Jazeera reporter @ragehomaar posted an update of the news on his Twitter page.

@ragehomaar (U.K./Pakistan): President Karzai calls Afghan election for April instead of August as previously planned



A Twitterer in Eastern Europe particularly enjoyed someone's comment about the news in the Swampland blog at Time Magazine.

@Yamamayoo (Riga, Latvia): love comment on previous article "Hey Karzai speaks English, which is the most important puppet qualification."



Some Americans also tweeted about the developments.

@Robert_Banghart (Federal Way, Wash.): Karzai's push for early Afghan vote likely to undermine the vote's credibility? http://ff.im/-1hlmf


@anthonyrichter (New York): following the tit-for-tat between Karzai and the US government - Karzai is playing a game of chicken with Obama

Afghan president seeks to move up elections