Webster Brooks « Washington Hotlist

$642.5 billion defense bill is approved by House May 19, 2012
The House approved a bill Friday that would provide $642.5 billion in defense spending for the next fiscal year, despite a veto threat from the White House, which objected to a series of provisions that would limit the president’s authority and challenge administration policies. Read full article >> […]
Walter Pincus
Featured Advertiser May 19, 2012
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Biden on West Virginians’ vote for felon Keith Judd: ‘I don’t blame people’ for frustration over economy May 18, 2012
Why did four-in-ten Democratic primary voters in West Virginia earlier this month cast their ballots for felon Keith Judd over President Obama? To hear Vice President Biden tell it, it’s because those voters are taking out their frustration and anger about the economy on Obama. Read full article >> […]
Felicia Sonmez
Scott Brown raising money off Elizabeth Warren Native American questions May 18, 2012
Scott Brown raising money off Elizabeth Warren flap, Al Gore is dating, and George W. Bush is returning to the White House (for a portrait). Make sure to sign up to get “Afternoon Fix ” in your e-mail inbox every day by 5 (ish) p.m! Read full article >> […]
Rachel Weiner
North Carolina same-sex marriage amendment: Confusion over domestic partner benefits May 18, 2012
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Mecklenburg County commissioner Bill James survived his own primary race on May 8. But it was the marquee fight over Amendment One that topped his agenda the following day. It was predicted that the change to the state constitution, with its broad language proclaiming “marriage between one man and one woman … the only domestic legal union t […]
Mary C. Curtis
Mitt and Ann Romney each give $75,000 to Romney Victory Fund May 18, 2012
Republican candidate Mitt Romney and his wife have each given $75,000 to the Romney Victory Fund, the joint fundraising group that collects money for his presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee, campaign sources said Friday. Read full article >> […]
Dan Eggen
Mitt Romney plans restful break after busy week May 18, 2012
Mitt Romney wrapped up a very busy week (Iowa, Florida, New Hampshire) with a very short speech (barely nine minutes) Friday afternoon in New Hampshire. On Saturday, the former Massachusetts governor will spend the day opening his Wolfeboro, N.H., home on Lake Winnepesaukee. Read full article >> […]
Nia-Malika Henderson
Birtherism isn’t dead May 18, 2012
Discussion of President Obama’s place of birth died down significantly when he released his long-form birth certicate. But birtherism still lives, even if it no longer gets as much attention. Nationally, conservative bloggers have seized an opportunity to raise the issue. In some places disbelief in Obama’s America origins is still strong, and politicians ar […]
Rachel Weiner
Wisconsin recall slipping away from Democrats May 18, 2012
Just two and a half weeks remain in the recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), and momentum seems to be firmly on the GOP’s side. All three polls out this week show Walker leading Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D) by between 5 percent and 9 percent. Perhaps more illustrative, though, are the candidate’s personal favorability and approval numbers. Read full […]
Aaron Blake
Following Obama meeting, France’s Hollande promises different approach to Afghan aid May 18, 2012
President Obama welcomed new French President Francois Hollande to the White House on Friday, an initial meeting that came as world leaders feel a renewed sense of urgency to contain the European debt crisis. Read full article >> […]
David Nakamura

The Demise of America’s “New Middle East” Policy

Standing beside Israeli Prime Minister Olmert in August 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said of the carnage visited on Lebanon by the U.S. sponsored Israeli invasion, Ã¢â‚¬Å“What weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re seeing here in a sense, is the growingÃ¢â‚¬â€the Ã¢â‚¬Ëœbirth pangsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â€of a Ã¢â‚¬ËœNew Middle EastÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ and whatever we do we have to be certain that weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re pushing [...]

Iran-Saudi Talks Signal Strategic Shift in the “New Middle East”

U.S. Iran Peace Project www.usiranpeace.com ANALYSIS – May 31, 2007 In the past few months Saudi Arabia’s leading national security advisor Prince Bandar traveled to Tehran to meet with top goverrnment officials, while Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has been courting House of Saud royalists in Riyahd. Despite the adversarial relationship of the two [...]

The Shia Rising: A U.S. Foreign Policy Dilemma in the New Middle East

ANALYSIS by Webster Brooks 111 The U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan that elevated Iran to dominant power status in the Persian Gulf’, have also unleashed a nascent ShiÃ¢â‚¬â„¢a Muslim movement that is altering the political balance of power in the Middle East. Anchored by the world’s only ShiÃ¢â‚¬â„¢a nation–the Islamic Republic of Iran, and [...]

Another Tragic Flaw in U.S. Foreign Policy

U.S. Iran Peace Project www.usiranpeace.com April 9, 2007 The Kirkuk Referendum in Iraq: Another Tragic Flaw in U.S. Foreign Policy Analysis by Webster Brooks III, Editor USIP The United States should cut its hypocritical rhetoric about “supporting democracy” and complaining that Iraq’s leaders won’t make the “tough decisions”, and support the parliament’s decision to hold [...]

The End Game To A Risky Gamble

U.S. Iran Peace Project

www.usiranpeace.com ANALYSIS Iran’s Seizure of British Soldiers: The End Game To A Risky Gamble Hartford, Connecticut — The conventional wisdom regarding the seizure of 15 British soldiers by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on the Arvand River two weeks ago, was that Iran would release the troops when it had milked [...]

First Iranian-American Mayor Congratulated By Webster Brooks of U.S. Iran-Peace Project

U.S. Iran Peace Project www.usiranpeace.com Media Advisory Hartford, Connecticut Ã¢â‚¬â€ Today, Webster Brooks, Editor of the U.S. Iran Peace Project Website (www.usiranpeace.com) congratulated businessman Jimmy Delshad, who will become the first Iranian-American mayor of Beverly Hills, California. Brooks said “This is a great day for all Iranian-Americans and our nation. Mr Delshad will become the [...]