Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen today said that it’s safe for Western powers to start planning for a Libya without Moammar Gaddafi because he “is history.” According to Rasmussen, the longtime leader’s departure “may take weeks, but it could happen tomorrow and when he goes the international community has to be ready.”—-
Speaking at a news conference after a two-hour meeting with defense ministers from the countries involved in the Libya operation, Rasmussen denied reports that NATO is attempting to target Gaddafi. Over the past two days, the military allegiance has been engaged in the most intense bombardment of Tripoli since operations began in March, reporting more than 40 explosions on Tuesday during an assault that lasted from late morning into the night.
Rasmussen says that he had no intention of using NATO ground troops to ensure security, should Gaddafi step down from power. Rasmussen also endorsed the Transitional National Council, the rebel-led government in the eastern part of Libya. “I feel confident that they are sincere in their desire to see a true democracy developed in Libya,” Rasmussen said.
Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty offered his economic plan in a speech at the University of Chicago yesterday, calling for three flat income tax rates, cutting the corporate tax rate and for programs like the Postal Service to be eliminated. Pawlenty said President Obama is “a champion practitioner of class warfare. Elected with a call for unity and hope, he has spent three years dividing our nation, fanning the flames of class envy and resentment to deflect attention from his own failures and the economic hardship they have visited on America.” And we should end the Postal Service.
Pawlenty said that people who currently don’t pay income tax would still have a zero percent tax rate. People who make $50,000 a year would pay a 10 percent tax and any money earned over that would be taxed at a 25 percent rate. The former Minnesota governor also said that government programs should be subjected to “The Google Test,” meaning if you can find a service online, the federal government shouldn’t provide it. Programs failing that test, like the Postal Service, should be done away with as UPS and Fed Ex provide the same services.
GOP presidential contender Herman Cain, who has referred to the group of left-learning candidates as a “Democratic plantation,” was asked why more black people haven’t joined him at more Tea Party rallies and conservative conventions like the Faith and Family Conference in D.C. this weekend. “They can’t afford to,” Cain said. “So I think the first reason is economics. If you just look at the sheer economics of it,” said Cain. “If you look at the typical income of a black family of four it’s going to be lower than a non-black or white family of four,” he explained. Black people also tend to not hate black people as much us your average tea partier.
Cain has also made a pledge not sign a bill longer than three pages as president. And referred to himself in the third-person. “Engage the people. Don’t try to pass a 2,700-page bill — and even they didn’t read it! You and I didn’t have time to read it. We’re too busy trying to live — send our kids to school. That’s why I am only going to allow small bills — three pages. You’ll have time to read that one over the dinner table. What does Herman Cain, President Cain talking about in this particular bill?”
The NBA Playoff Finals are tied at 2-2 after Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks did the Heat dirty in the fourth quarter and won last night’s game 86-83.
This article appears in Jun 8-14, 2011.