Obama: No Change in War Policy

Many lauded President Obama's election as a new positive turn in policies of the American government. However, despite all the fervor following the emotional election cycle, his newly held grasp on power has done little to change the war policy of the United States.

Most noticeably, his continued support of the expansion of the War in Afghanistan into Pakistan has taken direct lines from the Bush Administration. His war strategy remains consistent as Secretary of Defense Robert Gates still heads the military occupations abroad. As President Bush began the unmanned drone missile attacks in Pakistan last year, Obama has intensified their efforts as the CIA is engaging in an all out war on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

While civilians are killed weekly in the unmanned drone missile strikes, the Pakistani government is facing ever more difficult positioning when it comes to the never ending War on Terror. While at home President Al-Zadari must publicly condemn raids on Pakistan's territory by the American military, he balances the Western media as posing as a partner in the War in Afghanistan. It is an increasingly volatile situation that not only undermines Al-Zadari's rule, but also increases worldwide public hostility against the United States.

In other news, Press TV reports that leading intellectual Noam Chomsky has criticized Obama for his failure to respond to the Israeli invasion and camp-style occupation of Gaza. Ignoring the discrimination that Palestinians must live with in their own country, Chomsky claims President Obama knew of the pre-meditated attack on Gaza and refused to speak on the conflict because of his implicit involvement in the policy decision. Chomsky also points to Obama's intensely pro-Israel campaign rhetoric that promised to protect Israeli territory as if it was the United States.

Chomsky predicts little shift in the United States' policy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that remains the sole largest issue in relations between the West and the Middle East.