A Blog Called Hope

Congressman Langevin announces acquisition of $11.6million in federal funds for Rhode Island

Congressman Jim Langevin has announced that over $11million in federal funds from FEMA and Homeland Security will soon be coming to the state of Rhode Island.

The additional money will be utilized to help several agencies in the state prepare for and adequately address natural and man-made disasters.

Congressman Langevin explained that, “This funding is essential to ensure Rhode Island is prepared to respond to all types of emergencies … and has the appropriate resources to be ready for any scenario that may come our way.”

For more on this story visit, The Providence Journal.

Yesterday, Barack Obama sat down with Katie Couric to discuss his foreign policy objectives and the war on terror.

Here is the interview:

Senator Obama and Senator Reed land in Jordan for a summit with Jordanian leaders

Today, Senator Obama will partake in a private meeting with King Abdullah. Later in the evening Senator Obama and the King will be joined by Senators Reed (D-RI) and Hagel (R-NE), and top Jordanian officials, for dinner.

The group will discuss the role of the United States and Jordan in combating terrorism.

The New York Times has an interesting and insightful Op-Ed piece pertaining to John McCain and the economy.

Here is a brief look at Frank Rich’s article:

In 2000, he told an interviewer that he would make up for his lack of attention to “those issues.” As he entered the 2008 campaign, Mr. McCain was still saying the same, vowing to read “Greenspan’s book” as a tutorial. Last weekend, the resolutely analog candidate told The New York Times he is at last starting to learn how “to get online myself.” Perhaps he’ll retire his abacus by Election Day.

Mr. McCain’s fiscal ineptitude has received so little scrutiny in some press quarters that his chief economic adviser, the former Senator Phil Gramm of Texas, got a free pass until the moment he self-immolated on video by whining about “a nation of whiners.” -Frank Rich (New York Times)

To read the article visit the New York Times online.

Congressman Jim Langevin to lead field hearing to assess preparedness for contagious biological threats

Rep. Jim Langevin, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats. Cybersecurity, Science and technology, has announced plans to hold a hearing to address Rhode Island’s ability to respond to contagious biological threats.

The meeting, to be held tomorrow, will focus on the state and country’s ability to respond to several biological threats that our country faces. The group, which will include state and federal officials, will also determine the measures to take to sufficiently prepare the country for such an event.

For more information on this story visit, WPRI 12.

Senator Reed and Senator Obama arrive in the Middle East to discuss terrorism and the United States’ role in the region

Yesterday, Senator Barack Obama met with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to pledge his support to the Afghani government with their ongoing struggle with al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters. Senator Obama reinforced his position that winning the battle in Afghanistan, coupled with finding al-Qaeda leadership in the region, are major linchpins in winning the war on terror.

Senator Obama, Senator Reed, and Senator Hagel (R-NE) released a joint statement about the trip and our country’s role in helping combat terrorism in the conflict ravaged region and across the globe.

“Our message to the Afghan government is this: We want a strong partnership based on ‘more for more’ — more resources from the United States and NATO, and more action from the Afghan government to improve the lives of the Afghan people. We need a sense of urgency and determination. We need urgency because the threat from the Taliban and al-Qaida is growing and we must act; we need determination because it will take time to prevail. But with the right strategy and the resources to back it up, we will get the job done.” -Sen. Obama, Sen. Reed, Sen. Hagel, June 20, 2008.

In between touring Afghanistan and meeting local leaders and U.S. troops, Senator Obama found time to sit down and speak to “Face the Nation”. To view his interview, click on the video below.

As well, early this morning the three Senators landed in Iraq to meet with Iraqi PM al-Maliki. The group will discuss the Iraq War and a timetable for U.S. withdrawal; a move al-Maliki has publicly supported.

For more information on Obama and Reed’s trip, visit the Washington Post, CNN, or Associated Press.

In his own speech, John McCain responds to Obama and stands by the war in Iraq

Following Senator Obama’s lead, John McCain outlined his own plans for US foreign policy.

His major linchpin, as always, is the need for the United States to remain in Iraq for the foreseeable future.

“It is precisely the success of the surge in Iraq that shows us the way to succeed in Afghanistan. It is by applying the tried and true principles of counter-insurgency used in the surge — which Senator Obama opposed — that we will win in Afghanistan. With the right strategy and the right forces, we can succeed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I know how to win wars.” -John McCain, July 15, 2008.

Hmm. Interesting.

John McCain knows how to win wars? History tells us that McCain has never been served as a General or Commander in Chief; so what qualifies him to say he “knows how to win wars”???

Aside from that obvious misstatement, there also remains McCain’s questioning of Senator Obama’s position on Iraq. Never has Senator Obama proclaimed our fate in Iraq is certain failure, never has he speculated that we cannot win both Iraq and Afghanistan. Senator Obama’s position, which McCain and his supporters are ignorant to, is that we should seek outside assistance in Iraq to enable the United States to re-focus our efforts in the war on terror ON terrorists, including bin Laden, sitting pretty in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

For a man who attempts to convey that he is a different person than President Bush and paints himself as a straight-talking independent thinker, it sure seems that John McCain has fully subscribed to the failed foreign policies of the Bush administration. This is the same ’stay the course’ mentality that has kept over 100,000 of our brave men and women in harms way. This is the same misguided, and detrimentally stubborn, attitude that permeated throughout our government during the 60s and 70s when McCain himself was serving our country.

Instead of offering something new, something that may in fact turn the tide in our country’s favor, it certainly appears that The McCain “straight talk express” has taken a detour down some perilous routes that Bush and Nixon have traveled in the past.

Citing Iraq, Senator Obama emphasizes the need to repair foreign relationships and shift our focus to adequately combating terrorism abroad

Proclaiming that the Bush administration, along with John McCain, have been misguided in their war on terror, Senator Obama re-emphasized his plans to withdraw troops from Iraq and refocusing our military efforts on finding Osama bin Laden and terrorist leadership where they truly are.

“In fact – as should have been apparent to President Bush and Senator McCain – the central front in the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was. That’s why the second goal of my new strategy will be taking the fight to al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan… Al Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia. If another attack on our homeland comes, it will likely come from the same region where 9/11 was planned. And yet today, we have five times more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan.” -Senator Obama, July 15, 2008.

Along with responsibly ending the conflict in Iraq and capturing Osama bin Laden and other terrorist leadership, Senator Obama outlined three additional foreign policy goals his administration will have:

• Securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue nations

• Achieving true energy security

• Rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century

Senator Obama proclaimed that we must rebuild the bridges the Bush administration has broken, and learn from our own history as a nation. What made America great and prosperous was our amicable relationships with foreign nations and our genuine sense of justice and democracy.

Barack Obama acknowledged that the past eight years have set us back, but he has also realized that these are challenges that can be, and must be, overcome in order for America to return to prominence on the world stage and ensure our everlasting safety. Senator Obama concluded his remarks by accurately asserting, “We know what is needed. We know what can best be done. We know what must done. Now it falls to us to act with the same sense of purpose and pragmatism as an earlier generation, to join with friends and partners to lead the world anew.”

For a transcript of Senator Obama’s speech, click here.

Senator Obama’s campaign has released its latest ad, touting Obama’s strong record on combating terrorism and keeping Americans safe