Across the world, Americans celebrated the United States’ 233rd birthday. At the White House, the Obamas invited military families to watch the fireworks.
“Just imagine the extraordinary audacity it took, 233 years ago for a group of patriots to … put ideas to paper that were as simple as they were revolutionary: that we are equal; that we are free; that we can pursue our full measure of happiness and make of our lives what we will,” Obama said.
The Obamas had another birthday to celebrate July 4 – daughter Malia turned 11 that day.
Vice President Joe Biden spent the July 4 holiday with U.S. troops serving in Iraq, among those troops, 237 new U.S. citizens. Biden oversaw their swearing in ceremony. Biden also had the opportunity to see his son Beau, a member of the Delaware National Guard, currently serving in Iraq.
Comments (4)
Zubaira Arifin
Location: Barisal, Bangladesh
6 July 2009 at 13:06 EDT
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Happy Birthday to America &
Happy Birthday to Malia &
Best wishes for Beau.
Jitendra Kaushal
8 July 2009 at 05:10 EDT
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‘US wants India, Pakistan to talk Kashmir’- head line in a daily in India today.
‘that we are equal; that we are free; that we can pursue our full measure of happiness and make of our lives what we will,” Obama said. - Obama on 4 July.
How simple it is to repeat such quotations but how very difficult is the business of moulding one’s own thoughts along such lines. President Obama’s belief in men being equal and free to mould their destinies is superficial and lacks honesty. India may be no match for America economically and militarily, but, this largest functional democracy can hold light to the USA on human values and moral imperatives.
One tragic consequence of such double speak is that the person concerned loses his or her instinct to smell falsehood. Although America is having its blood spilled in the deserts and hills of Afghanistan yet is blind to Pakistan’s treachery. What does Obama expect to achieve in Kabul? Turn it into a vibrant democracy, one might suppose? Can such a goal be ever attained by strengthening ISI controlled Pakistan?
Knowing full well that Pakistan is the fountain head of terrorism and also the source from which the curse of 9/11 sprang, Obama administration continues to condone Islamabad’s misdemeanors. Emboldened by Washington’s this stance Pakistan has been fomenting trouble in Indian Kashmir, in the hope of getting the former to intervene.
It is silly to expect India to enter into a dialogue with Pakistan about peace while it uses terrorism as a tool of statecraft against her. Is India’s sovereignty aly less sacred than that of America? Is not America behaving like the proverbial bull in a china shop? No principles, no lofty ideals, just myopic expediency. What a shame.
How naive of Obama and his ambassadors to imagine that Pakistan will soon help America stamp out terrorism form this region. Washington, probably has no other choice in the matter, because it is a soft power which either wants to buy security with dollars or considers its youth cheap gun fodder.
America has little self respect and can not therefore be expected to help others safeguard theirs.
Think tanks in Washington need to revert back the basics like the Principles of War. Which principles inspire the latest surge in Afghanistan? Which principles justify continuing trust and dependence on a treacherous ally like Pakistan? What greater reward can America bestow on the perpetrators of 9/11? Whose treachery hurts Americans more, that of their own government or that of Al Quaeda and Pakistan?
Jitendra Kaushal
11 July 2009 at 22:58 EDT
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‘Mr Obama also told Sky News that the battle in Afghanistan was a vital element in the battle against terrorism.’
Is it indeed so? Where does terrorism reside in Afghanistan, Helmand or Kandahar? No at neither place. It resides in the mind and heart of Gen Kiyani, his ex boss Musharaf, as it does in the psyche of every Pakistani, to whom bleeding neighbors is sacred jihad.
America, on one hand, feeds the monster of terrorism by unloading dollar bills in Islamabad, on the other it sends it military to perish shadow boxing the ghost of ISI. History’s lessons seldom guide a hubris stricken mind in the right direction. In stead, it stages a repeat of past follies by luring the victim into whirlpool of destruction.
Does Zardari speak for Pakistan or does the Prime Minister Gilani do so? Was Musharaf the vocie of Pakistan, or did his arch rival Sharif claim such an honour? Pakistan is a classic example of anarchy, an exploding anarchy, from which flow lethal mushroom clouds of terrorism across neighboring and distant lands.
Does aid to Pakistan improve or aggravate the situation? There can be no doubt that dollars in feudal Pakistani hands nurture the forces that America seeks to destroy. A new approach must be adopted.
If America’s main worry is Islamabad’s nuclear armoury then that must become the top priority. It should be either bought off by making aid contingent upon such a deal. Alternatively, it must be neutralized in a surgical strike.
The war against terror needs to be waged where terror resides and thrives. America needs to remember that every terrorist strike in India is a rehearsal for one on Europe or America.
Making ISI a part of the forced dialogue between India and Pakistan is absurd and betrays the lack of statesmanship in Washington. Peace is not produced by the show of dialogue between adversaries but genuine peace prompts dialogue and genuine good will.
Pakistan hates the idea of Kabul coming closer to New Delhi. Why? Can Holbrook offer an explanation for it?
Can Afghanistan be a functional democracy and yet not be friendly with India? America needs to rid Islamabad of its India fixation and help it realise its real status as an independent and sovereign nation. Let the present anarchy act as a catharsis for the soul of Pakistan and leave it cleansed of hatred and violence.
Tim Robson
Location: London
20 July 2009 at 11:56 EDT
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What a great VP Mr Biden is. So much more active than Mrs Palin wd’v been.
Also, I wd disagree to the comment above, which says that “terrorism is in the heart of every Pakistani.” What, even the Hindu & Christian ones?