Palin to attend UN General Assembly opening

To address criticism about his lack of foreign policy experience, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama went on a tour of Europe.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has received similar criticism and is now doing what she can to improve her image on foreign policy. She is scheduled to meet with international leaders at the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York. The story, from Telegraph.co.uk, shows that the rest of the world is also closely following the U.S. elections.

According to the story, Palin's only other trip abroad was to visit Alaska National Guard troops in Kuwait and the border of Iraq, and to see wounded soldiers in Germany. Democrats have mocked Palin about her need for a passport, or lack of need, with her limited traveling experience.

Though she won't be leaving the country, Palin is scheduled to meet Henry Kissinger, possibly the new Pakistani president, the president of Afghanistan, and the president of Georgia, among others at the UN opening.

This may be a step in the right direction for Palin to show she is trying to become more informed about U.S. foreign policy, but as the article points out, she still remains extremely vulnerable to criticism about her limited experience.

Presidential candidate Bob Barr on McCain-Palin's foreign policy

Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has written a new press release on John McCain and Sarah Palin's foreign policy. Barr says that the McCain-Palin foreign policy would be a continuation of the Bush Administration's. Barr says that one of Palin's foreign policy briefers is Joe Lieberman. We all know that Lieberman is close to McCain and is a strong supporter of the War on Terrorism and voted for the Patriot Act. It should be noted that Barr did in fact vote for the Patriot Act and voted for the Iraqi Liberation Act of 1998. His voting record on foreign policy when he was in Congress does not support what his views are today.


http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press/press-releases/124/barr-says-mccain-palin-foreign-policy-to-continue-failed-bush-approach/
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h1998-482

Essay on Russian/Georgian exchanges

The "London Review of Books" is a prominent literary magazine that has published essays from writers such as Terry Eagleton, Stephen Sedley and Jacqueline Rose.

Tony Wood, from the "New Left Review," recently (as in yesterday) published an essay in the LRB about the current situation between Russia, Georgia and other surrounding nations. It also addresses steps taken by the U.S. to diffuse tensions.

Check out the article here if you're looking for some light weekend reading.

-Cayla Lambier