And I try to put up an Open Thread every day or so for discussion about ANY topic. …. you can post any thoughts there, about any foreign affairs matter, and people will respond to you.

That’s certain to win over a lot of undecideds…

Ah, the gun for hire.

Everyone should read this.

Abu Nidal : A Gun for Hire : The Secret Life of the World’s Most Notorious Arab Terrorist
http://www.amazon.com/Abu-Nidal-Secret-Notorious-Terrorist/dp/0679400664

Clinton hasn’t returned cash from firm under investigation
(http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/442035,CST-

Lawyer with Rezko link helps Hillary
(http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/442034,CST-NWS-clinton25.article)

June 25, 2007

BY CHRIS FUSCO, DAVE MCKINNEY AND LYNN SWEET Staff Reporters
A lawyer referenced in a public-corruption indictment of Wilmette businessman Tony Rezko is among the hosts of a Chicago fund-raising dinner tonight for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Clinton (D-N.Y.) has no direct connection to Rezko. But one of 20 “chairs” for her Palmer House Hilton event is Myron Cherry, who is among a large circle of people to be enmeshed in two federal indictments Rezko is fighting. Most of those people, including Cherry, have not been charged with any crimes.

Rezko figures more centrally to Clinton’s chief rival, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.). Rezko has donated money directly to Obama’s state and U.S. Senate campaigns, hosted fund-raisers for Obama and once owned a parcel of land next to Obama’s house.

In a rare confluence, the Obama campaign tonight will be raising money just blocks away from Clinton’s during an event at Fulton’s on the River restaurant.

Philip Singer, a Clinton spokesman, declined to comment about the ethics of Cherry helping host an event for the New York senator. Cherry himself said he has done nothing wrong and that his role “if any” in Rezko’s prosecution “might be as a potential witness.”

Cherry is a longtime Democratic contributor and “bundler” who has been valuable to campaigns because he can land donations from a large network of acquaintances. In March 2000, Cherry hosted President Bill Clinton at his Lincolnwood home for a fund-raiser that raised more than $700,000 for the Democratic National Committee.

In October, Cherry surfaced as “Individual H” in a Rezko fraud indictment that involves pension investments made by the Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois. He allegedly was slated to be the recipient of a fee on one proposed investment deal even though he did no work.

Unlike other people identified as “individuals” in the Rezko cases, Cherry has spoken publicly about the matter. He has said his name was inserted in the deal without his knowledge, and that he is cooperating with authorities.

“My efforts in support of numerous Democratic candidates are quite more than a few over the years,” Cherry wrote in response to a Chicago Sun-Times inquiry. “I support Senator Clinton and will support her if she is the nominee for the Democratic Party, and if the nominee is a Democratic candidate other than Senator Clinton, I will support that candidate as well.”

Cherry’s emergence as a host of the Clinton event comes as Obama has given to charity more than $37,000 from Rezko and five people referenced in Rezko’s indictments. Obama, however, has kept $2,850 from two other donors involved in the Rezko cases, though those donations are under review, Obama press secretary Bill Burton said.
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continue

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/06/sweet_blog_special_clinton_oba.html