U.S. in Afghanistan/Obama’s First 100 Days

Posted by Michael Anderson on Friday, October 16th, 2009

External Podcast: Visit Digging-to-China.com to listen

Segment 1: U.S. in Afghanistan

Afghanistan isn’t called the graveyard of empires for nothing.
Alexander the Great was struck by an Afghan archer’s arrow. Genghis
Khan established a powerful empire only after reaching painful
accommodations with the Afghans. While exercising their influence on
surrounding lands, the Greeks, Arabs, Iranians, and Buddhists each
sought to bring their culture’s influence into Afghanistan and all
failed to remain there in the end. To make the list longer, we can add
would-be rulers from India, Britain, and Russia, as well as from the
Soviet Union. And now, at this point in history, while the U.S. would
assert that it is not seeking to conquer, we have a world superpower
striving to once again exert influence upon the graveyard of empires.
Will the United States see Afghanistan become a stable, democratic
country and U.S. ally, or will the U.S. superpower suffer the same fate
as these empires?

Guest: Dr. Ved Pratap Vaidik, Chairman, Council for Indian Foreign Policy

Segment 2: Obama’s First 100 Days

In January, the month President Barack Obama took office, the U.S.
lost 741,000 jobs while almost 275,000 homes went into foreclosure.
From the time of the 2008 election until President Obama was sworn in,
the stock market lost 14% of its value. Against that backdrop, the
first 100 days of the Obama presidency have brought forth a set of
giant initiatives. Obama has overseen the passage of a $787 billion
economic stimulus bill and the dispersal of another $350 billion in
financial-sector rescue funds. His real budget calls for, among other
things, a $630 billion down payment on a new health system and a plan
to dramatically curb greenhouse gases. So far, president Obama remains
popular with the public, enjoying a more than 60% approval rating. We
will offer you a unique perspective of his first 100 days.

Guest: Dr. Sasha Gong, Republican candidate for the 46th District, Virginia House of Delegates

Bookmark It