The BBC notes, as expected, Israeli PM Netanyahu rejects Obama ‘1967 borders’ view

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected comments from US President Obama that a future Palestinian state must be based on the 1967 borders.

In a major speech to the State Department, Mr Obama said “mutually agreed swaps” would help create “a viable Palestine, and a secure Israel”.

But Mr Netanyahu said those borders, which existed before the 1967 Middle East war, were “indefensible”.

Mr Netanyahu is preparing to meet Mr Obama for talks at the White House.

An estimated 300,000 Israelis live in settlements built in the West Bank, which lies outside those borders.

The settlements are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.

Israel refuses to recognize international law, but demands other people recognize Israel. The Likud don’t negotiate, they just make demands. They take and never give.

Israel is not an ally of the US, and has never made any real effort to support US policy. Turkey is an ally of the US, and its troops have fought along side US troops in many locations, like the Korean War.

There will be no peace in the Middle East until there is a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli problem, and the Likud will not agree to anything that might actually mean a fair settlement.

Dr Masters looks at the NOAA 2011 hurricane forecast:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its 2011 Atlantic hurricane season forecast today. NOAA forecasts a very active and possibly hyperactive season. They give a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season, and just a 10% chance of a below-normal season. NOAA predicts a 70% chance that there will be 12 – 18 named storms, 6 – 10 hurricanes, and 3 – 6 major hurricanes, with an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) 105% – 200% of the median. If we take the midpoint of these numbers, NOAA is calling for 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, 4.5 major hurricanes, and an ACE index 152% of normal. A season with an ACE index over 165% is considered “hyperactive.” An average season has 10 – 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 intense hurricanes. Hurricane seasons during 1995-2010 have averaged about 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes, with an ACE index 151% of the median. NOAA classifies 11 of the 16 seasons since 1995 as above normal, with eight being hyperactive. Only five seasons since 1995 have not been above normal, which include four El Niño years (1997, 2002, 2006, and 2009), and the 2007 season.

Last year’s La Niña has faded and the current projection is a neutral season, which is very good news for Australia after what the “Baby Girl” brought them last year, but the sea surface temperatures are high and conducive to tropical storm formation.

This is an informed guess, which is better than a WAG [wild ass guess], but only marginally so. Things are not working like they used to, so you plan for the worst and hope for the best.

They got to him, reports the BBC: Europe backs EU candidate for IMF

Leading voices in Europe say another European should head the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Germany’s Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso’s comments come amid debate over whether the next IMF chief should come from the developing world.

Ms Merkel said a European was needed in light of the eurozone’s problems.
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Mr Strauss-Kahn had been coming under mounting international pressure to leave his post amid the furore over his arrest.

In a statement posted on the IMF website late on Wednesday, he said he resigned with “infinite sadness”, but wanted to “devote all my strength, all my time, and all my energy to proving my innocence”.

Mr Strauss-Kahn’s deputy, John Lipsky, has been placed in interim control of the organisation, and the IMF says it will release information “in the near future” about the appointment of a permanent successor.

Sorry, eurozone, but Timmy didn’t grease the skids for another European to take over. The real question is who does Goldman Sachs and Wall Street want? Timmy follows orders and isn’t swayed by outside influences. The problem with having a non-European at the top of the IMF is that they might not go along with what Angela wants and might even mention some of the anomalies at the ECB.

It would be nice to think that the next chair of the IMF was someone who warned about the collapse, but that wouldn’t do. No one really important likes shrill people who insist on reality.

The business community won’t even wait for an indictment: Carney given 10:1 odds of IMF job

Prime Minister Harper thinks Mark Carney is a wonderful central banker — others think so too.

The Bank of Canada governor who was named by Time magazine as one of the world’s most influential men is being taken seriously in international circles as a possible replacement for disgraced International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
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London bookmaker William Hill has placed Carney as a 10:1 pick for the prestigious international job.

Those are still long odds — the favourite is Turkish politician and economist Kemal Dervis at 5:2, but it places the Canadian banker who made his name working at Goldman Sachs in elite company.

Oh, by all means, let give even more power to those associated with one of the prime movers in the global meltdown.

In a related note, some think that al Qaeda has selected an acting leader. Oddly enough, there is no mention of a Wall Street financial company in his CV.