Washington23 - Breaking News and Updates

Comments of the Day:
“Obama is merely picking up the same plan that Israeli war hero Rabin championed to his death. I say this respectfully, because it is not an easy path, but the only one that can resolve it. I was in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem three months ago. At least half the Israelis agree with Obama's position.”– futureshock9
“You would think that the current Arab push for freedom would diminish the groups like Hamas who seek violent means to the ends. It should be clear after decades of pointless violence that peace can only be brought about through good-faith negotiation. Unfortunately, the Arabs have reneged and attacked Israel at every opportunity, rather than seeking to build their own nation. If I were a Jew, I would be very wary. The Arabs will have to put a lot on the table.” – celtic61
Obama calls for Israel's return to pre-1967 borders
In his speech to the State Department, President Obama called for Israel to return to its 1967 borders, "with mutually agreed swaps," so a secure peace could be established. This story elicited more than 11,000 comments, many of them arguing the history of the Middle East conflict from the Israeli or Palestinian viewpoint. While there were accusations that Obama had "thrown Israel under the bus", many like waggendog, said, "Well yea, Obama is just publicly saying what every president has been privately saying for decades."
“As an American Jew who has worked in Israel and has friends and family there, I believe what Israel is doing is not in their own interest. A friend tells you when you are doing something wrong. Obama is doing the right thing.” – ScottNH
Many CNN.com readers hailed Obama's remarks and called for compromise. kirikintha said, "I think that President Obama has the courage to point out the painful truth : The only way to a lasting peace is to move forward. There are no winners in Middle East peace, only general levels of hell. What do you do when everyone feels disenfranchised? What do you do when both sides are hell-bent on killing each other?”
humtake, who identified as a Republican, said, "I'm not a fan of Obama, but sometimes he does what is right. And in this situation, America needs to see that something has to be done by both sides or nothing is going to change. Allies don't have to always agree. My grandparents have been married for 63 years and don't agree on everything. But both sides need to work on fixing their problems together."
apeinclothes said, "There isn't another option if Israel wants to remain a Jewish-majority state. There are too many Palestinians to keep them in limbo indefinitely; neighboring Arab countries aren't going to absorb them, and the longer this goes on the more demographics favor the Palestinians. Israel either has to give up enough land to allow for a viable Palestinian state or choose between being Jewish-majority or being a democracy."
Is Obama about to break the law?
The deadline for congressional approval of U.S. military intervention in Libya is here. Without approval, the mission must stop within 30 days. But the issue has not been discussed or approved in Congress. Is President Obama "shredding the Constitution," as Rep. Brad Sherman, D-California, describes it?
Slapdeezel said, "U.S. law doesn't apply to a NATO-led operation." dec12887 replied, "Cite the law that gives exception to NATO-led operations. There isn't one, so stop lying to yourself." JERBOA said, " It does not matter if it's a NATO operation. If the president sends troops to an armed conflict he needs the consent of Congress."
RyanHicks said, "The 60-day grace period ends today, yes. If Congress does not give approval by close of business today, then the president has 30 days to recall our forces before he has done something illegal. He still is in compliance for another month."
falcon615 said, "I am a liberal Democrat and voted for Obama in the primary. I support most of his policies and believe we are doing the right thing in Libya. Even though our action is intermittent, however, it should still be done legally. Obama should go to Congress, and they should authorize him to continue."
Gupta: Cell phones, brain tumors and a wired earpiece
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta almost always uses a wired earpiece while talking on the cellphone. Data shows, he writes, that people who used a cell phone 10 years or more doubled the risk of developing a brain tumor. Eileen said, "I am curious. He specifies that he uses a wired earpiece. I wonder if that is significant or just coincidental. I have a Bluetooth wireless earpiece. Is it less safe than a wired one?" crcroce replied, "Bluetooth is the same as having your cell phone up against your head. Either wear a wired set or don't bother. And not all cell phones are created equal. Some have twice as much radiation as others."
But other readers disagreed. David, who said he worked for a major cell phone manufacturer and in the Mobile phone industry for 16 years said, "Please use a Bluetooth headset, not a wired one. Radio Frequency (RF) radiation travels up a wired headset and is like an amplifier! Keep your phone away from your body and use a Bluetooth, which emits very low radiation compared to phone. There is a reason manufacturers hire an army of lawyers to cover their liability. My father was on his crackberry for hours per day and died of a brain tumor located over the ear where he always had his phone. Don't become a statistic."
Shelly Kalnitsky said both options were bad. "I am the editor of the cell phone radiation news bureau. I receive reports of brain tumors every month from cell and cordless phones. Wired headsets conduct up to three times more radiation into your ear than just placing the phone there. Bluetooth is equally as bad as the signal from the phone carries radiation directly into your ear."
Vadi said, "I work for a cell phone company and had to use a cell phone daily for a continuous period of time. I was diagnosed with Accoustic Neuroma and underwent a surgery. I believe that tumor was caused by the cell phone. Mark said, "As somebody who had a brain tumor removed, I always use a wired headpiece when using my cell phone now."
Diane Raymond said, "My husband is a long term survivor of a glioblastoma multiforme IV brain tumor. He used the Motorola "brick" cell phone 18 years ago for a lot for business calls and regular use. I know others who have lost loved ones to this type of cancer and used the "brick.” I believe that there is a correlation."
Ann asked, "What about the cordless phones many of us use in our homes? Do they have the same effect on our brains?” dan asked, "What about the oxygen machine for sleep apnea? It has a modem and has to be near your head every night."
Do your views align with these commenters' thoughts? Post a comment below, or sound off on video.
Compiled by the CNN.com moderation staff. Some comments edited for length or clarity.

Via: This Just In