Obama lauds Indonesia as a model of religious tolerance

By the CNN Wire Staff

November 9, 2010 10:30 p.m. EST

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesia and the United States share principles of unity and tolerance and both can benefit from strengthened ties that will bolster trade and combat terrorism, President Obama said in a highly anticipated speech Wednesday.

The address at the University of Indonesia was considered a highlight of Obama's two-day stop in the southeast Asian nation where he spent four years of his childhood.

As the nation with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia was chosen as the site for Obama to further address U.S. relations with the Islamic world following his speech on the topic last year in Cairo, Egypt.

He referred specifically to the Cairo speech of June 2009, noting he called there "for a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world -- one that creates a path for us to move beyond our differences."

"I said then, and I will repeat now, that no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust," Obama said. At the same time, he promised that "no matter what setbacks may come, the United States is committed to human progress."

America "is not, and never will be, at war with Islam," Obama insisted. "Instead, all of us must defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates, who have no claim to be leaders of any religion -- certainly not a great world religion like Islam."

Indonesia has been rocked by terror attacks such as bombings on Bali in 2002 and 2005, and Obama noted the nation's progress "in rooting out terrorists and combating violent extremism."

However, Muslims staged rallies across Indonesia on Sunday to protest the American president's visit, and about 20,000 people attended the demonstrations, a spokesman for a protest group said.

"We don't see the differences between Obama and (former U.S. President George W.) Bush. They both oppress Muslims. They both have blood on their hands," said Ismail Yusanto, a spokesman for the Muslim group Hizbut Tahrir. "That's why we reject Obama and we don't believe that he's reaching out to Muslims."

In his speech Wednesday, Obama reflected on his years in Indonesia, referring to how he and his family were warmly accepted. He got cheers when he sprinkled sayings from the local Malay language, such as "Selamat Datang" -- a greeting of welcome -- and the national motto "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika," which means "unity in diversity."

Noting that Malay is one of hundreds of languages of the archipelago nation, Obama lauded Indonesia for its spirit of inclusiveness despite its diverse population and history of dictatorship.

"But even as this land of my youth has changed in so many ways, those things that I learned to love about Indonesia -- that spirit of tolerance that is written into your constitution, symbolized in your mosques and churches and temples standing alongside each other; that spirit that is embodied in your people -- that still lives on," he said.

Now, Obama said, he returned as the U.S. president seeking "a deep and enduring partnership" with Indonesia, "because as vast and diverse countries; as neighbors on either side of the Pacific; and above all as democracies -- the United States and Indonesia are bound together by shared interests and shared values."

"America has a stake in an Indonesia that is growing, with prosperity that is broadly shared among the Indonesian people -- because a rising middle class here means new markets for our goods, just as America is a market for yours," Obama said.

The U.S. leader called for Indonesia's continued development and warned that would require "a refusal to tolerate the corruption that stands in the way of opportunity," along with a commitment to transparency and protecting the freedom being honored on the Heroes' Day holiday Wednesday marking Indonesian independence.

"Our nations show that hundreds of millions who hold different beliefs can be united in freedom under one flag," Obama said. "And we are now building on that shared humanity -- through the young people who will study in each other's schools; through the entrepreneurs forging ties that can lead to prosperity; and through our embrace of fundamental democratic values and human aspirations."

CNN's Tom Cohen contributed to this report.

In memoir, Bush defends waterboarding, admits mistakes

By the CNN Wire Staff

November 9, 2010 -- Updated 0930 GMT (1730 HKT)

(CNN) -- After staying largely mum on the political scene since leaving office almost two years ago, former President George W. Bush will reveal his thoughts on the most historic -- and controversial -- parts of his presidency with the release of his memoir Tuesday.

In the 481-page book, Bush shares his thoughts on the 9/11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina and what he calls the "worst moment" of his presidency.

The 43rd president also takes responsibility for giving the go-ahead for waterboarding terror suspects, which has touched off a new round of criticism of Bush and calls for his prosecution. He says that he decided not to use two more extreme interrogation methods, but did not disclose what those were.

In the book, Bush says the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, gave his administration a clear goal and him the resolve to find out who was responsible and "kick their ass.""In a single morning, the purpose of my presidency had grown clear: to protect our people and defend our freedom that had come under attack," he writes.

He describes his reaction when his then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice informed him of the crash of a third airplane into the Pentagon.

"I sat back in my seat and absorbed her words. My thoughts clarified: The first plane could have been an accident. The second was definitely an attack. The third was a declaration of war," the former president writes.

"My blood was boiling. We were going to find out who did this, and kick their ass."

In revealing the decision points that led him to choose waterboarding as an interrogation technique, Bush says, "CIA experts drew up a list of interrogation techniques. ... At my direction, Department of Justice and CIA lawyers conducted a careful legal review. The enhanced interrogation program complied with the Constitution and all applicable laws, including those that ban torture.

"There were two that I felt went too far, even if they were legal. I directed the CIA not to use them. Another technique was waterboarding, a process of simulated drowning. No doubt the procedure was tough, but medical experts assured the CIA that it did no lasting harm."

Bush further declares that the new techniques proved effective, yielding information on al Qaeda's structure and operations, and leading to the capture of Ramzi bin al Shibh, the logistical planner of the 9/11 attacks who was captured on the first anniversary of the attacks.And if there were any lingering doubts or conflict about the use of waterboarding, Bush discloses that he received reassurance from an unlikely source: terror suspect Abu Zubaydah.

The former president writes, "His understanding of Islam was that he had to resist interrogation only up to a certain point. Waterboarding was the technique that allowed him to reach that threshold, fulfill his religious duty, and then cooperate."

Bush elaborates that Zubaydah gave him a direct instruction, "'You must do this for all the brothers.'"

Intelligence gleaned from interrogations of Abu Zubaydah and other suspects led to the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Bush writes. During a raid on Mohammed's compound, agents discovered more plans for terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

Prompted by the discoveries, Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet asked if he had permission to use enhanced interrogation techniques including waterboarding on Mohammed.

Bush exposes his inner thoughts on what led him to reach this decision: "I thought about my meeting with Danny Pearl's widow, who was pregnant with his son when he was murdered. I thought about the 2,971 people stolen from their families by al Qaeda on 9/11. And I thought about my duty to protect my country from another act of terror."

In the book, Bush also recounts the government response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

He calls the response "not only flawed" but "unacceptable," and describes his own failures in this way: "As the leader of the federal government, I should have recognized the deficiencies sooner and intervened faster. I prided myself on my ability to make crisp and effective decisions. Yet in the days after Katrina, that didn't happen. The problem was not that I made the wrong decisions. It was that I took too long to decide."

Bush writes he also failed to "adequately communicate my concern for the victims of Katrina" -- a problem he calls one of "perception, not reality."

"Yet many of our citizens, particularly in the African-American community, came away convinced their president didn't care about them."

The former president recently told NBC's Matt Laurer that the "worst moment" of his administration was when rapper Kanye West declared during a Katrina celebrity telethon that "George Bush does not like black people." West has expressed a sympathetic view of Bush's reaction to the comment.

Bush writes the Katrina had a lasting legacy on his second term.

"Just as Katrina was more than a hurricane, its impact was more than physical destruction. It eroded citizens' trust in their government. It exacerbated divisions in our society and politics. And it cast a cloud over my second term."

In the memoir, Bush also compliments Obama's political skills during a meeting before the 2008 election as the financial crisis was coming to a head. He criticizes the performance of his party's nominee, John McCain, in the same meeting.

He also criticizes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for the failure of his efforts to reform immigration laws in 2006.

In recent years, Bush has talked about his past problems with alcohol abuse and his 1986 decision to give up drinking completely.

Just days before the 2000 presidential election, news broke that Bush had been arrested for driving under the influence in Maine in 1976.

In his memoir, Bush writes, "Not disclosing the DUI on my terms may have been the single costliest political mistake I ever made."

He says he had decided against doing so because he didn't want to undermine his admonitions to his daughters about drinking and driving.

After the news came out -- so close to election day, Bush writes, he went to bed that night on the campaign trail thinking, "I may have just cost myself the presidency."

CNN's Adam Aigner-Treworgy, John Helton, Ed Hornick, Gabriella Schwarz and Rebecca Sherman contributed to this report.

Will gamers again heed the 'Call of Duty'?

By Scott Steinberg, Special to CNN November 9, 2010 -- Updated 1023 GMT (1823 HKT) | Filed under: Gaming & Gadgets

Editor's note: Scott Steinberg is the head of technology and video game consulting firm TechSavvy Global, as well as the founder of GameExec magazine and Game Industry TV. The creator and host of online video series Game Theory, he frequently appears as an on-air technology analyst for ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CNN.

(CNN) -- War's specter once again looms large over the gaming world, as "Call of Duty: Black Ops," the spiritual sequel to last year's smash hit "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," goes on sale Monday at midnight.

The first-person shooter game -- available for PC, PS3, Xbox 360, DS and Wii -- has a hard act to follow. "Modern Warfare 2" sold a staggering 4.7 million copies on day one and eventually became the second-best-selling video game of all time in the United States.

Industry observers say "Black Ops," the seventh installment in the "Call of Duty" series, has all the makings of another blockbuster -- witness the new TV ads with Kobe Bryant and Jimmy Kimmel -- although the buzz is less deafening this time around.

"We've seen a tremendous amount of interest for 'Black Ops' in our preview coverage," said Peer Schneider, publisher of IGN, a gaming and entertainment site. "It's consistently tracked as one of the most popular games on IGN for the past six months -- often ahead of top performers like 'Halo: Reach.' We're sure it will be one of the top sellers of the year, but it also faces a more competitive field than its predecessor."

Ironically, the greatest threat to the video game franchise's worldwide conquest may be its own success, which will be difficult to match. "Modern Warfare 2" was praised for its lifelike visuals, Hollywood-grade set pieces and expansive multiplayer mode.

That game received review scores that still average an impressive 94 percent, according to online aggregator Metacritic.com.

" 'Call of Duty' titles have high production values and give players an experience similar to an exciting action movie, whether it was set in World War II or more recent times," said Mike Snider, a contributor to USA Today's GameHunters blog.

"Plus the games have extensive features for online and offline multiplayer gaming. After players blast through the story mode -- usually six to 10 hours depending on the skill of the player -- they can battle online for months, even years with that same game," he said. "So 'Call of Duty' isn't just a game that you play for a few hours and put on the shelf. For dedicated players, it's like a full-time hobby.""Call of Duty: Black Ops" introduces several new wrinkles.

There is customizable weaponry, expanded online head-to-head options and a broader arsenal of weapons -- including crossbows with exploding bolts, pyrotechnic shells and ballistic knives.

With characters voiced by such A-list Hollywood talent as Gary Oldman and Ed Harris, "Black Ops" takes place during the Cold War era. Clandestine missions will take gamers into the jungles of Cuba, Laos and Vietnam.

These settings may feel less accessible to the series' core audience -- 20- and 30-something gamers -- than timelier, more familiar locales such as the Afghanistan and Russia battlegrounds found in "Modern Warfare 2."

"Black Ops" also wasn't made by Infinity Ward, the development outfit responsible for "Modern Warfare 2." Instead, the new game was built by Treyarch, the designer of 2008's "Call of Duty: World at War."

Critics are wondering if Treyarch can match the creative heights of Infinity Ward's earlier efforts. The departure of several key Infinity Ward team members and subsequent legal battles with game publisher Activision have also bred skepticism among fans.

In addition, "Black Ops" will face stiff competition this holiday season from such rivals as sci-fi epic "Halo: Reach," also renowned for its expansive multiplayer support, and the latest "Medal of Honor" game, which gives the former World War II-era trigger-masher a modern-day makeover. (Maybe it's a silent nod to "Modern Warfare 2's" resonance).

But, far and away, "Black Ops' " biggest battle will be convincing legions of existing "Call of Duty" fans, millions of whom still play to this day, that an upgrade is justified.

With its built-in support for cooperative play, replayable assignments and exhaustive multiplayer options, predecessor "Modern Warfare 2" continues to remain one of gaming's top draws.

Whether players will be moved to abandon their posts and take up arms en masse on a new front line remains uncertain.

" 'Black Ops' isn't likely to match the fervor or record-setting sales of 'Modern Warfare 2.' There is less consumer buzz surrounding it and the Vietnam-era time period it covers isn't quite as popular as the modern era for war games," said Russ Frushtick, games editor at MTV News.

But there are still plenty of gamers foaming at the mouth to go guerilla and make like a high-tech Rambo. With a rich thematic backdrop and fully loaded clip of original ways to compete and obliterate adversaries, "Black Ops' " aim may yet prove right on target.