Spotted: Huma Abedin at White House Ramadan Dinner

Huma Abedin, chief of staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was spotted at yesterday's Iftar Dinner at the White House. Abedin, was one of 100 guests in attendance at the annual dinner held by President Obama to celebrate the ending of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

AP

Other politicalgirls spotted at the dinner include Senior Advisors Valerie Jarrett and Samantha Power. The The White House also invited some Muslim families who had loved ones working in the Twin Towers on September 11. 

Who is Samantha Power? Adviser to the President and Ardent Human Rights Advocate

Samantha Power's name has been floating in the blog-sphere for the past couple of days due to her involvement in advising Pres. Obama about the situation in Libya. However, she has been a key advisor for the President for quite a while. 

She might be famously remembered for calling Hillary Clinton, "a monster", but has since been a Special Assistant to the President while running the Office of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights as well as a member of the National Security Council. 

According to TED, she had a long resume long before she entered the White House. She is head of Harvard's Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, where she studies US policy as it relates to human rights, genocide and war. Her latest book is about Sergio Vieira de Mello, a UN diplomat who worked with the world's worst dictators to help protect the human rights of their people.

She also spent numerous years as a journalist. From 1993 to 1996 she reported in the former Yugoslavia, and contributed commentary to the New Yorker and Time. A noted author, her latest book is about Sergio Vieira de Mello, a UN diplomat who worked with the world's worst dictators to help protect the human rights of their people. Other books she has written include A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide.

She also is a staunch advocate for human rights and believes that the United States must return to a human rights-centered foreign policy or risk its prestige and respect in the world community. In the picture to the left, she is shown with actor George Clooney and human rights activist and co-founder of the Enough Project John Prendergast in October, after a meeting with Pres. Obama discussing the duo's trio to Sudan.

Are women leading the way in Libya? Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice, Samantha Power are at forefront

Samantha Power, Susan Rice and President Obama

If you have been paying attention to all the news articles and blog stories about the lead up to military action in  Libya, a new narrative is starting to emerge. Many are noting that three women in particular - Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice, and Samantha Power - are the driving force behind Pres. Obama's sudden change in wanting military action in Libya.

From the New York Times:

The shift in the administration’s position — from strong words against Libya to action — was forced largely by the events beyond its control: the crumbling of the uprising raised the prospect that Colonel Qaddafi would remain in power to kill “many thousands,” as Mr. Obama said at the White House on Friday. The change became possible, though, only after Mrs. Clinton joined Samantha Power, a senior aide at the National Security Council, and Susan Rice, Mr. Obama’s ambassador to the United Nations, who had been pressing the case for military action, according to senior administration officials speaking only on condition of anonymity. Ms. Power is a former journalist and human rights advocate; Ms. Rice was an Africa adviser to President Clinton when the United States failed to intervene to stop the Rwanda genocide, which Mr. Clinton has called his biggest regret.Now, the three women were pushing for American intervention to stop a looming humanitarian catastrophe in Libya.

What do you think about this? Are you surprised that women are actually the ones calling for military action when often they are seen as the peacemakers?