Tuesday, July 10, 2012
JUSTICE AND PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SETTLE RESERVIST REEMPLOYMENT LAWSUIT
Monday, July 9, 2012
Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Regarding Alleged Violation of Us Army Reservist’s Reemployment Rights
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement in its lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC). The settlement, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, resolves allegations that PDOC violated the reemployment rights of U.S. Army Reservist David C. Fyock under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
The department’s complaint, which was filed on Oct. 27, 2011, alleges PDOC violated USERRA by failing to retroactively promote Fyock from a corrections officer 1 to a corrections officer 2 position at the State Correctional Institution Mercer in Mercer, Pa., based on his successful performance on a make-up promotional examination after returning from a military deployment. According to the complaint, Fyock’s score on the make-up examination was higher than the score of any person promoted to any of the 13 vacant corrections officer 2 positions filled based on the May 2007 promotional test he missed.
Under the terms of the settlement, Fyock will receive a promotion to corrections officer 2 (sergeant), as well as back pay and other benefits.
Subject to certain conditions, USERRA requires employers to promptly reemploy returning service members in the positions they would have held had their employment not been interrupted by military service, or in positions of like seniority, status and pay.
“The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting the reemployment rights of the men and women who serve our country in uniform,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “No service member should have to forego an opportunity for advancement in his or her civilian career due to military service.”
“This office strongly supports the rights of service members and the objective of the statute which is to help veterans reclaim their rightful positions in the workforce after they complete their military service,” said Peter J. Smith, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
This matter was litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Swauger and Timothy Judge of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in collaboration with attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The case stems from a referral from the U.S. Labor Department's Veterans' Employment and Training Service.
CONVOY IN AFGHANISTAN
FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
An Army gunner keeps watch for enemies as the road begins to wind into the mountains during a convoy from Forward Operating Base Lane to Sal Kalay, Afghanistan, for a Village Medical Outreach May 31. More than 130 Army, Air Force and Navy troops conducted the VMO, bringing medicine and other items to the villagers. The mission of the Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team is to win the hearts and minds of the populace through humanitarian outreach efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Kevin Tuttle)
TEXAS-BASED MEDICAL DEVICE COMPANY CHARGED BY SEC WITH BRIBING MEXICAN OFFICIALS
Washington, D.C., July 10, 2012 – The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Texas-based medical device company Orthofix International N.V. with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) when a subsidiary paid routine bribes referred to as “chocolates” to Mexican officials in order to obtain lucrative sales contracts with government hospitals.
The SEC alleges that Orthofix’s Mexican subsidiary Promeca S.A. de C.V. bribed officials at Mexico’s government-owned health care and social services institution Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). The “chocolates” came in the form of cash, laptop computers, televisions, and appliances that were provided directly to Mexican government officials or indirectly through front companies that the officials owned. The bribery scheme lasted for several years and yielded nearly $5 million in illegal profits for the Orthofix subsidiary.
Orthofix agreed to pay $5.2 million to settle the SEC’s charges, and agreed to pay a $2.22 million monetaryv penalty as part of a deferred prosecution agreement announced today by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Once bribery has been likened to a box of chocolates, you know a corruptive culture has permeated your business,” said Kara Novaco Brockmeyer, Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit. “Orthofix’s lax oversight allowed its subsidiary to illicitly spend more than $300,000 to sweeten the deals with Mexican officials.”
According to the SEC’s complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, the bribes began in 2003 and continued until 2010. Initially, Promeca falsely recorded the bribes as cash advances and falsified its invoices to support the expenditures. Later, when the bribes got much larger, Promeca falsely recorded them as promotional and training costs. Because of the bribery scheme, Promeca’s training and promotional expenses were significantly over budget. Orthofix did launch an inquiry into these expenses, but did very little to investigate or diminish the excessive spending. Later, upon discovery of the bribe payments through a Promeca executive, Orthofix immediately self-reported the matter to the SEC and implemented significant remedial measures. The company terminated the Promeca executives who orchestrated the bribery scheme.
The SEC’s proposed settlement is subject to court approval. Orthofix consented to a final judgment ordering it pay $5.2 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest, and permanently enjoining the company from violating the books and records and internal controls provisions of the FCPA. Orthofix also agreed to certain undertakings, including monitoring its FCPA compliance program and reporting back to the SEC for a two-year period.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Carol Shau and Alka N. Patel in the Los Angeles Regional Office. The SEC acknowledges and appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division - Fraud Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY WORKS TO ENSURE CYBERSPACE ACCESS
NSA Chief: Cyber World Presents Opportunities, Challenges
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2012 - Technology has opened tremendous opportunities for the world, but also poses tremendous challenges for those who work to ensure access to cyberspace, the director of the National Security Agency said here yesterday.
Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, who also commands U.S. Cyber Command, told participants in an American Enterprise Institute seminar titled "Cybersecurity and American Power" that the capability exists today for destructive cyber attacks against critical infrastructures.
The cyber world is an increasingly important domain, the general said. In 2000, 360 million people were on the Internet. Today, more than 2.3 billion people are connected. Last year, 107 trillion emails were sent, he added, and a sign of the times is that more than 500,000 apps exist for the iPhone and 280,000 for Android smartphones.
But this tremendous opportunity for communication also presents a potential avenue of attack, Alexander said. A 2007 denial-of-service attack on Estonia virtually shut the nation down, he said, but that was just a transitory event in the evolution of cyber attacks.
"What I think we really need to be concerned about is when these transition from disruptive to destructive attacks -- and I think those are coming," he said.
A destructive attack does not simply overload computers or networks -- it destroys data or software, and systems must be replaced to return to the status quo. "We've got to consider that those are going to happen," Alexander said. "Those are coming up, and we have to be ready for that."
The general stressed that deterring cyber attacks is more difficult than nuclear deterrence, noting that nation-states, cyber criminals, hackers, activists and terrorists all pose threats. "So when you think about deterrence theory, you're not talking about just nation-on-nation deterrence theory," he said. "You have other non-nation-state actors that you now have to consider."
An attack may originate in a country, Alexander said, but no one can really tell if it's the nation, a criminal gang within the country or a lone hacker launching the attack.
Regardless of who initiates an attack, he added, the result could be the same. "You lose the financial sector or the power grid or your systems capabilities for a period of time," the general said. "It doesn't matter who did it; you still lose that. So you've got to come up with a defensive strategy that solves that, from my perspective."
The U.S. defensive strategy has to be a team approach, he said. "We want to get as many people as we can working together to solve this problem," Alexander said.
The White House has led the governmental effort, spanning the Department of Homeland Security to the Defense Department to the FBI and beyond. And any protection -- to be effective -- must include the private sector, the general told the audience. This has caused hackles to rise, he acknowledged, with critics saying such efforts are an invasion of privacy. But, Alexander said, it can be done while protecting civil liberties.
"If the critical infrastructure community is being attacked by something, we need them to tell us at network speed," the general said. "It doesn't require the government to read their mail or your mail to do that. It requires them -- the Internet service provider or that company -- to tell us that that type of event is going on at this time. And it has to be at network speed if you're going to stop it."
Cyber runs at the speed of light, Alexander noted, and human reaction times are simply not fast enough to react.
"Maybe we could do this in real time and come up with a construct [in which] you and the American people know that we're not looking at civil liberties and privacy, [but] we're actually trying to figure out when the nation is under attack and what we need to do about it," he said.
U.S-AFGHAN ALLIANCE IMPORTANT TO U.S. GOVERNMENT.
FROM: AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
U.S.-Afghanistan Alliance Important to DOD, Spokesman Says
By Karen Parrish
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2012 - The U.S. government's designation of Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally is "extremely important" to the Defense Department, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the designation July 7 after meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the Afghan capital of Kabul. It is intended to provide a long-term framework for security and defense cooperation between both countries.
During remarks yesterday at a donors' conference in Tokyo, where representatives from some 70 nations were discussing international support for Afghanistan, Clinton noted that the U.S.-Afghan strategic partnership agreement went into effect last week. That agreement was signed by both governments in May.
Little said during a regular media briefing today that the United States has a long-term commitment to Afghanistan as an enduring partner.
"We are not going to leave Afghanistan high and dry at the end of the transition period in 2014," he said. "We're going to continue to have a strong relationship with that country and with the Afghan government."
Little said while the announcement's practical effects are still to be determined, the Defense Department is exploring ways to support the Afghan military and its equipment needs.
The two countries haven't planned specific future arms sales or grants of equipment, Little said.
"The important thing is we're going to stand by Afghanistan, and that's for very good reason," he said. "We have made a major effort over the past 11 years, at the cost of blood and treasure, to ensure that al-Qaida can never consider Afghanistan a safe haven again."
In Tokyo yesterday, Clinton noted that $16 billion in international aid is pledged to Afghanistan through 2015, while the Afghan government has committed to continued reform.
"The key pieces are there," she said. "The private sector interest is there. The Afghan government's commitment to fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law is there. The international community's support, as evidenced by this conference, is there as well. And the ... partnership between Afghanistan and its neighbors is also growing."
CIVILIAN CONTRACTOR SENTENCED FOR SCHEME TO STEAL AND SELL MILITARY EQUIPMENT IN IRAQ
Monday, July 9, 2012
Former Civilian Contractor Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme to Steal and Sell Military Equipment in Iraq
A former U.S. civilian contractor was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for conspiring to steal military generators in Iraq and selling them on the black market, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
David John Welch, 36, of Hope Mills, N.C., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge W. Earl Britt in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Welch was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following his prison term and was ordered to pay $160,000 in restitution to the Department of Defense. Welch pleaded guilty on April 2, 2012, to a criminal information charging him with conspiracy to steal property under the control of a government contractor.
According to court documents and information presented at his plea hearing, Welch was the operations and maintenance manager of a U.S. government contractor on Victory Base Complex in Baghdad. In this capacity, Welch had the ability to influence the distribution and movement of military equipment as well as U.S. government equipment. In addition, Welch was in charge of overseeing the movement of generators from the compound to the Defense Reutilization & Marketing Office (DRMO). In October 2011, Welch and a co-conspirator entered into a scheme to steal and later sell approximately 38 generators on the black market in Iraq to unknown co-conspirators by diverting these generators from the DRMO to an undisclosed location off-base in Iraq. After the generators were stolen from the compound, Welch’s co-conspirator provided him with four stacks of $100 bills, totaling approximately $38,600.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Trial Attorney Mark Grider of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, on detail from Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The case is being investigated by the FBI, SIGIR and the Major Procurement Fraud Unit of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.
HHS ANNOUNCES 89 NEW ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HHS announces 89 new Accountable Care Organizations
2.4 million people with Medicare to receive better, more coordinated care
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today, that as of July 1, 89 new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) began serving 1.2 million people with Medicare in 40 states and Washington, D.C. ACOs are organizations formed by groups of doctors and other health care providers that have agreed to work together to coordinate care for people with Medicare.
These 89 new ACOs have entered into agreements with CMS, taking responsibility for the quality of care they provide to people with Medicare in return for the opportunity to share in savings realized through high-quality, well-coordinated care.
“Better coordinated care is good for patients and it saves money,” said Secretary Sebelius. “We applaud every one of these doctors, hospitals, health centers and others for working together to ensure millions of people with Medicare get better, more patient-centered, coordinated care.”
Participation in an ACO is purely voluntary for providers. The Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), and other initiatives related to ACOs, is made possible by the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Federal savings from this initiative could be up to $940 million over four years.
“This new group of ACOs adds to a solid foundation,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. “The Medicare ACO program opened for business in January and, already, more than 2.4 million beneficiaries are receiving care from providers participating in these important initiatives.”
The 89 ACOs announced today bring the total number of organizations participating in Medicare shared savings initiatives to 154, including the 32 ACOs participating in the testing of the Pioneer ACO Model by CMS’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) announced last December, and six Physician Group Practice Transition Demonstration organizations that started in January 2011. In all, as of July 1, more than 2.4 million beneficiaries are receiving care from providers participating in Medicare shared savings initiatives.
The selected ACOs operate in a wide range of areas of the country and almost half are physician-driven organizations serving fewer than 10,000 beneficiaries, demonstrating that smaller organizations are interested in operating as ACOs. Their models for coordinating care and improving quality vary in response to the needs of the beneficiaries in the areas they are serving.
To ensure that savings are achieved through improving care coordination and providing care that is appropriate, safe, and timely, an ACO must meet quality standards. For 2012, CMS has established 33 quality measures relating to care coordination and patient safety, appropriate use of preventive health services, improved care for at-risk populations, and patient and caregiver experience of care.
Beginning this year, new ACO applications will be accepted annually. The application period for organizations that wish to participate in the MSSP beginning in January 2013 is from Aug. 1 through Sept. 6, 2012. More information, including application requirements, is available at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/Application.html
OWNER AND COMPANY ORDERED TO PART WITH $9.3 MILLION IN CFTC ANTI-FRAUD CASE
Federal Court in Texas Orders Robert Mihailovich, Sr. and Growth Capital Management LLC to Pay over $9.3 Million in CFTC Anti-fraud Action
Washington, DC - The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that it obtained an order of permanent injunction against defendants Robert Mihailovich, Sr. (Mihailovich, Sr.) of Rockwall, Texas, and Growth Capital Management LLC (GCM) requiring Mihailovich, Sr. and GCM to make restitution to defrauded customers, disgorge ill-gotten gains, and pay a civil monetary penalty together, totaling over $9.3 million for fraudulently soliciting over $30 million from customers to trade commodity futures contracts and foreign currency (forex). The order also imposes permanent trading and registration bans against the defendants.
The court’s order, entered on June 26, 2012, arises out of a CFTC complaint filed on July 27, 2010, against Mihailovich, Sr., GCM, and Robert Mihailovich, Jr. (Mihailovich, Jr.), Mihailovich, Sr.’s son. As alleged in the complaint, Mihailovich, Sr. was convicted and incarcerated on federal wire fraud charges, served 27 months, and while on a three-year supervised release, fraudulently solicited and accepted more than $30 million from approximately 93 customers to open managed trading accounts. The complaint also alleged that Mihailovich, Jr., at the time of GCM’s initial registration, failed to disclose Mihailovich, Sr.’s involvement with GCM, and failed to disclose in CFTC registration filings that his father was a controlling principal of GCM.
Previously, the federal court had entered an order of default judgment against GCM on March 15, 2011. The federal court later also entered an order of default judgment against Mihailovich, Sr. on November 22, 2011, as a sanction for discovery violations.
The federal court’s June 26, 2012, order finds that during discovery Mihailovich, Sr. engaged in a pattern of willfulness and bad faith. Mihailovich, Sr. failed to attend a number of court-ordered hearings, repeatedly failed to abide by court orders, failed to communicate with plaintiff CFTC, failed to appear or respond to his scheduled deposition, and failed to respond to written discovery requests, according to the order.
The June 26, 2012 order imposes sanctions against Mihailovich, Sr. and GCM arising out of the prior default judgments against them. The order requires Mihailovich, Sr. and GCM jointly and severally to pay $3,475,112 in restitution, to disgorge $389,006 in ill-gotten gains, and to pay a civil monetary penalty of $5,440,000. The order also permanently prohibits the defendants from violating the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations, as charged, and from engaging in certain commodity-related activities, including personal trading and applying for registration or claiming exemption from registration with the CFTC.
The CFTC previously obtained a consent order against Mihailovich, Jr., that imposed a $40,000 civil monetary penalty and banned him from seeking registration with the CFTC for 10 years and from engaging in certain commodity-related activities, including trading, for 5 years. The CFTC thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Fort Worth Regional Office, and the National Futures Association for their assistance.
MISSILE ASSEMBLY
FROM: U.S. NAVY
120626-N-XF344-004 WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. (June 26, 2012) Gunner'Äôs Mate 1st Class Jason Sloan, a safety observer, and Gunner'Äôs Mate 2nd Class Max Ducharme, crane operator, observe engineers as they conduct exterior preparations of two Oriole rocket motors at the Navy's Missile Assembly Facility, White Sands Missile Range. One stage of a two-stage target, Oriole motors provide a cost effective solution helping to assess the Navy's ballistic missile defense capabilities. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Fire Controlman Ray Watson/Released)
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON SPEAKS AT U.S. EMBASSY IN ULAANBAATAR MONGOLICA
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Meets with the Staff and Families of Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
July 9, 2012
Well, it is so wonderful to be here – to be back again in Mongolia – to see all the changes over the last 17 years. And I want to thank the Ambassador and Mrs. Addleton for all of their leadership. They will be well remembered. I had so many nice compliments about your work here, Ambassador, from the Mongolian officials. And I know that you started coming to Mongolia representing the United States almost a dozen years ago. And I imagine that you will be still connected somehow to Mongolia for the years to come.
I certainly remember being here 17 years ago as First Lady. Soviet aid had been withdrawn, the economy was imploding, Mongolia was isolated. It was a very challenging time, but I was impressed by the young people and by the officials with whom I met. I saw that there was a real resilience and a dedication to the country. And now, 17 years later, I can see it in action. I also remember visiting what was then the Embassy, which was a house and a garage. (Laughter.) And I have with me Ambassador Victoria Nuland – come on up here, Toria – who opened our mission in 1989 at the – (applause) – Ulaanbaatar Hotel. So she’s marveling at all of the changes as well.
And I want to thank you for everything you’re doing to support Mongolian democracy, the Mongolian economy, Mongolian civil society. In just the past year, you’ve helped to monitor elections, to really strengthen civil society organizations, broker a deal with Boeing to supply three new airplanes. You get to travel to the most remote parts of the country – I’m very jealous, because I would love to do that as well – you’re helping to improve vocational training, to protect the environment, and your work is producing real results. U.S. exports increased from just 40 million in 2009 to more than 300 million last year. Seventy thousand families living on the edge of the city now have fuel-efficient cookstoves, which saves lives, prevents disease, and fights climate change.
And I know you sometimes face some pretty daunting odds in doing your work. You travel with Arctic-tested sleeping bags just in case the temperature dips below 40 degrees. One group of employees crossed the Gobi Desert. They had to fix a flat on their tire five times, but they persevered just like the Mongolian people. You volunteer at vet clinics, hammer nails for Habitat for Humanity, participate in runs for the environment, help the people with disabilities find jobs.
And I particularly want to thank our locally-engaged staff. You could not be a better representative of the friendship between our two countries. We really rely on you. We’re grateful to you. I also want to thank the families of all our employees. You’ve made real sacrifices for which we are very grateful. You’ve demonstrated such a commitment. I’m really excited about the future for Mongolia and to broaden and strengthen the relationship between our two countries.
Over the last 25 years, we’ve seen a lot of progress. I think we can see even more. I think you’ll have a chance in just a few days to enjoy the upcoming Naadam festivities. I wish I could stay; I’m quite disappointed. But I’ve told the President I intend to come back and to bring my husband, who keeps – he keeps saying the only thing that he’s envious of is that I’ve been Mongolia twice – (laughter) – and he hasn’t been here yet. So we will remedy that, I am sure. But I will take with me even new and fond memories, and they would not be possible without the hard work that each and every one of you do.
So thank you again very much, and I would love to shake some hands. (Applause.)
$5.5 MILLION GOING FOR POST-KATRINA GOVERNMENT COMPLEX IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH
FROM: U.S. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCYNEW ORLEANS –The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced more than $5.5 million in consolidated funding to Plaquemines Parish for their proposed, post-Katrina government complex project.
“In support of their recovery endeavors, Plaquemines Parish has been approved to use eligible FEMA funding from 11 storm-damaged donor facilities toward their new government complex project,” said FEMA’s Louisiana Recovery Office Deputy Director of Programs Andre Cadogan. “Such flexibility within FEMA’s Public Assistance Program enables local communities to rebuild based on their post-disaster needs.”
Design plans for the post-Katrina project—which will be located in upper Plaquemines Parish in a reduced-risk flooding area, known as an “a-zone”— are currently underway. Plans are also in progress within Plaquemines Parish to expand the complex site even further, potentially developing it to include an emergency operations center, community recreational facilities and retail space.
“We would like to thank the FEMA team for working with us to fund the construction of the government complex. This will save Plaquemines Parish taxpayers money in the long run and place government operations in the safest part of the parish,” said Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser.
The Plaquemines Parish government complex project will provide office space for various local government departments. The pre-Katrina Plaquemines Parish government building will remain in Port Sulphur to provide additional space for government council offices, a polling place, record storage and a meeting place for lower Plaquemines Parish.
This pre-Katrina government building was not one of the 11 donor facilities in the new government complex project, which instead includes consolidated FEMA-funding previously allocated for facilities such as the District 1 Council Office, the Pointe a La Hache Old Jail and the “Buras Old Fire Station” Warehouse.
In total, FEMA has provided approximately $813.5 million for hurricanes Katrina and Rita recovery efforts throughout Plaquemines Parish.
When FEMA approves projects through its supplemental Public Assistance grant, the funds are made available to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, who disburses them to the applicant for eligible work completed.
The Public Assistance program works with state and local officials to fund recovery measures and the rebuilding of government and certain private nonprofit organizations’ buildings, as well as roads, bridges and water and sewer plants. In order for the process to be successful, federal, state and local partners coordinate to draw up project plans, fund these projects and oversee their completion.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
DOD OFFICIALS MONITOR EVENTS IN SYRIA
FROM: AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
DOD Official: Assad Regime Must End 'Wanton Murder'
By Karen Parrish
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2012 - Defense Department officials are closely monitoring events in Syria, including the military exercises that began yesterday, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.
Media reports characterize the exercises as large-scale and simulating responses to external attacks on the nation's forces.
"I don't know that this military exercise suggests anything new about the conflict, or if it may simply be visual bravado on the part of the [Bashar] Assad regime," Little said, responding to reporters' questions during a regularly scheduled media briefing. Assad has ruled Syria since his father, Hafez al-Assad, died in 2000. The elder Assad had ruled for 29 years.
Little strongly repeated the department's position on Syria, where the military has used lethal force in an effort to crush popular uprisings that began in January 2011. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon estimates that as many as 17,000 people have been killed in the violence.
"This regime continues to mount despicable attacks against Syrian civilians, and the violence that the regime is perpetrating must end," Little said. Defense officials have not yet classed the exercise as "provocative," he noted, but he added that judgment could change based on events.
"What we view as much more serious, at this stage, is the continued wanton murder of Syrian civilians," he said.
Little responded to a question on reports that Russia will halt arms sales to Syria, saying he can't confirm that information. "We welcome any move by any nation to stop supplying the Assad regime," he said.
The press secretary noted defense officials also are closely monitoring events on the Turkish-Syrian border. Tensions between the two countries have escalated following Turkey's June 22 report that Syrian forces shot down a Turkish F-4 fighter jet and its two-member crew.
"We hope that this terrible violence in Syria doesn't spread," Little said. "We understand Turkey's concerns, and we'll continue to work closely with our Turkish allies."
VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 9.5 PERCENT
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Post-9/11 Veteran Unemployment Rate Continues to Fall; At 9.5 Percent
July 6, 2012 by Brandon Friedman
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Veteran unemployment data for the month of June. The unemployment rate for one closely watched group, Iraq and Afghanistan-era Veterans (or Gulf War II-era Veterans), fell more than three full percentage points to 9.5 percent. The steadier 12-month moving average also fell to 10.7 percent—the lowest figure we’ve seen since 2010.
While much remains to be done, since January 2012, post-9/11 Veterans have experienced the lowest unemployment rate in any combined six-month period since 2008—with the rate reaching single digits in four of the last six months. Additionally, the trend over the past 30 months—since January 2010—remains downward for America’s most recent Veterans.
Month-to-month unemployment rate figures for this demographic are fairly volatile, but the long-term trend has shown a consistent decline over this two and a half-year period—a strong sign of recovery following the worst economic disaster since The Great Depression.
Because chunks of data are often better indicators of real movement, another way to view the trend is by looking at the moving (or rolling) average. The chart below captures 12-month averages for the periods ending each month since December 2010. This chart looks a bit different, but the trend is similar: modest, but markedly downward. This is significant because the moving 12-month average is far more conservative than the month-to-month data. When we see downward movement in the moving average, we can be confident that the unemployment rate among post-9/11 Veterans is, indeed, falling.
All that said, while we’re heartened that the unemployment rate among younger Veterans has fallen over the long term, it is still too high as long as thousands of returning Veterans still can’t find meaningful work.
That’s why VA is collaborating with the White House and the Chamber of Commerce on hiring fairs across the country through the “Hiring Our Heroes” Program. It’s also why we’re urging Veterans to prepare themselves for the job market by taking advantage of programs like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Veterans Retraining and Assistance Program (VRAP).
If anything, today’s positive figure reminds us that there’s still much work to be done. VA, in conjunction with the White House, remains committed to ensuring that the unemployment rate for all Veterans continues its downward path.
Monday, July 9, 2012
VICTIMS OF TERRORISM AND THE GLOBAL COUNTER-TERRORISM FORUM
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Victims of Terrorism
Remarks Maria Otero
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Madrid, Spain
July 9, 2012
Good morning. It’s a pleasure and indeed an honor to be with you all today, as we kick off the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) High-Level Conference on Victims of Terrorism. On behalf of Secretary Hillary Clinton, I want to thank Foreign Minister Garcia-Margallo and Interior Minister Antonio Alonso for hosting this important meeting, which I know they first discussed this past February. I also want to acknowledge my colleagues, Ambassador Fernandez and Assistant Secretary Pressman, whose presence highlights the broad and deep commitment of the United States to this work.
Like the United States and so many countries around the world, Spain has experienced firsthand the pain that terrorism inflicts on society. You are to be commended for turning that pain into action by focusing on the people who suffer the most from terrorist acts.
Around the world, terrorists make their mark on the world through acts of hate. They proclaim their values with a deep and disturbing indifference to human life.
Those of you here today stand in stark contrast to terrorists, not only by condemning their acts but by countering their indifference with honor, dignity, and compassion for victims of terrorism.
So let me start by first thanking you for being here and for the work that you are doing on behalf of victims everywhere.
To the victims of terrorism that are with us this morning, I also thank you for your courage and your perseverance. Each of you is a testament to the fact that the human spirit cannot be easily broken. You are an inspiration to all of us, and we are honored to work not just on your behalf but alongside you in this important work.
Today we begin an important discussion within the Global Counterterrorism Forum—or GCTF – which offers a unique venue for bringing together governments, victims, and other interested stakeholders to share experiences and good practices in this critical and emotionally charged area.
Over the next several days, we will deliberate how states can increase their support of victims of terrorism, and how we can better integrate victims into the global effort to counter extremist narratives.
To start our discussion, I want to touch on four areas that the United States believes should be part of our comprehensive strategy to address the needs of victims and also integrate their voices into counter-terrorist efforts.
First, governments must be sure that victims of terrorism have the information they need and access to resources available from the state and the international community. The road to recovery is long, but it is made all the easier by accessible information and resources—from medical care to legal representation to psychological services. Governments should also ensure that the families of victims have access to these services, so that they can support the survivor’s recovery process.
Second, victims should have the opportunity to participate in the accountability process that follows any terrorist attack. They should have access to the perpetrators’ court proceedings, and be afforded protection if necessary, so that they may work towards recovery. For example, To help victims and survivors of mass violence and terrorism, some courts have ordered the closed-circuit transmission of trial proceedings to multiple locations so that victims may more easily participate in the trial process.
Victims often play an important role in supporting efforts to bring terrorist to justice, both as witnesses and as advocates for accountability. We must strive to protect and foster victim-participation in accountability efforts, while remaining respectful of the psychological challenges such a process can present.
Third, we must provide an environment for support and recovery of victims of terrorism. They should have the chance to meet other survivors and share experiences as each person advances his or her own healing. In order to create such an environment and network of support, we in the international community must foster an understanding of the unique and diverse needs of survivors.
And fourth, governments must listen to victims. In their process of healing and recovery, survivors can inform the global fight against terrorism. We need to elevate their voices and stories while also incorporating their wisdom into our counter-terrorism efforts.
We should ensure that those survivors who wish to share their stories have the opportunity to do so on the world stage. By magnifying the voices of survivors, especially through international media, we have a unique chance to educate the world about the pain inflicted by terrorists. Though such awareness is tainted with pain and suffering, it is all the more powerful in discouraging radicalized individuals and empowering other victims to speak up against violent extremism.
Last September at the official launch of the Global Counterterrorism Forum, I had the privilege to introduce the premier of a film “Hear their Voices”, which tells the stories of eleven survivors of terrorist attacks from Pakistan, Jordan, Northern Ireland, Uganda, Turkey, Indonesia, India, Spain, Columbia and the United States. The film, which was produced by the Global Survivors Network, is a powerful plea for audiences around the world, especially those sympathetic to the grievances expressed by extremists, to recognize the human cost of terrorism and I am delighted that our Spanish hosts are planning on showing this film here later this afternoon.
Over the course of the next two days we look forward to hearing about the inspiring efforts of victims, victims’ associations, and other civil society actors from around the globe working to prevent future terrorist acts. This includes the work of Sisters against Violent Extremism, which is bringing together the survivors of terrorist attacks, their relatives, activists and policy makers in addition to launching innovative campaigns such as Schools and Students Against Violent Extremism! and Mothers for Change!.
Moving forward, it is our hope that these and similar efforts will reach every victim of terrorism on the road to recovery and on our shared path of countering violent extremism in all of forms the world over.
In closing, I want to reiterate my thanks, on behalf of Secretary Clinton and President Obama, for the important work that you are doing. In the aftermath of a terrorist attack, we often turn our immediate attention to the perpetrators, while traumatized victims and survivors grieve and suffer in silence. But today, that changes. We look forward to the adoption of the forward looking declaration and action plan at the end of this conference that will reaffirm our hope that no victim suffers alone and set us on a course to mobilize additional resources and expertise to provide more victims with the training and other tools they need to more effectively put forward their own counter-narratives to messages touting violent extremism. Together with our GCTF partners , international and regional organizations, NGOs, and the media, we will ensure victims receive the respect and support they deserve, and we will advance efforts to counter violent extremism.
Thank you.
ISAF NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN
FROM: AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Combined Force Detains Haqqani Leader
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force detained a Haqqani network leader in the Terayzai district of Afghanistan's Khost province today, military officials reported.
The detained Haqqani leader specializes in high-profile attacks and reported directly to senior Haqqani leaders, officials said.
At the time of his arrest, officials said, the Haqqani leader was equipping his followers with military uniforms for a planned attack on an Afghan government facility. The security force also detained several suspected insurgents and seized multiple firearms during the operation, officials said.
In other Afghanistan news today:
-- A combined force detained a Taliban leader and also detained multiple suspects and seized bomb-making materials in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province. The insurgent leader coordinated Taliban attacks throughout northern Kunduz province, specializing in the use of improvised explosive device attacks and the recruitment and training of suicide attackers.
-- A combined force detained a Taliban explosives expert and two other suspects in the Panjwai district of Kandahar province. The detained insurgent acquired, constructed, and emplaced IEDs for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
-- In the Musa Qalah district of Helmand province, a combined force detained multiple suspects and seized explosives and weapons during a search for a senior Taliban leader. The sought-after Taliban leader is responsible for planning and executing IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
-- A combined force called in an airstrike that killed an insurgent during a search for a senior Taliban leader in the Maidan Shahr district of Wardak province. The security force confirmed the airstrike had not injured any civilians.
-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Ghazni province's Gelan district.
-- A combined force detained an insurgent in the Khost district of Khost province.
-- In Khost province's Terezayi district, a combined force found and cleared an IED.
-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Laghman province's Mehtar Lam district.
-- In Logar province's Muhammad Aghah district, a combined force found and cleared an IED.
-- In Nangarhar province, a combined force found and cleared two IEDs in the Shinwar district and one in the Surkh Rod district.
-- In Nangarhar province's Shinwar district, a combined force detained an insurgent.
In operations yesterday:
-- Coalition forces detained numerous suspects and seized about 3,500 pounds of opium and 17 pounds of heroin in the Garm Ser district of Helmand province.
-- A combined force detained several suspects during a search for a senior Taliban recruiter in the Now Zad district of Helmand province. The insurgent recruiter serves as a Taliban leader in the Washer district and operates with other Taliban leaders.
-- A combined force detained a suspect during a search for a Taliban leader in the Rashidan district of Ghazni province. The sought-after Taliban leader controls more than 50 insurgents and has directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
In July 7 operations:
-- A combined force seized and destroyed more than 3,300 pounds of opium and hashish and detained numerous suspected drug traffickers in the Registan district of Kandahar province.
-- A combined force detained several suspects during a search for an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in the Kunduz district of Kunduz province. The IMU leader is an explosives expert who specializes in making IEDs and other devices for use in suicide and other types of attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.
-- A combined force detained several suspects during a search for a Taliban explosives specialist in the Zharay district of Kandahar province.
-- In the Gelan district of Ghazni province, a combined force detained an insurgent, found a cache contained small-arms ammunition, grenades and other IED-making materials, and cleared an IED.
-- In Ghazni province's Ghazni district, a combined force found and cleared an IED.
-- A combined force detained an insurgent and seized a cache containing small-arms ammunition, military items and IED-making materials in Khost province's Khost district.
-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in the Gurbuz district of Khost province.
-- In Khost province's Sabari district, a combined force detained seven insurgents.
-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Laghman province's Mehtar Lam district.
-- In Paktika province's Sar Rowzah district, a combined force found and cleared an IED.
-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Paktia province's Shwak district.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT REPORTS CONTRIBUTION OF $385 BILLION TO THE U.S. ECONOMY
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
New Report: Interior Activities Contributed $385 Billion to Economy, Supported Over 2 Million Jobs in FY 2011
Economic Engines for Local Communities Include Energy Development and Outdoor Recreation
Date: July 9, 2012
WASHINGTON -- From facilitating energy development to managing America’s public lands for tourism and outdoor recreation to assisting Indian tribes with education and economic growth, the activities of the Department of the Interior contributed $385 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 2 million jobs in 2011, according to a new report released today.
“The Interior Department has a uniquely diverse mission that benefits the American people by promoting tourism, outdoor recreation, energy development and other economic activities that fuel local economies,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “This report underscores that there are real, lasting impacts on communities and small businesses across the country where Interior is helping to strengthen economies and support families.”
The report, The Department of the Interior’s Economic Contributions, highlights the impacts of the Department’s broad mission, including land and water management; energy and mineral development on public lands; encouraging tourism and outdoor recreation at national parks, monuments and refuges; wildlife conservation, hunting and fishing; support for American Indian tribal communities and Insular Areas; and scientific research and innovation.
Prepared by Interior’s Office of Policy Analysis, today’s report underscores the findings of other studies on the economic impacts of Interior Department lands and programs. For example, an earlier study found that recreation in national parks, refuges, and other public lands alone led to nearly $47 billion in economic contribution and 388,000 jobs in 2010.
Another report recently released by the Outdoor Industry Association showed that 140 million Americans spent $646 billion on hunting, fishing, hiking, and other outdoor recreation on public and private lands, including on the 500 million acres of public lands managed by Interior agencies.
“Under President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative, we are seeking to connect Americans, especially young Americans, to nature by providing more outdoor recreation opportunities. The President has also launched a major initiative to work with states and communities across the country to promote domestic and international tourism – America’s #1 export – at places such as national parks and national wildlife refuges,” said Salazar. “President Obama’s focus on expanding responsible domestic energy development is working alongside our 21st century conservation, travel and tourism agendas to reinvigorate local communities – particularly in rural America.”
The major highlights of the Department of the Interior’s Economic Contributions report include:
The 435 million recreational visits to Interior-managed lands in 2011 supported about 403,000 jobs nationwide and contributed nearly $48.7 billion in economic activity.
Many jobs associated with recreation on Interior lands are located in rural communities, including 18,000 jobs in Utah, 16,000 jobs in Wyoming, 14,000 jobs in Arizona and 10,000 jobs in Colorado.
Energy development and mining on Interior-managed lands and offshore areas supported about 1.5 million jobs and $275 billion in economic activity. Most of these jobs are in Texas, Wyoming, Louisiana, New Mexico, California, and Florida.
Interior provides services to 1.7 million American Indians and Alaska Natives from 566 federally recognized tribes. Activities on tribal lands contributed around $12 billion in economic output and supported nearly 126,000 jobs. Support for tribal governments through loan guarantees and other aid contributed an additional $1.2 billion in economic output and about 9,500 jobs.
Interior’s water supply, forage and timber activities, primarily on public lands in the West, supported about 290,000 jobs and $41 billion in economic activity.
Investments in construction and maintenance totaled approximately $2.6 billion, which contributed about $7.2 billion in economic activity and supported almost 49,000 jobs.
Interior administers a variety of grants and payments programs. These programs support activities such as reclamation of abandoned mine lands, historic preservation, conservation activities, and tribal governments. Grants and payments totaling $4.2 billion in 2011 contributed about $10 billion worth of economic activity and supported about 84,000 jobs.
SEC. OF STATE CLINTON MEETS WITH U.S. AFGHANISTAN EMBASSY STAFF
Meeting with Embassy Staff in Kabul
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State U.S. Embassy Atrium
Kabul, Afghanistan
July 7, 2012
Well, thank you all. And it is great to see you early in the morning here. I am delighted that I was able to come by and eyeball all of you and thank you, once again, for your service.
I am also very pleased to thank Ambassador Crocker for his service to this mission, his sixth ambassadorship in a distinguished career. And it is certainly to all of our benefit that we persuaded him to come out of retirement and come to Kabul to assume this post. He has deep affection, as you know, for Afghanistan, having hitch-hiked through the country when he was a much younger man. And he was telling me today on the ride from the airport to the embassy that he would hitch-hike around Afghanistan in 1970. And when drivers would pick him up it wouldn't be just for a ride, it would be for lunch, for dinner, to spend the night, to get to know the people. And so he came back with great affection.
Like me, he is a long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan. (Laughter.) Yes, I know, I know. And he and I sat through yet another loss at Wrigley Field, along with General Allen. We tried to put a good face on it. But I think if you are masochistic enough to be a Cubs fan, you are drawn to assignments like this, and what I do for everyday, and the like. And I want to thank you, Ryan, for your leadership and your vision. We will miss you when you try to retire again in a few weeks. But we will certainly build on your progress.
And I want to thank Ambassador Cunningham and the entire team here who have done such a great job. And it is wonderful to see General Allen again. General Allen threw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field. I don't know if you have seen it on YouTube, but it is pretty good. He did a lot of practicing for that, I am told.
I want to thank you all for everything each of you has done. This is a whole-of-government effort. The entire United States Government, in addition to all of our great Afghan team members, have really helped to lay the transition and the progress that we know Afghanistan will make in the decade ahead. We are calling it the Decade of Transformation, because we think we have laid a very strong foundation. The strategic partnership agreement that we signed will guide the enduring partnership between the United States and Afghanistan.
I am going to be announcing formally with President Karzai in just a little bit that President Obama has officially designated Afghanistan as what is called a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States. There is a very small number of countries that fit into that category. The international community has made concrete commitments to fund the Afghan national security forces. And tomorrow in Tokyo I will be representing the United States at a conference to talk about what we will commit to the civilian side of the equation for Afghanistan's economic development and further progress in governance.
Today, the responsibility for Afghanistan's future rests squarely where it belongs, with the Afghan people themselves. They alone can make the hard choices and the reforms needed to foster peace and stability, unity, and progress. But we can help them as they do that. And each of you is here because you are a believer in this country's future. None of us has any illusions about how hard the road ahead will be. After 2 attacks on the embassy in 12 months, you know the dangers that come with this job. And you know the challenges, as well. But you also know the rewards and the satisfaction that accrue to those who are working hand in hand with the people of Afghanistan.
We like to say that our strategy is fight, talk, build. Well, what does that mean? That means that military professionals, diplomats, development experts, everyone working together in a professional, highly-integrated way. Anything short of that just isn't good enough. And it is hard to do. It is hard to get everybody on that one team for that one fight. But I think this embassy has succeeded brilliantly. At the start of this Administration we laid out the strategic mission: to surge our military and civilian efforts simultaneously and in a coordinated manner. And you have really executed that. And I know it has been at some sacrifice, leaving behind family and friends, working 14, 18, 20-hour days, living in shipping containers, all because you know how much is at stake for the people of this country and for the American people.
Look, I am aware that there are naysayers and cynics who are quick to criticize what we do here. And, unfortunately, the steady progress that you are making doesn't grab the headlines. I am kind of an expert on that. (Laughter.) And I want you to know that a lot of people who count know what you do every single day. Anyone who saw Ambassador Crocker's op ed piece in the Washington Post yesterday knows how valuable you are. And I am proud to share stories of your success everywhere I go.
Look what happened just a few days ago, on July 4th, as we celebrated our own independence. Several tankers exploded at the oil and gas depot here in Kabul. And ISAF forces responded with firefighters and medics. The Afghan Minister of Health reached out to our USAID team to help more than 80 injured people. You responded instantly and expertly. And, because of that, you saved lives and sent yet again a clear message about our commitment to the Afghan people and their futures.
Or look at the women of Helmand who, thanks to you, have learned to organize and advocate on their own behalf. One of our foreign service officers started a dialogue that, over time, grew to include women from throughout the province. They talked about peace-building, reintegration, and how to ensure that their daughters and their sons receive a good education. First they shared their concerns with each other, then with the governor of Helmand Province. They successfully pushed for action for stalled projects. They realized their own power to bring about peaceful change that will benefit them and their families. And those women understand how important your work is.
Ten years ago, Afghanistan did not have a single paved street that wasn't severely damaged. You have helped build roads all over the country that foster connections to new markets. When problems with insurance policies threaten to stop all international flights in and out of Kabul Airport earlier this year, American experts from the Department of Transportation helped the Afghan Government find a solution to keep those commercial flights going. Every person who was able to fly in and out of Afghanistan knows how important your work is.
Our development experts are working outside the wire to help Afghan farmers replace their poppy fields with high-value crops. One farmer recently showed off new fields of grapes and explained how he had already made a profit, much sooner than he had ever expected. Now he has enough money to build his first home. And that farmer and his family know how important your work is.
In eastern Afghanistan we have trained instructors and begun facilitating a program to teach 200 madrasas high school students, half of them women, basic computer and Internet skills. Those students and every Afghan benefiting from our scholarships, our exchanges, our training programs, knows how important your work is.
And I am well aware that some of you have put your lives on the line. When I was here in 2009 I gave the Department of State Award for Heroism to a foreign service officer named Matt Sherman. Matt was on a mission with military colleagues when the lead convoy vehicle struck an IED and flipped. And Matt didn't hesitate; he raced out from the safety of his own vehicle to help the wounded U.S. soldiers. That is the kind of everyday heroism that we see among our embassy staff.
I also want, in particular, to recognize all of our Afghan team members. They risk their lives every day to make their country a better place. And let me mention just one person out of all who are here: Taj. Where is Taj? Taj. (Applause.) Taj has worked for the United States Government for more than 23 years. And when the Taliban fell in 2001, he was our first foreign service national to come back and help reopen the embassy. And today he organizes speaker programs for imams to discuss religious tolerance and women's rights under the Qu'ran, countering extremist voices. He has faced threats, but he has never failed to keep pressing on. And I want to thank you, Taj, for your dedication to your country and your work. (Applause.)
Now, each of you -- we could spend all day hearing each of your stories. Some of you bring potable water for drinking to urban neighborhoods or vaccines to rural communities. Some of you help victims of human trafficking find legal aid and counseling. Some of you work to hammer out agreements that are critical to our future relationship. But no matter which of the 18 U.S. Government departments or agencies you represent, whether you are foreign service or civil service or local Afghan staff, you are all part of the success of this mission here.
We ask a lot of you. I think it is fair to say that nowhere in the world do we face tougher problems, or encounter more unforeseen challenges. To walk a mile in your shoes or to sleep a night in your can takes strength and resolve. I have slept in those cans, and I am aware that this mission is filled with people who wake up every day clear-eyed about the task ahead, but asking, "What can I do today to make a difference," and you have. You have made a difference.
So, on behalf of President Obama and the American people and certainly myself and our entire team in Washington, I want to thank you for all of your work. I am very, very proud to be your colleague and to work alongside you as we help the people of Afghanistan build their own future, and by doing so, help our own country have the kind of future and the kind of world that we want to see happen. It is a great personal honor to serve with you. You make me proud. Thank you all very much. (Applause.)
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