SEC. OF DEFENSE SPEAKS BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON MEETING NEEDS OF VETERANS

FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Spoken Statement on DOD-VA Collaboration before the House Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committees
As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Washington D.C., Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Thank you very much.
Chairman McKeon, Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Smith and Ranking Member Filner, dear former colleagues of mine, I appreciate the opportunity to be here. And I also want to pay my respects to the members of both committees. This is a unique event. It's an important event.

And first and foremost, I want to thank all of the members of both the Armed Services Committee and Veterans Committee for the support that you provide the Department of Defense, our men and women in uniform, and our veterans. We could simply not do the work that needs to be done in protecting this country and in serving those who are our warriors and their families – we just could not do it without the partnership that we have with all of you. And for that reason, let me just express my personal appreciation to all of you for your dedication and for your commitment to those areas.

I also want to thank you for the opportunity to appear this morning alongside Secretary Shinseki. He is a great public servant, a great military leader and a great friend to me and to our nation's veterans, and I appreciate the opportunity to appear alongside of him.

I'm pleased to have this chance to discuss the ways that the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs are working together to try to meet the needs of our service members, our veterans and their families. This hearing comes at a very important time for our nation and for collaboration between our two Departments.

DoD and VA are in the process of building an integrated military and veteran support system. It's something that should have been done a long time ago, but we are in the process of trying to make that happen and develop a support system that's fundamentally different and a lot more robust than it's been in the past.

Today, after a decade of war, a new generation of service members, of veterans, are coming home. Our nation has made a lifetime commitment to them for their service and for their sacrifice, for their willingness to put their lives on the line for this country. These men and women have shouldered a very heavy burden. They've been deployed, as you know, time and time and time again.

They've fought battles in Iraq. They've fought battles in Afghanistan. They've been targeted by terrorists and by IEDs. They've been deployed from Kuwait to South Korea, from the Pacific to the Middle East. Many are dealing with serious wounds, as well as with complex and difficult problems, both seen and unseen. They fought, and many have died, to protect this country, and we need to fight to protect them.

We owe it to those returning service members and to the veterans to provide them with a seamless support system so that they can put their lives back together, so that they can pursue their goals, so that they can not only go back to their communities but be able to give back to their communities and to help strengthen our nation in many ways.

None of this is easy. It takes tremendous commitment on the part of all Americans – those in government, those in the military. It takes tremendous commitment on the part of those in the private sector, our business leaders and frankly all citizens across our country.

There is no doubt that DoD and VA are working more closely together than we have before. But frankly, we have much more to do to try to reach a level of cooperation to better meet the needs of those who have served our nation in uniform, especially our wounded warriors.

Since I became Secretary a little over a year ago, Secretary Shinseki and I have met on a regular basis in order to personally guide efforts to share resources and expand cooperation between our departments. The partnership between our departments extends to all levels, led by a joint committee co-chaired by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Senior military leaders have been deeply committed to this effort. This is about the care of their troops, but it's also about recruiting and retaining the very best military force in the world. When it comes down to it, caring for those who have served and their families is not only a moral imperative, it is a national security imperative as well.

For those who have fought for their nation, we need to protect their care and their benefits, but we also need to protect their integrity and their honor. It's for that reason that before I discuss the specifics about DoD and VA collaboration, I want to announce an important step that my Department is taking in order to help maintain the integrity of the awards and honors that are earned by our service members and their veterans.

You're all aware of the Supreme Court decision that determined that free speech allows someone to lie about military awards and honors. Free speech is one thing, but dishonoring those who have been honored on the battlefield is something else.

For that reason, today we are posting a new page on the Defense Department's website that will list those service members and veterans who have earned our nation's highest military awards for valor. Initially the website will list the names of those who have earned the Medal of Honor since 9/11, but in the near term, it will include the recipients of the Services Crosses and the Silver Star since 9/11. We'll look at expanding that information available on the website over time.

This effort will help raise public awareness about our nation's heroes and help deter those who might falsely claim military honors, which I know has been a source of great concern for many veterans and members of these committees and members of the Congress. I want to thank you for your concerns and for your leadership on this issue. And our hope is that this will help protect the honor of those who serve the United States in battle.

Now let me discuss the five priority areas that DoD and VA are trying to work on to enhance collaboration.

The first is this transition program, the Transition GPS program. At the Department of Defense, our goal is to provide a comprehensive transition assistance program that prepares those who are leaving the service for the next step – whether that is pursuing additional education, whether it's trying to find a job in the public sector or the private sector, or whether it's starting their own business.

On Monday, the President announced the new "Transition GPS program" that will extend transition preparation through the entire span of each service member's military career. The program will ensure that every service member develops their own individual transition plan, meets new career readiness standards and is prepared to apply their valuable military experience however and wherever they choose.

The second area that we focused on is trying to integrate the Disability Evaluation System. We've overhauled the legacy disability evaluation system in trying to make improvements with regards to developing a new system. In the past, as you know, service members with medical conditions preventing them from doing their military jobs had to navigate separate disability evaluation systems at both DoD and VA. We've replaced that legacy system with a single integrated Disability Evaluation System that enables our departments to work in tandem. Under the new system currently in use, service members and veterans have to deal with fewer layers of bureaucracy, and they are able to receive VA disability compensation sooner after separating from the military.

But let's understand as we try to do this, this is a tough challenge to try to make this work in a way that can respond to our veterans effectively. After all, veterans have rights. They have the right to ensure that their claims are carefully adjudicated. But at the same time, we need to expedite the process, and to ensure that as we do that we protect their benefits. And that's what we're trying to do with this system.

The third area is to try to integrate – as was pointed out – a new Electronic Health Record system. We're working on a major initiative to try to do that. For too long, efforts to achieve a real seamless transition between our health care systems have been hamstrung by separate legacy health record systems. In response to the challenge that was issued by the President – and frankly, presidents in the past who have tried to address this issue – DoD and VA is finally working steadily to build an integrated Electronic Health Record system. When operational, that system will be the single source for service members and veterans to access their medical history and for clinicians to use that history at any DoD and VA medical facility.

Again, this is not easy, and so the way we're approaching it is to try to see if we can complete this process at two places – San Antonio and Hampton Roads – and then try to expand it to every other hospital. It's tough, but if we can achieve this, it would be a very significant achievement that I think could be a model not only for the hospitals that we run but for hospitals in the private sector as well.

Fourthly, we need greater collaboration on mental and behavioral health. Beyond these specific initiatives that I mentioned, we are trying to focus on enhancing collaboration in areas that involve some of the toughest challenges we face now, related to mental and behavioral health. Post-traumatic stress has emerged as a signature unseen wound of this last decade of war. Its impact will be felt for decades to come, and both the DoD and VA must therefore improve our ability to identify and treat this condition, as well as all mental and behavioral health conditions, and to better equip our system to deal with the unique challenges these conditions can present.

For example, I've been very concerned about reports of problems with modifying diagnoses for post-traumatic stress in the military disability evaluation system. Many of these issues were brought to my attention by members of Congress – and I appreciate their doing that – particularly the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Patty Murray, who addressed this issue because it happened in her own state in a particular way.

To address these concerns, I've directed a review across all of the uniformed services. This review, led by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Erin Conaton, will help ensure that we are delivering on our commitment to care for our service members. The review will be analytically sound, it will be action-oriented and it will provide hopefully the least disruptive impact to behavioral health services for service members. The effort here is to determine where those diagnoses take place, why they were downgraded downward, what took place, so that we know exactly what has happened. I hope that the entire review will be completed within approximately 18 months.

The last area is an area that has really concerned me, which is the area of trying to prevent military suicides. We've strongly focused on doing what we can to try to deal with this issue, which I've said is one of the most frustrating problems I have come across as Secretary of Defense. Despite increased efforts and attention by both DoD and VA, the suicide trends among service members and veterans continues to move in a very troubling and tragic direction. In part, it is reflective of the larger society. The fact is, numbers are increasing now within the military.

In close cooperation with the VA, DoD is taking aggressive steps to try to address this issue, including promoting a culture to try to get people to seek the kind of help that they need, to improve access to mental and behavioral health care, to emphasize mental fitness and to work to better understand the issue of suicide with the help of other agencies, including the VA.

One of the things that I'm trying to stress is that we have got to improve the ability of leadership within the military to see these issues, to see them coming and to do something to try to prevent it from happening. Our efforts to deliver the best possible services depend on the dedication of our DoD and VA professionals who work extremely hard every day on behalf of those who have served in uniform, and I extend my thanks to all who help support our men and women in uniform today, to our veterans and to our families.

Let me just say, we are one family. We have to be one family at the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, a family that supports one another and all those who have answered the call to defend our country. Together, we will do everything possible to ensure that the bond between our two Departments and between our country and those who have defended it only grows stronger in the future.

Let me also say this. As a former Congressman – now as Secretary of Defense – and someone who's spent over 40 years involved in government in some capacity or another, I am well aware that too often the very best intentions for caring for our veterans can get trapped in bureaucratic infighting. It gets trapped by conflicting rules and regulations. It gets trapped by frustrating levels of responsibility.

This cannot be an excuse for not dealing with these issues. It should be a challenge for both the VA and DoD, for the Congress and for the Administration to try to meet that challenge together.

Our warriors are trained not to fail on the battlefield. We must be committed not to fail them on the homefront. I realize that there have been a lot of good words and a lot of good will and a lot of good intentions. But I can assure you that my interest is in results, not words. I'm grateful for the support of the Congress and particularly these two committees. And I thank you and look forward to your questions.

Life with asthma

Life with asthma

Soldiers to the Olympics: U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program

U.S.-CHINA HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE SPECIAL STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING

Map Credit:  U.S. State Department.
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Briefing on the 17th U.S.-China Human Rights DialogueSpecial Briefing

VIDEO LINK: http://bcove.me/9uobdsfi




TRANSCRIPT
Michael H. Posner
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Washington, DC
July 25, 2012

MS. NULAND: Afternoon, everybody. Thank you for joining us. As you know, we have a special briefing today by Assistant Secretary of State Mike Posner to talk about our just-completed Annual Dialogue with China on Human Rights. So without further ado, Assistant Secretary Posner.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Thanks, Toria. Before I begin, I want to say how much we welcome the appointment of – by the European Union of a new position, a Special Representative for Human Rights, and we welcome the first appointee, Stavros Lambrinidis. We have a long record of working with the European Union on issues of human rights, and the creation of this position strengthens their commitment and we look forward to working with him.

I want to make a short statement and then I’m glad to answer questions. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, we hosted our Annual Human Rights Dialogue with the Chinese Government. I was pleased to lead the U.S. delegation to these meetings for the third time. Our delegation included representatives from the Department of Justice, USAID, the Department of Labor, U.S. Trade Representative, the Office of the Vice President, National Security Staff, and the Department of State. My counterpart, Chen Xu, is the Director General for International Organizations in the Chinese Foreign Ministry, and he led a Chinese delegation which also included representatives from a range of government ministries.

These meetings take place in the broader context of U.S.-China relations. As President Obama and Secretary Clinton have made clear many times, we welcome the rise of a strong, stable, and prosperous China, and we’re committed to building a cooperative partnership with China. We recognize China’s extraordinary record of economic development over the last three decades. During this period, hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens have been lifted out of poverty, and this is a remarkable achievement.

At the same time, we see that political reforms in China have not kept pace with economic advances. Like people everywhere, Chinese people want to be treated with dignity. This means they seek economic opportunity and jobs; at the same time, they seek a lawful way to voice legitimate grievances and have a meaningful role in the political development of their own society.

In our Human Rights Dialogue, we focus particular attention on the growing discourse on human rights in China today. We discuss restrictions on free expression and internet freedom, on religious and ethnic minorities, and on internationally recognized labor rights that Chinese citizens are raising with their own government. We also discuss legal reform issues in China.

This dialogue is about applying universal human rights standards, and indeed regular news from China makes clear that the subjects of our discussion are matters of great concern to millions, many millions of ordinary Chinese citizens whose voices are increasingly being heard around the world.

Let me say what this dialogue is and is not. It is a chance for us to engage on human rights issues and to do so in an in-depth manner focusing both on specific issues and specific cases. It’s not a negotiation. Rather, it’s a forum where we meet to engage frankly and candidly. And most importantly, it’s the only forum among many where we – it’s only one forum among many where we raise these issues. These issues are and will continue to be raised by numerous senior U.S. Government officials in a variety of settings. For example, Secretary Clinton addresses human rights as part of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue each year.

The overall human rights situation in China continues to deteriorate. Over the last two days, we’ve focused on a number of cases where lawyers, bloggers, NGO activists, journalists, religious leaders, and others are asserting universal rights and calling for peaceful reform in China. A number of these individuals have been arrested and detained as part of a larger pattern of arrest and extralegal detention of those who challenge official actions and policies in China. Among the cases we raised were lawyers like Gao Zhisheng and Ni Yulan, who have been imprisoned because of their legal advocacy on behalf of clients who espouse controversial positions and who are critical of official actions. We urge the Chinese Government to release such lawyers as well as imprisoned democracy activists like Liu Xiaobo, Chen Wei and Chen Xi, who have actively pursued political openness and the promotion of fundamental freedoms for Chinese citizens.

We also expressed concern about the denial of access to legal counsel, to criminal defendants such as Chen Kegui, whose lawyers Ding Xikui and Si Weijiang have not been able to meet with him. We continue to state our position that China’s policies in ethnic minority areas are counterproductive and aggravate tensions, and that preceptions. of human rights activists trying to give these communities a voice violates their human rights. We’ve raised and will continue to raise our deep concern about more than 40 self-immolations in Tibetan parts of China.

We believe that societies that respect human rights and address aspirations of their own people are more prosperous, successful, and stable. In China as elsewhere, we strongly believe that change occurs from within a society. These discussions then are ultimately about Chinese citizens’ aspirations and how the Chinese themselves are navigating their own future. In every society, we believe it’s incumbent on government to give its own people an opportunity to voice their concerns and pursue their aspirations.

Let me end with that thought. I’m pleased to take your questions.

QUESTION: You mentioned, I think, Chen Guangcheng’s nephew and that he’s been denied legal counsel. How did the Chinese delegation respond to that? And more generally, how would you characterize their responses to the individual cases that you’ve raised, and did you get any assurance that they would take any taking action?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: We, in a range of – in discussing a range of issues, the general approach we take to these discussions is it’s important to talk about the broad subject and then to use specific cases to illustrate and to get into a deeper discussion. We did that in the case of Chen’s nephew and the denial of access. A number of his lawyers who the family have reached out to have tried to meet with him, tried to represent him actively, and been denied access. We raise those concerns openly. We will continue to raise those concerns. At this stage, I’m not going to characterize every response we got from the Chinese Government, but I can assure you that’s an area of great concern to us.

QUESTION: But in general, I mean, did you get any assurance that they would – they were mindful of your concerns?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: They’re certainly mindful of our concerns and they’re mindful of our concerns and they’re mindful of the fact that these are issues we will continue to raise. These are issues that address fundamental human rights protections. Every individual charged criminally, especially with a felony, is entitled to a lawyer of his or her choosing, and that lawyer needs to have access to represent them.

So that’s a broad concern we have. We raised it in the particular case of the nephew, and we’ll continue to do so.

MS. NULAND: Andy.

QUESTION: As a step back, this is maybe the third of these that you yourself have been in this seat*. I’m just wondering if you could tell us, from your perspective, what this dialogue has accomplished in concrete terms. I mean, every year you come up, you say that they take on our complaints or our things onboard. but I’ve never seen – but you, yourself, are saying the situation is deteriorating. For those who are interested in human rights in China, why is this dialogue really worth the time that it takes to do it?

And secondly, can you tell us if the Chinese raised any issues that they might have with the U.S. human rights record? And if so, what were they and what was the response?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: We take our lead from those within China who are advocating for human rights and who are on the receiving end of improper actions. What people in China tell us – lawyers, activists, people whose family members are detained – is that it’s critically important for us to raise these issues, raise specific cases, to do so privately, to do so publicly, to do so on an ongoing basis, and not forget about them. This is a piece of that effort. It’s not the only effort. We work on these issues 365 days a year. I’m not the only one raising these concerns.

But this is an opportunity for us to go into these cases and these issues in greater depth and to appear, as I am here today, to make clear what our concerns are. We will continue to raise these issues throughout the year, and I think over time we’re responding to a very heartfelt desire by people living in China that these issues – that their cases, their issues, not be forgotten.

We’re amplifying their voices, in effect. And as I said in my opening statement, there’s greater attention to these issues by Chinese people on the web, in the blogs. These are issues that are now commanding greater attention.

The – I’m sorry. The second --

QUESTION: Any Chinese concerns about U.S. human rights?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Yeah. As always, there’s back and forth, both about issues in China and the United States. There were some questions and discussions raised about issues, for example, of discrimination, prison conditions, and the like, which we discussed openly. And I think the point that we made, which I feel very confident and proud to make, is that we have human rights issues in the United States, but we also have a very strong system to respond to them. We have an open press. We have lawyers who are ready to represent unpopular defendants, and they do so without fear of retaliation. We have a political process that is robust, to say the least.

And so we’re open to that discussion. We also had some visits yesterday. We took them to Politico. We took them to the American – Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee to get a better sense of how our free press works and how minority communities are represented by advocacy groups. And I think that also is part of the dialogue that’s important.

MS. NULAND: Jill, do you have something?.

QUESTION: Yes, thanks. Two questions: Was the case of Li Wangyang raised – the gentleman who dies in Hunan province last month and whose death has been described by Chinese authorities as a suicide? But I think there’s a certain amount of disbelief as to whether it really was a suicide.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: I’m not going to – I don’t remember, honestly. I can come back to you on that particular case. We raised several dozen cases, honestly, and I’m not going to get into every one of them. I mentioned a few in my opening statement, but I think in general, we – in addition to the cases we specifically described and discussed, we have a list of broader number of cases of people in detention whose cases we continue to follow and whose – and information we continue to seek from the government.

QUESTION: And secondly, you mentioned –

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: I can get back to you on that particular case.

QUESTION: Okay. Thank you. That would be helpful. And secondly, you mentioned that you’d raised issues about minority areas. Specifically, was there any discussions about the Uighur and what’s happening in Xinjiang province?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Yeah. On Monday afternoon, we had a quite lengthy discussion, both of the issues relating to the Uighurs in Xinjiang as well as the Tibetan population in the various places where they reside. And we discussed a range of concerns about both the self-immolations, which I mentioned with the Tibetans, but broader issues that apply both to the Uighur and Tibetan community relating to discrimination in terms of language rights, ability to practice their religion freely, discrimination employment – a range of issues involving their cultural rights, their religious freedom, et cetera.

QUESTION: And sorry. Just – could I – what was their response to raising these concerns?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Again, I’m not going to characterize every aspect. We had a quite long discussion. Our position is that these are – these minority communities and representatives of religious minorities are entitled to live freely, to express their religious views, to practice their religion, to express their cultural differences and customs. And this is an area where clearly the Chinese Government has a different view.

MS. NULAND: Over here.

QUESTION: Comparing to the past U.S.-Sino, like, human rights dialogue, do you see any progress of Chinese doing human rights and – because you are saying that the human rights is kind of deteriorating. Why you say that?

MS. NULAND: I think that question was already asked and answered here, but I don’t know if you want to –

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: I would say on the positive side, I think it is becoming a more – it’s – the discussion is now firmly embedded and one where we are raising these issues in a variety of ways and a variety of contexts. We are managing and as we should, to make human rights a priority along with a range of other priorities in the relationship. And I feel very confident that the more we raise these issues in different contexts, we’re going to have an effect over time.

It is a frustrating time in China because lawyers, bloggers, journalists are having a difficult time, and we raise those issues very directly. Part of it is that there is a growing frustration, I think, among many Chinese people that they don’t have the ability to express their differences in a peaceful way. And our message to the Chinese Government is you’ve made progress on the economic front; this is the moment to open up the space to allow people to dissent, to question government actions, and to do so without fear of retribution.

QUESTION: I’m wondering if the one-child policy was raised. Just yesterday, Secretary Clinton was at the Holocaust Museum and brought this issue up.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Yes, we did. We raised in particular the case of Feng Jianmei, who was beaten, detained, and then forced to have an abortion at seven months. And as a matter of U.S. policy, any coercive measures, including forced abortion, we deplore. There are a number of other cases, including some that have been reported recently. We did raise it and raised our concern about it.

QUESTION: And what was their response?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Again, this is – I’m not going to get into every back-and-forth here, but this is clearly an issue we’ll continue to raise with them.

QUESTION: The U.S. Congress always have a strong voice against the Chinese human rights conditions. If there anyone from the Congress participate in these talks? If not, have you passed their message to the Chinese delegation?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: We’ve been eager, in fact, to have a broader discussion beyond the two governments, the two executive branches of government, that could include Congress. It could also include nongovernmental organizations. To date, we haven’t been able to persuade the Chinese Government to do that. So at this stage, it’s a discussion among the executive branch from their side and ours, but we will continue to encourage that broader discussion to take place. And we will certainly inform members of Congress of the discussion that we had.

MS. NULAND: Speaking of which, I’m told Assistant Secretary Posner has to be on the Hill shortly, so we’ll take two more --

QUESTION: Yes, thank you. The U.S. State Department included organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Can you just speak up a little bit?

QUESTION: Sorry. The U.S. State Department included organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in its Human Rights Report this year. Was that raised in the dialogue, and what was that response? What was their response?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: We did also raise – in the context of religious freedom and other kinds of discrimination, we did raise the issue of some of the Falun Gong representatives. And again, I’m not going to go into every back-and-forth, but it’s part of our discussion.

QUESTION: How – just a follow-up?

MS. NULAND: Follow-up on that one?

QUESTION: Yeah.

MS. NULAND: Go ahead.

QUESTION: Because I just wonder if you specifically talk about the organ harvesting, because we know, earlier this year, Wang Lijun, police chief, he went to the U.S. consulate in Chengdu, and so there’s evidence he’s deeply involved in the crimes like organ harvesting. So I’m wondering if he provided any useful material to the U.S. Government on that aspect, and so --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: There’s no – we have plenty of our own information from our own Embassy and our own reporting, and we’ve relied on that for the discussions.

MS. NULAND: Thank you very much.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Thanks, everybody.

　

　

U.S. ARMY SOLDIER READIES FOR 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Face of Defense: Soldier Gears Up for Fourth Olympic GamesArmy World Class Athlete Program pistol shooter Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Szarenski practicing at Fort Benning, Ga., U.S. Army photo by Tim Hipps

By Tim Hipps
Army Installation Management Command

LONDON, July 26, 2012 – Army World Class Athlete Program pistol shooter Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Szarenski is taking a businesslike approach to his fourth Olympic Games.

"To go there just to be in the Olympics doesn’t really appeal to me anymore," said Szarenski, 44, a native of Saginaw, Mich., who is stationed at Fort Carson, Colo. "I’m going for a medal. If we can’t get a medal, then what are we doing this for? I really couldn’t care about the participation at this point."

Szarenski’s latest medal quest will begin July 28 in the men’s 10-meter air pistol event at the Royal Artillery Barracks. On Aug. 5, he’ll compete in the men’s 50-meter free pistol, his stronger event.

At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Szarenski placed 25th in free pistol. Four years later, he finished 13th in both free and air pistol in Athens, Greece -- a feat he repeated at the 2008 Beijing Games. At that point, he said, he realized something had to change.

"It just kind of felt like we’ll go to the Olympics and do the best we can, but there wasn’t really a hope," he recalled. "I kind of lost a little bit of hope and thought maybe I was just going to be an also-ran."

"I decided we’re not going to the Olympics for a fourth time just to be an also-ran," he continued. "That’s why I dug deep. This might be my last one. I’m getting close to the end of my military career, so we’re going to go all-out and give them everything we’ve got. I’m hoping to keep wearing them down and get a medal out of it."

Along the way, Szarenski changed part of his training regimen and part of his shooting game plan.

"I did a major overhaul in my training at the end of 2009, and in 2010 I won four World Cup medals," he said. "I think the training regimen that I have right now is a lot better than it was in the past. I changed a couple of technical issues, and I think I’m headed in the right direction."

Then he changed his mailing address, from one Army unit to another, and from one region of the country to another – complete with changes in attitude and altitude. Szarenski transitioned last August from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga., to the thin air of Colorado Springs, Colo., where he trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as a soldier in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program.

"The big thing, it’s kind of funny, but there is no oxygen up here," Szarenski said of "The Mountain Post" situated 5,835 feet above sea level. "I’m just getting used to breathing. I had to change my hold a little bit, because you’re holding the gun up there for a while. I had to add an extra breath in there to keep oxygen in me."

Szarenski has since set a Pan American Games record in free pistol, and he comes to London on a roll after reaching several World Cup finals.

"I feel that I’m shooting the best now that I’ve ever shot," he said. "I increased the amount of rounds downrange and just the intensity of making sure that they’re perfect shots every time. It’s a good score every day, and I have very few weak scores that used to be my average. My whole average has gone up five or 10 points. I think that should be all right, and I’m hoping for the best."

Szarenski said he intends to make the London Games his breakthrough Olympics.

"I think my chances are really good," he said. "I’ve been having a really good couple years, and my scores are up high. This is the best outlook I’ve had in my career. Before, it seemed like you go in and hope for the best. Now, you kind of go in and expect the best, because I’ve just been shooting a lot better these last four years."

Szarenski said he feels better suited to find Olympic success in London than anywhere before.

"When I got to WCAP, the company commander and the first sergeant said, ‘Hey, your mission is to win the Olympics.’ And I said, ‘All right, I’m in the right place. This is great.’"

The only thing greater, Szarenski said, would be to win an Olympic medal.

"I know that I can do it," he said. "I’ve beat the guys that are in the field that I’m playing against, so there’s no reason why I shouldn’t beat them during the day of the Olympics. But I’m going to have to bring my ‘A’ game and have to do everything right in order to do it. It’s the best in the world that are competing for it, so you just can’t go in there and walk away with it. But I’ve got a really good chance."

With retirement looming, Szarenski, a 20-year Army veteran, has made a career of competitive shooting since being recruited from Tennessee Tech University, where he studied industrial technology on a rifle grant-in-aid.

"I can’t speak highly enough of the Army for wanting to win the Olympics and wanting to showcase our athletes and the potential the United States has," Szarenski said. "That’s what it’s all about."

U.S.-TANZANIA RELATIONS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATEThe United States established diplomatic relations with Tanzania in 1961. The United States and Tanzania have a deep partnership characterized by mutual respect, mutual interest, shared values, and aspirations for a more peaceful and prosperous future. The United States respects Tanzania’s record of democratic progress, which has made it a model for the region and beyond, and supports Tanzania's continuing efforts to strengthen the institutions of democracy. The United States is committed to working with Tanzania on nutrition and food security, energy, women’s and children’s health, HIV/AIDS, and sustainable development.

Several exchange programs welcome Tanzanians to the United States through the Fulbright, Humphrey, and English Language program educational grants at the graduate and post-graduate levels. Other exchange programs promote artists, journalists, writers, civil servants, young leaders, musicians, and students. On the semi-autonomous islands of Zanzibar, the U.S. has sponsored English-teaching programs and provided science books to secondary students. The Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation program has provided funding for restoration projects, including the historic ruins at Kilwa Kisiwani.

U.S. Assistance to Tanzania
The United States has provided development assistance to Tanzania for development and capacity building to promote transparency, address health and education issues, and target development indicators to sustain progress.

• The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided funding to improve public health and quality of basic education, biodiversity conservation, and natural resource management.
  
• Feed the Future has provided funding to boost agricultural growth and productivity, promote market development and trade expansion along with equitable rural economic growth, invest in global innovation and research, and address mother and child malnutrition.
  
• The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief supports national, international, and civil society organizations in Tanzania in the areas of HIV and AIDS care and treatment, prevention, impact mitigation, and health systems strengthening.
  
• The President’s Malaria Initiative is an expansion of U.S. Government resources to reduce malaria and poverty in 17 African countries, including Tanzania.
  
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assists the Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in responding to emerging public health threats and infectious disease outbreaks such as H1N1, Rift Valley fever, measles, and avian influenza.
  
• A 5-year Millennium Challenge Corporation compact that entered into force in 2008 addresses critical transport, energy, and water infrastructure needs.
  
• The Partnership for Growth economic development initiative seeks to accelerate and sustain broad-based economic growth through engaging government, the private sector, and civil society to unlock new sources of investment, including domestic resources and foreign direct investment in the areas of energy and rural roads.
  
• Peace Corps volunteers serve in Tanzania as math and science teachers in secondary schools, teacher trainers in information and communication technology, leaders of health education projects that increase basic health knowledge and improve health attitudes and behaviors, and leaders of environmental projects addressing basic village-level needs for sustaining natural resources.

Military to Military Relations
Military-to-military ties between the U.S. and Tanzania in recent years have expanded and deepened to include capacity-building and training in coastal water surveillance, international peacekeeping and humanitarian projects, civil military operations, and investigation/clean-up of munitions dump sites.

Bilateral Economic Relations
Tanzania's exports to the United States are dominated by agricultural commodities, minerals, and textiles while imports from the United States include wheat, agricultural/transport equipment, chemicals, used clothes, and machinery. Tanzania is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The United States has Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with two regional organizations to which Tanzania belongs--the East African Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. The United States and Tanzania do not have bilateral investment or taxation agreements.

Tanzania's Membership in International Organizations
Tanzania and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

RET. LT. GENERAL WILLIAM BROWN JR. RECALLS FIGHTER PILOT EXPERIENCE IN KOREAN WAR

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Korean War Fighter Jet Pilot Recalls MissionsBy Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2012 - He flew fighter planes his entire career, and as a wingman during the Korean War in 1952 and 1953, he flew 100 missions and extended his tour to perform 25 more.

Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. William Earl Brown Jr. spent 34 years in the military, but his experiences as a young pilot in the Korean War left a lasting impression, he said in an interview with the Pentagon Channel.

In Korea, Brown said, he flew the F-86 Saber fighter jet, the first operational swept-wing aircraft in the Air Force inventory.

"Our mission was to prevent the MiGs from attacking the other aircraft. The MiG-15s were being flown by the Chinese communists and by active-duty Soviet fighter wings."

A typical mission took up to two hours. "If we were lucky, we'd run into the MiGs and manage to down a few of them," he added.

As a wingman, Brown flew with a more-experienced major or captain in the lead, many of whom had World War II experience. They flew in flights of four, in "fingertip" formation with a leader and a wingman, and an element leader and a wingman, he explained.

"The wingman's job was to look to the rear and protect the leader from any aircraft closing [in] to shoot him," Brown said. "And the second lieutenants were invariably assigned to the jobs as wingmen, while the captains and majors would shoot down the MiGs."

Brown said he was fortunate to fly with some good aviators in the Korean War.

"I'd been flying maybe 10 or 15 missions and never saw a MiG," he said, "Except one day, ... I was No. 4 in a flight. A MiG-15 that was obviously flown by a guy who was superior to me in skill latched onto me."

The MiG was so close, Brown said, he could hear the sound of its guns firing. It had two 23 mm cannons in addition to a larger one, compared to the Americans' six machine guns – three on each side of the aircraft.

Brown said he is alive today because his element leader came in behind the MiG, and while it shot at Brown, the element leader poured bullets into the MiG and shot the aircraft down. "That encounter really got my attention," he said. "Up until that point, I had no real understanding of what it meant to have some guy really try to kill you."

Brown, an African-American, said he didn't face any discrimination during the Korean War.

"I never ran into the kinds of discriminatory practices that the Tuskegee airmen had to face when they began flying in the Air Force," he said. "One thing about flying in fighters [is] when you don the fighter pilot's helmet and don the oxygen mask and pull down the visor, no one can see what color you are. All they can see is how you position your aircraft. Is it where it should be? Do you drop the weapons? Do they strike the target?

"I guess I was fortunate," he said.

BAIL BONDSMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BRIBING PUBLIC OFFICIALS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Portsmouth, Va., Bail Bondsman Pleads Guilty to Bribing Public Officials

A bail bondsman in Portsmouth, Va., pleaded guilty today in the Eastern District of Virginia for bribing public officials in exchange for receiving favorable treatment, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride for the Eastern District of Virginia announced today.

Ulysses "Tugger" Stephenson, 52, of Portsmouth, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bradford Stillman. The sentencing is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Rebecca Smith on Nov. 2, 2012.

Stephenson was charged in a criminal information filed on July 9, 2012, with one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery and one count of federal programs bribery. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the bribery.

According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Stephenson earned money by charging arrestees a percentage of the amount of bond set by a magistrate. Thus, the larger the bond amount set, and the more arrestees that were referred to him as prospective clients, the more money Stephenson would earn. To obtain additional clients and therefore maximize his profits, Stephenson gave cash and gifts to Deborah Clark—a local magistrate who pleaded guilty to federal programs bribery on May 2, 2012—in exchange for her referring arrestees as prospective clients and seeking and accepting Stephenson’s advice on the amount of bond to set in particular cases. During this time period, Stephenson gave up to $150 per month to Clark, as well as expense money for trips and numerous cash payments for gas and meals. Additionally, in exchange for referrals, Stephenson made cash payments to an officer in the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office. From January 2009 through July 2010, he paid that officer up to $150 per week.

Stephenson is subject to prosecution for bribery under a federal statute because the two people he bribed were agents of an organization or state receiving annual benefits in excess of $10,000 under federal programs involving grants and other forms of assistance.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Trial Attorneys Peter Mason and Monique Abrishami of the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Salsbury and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy E. Cross of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

CHEMICAL WARFARE DEFENSE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


120629-N-IK959-416
GREAT LAKES, Ill. (June 29, 2012) Seaman Recruit Ryan McNena, center, from Queens, N.Y., and other recruits don MCU-2P gas masks in the USS Chief Fire Fighting trainer at Recruit Training Command. More than 35,000 recruits go through five days of training at USS Chief, learning to fight shipboard fires and handle chemical, biological, radiation attacks. (U.S. Navy photo by Scott A. Thornbloom/Released)
　

 Written on July 13, 2012 at 7:50  by jtozer
Neutralizing The Threat of Chemical Warfare, One "Inator" At A Time
In with the good and out with the bad.

Our lungs (and yoga teachers) are masters of this concept. Filtering the useful things and expelling the bad. There’s little that can take the place of our lung filtration, but even our highly-functioning biological machines need a little help every now and then (see: gas mask).

The problem is that even our most effective of ventilation devices aren’t all-powerful (although they do make for wonderfully creepy Doctor Who episodes). That’s because, frankly, it’s a bit of a challenge to neutralize hazardous things into something that won’t, you know, injure/kill you.

And to this the Naval Research Laboratory is saying "challenge accepted".

NRL is looking to make our air cleaner, better, and less hostile thanks to the reactive and catalytic air purification materials and catalytic self-decontaminating materials they’ve created to combat hazardous materials.

Makes sense right? Okay, well my work here is done…

Oh all right, at first it didn’t make sense to me, either. So let’s break that down (Ah? Break it down? Oh you’ll think that’s funny later)

So, the self-decontaminating and air purification technologies are essentially two approaches to the same idea. Basically, this technology aims to remove something that is undesirable – whether that be a gas or a liquid – and then convert that undesirable compound into something that would be more desirable.

As in, less toxic.So let’s say you have a building in which there’s a lot of ammonia generated. A restroom for example. Part of the smell you get is ammonia from urine. For that type of regular environment (as in for gas filtration), this technology would act as a filter that could actually remove ammonia and convert it to something else. This is unlike a carbon that would just absorb it and hold onto it until maximum capacity was reached (yuck) rendering it useless at that point.

The difference is that this technology that NRL is developing will actually keep working.

So how does that affect the troops? Well first of all, if you have to ask that you’ve likely never had to clean a latrine. Or didn’t get in trouble often enough to do that. Either way, it’s more than just the emotional scar tissue of Simple Green that makes me think this air purifier/decontaminator is a good idea.

And that’s where Dr. Brandy White comes in.Dr. White is a research chemist for the Center for Bio/Molecular Science & Engineering at the US Naval Research Laboratory. Among her many specialties, Dr. White is working on making this technology work for the service men and women everywhere, and we’re not talking about a bathroom air freshener.

"In the military, gas mask technology currently is based on carbon," Dr. White explains. "So essentially what happens is you absorb [the bad chemicals] into the carbon until all the capacity is used up, and then it stops absorbing. Also carbon doesn’t absorb everything equally well."

And because mediocrity and ineffectiveness isn’t really an ideal choice, Dr. White is working toward an alternative to our love affair with carbon.

"So the kind of sorbents that I’m trying to make are intended to incorporate reactivity that would grab targets that you usually wouldn’t catch using carbon. They’re intended to give you something beyond one-to-one interaction," she says.

Essentially, this technology can take an element – ammonia let’s say – and process it into something else less offensive. Or just plain less obnoxious (take my ammonia! Please!). The decontaminator would then be then be ready to process more ammonia after it had already neutralized the nasal threat. Basically, you you could keep using the decontaminator for a much longer period of time

More effective, more longevity, and it sounds like the thing a super villain would use to take over a metropolis (anything with an "inator" at the end = comic book super device). I’d say that’s pretty cool. And it makes sense, too.

"The first goal is to see the improvement in the technology that is available for gas masks and respiratory protection," said Dr. White. "Then the second thing that we’re really excited for is the potential for incorporation of the photo catalytic sorbents into next generation protective garments. This is so you can extend exposure of the warfighter to toxic compounds. Not to replace MOPP gear, but more of the idea of making it less necessary to don MOPP gear under all circumstances, and making situations more survivable without the need for that extreme action."

The NRL scientists like Dr. White are not just attempting a novel approach to air purification, but also protective fabrics and protective surfaces. For example, self-decontaminating fabrics or services. Clothes smart enough to clean themselves? Oh how cool would that be?

"Whether that be a garment or a tent structure or the hood or a car, [when] the target when it comes in contact it is rapidly sequestered, so a person can’t come in contact with it anymore," says Dr. White. "That allows times for the catalytic process to occur. So while it might not be destroyed immediately on contact, it’s sequestered on contact and broken down into something that’s non-toxic."

Now, this doesn’t mean you can just scotch guard your weekend wear with this decontaminator and poof! You’re chemical-agent proof. This is more of an augmentation, so if you have a garment that’s protective already and you can add this to it, it would enhance that protective capability.

And this kind of enhancement is something the troops could really use. "Most of the things that are available to the warfighter currently don’t do what we’re talking about. Most of the protective garments just capture the target and then hold onto it. And then you need to throw that garment away, or further decontaminated with further processing steps. And we’re trying to get around that. "

Neutralizing the threat of chemical warfare one "inator" at a time. That’s just how NRL rolls.
You know, this might be something we can log away for future use when we encounter an alien species.

Hey, don’t laugh! You don’t know what kind of biological incompatibility they could have with us. Haven’t you people read War of the Worlds? I’m just saying, when the Martian plague descends upon humanity you’re going to thank your lucky stars that NRL thought of this stuff ahead of time.

I’ve already preordered my decontamination clothes. In TARDIS blue, of course.

　

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CAPITAL ONE REACHES SETTLEMENT ON ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF ACT

FROM: U.S. DELPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, July 26, 2012

Justice Department Reaches $12 Million Settlement to Resolve Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act by Capital One

Capital One N.A. and Capital One Bank (USA) N.A. (together Capital One), have agreed to pay approximately $12 million to resolve a lawsuit by the Department of Justice alleging the companies violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), the Justice Department announced today. The settlement covers a range of conduct that violated the protections guaranteed service members by the SCRA, including wrongful foreclosures, improper repossessions of motor vehicles, wrongful court judgments, improper denials of the 6 percent interest rate the SCRA guarantees to service members on some credit card and car loans and insufficient 6 percent benefits granted on credit cards, car loans and other types of accounts. The proposed consent order, which was filed simultaneously with the complaint, is one of the most comprehensive SCRA settlements ever obtained by a government agency or any private party under the SCRA.

"Today’s action makes clear that the Justice Department will fight for our service members, and use every available tool, resource and authority to hold accountable those who engage in discriminatory practices targeting those who serve," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "Every day, our brave men and women in uniform make tremendous sacrifices to protect the American people from a range of global threats – and my colleagues and I are determined to ensure that they receive our strongest support here at home."

The agreement requires Capital One to pay approximately $7 million in damages to service members for SCRA violations, including at least $125,000 in compensation plus compensation for any lost equity (with interest) to each servicemember whose home was unlawfully foreclosed upon, and at least $10,000 in compensation plus compensation for any lost equity (with interest) to each servicemember whose motor vehicle was unlawfully repossessed. In addition, the agreement requires Capital One to provide a $5 million fund to compensate service members who did not receive the appropriate amount of SCRA benefits on their credit card accounts, motor vehicle finance loans and consumer loans. Any portion of the $5 million that remains after payments to service members are made will be donated by Capital One to one or more charitable organizations that assist service members.

"This settlement demonstrates that the Justice Department will take any and all actions to ensure that the rights of service members are protected. We rely on these brave men and women to protect the safety and security of this country and we will be vigilant in protecting their rights at home," said Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez. "We commend Capital One for taking steps to develop strong SCRA policies before they knew the full results of our investigation."

Capital One cooperated fully with the Justice Department’s investigation into its SCRA practices and has also agreed to pay above and beyond the $12 million if ongoing, independent audits required by the settlement turn up violations in accounts that it recently acquired from HSBC or ING Direct USA. Capital One has also, on its own initiative, recently adopted several policies that go beyond the requirements of the SCRA, such as extending a 4 percent interest rate to qualifying service members and giving an additional one-year grace period before de-enrolling service members from the reduced interest rate program.

Service members will be identified and compensated, with no action required on their part, on accounts dating back to July 15, 2006. As a result of the decree, Capital One has agreed to treat a service member’s request for a 6 percent rate relief in one area of its lending, such as credit cards, as a request for a 6 percent rate relief for any loan the servicemember may have with Capital One or its affiliates. This is the first time the Justice Department has obtained this type of enterprise-wide rate reduction relief from a lender under the SCRA. The settlement also requires Capital One to adopt policies and practices to prevent violations of the SCRA in the future.

The settlement was filed in conjunction with the Department’s complaint, which alleges that Capital One violated the SCRA, from at least July 15, 2006 to Nov. 21, 2011, when it: 1) wrongly denied certain written requests made by SCRA-protected service members to have the interest rate on their credit cards and motor vehicle finance loans lowered to 6 percent per year; 2) provided insufficient interest rate benefits on certain accounts that were enrolled after written requests were received from SCRA-protected service members; 3) foreclosed on the mortgages of certain SCRA-protected service members without court orders; 4) repossessed certain SCRA-protected service members’ motor vehicles without court orders; and 5) obtained default judgments on certain debts owed on credit cards, mortgage foreclosures, and/or motor vehicles without filing accurate affidavits of military service .

"We rely on the SCRA to guard and protect the rights of our men and women of the armed forces so that they can focus on their service to our country," said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil MacBride. "This case underscores the need for financial service providers to be aware of the wide-ranging protections and benefits the SCRA provides and to have in place policies and procedures that ensure service members’ SCRA rights are protected."

The agreement, which is subject to court approval, was filed today in federal court in Alexandria, Va. The lawsuit resulted from a referral to the Justice Department by the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The referral involved a claim of a single service member’s failure to receive an interest rate reduction on his Capital One credit card account. The settlement comes after a two-year investigation of Capital One by the Department of Justice.

The SCRA provides critical consumer and other protections to the men and women serving our nation in the military. Its enactment was recognition that those who are making great sacrifices to protect us deserve our full support at home.

NASA SHOWS OFF FLAME NEBULA

FROM:  NASA
The Flame Nebula sits on the eastern hip of Orion the Hunter, a constellation most easily visible in the northern hemisphere during winter evenings. This view of the nebula was taken by WISE, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. This image shows a vast cloud of gas and dust where new stars are being born. Three familiar nebulae are visible in the central region: the Flame Nebula, the Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2023. The Flame Nebula is the brightest and largest in the image. It is lit by a star inside it that is 20 times the mass of the sun and would be as bright to our eyes as the other stars in Orion's belt if it weren't for all the surrounding dust, which makes it appear 4 billion times dimmer than it actually is. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN JULY 27, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. Navy.
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Coalition Airstrike Kills 2 Insurgents

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2012 - A coalition airstrike killed two enemy fighters during a search for an al-Qaida-associated insurgent leader in the Gelan district of Afghanistan's Ghazni province today, military officials reported.

The insurgent leader is responsible for planning insurgent attacks throughout the province, officials said.

After the airstrike, the security force conducted a follow-on assessment of the area and seized several mortar rounds and explosive materials, officials said, noting no civilians had been injured during the operation.

In other operations today:

-- A combined force detained numerous suspects during a search for a Taliban leader in the Musa Qal'ah district of Helmand province. The sought-after insurgent leader provides supplies to enemy fighters throughout northern Helmand province, and conducts attacks against Afghan and coalition forces throughout the district.

-- In the Khugyani district of Nangarhar province, a combined force detained two suspects during an operation to arrest a Taliban explosives expert. The explosives expert manufactures and supplies insurgents with improvised explosive devices used to attack Afghan and coalition forces throughout eastern Afghanistan.

In July 26 operations:

-- A coalition force discovered a drug cache containing 18,181 pounds of hashish seed and 193 pounds of processed hashish in the Deh Rawud district of Uruzgan province. The seeds and drugs were destroyed.

-- A combined force seized homemade explosives used for making IEDs in Ghazni province's Ghazni district.

-- In Ghazni province, a combined force found and cleared one IED in the Gelan district and another in the Qarah Bagh district.

-- In Khowst province, a combined force detained an insurgent while investigating a weapons cache in the Sabari district. The cache contained small arms and ammunition, a grenade, and spotting scopes.

-- A combined force detained two insurgents in Khowst province's Nadir Shah Kot district.

-- In Kunar province, a combined force killed an insurgent in the Nari district.

-- A combined force detained an insurgent in Logar province's Pul-E Alam district.

-- In Nangarhar province, a combined force found and cleared one IED in the Bati Kot district and another in the Nazyan district.

-- A combined force found and cleared an IED in Paktika province's Orgun district.

U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM COMPETING IN LONDON GAMES

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Spc. Justin Lester takes down an opponent in an earlier competition. Lester is presently USA Wrestling's reigning Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year and is headed to the London Olympic Games. A two-time bronze medalist at the world championships, Lester said he won't settle for anything but gold this time.

　

EUGENE, Ore. (June 26, 2012) -- The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program will send its strongest contingent of athletes and coaches to the 2012 Olympic Games in London since the program's inception in 1997.

Eleven World Class Athlete Program, or WCAP, coaches and athletes already have qualified to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Several more are competing for spots on Team USA at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials in Eugene, Ore., which began June 21 and concludes July 1.

WCAP provides Soldier-athletes the support and training needed to successfully compete in Olympic sports on the national and international levels, including the winter and summer Olympics, Pan American Games, world championships and at the Conseil International du Sport Militaire.

The Soldier-athletes serve as ambassadors for the U.S. Army by promoting the service to the world and assisting with recruiting and retention efforts. Since 1948, more than 600 Soldiers have represented the U.S. as Olympic athletes and coaches. They have collected more than 140 medals in a variety of sports, including boxing, wrestling, rowing, shooting, bobsled and track and field.

WCAP wrestling head coach Shon Lewis, a retired staff sergeant who has led the Army to 11 national team titles in Greco-Roman wrestling, will lead three of his wrestlers to London as an assistant coach for Team USA.

As a WCAP athlete, Lewis was a 12-time armed forces champion and a 10-time national team member. He was named Greco-Roman Coach of the Year five times by USA Wrestling, the governing body for wrestling in the U.S.

Two-time Olympian Sgt. 1st Class Dremiel Byers will wrestle in the 120-kilogram/264.5-pound Greco-Roman division. A world champion in 2002, Byers, a 10-time national champion, is the only U.S. wrestler who has won gold, silver and bronze medals at the world championships. He also is the only American wrestler to win gold at both the open and military world championships.

Spc. Justin Lester is a strong medal contender in the 66-kilogram/145.5 pound Greco-Roman division. Lester heads to England as USA Wrestling's reigning Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year.

A two-time bronze medalist at the world championships, Lester has more than ample motivation to succeed in London.

"I've had two bronze medals, and they're alright, but I need an Olympic gold medal," he said. "That's eating at me more than anything, that I don't have that gold medal."

Two-time Olympian Sgt. Spenser Mango will compete in the 55-kilogram/121-pound Greco-Roman class. A four-time national champion, Mango is eager to return to the Olympics.

"The first time, I'll admit, I was surprised myself," Mango recalled of his Olympic debut in Beijing. "I knew I could do it, but I hadn't done it yet. This time, it's all business -- need to bring home some medals. I've wrestled almost all the top guys in the world in my weight class. I know what I need to do, just get out there and really get after it."

Four-time Olympian Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Szarenski will compete in both the 50-meter free pistol and 10-meter air pistol. He struck gold with the air pistol and silver with the free pistol at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Szarenski finished 13th at the Olympics in Athens, Greece, in 2004 and 13th in Beijing in 2008. He's aiming for a shot at the podium in London.

"I'm hoping to keep wearing them down and get in there and get a medal out of it," Szarenski said. "I think the training regimen that I have now is a lot better than what it was in the past. I've changed a couple technical issues and I think I'm heading in the right direction. I feel that I'm shooting the best now that I've ever shot."

Two-time Olympian Sgt. 1st Class Keith Sanderson will compete in the 25-meter rapid-fire pistol event. He set an Olympic record during the qualification rounds in Beijing but left China without a medal. He hopes to improve upon that fifth-place result in London.

"I remember the excitement," Sanderson said. "That was more than I was ready for. It's faded a little bit, but I remember it was awesome. It was more than I could control. I'm looking forward to feeling that again. It was something that words can't describe, and to this day, words can't describe it. I didn't sleep for two or three days after I competed, not a wink, from all of the adrenalin."

Four-time Olympian Maj. David Johnson has coached three athletes to Olympic medals and led shooters to 25 medals in World Cup events. He will again coach Team USA's rifle shooters in London.

Two-time Olympian Staff Sgt. John Nunn already qualified for the 50-meter racewalk and might attempt to qualify in the 20-kilometer racewalk June 30 at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials here.

Nunn competed in the 20-kilometer event at the 2004 Olympics in Athens but did not make Team USA for the 2008 Beijing Games. His personal best in the 20K racewalk is 1 hour, 22 minutes, 31 seconds.

Spc. Dennis Bowsher will compete in modern pentathlon, a five-sport event that includes fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, cross country and laser pistol shooting all in the same day.

Bowsher finished fourth in both the 2011 Military World Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, where he secured an Olympic berth.

Staff Sgt. Charles Leverette will serve as Team USA's assistant boxing coach in London. A former WCAP heavyweight boxer, Leverette was a bronze medalist at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Trials.

Staff Sgt. Joe Guzman will serve as the trainer and help work the corners for Team USA's boxers in London. As a WCAP boxer, Guzman was a three-time Armed Forces champion.

Four-time Olympian Basheer Abdullah, a retired staff sergeant and head coach of the WCAP boxing team from St. Louis, will serve as Team USA's head boxing coach in London. He also led the U.S. boxing team in the 2004 Athens Games and served as a technical advisor for Team USA at the Olympics in 2000 and 2008.

Several other WCAP Soldiers are vying for Olympic berths at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials in Eugene, which conclude July 1.

WCAP also features a Paralympic program for wounded warriors and expects to qualify at least one Soldier for the London Paralympic Games. Sights are set on qualifying several more for the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

NEW PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO PREVENT HEALTH CARE FRAUD

FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

Thursday, July 26, 2012
Obama Administration Announces Ground-breaking Public-private Partnership to Prevent Health Care Fraud

Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the launch of a ground-breaking partnership among the federal government, state officials, several leading private health insurance organizations, and other health care anti-fraud groups to prevent health care fraud. This voluntary, collaborative arrangement uniting public and private organizations is the next step in the Obama administration’s efforts to combat health care fraud and safeguard health care dollars to better protect taxpayers and consumers.

The new partnership is designed to share information and best practices in order to improve detection and prevent payment of fraudulent health care billings. Its goal is to reveal and halt scams that cut across a number of public and private payers. The partnership will enable those on the front lines of industry anti-fraud efforts to share their insights more easily with investigators, prosecutors, policymakers and other stakeholders. It will help law enforcement officials to more effectively identify and prevent suspicious activities, better protect patients’ confidential information and use the full range of tools and authorities provided by the Affordable Care Act and other essential statutes to combat and prosecute illegal actions.

"This partnership is a critical step forward in strengthening our nation’s fight against health care fraud," said Attorney General Holder. "This administration has established a record of success in combating devastating fraud crimes, but there is more we can and must do to protect patients, consumers, essential health care programs, and precious taxpayer dollars. Bringing additional health care industry leaders and experts into this work will allow us to act more quickly and effectively in identifying and stopping fraud schemes, seeking justice for victims, and safeguarding our health care system."

"This partnership puts criminals on notice that we will find them and stop them before they steal health care dollars," Secretary Sebelius said. "Thanks to this initiative today and the anti-fraud tools that were made available by the health care law, we are working to stamp out these crimes and abuse in our health care system."

One innovative objective of the partnership is to share information on specific schemes, utilized billing codes and geographical fraud hotspots so that action can be taken to prevent losses to both government and private health plans before they occur. Another potential goal of the partnership is the ability to spot and stop payments billed to different insurers for care delivered to the same patient on the same day in two different cities. A potential long-range goal of the partnership is to use sophisticated technology and analytics on industry-wide healthcare data to predict and detect health care fraud schemes.

The Executive Board, the Data Analysis and Review Committee and the Information Sharing Committee will hold their first meeting in September. Until then, several public-private working groups will continue to meet to finalize the operational structure of the partnership and develop its draft initial work plan.

The following organizations and government agencies are among the first to join this partnership:

• America’s Health Insurance Plans
• Amerigroup Corporation
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
• Federal Bureau of Investigations
• Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General
• Humana Inc.
• Independence Blue Cross
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners
• National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units
• National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association
• National Insurance Crime Bureau
• New York Office of Medicaid Inspector General
• Travelers
• Tufts Health Plan
• UnitedHealth Group
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• U.S. Department of Justice
• WellPoint, Inc.

The partnership builds on existing tools provided by the Affordable Care Act, resulting in:

• Tougher sentences for people convicted of health care fraud. Criminals will receive 20 to 50 percent longer sentences for crimes that involve more than $1 million in losses.
• Enhanced screenings of Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers to keep fraudsters out of the program.
• Suspended payments to providers and suppliers engaged in suspected fraudulent activity.

TUNISIA AND U.S. AID

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. Government Assistance to TunisiaFact Sheet
Office of the Special Coordinator for Middle East Transitions
Washington, DC
July 27, 2012
Tunisia has inspired the world with its peaceful, steadfast march toward a more democratic, prosperous society. As Tunisia continues in this critical phase of its history, the United States remains a committed partner in working with the Tunisian government, private sector, and civil society to develop democratic institutions in supporting the growth of an independent civil society and free media, and in laying the economic foundations for Tunisia to thrive as a 21st century democracy. Since the January 2011 revolution, the U.S. has committed more than $300 million to support Tunisia’s transition, focusing heavily on technical and financial assistance to Tunisia’s economy and private sector.

Supporting Economic Growth and OpportunityThe United States is providing technical and financial assistance to support the growth of Tunisia’s economy and private sector, while ensuring that our aid is both economically and socially inclusive. U.S. programming includes elements that specifically target the interior parts of the country. U.S. assistance responds to Tunisian requests to promote fiscal stabilization; expand economic and employment opportunities throughout the country, particularly for youth; and encourage investment and growth-minded reforms.


Promoting Fiscal Stabilization

Critical Budget Support – The United States provided $100 million to pay directly debt that Tunisia owes the World Bank and African Development Bank, allowing the Government of Tunisia to instead use an equal amount for its priority programs, and to accelerate economic growth and job creation.

Sovereign Loan Guarantee – The United States will guarantee bonds that the Tunisian government will issue to raise funds to support its stabilization and economic reform plans. The United States has committed $30 million for this purpose which can support several hundred million dollars in new financing for the Tunisian government.

Expanding Economic and Employment Opportunities

Information Communications Technology (ICT) Sector Development Project – This project will position Tunisia’s ICT sector as a catalyst for private-sector growth and job creation. The program will train and support thousands of Tunisians across several skill sets using job-placement initiatives while improving the overall business environment for ICT firms, and helping the ICT sector to export more.

Return of the Peace Corps – Twenty Peace Corps volunteers will be on the ground in Tunisia in late 2012. Volunteers will provide English language training and youth skills development programs to help prepare students and professionals for future employment, build local capacity, and foster citizenship awareness.

Youth Entrepreneurship and Employability – The United States is providing assistance to more than 4,500 Tunisian youth in market-relevant skills training, job placement, and access to start-up business resources.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Program – The United States continues to work with women entrepreneurs, providing them with the resources to enable them to contribute to Tunisia’s economic development and to the direction of the country’s overall development. The U.S. is partnering with Microsoft Corporation, other technology companies, and eight local Tunisian women’s organizations to provide technological, social media, entrepreneurship and leadership training. Tunisian women entrepreneurs also have the opportunity to participate in professional mentorship and exchange opportunities at leading companies in the U.S..

Encouraging Investment and Growth-Minded Reforms

Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) Franchise Facility – A $50 million OPIC franchising facility will provide working capital to Tunisian franchisees interested in working with American, European, and Tunisian franchisors; ultimately creating an estimated 10,000 local jobs for Tunisians.

Tunisian-American Enterprise Fund – The United States will establish a Tunisian-American Enterprise Fund with an initial capitalization of $20 million. The fund will foster stronger investment ties between Tunisia and America, leverage other investors, and help Tunisians launch the small and medium enterprises that will be engines of long term growth.

Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Threshold Program – Tunisia was selected for an MCC Threshold Program in September 2011. As a first step, the United States and the Government of Tunisia are jointly identifying Tunisia’s primary constraints to economic growth. A $20 million Threshold Program will be designed based on the results of this analysis and will target policy and/or institutional reforms that the Government of Tunisia decides to implement to increase economic growth.

Regulatory Reform to Improve Access to Capital and Business Enabling Environment – The Departments of Commerce and State are supporting entrepreneurship and franchising regulatory reform, as well as reforms to the country’s commercial legal infrastructure. The U.S. Treasury is deploying a resident advisor to Tunisia to provide technical assistance to the Central Bank on financial stability issues.

Public-Private Partnerships –In addition, the U.S. is partnering with the Microsoft Corporation to provide business and software skills training to 20 new Tunisian startup companies in 2012 and 2013. At the conclusion of this training, Microsoft will match these startups with local and international venture capitalists. The U.S. has also partnered with the Coca-Cola Corporation to send 100 university students from the throughout the MENA region, including ten Tunisian students, to a summer entrepreneurship program at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 2012.

Democracy, Governance, and Civil SocietyThe success of Tunisia’s transition to a healthy democracy depends on its ability to develop mechanisms for government transparency, accountability, and the existence of thriving civil society and media sectors. In support of the Tunisian people’s aspirations for democracy, prosperity, and long-term political stability, U.S. assistance bolsters efforts to develop institutions of democracy and governance; enhance the capacities of civil society; promot transitional justice and the rule of law; and build capacity in the education, culture and media sectors.

Strengthening Political Participation – The United States is working to build on Tunisian-led efforts to increase citizen engagement in democratic life and support political participation. In the fall of 2011, the U.S. provided assistance to organizations in Tunisia that were organizing and administering what were widely hailed as free and fair multiparty elections for a Constituent Assembly, which is drafting a new constitution this year. Following the elections, the U.S. is continuing its support by linking newly elected representatives and their constituents to help encourage engagement in the transition and to help build a positive, communicative relationship between government and citizens. Additionally, the United States sponsored a Constitutional Program that brought U.S. Supreme Court Justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg into contact with members of the Constituent Assembly, political party representatives, and legal scholars as they prepared to debate and draft the new Tunisian constitution.

Enhancing the Capacities of Civil Society – The U.S. is partnering directly with local civil society and community organizations to enhance their capacity to actively participate in the political transition and advocate for their causes. Responding to requests from Tunisian civil society organizations, the U.S. is providing assistance in the form of training, information-sharing, physical space for organizations to conduct business, and funding – in their efforts to advance women’s empowerment, freedom of expression and an independent media; promote civic awareness and peaceful expression of differences; and hold their new democratic leaders and institutions accountable.

Building Capacity in the Education and Media Sectors – Building on the success of ongoing university linkages facilitated by grants from the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, the U.S. plans to establish eight additional linkages between U.S. and Tunisian higher education institutions. Two of these linkages will focus on business and entrepreneurship skills and will include new joint dual-degree programs, while another will introduce an investigative journalism master’s degree program at the Tunisian Press Institute. When access to Tunisian higher education institutions opened up after the revolution, the Fulbright Program quickly responded and sent 11 Fulbright Specialists to build new relationships with universities for curriculum development and other activites. The United States has also substantially increased its investment in English-language classes for youth from disadvantaged sectors by expanding its English Access Microscholarship Program to include approximately 1,000 students in eight cities across Tunisia since the program’s inception in 2004. The U.S. has also supported the development of free media by providing training to approximately 200 journalists and editors and linking Tunisian journalism students with internships at American news

Advancing of the Rule of Law – In cooperation with the Tunisian government and civil society, the U.S. will launch a program to support the development of transparent, responsive, and accountable criminal justice institutions that respect human rights, combat corruption, and promote the rule of law.

Peace and Security

The United States stands ready to partner with the Tunisian government to address the high-priority security concerns, which can directly affect the development, stability, and sustainability of the Tunisian economy. The U.S. will assist with promoting regional stability, countering terrorism, preventing the proliferation of illicit items, building law enforcement investigative capabilities, providing military equipment, and enhancing border security efforts. In addition, active Tunisian participation in U.S. professional military education courses strengthens our countries’ military-to-military relationship.

Security Assistance – Due to a nearly fivefold increase in operational tempo since the January 11 revolution, Tunisia’s need for assistance to maintain its military equipment and to train its personnel has never been greater. U.S. assistance, in the form of Foreign Military Financing, International Military Education and Training and funding from the Counter Terrorism Program 1206, have helped to address its needs, providing wheeled vehicles, patrol boats, and educational opportunities to military personnel.

Anti-Terrorism Assistance Training Program – ATA training began in 2011 after a seven-year hiatus. In 2011-2012, nine courses were held and more are planned for next year. ATA assists in developing counterterrorism capabilities to strengthen border security to detect and intercept terrorists, and build capacity for investigating terrorist activity pre- and post-incident. ATA also provided equipment and is facilitating the purchase a mobile command post and mobile crime lab.

Enhancing Border Security Efforts – The United States will provide technical assistance, equipment, and related training for front-line Tunisian enforcement personnel at airports, sea ports, and land borders. The U.S. will also provide support in the development and strengthening of comprehensive strategic trade control systems that meets international standards.

Humanitarian Assistance

Humanitarian Assistance programs reaffirm the commitment of the U.S. government to assist pockets of need in Tunisia. The programs bolster the ability of Tunisian civil society and other governmental organizations to provide humanitarian relief to underprivileged, disaffected, and disabled members of the population. Highlights of our assistance in this area include:

Assisting Flood Victims in Jendouba – U.S. Embassy in Tunis donated emergency humanitarian assistance to the Comité Regional de Solidarité Social in Jendouba to support their efforts to provide victims with relief supplies.

Ambulances for Hospitals in Southern Tunisia and Tunisian Red Crescent – New ambulances were purchased for the Tunisian Red Crescent to assist in responding to humanitarian needs on the Tunisian-Libyan border. The U.S. also donated eleven ambulances to improve emergency medical transport conditions in the governorates of Tataouine, Medenine, Kebili, and Gabes.

Construction of an AIDS Prevention / Testing Center in Tunis – The center was completed with U.S. assistance and serves youth in Tunis in the vicinity of the university campus.

Extensions to Hospitals in Southern Tunisia – Emergency, maternity and out-patient clinics will be added to hospitals in disadvantaged populations of Remada, Dhiba, and El Faouathat that lack adequate health facilities.

Installation of Air Conditioning at the Burn and Trauma Center in Ben Arous – This center for critically injured patients will be entirely equipped with air conditioning.

Eye Care Clinic for Disadvantaged Populations in Sidi Bouzid – The clinic will provide necessary infrastructure for a Tunisian Association of Ophthalmologists to perform free eye care for the impoverished population in the remote, town of Sidi Bouzid.

Vocational Training Center for Disabled Youth in Ariana – This center will provide training and job placement for youth who, due to learning disabilities, were unable to finish secondary school. The project promotes disability rights and address problems of unemployment for marginalized young people.

Center for Muscular Dystrophy Patients in Tunis – This center will provide socio-medical support to persons suffering from muscular dystrophy and will serve as a distribution center for wheel chairs and medical equipment needed by patients in Tunisia.

Training Center for Rural Women in Makthar – A vocational training facility to train rural women in crafts and agricultural production/micro-enterprise and agribusiness management will serve those in the vicinity of the Governorate of Siliana.

Construction of a Drug Rehabilitation Center in Sfax – Funding was provided to build the first socio-medical substance abuse rehabilitation center in Tunisia. The center assists the integration of marginalized and disaffected youth into mainstream society.

U.S.-CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC RELATIONS

Map Credit:  U.S. State Department.
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENTThe United States established diplomatic relations with the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) in 1960, following its independence from France. The United States and C.A.R. enjoy generally good relations, although the U.S. continues to have concerns about the pace of political and economic liberalization, social development, and respect for human rights.

C.A.R. is one of the world’s least developed nations, and has experienced several periods of political instability since independence. The two countries share a vision of a more stable Central African Republic that enjoys greater economic growth, contributes to regional stability, and is a reliable partner on issues of mutual importance. The United States continues to work with C.A.R. and through the United Nations and other international bodies to support the country as it combats the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The United States also encourages C.A.R. to develop institutions that will improve transparency, strengthen the rule of law, and promote unity among Central Africans.

The U.S. Embassy in C.A.R. was briefly closed as a result of 1996-97 military mutinies. It reopened in 1998 with limited staff, but U.S. Agency for International Development and Peace Corps missions previously operating there did not return. The Embassy again temporarily suspended operations in November 2002 in response to security concerns raised by the October 2002 launch of a rebellion that resulted in a coup in 2003. The Embassy reopened in 2005. A resident U.S. Ambassador was appointed to C.A.R. in 2007. Currently, there is limited U.S. diplomatic/consular representation in the country, and the Embassy's ability to provide services to U.S. citizens is extremely limited. Due to unrest, the U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to C.A.R.

U.S. Assistance to Central African RepublicCentral African Republic is located in a volatile and poor region and has a long history of development, governance, and human rights problems. U.S. assistance in Central African Republic is largely humanitarian in nature, with substantial contributions to multilateral organizations. Other smaller assistance programs target military professionalization, human rights, and strengthening the rule of law. Restrictions on U.S. aid that were imposed after the 2003 military coup were lifted in 2005.

C.A.R. ranks 179 out of 187 on the United Nations' Human Development Index. Significant portions of the country's territory remain uncontrolled and ungoverned, with the presence of multiple armed actors creating insecurity in much of the north and northeast. The Lord’s Resistance Army continues to terrorize civilians in the southeastern part of the country. While the 2008 Inclusive Political Dialogue and subsequent peace and cease-fire agreements brought an end to much of the internal fighting, true stability has not been cemented because of the government’s lack of capacity to fully secure its territory. Insecurity continues throughout the country, particularly outside of Bangui, and the government recognizes the urgent need to protect its citizens against threats from internal and external actors.

In October 2011, President Barack Obama announced that the United States would deploy a small number of U.S. forces to act as advisors to the national militaries in the region that are pursuing the LRA, including the Ugandan People's Defense Force and the Central African Armed Forces. Forces were deployed to C.A.R. in December 2011.

Bilateral Economic RelationsThe United States and C.A.R. have a small amount of bilateral trade. In 2004, the United States removed C.A.R. from the list of countries eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The two countries have a bilateral investment agreement and investment treaty.

Central African Republic's Membership in International OrganizationsThe Central African Republic is an active member in several Central African organizations. A major foreign policy objective of the C.A.R. Government is standardization of tax, customs, and security arrangements among Central African countries. The Central African Republic and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. C.A.R. generally joins other African and developing countries in consensus positions on major policy issues.

Adeus, Amazonas

Adeus, Amazonas