U.S. SEC. OF STATE CLINTON AND NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER MEET

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks With New Zealand Prime Minister KeyRemarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

New Zealand High Commissioner's Residence, Cook Islands

August 31, 2012

PRIME MINISTER KEY: Okay, so good afternoon. Welcome to Ngatipa, the New Zealand residence here in the Cook Islands. It’s been a pleasure for me to host Secretary Clinton and her team for lunch today. It’s always wonderful to have Secretary Clinton in this part of the world. New Zealand very warmly remembers your visit to our country back in 2010 when you signed the Wellington Declaration, which describes in celebrating the strategic partnership of our two countries here. In the almost two years since Secretary Clinton’s visit to New Zealand, the bilateral relationship has gone from strength to strength. Earlier this year, the Wellington Declaration was complemented by the Washington Declaration (inaudible) relationship.

Secretary Clinton and I discussed a number of areas of cooperation, and I’ll mention just a few. The (inaudible) and the Cook Islands are the forums and executive office is fully committed to supporting inspirations and initiatives of Pacific Island countries. As the outgoing chair of Cook Islands Forum, New Zealand welcomes the full (inaudible) historically strong engagement with the island nations of the Pacific.

We’ve been pleased to announce this week a number of joint initiatives, including the areas of (inaudible) economic development, clean energy, and maritime surveillance. We discussed Afghanistan. New Zealand has stood alongside the United States as part of an international coalition there since 9/11 joined by other countries to tackle the threats posed by al-Qaida and its allies. We’ve endured the terrible loss of life suffered by our coalition partners in Afghanistan, particularly the recent New Zealand and Australian losses and those of the United States.

Secretary Clinton and I discussed the broad range of issues in the Asia Pacific region as we look towards the APEC summit in Russia in around 10 days time. New Zealand warmly supports the United States rebalancing towards the Asia Pacific, and we welcome the opportunity to cooperate with the U.S. in the next conflicts. We discussed our ongoing (inaudible) along side a number of other countries (inaudible) partnership agreement. Secretary Clinton and I share the goal of securing a high quality, (inaudible) free trade agreement, would be a significant (inaudible) countries involved, indeed to the region as a whole.

Before passing over to Secretary Clinton, I’d like to convey publicly my personal gratitude for all that she’s done for the past relations between our two countries and our two peoples over the past four years. Secretary Clinton’s personal interest and involvement in our country is greatly appreciated by the New Zealand people. You’ve been great friends to New Zealand and you’re always welcome (inaudible).

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Prime Minister, thank you very much for the warm welcome that you have provided. As the first Secretary of State to make this journey, I am especially delighted and honored. I was pleased to meet with leaders of the Pacific Island Forum, member states, to attend the Pacific Island Forum, post-forum dialogue where I had a chance to reaffirm the Obama Administration’s commitment to our engagement in the Asia Pacific with an equal emphasis on the Pacific part of that phrase. The United States is very proud to be a Pacific nation, a long history in this region, and we are committed to be here for the long run.

Today, I’m announcing new programs and new funding to support our friends in this region in three key areas: promoting sustainable economic development and protecting biodiversity; advancing regional security; and supporting women of the Pacific as they reach for greater political, economic, and social opportunities.

To give just a few examples, the United States will work with Kiribati to protect its marine ecosystem and help coastal communities throughout the region adapt to the effects of climate change and to develop renewable energy resources.

We will expand our security partnership so U.S. ships can be of even greater help in preventing illegal and unregulated fishing, and we will take additional steps to clean up unexploded ordnance in the region, much of it still there from World War Two. We will support the Rarotonga Partnership for the Advancement of Pacific Island Women, launched just today, and I’ll be looking forward to meeting with women from the region later this afternoon.

I’m also very committed to expanding investment and trade in the region, in pursuit of sustainable economic growth. Later today, I’ll meet with local pearl vendors from here in the Cook Islands who are running their businesses while also protecting marine resources.

Obviously, I could go on because there’s a lot to do in this very important region of the world, and there is no doubt that our relationship with New Zealand provides a strong foundation for our engagement across the Pacific. I especially want to thank Prime Minister Key for his leadership in revitalizing the partnership between New Zealand and the United States. As he said, we signed the Wellington Declaration two years ago, and then in June our countries signed the Washington Declaration, which emphasized our defense cooperation.

We are working together on a number of important issues, from establishing security in Afghanistan where Kiwi soldiers have made extraordinary sacrifices. Just recently, the losses are ones that we are equally grieved by and offer our condolences to the families as well as the people of New Zealand. We also are very appreciative of New Zealand’s leadership in addressing climate change and conserving natural resources and opening the doors of opportunity.

In particular, I want to thank the Prime Minister for his government’s support of women across the region. And we’re going to create an exchange program connecting women in the Pacific with women in the Caribbean who work in agriculture so they can learn from each other and understand better how to improve the incomes and opportunities for themselves and their families.

The United States welcomes the chance to work with a broad array of partners in the region –Japan, the European Union, China – we all have an interest in advancing security, prosperity, and opportunity. And as I said this morning, the Pacific is certainly big enough for all of us. So thank you Prime Minister, the United States values our relationship. We celebrated its 70th anniversary this year. We feel a special kinship and closeness to New Zealand and your people and we continue to look, as you said, for our relationship to go from strength to strength. So thank you again for your leadership and partnership.

MODERATOR: Secretary Clinton and Prime Minister Key have kindly allowed two questions from each side. May I remind you to please (inaudible)? We’re going to start with New Zealand and (inaudible).

QUESTION: Good afternoon, Madam Secretary. How concerned is the U.S. that China’s growing influence in the region (inaudible) how it administers aid, and also its growing links with (inaudible)?

SECRETARY CLINTON: So this is an area that the Prime Minister and I discussed over lunch, and I have to say that we think it is important for the Pacific Island nations to have good relationships with as many partners as possible and that includes China as well as the United States, and we believe there is more that China can do with us, with New Zealand, with Australia, with others, to further sustainable development, improve the health of the people, deal with climate change and the environment, and I look forward to discussing these issues when I am in Beijing next week.

New Zealand sets a good example for the work that we think can be done with China. New Zealand has worked with China on water issues, for example. We want to see more multinational development projects that include the participation of China. And as part of our strategic and economic dialogue with China, we have a section on development. And it’s been my observation over the last four sessions that we have now held that China is becoming more interested in learning from, understanding best practices and cooperating with other countries.

Our policy, as expressed by President Obama and myself many times, is we want a comprehensive, positive, cooperative relationship between the United States and China. We think it is good for our country, it’s good for our people, and in fact, it’s not only good for this region, it’s good for the world. We’ve invested a lot in our strategic and economic dialogue. We speak very frankly about areas where we do not agree. We both raise issues that the other side would prefer perhaps we not, or they not. But I think our dialogue has moved to have a positive arena because we are able to discuss all matters together.

Now here in the Pacific, we want to see China act in a fair and transparent way. We want to see them play a positive role in navigation and maritime security issues. We want to see them contribute to sustainable development for the people of the Pacific; to protect the precious environment, including the ocean; and to pursue economic activity that will benefit the people.

So we think that there’s a great opportunity to work with China, and we’re going to be looking for more ways to do that.

MODERATOR: Next question.

QUESTION: Thank you, Madam Secretary. If I could follow up first a little bit on the previous question. You mentioned that there was room for cooperation between the United States and China in development (inaudible) one introduced here in climate change. Can you tell the leaders of the Pacific Islands that the United States is doing all that it can?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, after the first question, I know Admiral Locklear is here with us and he’s certainly more than capable of speaking for himself about what PACOM is doing. But several things: We are beginning to discuss cooperation with respect to disaster prevention and response. We would like to see China play a role in that. There are a lot of disasters in this region, from earthquakes, which New Zealand knows so well, to tsunamis and cyclones and terrible flooding as we saw in the Philippines just recently. So we think that that is an area that should be explored in more depth.

We also believe, on the aid front, that there is a lot of opportunity for cooperation between us and China. It is something we are modeling after New Zealand. New Zealand has been working on water issues with China, we want to learn the lessons about what works. PACOM has a great reach in the Pacific and is involved in everything from overseeing our hospital ships to working to train local officials in protecting their environment and protecting their water.

We also know that there’s a real threat from climate change, which gets me to your second question. This is real. I will underscore that. It is one that the leaders of these nations speak about with great passion because they are all very low lying land and are worried that they’re going to be swamped in the next 10, 20, 30, 40 years. So we understand very well the feelings that the Pacific Island nations have about climate change. And we stand behind our pledges in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to prompt substantial action to help vulnerable countries adapt.

Among the programs we discussed today at the new coastal community adaptation project. It’s a five-year, $25 million project to help build the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities of the Pacific to withstand extreme weather, and not only in the short run, but rising sea levels over the longer term. USAID, which as you know we brought back to the Pacific and established a headquarters in Papua New Guinea, is contributing $3 million over three years to Germany, coping with climate change in the Pacific Islands programs. And we’re working continually to develop an international consensus on reducing green house gas emissions, and other short – and on the short list – climate pollutants initiative that I started a year ago. As you know, in part because of the economy, U.S. emissions are the lowest that they’ve been in 20 years.

But look, we know we have more to do, and we have made a commitment, we’re going to stick with our commitment. I hope that we’ll be able to go beyond those commitments in the future.

MODERATOR: (Inaudible.)

QUESTION: Australia and New Zealand suffered one of the greatest losses of life since the Vietnam War in Afghanistan. Do you think the sacrifice was worth it, and do you (inaudible) stand by the United States?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well first, let me say to both New Zealand and Australia, we are deeply grateful for their participation in this coalition effort under ISAF. And we’re also very sorry about their losses as we are at the loss of any of our coalition partners and ourselves. But I think it’s important to stress that both New Zealand and Australia have played a crucial role in the ISAF mission. Their soldiers and civilians are highly regarded.

New Zealand’s contributions are far beyond what one would ordinarily expect of a country the size of New Zealand. Prime Minister Key and I of course discussed Afghanistan today. I also called Prime Minister Gillard to express condolences and exchange views with her. And I’m gratified that despite the challenges we’ve all had, including the losses that we have suffered at the hands of insurgents and turncoats, we are all resolved to see this mission through as the commitments we’ve made suggest.

I think it’s important to just reflect on the fact that a lot of progress has been made. Any time we lose the lives or see one of our soldiers or civilians – I mean, I lost an aid worker, I have a seriously injured foreign service officer in – at Walter Reed – every time this happens, soldiers and civilians alike. we are reminded of the incredible sacrifice that our nations are making.

But we should also remind ourselves of the progress we have made since we went into this together. Over lunch, the Prime Minister was sharing some statistics from the New Zealand PRT in (inaudible) province that are really impressive in terms of advances in health, education, and infrastructure. So we are committed to seeing this through as we all agreed to at Lisbon, as we reiterated at Chicago, because we cannot afford see Afghanistan turn back into a haven for terrorism that threatens us all. And the work we have done together to prepare the Afghan national security forces to defend themselves and take the security lead is a much greater positive than negative story.

So we offer our condolences, but we also offer our appreciation to the people of New Zealand – soldiers and civilians alike who have been part of this important global effort.

MODERATOR: One last question. Steve Myers from New York Times.

QUESTION: Thank you. Madam Secretary, (inaudible), can you talk a little bit about the (inaudible) this designation of the Haqqani Network as a terrorist organization? What is your thinking on the pros and cons of that before the deadline next week? And Prime Minister, if you would, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on the prospect of a negotiated settlement with groups like the Haqqani Network or the Taliban as part of the effort to drawing down the war there?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Steve, I’m not going to comment on any stories about any internal discussions, of course. But I’m aware that I have an obligation to report to Congress. Of course, we will meet that commitment. And I’d like to underscore that we are putting steady pressure on the Haqqanis. That is part of what our military does every single day along with our ISAF partners. We are drawing up their resources, we are targeting their military and intelligence personnel. We are pressing the Pakistanis to step up their own efforts. So we’re already taking action and we’ll have more to say about the specific request from Congress next week.

PRIME MINISTER KEY: Well, as Secretary Clinton indicated, from New Zealand’s point of view, we think two goals in Afghanistan have been to try and train both Afghanis (inaudible) crisis response units in the Afghan police. And we’ve done that – (inaudible) we will be doing it in (inaudible) but we hope (inaudible) look after its own security.

In terms of any negotiation with the Taliban or with groups in Afghanistan, we fundamentally believe that will ultimately be a matter for the Afghan Government, but they will (inaudible) find a way through a very difficult situation and its coming to the (inaudible) I wouldn’t be surprised if some part of it attempts to deliver greater security in Afghanistan some discussion. But it’s ultimately up to President Karzai.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT FACT SHEET ON U.S.-PACIFIC ENGAGEMENT

Photo:  Rimpac 2012 Pacific Exercise.  Credit:  U.S. Navy.
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Engagement in the Pacific
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
August 31, 2012
For over a century, the United States has remained a positive force for development throughout the Pacific region -- from the establishment of Naval Station Pearl Harbor in 1912 to its commitment of over 200 Peace Corps volunteers serving throughout the region today. A Pacific nation itself, the United States not only shares the same values as its neighbors; it understands their hopes and aspirations – and seeks to assist the peoples and nations of the Pacific as they strive to realize them. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s attendance at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Post Forum Dialogue, the first ever by a U.S. Secretary of State, demonstrates the Unites States’ commitment to partnering with the Pacific Island countries to address local and global challenges, such as climate change, economic development, gender equality, education, and peace and security.

Environmental Stewardship: The United States is committed to working with the Pacific Islands to protect the unique marine resources of the Pacific and has stated its intent to explore with Kiribati areas of cooperation to facilitate the protection, preservation, and conservation management of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area and the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, which together account for 244,514 square miles of protected marine areas.

Climate Change: Recognizing that climate change is one of the most pressing concerns for the peoples of the Pacific, the United States is working to build capacity in the region to help communities adapt to the effects of climate change. The United States is launching a Coastal Community Adaption Program that will provide $25 million over five years to build climate and severe weather resilience for vulnerable coastal communities. The United States is also establishing Vocational Training and Education for Clean Energy (VOCTEC), a $1 million program aimed at sustaining renewable energy investments.

Pacific Women’s Empowerment Initiative: In collaboration with Australia, New Zealand and other public and private partners, the Department of State will launch the next phase of the Pacific Women's Empowerment Initiative – the Rarotonga Partnership for the Advancement of Pacific Island Women, an innovative partnership that will sharply expand leadership training, academic scholarships, and other educational opportunities through programs that actively embrace and address gender issues. As the centerpiece of the Initiative, the East-West Center (EWC) will coordinate the Rarotonga Partnership to serve as a catalyst for change and a dynamic collaborative hub among regional educational institutions across the Pacific, creating new opportunities for enhanced participation of Pacific women in public and private leadership roles. The United States and New Zealand will also collaborate on women’s economic empowerment and sustainable agriculture programs at the Caribbean and Pacific Forum in Jamaica in 2013.

Safety and Security: Many Pacific Island countries continue to deal with the legacy of unexploded ordnance and other remnants of the battles of World War II. In cooperation with our Pacific Islands partners, the United States Departments of State and Defense will support a more integrated approach to cleaning up unexploded ordnance by investing over $3.5 million over the next three years for assessment, training and clean-up projects in Pacific Island states. To increase maritime awareness and enforce conservation measures, the United States is expanding the highly successful Ship Rider Agreements, which enable joint law enforcement operations with nine Pacific countries. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard, which maintains readiness to conduct search and rescue operations across 19,600,000 square kilometers in the Pacific, is working with U.S. Pacific Command to explore the possibility of developing enhanced maritime domain awareness training to the Freely Associated States.

Economic Growth and Prosperity: U.S. exports to Pacific Island countries have amounted to more than $17 billion so far in 2012. The U.S. enjoys a trade surplus with all but two PIF members. Economic growth and development in the region is good for U.S. business. Ex-Im Bank is active in the region, and seeks to provide short-, medium- and long-term financing for the procurement of US equipment and services in most PIF countries. Over the past three years Ex-Im has supported financing in the amount of approximately $7 billion dollars for projects in the Pacific, including new liquid natural gas project developments in Australia and Papua New Guinea and commercial aircraft purchases for New Zealand. Since 1980, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has invested over $341 million dollars in the Pacific Islands region, supporting investment and development in Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, and Fiji. OPIC currently has over $45 million in investments and insurance in the Pacific Islands region, and is actively looking to support viable projects in the region.

Developing Economic Linkages: In recognition of the cultural and economic ties between the United States and Pacific Islands, the Department of State is partnering with the PIF Secretariat’s Pacific Islands Trade & Invest to launch the Pacific Islands IdEA Marketplace (PIIM). PIIM is being implemented within the context of the International diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA), an innovative program that has successfully linked diasporas to local populations in Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. PIIM collaborators will develop a competition that seeks out innovative ideas to promote economic development and reduce the vulnerability of populations to natural disaster. Winners will be provided with technical assistance for developing their business plans and access to project financing and entrepreneurial networks.

Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice to Combat Environmental Crimes: The Department will continue to help link the Pacific Island nations with other countries in the region to increase capacity building for anti-corruption, law enforcement and rule of law communities. The Department, in partnership with DOJ’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training, supports a new prosecutor-led Natural Resource Crimes Task Force in Indonesia that could serve as a model for Pacific nations on improving prosecution of natural resource crimes.

Pacific Partnership: Next year, the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Partnership will return to the Pacific. Pacific Partnership deployments collectively have provided medical, dental, and educational services to 250,000 people and completed more than 150 engineering projects in 15 countries.

Constitutional Development and Democracy: This year, USAID provided nearly $2 million to support democratic institutions in Fiji and free and fair elections in Papua New Guinea.

Regional Project Support: The Regional Environmental Office of U.S. Embassy Suva provides between $75,000 and $125,000 per year in numerous small grants for local projects throughout the region tackling both environmental and health issues.

Civil Society Small Grants: The Department of State and USAID provide small grants in the region to help develop civil society. These grants include:
(Koror) 20th Anniversary of the Mechesil Belau Conference: On the 20th anniversary, the achievements of Mechesil Belau will be highlighted and a publication documenting the historical and cultural development of the organization developed.
Majuro) Adopt the Airport Project: This project plans to transform unused land beside the Majuro Airport into the atoll’s largest eco-friendly outdoor exercise facility.
(Koror) Strengthening Democracy to Mitigate the Effects of Climate Change on Public Health: This project aims to expand on a newly published book, "Public Health Impacts of Climate Change in Palau" by Southern Illinois University and funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through a television and print campaign to raise awareness and foster discussion about the impacts of climate change on public health.
(Kolonia) Economic Innovation Fund: Transition from Substance Living to Market Economy: This program will work in conjunction with the Federated States of Micronesia government’s current program designed to improve income for rural communities and increase household nutrition standards.
People-to-People Ties: In all areas, the United States engages with the people of the Pacific to address their concerns and build lasting relationships. These include:
PIF Youth Conference: This will be a conference, held in New Zealand, for youth leaders from each of the 16 member countries of the PIF to discuss key political, economic, environmental and social issues of the region and create a Pacific youth leaders network that will continue to communicate following the conference.
Pacific Islands Sports Visitor program: Sports Visitors Program focused on hearing-impaired track and field athletes. The program in spring 2013 will reinforce awareness, locally and regionally, about disability inclusion especially for youth.
American Youth Leadership Program with Samoa: Twenty American participants will travel to Samoa for a four-week exchange in December 2013 to study food security and nutrition alongside twenty Samoan teens.
Leadership Development: The East-West Center will partner with other regional donors on a $3 million program to provide leadership development skills training for 125 young Pacific Islanders.

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FROM: U.S. NAVY

120831-N-WL435-365 DUBLIN (Aug. 31, 2012) Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) the Honorable Ray Mabus speak to Irish media aboard the amphibious dock-landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) about the importance of the Emerald Isle Classic NCAA football game between Navy and Notre Dame. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter D. Lawlor/Released

　
　

　

120831-N-ZE938-021 WILLEMSTAD, Curacao (August 31, 2012) Sailors heave in a mooring line on the flight deck of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) as the ship departs Willemstad, Curacao after a scheduled port visit. Underwood is deployed to Central and South America and the Caribbean in support of Operation Martillo and the U.S. 4th Fleet mission, Southern Seas 2012. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Frank J. Pikul/Released)

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update: WASTE TO ENERGY PRODUCTS

U.S. Department of Defense Armed with Science Update

ALLEGED PONZI SCHEME TARGETS MEMBERS OF DEAF COMMUNITY

FROM: COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSIOIN

CFTC Charges California Resident Marc Perlman and his company, iGlobal Strategic Management, LLC, with Solicitation Fraud and Misappropriation in Commodity Pool Ponzi Scheme

Defendants charged with fraudulently soliciting and accepting at least $670,000 from members of the public — largely persons from the deaf community

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced the filing of a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charging Marc Perlman of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and his firm, iGlobal Strategic Management, LLC (iGlobal) with operating a commodity pool Ponzi scheme that fraudulently solicited and accepted at least $670,000 from at least 17 people — largely persons from the deaf community. Perlman was a principal and officer of iGlobal, and neither defendant has ever been registered with the CFTC.

Specifically, the CFTC complaint, filed on August 28, 2012, alleges that from at least March 2009 through at least November 2011, iGlobal and Perlman fraudulently solicited individuals to invest in a pooled investment vehicle to trade leveraged off-exchange foreign currency contracts (forex). Perlman furthered his and iGlobal’s fraudulent scheme by playing upon the Christian faith of certain iGlobal investors, using claims about his own faith and references to scripture to obtain the trust of certain iGlobal investors, according to the complaint.

The complaint further charges that less than half of the funds invested by the iGlobal investors, or approximately $305,000, were used to trade forex, resulting in losses that consumed nearly all of the invested funds. The rest of the funds were allegedly used for unauthorized purposes, including 1) payouts of fictitious "profits" to certain iGlobal investors, 2) cash withdrawals of funds that were not re-deposited into the iGlobal trading or bank accounts, 3) charges at department stores, electronic stores, grocery stores, and restaurants, and 4) payment of rent for Perlman’s personal residence. iGlobal and Perlman misrepresented that the iGlobal investors’ funds would be invested in forex and fraudulently omitted and/or concealed that iGlobal and Perlman used and planned to use investor funds for purposes other than forex investments, according to the complaint.

In addition, iGlobal and Perlman allegedly misrepresented that trades executed in connection with the iGlobal investments were profitable and that certain iGlobal investors were earning and were being paid, or would be paid, profits from the trading. iGlobal and Perlman also allegedly issued false written statements that reported profits and listed the respective iGlobal investors’ full principal when, in fact, more than half of the funds had been misappropriated and the trading resulted in net losses.

In its continuing litigation, the CFTC seeks restitution to defrauded investors, a return of ill-gotten gains, civil monetary penalties, trading and registration bans, and permanent injunctions against further violations of federal commodities laws, as charged.

The CFTC appreciates the assistance of the U.K. Financial Services Authority.

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff members responsible for this case are Laura Martin, Christopher Giglio, Manal Sultan, Lenel Hickson, William Tylinski, Stephen Obie, and Vincent McGonagle.

LT. GENERAL BRADSHAW SAID SUSPENSION OF AFGHAN POLICE TRAINING A PRECAUTION

Photo:  Afghanistan.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.  
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

ISAF Deputy: Operations Continue, Relations Remain Strong

From an International Security Assistance Force News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 2, 2012 - Suspension of training for about 1,000 recruits in the Afghan Local Police program while officials re-vet 16,300 Afghans providing security in remote areas of Afghanistan has no operational impact for Afghan police and other security forces, the International Security Assistance Force's deputy commander said today.

In a written statement, Lt. Gen. Adrian J. Bradshaw of the British army called the suspension a precautionary measure taken in response to concerns by Afghan, U.S. and other coalition commanders over recent insider attacks by gunmen in Afghan uniforms against coalition personnel.

"However, it is stressed that effective ALP operations are continuing to deliver significant results against the insurgency and that the working relationships between ALP, U.S. and other coalition partners continue to be strong," Bradshaw said. Some 8,000 commandos and 3,000 Afghan army special operations forces "continue with their normal and highly effective operational activity," he added.

The vetting status of all Afghan commandos and special operations forces also is being checked, but this has no impact on current operations, the general said.

"The measures being applied to [Afghan army] special forces and [Afghan Local Police] personnel reflects the intensive effort to recheck the vetting status of the some 350,000 [Afghan security forces] personnel as part of a number of actions recently instituted to reinforce existing precautions related to the insider threat," he said. "Much of this re-vetting task has already been completed, and numbers of individuals, where vetting status has been found to be in doubt, have been suspended pending further investigation, or removed from the force."

Senior ISAF and Afghan security forces commanders and Afghan security ministers attended a conference yesterday chaired by Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, ISAF commander, "to develop joint solutions to add to the already intensive effort to protect all of our soldiers, Afghan and coalition, from the insider threat, noting that Afghan and ISAF alike have suffered," Bradshaw said.

Participants in the meeting noted that the campaign continues to move forward, with the insurgents under constant pressure and resorting to ever more desperate measures, such as improvised explosive devices and suicide bombings, while the Afghan forces grow stronger and more confident day by day, the general said. "We expressed confidence that the [Afghan forces] will be more than capable of taking over full responsibility for Afghanistan's security in 2014, and will thereafter enjoy strong international support," he added.

The synergy between the Afghan government and military and the coalition already has resulted in several concrete measures to defeat the insider threat, Bradshaw said, noting several new initiatives being implemented:

-- Improvements to the vetting process for new recruits;

-- Increasing the number of counterintelligence teams;

-- Introduction of interview procedures for Afghan soldiers returning from leave;

-- A new warning and reporting system for insider threats;

-- Enhanced intelligence exchange between Afghan security forces and ISAF;

-- Establishment of an anonymous reporting system;

-- Improved training for counterintelligence agents;

-- Establishment of a joint investigation commission when insider threats occur; and

-- Enhanced cultural training that includes visits to coalition home training centers by Afghan cultural and religious affairs advisors, which were authorized by Afghan President Hamid Karzai this morning.

Bradshaw said that on behalf of Allen, who was away from the capital, he attended a meeting this morning of the Afghan government's National Security Council chaired by Karzai. At the meeting, he said, he presented the ISAF views on tackling the insider threat alongside Afghan security ministers and commanders. Karzai reaffirmed his strong support for the extensive measures being taken, Bradshaw said, and impressed upon his ministers and commanders "his absolute determination that we should work together to eradicate this pernicious threat."

"During the meeting, the nature of the strong and enduring partnership that the coalition and Afghan colleagues enjoy was recognized by all," Bradshaw said, "as was the fact that this common threat is serving to bring us ever closer together in our working relationship as we seek to protect the thousands of Afghan and coalition men and women in our combined force, wherever they may be serving in this theater."

EX-IMPORT BANK TOUTS 276,000 SUPPORTED BY FINANCING

Photo Credit:   Wikimedia.
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Labor Day 2012 Sees More Than 276,000 Jobs Supported by
Export Financing Provided by Ex-Im Bank
WASHINGTON, DC --- As Americans celebrate the unofficial end of summer this Labor Day, more than 276,000 American workers and their families are benefiting from jobs that are being supported by export financing from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank).

"Export-intensive industries pay higher wages than domestic-oriented industries in large metropolitan areas," said Fred P. Hochberg, chairman and president of Ex-Im. "So this Labor Day Ex-Im Bank is again on track for another record year providing financing for buyers of U.S. goods and services, and in doing so is fulfilling its mission of helping create and sustain American jobs."

As August began Ex-Im Bank had authorized 3,055 separate transactions totaling $25.8 billion, which in turn supported about $39 billion in export sales.

Businesses employing dozens to thousands of Americans are supported by Ex-Im Bank financing. Among the companies benefitting from export financing from Ex-Im are:
· FirmGreen Inc., a small renewable-energy company based in Newport Beach, Calif., and other U.S. green technology suppliers who were able to export equipment and services for an innovative biogas project at the Novo Gramacho land fill near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ex-Im provided the buyers a $46.8 million loan for the project which directly generated 165 new jobs at facilities in seven states: Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, California, Michigan, Missouri and Texas.
· Trench-Tech International, Inc. a small business in Roanoke, Texas is exporting its TT2550 chain trencher to a buyer in Mexico with the support of a $970,000 Ex-Im guaranteed medium-term loan from Citi Commercial Bank.
· Tetra Tech, a small business in Pasadena, Calif. is supplying design and construction services for a desperately-needed water supply system in Sri Lanka because of a $64.9 million Ex-Im Bank direct loan to the Sri Lankan government. The transaction will support approximately 400 American jobs in Denver and Longmont, Colo.; Morris Plains, N.J.; Langhorne, Pa.; and Fairfax, Va.
· The Boeing Co. employed thousands of workers in Washington State and elsewhere to complete and deliver to Ethiopian Airlines the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivered to any airline outside of Japan, which is also the first 787 to be financed by Ex-Im Bank.

US Navy Videos: VJ DAY COMMEMORATES WWII VICTORY OVER JAPAN

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TRAINING OF AFGHAN LOCAL POLICE SUSPENDED

Photo:  Afghanistan Landscape.  Credit:  CIA Wold Factbook
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

U.S. Suspends Afghan Local Police Training for Further Vetting
Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan and International Security Assistance Force News Releases

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2012 - In light of a recent rise in insider attacks against coalition forces, U.S. Forces Afghanistan officials have suspended the training of about 1,000 Afghan Local Police recruits, pending re-vetting of current participants in the program.

Officials emphasized that partnered operations with Afghan forces will continue, and that NATO training for the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police are not affected by the suspension of training for the local police program, in which U.S. forces train recruits, in cooperation with Afghanistan's Interior Ministry and provincial police chiefs, to provide security in remote communities.

"While we have full trust and confidence in our Afghan partners, we believe this is a necessary step to validate our vetting process and ensure the quality indicative of Afghan Local Police," Army Col. Thomas Collins, U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman, said in a written statement.

"Special Operations Forces has a strong and trusted relationship with its Afghan partners that has endured more than a decade," Collins added. "Despite the recent rise in insider attacks, they are relatively rare among [special operations] partnered forces. Special operations remains fully committed to a close and productive relationship with our Afghan partners."

Meanwhile, International Security Assistance Force officials announced yesterday that Afghan and Australian troops on a partnered mission in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province had captured a key facilitator who orchestrated an Aug. 29 insider attack that killed three Australian soldiers and wounded two others.

The facilitator also was responsible for the placement of roadside bombs and the kidnapping and murder of Afghan civilians, officials said, adding that the operation was planned and executed in coordination with Afghan officials, including approval by the Uruzgan provincial governor.

Also yesterday, insurgents using vehicle-borne bombs attacked a base shared by Afghan and coalition forces in the Sayed Abad district of Afghanistan's Wardak province.

The attack did not breach the base's perimeter, and there were no follow-on enemy actions, officials said. The explosions caused significant damage to the nearby Sayed Abad district center and killed an undisclosed number of civilians.

"We believe this attack bears the mark of the Haqqani network, which continues to target and kill innocent Afghans and blatantly violates Afghan sovereignty," said Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, ISAF commander. "I offer my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in this horrible attack. I condemn these atrocities in the strongest of terms."

ARMY AND NFL WORK TO IMPROVE AWARENESS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Army, NFL Team Up to Fight Brain Injuries

By David Vergun
Army News Service

WEST POINT, N.Y., Aug. 31, 2012 - The Army and the National Football League are working together to improve awareness of traumatic brain injury and increase research into its causes, prevention and treatment.

The top leaders of both organizations -- Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell -- met at the U.S. Military Academy Aug. 30 to discuss the issue and sign a letter of agreement to continue sharing resources to combat TBI.

They were joined by a panel of soldiers and retired NFL players who have had concussions while serving on the battlefield and the playing field. About 200 cadets also attended, as well as representatives from Army medicine.

Odierno explained how some of the best traits in soldiers can sometimes prevent them from seeking help following concussions.

"Mental and physical toughness, discipline, team over self and stressing the importance of resilience are fundamental to the cultures of both the NFL and the Army," Odierno said. "We have the Warrior Ethos, reinforced by the Soldier's Creed."

These selfless traits, he said, make it "particularly difficult for individuals to come forward and identify physical and mental issues, especially mental.".

"We are seeking to educate both players and soldiers about TBI, to empower them to seek treatment both on the battlefield and playing field," Odierno said.

The Army and NFL are continuing their dialogue and sharing of research on TBI, said Odierno, citing examples of joint efforts at monitoring TBI, including placing special sensors in the helmets of soldiers and NFL players that can detect a possible concussion following trauma to the head.

NFL players and soldiers are now coordinating strategies and using special types of tests to determine if a concussion has occurred, added Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, chair, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington. He expects research to continue to reduce TBI.

The NFL commissioner then addressed the cadets. "You are the future leaders of Army," Goodell said. "Together, we can make a big difference, sharing medical research, and helping players and fighters and bringing a greater awareness to society as well. I believe we can change our cultures, with athletes and soldiers sharing their experiences."

The cultural shift to which Goodell referred is the reluctance of many football players and soldiers to ask for help after receiving concussions.

"A frank conversation needs to take place at the lowest levels, with the people most powerful in soldiers' lives -- not me, but their platoon sergeants and first sergeants," Odierno said. "Soldiers must be made to realize that there will not be retribution of any kind for asking for help."

"Sometimes the NCOs must make the decision for the soldiers and not penalize them," said Army Staff Sgt. Shawn Hibbard, addressing the reluctance of many soldiers to seek help on their own. "When I got blown up I felt like, 'Hey, I'm mentally still in the fight.' That NCO must check those injured and remove them from the fight so they can get better." Hibbard said he suffered concussions himself during recent combat operations, but was reluctant to seek help.

Maj. Christopher Molino, who also suffered a concussion during recent combat operations, agreed that small unit leaders must step in and take charge. "Removing yourself is counterintuitive to soldiers' instincts. That's why good leadership is important."

Former NFL player Troy Vincent said he had a concussion on the football field so severe, that he was unconscious and didn't recall the event. No one got him to seek help, he explained. "They protected me with some play calls and didn't expose my weakness at the time," he said.

"The coach told me that 70 percent of you is better than 100 percent of the second string [players]," meaning that despite losing 30 percent of his ability to play due to concussion, he was still better than many of the uninjured players. Vincent was a cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins.

Bart Oates, who also suffered a concussion on the playing field, agreed that the mindset is hard to change. He played center for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.

Goodell said that old school mentality of not asking for help will no longer be tolerated. He stressed the importance of accountability. "Myself, the coaches and other members of this organization have a responsibility to make the lives of players better, both on and off the field," he said, adding that he hopes those in other sports -- especially young athletes -- get the message and provide proper leadership and supervision.

"We need to learn to rely on the players to do the right thing; to raise their hand if they need help or ask others to seek assistance," he said. "Someone needs to say 'Hey, you're not feeling too well,' and allow medical personnel to make the call whether to stay in the game. The coaches or players should not make that call. You can play smart as well as tough. Seeking help is playing smart."

The commissioner said he's not satisfied that enough progress has been made. "We're not going to stop; we're going to continue, we're going to make a difference."

Odierno agreed that more has to be done, despite recent policies and directives designed to protect the health of soldiers.

Army Directive-Type Memorandum 09-033, for instance, stipulates that soldiers have a minimum of 24 hours of downtime and get a medical clearance before returning to duty following a blast or vehicle incident.

Maj. Sarah Goldman, program director of Army Traumatic Brain Injury at the Office of the Surgeon General, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Division, emphasized that seeking help more often than not does not take a soldier "out of the fight." She said more than 13,000 service members sustained some form of concussion since 2010 and 95 percent were returned to duty.

Odierno, who played high school football, admitted that he likely would not have sought medical attention for a concussion. "I wouldn't have taken myself out. Someone else would have had to." He added that kind of thinking is wrong.

"I worry about our leaders more than anyone else. They're the ones who feel the burden of leadership and responsibility. They're the ones who won't take themselves out of the fight. I'm asking that leaders look after leaders," he implored. "First sergeants looking after NCOs, sergeants major looking after commanders, senior commanders looking out for junior commanders. We've got to have a bond to take care of each other."

The Army and the NFL have had a close working relationship over the last few years. "It was my honor to visit soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Goodell. "Our cultures are similar in so many ways. We owe it to our players and soldiers [to remove the stigma of seeking help]."

"Having played football and been the senior commander in Iraq for almost five years, I've personally seen the impact of traumatic brain injury," Odierno said. "Roger and I got together on several occasions. He's passionate about taking care of his players. Our organizations make a really good match. I'm excited."

Odierno said he hopes the initiative helps both soldiers and football players.

U.S. MARSHALS TO AUCTION SEIZED AIRCRAFT

FROM: U.S. U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE
U.S. Marshals Preview Seized Aircraft to be Sold at Public Auction
San Juan, PR
–
The U.S. Marshals recently conducted a preview of six aircraft in Aguadilla that will be sold at public auction Sept. 5 in Midland, Texas.

The aircraft were part of a seizure conducted in December 2011 shortly after a search warrant was executed by the Drug Enforcement Administration in relation to the investigation of Santo Seda-Rodriguez.

Seda-Rodriguez, owner and pilot of Jeshua Air Services, was the subject of an investigation by the Dominican National Drug Enforcement authorities as well as a federal investigation in the U.S., after 58 kilograms of cocaine were seized in an aircraft allegedly recorded under his name at the Americas International Airport in the Dominican Republic. The next day Seda-Rodriguez’s body was found in the Dominican Republic by local authorities, allegedly beaten to death.

The auction will take place at the Midland International Airport in the Aeromod hanger at 2506 North Pliska Drive. The U.S. Marshals will sell the aircraft "as is," and reserve the right to pull any aircraft from the auction at any time prior to the sale date without notice.

"The U.S. Marshals Service plays a critical role by managing and selling assets seized and forfeited by federal law enforcement agencies nationwide," said U.S. Marshal Orlando Rivera of the District of Puerto Rico.

Proceeds generated from asset sales are used to compensate victims, supplement funding for law enforcement initiatives, and support community programs.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS EXTRADITION FROM MEXICO IS A MILESTONE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, August 31, 2012

Eduardo Arellano-Felix Extradited from Mexico to the United States to Face Charges

Key Advisor to Arellano-Felix Organization’s Leadership

WASHINGTON - Eduardo Arellano-Felix, 55, one of the alleged members of the Arellano-Felix Organization (AFO), was extradited today by the government of Mexico to the United States to face racketeering, money laundering and narcotics trafficking charges in the Southern District of California.

The extradition was announced by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California Laura E. Duffy and Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department?s Criminal Division. Arellano-Felix was arrested by Mexican authorities in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, on Oct. 25, 2008, following a gun battle with a Mexican Special Tactical Team. A final order of extradition to the United States was granted in 2010. After two years of unsuccessful appeals, Arellano-Felix arrived in the United States this afternoon. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in U.S. District Court in San Diego before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Lynn Major.

U.S. Attorney Duffy, whose office secured the indictment against Arellano-Felix, said, "This extradition is a significant step in our effort to bring another key figure in the Arellano Felix Organization to answer, in an American court of law, to very serious charges. We are grateful to the Government of Mexico for its assistance in the extradition."

?Today's extradition is a milestone in our fight against the Mexican drug cartels. I want to thank the Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs for its tireless work in helping to ensure that Eduardo Arellano-Felix and numerous of his alleged co-conspirators face justice in the United States,? said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.

?The extradition of Eduardo Arellano-Felix today marks the end of a 20-year DEA investigation into this vicious drug cartel,? said William R . Sherman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). ?This extradition illustrates that DEA and all its law enforcement partners will relentlessly pursue these drug traffickers until they are brought to justice.?

San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Daphne Hearn said, "The FBI is pleased with Mexico's efforts to bring to justice a leader from one of the most violent criminal enterprises in our history. The spirit of cooperation between our two countries is a powerful force in disrupting the criminal activities of these groups that instill fear and threaten the safety of our citizens in the border regions of the United States."

Long-reputed to be one of the most notorious multi-national drug trafficking organizations, the AFO controlled the flow of cocaine, marijuana and other drugs through the Mexican border cities of Tijuana and Mexicali into the United States. Its operations also extended into southern Mexico as well as Colombia.

The seventh superseding indictment charges Arellano-Felix with conducting the affairs of an illegal enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity (RICO), conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine and marijuana, as well as money laundering. The indictment alleges that the leadership of the AFO negotiated directly with Colombian cocaine-trafficking organizations for the purchase of multi-ton shipments of cocaine, received those shipments by sea and by air, in Mexico, and then arranged for the smuggling of the cocaine into the United States and its further distribution throughout the U.S. The indictment also alleges that the proceeds of the AFO's drug trafficking, estimated by law enforcement to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, were then smuggled back into Mexico.

Brothers and former leaders of the AFO, Benjamin Arellano-Felix and Francisco Javier Arellano Felix, are currently serving sentences in the United States following their convictions for racketeering, drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

This case is being investigated by agents from the DEA, the FBI, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted in the Southern District of California by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Green, James Melendres and Dan Zipp. The Criminal Division=s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the extradition. The investigation of Arellano-Felix was coordinated by an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program was created to consolidate and coordinate all law enforcement resources in this country's battle against major drug trafficking rings, drug kingpins, and money launderers.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

ROAD PATROL ROBBER SENTENCED TO PRISON

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Former Alabama Police Officer Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Money and Property from Highway Motorists

Jessie Alan Fuller, 25, of Pensacola, Fla., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge W. Keith Watkins to 37 months in prison and two years supervised release, the Justice Department announced. Fuller pleaded guilty on April 26, 2012, to one count of conspiracy against rights, a felony, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, a misdemeanor. These charges stemmed from Fuller’s stealing money and property from motorists on Interstate 65 in central Alabama while he was a police officer with the Fort Deposit Police Department.

During his plea, Fuller admitted that he and another former Fort Deposit police officer agreed to pull over vehicles under the guise of legitimate law enforcement activity and to steal cash from drivers and passengers. Fuller further admitted that between May and June 2009, he and the other officer committed numerous thefts together, including thefts of $200 each from two separate victims and $120 from a third victim. In each of these incidents, Fuller and the other officer worked together, acting with each other’s knowledge and cooperation, and shared the stolen money. In each incident, the two officers used a marked patrol car, wore police clothing and carried a firearm. Fuller also admitted to stealing a GPS device from a driver whom he pulled over and arrested on March 14, 2009.

"This defendant abused his power as a law enforcement officer for his own financial gain. He violated not only the law, but also the public trust," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Division. "The Department of Justice is committed to holding those who abuse their authority and prey on members of the community accountable for their illegal actions."

"It is terrible to see those sworn to uphold the law, break the law and prey on the public," stated George L. Beck, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. "While it is always difficult to prosecute a member of our law enforcement community, my office is dedicated to protecting the community and seeking justice for all."

On June 12, 2012, an eight-count indictment was unsealed charging Carlos Tyson Bennett, of Greenville, Ala., as the other officer. Bennett was charged with one count of conspiracy against rights, four counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, and three counts of obstruction of justice. An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Trial is scheduled to begin in Bennett’s case on Sept. 10, 2012.

This case is being investigated by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation; the Butler County, Ala., Sheriff’s Office; and the Lowndes County, Ala., Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gray Borden for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Chiraag Bains from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

NAVY SEAL CENSURED FOR NON-DISCLOSURE VIOLATIONN

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Pentagon Censures Ex-Navy Seal Following Non-disclosure Breach

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2012 - The Defense Department has sent an advisory letter of material breach and non-disclosure violation to a former Navy Seal who authored a book about his participation in the Osama bin Laden raid, Pentagon officials said here today.

In the book "No Easy Day," the author, using the pen name "Mark Owen," divulges information Navy SEALs used during the raid, which Pentagon officials said may contain classified information, putting military members at risk in future operations.

"The letter ... is intended to put on record our very serious concerns about what we believe was a material breach of [a] non-disclosure agreement with the Department of Defense," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said. "We take these agreements and we take our obligation to protect classified information very seriously."

In a letter sent to the publishing company and dated Aug. 30, DOD General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson explained that Owen signed two separate non-disclosure agreements on Jan. 24, 2007, and that the author has an obligation to "never divulge" classified information.

Owen also signed a "Sensitive Compartmented Information Debriefing Memorandum" following his departure from the Navy in April 2012, and that commitment remains in force even upon leaving active duty, according to the DOD letter.

Since Owen elected to forgo pre-publication review with the department before publishing the book, the DOD is "weighing its options," in terms of what legal actions it will pursue, Little said.

"The Department of Defense has obtained and reviewed an advanced copy of the book ... In the judgment of the Department of Defense, you are in material breach and violation of the non-disclosure agreements you signed," the letter said. "Further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your breach and violation of your agreements."

"The Department is considering pursuing against you, and all those acting in concert with you, all remedies legally available to us in light of this situation," the letter added.

Little said that commendable actions or current status do not indemnify Owen or any other past and present DOD employee from punitive action should they violate the terms of non-disclosure agreements.

"I would ... applaud anyone who participated in one of the most successful military and intelligence operations in history," Little said. "But even those who participated in such a mission have a serious and enduring obligation to follow the process and to help protect classified information."

NATIONAL GUARD SERVING VALIANTLY DURING HURRICANE ISAAC DISASTER

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Soldiers prepare to depart the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Aug. 28, 2012, to support potential emergency operations arising from Hurricane Isaac. The soldiers are assigned to the Louisiana National Guard's 2nd Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Tarell J. Bilbo
　

National Guardsmen Serving 'Admirably' During Isaac
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2012 - As Tropical Depression Isaac bounds northward into the Mississippi River valley, National Guardsmen continue to provide critical support to local emergency officials and citizens throughout the Gulf states, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a briefing here today.

"Even through the storm has moved up from the Gulf, there's still work to be done," Little said. "There are still more than 3,600 National Guard personnel on duty in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama."

Little said Louisiana-Mississippi National Guardsmen are "serving admirably during the storm," and have already rescued or evacuated more than 3,400 citizens during ongoing search and rescue operations.

In addition to delivering pallets of generators, water and supplies to key facilities throughout the state, guardsmen have also set up distribution sites to provide meals, ready-to-eat, water and ice, Little said.

Military aircraft evacuated from Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Duke Field, Fla., Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., have returned to base or are in the process of returning to base, Little added.

THE INTERIOR OF MARS

FROM: NASA
Mars Interior
Artist rendition of the formation of rocky bodies in the solar system - how they form and differentiate and evolve into terrestrial planets.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

U.S.-TAIWAN ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Strengthening the U.S.-Taiwan Economic Relationship
Remarks
Jose W. Fernandez
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
American Chamber of Commerce
Taipei, Taiwan
August 5, 2012

I. Introduction

Thank you. This is my first trip to Taiwan and I continue to marvel at the numerous cultural and economic ties that bind our people. One of our ties was illustrated to me as I read the paper this morning. I enjoyed seeing that Jeremy Lin’s visit took top billing in the newspaper, and the meeting between President Ma and I drew a little less attention.

Let me give you just one example that is illustrative of the larger U.S. – Taiwan relationship. It is a great American tradition to start new companies in a home garage. In an Irvine, California garage in 1988 Linksys was born. The creators of this now ubiquitous line of home computer networking devices were Taiwan immigrants Janie and Victor Tsao. At the time they founded Linksys, they were also working as consultants specializing in pairing U.S. technology vendors with manufacturers in Taiwan. That pairing has become emblematic of the U.S. – Taiwan economic relationship. The latest numbers show that two-way trade between the United States and Taiwan in electrical machinery hovers around $23 billion per year.

II. Strategic Rebalancing Toward Asia

While Taiwan has been exemplary as one of the so-called "Asian Tigers," I want to put our economic relationship with Taiwan in the larger Asian context before discussing Taiwan specifically. That larger context is our work on the Trans Pacific Partnership, and the Select USA initiative.

As you know, the global economic crisis of the past few years has pushed us in the United States to pursue our own economic recovery. This is a two-sided coin, with an eye toward regional trade liberalization on one side, and concerted efforts to attract more foreign investment to the United States on the other. At all levels of the U.S. government, we are broadening and deepening our economic relationships throughout the Asia Pacific region. We are acutely aware that reinvigorating our economy at home goes hand in hand with partnering on economic growth abroad.

The United States has long been involved in developments in the Asia Pacific region. We are proud that our contributions to regional security here helped create the conditions that brought more people out of poverty faster than anywhere else in history. That engagement continues today and the futures of the United States and the Asia Pacific are inextricably linked. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has highlighted, we are not just a diplomatic or military power here. We are an economic force as well. In 2010 alone, our exports to the Pacific Rim were over $320 billion, supporting 850,000 American jobs.

But our work is not finished. One of our country’s great challenges in this century will be to establish a stronger network of trade links and practices around the Pacific Rim. Our recently enacted Free Trade Agreements with South Korea and Colombia, and our commitment to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, are clear demonstrations that we are here to stay.

I am proud to note that the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has been a very active promoter of these efforts. In fact, they have been so successful in working to promote America’s economic relationship with Taiwan that I was able to personally congratulate the former Director, Bill Stanton, on winning my award for export promotion in 2011. He also received the State Department’s coveted Cobb award for global trade promotion efforts. That’s two awards in the same year to one man, something that doesn’t happen very often in the State Department. The AIT team in Taipei and Kaohsiung ("GOW shung") is carrying on that tradition and I expect great achievements from the incoming leadership team here in Taipei.

All of these individual efforts fit into our larger work toward regional trade liberalization. Also supporting this effort is our commitment to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Looking ahead to the next generation of trade agreements, we are aiming at crafting an agreement that addresses new and emerging trade issues and challenges. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, includes the United States, along with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. It is a high-standard, broad-based regional agreement. We see the TPP as the most credible pathway to broader Asia-Pacific regional economic integration.

The agreement will include core issues traditionally found in trade agreements, such as industrial goods, agriculture, and textiles as well as rules on intellectual property, technical barriers to trade, labor, and the environment. But it will also address cross-cutting issues not previously found in trade agreements, such as making the regulatory systems of TPP countries more compatible so U.S. companies can operate more seamlessly in TPP markets. It will also help innovative, job-creating small- and medium-sized enterprises participate more actively in international trade. Equally important is addressing new emerging trade issues, such as trade and investment in innovative products and services, and ensuring that state-owned enterprises compete fairly with private companies and do not distort competition in ways that put U.S. companies and workers at a disadvantage.

The United States is participating in the TPP as the best vehicle to advance our economic interests and to promote economic growth and development in the critical Asia-Pacific region. Expanding U.S. exports is critical to our economic recovery and to the creation and retention of high-quality jobs in the United States. With its rapid growth and large markets, there is no region with which expanding our trade is more vital than the Asia Pacific.

The TPP countries recently announced the addition of Mexico and Canada to the negotiations. Late last year Japan also formally expressed interest in beginning consultations with TPP member countries with a view to possibly joining the negotiations. Candidate countries for TPP must demonstrate through their actions and through bilateral consultations with each TPP country their readiness to meet the standards and objectives of the agreement. Once those bilateral processes are concluded, the current TPP partners must decide by consensus before a new member can participate. In short, we are excited by the possibilities created in the Asia-Pacific by the TPP, and are working very hard to make it a reality by the end of this year.

Let’s move on to another program we just started, Select USA. So one side of the coin of economic recovery is expanding opportunities for U.S. companies to do business effectively abroad. The other side of that coin is the work that we do at home to encourage investment in the United States. The United States consistently ranks at the top of most major indicators for its attractive business and investment climate. In fact, from 2006 through 2010, the United States received more FDI than any other country. The FDI flow into the United States in 2010 - $228 billion - was more than double the flow into any other country in the world, and despite economic difficulties of the time, 49 percent greater than the FDI flow into the United States in 2009. At the same time, total Taiwan direct investment flow in the United States was over $5 billion in 2010, an increase of 14.7% from 2009.

Under a program called SelectUSA, the U.S. Departments of Commerce and State engage partners around the world, as I am doing here, to promote investment into our dynamic economy. SelectUSA showcases how the United States is the world’s premier business location and provides easy access to federal-level programs and services related to business investment.

Why do I say that the United States is the world’s premier business location? Because we are the world’s largest economy; we consistently rank at the top of most major indicators for our attractive business and investment climate; our own investment in research and development makes us the world’s center for innovation; and our leadership in protecting intellectual property with a transparent and predictable legal system makes doing business in the U.S. both cost-efficient and secure. Also, one of the strongest reasons will always be the quality of our higher education, particularly in science and engineering. Taiwan people in the United States are well aware of this: 80 percent have achieved some level of higher education, particularly in these fields and in medicine. I understand that the U.S. regulatory environment can be daunting to some investors, but through our hardworking representatives at the American Institute in Taiwan, and SelectUSA and other U.S. government partners back in Washington, we can help connect investors with the business counseling and training they may need to comply with applicable regulations.

We can also direct you to the different states’ economic development agencies, making sure you get connected to the right partners for your investment selection process.

III. U. S. – Taiwan Economic Relations

Where does Taiwan figure into this picture? How can Taiwan partner with us and benefit from this wealth creation? Today, Taiwan is our 10th largest trading partner and our 15th largest export market. It would surprise many people but the United States actually trades more with Taiwan than with France; and Taiwan-U.S. trade is at near the same level as India-U.S. bilateral trade. The United States is Taiwan’s largest foreign investor, and Taiwan companies have made significant investments in the United States. Historically, the United States has been the strongest champion of Taiwan’s participation in global trade bodies such as the World Trade Organization and the APEC forum. Our strong economic relationship covers more than six decades. Taiwan has been an invaluable partner in influencing others to embrace reform and strive for economic growth.

In recent years, however, this immensely valuable relationship has hit some bumps in the road that hinder our partnership and progress. We can’t afford these bumps and need to make sure that they do not detract from efforts to make full use of our potential. We were pleased to see that the Legislative Yuan recently took action that will clear the path for Taiwan to establish a maximum residue limit for ractopamine in beef, eliminating a serious impediment to U.S. beef imports. U.S. trade agencies will be monitoring implementation of the regulatory measures needed to allow U.S. beef imports to resume. These steps will be important in helping to rebuild confidence in our bilateral trade relationship.

We know from our own experience that adhering to bilateral and multilateral trade commitments is not always easy, but it is essential to maintaining the credibility that serves as the foundation of what has long been a positive, constructive relationship between trading partners.

Of course our bilateral economic relationship goes well beyond this particular issue and we have continued to engage Taiwan at the working level and via our capable colleagues at AIT on the full range of important bilateral trade and investment issues. For example, the United States worked for many years in support of Taiwan’s candidacy to join the WTO Government Procurement Agreement. These joint efforts were rewarded when Taiwan acceded to the Agreement in 2009. Taiwan has already made many reforms to its procurement practices, and we stand ready to assist as Taiwan continues to harmonize its measures with global best practices with regard to transparency, contract terms, and licensing.

Taiwan has made tremendous progress over the years in improving intellectual property rights protection and enforcement, and the United States has carried out significant bilateral cooperation activities on intellectual property rights—IPR—issues. Still, challenges remain, including with regard to online infringement and the theft of trade secrets. During my time here in Taiwan I have visited companies that have had their technology stolen and heard their stories. For U.S. firms the protection of IPR is so vital because so many of our exports derive from IPR. A recent study estimated that 75% of U.S. exports involve IPR. Taiwan aspires to be an economy based on innovation, and together our unceasing efforts will ensure that Taiwan’s IPR enforcement regime meets the highest standards. Improved protection of trade secrets in Taiwan will help both foreign and domestic firms be competitive and innovative in today’s knowledge-based economy. The bottom line: we have made major progress over the years on many critical issues when both sides have been prepared to work together. The United States sincerely desires a reinvigorated trade relationship with Taiwan. It’s already generally good, but we can do better.

Like the United States, Taiwan is also pursuing trade liberalization. We understand the Ma Administration has indicated a desire to be considered for the TPP in eight years. As a gold standard for future trade agreements in the region, the TPP requires members to embrace ambitious and comprehensive liberalization and open their markets to competition. We commend President Ma for recognizing the importance of trade integration, and for his expressed determination to push forward liberalization measures that would help Taiwan make its case as a possible candidate for future trade agreements.

Change will not be easy, but the benefits of liberalization are clear: stronger and more competitive firms, better services, wider availability of products at lower prices, greater efficiency, and smoother integration into the world marketplace. More comprehensive economic liberalization will be an essential component for securing Taiwan's economic future. Real liberalization will demonstrate Taiwan's commitment to trade integration and potential inclusion in various trade arrangements. This includes comprehensive, bilateral FTAs—such as Taiwan's ongoing negotiations with Singapore—which is an important first step. As Taiwan's leaders implement meaningful market liberalization measures and pursue new trade agreements, firm resolve and commitment to free market principles as a responsible WTO member are essential attributes to live by. We look forward to deepening our trade and economic interaction with Taiwan. We will support Taiwan as it embraces these fundamental prerequisites to effective and meaningful trade integration. Everyone in this room is an important element of what we hope to do.

IV. Next Steps & Conclusion

Just as Janie and Victor Tsao understood when they founded Linksys nearly 25 years ago, trade between Taiwan and the United States is vital to the prosperity of both. The United States and Taiwan have a long and positive history of cooperation and many shared interests in the region. We are hopeful that the positive recent steps Taiwan has taken to address the beef issue are a demonstration of the sustained commitment that will be needed to reenergize our bilateral trade dialogue. To be sure, Taiwan, like any democracy, will face tough choices in order to live up to its international obligations and to put its long-term economic interests above domestic politics. Taiwan is a part of the Asia-Pacific region’s economic future. We look forward to working with Taiwan as it builds cooperative and credible partnerships throughout the region, including with the United States.

NASA - "When Biospheres Collide: A History of NASA’s Planetary Protection Programs"

NASA - "When Biospheres Collide: A History of NASA’s Planetary Protection Programs"

PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE ACCESS FOR SERVICE MEMBERS/VETS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Obama: Improve Mental Health Access, Care for Military, Vets

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2012 - President Barack Obama today signed an executive order that provides increased access to mental health services for service members, military families and veterans.

The order, signed as Obama left Washington for a visit to Fort Bliss, Texas, directs the Defense Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other key federal departments to expand suicide-prevention strategies and to take new steps to meet the demand for mental health and substance abuse treatment services, White House officials said.

The president is expected to share details about the new initiative today during a private roundtable discussion with soldiers and their families at Fort Bliss and during an address to the troops.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the new provisions underscore the U.S. government's commitment to strengthening the health of the military force and providing additional support to combat "two unseen wounds" of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.

The executive order:

-- Strengthens suicide-prevention efforts across the force and in the veteran community;

-- Enhances access to mental health care by building partnerships between the Department of Veterans Affairs and community providers;

-- Increases the number of VA mental health providers serving veterans; and

-- Promotes mental health research and development of more effective ways to prevent, identify and treat PTSD, TBI and other related injuries.

More than 2 million service members have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001, serving tours of unprecedented duration and frequency, White House officials noted in announcing the new executive order.

"Long deployments and intense combat conditions require optimal support for the emotional and mental health needs of our service members and their families," they said.

The executive order builds on efforts already under way within the Defense Department, VA and other federal agencies to ensure veterans and active, Guard and Reserve service members and their families get the support they deserve, officials noted.

In terms of suicide prevention, the executive order directs VA to increase the capacity of its veteran crisis line by 50 percent by the year's end. It also calls on VA to ensure that no veteran who reports being in crisis should have to wait more than 24 hours to be connected to a mental health professional or trained mental health worker.

VA also will work with the Defense Department to establish a national, 12-month suicide prevention campaign focused on connecting veterans to mental health services, officials reported.

To ensure veterans have access to these services, the executive order also calls on VA and the Department of Health and Human Services to establish at least 15 pilot sites where VA can partner with local mental health providers. This initiative, officials said, will help ensure services are available in regions where VA has had trouble hiring or placing providers.

The order also directs VA and HHS to develop a plan to increase access to mental health care in rural communities.

In addition, VA will hire 800 peer-to-peer support counselors to help veterans support each other and ensure that their mental health needs are met.

That's on top of VA's ongoing effort to hire 1,600 new mental health care professionals by June 2013. VA has hired more than 3,500 mental health professionals since 2009, and the new executive order includes recruiting incentives to build on that momentum.

The new order rallies interagency support in confronting mental health and substance abuse support for veterans, service members and their families. It establishes an interagency task force to recommend new strategies, and calls on DOD, VA, DHHS and the Department of Education to devise a national plan to improve PTSD and TBI diagnosis and treatment. A comprehensive study included in that plan will delve into better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat these and other mental health challenges, officials said.

US Navy Videos: REMEMBERING NEIL ARMSTRON

US Navy Videos

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

 

 

FROM: U.S. NAVY

120826-N-KB563-346 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 26, 2012) An AV-8B Harrier jet aircraft assigned to Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 542 approaches the flight deck during flight operations aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). Bonhomme Richard is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed amphibious assault group. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Russell/Released)

 

120830-N-KB563-091 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 30, 2012) AV-8B Harrier jet aircraft assigned to Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 542 sit on the flight deck aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) at sunset off the coast of White Beach Naval Facility. Bonhomme Richard is the lead ship of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Russell/Released)

U.S. ARMY MASTER SGT. PLEADS GUILTY TO TAKING BRIBES IN IRAQ

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
U.S. Army Master Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Defrauding U.S. Government

WASHINGTON – A U.S. Army master sergeant pleaded guilty today to accepting thousands of dollars in gratuities from contractors during his deployment to Iraq as a field ordering officer at a forward operating base in Iraq, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina William N. Nettles.

Julio Soto Jr., 52, of Columbus, Ga., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Chief Judge Margaret B. Seymour in the District of South Carolina to a criminal information charging him with one count of conspiracy to accept illegal gratuities.

According to court documents, Soto was a master sergeant in the U.S. Army, deployed to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Hammer in Iraq, as a field ordering officer (FOO), a public official. FOO funds are used to purchase miscellaneous items and supplies such as paint, lumber and plywood from local vendors. It is a violation of federal law for field ordering officers to accept gratuities from contractors dependent upon them for contracts.

In or about March 2007 through October 2008, Soto, along with an alleged U.S. Army co-conspirator, was involved with the construction of a government building at FOB Hammer by local Iraqi contractors. Soto and his alleged co-conspirator unlawfully sought, received and accepted illegal gratuities for helping Iraqi contractors gain U.S. government contracts, and then purchased U.S. Postal money orders with the illegal proceeds and mailed them back to the United States.

At sentencing, Soto faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, and up to three years of supervised release. As part of his plea agreement, Soto agreed to pay $62,542 plus interest in restitution to the United States.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Trial Attorney Mark Grider of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, on detail from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean A. Eichelberger of the District of South Carolina. The case is being investigated by SIGIR, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Major Procurement Fraud Unit of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command.

PERU-U.S. RELATIONS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. Relations With PeruBureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs

Fact Sheet
August 28, 2012

U.S.-PERU RELATIONS
The United States established diplomatic relations with Peru in 1827 following Peru’s independence from Spain. In the last decade, Peru has seen consistent economic growth, poverty reduction, and broad support for democracy. The country is a key U.S. partner in Latin America, and the two have strong, positive, and cooperative relations. The United States promotes the strengthening of democratic institutions and human rights safeguards in Peru as well as socially inclusive economic growth based on free trade and open markets. The U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) was signed in 2009.

The two countries cooperate on efforts to limit the production and exportation of narcotics, and to strengthen the rule of law in Peru. Bilateral programs include manual eradication of illicit coca cultivation, aviation support for eradication and interdiction operations, and technical assistance and equipment for the Peruvian National Police (PNP) and Customs agency (SUNAT). The United States also provides funding to build the capacity of judicial actors. These U.S. Government-supported law enforcement efforts complement an aggressive effort to establish an alternative development program for coca farmers in key coca-growing areas to voluntarily reduce and eliminate illicit coca cultivation.

Peru Today

President Ollanta Humala Tasso began a five-year term on July 28, 2011, pledging to extend the benefits of Peru's strong economic growth to all Peruvians, particularly those from traditionally disadvantaged indigenous and rural communities. Two decades of pro-growth macro-economic policy in Peru have yielded unprecedented economic expansion, low inflation, investment-grade status for the country’s debt, and a dramatic drop in poverty rates. Yet many challenges remain. More than a quarter of the population continues to live in poverty, illegal coca growth and cocaine production are on the rise, and social conflicts over natural resources and how to achieve socially inclusive and environmentally responsible growth pose serious challenges. Continued poverty reduction will remain critical to achieving socially inclusive and environmentally responsible growth.

U.S. Assistance to Peru

To further strengthen its democracy, reduce illegal coca cultivation, and promote socially inclusive market-based economic growth, Peru has committed to broaden economic opportunities and increase the state presence in areas susceptible to the influence and control of narco-traffickers, including the Valley of the Rivers Apurimac, Ene and Montaro (VRAEM). U.S. assistance promotes these objectives through bilateral programs that support Peru’s anti-narcotics and alternative development efforts, increased social and economic inclusion, improve governance, and sound environmental stewardship.

Bilateral Economic Relations

Economic and commercial ties have deepened with the 2009 implementation of the U.S.- Peru TPA. U.S. investment in Peru has grown substantially in recent years as has two-way trade. The United States is one of Peru's largest foreign investors and trade partners. About 330,000 U.S. citizens visit Peru annually for business, tourism, or study. Peru is a participant in efforts to negotiate a regional trade agreement under the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which also includes the United States.

Peru's Membership in International Organizations

Peru and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, Organization of American States, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.