STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL'S REMARKS ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Implementation Workshop on the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Remarks Maria Otero
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights George C. Marshall Auditorium
Washington, DC
April 30, 2012
hank you, Mike. I want to take a moment to recognize your leadership particularly in the area of Business and Human Rights. Not only have you created a team that focuses exclusively on the intersection between business and human rights, but your leadership has helped create the space to develop and maintain tools which encourage corporations to respect human rights while ensuring economic prosperity.
We are grateful to have Professor John Ruggie with us today. As you all know, John was the Secretary General’s Special Representative on Business and Human Rights. There is no better person to discuss implementation of the Guiding Principles than the author himself.

Our strategy for promoting respect for human rights through our foreign policy must reflect the world as it is, not as it used to be. Private companies are some of the world’s largest economic actors. Clearly, building bridges between government and business is not only smart, it’s necessary.

At the heart of this collaboration is the unique role business plays in bolstering innovation. Indeed, innovation is the core of what businesses do. From technology, to energy, to manufacturing, to health, business investments -- both domestic and international -- impact peoples’ lives. We must leverage this innovation and investment to help solve global challenges and improve the welfare of people. But in order to achieve our shared goals we must be sure such innovation is rooted in a respect for human rights. That is of course why we are all here today.

We must establish clear guidelines and reliable processes so that business can do their part in respecting human rights. The U.S. government uses our foreign policy to help strengthen the rule of law and human rights, which in turn improves the environment for prosperous business. It also ensures investment and innovation don’t violate standards of stable and democratic society.

But this is something neither government nor the private sector can accomplish alone. By working together across sectors, in partnership, with mutual respect, we can leverage our collective strengths to support business respect for human rights. We will be far more successful in achieving our shared goals if draw our solutions from all realms -- governments, private companies, multilaterals, universities, and nonprofits. What I know from my career -- and I suspect many of you know the same -- is that innovation occurs at the intersection of worlds that are newly connected. When you bring people together, tapping new expertise and resources from every corner, and think outside of your respective box, perspectives shift and challenges break down.

For example, Barrick Goldand BP, as well as Marathon, Newmont, Shell and Rio Tinto; are working to develop a set of key performance indicators for the Voluntary Principles (or VPs) on Security and Human Rights. The VPs provide guidance to extractive companies on maintaining the safety and security of their operations while also respecting human rights.

Another partnership with great potential is the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers. Work is now underway to translate the code’s principles into clear standards, and to establish a governance and oversight mechanism. Over 300 members of industry have already signed, and we encourage your participation. Why? Because again and again, we see that when we work together, our capacity for innovation is nearly limitless.

The UN Guiding Principles provides an important framework through which we engage in these areas.

The United States is seeking to institutionalize and broaden support for the Guiding Principles in multilateral fora. For example, we have encouraged the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to incorporate language from the GPS into their human rights chapter of the newly revised (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. We are looking at other regional and global multilateral organizations to incorporate the principles in similar ways, furthering the GPs as the authoritative standard framework on business and human rights.

We also working with the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights as it disseminates the Guiding Principles. We are exploring ways to support the work of the UN Working Group through targeted high impact projects, and intend to launch a $500,000 program to promote awareness and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles.

I know you have a robust agenda today, and I look forward to hearing about your exchanges. Your contribution will help inform our policies, and how we move forward the GPs. In so doing, we not only positively influence the respect for human rights but also enhance the success of businesses.

Thank you, and it’s my pleasure to introduce to you our next speaker, Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, my friend Jose Fernandez.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR RECOVERS $4.83 MILLION IN BACK WAGES AND DAMAGES

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
US Department of Labor recovers $4.83 million in back wages, damages for more than 4,500 Wal-Mart workers
Misapplied exemption resulted in pay violations; nearly $464,000 assessed in penalties
WASHINGTON — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., headquartered in Bentonville, Ark., has agreed to pay $4,828,442 in back wages and damages to more than 4,500 employees nationwide following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division that found violations of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act's overtime provisions. Additionally, Wal-Mart will pay $463,815 in civil money penalties.

The violations affected current and former vision center managers and asset protection coordinators at Wal-Mart Discount Stores, Wal-Mart Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam's Club warehouses. Wal-Mart failed to compensate these employees with overtime pay, considering them to be exempt from the FLSA's overtime requirements. The Labor Department's investigation found that the employees are nonexempt and consequently due overtime pay for any hours worked beyond 40 in a week.

"Misclassification of employees as exempt from FLSA coverage is a costly problem with adverse consequences for employees and corporations," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "Let this be a signal to other companies that when violations are found, the Labor Department will take appropriate action to ensure that workers receive the wages they have earned."

Under the terms of the settlement, Wal-Mart has agreed to pay all back wages the department determined are owed for the violations plus an equal amount in liquidated damages to the employees. The FLSA provides that employers who violate the law are, as a general rule, liable to employees for back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages. The civil money penalties assessed stem from the repeat nature of the violations. Wal-Mart, which operates more than 3,900 establishments in the United States, corrected its classification practices for these workers in 2007, and negotiation over the back pay issues has been ongoing since that time. A third-party administrator will disburse the payments to the affected employees.

"Our department has been working with Wal-Mart for a long time to reach this agreement," said Nancy J. Leppink, deputy administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. "I am very pleased that staff in our Southwest region persevered, ensured these employees will be paid the back wages they are owed and brought this case to conclusion. Thanks to this resolution, thousands of employees will see money put back into their pockets that should have been there all along. The damages and penalties assessed in this case should put other employers on notice that they cannot avoid their obligations to their employees by inappropriately classifying their workers as exempt."

The FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for individuals employed in bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales positions, as well as certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. Job titles do not determine exempt status. In order for an exemption to apply, an employee's specific job duties and salary must meet all the requirements of the department's regulations.

The FLSA requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates, including commissions, bonuses and incentive pay, for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also are required to maintain accurate time and payroll records.

PRESS STATEMENT FROM SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON ON CHEN GUANGCHENG

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Chen Guangcheng
Press Statement Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Washington, DC
May 2, 2012
I am pleased that we were able to facilitate Chen Guangcheng’s stay and departure from the U.S. embassy in a way that reflected his choices and our values. I was glad to have the chance to speak with him today and to congratulate him on being reunited with his wife and children.

Mr. Chen has a number of understandings with the Chinese government about his future, including the opportunity to pursue higher education in a safe environment. Making these commitments a reality is the next crucial task. The United States government and the American people are committed to remaining engaged with Mr. Chen and his family in the days, weeks, and years ahead.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FINDS RELIEF FOR SERVICEMEMBERS WHO HAD CARS TOWED AND SOLD

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Justice Department Settles Towing Company Case Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
The Justice Department announced that it had reached a settlement of alleged violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) providing damages and credit repair to 26 servicemembers whose cars were towed and sold while they were on active duty without obtaining court orders as SCRA requires.   The settlement resolves allegations that B.C. Enterprises Inc., d/b/a Aristocrat Towing and Aristocrat Towing Inc. (collectively “Aristocrat Towing”), violated the SCRA when it towed and sold these servicemembers’ vehicles without obtaining court orders.   The case began with a referral from the U.S. Navy to the Justice Department after Navy Lieutenant Yahya Jaboori returned from deployment in Iraq to find that Aristocrat Towing had towed and sold his vehicle without a court order while he was deployed.

The SCRA protects the rights of servicemembers while on active duty in the military by suspending or modifying certain civil obligations.  Under the terms of the settlement, which must be approved by a federal court in Virginia, Aristocrat Towing must pay a total of $75,000 in damages and repair the credit of the identified aggrieved servicemembers.

“Servicemembers make great personal sacrifices.   We will ensure that the rights of the brave men and women who serve and protect us are protected at home,” said Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez.   “This settlement sends a strong message to businesses nationwide that the Justice Department will enforce the SCRA to protect against the taking of servicemembers’ property without first seeking court orders as is required by law.”

“No member of the military should come home from deployment to find their car has been towed and sold,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil MacBride. “Businesses should be aware of the many rights that SCRA gives to servicemembers and their families, and businesses should also be certain that we’ll work tirelessly to ensure that those rights are protected.”

This lawsuit, filed in 2008, was the first filed by the Civil Rights Division under the SCRA.   The Civil Rights Division received enforcement authority under the SCRA in 2006, and has since filed suit and entered into a number of settlements with defendants ranging from local landlords to the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program office.

PROTECTING MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE SPACE COMMAND
Capt. Tracy "Mickey" Lloyd, deployed as the theater space integrator for the director of space forces, searches through the embedded GPS/inertial navigation system unit to see the differences in loading/zeroiziing keys on a KC-135 Stratotanker. This was part of her endeavor to enable the airframes to use encrypted GPS. (U.S. Air Force photo/courtesy photo)
Space operator, KC-135 crews team together to realize space effects.

by Jennifer Thibault
50th Space Wing Public Affairs

5/1/2012 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- More and more are realizing the "game-changing" force space capabilities provide in today's operations, as was the case more than 60 years ago when the air domain added a new dimension to land and sea operations. The power of that integration was seen first-hand by crews of the KC-135 Stratotanker force recently in Southwest Asia, thanks to Capt. Tracy "Mickey" Lloyd, a deployed member of the director of space forces team.

Charged with conducting protected military satellite communications with the 4th Space Operations Squadron at her home station of Schriever Air Force Base, she deployed as the theater space integrator for the Director of Space Forces, Col. Clint Crosier. In this capacity, she worked to more effectively integrate space effects into overall theater operations; the majority of her time was focused on increased integration of GPS into deliberate planning.

"I learned during the deployment that according to Air Mobility Command guidance, the KC-135 crews were restricted from using the Precise Positioning Service, or the encrypted, more precise GPS service in certain conditions and during certain phases of flight," said Lloyd. "That didn't seem like we were fully leveraging the GPS capability the way it was intended, so I began a 'science project' with the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron Assistant Director of Operations, Maj. [Lawrence] Osiecki."

Lloyd began researching the KC-135 navigation systems through their technical orders and Air Force Tactics, Techniques and Procedures 3-1 and quickly became an expert in how the GPS system works onboard. She and Osiecki then began a series of tests on the jet to load and zeroize keys to fully document the operation of the navigation system across all of its possible configurations. They observed how the KC-135's systems responded with and without keys and came to the conclusion that the current guidance was outdated based on recent system upgrades. Armed with this knowledge, she set out to engage with AMC and the director of mobility forces to explore rescinding the guidance.

"Our research and observations showed that there were no operational grounds for not using the encrypted GPS signal across all phases of flight," said Lloyd. "I coordinated with AMC and the [director of mobility forces] and they believed in what we were trying to do. Armed with the desire to rescind the guidance, they began to champion the cause with us."

With their support, Lloyd and team were successful in rescinding the guidance just five days before she redeployed, affecting an operational policy change improving the navigational capability of the entire KC-135 fleet worldwide.

"My goal was to have guidance rescinded before I returned home, I didn't want to leave it for the next person," she said.

"Captain Lloyd was a great asset to our team," said Crosier. "Not only did she see the big picture of how space integrates across all domains, but she had a knack for interacting with others and helping them realize space effects in their realm. Her work on the KC-135 issue affected a global policy change--how many captains have that kind of impact?"

Lloyd also led a special project for Lt. Gen. David Goldfein, commander of Air Forces Central Command, to optimize how GPS effects were planned and integrated into other components' deliberate planning efforts. Through her work, she developed a key partnership with the Joint Navigation Warfare Center and ground-breaking new procedures the JNWC has now implemented as their global standard for all joint planning. The project also took her to brief Lt. Gen. Vince Brooks, commander of Army Forces Central Command and Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander of Naval Forces Central Command, which led both ARCENT and NVCENT to implement new procedures as a result of her work.

"The results of this project were really amazing" said Crosier. "Captain Lloyd's work with the JNWC team took the integration and deliberate planning of GPS effects to the most robust level in CENTCOM history. Tracy ended up being coined by the AFCENT commander, ARCENT commander and NAVCENT commander for her work. Tracy could be the first captain anywhere in CENTCOM, and certainly the first space officer, to get coined by all three service 3-stars in a single deployment--that's a real testament to the value our senior leaders place on the need for effective space integration."

Before deploying, Lloyd conducted some research with her predecessor.

"He recommended I learn as much as I could on GPS," Lloyd recalled.

Her squadron commander supported predeployment training to meet up with Crosier at the JNWC and get a head start on the project she would lead in theater. She also worked with Capt. Bryony Veater, the weapons officer at the 2nd Space Operations Squadron to learn more about operations and products. In visiting with the JNWC and 2 SOPS, she created a solid network foundation that helped her navigate issues in theater.

"This was my first deployment and I could not have asked for anything better," said Lloyd. "I found it very rewarding to identify issues and set out to solve them and help others realize the continuous process improvement throughout all aspects of the deployed environment."

In theater, Lloyd was assigned to 12 hour shifts during which she would identify issues and develop solutions.

"Captain Franz Brunner, the [DS4] national technical integrator, and I referred to them as science projects," said Lloyd. "We'd try out new ideas and if we were able to prove our hypothesis, then we would work to determine how best to integrate them into current operations."

Lloyd credits some of her in-theater success to her weapons school training and to being open-minded.

"I was open to learning and teaching others throughout my deployment. Most people appreciated space but were inquisitive of other platforms and weapons systems," she said. "I reached out to our joint and coalition partners to learn more about our users to discover better ways of supporting them. We can't just know our space systems, we have to know how [they're used] in operations. Weapons school taught me the importance of not only being an expert in space systems, but to use that knowledge for improved integration. And then to teach that integration to the space community and also to current and potential customers."

She said this integration enabled the most rewarding aspect of her deployment, "Watching and knowing others are applying their new-found space knowledge and that they will take it with them and share with others compounding the cross functional awareness of space effects."

Back at home, Lloyd is settling back into family life with her husband and two sons.
"Being separated from them was hard, but I knew I had superstar support at home keeping it all on track," she said.

DOJ INVESTIGATES UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, LOCAL POLICE AND PROSECUTOR REGARDING RESPONSES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Justice Department Announces Investigations of the Handling of Sexual Assault Allegations by the University of Montana, the Missoula, Mont., Police Department and the Missoula County Attorney’s OfficeIn Light of at Least 80 Reported Rapes in Missoula in the Past Three Years, the Justice Department Will Investigate Responses to Sexual Assault Allegations

The Department of Justice today announced a series of investigations stemming from allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment at the University of Montana and in the greater Missoula, Mont., community.   These investigations will seek to determine whether gender discrimination affected the prevention, investigation and prosecution of sexual assaults and sexual harassment in Missoula.

The department has opened a Title IX compliance review and Title IV investigation regarding the University of Montana’s response to sexual assaults and sexual harassment of students.  Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 each prohibit sex discrimination, including sexual assault and sexual harassment, in education programs.  There have been at least 11 reported sexual assaults involving university students in an 18-month period.  The department will also coordinate with the Department of Education on a related sexual harassment complaint received by that department.

The Justice Department also announced today that it has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the University of Montana’s Office of Public Safety (OPS), the Missoula Police Department (MPD) and the Missoula County Attorney’s Office.  This investigation will focus on allegations that OPS, MPD and the Missoula County Attorney’s Office are failing to adequately investigate and prosecute alleged sexual assaults against women in Missoula, due to gender discrimination in violation of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the anti-discrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968.  There have been at least 80 alleged rapes in Missoula in the past three years.  The investigation will look at assaults against all women in Missoula, not just university students.

Department officials met with city, police and university officials, who pledged their full cooperation with the investigations.
 
“The allegations that the University of Montana, the local police department and the County Attorney’s Office failed to adequately address sexual assaults are very disturbing,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “The department's pattern or practice authority enables us to ensure that law enforcement agencies are doing what is necessary to combat this despicable crime without discrimination, and we take that responsibility seriously.”

“Sexual assault and sexual harassment are intolerable; they undermine women’s basic rights and, when perpetrated against students, can negatively impact their ability to learn and continue their education,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.   “As we approach the 40th anniversary of Title IX this year, incidents of sexual assault on our college campuses remind us of the continuing critical importance of the law to reduce barriers in education. Our goal is to determine whether there are violations of federal law and if we find a problem, work cooperatively with the University of Montana and local law enforcement to ensure that all students and Missoula residents feel safe in their communities, regardless of sex.   We salute President Engstrom’s commitment to address these serious problems.”

“Colleges and universities have an obligation to stop and prevent sexual violence against their students, and law enforcement has a fundamental duty to ensure it is properly investigating and prosecuting crimes of sexual assault, whether they occur at the university or in the wider Missoula community,” said Michael W. Cotter , U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana.  “We look forward to working with the University of Montana and local law enforcement to ensure these vital obligations are met.”

The department previously found a pattern or practice of gender discrimination in the New Orleans Police Department.   Similarly, the department found problems of significant concern involving the handling of sex crimes in both the Puerto Rico Police Department and the Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff’s Office.

Attorneys from the Educational Opportunities Section and the Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana are jointly conducting this investigation.

GENERAL DEMPSEY'S SPEECH ON NEW NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C., May 1, 2012. DOD photo by Army Staff Sgt. Sun L. Vega
General Dempsey Explains Defense Strategy at Nation's Oldest 'Think Tank'
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2012 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today discussed the new national defense strategy and its core pillars in remarks at the nation's oldest international affairs "think tank."

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey spoke at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, founded in 1910 as a private, nonprofit organization.

"Over the past months we've formulated what I guess is now being called a new defense strategy," Dempsey said. "It's built on a [Quadrennial Defense Review], of course, but it's new in several important ways."

One of the aspects of the strategy is rebalancing U.S. forces with emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. During a visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels last week, he said, he was asked with "great interest" what rebalancing means.

"I suggested to them that it's a process – not a light switch. We'll work our way into it," he said. "It starts with intellectual bandwidth more than anything. We have to shift some of our intellectual bandwidth and start to understand how rebalance ourselves so it's not just about our resources, equipment or basing. "It's about thinking, and we are beginning that process now."

The chairman said the second pillar of the strategy, and one of its cornerstones, is building partners, and not because the United States will be doing less. Rather, he said, it's because the world over the last decade or two has become a "security paradox" that has seen a proliferation of capabilities and technologies to middleweight actors and nonstate actors. That he said, "actually makes the world feel, and potentially be, more dangerous than any time I remember in uniform."

Dempsey noted that he came into the Army in 1974.
"It's not a paradox that necessarily has to be met with bigger military forces," he said. "I think it's a paradox that has to be met with different military forces. And among the things that will make that work [is] our ability to build on existing partnerships around the globe, notably the North Atlantic alliance, [and] others as well."

Adversaries rarely mass against the United States and its allies any more, the general pointed out. "They decentralize, they network and they syndicate," he said, making development of emerging partnerships especially important now.

Adversaries use 21st-century information technologies to syndicate groups of "criminal actors," the chairman said -- groups that come together based on moments in time when they want to find a common purpose and pull apart otherwise.

"But we, the quintessential hierarchical institution on the face of the planet ... have to find ways to be a network ourselves," he said. "And that means a network of interagency partners internal to our government."

The chairman conceded that building partnerships isn't an easy endeavor, and acknowledged a need to improve processes in intelligence sharing, technology transfer, foreign military sales -- processes he said "tend to somewhat hinder our ability to build partners."

The final aspect of the new strategy, Dempsey said, is the integration of capabilities the military didn't have 10 years ago, such as the cyber and special operations capabilities and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technology that exist today. Other capabilities originally considered niche capabilities now are being integrated into conventional ways of operating, he noted.

"We've moved now from writing our new strategy to beginning to challenge ourselves on what it will really take to do everything," he said. "And the three things I mentioned here today to you ... really are the key to that endeavor."

PRESIDENT SIGNS NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER TARGETING FOREIGN SANCTIONS EVADERS

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY
FACT SHEET: New Executive Order Targeting Foreign Sanctions Evaders
WASHINGTON – Today the President signed an Executive Order (E.O.), “Prohibiting
Certain Transactions with and Suspending Entry into the United States of Foreign Sanctions Evaders with Respect to Iran and Syria,” providing the U.S. Treasury Department with a new authority to tighten further the U.S. sanctions on Iran and Syria.

This E.O. targets foreign individuals and entities that have violated, attempted to violate, conspired to violate, or caused a violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran or Syria, or that have facilitated deceptive transactions for persons subject to U.S. sanctions concerning Syria or Iran. With this new authority, Treasury now has the capability to publicly identify foreign individuals and entities that have engaged in these evasive and deceptive activities, and generally bar access to the U.S. financial and commercial systems.

“The foreign sanctions evaders E.O. provides Treasury additional means to impose serious consequences on foreign persons who seek to evade our sanctions and undermine international efforts to bring pressure to bear on the Iranian and Syrian regimes. Whoever tries to evade our sanctions does so at the expense of the people of Syria and Iran, and they will be held accountable,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen.

Upon Treasury’s identification and listing of a foreign sanctions evader, U.S. persons will generally be prohibited from providing to, or procuring from, the sanctioned party goods, services, or technology, effectively cutting the evader off from the U.S. marketplace. This provides Treasury with a powerful new tool to prevent, deter, and respond to the risks posed by sanctions evaders to the U.S. and global financial system. It also will help prevent U.S. persons from unwittingly engaging in transactions with foreign individuals and entities that pose a particular risk of running afoul of U.S. sanctions concerning Iran or Syria.

The foreign sanctions evaders E.O. is the latest in a broad-based and escalating series of steps taken by the United States and its international partners targeting the governments of Iran and Syria with respect to their abuse of human rights, support for terrorism, and proliferation and development of weapons of mass destruction. The foreign sanctions evaders E.O. follows by one week the Executive Order Blocking The Property And Suspending Entry into the United States of Certain Persons with Respect to Grave Human Rights Abuses by the Governments of Iran and Syria via Information Technology (the “GHRAVITY E.O.”), which targeted the provision and use of information and communications technology to facilitate computer or network disruption, monitoring, or tracking that could assist in or enable serious human rights abuses by or on behalf of the Government of Iran or the Government of Syria.

NIGHT-WARMING EFFECT NOTICED OVER LARGE WIND FARMS

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Photo:  USDA
Scientists Find Night-Warming Effect Over Large Wind Farms in Texas
April 29, 2012
Large wind farms in certain areas in the United States appear to affect local land surface temperatures, according to a paper published today in the journal Nature Climate Change.
The study, led by Liming Zhou, an atmospheric scientist at the State University of New York- (SUNY) Albany, provides insights about the possible effects of wind farms.
The results could be important for developing efficient adaptation and management strategies to ensure long-term sustainability of wind power.

"This study indicates that land surface temperatures have warmed in the vicinity of large wind farms in west-central Texas, especially at night," says Anjuli Bamzai, program director in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, which funded the research.

"The observations and analyses are for a relatively short period, but raise important issues that deserve attention as we move toward an era of rapid growth in wind farms in our quest for alternate energy sources."

Considerable research has linked the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels with rising global temperatures.

Consequently, many nations are moving toward cleaner sources of renewable energy such as wind turbines. Generating wind power creates no emissions, uses no water and is likely "green."

"We need to better understand the system with observations, and better describe and model the complex processes involved, to predict how wind farms may affect future weather and climate," said Zhou.

There have been a growing number of studies of wind farm effects on weather and climate, primarily using numerical models due to the lack of observations over wind farms.
As numerical models are computationally intensive and have uncertainties in simulating regional and local weather and climate, said Zhou, remote sensing is likely the most efficient and effective way to study wind farm effects over larger spatial and longer temporal scales.

To understand the potential impact of wind farms on local weather and climate, Zhou's team analyzed satellite-derived land surface temperatures from regions around large wind farms in Texas for the period 2003-2011.

The researchers found a night-time warming effect over wind farms of up to 0.72 degrees Celsius per decade over the nine-year-period in which data were collected.
Because the spatial pattern of warming mirrors the geographic distribution of wind turbines, the scientists attribute the warming primarily to wind farms.
The year-to-year land surface temperature over wind farms shows a persistent upward trend from 2003 to 2011, consistent with the increasing number of operational wind turbines with time.

"This warming effect is most likely caused by the turbulence in turbine wakes acting like fans to pull down warmer near-surface air from higher altitudes at night," said Somnath Baidya Roy of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a co-author of the paper.
While the warming effect reported is local and small compared to the strong background year-to-year land surface temperature variation, the authors believe that this work draws attention to an important scientific issue that requires further investigation.
"The estimated warming trends only apply to the study region and to the study period, and thus should not be interpolated into other regions, globally or over longer periods," Zhou said. "For a given wind farm, once there are no new wind turbines added, the warming effect may reach a stable level."

The study represents a first step in exploring the potential of using satellite data to quantify the possible effects of the development of big wind farms on weather and climate, said Chris Thorncroft of SUNY-Albany, a co-author of the paper.
"We're expanding this approach to other wind farms," said Thorncroft, "and building models to understand the physical processes and mechanisms driving the interactions of wind turbines and the atmosphere boundary layer near the surface."

SIGNALING POSITION OF USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH AIRCRAFT CARRIER

ATLANTIC OCEAN (April 30, 2012) Quartermaster 3rd Class Jason X. Pabon prepares to signal the position of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) to the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1) during an ordnance transfer. George H.W. Bush is in the Atlantic Ocean conducting carrier qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Leonard Adams Jr./Released)

PRESIDENT REPORTS ON CURRENT MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN

Photo:  White House

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

President Updates Nation on Afghanistan Mission

By Jim Garamone

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2012 - After joining Afghan President Hamid Karzai in signing a strategic partnership agreement in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul today, President Barack Obama took to the airwaves at Bagram Airfield to update the American people on the mission in Afghanistan.

The speech from the large NATO base about 35 miles from Kabul was the last event of an eventful night that saw the president fly in to Afghanistan, sign the agreement and meet with American service members.

Bagram is the headquarters for the International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command East, and is an outpost for the war on al-Qaida. Obama said it is important for Americans to remember why U.S. service members are in such a place. "Here, in Afghanistan, more than half a million of our sons and daughters have sacrificed to protect our country," he said.

Afghanistan was where Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror group planned, trained and financed the attacks that killed almost 3,000 men, women and children on Sept. 11, 2001. "And so, 10 years ago, the United States and our allies went to war to make sure that al-Qaida could never again use this country to launch attacks against us," the president said.

American and anti-Taliban Afghan groups had initial success, but bin Laden and his lieutenants escaped across the border and established safe havens in Pakistan. "America spent nearly eight years fighting a different war in Iraq, and al-Qaida's extremist allies within the Taliban have waged a brutal insurgency," the president said.

But the tide has turned, he added, and the Taliban's momentum has been broken.

"We've built strong Afghan security forces," the president said. "We devastated al-Qaida's leadership, taking out over 20 of their top 30 leaders. And one year ago, from a base here in Afghanistan, our troops launched the operation that killed Osama bin Laden. The goal that I set – to defeat al-Qaida and deny it a chance to rebuild – is now within reach."

The president said the key to completing the mission is transitioning security responsibility to Afghans. He noted that half of the population of the country is already protected by Afghan soldiers and police, and the Afghans are prepared to move into the lead in other parts of the nation. At the NATO summit in Chicago later this month, he said, leaders will endorse a plan to turn security responsibility over to the Afghans in 2013.

"International troops will continue to train, advise and assist the Afghans, and fight alongside them when needed," Obama said. "But we will shift into a support role as Afghans step forward."

American forces already have started coming home. In 2011, 10,000 troops from the Afghan surge returned to their bases. Another 23,000 will return by the end of September. "After that, reductions will continue at a steady pace, with more and more of our troops coming home," the president said. "And as our coalition agreed, by the end of 2014, the Afghans will be fully responsible for the security of their country."

The coalition is working to train Afghan soldiers and police to shoulder that security burden. This summer there will be 352,000 members of the Afghan security forces. As it stands, Afghanistan will field an army and police force at that number for three years, and then reduce the size of the force.

The United States is building an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, the president said, citing the strategic partnership agreement he and Karzai signed earlier at the presidential palace in Kabul. "It establishes the basis of our cooperation over the next decade, including shared commitments to combat terrorism and strengthen democratic institutions," Obama said. "It supports Afghan efforts to advance development and dignity for their people. And it includes Afghan commitments to transparency and accountability, and to protect the human rights of all Afghans – men and women, boys and girls."

Within this agreement, the president explained, the United States will work with Afghan partners to accomplish two narrow security missions beyond 2014: counterterrorism and continued training. "But we will not build permanent bases in this country, nor will we be patrolling its cities and mountains. That will be the job of the Afghan people," he said.

The United States is working with Afghan government leaders to negotiate a peace in the country. "My administration has been in direct discussions with the Taliban," Obama said. "We have made it clear that they can be a part of this future if they break with al-Qaida, renounce violence, and abide by Afghan laws."

Many members of the Taliban are looking at this offered hand, and many already have taken it, the president said. "A path to peace is now set before them," said he added. "Those who refuse to walk it will face strong Afghan security forces, backed by the United States and our allies."

Finally, the United States seeks to build a global consensus to support peace and stability in South Asia, and needs Pakistan to be part of the process. "It can and should be an equal partner in this process in a way that respects Pakistan's sovereignty, interests and democratic institutions," he said. "In pursuit of a durable peace, America has no designs beyond an end to al-Qaida safe-havens and respect for Afghan sovereignty."

Working on a timeline provides a sense of urgency, spares treasure and saves lives, Obama said. "Our goal is to destroy al-Qaida, and we are on a path to do exactly that," he added. "Afghans want to assert their sovereignty and build a lasting peace. That requires a clear timeline to wind down the war."

Withdrawing immediately, he said, would leave Afghanistan vulnerable to a new civil war and re-establishment of terrorist safe havens. "We must give Afghanistan the opportunity to stabilize," he said. "Otherwise, our gains could be lost, and al-Qaida could establish itself once more. And as commander in chief, I refuse to let that happen."

The best course, Obama said, is to end the war responsibly.

"My fellow Americans, we have traveled through more than a decade under the dark cloud of war," he said. "Yet here, in the pre-dawn darkness of Afghanistan, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon. The Iraq War is over. The number of our troops in harm's way has been cut in half, and more will soon be coming home. We have a clear path to fulfill our mission in Afghanistan, while delivering justice to al-Qaida."

The future is possible, the president said, because of American service members, who have deployed to Afghanistan and other dangerous areas time and again.

"In an age when so many institutions have come up short, these Americans stood tall," he said. "They met their responsibilities to one another, and the flag they serve under. I just met with some of them, and told them that as commander in chief, I could not be prouder. In their faces, we see what is best in ourselves and our country."

Obama stressed that America must honor its debts to these service members. "We must give our veterans and military families the support they deserve, and the opportunities they have earned," he said. "And we must redouble our efforts to build a nation worthy of their sacrifice."
 

COMMANDER IN CHIEF ADDRESS ON AFGHNISTAN

Commander in Chief Address