SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA'S REMARKS ON U.S.-TURKEY RELATIONS

Photo: File Sec. Of Defense  Leon Panetta.  Credit:  U.S. Defense Department.  
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Panetta Praises U.S.-Turkish Alliance, Pledges More Support
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
WASHINGTON, June 12, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta delivered keynote remarks during the 31st Annual American Turkish Council Conference dinner here last night reaffirming the U.S.-Turkish alliance and pledging further support for shared security goals.

"As some of you may know, I've just returned ... from a nine-day trip to the Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said. "The main purpose of it was to explain the new defense strategy ... to our allies and to our partners throughout the region. In many ways, my appearance here tonight continues that mission."

The defense secretary reflected on the "historic" U.S.-Turkey alliance, and noted 2012 marks 60 years since Turkey joined NATO.

Through this alliance, and a bilateral military relationship, Turkey and the U.S. have built "strong cooperation and connections" across their armed services, Panetta said.
"Our troops fought alongside each other in the Korean War, our troops helped stem the bloodshed in the Balkans, and they worked together to protect the Libyan people as they stood up to a brutal dictator," Panetta noted.

"Just as critically, Turkey continues to make vital contributions in Afghanistan, where more than 1,200 Turkish forces are currently deployed," he said. "We deeply appreciate the determination and resolve of the Turkish people to assist the international military effort, even in the face of the challenges that we have to confront, and even in the face of tragedy."

Panetta said he was "deeply saddened" by news of a March 16 Turkish helicopter crash in Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed 12 Turkish soldiers.

"In the aftermath of that tragedy, Turkey stayed focused on the mission," he said. "In the lead-up to the Chicago Summit, Turkey played a leading role within NATO to ensure that we affirmed our enduring commitment to the security and stability of Afghanistan."
"Just as Turkey has shared in the effort to deny al-Qaida and its militant allies safe haven in Afghanistan, the United States has expressed its strong solidarity in Turkey with their fight against the PKK," he said.

Panetta assured attendees his discussions with his Turkish counterparts have been clear in the commitment to continue helping Turkey counter the PKK "threat." The Kurdistan Workers' Party, also known as the PKK, is a terrorist group that has been fighting the Turkish government since 1984.

"I've reiterated, obviously, our long-term view, that military force, alone, while important, cannot solve this problem," Panetta said. "There should be a political process involved as well. But let me be clear -- so long as the PKK threatens Turkey and threatens its people, we will continue to provide Turkey with the capabilities needed to counter that threat."

"Our shared commitment to these efforts reflects our shared aspiration for a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for our children, and our shared values as two democracies," he said.

Panetta said as some threats recede, more arise such as violent extremism, destabilizing behavior from Iran and North Korea, rising powers in the Asia-Pacific region, turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, and challenges in the cyber domain.
Panetta said as the U.S. deals with these challenges and fiscal pressures requiring nearly half a trillion dollars in budget cuts over a decade, the Defense Department is putting forth a new defense strategy.

"[This] strategy recognizes 'yes' we're going to be smaller, we'll be leaner, but we have to be agile, we have to be flexible, we have to be quickly deployable, we have to be on the cutting edge of technology for the future," he said. "We recognize that the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are where the most pressing security challenges lie, and we must increase our focus on these key areas."

Panetta said the strategy recognizes the need to maintain a U.S. presence throughout the world with "innovative rotational deployments that emphasize alliances" and new partnerships, and investments in the realms of cyberspace, unmanned systems, special operations forces, and the ability to mobilize quickly.

The defense secretary noted as part of this effort, the U.S. also wants to encourage nations like Turkey "whose values we share" to help advance peace and security in these regions.

"As part of a shared vision for security and stability in the Middle East, the United States strongly supports Turkey's growing and vital leadership role as a prosperous, democratic nation that is an anchor of security, and an engine of growth for the region's economy," Panetta said.

"Together, Turkey and the United States are working closely to support the historic wave of democratic change that is sweeping the Middle East and North Africa," he added.
Turkey and the United States, Panetta said, are confronting nations blocking change and destabilizing behavior in the region such as Syria and Iran.

The defense secretary said the U.S. and Turkey will continue to work together with the international community to bring pressure on Syria and Iran, because "there is no silver bullet here."

"We are more effective in achieving that objective when the international community stands together as one," Panetta said.

Panetta also stated he believes Turkey has an important leadership role in solving future security challenges as part of NATO Force 2020.

Through the decades, Panetta said, the partnership between the American and Turkish people has grown stronger, and the two nations have been made stronger and more prosperous because of it.

The challenges and threats both nations face today are complex, dangerous, and destabilizing, he said.

"But our two nations understand that in that kind of world, nations that have common values and are not afraid to lead will prevail," Panetta said.

14 SALES AGENTS CHARGED BY SEC WITH MISLEADING INVESTORS IN A $415 MILLION PONZI SCHEME

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C., June 12, 2012 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged 14 sales agents who misled investors and illegally sold securities for a Long Island-based investment firm at the center of a $415 million Ponzi scheme.

The SEC alleges that the sales agents — which include four sets of siblings — falsely promised investor returns as high as 12 to 14 percent in several weeks when they sold investments offered by Agape World Inc. They also misled investors to believe that only 1 percent of their principal was at risk. The Agape securities they peddled were actually non-existent, and investors were merely lured into a Ponzi scheme where earlier investors were paid with new investor funds. The sales agents turned a blind eye to red flags of fraud and sold the investments without hesitation, receiving more than $52 million in commissions and payments out of investor funds. None of these sales agents were registered with the SEC to sell securities, nor were they associated with a registered broker or dealer. Agape also was not registered with the SEC.

“This Ponzi scheme spread like wildfire through Long Island’s middle-class communities because this small group of individuals blindly promoted the offerings as particularly safe and profitable,” said Andrew M. Calamari, Acting Regional Director for the SEC’s New York Regional Office. “These sales agents raked in commissions without regard for investors or any apparent concern for Agape’s financial distress and inability to meet investor redemptions.”

According to the SEC’s complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, more than 5,000 investors nationwide were impacted by the scheme that lasted from 2005 to January 2009, when Agape’s president and organizer of the scheme Nicholas J. Cosmo was arrested. He was later sentenced to 300 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $179 million in restitution.

The SEC alleges that the sales agents misrepresented to investors that their money would be used to make high-interest bridge loans to commercial borrowers or businesses that accepted credit cards. Little, if any, investor money actually went toward this purpose. Investor funds were instead used for Ponzi scheme payments and the agents’ sales commissions, and Cosmo lost $80 million while trading futures in personal accounts. Meanwhile, the sales agents assuredly offered and sold Agape securities to investors despite numerous red flags of fraud including Cosmo’s prior conviction for fraud, the too-good-to-be-true returns, and the incredible safety of principal promised to investors. The sales agents also ignored Agape’s relatively small and unknown status as a private issuer of securities, Agape’s series of extensions and defaults, and other dire warnings about Agape’s financial condition. None of the Agape securities offerings were registered with the SEC.

The SEC’s complaint charges the following sales agents:
Brothers Bryan Arias and Hugo A. Arias of Maspeth, N.Y., who offered and sold Agape securities to at least 195 and 1,419 investors respectively. They received more than $9.5 million combined in commissions and payments.

Brothers Anthony C. Ciccone of Locust Valley, N.Y. and Salvatore Ciccone of Maspeth, N.Y., who offered and sold Agape securities to at least 535 and 348 investors respectively. They received more than $17 million combined in commissions and payments.

Brothers Jason A. Keryc of Wantagh, N.Y. and Michael D. Keryc of Baldwin, N.Y. Jason Keryc offered and sold Agape securities to at least 1,617 investors and received at least $16 million in commissions and payments. He also paid sub-brokers, including his brother, at least $7.4 million to sell Agape securities for him. Michael Keryc offered and sold Agape securities to at least 177 investors and received more than $1 million in commissions and payments.

Siblings Martin C. Hartmann III of Massapequa, N.Y. and Laura Ann Tordy of Wantagh, N.Y. Hartmann enlisted his sister in his sales effort while he worked as a sub-broker for Jason Keryc. Hartmann and Tordy offered and sold Agape securities to at least 441 investors and received more than $3.5 million in commissions and payments.

Christopher E. Curran of Amityville, N.Y., who worked as a sub-broker for Keryc. Curran offered and sold Agape securities to at least 132 investors and received at least $531,890 in commissions and payments.

Ryan K. Dunaske of Ronkonkoma, N.Y., who worked as a sub-broker for Keryc. Dunaske offered and sold Agape securities to at least 70 investors and received more than $700,000 in commissions and payments.

Michael P. Dunne of Massapequa, N.Y., who worked as a sub-broker for Keryc. Dunne offered and sold Agape securities to at least 99 investors and received more than $1.5 million in commissions and payments.

Diane Kaylor of Bethpage, N.Y., who offered and sold Agape securities to at least 249 investors and received at least $3.7 million in commissions and payments.

Anthony Massaro of Boynton Beach, Fla., who offered and sold Agape securities to at least 826 investors and received more than $5.9 million in commissions and payments.

Ronald R. Roaldsen, Jr. of Wantagh, N.Y., who worked as a sub-broker for Keryc. Roaldsen offered and sold Agape securities to at least 159 investors and received more than $600,000 in commissions and payments.

The SEC’s complaint charges Bryan and Hugo Arias, Anthony and Salvatore Ciccone, Jason and Michael Keryc, Dunne, Hartmann, Kaylor, Massaro, and Tordy with violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The complaint charges all 14 defendants with violations of Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act, and Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act.

The SEC thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its assistance in this matter. Anthony Ciccone, Kaylor, Jason Keryc, and Massaro have previously been arrested on a criminal complaint charging each of them with conspiracy to commit mail fraud based on their conduct as Agape sales agents. The SEC also acknowledges the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Celeste Chase, Philip Moustakis, and Yvette Panetta in the New York Regional Office. The SEC’s related examination that led to the enforcement case was conducted by Richard A. Heaphy, Yvette Q. Panetta, Dawn M. Sacco, Joseph P. DiMaria, James E. Anastasia, Marianne Cala, and Steven Gilchrist. The SEC’s litigation will be led by Paul G. Gizzi and Mr. Moustakis.

U.S.-BARBADOS RELATIONS

Photo:  Westindia Day Celebration .   Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Relations With Barbados
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Fact Sheet
June 4, 2012
The United States and Barbados have had friendly bilateral relations since Barbados' independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. Barbados and U.S. authorities cooperate closely in the fight against narcotics trafficking and other forms of transnational crime. The two countries have signed a mutual legal assistance treaty; an updated extradition treaty covering all common offenses, including conspiracy and organized crime; and a maritime law enforcement agreement.

U.S. Assistance to Barbados
The United States has supported the government's efforts to expand the country's economic base and to provide a higher standard of living for its citizens. U.S. assistance is channeled primarily through multilateral agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID's Eastern Caribbean program, which includes Barbados, has focused on promoting economic growth through an improved business and investment climate, helping governments and the private sector compete in the global marketplace, combating HIV/AIDS, and protecting fragile ecosystems. Barbados receives counternarcotics and youth development assistance from the United States under the regional Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and is eligible to benefit from the U.S. military's exercise-related and humanitarian assistance construction program.

Bilateral Economic Relations
Barbados has an open economy with a marked dependence on imports, 40% of which come from the United States. Barbados is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative, which aims to facilitate the economic development and export diversification of the Caribbean Basin economies by providing countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market for most goods.

Barbados's Membership in International Organizations
As a small nation, the primary thrust of Barbados' diplomatic activity has been within international organizations. Barbados and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, Organization of American States, Inter-American Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

U.S. COMMANDER OF U.S. FORCES IN KOREA WORKS TO KEEP AMERICAN FORCES AT "...HIGHEST LEVELS OF READINESS"

Photo:  U.S. Forces Korean Peninsula, 1952.  Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Commander Seeks Enhanced Deterrent on Korean Peninsula
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, June 12, 2012 - The commander of U.S. Forces Korea is working to ensure all the capabilities needed to defend South Korea are in place.
Army Gen. James D. Thurman told the Association of the Republic of Korea Army today that the U.S. Army has issued guidance to increase the manning levels of the 2nd Infantry Division. He is also working with U.S. service chiefs to keep American might on the peninsula at the highest levels of readiness.

This does not necessarily mean an increase in the number of troops in South Korea, Thurman said. There are about 28,500 Americans based in the country. That number will remain about the same, but the distribution will be changed, he said.

"There is true commitment from the United States and common understanding of the importance that northeast Asia has today," Thurman said.

The general also is looking for ways to reduce the high U.S. military turnover rate in South Korea. Most U.S. forces deploy to the country for one-year tours. "There's a constant turnover and loss of people coming and going to Korea," he said. "I have asked the Army and the other services to help develop options to mitigate this, and I'm confident we will be able to work this."

Thurman said he is also examining the current U.S. force structure on the peninsula and what modifications must be made to enhance warfighting capabilities.

At his regular Tuesday news conference, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Thurman is dedicated to ensuring "that we and our South Korean allies have the capabilities that we need to ensure the defense of the Republic of Korea."

"Any recommendations or decisions that he has made with respect to the provision of new equipment, we believe, is part of a calculus that goes on all the time when you're in a theater like the Republic of Korea and you face a threat across the border," Little added.
Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby stressed that nothing Thurman is requesting is new.

"These are ... long-standing capabilities that he's been interested in making sure he has available to him," Kirby said at the same Pentagon news conference. "In fact, some of them, I think, are intended just to replace or restore assets that deployed to Afghanistan from South Korea that he just simply wants ... to get back into his quiver."

Deterring North Korea is the mission of U.S. forces in South Korea, officials said. North Korea has just gone through regime succession. The North sank the South Korean Navy ship Cheonan in 2010. Later that year, the North shelled a border island killing two civilians and two South Korean Marines. The North also unsuccessfully tried to launch a missile in April that could be used as an ICBM. All these incidents, officials said, point to the threat Pyongyang poses.

"Our readiness defines our deterrent capability and we can never allow that to slip," Thurman said. "Maintaining high levels of readiness requires having the proper manning, the proper force structure and the most modern equipment."

Thurman has asked U.S. Army leaders for priority to receive an added attack-reconnaissance helicopter squadron to bring the 2ndInfantry Division's combat aviation brigade to full strength.
The general said he's also requested "increased capabilities in terms of theater ballistic missile defense."

The 2nd Infantry Division already has the Army's most modern tanks, improved capabilities in the Bradley fighting vehicles and upgraded Blackhawk helicopters, Thurman said.

"We will continue to improve our joint command, control, computers, and intelligence systems, and we will continue to improve our cyber capabilities," he said. "This is a domain that we must be prepared to operate in from a combined and joint perspective because this is important to mitigate the risks posed by our potential enemies."
Enhancing interoperability with the South Korean military is a priority for U.S. Forces Korea, Thurman said.

"The ROK-U.S. alliance is the strongest alliance in the world," the general said. "It is the best military-to-military relationship I have ever experienced in my 37 years serving in the United States military. And it's the best because it is built on mutual trust and common values."

NATIONAL DAY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION REMARKS BY SEC. OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
National Day of the Russian Federation
Press Statement Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State Washington, DC
June 11, 2012

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Russia as you celebrate your National Day this June 12th. This is an occasion to honor your rich history and cultural diversity, and an opportunity to mark the progress we have made together.

Over the past three and a half years, our two countries have continued to broaden and deepen our cooperation to address shared challenges. Trade and investment are increasing. We were proud to support Russia’s effort to join the World Trade Organization this year. We continued successful implementation of the New START Treaty, including its comprehensive inspection and verification procedures. Russia and the United States are effective partners as we pursue peace and stability in Afghanistan and cooperate on issues like counterterrorism and counternarcotics.

Entrepreneurs, educators, artists, athletes, scientists, and bloggers have helped strengthen the bonds between our societies and our countries by participating in cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges. We look forward to even closer ties with the ratification of agreements to increase the duration of business and tourist visas and to strengthen protections and procedures for intercountry adoptions. Our people are connected in more ways than ever before thanks in part to the efforts of our Bilateral Presidential Commission.

As you celebrate your national day, I send all Russians my warmest wishes for a peaceful, productive and prosperous year to come.

FARM EQUIPMENT DEALER PLEADS GUILTY TO FAILING TO PAY FEDERAL EXCISE TAXES AND FRAUD

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Monday, June 11, 2012
Minnesota Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Federal Excise Tax Crimes and Tax Fraud
Jason W. Leas, a resident of Crookston, Minn., and co-founder of Best Used Trucks of Minnesota Inc., pleaded guilty today to one count of failing to pay federal excise taxes, one count of failing to file a federal excise tax return and one count of filing a false individual federal income tax return for tax year 2007, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced. Leas was charged by information filed on May 29, 2012.  He entered his plea of guilty before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Richard H. Kyle in Duluth, Minn.

As alleged in the plea agreement, from 2004 through 2007, Best Used Trucks, which is located in Crookston, was a farm truck dealership that bought and sold used trucks, new trailers, new grain boxes and other heavy farm equipment, primarily to farmers throughout the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North Dakota.  Beginning in 2004 and continuing through 2007, Leas and Best Used Trucks purchased and imported new end dump trailers, grain boxes, and gravel boxes from a Canadian manufacturer, which subjected the company to federal excise taxes upon selling them afterward.   Leas admitted that he knew of his responsibility for paying the 12 percent federal excise tax on the sale of these trailers and related equipment, and his responsibility to file federal excise tax returns.  Leas pleaded guilty to failing to file an IRS Form 720, Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return for the third quarter of 2005, and failing to pay federal excise taxes of $9,636 for the first quarter of 2006.  Leas admitted that he failed to pay over at least $80,088 in total federal excise taxes for ten quarters from 2004 through 2006.

Leas also pleaded guilty to willfully filing a false individual federal income tax return for the tax year 2007, which failed to report at least $120,151 in additional income with an additional tax due and owing of at least $36,872.  The plea agreement alleged that from 2004 to 2007 Leas controlled two checking accounts in the name of Best Used Trucks of Minnesota. Leas used one of these accounts to both divert corporate receipts from Best Used Trucks, and to buy and sell equipment that was not part of Best Used Trucks’s ordinary business sales.   Leas failed to report this income on his personal tax returns for four years, resulting in a total tax loss of at least $73,361.

“To build faith in our nation’s tax system, honest taxpayers need to be reassured that everyone is paying their fair share of taxes, whether it is in the form of income taxes or excise taxes,” said Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, St. Paul Field Office.  “The IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, together with the Department of Justice, will continue to investigate and prosecute those who violate our tax system.”

Leas is facing a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison for all three charges; three years for willfully filing a false income tax return, and one year each for the failure to file and failure to pay charges.

Kathryn Keneally, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division, thanked Special Agents and Revenue Agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Dennis R. Kihm, who prosecuted the case.

PROGRESS IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE HAQQANI NETWORK

Photo:  Black Hawk Helicopter Flying Over Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. Air Force. 
FROM:   AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICES
Transition Continues, Haqqani Network Seeks Gains, Commander Says
By Karen Parrish
WASHINGTON, June 11, 2012 - The Haqqani network's top leaders still seek to re-establish some control in Afghanistan, a senior International Security Assistance Force commander told reporters today, but transition to Afghan-led security is proceeding well.

Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. "Mike" Scaparrotti, commander of ISAF's Joint Command and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, spoke to Pentagon reporters via satellite from the Afghan capital of Kabul today on current operations.

Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, lead the Taliban-allied network. Its senior leaders, U.S. officials believe, direct operations from safe havens in Pakistan's tribal areas along the Afghanistan border.

Scaparrotti said Haqqani forces make up 10 percent or less of the overall insurgent numbers in Afghanistan, but they are among the most effective and lethal enemies Afghan and coalition forces face.

While many Haqqani fighters are looking for a safe opportunity to reintegrate into Afghan society, Scaparrotti said, he believes the network's senior leadership is intent on securing their traditional area of operation in Afghanistan's Khost, Paktika and Paktia provinces.

The general, who hands over the Joint Command to Army Lt. Gen. James L. Terry tomorrow, said his two priorities since assuming command in July 2011 have been "accelerating the development of the [Afghan national security forces], moving them into the lead, and maintaining the momentum of the campaign in relentless pursuit of the enemy."

That enemy is both reduced in number –- down to some 20,000 from an estimated 30,000 –- and demoralized, compared to this time last year, Scaparrotti said. "So far the enemy spring offensive hasn't been successful," he said. "Additionally, the enemy's mid- to low-level leaders remain frustrated with their leadership in Pakistan, creating the opportunity for both formal and informal reintegration across Afghanistan."

Insurgent attacks are down in both number and effectiveness, the general said, while more than 4,000 former insurgents have officially reintegrated into Afghan society and sworn to support the central government. Many more have informally put down their arms and returned to their homes, he added.

Still, the general added, safe havens remain a concern, and ISAF has placed more combat power in the east, around Ghazni, to help contain insurgent movement across the border region and attempted attacks on Kabul.

"We've inserted a brigade [near Ghazni] from the 82nd Airborne Division," Scaparrotti said. "In some areas, there in the east [and] south of Kabul, we needed to insert the greater combat power, and we'd needed to do that for some time."

The coalition is also working very hard with Afghan forces to help them gain strength so they can hold those areas once ISAF combat operations cease, the general said.
"We'll continue to conduct operations as necessary in the future to ensure that we attain the conditions that we need in the east and that supports ... Afghan security forces growing in strength and taking the lead," he added.

The main effort during his tenure has been in the south, Scaparrotti said.
"During this past winter and into the summer, we have consistently expanded our security gains ... [and moved] Afghans into the lead," he said. "Together we've secured the Helmand River valley, Kandahar and most of the surrounding districts, and now our Afghan partners are taking the fight to the enemy."

The capital region, the western and the northern areas of Afghanistan also have seen increased effectiveness in Afghan forces, Scaparrotti said.
Overall, Afghanistan today shows a "remarkable difference" from the pre-2001 time of Taliban rule, the general said.

"Today, more than five times as many children are in school, roughly 85 percent of Afghans have basic health care within one hour of where they live, women represent 27 percent of the parliament, and 52 percent of the Afghan people believe their government is headed in the right direction," he reported.

The general noted guidance that Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, ISAF commander, issued following a June 6 airstrike targeting an insurgent leader that resulted in civilian deaths for which the coalition has apologized. The guidance limits airstrikes against civilian homes in Afghanistan.

"We will not employ aerial-delivered munitions on a civilian dwelling, unless, of course, it is the last resort and it is ... to ensure the defense of our soldiers," he explained. ISAF officials reported that since January, the command has conducted more than 1,300 close air support engagements, with both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, during which 32 civilian compounds were damaged and five civilian deaths were confirmed. Rules of engagement have not changed, and coalition forces remain authorized to use air support, if necessary, to counter hostile acts, Scaparrotti said.

The coalition has reduced civilian casualties by 52 percent over the last year, Scaparrotti noted. "One of the reasons that we're working this very hard is that we want to bring the civilian casualties to zero, if possible," he added.

Under the new guidelines, the general said, he is confident that while limiting airstrikes against populated areas, ISAF can continue to protect its troops and maintain the momentum of the campaign against the enemy.

Scaparrotti said coalition troops in Afghanistan have made great sacrifices, and progress in Afghanistan has come at great cost to both the service members and civilians there and the families who support them.

"We've got to always remember that, and we've got to make their sacrifice matter," he said. "We are going to continue this mission. We must. And I believe we can complete this mission that's been set out for us."

ESA Portal - Switzerland - Français - Euronews : Quand Vénus se dévoile

ESA Portal - Switzerland - Français - Euronews : Quand Vénus se dévoile

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORTS DROP IN CRIMES ACROSS THE NATION

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Annual Crime Data Shows Decrease in Crimes Across the Nation.   June 11th, 2012 Posted by Tracy Russo.
According to the FBI’s Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report released earlier today, the nation experienced a 4.0 percent decrease in the number of violent crimes and a 0.8 percent decline in the number of property crimes in 2011 when compared with data from 2010. The report is based on information the FBI gathered from 14,009 law enforcement agencies.

Highlights from the preliminary report include:
Violent crime declined in all city groups. Cities with populations of 50,000 to 99,999 saw the largest decrease (5.2 percent) in violent crime.

In the violent crime offenses category, murder was down overall 1.9 percent from 2010 figures, while forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault all fell four percent.

Nationally, the property crime offense categories of larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft decreased in 2011 when compared with 2010 data. Motor vehicle thefts declined in all population groupings. Cities with 100,000 to 249,999 inhabitants experienced the largest decline at 4.3 percent. Metropolitan counties reported a 6.1 percent decrease in motor vehicle thefts.

Arson offenses, which are not included in property crime totals, decreased 5.0 percent nationwide.

All of the final figures will be published this fall in Crime in the United States 2011.
Submitting Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data to the FBI is a collective effort on the part of city, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies to present a nationwide view of crime. Participating agencies provide reports on crimes to their state UCR program, which then forwards the data to the FBI’s national UCR program. Staff then review and enter it into the national UCR database. The information is then publicly disseminated through various reports, as well as through preliminary data reports and special reports on particular topics.

The FBI cautions against drawing conclusions by making direct comparisons between cities or individual agencies due to unique conditions that affect each law enforcement jurisdiction.

MAKING PREVENTION WORK IN HEALTHCARE

Photo:  Secretary of HHS Kathleen Sebelius
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Moving Academic Medicine Forward
June 11, 2012
Baltimore, MD
Johns Hopkins is a terrific place to be talking about the future of medicine.
More than 100 years ago, when Abraham Flexner had to decide which institution to use as his model of medical education, there was little question which it would be. The influence of Johns Hopkins, he wrote, can hardly be overstated. And a century later his words seem truer than ever.

Hopkins has been a leader time and time again: the first major medical school to admit women; the first to use rubber gloves during surgery; the first to develop renal dialysis and CPR. Hopkins helped develop new specialties from neurosurgery and urology to endocrinology and pediatrics.

More recently Hopkins scientists have made discoveries at the foundation of genetic engineering, neurotransmitter pathways, and that most cutting-edge medical technology of all, the checklist.

The last 15 years have been shaped by Dean Miller who came to Johns Hopkins with one of the hardest jobs possible. He was asked to take one of the most renowned medical schools and hospital systems in the world, and make it even better. But that’s exactly what he did.

So Dean Miller, let me add my congratulations to those you’ve received today.
But even here at Johns Hopkins, we must also acknowledge how far we still have to go.
Over the last couple decades there has been a growing consensus about where we need to move our health care system: toward a focus on prevention and maintaining health, a greater emphasis on primary care, more coordination between providers, greater value for dollars spent, and better use of evidence, leading to continuous improvement.

We’re moving in that direction. But I think it’s clear that we’re not moving fast enough. Though we’ve been talking about these reforms for decades in some cases, our health care system is still marked by uneven quality, unequal access, and runaway costs that put care out of reach for far too many families.

And yet, as I speak to you today, I’m very optimistic.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen a number of powerful trends converge: The rapid adoption of electronic health records, a growing public awareness about the importance of prevention, a new eagerness and willingness among providers to embrace change, and the Affordable Care Act – the most important health legislation in over 40 years.

The combination of these trends has created a unique opportunity for progress in health care.  And no one is better positioned to take advantage of that opportunity than Johns Hopkins and America’s teaching hospitals.
Today I want to talk about a few key areas where I believe we have the greatest potential for progress.

The first area is making prevention a priority. There is a growing body of evidence that people’s behaviors outside the health care system – what we eat, how much we exercise, whether we smoke or not – affect our health even more than the treatments and medicines we get when we visit a doctor.
For doctors, this meant experiences like designing the perfect regimen for your patient with diabetes, only to see them go home to a neighborhood where the lack of healthy food options meant their chances of sticking to that diet were almost zero.

So over the last three years, this Administration launched what is probably the most ambitious effort in our country’s history to help people make healthy choices: funding innovative local programs for reducing chronic disease; new laws to make sure kids get healthy school lunches; and historic legislation to make it harder for tobacco companies to market their products to kids -- since we know that every day, 3,800 young people smoke their first cigarette.

We’re also making it easier for doctors to promote good health in their practices.
A key benefit of the health care law is that recommended preventive services like cancer screenings and wellness visits are now available for Medicare beneficiaries and many other Americans at no additional cost.  So doctors no longer have to worry about those patients skipping their mammograms and checkups because they can’t afford the co-pay or deductible.

But prevention only works if leading institutions like Johns Hopkins make it a priority.
That starts in your clinical work where you can give your patients the tools to live healthy lives. Getting a teenager the support he needs to quit smoking may be more important than any test or exam you might provide. And helping a young parent identify asthma triggers in her home may determine whether or not her child truly thrives.

You have a unique role in your patients’ lives, and a powerful opportunity to affect their health well after they leave your offices.

But we also need better research about which community-based prevention programs work and which don’t – especially in areas where we’ve only just gotten started, like childhood obesity. We’ve seen the positive impact of programs like building safe routes to school and smoke-free public housing. But now we need to measure and study their results -- because we know that by honing and improving these interventions, we can reach more people in more communities more effectively.

Another area we’re focusing on is primary care which is fundamental to helping people stay healthy. Yet we face a dire shortage of providers across the country today. As chronic diseases continue to rise and our population continues to age, the need for primary care providers will only grow.

In the Obama Administration, we’re doing our part by increasing reimbursement rates for primary care.  And we’ve added thousands of slots to the National Health Service Corps.  If you go and practice primary care in an underserved community, we’ll help you repay your loans – a win/win.

But we also need academic medicine to further explore the importance of primary care in your research and underscore it in your training. Far too often, especially at our leading teaching hospitals, primary care has been treated like it was less challenging, less important, and a less worthy use of a physician’s skills. We need to change these attitudes, and that starts with our medical schools.

But ultimately, the choice belongs to the next generation of doctors. So, to the medical students here today, I ask you, directly, to consider becoming a primary care physician. If you want to help lead the biggest transformation of medicine in decades, there’s no better place to be.
That brings me to a third area where academic medicine can continue to lead. That is in moving our system toward care coordination.

Thanks to the medical breakthroughs of the last 50 years, millions of Americans today are living with chronic conditions that would have killed them 50 years ago.  It’s good news that we’re living longer.  But it also means we have a new group of patients who often suffer from multiple, chronic conditions.

You may see a patient with congestive heart failure.  But she also has chronic asthma, uncontrolled diabetes, and is a smoker. As she sees more and more individual doctors, the chances that something may fall through the cracks increase. And then, so do the costs of her care.

But we know that doing something right often costs less than doing it wrong. And under the health care law we’re changing the way we pay for care -- to get high value for the dollars we spend.

We’re supporting models like Accountable Care Organizations that will get paid for keeping their patients healthy and not just how many tests and procedures they do. Many of them are led by teaching hospitals, and we need you there going forward on the frontlines of our work to deliver higher value care.

But if we are going to make coordinated care the rule and not the exception, we also need to make sure it’s at the heart of our medical school curricula. There was a time when it was good enough just to train the best specialist in every field. But today, no one person alone can keep their patient healthy. It requires primary care doctors and specialists, but also nurses, community health workers, and substance abuse counselors.

And this multidisciplinary, team-based care, must be part and parcel of training the next generation of physicians. It’s why the surgeon and author Atul Gawande likes to say: today, we need pit crews, not cowboys.

These are three areas where Johns Hopkins can lead the way.  But I also want you to think beyond your own patients, your own students, and your own research grants.    

One of the most important breakthroughs in medicine over the last 10 years was the surgical checklist developed right here at Hopkins. When ICU doctors and nurses implemented the checklist, you saw a real difference.

But what really made the checklist so powerful was when other leaders and other institutions took it up. Michigan hospitals gave it a try and ended up saving 1,500 lives and reduced health care costs by $200 million in just 18 months. Now, hospitals everywhere have embraced it.

So this is the final place I’d like to ask you to step forward. Beyond the three pillars of research, education, and patient care at the heart of academic medicine, we need you to take on another mission. We need you to serve as a model for the future of health care.

Change is hard. People often see the initial advantage of trying something new. But then there are costs and risks involved, and after a few bumps in the road, the temptation is to stick with what you know – even if it’s not working well.

But change becomes easier, if someone creates a path for you to follow. Institutions like Johns Hopkins have always been models for the rest of the nation. But that has been about more than just new facilities or the latest ranking in a particular publication.

It’s also means pushing this country forward, even from the front of the pack, to build a better health care system for all Americans.

I look ahead with great hope for the future of medicine. There will be more obstacles to overcome. But in the face of great challenges, the pioneers of American medicine have never been discouraged. We’re going forward together -- because today, a stronger, healthier America is on the horizon.

FLUID DYNAMICS AS A SCIENCE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ARMED WITH SCIENCE
Written on JUNE 11, 2012 AT 7:48 AM by JTOZER
Through The Eyes Of A Scientist-Dr/ Elaine Oran
By Jessica L. Tozer
For a scientist, life is a series of questions just waiting to be answered.
How we’re connected, how things work, why they’re here… These are things that humans have been trying to figure out since the Neanderthals began to drool.  Elaine Oran seeks her understanding of the universe through the perspective of science.

Dr. Elaine Oran is the Senior Scientist for Reactive Flow Physics, affiliated with the  Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC.  Like many physicists, Dr. Oran uses equations and numbers to analyze questions of existence and bring the answers to life, so to speak.

So what does that mean, exactly?
“Basically, I study fluid motion, fluid dynamics.  I study the motions and the behavior of gases and liquids and plasmas.  More specifically, I solve rather complex sets of equations, usually on large computers, and these describe dynamics.”

Tell us a little bit about fluid motion and dynamics, and how it applies to you.
“My specialty that flow with some kind of reactions and turbulence.  There are really three different sorts of reactions that we look at.  One is chemical reactions.  That’s what drives engines — car engines and propulsion devices.  There are atomic reactions; the Earth’s upper atmosphere is an example.  Then there are thermonuclear reactions; the sort that we look at in exploding stars.”

So how does understanding the mechanics of an exploding star help the Department of Defense?
“In my research I try to understand how explosions occur, and this means I want to know how the chemical or other types of reactions interact with the fluids to release energy.”

“The Navy – and the DOD in general – is very interested in a number of issues related to the general properties of explosions, controlling them or avoiding them. They’re interested in both how to avoid unwanted explosions or intense chemical reactions and how to create them in a controlled way.  If we understand this, we can avoid dangerous situations.  We could also make more efficient and perhaps even cleaner engines.”

When it comes to your research, what question or questions are you most excited to answer?
“At the moment the most interesting question to me has to do with turbulent reacting flows and trying to define the controlling processes.  It seems very likely that many of the usual classical theories are not at all complete.  And so when you find something where there’s a gaping hole in knowledge, that’s kind of where I like to dive in.  Right now we have one in turbulent reacting flows.   So the most exciting questions are simply the things we do not understand.  In this case, how the turbulence, reactions, and background flow all interact to give surprising and unexpected results.”

What would you like to say to any young people just starting to blaze their own scientific trail?
“I would tell young men and young women not to be afraid.  That’s what I see too often, people being afraid, intellectually fearful.  They are not willing to just look in front of them and see where the problems are and face them head-on.  Don’t afraid to be wrong, don’t be afraid to be right.  That’s the death of science.”
Fear is the death of science.  You know, I think I like that.  Pithy.  Dramatic.  Possibly the next title of my new science fiction book series…

We’ll keep asking the questions, Dr. Oran, just as long as you keep working to answer them.
———-
Dr. Elaine Oran is the Senior Scientist for Reactive Flow Physics, affiliated with the Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics at the Naval Research Laboratory.  Information for this article provided by the Naval Research Laboratory.

EXPLODING STAR 
FROM:  NASA
Infrared images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) are combined in this image of RCW 86, the dusty remains of the oldest documented example of an exploding star, or supernova. It shows light from both the remnant itself and unrelated background light from our Milky Way galaxy. The colours in the image allow astronomers to distinguish between the remnant and galactic background, and determine exactly which structures belong to the remnant. Dust associated with the blast wave of the supernova appears red in this image, while dust in the background appears yellow and green. Stars in the field of view appear blue. By determining the temperature of the dust in the red circularshell of the supernova remnant, which marks the extent to which the blast wave from the supernova has travelled since the explosion, astronomers were able to determine the density of the material there, and conclude that RCW 86 must have exploded into a large, wind-blown cavity. The infrared images, when combined with optical and X-ray data, clearly indicate that the source of the mysterious object seen in the sky over 1,800 years ago must have been a Type Ia supernova.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON CONCERNED ABOUT ETHNIC/SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN BURMA

Photo:  Recent Trip, Secretary Clinton with Burmese Ethnic Minority Representatives.  Credit:  U.S. State Department.

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Violence in Burma's Rakhine State

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 11, 2012

The United States continues to be deeply concerned about reports of ongoing ethnic and sectarian violence in western Burma’s Rakhine State and urges all parties to exercise restraint and immediately halt all attacks. The Burmese Government has announced a State of Emergency and curfews in Rakhine State, but reports of violence continue.

We join others in the international community and call on authorities to work with local leaders—together with Muslim, Buddhist, and ethnic representatives, including Rohingya—to halt the on-going violence, begin a dialogue toward a peaceful resolution, and ensure an expeditious and transparent investigation into these incidents that respects due process and the rule of law.

The United States has welcomed Burma’s recent reform efforts and the important steps President Thein Sein, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other leaders inside and outside of government have taken. The situation in Rakhine State underscores the critical need for mutual respect among all ethnic and religious groups and for serious efforts to achieve national reconciliation in Burma. We urge the people of Burma to work together toward a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic country that respects the rights of all its diverse peoples.