Sunday, May 6, 2012
ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER SPEAKS AT MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL SENIOR DAY
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the University of Michigan Law School Senior Day Ceremony Ann Arbor, Mich. ~ Sunday, May 6, 2012
Distinguished faculty, administrators, and alumni; proud parents, family, and friends; and, above all, members of the Class of 2012: thank you for inviting me to share in this moment, and for welcoming me to your extraordinary campus. It’s easy to see why Michigan has built a reputation as "the most beautiful law school in the country." It was a pleasure to visit the historic law quad – and to see the stunning, new, state-of-the-art South Hall. And it is a privilege – and a very humbling experience – to share the stage with an academic leader who is very widely regarded, and has even been named by AbovetheLaw.com, as "America’s hottest Dean."
Dean Caminker, congratulations on reaching this pinnacle in your career – and for having the good judgment to quit while you’re ahead, which I can only assume is the reason you’ve announced your plans to return to the classroom and to your love of teaching after the next school year. However, I must admit I’m holding out hope that you might follow the path of your colleague – and fellow "beautiful person" – Steve Croley, who’s currently on leave from this law school and doing important work at the White House, where he’s become known as "the Tom Cruise of the West Wing."
But, of course, Steve is just one of many Michigan alums who is standing out – and providing critical service – at the highest levels of government. Along with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar; United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Barb McQuade, who I’m glad is here with us today; Senior Advisor to the President, Valerie Jarrett – and so many others – lawyers who were trained here at U of M are making meaningful contributions – all across, and far beyond, the country – in advancing the goals that we share, and affirming the values that inspired the founding of this remarkable institution – and brought each of you here to Ann Arbor.
Because of you and your predecessors – and because of the graduates we celebrate today – Michigan Law School is much more than a Mecca for good-looking people. It is a meeting ground for the thoughtful exchange of ideas – where issues of national importance, and global consequence, are regularly discussed and addressed; where policies aimed at expanding opportunity – from integration to affirmative action – have proven their value and provided a model of success; where a spirit of both community and compassion has taken hold; and where, for every person on this campus – no matter what you look like or believe; no matter where you’re from or how you worship; no matter who you are or who you love – you can be assured that, when it comes to protecting your best interests and basic rights, your classmates and colleagues are willing to stand up, to speak out – and even to walk out – on your behalf.
That concept – of unity and solidarity; and that the suffering of one affects the security of all – has been a defining characteristic of Michigan’s culture for more than 150 years. And I’m hardly the first to recognize it.
More than half a century ago, in the fall of 1960, when then-Senator John F. Kennedy visited this campus – to announce the concept of the Peace Corps – he observed the very same thing. Standing on the famous Michigan steps, he noted that "this University is not maintained by its alumni, or by the state, merely to help its graduates have an economic advantage in the life struggle. There is certainly a greater purpose."
That night, the soon to be President spoke directly to the students gathered before him. He called on them to reexamine their attitudes and to reconsider their possibilities. He reminded them of their readiness, and responsibility, to serve. And he enlisted their partnership in the pursuit of peace, progress, and – above all – justice.
Today, graduates, I ask the same of you. And I also ask that, for a few minutes, you set aside your concerns about job prospects, though I know they are many; that you set aside the fresh memories of final exams, though I hope they are already fading; and that you instead consider why, of all things in this world, you chose to become lawyers.
Whether you’re imagining a future defending the accused in a courtroom, drafting rulings in your chambers, prosecuting human rights abuses in your homeland, serving the people of your state in Congress, or some other path altogether, I would wager that your presence here today has something to do with the wisdom JFK offered to future generations half a century ago – only yards away from this very spot.
The obligations that President Kennedy spoke of – to contribute to the strength of this country and to help protect the rights of others and to respect the dignity of all – have now become your charge. This afternoon, as you celebrate everything you’ve achieved and experienced here, I know the last thing you want to think about is a new bond of responsibility. But, starting now, that is precisely what you must do.
Yes, you are entering an uncertain world – one burdened by economic difficulty but showing signs of recovery. And you are taking leave of this campus in an age, not only of change, but also of unprecedented challenge, new threats, and an ongoing terrorist war. A time when – despite the incredible healing, and the once-unimaginable progress, that we’ve seen in recent decades – longstanding divisions and disparities remain. It is also a time when the poorest among us continue to suffer most. There are also more systemic threats to our society: terrorists who live only to murder the innocent; an environment in the balance and at the mercy of mankind; a justice system whose promise of fairness is too often compromised by the large number of people who cannot afford or access adequate representation; and the alarming number of children who are exposed to crime, violence, disease, and neglect.
Yet, you must resist the temptation to feel as though you have been dealt a bad hand. In fact, what you have been given is a rare chance.
Know this: times of difficulty, of novel questions and new tests, are the most exciting, and consequential, times to be a lawyer. Since our nation’s earliest days, the service and contributions of attorneys – and, very often, of young attorneys – have kept the great and unique American experiment in motion. Throughout our nation’s history, people with exactly your training and experience were on the front lines of efforts to abolish slavery and segregation; to secure voting rights for women and civil rights for all; to ensure that our schools were accessible – and affordable – for our students; to provide health care for our seniors and our poor, and to guarantee decent wages for our fellow workers and their right to organize.
Now, graduates, it’s your turn. And, today, it is your time – to improve the course of our country and world, to strengthen the structures and rules that govern our society, to find the most innovative and effective ways to combat injustice, and to ensure that the change that you envision is transformed into the reality of people's lives.
I realize that I’m asking you to take up – and to carry forward – some weighty responsibilities. But I have no doubt that you are ready. And, after three years on this campus, you are superbly prepared. Just think about what you have learned here – and how much you, already, have achieved.
Each one of you survived "Transnat." You’ve mastered the rules of "Whirlyball." You’ve made it through Professor Seinfeld’s exhaustive lectures – not only about legal theory, but about theJersey Shore. You’ve put on the most acclaimed Culture Show, and the most successful SFF Auction, in school history – however, you did fail to keep some of these events off of YouTube. All I can say is: Lady Gaga would be proud.
Throughout the football season – on game day – you made sure the law school section of the "Big House" was always packed – and the same was true for the law school section of Rick’s. I’m certain that your unwavering support was essential in propelling the Wolverines to become this year’s Sugar Bowl Champions. Go Blue!
And although the members of this class have become known for their willingness to do just about anything for free food – especially if Zingerman’s sandwiches are involved – when it comes to giving back, your generosity has set a new standard. In fact, the Class of 2012 has raised record levels of funding to support critical public interest programs and projects – and to help close alarming, and unacceptable, gaps in legal services nationwide.
But you haven’t just served as role models for the 1-L’s and 2-L’s. You’ve become leaders for the entire campus. And you’ve made a difference – and your efforts have had a measurable impact – far beyond this University. You’ve contributed thousands of hours volunteering to help struggling residents, students, seniors, and veterans in Detroit. You’ve worked to provide pro bono legal assistance to tribal communities. You’ve traveled the globe to enhance freedom of expression, rallied against torture, and led international human rights workshops. You’ve gained hands-on experience helping victims through the very first human trafficking clinic in the nation – and you’ve shown your resolve to raise awareness about these heinous crimes – and to document, and strengthen, the record progress that the Justice Department and partners like you have made in combating them – by compiling the first public database of human trafficking cases in the United States.
You’ve also brought together judges, activists, and Supreme Court Justices to discuss ways to strengthen our legal system. And you’ve joined forces with local officials and community stakeholders to seek out ways to combat gang violence, to assist struggling entrepreneurs, and to protect the rights of immigrant families. And through your internships and your partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and with local law enforcement, you’ve worked to honor and uphold essential civil rights protections – including the landmark Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which President Obama signed into law nearly 3 years ago, marking a crucial step forward in safeguarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals from vicious hate crimes.
In short, you have defined your time on this campus – and your pursuit of a law degree – not as a means to an end, but as a step toward a larger societal goal. And it’s no surprise that you’ve advanced this common goal in many different ways – for this is a terrifically diverse class.
You represent 38 states – plus Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands – as well as 14 countries. Some of you had never set foot in the United States before you arrived in Ann Arbor – and one graduate had never been in a motorized vehicle until she boarded a plane to America to seek political asylum. Many of you are the first in your family – not just to receive a law degree, but to have attended college. And you’ve come from 144 different undergrad institutions.¡¡ You range in age from 21 to 63. Twelve percent of you already have an advanced degree – and nearly all of you have post-collegiate professional or academic experience.
You are Fulbright and Truman scholars, AmeriCorps and Peace Corps volunteers, and Teach for America alumni. You’re filmmakers, musicians, reporters, military and police officers, and intelligence and legislative analysts. We have a former Notre Dame tight end, a nuclear reactor systems engineer, a wilderness ranger and a wild-land firefighter, a shoe designer, and a sheep farmer – and someone who, I’m told, has the same level security clearance that I do.
You’ve accomplished a great deal already. And there is, quite simply, no limit to what you can achieve. As you move toward continued success, we can all be encouraged by the plans that many of you are making for your future.
Already, one quarter of today’s graduates have accepted public interest positions – and will be filling a variety of exciting – and essential – posts at government agencies, judicial courts, and non-profit organizations.
For example, Kate O'Connor and Sam Dratch will be bringing their skills – and experience working with the Innocence Clinic – to state public defender offices in North Carolina and Florida. Jena Gutierrez will be joining The Florence Project in Florence, Arizona – representing unaccompanied minors detained in Arizona for immigration removal proceedings. Nick Hambley and Zach Dembo will be joining the U.S. Navy JAG Corps. Paige Fern will be moving to Los Angeles to continue the work she began here in Ann Arbor to protect the rights – and to raise awareness about the needs – of foster children. Colleen Manwell will be heading to the Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem to represent individuals with mental health issues in civil cases. Stacey McClurkin will be joining the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office in Jonesboro, Georgia. And Amanda Klovers will be returning to Washington, D.C. – and coming to our nation’s Department of Justice – where she’ll be working for me.
But no matter your plans or future path, however you choose to move forward, each one of you will find your own answer to a question that Dean Z posed when you first arrived here as 1-L’s.
"What could be more exciting," she asked, "than studying for a career that gives you the opportunity not only to shape the world but to improve the world?"
Class of 2012, I’m here to tell you that there is, in fact, something more exciting than studyingfor this career – and that’s starting this career.
As of today, you are no longer merely students of the law. You are now stewards of our justice system. However you decide to seize this opportunity, I can think of no more exciting time to be entering the legal profession than in this new decade of the 21st century. You all have the potential – as well as the power that a Michigan law degree affords – to improve your own circumstances, to assist and protect others, and to lead our nation, and our world, toward a new era of prosperity, healing, and opportunity.
So, let me be the first to officially welcome you into a profession that will provide countless chances for you to hone your new skills, continue your learning process, channel your greatest passions, and to shape and improve the world we share.
That is your mission – and that, Class of 2012, is your responsibility.
Congratulations on reaching this moment – and thank you, once again, for allowing me to celebrate it with you. I am proud of each one of you – and I am counting on you all. A world that is still so riven with misgiving and despair is also full of hope, and hungers for the possibility of change. You must use your God-given talents and acquired skills to make this world – your world – a truly better place. I know that each one of you has that ability – and that possibility – within you. Your duty is to make certain that "what might be possible" does not become "what might have been." I am confident that you will meet your responsibilities, exceed your expectations, and help to transform our nation – and this world – for the better.
Congratulations, Class of 2012.
PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE FUTURE OF AFGHANISTAN
Photo: White House
FROM: AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Obama Praises Military, Highlights 'New Chapter in Afghanistan'
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2012 - In his weekly address today, President Barack Obama discussed his trip to Afghanistan, where he signed a historic agreement setting the stage for a long-term partnership.
"As commander in chief, nothing is more humbling or inspiring than the chance to spend some time with our troops," Obama said. "At Bagram Air Base, I visited with some of our outstanding men and women in uniform. I thanked them for their extraordinary service. And I let them know that America honors their sacrifice."
Because of their bravery and dedication, the president said, the Taliban's momentum has been broken, a strong Afghan security force has been established and al-Qaida's leadership has been devastated.
"One year ago, our troops launched the operation that killed Osama bin Laden," Obama said. "The goal that I set – to defeat al-Qaida and deny it a chance to rebuild – is within reach.
"Because of the progress we have made," he continued, "I was able to sign an historic agreement between the United States and Afghanistan that defines a new kind of relationship between our countries: a future in which Afghans are responsible for the security of their nation and we build an equal partnership between two sovereign states -- a future in which the war ends and a new chapter begins."
Though the "enormous sacrifices" of U.S. men and women are not over, Obama said, many are already returning home.
"Last year, we removed 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan," he said. "Another 23,000 will leave by the end of the summer. As our coalition agreed, by the end of 2014, the Afghans will be fully responsible for the security of their country."
Urging the American people to help "secure the care and benefits our veterans have earned, so that we serve them as well as they have served us," the president praised the courage, commitment, selflessness and teamwork of troops. They have something to teach the rest of the nation, he said.
"If we follow their example," Obama said, "then I have no doubt we will preserve the promise of this country, protect the freedoms we cherish, and leave for our children an America that's built to last."
WORKER'S' MEMORIAL DAY
Workers' Memorial Day Summit in Los Angeles
In observance of Workers' Memorial Day, Secretary Solis last week announced a major new outreach and education campaign to prevent deadly falls at construction sites. Solis, speaking at the Action Summit for Worker Safety and Health at East Los Angeles College, said, "This is how we can honor the fallen: by standing up together with courage and conviction and saying two words that will echo across this country: Never Again." The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lead the awareness campaign. The event brought together business, trade organizations, union and government officials and workers committed to eliminating workplace deaths and the needless suffering experienced by workers and families across the nation.
A Memorial March, and a Powerful Moment
Labor Department agencies and staff joined with the nation last week in commemorating Workers' Memorial Day with events from California to Maine. The events gave worker advocates, union representatives, state and local government officials and others the opportunity to reflect on the terrible costs of unsafe working conditions. At one Philadelphia event, a Workers' Memorial Day procession took on an unexpected, urgent meaning. The event was organized by the Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health, and it closed with a march from the Sheet Metal Workers' Hall to Penn's Landing on the Delaware River, where the assembled mourners read the names of fallen workers and floated roses into the river in their honor. Along the way, members of the procession spotted two workers in a forklift elevated 18 feet above the ground, doing electrical work on a lamp in the Penn's Landing parking lot. Neither worker was using proper fall protection. Several Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials immediately left the procession to remove the workers and address safety issues. As the forklift was lowered, a clip snapped that was holding in place the cage being used as the workspace — a potentially fatal incident if not for the intervention of OSHA officials. The incident proved that memory is not always a passive exercise, and the awareness generated by an event like Workers' Memorial Day can ensure the immediate safety of workers.
OSHA's Michaels Honors Fallen Workers
On the eve of Workers Memorial Day, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels gave remarks at the memorial ceremony hosted by the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md., to honor those who have died on the job. Michaels was joined by United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts and the Association of Flight Attendants International Vice President Sara Nelson in a program that also paid tribute to first responders and public employees as part of the college's mission to serve the educational needs of the labor movement. Speaking from the campus' famed National Workers Memorial, Michaels invoked the inspiration drawn from these lives as a driving force behind OSHA's mission to protect workers from preventable workplace hazards. "We must remember that no job is a good job unless it's a safe job," Michaels said. "We resolve to honor their memory by pursuing our shared mission to ensure the safety and health of America's workforce." The event followed an earlier observance at the Labor Department, during which employees observed a moment of silence to honor fallen workers.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND BUTLER UNIVERSITY RESOLVE TITLE IX ATHLETICS COMPLIANCE REVIEW
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
U.S. Education Department Reaches Agreement with Butler University to Resolve Title IX Athletics Compliance Review
MAY 3, 2012
The U.S. Department of Education announced today that its Office for Civil Rights has entered into a resolution agreement with Butler University in Indianapolis to resolve a compliance review that was initiated at the university. The review examined whether the institution discriminates against female students by denying them an equal opportunity to participate in intercollegiate athletics and whether the university discriminates in awarding athletic scholarships.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), 20 U.S.C. § 1681, and its implementing regulation, 34 C.F.R. Part 106, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. The university is a private, co-educational institution whose intercollegiate athletics teams compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I.
According to data provided by Butler, during the 2010-11 school year women made up 2,267, or 59.6 percent, of the university’s full-time undergraduate students. But, the institution’s 164 female athletes comprised only 36.5 percent of its 449 athletes. Butler’s 285 male athletes represented 63.5 percent of its athletes. During the 2010-11 academic year, the university distributed more than $3.8 million in athletic scholarships to male and female athletes. Women received 53.4 percent of this amount and men 46.6 percent.
“The many benefits that students derive from participating in athletic competition are well-documented and extend far beyond the playing field,” said Russlynn Ali, assistant secretary for the Office for Civil Rights. “In this 40th anniversary year for Title IX, a case like this reminds us how critical this statute continues to be in ensuring equal opportunity for women in education. OCR is committed to ensuring that student athletes have equal access to those benefits, including equal opportunities to participate in sports and to be awarded scholarships based on their athletic abilities. Today’s announcement is an important step in OCR’s continued efforts to work with the nation’s institutions to accomplish this result.”
According to the agreement, by Sept. 1, the university has to demonstrate that it is accommodating effectively the interests and abilities of female students in order to provide them an equal opportunity to participate in sports or, if unable to demonstrate current compliance, submit a detailed plan to OCR to accommodate effectively the interests and abilities of female students in its athletics program over the next three academic years. The plan must include a description of interim steps that the university will take during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years to increase athletic participation opportunities for women.
With respect to scholarships, by Sept. 1, Butler must also demonstrate that during the 2011-2012 school year equal opportunities are being provided in awarding athletic scholarships to male and female athletes. Or, if the university is unable to demonstrate this, it must submit a detailed plan to ensure that by the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year, Butler is in full compliance with its Title IX obligation to provide athletic scholarships in a non-discriminatory manner.
The agreement makes clear that OCR does not require or encourage the elimination of any university athletic teams and that it is seeking action from the university that does not involve the elimination of athletic opportunities. The agreement also states that nothing in the agreement requires Butler to cut the amounts of athletic scholarships it offers to either sex, and that any such cuts are discouraged.
GSA REPORT RELEASED ON GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS
FROM: U.S. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
GSA Releases Initial Report on Green Building Certification Systems
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. General Services Administration released its review of the Green Building Certification Systems. This initial report is the first step in an extensive review process -- including a public comment period – that evaluates tools that could help federal agencies meet their goals for maintaining and constructing more sustainable and efficient buildings. When completed, the use of updated building certification systems will help GSA’s customer agencies meet federal requirements for green construction, save taxpayer dollars and meet the goals of President Obama’s Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance (EO 13514).
The U.S. government owns and leases nearly 3.4 billion square feet of real estate and is the largest consumer of energy in the United States. The U.S. General Services Administration oversees the leasing and construction of over 9,600 buildings in the federal government building portfolio, and every five years, the agency is required to review building certification systems for the entire government under the Energy Independence Security Act. In this most recent review, more than 180 green building certification systems, tools, and standards were initially screened by an independent laboratory to determine which were most applicable for construction of new buildings, major renovations, and upgrades to existing facilities.
After the most recent evaluation of green building certification systems in April, GSA successfully narrowed the field by selecting systems that employed whole building evaluations, are available within the US market, and have third party certifications.
Three certification systems passed the screening criteria: Green Building Initiative's Green Globes, U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and the International Living Building Challenge. The initial findings from GSA revealed that none of the three building certification systems cover 100% of the Federal building requirements for new construction, major renovations, or existing buildings.
GSA will hold public listening sessions for members of the public to provide feedback on its review and convene an interagency review group to evaluate and make recommendations on how to guide government construction towards meeting the goals of President Obama’s sustainability executive order. The inter agency task is co-chaired by GSA, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. Agencies with large portfolio holdings such as the Department of State, National Park Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Forest Service have also been invited to take part.
The review group’s findings will be shared through a notice-and-comment period advertised in the Federal Register. Following public comment, GSA, DOD, and DOE will develop formal recommendations on how green building certification systems will be used to facilitate high performance in the federal sector. GSA expects to make its final recommendation to the Secretary of Energy in Fall of 2012.
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Green Building Certification Systems
GSA is a centralized, federal procurement, property management, policy development and information provision agency, created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the public. In this role, GSA acquires products and services on behalf of federal agencies; plays a key role in developing and implementing governmentwide policies; provides services and solutions for the office operations of more than 1 million federal workers; and encourages a citizen-centric relationship with government by providing a single "point of entry" to the information and services citizens need in a timeframe they can appreciate.
VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FALLING
FROM: U.S. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
Post-9/11 Veteran Unemployment Rate Still Falling; At 9.2 Percent
May 4, 2012 by Brandon Friedman
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Veteran unemployment data for the month of April. The unemployment rate for one closely watched group, Iraq and Afghanistan-era Veterans (or Gulf War II-era Veterans), fell more than a full percentage point to 9.2 percent.
While much work remains to be done, since January 2012, post-9/11 Veterans have experienced the lowest unemployment rate in any combined four-month period since 2008. Additionally, the trend over the past 28 months—since January 2010—remains downward for America’s most recent Veterans.
If anything, today’s positive figure reminds us that there’s still much work to be done. VA, in conjunction with the White House and our private sector partners, remains committed to ensuring that the unemployment rate for all Veterans continues its downward path.
2012 WARRIOR GAMES CAME TO AN END
Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) Adm. Mark Ferguson visits with members of the Navy/Coast Guard team during the 2012 Warrior Games. More than 200 wounded, ill or injured service members from the U.S. and British armed forces are scheduled to compete in the Paralympics-style competition, May 1-5. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David Danals (Released)
U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND LISTS FOUR BASIC PRIORITIES
FROM: AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE Ensuring ready forces is U.S. European Command's highest priority. Here, paratroopers from Special Operations Command Europe descend after jumping from an MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft over Malmsheim Drop Zone, Germany, Dec. 9, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Isaac A. Graham
Priorities Chart Way Forward for Eucom
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
STUTTGART, Germany, May 4, 2012 - Using the new defense strategic guidance as its roadmap, officials at U.S. European Command say they've fixed their compasses on four basic priorities: maintaining ready forces, completing a successful transition in Afghanistan, sustaining strategic partnerships and countering transnational threats.
Keeping a steely-eyed focus on these priorities is particularly important at a time of limited resources, Navy Vice Adm. Charles Martoglio, Eucom's deputy commander, told American Forces Press Service.
"Our highest priority is readiness to execute the contingency plans that we are responsible for," he said. "That goes directly back to the Constitution that says the military's mission is to fight and win the nation's wars."
That, explained Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, the command's deputy commander for plans, policy and strategy, means being ready to act if called upon to deal with issues in a 51-country area of responsibility that stretches across the Baltics, the Balkans, the Caucasuses and the Levant.
Eucom's next priority is to complete a successful security transition in Afghanistan from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force to Afghan national security forces, the admirals said. This, Montgomery explained, requires evolving from an operational role to a training role to ensure Afghan forces are prepared to accept increasing security responsibility.
"Many people don't realize that most of the non-U.S. forces in ISAF are from Europe," Martoglio said, noting that about 32,000 of the 35,000 partner forces in the coalition deploy from European soil. Eucom has been active over the past decade helping to organize, train and equip forces from countries not financially or logistically capable of doing so themselves.
"Some would say we should expect more from our European partners," Martoglio acknowledged, noting the 90,000 U.S. troop contribution to ISAF. "But I would say that if it weren't for those 32,000 European partners there, we would require 32,000 more Americans."
As the coalition draws down forces in Afghanistan, Eucom's next priority, he said, will be to preserve the strategic partnerships solidified there.
"We have been alongside NATO, or NATO has been alongside us, for 10 years in Afghanistan and Iraq," Martoglio said. "We have a combat edge that has been honed by 10 years of working together in very challenging circumstances.
"So as we come out of Iraq and Afghanistan, how do we sustain that combat edge over time, particularly when everybody's budgets are being significantly constrained?" he asked. "Our job here is to sustain the strategic partnership, the NATO alliance – that most successful coalition in history – across these difficult financial times."
NATO never has been at a higher level of readiness to conduct contingency operations, Montgomery said. He cited the immediacy of a mission that's brought interoperability within ISAF to its highest level ever, but could begin deteriorating over time without a concerted effort to preserve it.
"The question," he said, echoing Martolgio, "is how do we preserve all the investment that's been made over the last eight to 10 years – an investment of not just money, but blood and sweat, working together in both Iraq and Afghanistan?"
Martoglio emphasized the importance of continued engagement and training, both to take new strategic partnerships forged with Eastern European nations to the next level, and to maintain other ISAF contributors' high-end capabilities.
"We have to look toward ensuring interoperability of those forces and routinely training together so that if we have to conduct high-end operations, we have the ability to work together from a technical perspective, and the skills to work together from a training perspective," he said.
Looking forward, Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, the Eucom commander, identified four specific countries for increased engagement: Israel, Russia, Turkey and Poland.
Israel is one of the United States' closest allies, Martoglio said, noting the U.S. commitment to help in deterring its adversaries. Russia has a major impact on security in Europe and the world, and forging a more positive bilateral relationship is essential, he said.
Turkey, a rising regional power and NATO partner, is able to influence events in parts of the world the United States simply can't. And Poland, an increasingly influential leader in Northeastern Europe, is on a trajectory toward extending its economic and democratic impact beyond the immediate region.
These partnerships will be vital in confronting new and emerging threats in a rapidly-changing security environment, Martoglio said, particularly transnational threats that no one country can tackle alone. These include violent extremist organizations, cyber attacks, ballistic missiles and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
NATO addressed these concerns at its 2010 summit in Lisbon, Portugal, tasking member countries to contribute to various capabilities as part of its new 10-year strategic concept. The United States took on a significant ballistic missile defense tasking, Montgomery noted, and is working within NATO and U.S. structures to address other challenges.
Stavridis, testifying before Congress in March, said these evolving threats demand the steady commitment that the trans-Atlantic alliance has demonstrated since its inception more than six decades ago.
"Working together with our historic partners on these critical security challenges of the 21st century to wisely leverage the significant investments that America has made for over half a century will be more important than ever in light of the fiscal constraints that we all face," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Stavridis credited the men and women of Eucom who work alongside allies and partners across the dynamic European theater every day pursuing common security interests and as a result, forward defense of the United States.
"With every action, they are shaping the rapidly changing world we live in today, in order to provide the ensuring capabilities, security structures and trust we need for a stronger world tomorrow," he said.
USING OLD THERAPEUTIC COMPOUNDS IN NEW WAYS
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Seibelius
Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Compounds
May 3, 2012
Washington, D.C.
When we look back over recent history, we see that biomedical research is responsible for some of our greatest progress, from the discovery of penicillin to the development of effective therapies for cancer. Diseases that had once been a death sentence have been eradicated or cured. Conditions that had once been disabling are now manageable.
These achievements have not only saved the lives and improved the health of millions. They have also sparked enormous economic growth and created countless new jobs.
At the beginning of a new century, we can see even bigger opportunities ahead. Last week, at the White House, I helped introduce our nation’s first-ever Bioeconomy Blueprint -- this administration’s commitment to strengthening bioscience research as a major driver of American innovation and economic growth.
And keeping America on the forefront of the search for new cures and treatments is fundamental to achieving that vision.
Yet the road from the research lab to an approved and marketable drug is a long one. And today there are many detours and obstacles along the way. It can take many years and hundreds of millions of dollars to bring one new drug from discovery to the marketplace, and most new projects fail in the early stages.
If we want to find the cures of the 21st Century, we need to chart a clear path forward. And that is why this administration has undertaken a major effort to identify and remove roadblocks at every stage of the development process.
Last December, we took a big step forward with the creation of NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). The Center’s mission is to develop the tools and approaches we need to help everyone searching for new cures to move forward faster.
One of the Center’s early priorities has been to take advantage of the many pharmaceutical-industry compounds that were originally developed and tested for one particular purpose, but ultimately not approved. What we know is that many of these compounds may have other potential uses. We just need to do the research to identify them.
The drug AZT, for example, was originally tested against cancer and failed. Only later was it discovered to be an effective treatment for HIV -- the first medicine we found to work against the virus. And Michael, who is with us here today, will talk about what that discovery has meant for him.
In the search for new cures and treatments, these compounds offer a big advantage over those still being developed in the lab. They have already cleared many of the early clinical and regulatory hurdles, allowing researchers to identify new therapies more quickly -- and allowing companies to bring them to market more efficiently.
And yet, many of these compounds have not been re-evaluated. Or, if they are re-evaluated, that research is typically conducted through traditional partnerships of very limited size and scope.
But today that is changing.
I am proud to announce a new collaborative program that will allow far more researchers to study pharmaceutical-industry compounds and pursue vital new treatments for patients.
Our goal is simple: to see whether we can teach old drugs new tricks. And to get there, we are taking an innovative approach: crowd-sourcing these compounds to our brightest minds and most inventive companies.
Under the initiative we are launching today, any researcher with a promising scientific idea can apply for a new grant to test compounds from our partners against a variety of diseases and conditions.
Through the program, the National Institutes of Health intend to provide at least $20 million in Fiscal Year 2013 to support the grants. And for their part, the companies will provide researchers with access to the compounds and all related data.
This new kind of partnership is an investment -- not only in our researchers, but in our nation.
Because, when America’s scientists have the tools and the resources to pursue the next great discoveries, we all benefit. It makes our nation stronger, healthier, and more competitive.
And now, I’d like to introduce a critical leader in that partnership: the Director of our National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins.
PROGRESS ON STATE-LED DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ASSESSMENTS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
State-led Development of New Assessments Moves into High Gear State and Teacher Teams to Help Develop Sample Questions
MAY 4, 2012
The state-led effort to design new assessments aligned with college and career-ready standards moves into year two with an ambitious agenda that includes releasing sample questions and piloting the new assessments in select schools in the spring of 2013. The new assessments are being developed by two consortia made of 45 states and the District of Columbia with approximately $350 million in federal Race to the Top funds.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that the new assessments will be, “an absolute game changer in public education, but we need to get it right. We need input from teachers and the public and we need to make sure that the tests provide parents and teachers with the information they need to focus and personalize instruction for all children.”
Reports released today by the U.S. Department of Education outline year-one activity by the two consortia – the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced). The effort to develop assessments across states at this scale is unprecedented and presented considerable challenges for each consortia in year one.
PARCC’s first-year work included strong contributions from higher education partners to help define college- and career-ready standards. PARCC also brought together state and district leaders to collaborate on transitioning to the new standards and assessment system.
“In just over a year, the 24 states in PARCC have made tremendous progress toward developing an innovative assessment system to make sure students are on a pathway to college and career readiness,” said Massachusetts Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester, who chairs the PARCC Governing Board. “Drawing on the leadership from the states in our consortium, the PARCC assessment promises to be a tool to improve student achievement, returning information quickly to drive instruction and delivering useful information to parents, while also providing data on the effectiveness of our education systems.”
In the first year, the Smarter Balanced consortium focused on helping states and districts understand new content standards and integrating technology into its assessment system.
“Smarter Balanced is working with our member states to create a balanced assessment system that gives parents, teachers and students information and tools to improve teaching and learning,” said Executive Director of the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium Joe Willhoft, Ph.D. “Assessments that are aligned to college- and career-ready standards are critical to preparing all students for success in the global economy.”
Once the new assessment systems are completed, participating states will use them in place of existing statewide assessments. Non-participating states are free to use them as well. Currently, they are on track for implementation in the 2014-15 school year.
PENTAGON FORCE PROTECTION AGENCY'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT
Photo: Pentagon, U.S. Department of Defense
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta delivers remarks at the Pentagon Force Protection Agency's 10th anniversary event at the Pentagon, May 2, 2012. DOD Photo By Glenn Fawcett
Panetta Praises Military Professionals for Bin Laden Raid
By Jim Garamone and Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 2, 2012 – To most Americans the news that Navy SEALs had killed Osama bin Laden came as a shot from the blue.
But to Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, the mission was the culmination of years of painstaking intelligence gathering, put to good use by a joint service team.
Panetta spoke about the raid today at the Pentagon. “Just yesterday, the nation marked one year since the operation that successfully took down Osama bin Laden,” he said. “It was a day that I hope Americans take the time to thank the very dedicated intelligence and military professionals who planned and executed that raid that delivered justice to al-Qaida’s leader.”
“We will always be grateful for their service, their sacrifice and their professionalism,” the secretary added.
During a recent trip to South America, Panetta discussed the raid itself. Last year, he was the Director of Central Intelligence monitoring the operation from CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. The intelligence professionals with the CIA located the al-Qaida leader’s hiding place in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Still, it was far from absolute confirmation that the compound held bin Laden. Intelligence analysts used a lot of circumstantial evidence to deduce that the compound held the terror leader.
President Barack Obama made a gutsy call ordering the raid, the secretary said.
The special operations team flew to Abbottabad from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. The compound is 100 miles inside Pakistan from the border. Crossing into Pakistani airspace was just one gut-check moment for U.S. leaders monitoring the operation. “When they crossed the border and were going into Pakistan there were a lot of tense moments about whether or not they would be detected,” Panetta said.
Another “nail-biting moment” came when one of the helicopters carrying the SEALs lost lift upon arriving at the compound and make a hard landing. Panetta was on the phone with Navy Adm. William H. McRaven, then the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command and now commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. McRaven was monitoring communications from Jalalabad.
After the loss of the helicopter, Panetta recalled asking McRaven, “Okay, what’s next?” The admiral, the secretary said, replied, “Don’t worry, we’re ready for this.”
The SEALs entered the three-story building at the heart of the compound and it was 20 minutes before there was any report from the ground. “We knew gunshots had been fired but after that I just didn’t know,” Panetta said.
It was at that point that McRaven reported that he might have heard the code word -- Geronimo -- that would mean they had found bin Laden. “We still were waiting, and then within a few minutes McRaven said the words, ‘Geronimo KIA,’” the secretary said, which meant that bin Laden had been killed in action.
“And that was that,” Panetta said.
But even with the mastermind of the 9-11 attacks dead, there were still tense moments. U.S. officials were concerned about what the Pakistani government would do, and whether the U.S. team could get out of the country without problems. “The moment they crossed the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, we finally knew that the mission had been accomplished,” Panetta said.
With the success of the operation assured, there were no over-the-top celebrations. “We had some special forces people at the operations center at CIA and we all kind of looked at each other,” Panetta said. “As a matter of fact, I have a picture in my office of all of us putting our arms around each other, just [acknowledging that] we got the job done.”
The secretary told members of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency today that the bin Laden operation was a remarkable experience and “one of the greatest memories in 40 years that I’ve been in Washington.
“Having the opportunity to work with the intelligence professionals, to work with Adm. Bill McRaven, to work with the SEALs in that operation was incredible,” Panetta said. “This was because of the professionalism and great dedication involved with that mission. It was the kind of stuff that makes you proud to be an American.”
With the death of bin Laden and many other strikes on the al-Qaida leadership, the terror group is a shadow of its former self, the secretary said. Still, it remains a threat, he said, and the dedicated intelligence and military professionals will continue with this mission.
STOPPING CANCER WITH A VACCINE
Honduran Dr. Jose Mejia, left, and Col. George Peoples, Mobile Surgical Team, work together to perform surgery on a Honduran boy at Santa Teresa Hospital in Comayagua, Honduras. (By Air Force Staff Sgt. Bryan Franks)
Written on MAY 4, 2012 AT 7:04 AM by JTOZER
Stopping Cancer Before It Starts
An Army doctor has helped develop a vaccine that he believes will prevent cancer, or at least its recurrence.
The drug NeuVax began phase III clinical trials Jan. 20, which Col. George Peoples said could lead to its Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, approval. Peoples is chief of surgical oncology at the San Antonio Military Medical Center when he’s not traveling the world to provide surgical expertise or working to try and find a cure for cancer.
He is currently deployed to Honduras.
The phase III clinical trial for NeuVax will involve at least 700 breast cancer patients at 100 sites in the United States and abroad. The trial is titled PRESENT, Prevention of Recurrence in Early-Stage, Node-Positive Breast Cancer with Low to Intermediate HER2 Expression with NeuVax Treatment.
Participants will receive one intradermal injection every month for six months, followed by a booster inoculation every six months thereafter. The primary endpoint is disease-free survival at three years.
“The first patient was vaccinated with NeuVax in January at San Antonio Military Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas,” Peoples said.
Peoples is the director and principal investigator for a Cancer Vaccine Development Program that he has been working on since the early 90s. The vaccine carries the generic name E75.
This third and final phase of testing before FDA approval will bring NeuVax one step closer to the market and to the breast cancer patients who need more options, Peoples said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 203,000 individuals in the United States are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer each year.
VACCINE MIGHT PREVENT OTHER CANCERS
Yes, there are ways to treat cancer, but why wait and treat, why not try to prevent? The desire to prevent disease, Peoples said, is what led to the eradication of smallpox and hopefully will lead to the eradication of polio.
“If you vaccinate enough people, you prevent the disease and it can no longer exist in the population; eventually it’s eradicated. So, if you believe that concept, then we need to figure out a way to prevent cancers, as opposed to detect them earlier or treat them better,” Peoples said.
He said one of the advantages of the new drug is the majority of cancers actually express some levels of the protein. It’s not exclusive to breast cancer, either, Peoples said.
TRULY PREVENTIVE VACCINE
A lot of times, he said, people actually do have cancer cells, or “cancer-esque” cells. It’s just they haven’t formed the cancer yet. And so those cells will theoretically be recognizable to the immune system, and can be affected by a vaccine.
“Ultimately, that is the goal – to provide a protective-type vaccine so that a person never actually develops the cancer,” Peoples said.
“So you could ultimately envision a vaccine that targets those critical proteins that are necessary for cancer to form. And if you have immunity, such that your body can recognize those proteins as soon as they show up, then theoretically, you could prevent a person from ever developing a cancer.”
“The good news is, I think those proteins are likely to be common proteins, shared among multiple cancer types,” he said. “So, it wouldn’t be a cancer-specific vaccine, but a vaccine that would protect you against lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, etc.”
“I think that is theoretically possible, it’s just a matter of identifying the most useful antigens to target,” Peoples said.
COMMANDER OF AIR FORCE'S AIR COMBAT COMMAND BACKS F-22 RAPTOR
An F-22 Raptor from the Hawaii Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron returns to a training mission after refueling March 27, 2012, over the Pacific Ocean near the Hawaiian Islands. During the training, U.S. Air Force Academy cadets received a familiarization flight to get a better understanding of the Air Force's global reach capabilities. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Holzworth
Air Force General Expresses Confidence in F-22
By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Amy L. Robinson
Air Combat Command
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va., May 5, 2012 - The commander of the Air Force's Air Combat Command met with reporters this week to discuss the national security imperative for the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, the status of efforts to identify a root cause for unexplained physiological incidents with the aircraft, and risk mitigation efforts since the Raptor's return to flying operations in September 2011.
Confirming recent media reports of the F-22 deploying to Southwest Asia, Air Force Gen. Mike Hostage emphasized the Raptor's ability to support combatant commander requirements around the world.
"I won't comment where it's deployed to or where it deployed from, but yes, the F-22 is on an operational deployment now. And this is not the first operational deployment," he said. "If your adversary is so concerned about what your capabilities are they decide not to engage with you, that, to me, is the ultimate use of your military capability. People pay attention to where this airplane goes and what it does. ... We need to make sure that it's a sustained part of our inventory."
A command-directed F-22 stand-down from May to September 2011 was a prudent measure following reports of potential oxygen system malfunctions, the general said. Since the stand-down, he added, Air Combat Command has implemented risk mitigation measures intended to protect F-22 pilots and maintenance crews and prevent future incidents.
Though he understands there are still concerns about the aircraft, Hostage said, a certain amount of risk always is involved and must be balanced with the requirement for the capability.
"In a peacetime training circumstance, we want to operate at as low of risk is prudent for the level of training we get out of a mission," he explained. "When we go into combat, risk goes up, but the reason to assume that risk goes up as well.
"We live in a community where risk is part of our lives," he continued. "If we think the risk has gone to a level where we just can't accept it, we either reduce that risk or eliminate it. But right now, we believe that risk -- although it's not as low as we would like it -- is low enough to safely operate the airplane at the current tempo."
Hostage said he doesn't expect his airmen to take the risk alone. In an effort to learn more about the aircraft and get a better understanding of what F-22 pilots are dealing with, he said, hesoon will begin flying the Raptor himself.
"I'm asking these guys to assume some risk that's over and above what everybody else is assuming, and I don't feel like it's right that I ask them to do it and then I'm not willing to do it myself -- that's not fair," he said. The day officials figure out the problem is the day he will stop flying, he added.
Since the aircraft resumed flying operations in September, the F-22 has flown more than 12,000 sorties and returned to operational capability.
"We've taken a very specific, methodical approach to how we return to flying -- the types of missions and the durations of the missions," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Charles W. Lyon, Air Combat Command's director of operations, who also participated in the media roundtable. "We've been continually increasing the types and durations."
The Air Force continues to search for the root cause of the unexplained physiological incidents using detailed data-collection methods, which will soon include centrifuge and high-energy testing. Hostage said he believes the command is making significant progress toward an answer, but he emphasized that scientific testing and data collection take time.
"I believe we are making significant progress toward an answer," Hostage said. "I don't want to characterize how far or when, because I don't own the progress of science. But I am confident we're going to get to a solution."
Both Lyon and Hostage compared this to the early days of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Although the first F-16 had its first operational flight in 1970, the combat edge aircrew flight equipment, which was optimized for high-G flight, wasn't fielded until about 1988, Lyon said.
"We didn't field it slowly because we had fiscal challenges," he said. "It took us that long to get the understanding over time of what was actually happening."
Hostage said a similar situation exists with the F-22 regarding the unknown effects of human physiology and technology.
"What we're looking at is human physiology and the regime this airplane operates in," he said. "This airplane does things airplanes have never done before in regimes of flight that we've never operated in before."
Hostage said he's confident a solution for what he calls "the most tactically-capable aircraft in the world" will come.
"This nation needs this airplane – and every one of them," he said. "I wish I had 10 times as many as I have."
STATE DEPARTMENT ON THE CHANGING FACE OF ANTI-SEMITISM
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Identifying the Trend: the Changing Face of Anti-Semitism and Implications for Europe and Sweden
Remarks Hannah Rosenthal
Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Institute for Security and Development Policy
Stockholm, Sweden
April 25, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for welcoming me here today. I would like to thank the Institute of Security and Development Policy for hosting this forum on the Changing Face of Anti-Semitism and Implications for Europe and Sweden. Thank you also for inviting me to speak and share my thoughts on this important topic. As the United States’ Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism, I am also honored to present alongside my esteemed colleagues, Dr. Henrik Bachner, Dr. David Hirsh, Dr. Mikael Tossavainen, and Professor Jean-Yves Camus. Also, thank you Minister Birgitta Ohlsson for your introduction.
This visit, while brief, is extremely important and timely. The world was shaken last month when an attacker murdered one adult and three children outside a Jewish school in Toulouse, France—just days after murdering three French soldiers of North African descent in the nearby city of Montauban. While we are decades removed from the Holocaust, anti-Semitism remains a serious problem in Europe. There are still many urgent lessons that we must learn from Hitler’s genocide of the Jewish people. One of these lessons is, however, about the human capacity for courage and strength. This year, the governments of Sweden and Hungary officially designated 2012 as the “Raoul Wallenberg Year” to honor and commemorate the courage of this young Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazi killing machine in Hungary.
Let me begin by explaining that the Obama Administration is unwavering in its commitment to combat hate and promote tolerance in our world, including in the United States. The President began his Administration speaking out against intolerance as a global ill.
Over the past three years, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made human rights and the need to respect diversity an integral part of U.S. foreign policy—from the human rights of LGBT people to women’s rights, to international religious freedom. Recently she was in Tunisia where she declared: “The rights and dignity of human beings cannot be denied forever, no matter how oppressive a regime may be. The spirit of human rights and human dignity lives within each of us, and the universal aspirations have deep and lasting power.”
President Obama and Secretary Clinton have honored me with this appointment, and have elevated my office and fully integrated it into the State Department.
As a child of a Holocaust survivor, anti-Semitism is something very personal to me. My father was arrested on Kristallnacht, the unofficial pogrom that many think started the Holocaust – and was sent with many of his congregants to prison and then to Buchenwald. He was the lucky one – every other person in his family perished at Auschwitz. I have dedicated my life to eradicating anti-Semitism and intolerance with a sense of urgency and passion that only my father could give me.
Over the past two and a half years, my staff and I have diligently reported on anti-Semitic incidents throughout Europe, following and tracking developments in new and old cases. We have classified these incidents into six trends, which provide a comprehensive framework from which we can analyze anti-Semitism in Europe.
First of all, anti-Semitism is not History, it is News. I run into people who think anti-Semitism ended when Hitler killed himself. More than six decades after the end of the Second World War, anti-Semitism is still alive and well, and evolving into new, contemporary forms of religious hatred, racism, and political, social and cultural bigotry. According to reports done by the governments of Norway, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, there is a disturbing increase in anti-Semitism in those countries.
According to a recent ADL survey, anti-Semitic attitudes remain at “disturbingly high levels” in ten European countries. The survey found that anti-Semitic attitudes in Hungary have risen to 63 percent from 47 percent in 2009, and in the United Kingdom, to 17 percent from 10 percent in 2009.
Although a separate study found that the number of reported anti-Semitic crimes decreased from 250 to 161 from 2009 to 2010, government officials nonetheless recognized that anti-Semitism was a problem in Sweden, especially in the city of Malmo.
The statistics are troubling, and stem, in part, from the fact that the first trend, traditional forms of anti-Semitism are passed from one generation to the next, and sometimes updated to reflect current events. We are all familiar with hostile acts such as the defacing of property and the desecration of cemeteries with anti-Semitic graffiti. Between June and December of 2011, we saw desecrations to Holocaust memorials, synagogues, and Jewish cemeteries in Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Lithuania, and Poland. There are still some accusations of blood libel, which are morphing from the historic accusations dating from the Roman Empire and other ancient cultures, repeated later by some Christians and Muslims, that Jews killed children to use their blood for rituals, or kidnapped children to steal their organs. Most recently, a Hungarian parliamentarian from the far-right Jobbik party invoked a centuries-old blood libel case in the Hungarian parliament. The Hungarian government quickly condemned the speech – the right response to such hate speech - although the impact of such horrible statements, even when refuted, remains.
In Sweden, anti-Semitic incidents have included threats, verbal abuse, vandalism, graffiti, and harassment in schools. I am particularly concerned about the situation in Malmo, which is not just serious but acute. In Malmo, the synagogue, which is a place for the community to gather and worship, has become a site of anti-Semitic slurs and vandalism. The synagogue heen fortified to be not just bullet-proof, but according to local Jewish community leaders, rocket-proof. But even with enhanced security including security guards, passersby still shout slogans like “Heil Hitler.” And the Rabbi of Malmo has been assaulted almost two dozen times in the past two years. In the fall of last year, the Swedish government increased its funding to provide security for the Jewish community. We appreciate this action but more must be done to reverse the trend.
Conspiracy theories unfortunately have traction with some groups, such as supposed Jewish control of the U.S. media and the world banking system, or that Jews were involved in executing the September 11 attacks. The recent ADL survey confirmed that some Europeans believe Jews have too much power in the business world and in international financial markets.
Conspiracy theories are present in Sweden as well. In August at the government’s request, the state-run Living History Forum published a report that found conspiracy theories target Jews for alleged attempts at global and financial domination.
A second trend is Holocaust denial. Holocaust denial is being espoused by religious and political leaders, and is a standard on hateful websites and other media outlets. Holocaust denial still remains a challenge in some of diplomatic engagements with countries that are trying to come to terms with their moral responsibility to prosecute Nazi war criminals and denounce the past crimes of their citizens. As the generation of Holocaust survivors and death camp liberators reaches their eighties and nineties, the window is closing on those able to provide eyewitness accounts.
A third, disturbing trend is Holocaust glorification – which can be seen in events that openly display Nazi symbols, in the growth of neo-Nazi groups, and is especially virulent in Middle East media – some that is state owned and operated - calling for a new Holocaust to finish the job. Truly bone-chilling. Following a March 2011 commemoration in Latvia, a notorious neo-Nazi made blatantly anti-Semitic statements, including incitements to violence against Jews, on a television talk show.
Satellite TV is sometimes exploited by hate-mongerers to propagate anti-Semitic views. Some Middle Eastern satellite channels integrate anti-Semitic rhetoric into programming that reaches into Europe. Such broadcasts can have a negative impact on European citizens and residents who are already predisposed to anti-Semitic beliefs. Some of these programs, mostly out of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, are seen by tens of millions of Europeans.
A fourth concern is Holocaust relativism – where some governments, museums, academic research and the like are conflating the Holocaust with other terrible events that entailed great human suffering, like the Dirty War or the Soviet regime.
No one, least of all myself, wants to weigh atrocities against each other, but to group these horrific chapters of history together is not only historically inaccurate, but also misses opportunities to learn important lessons from each of these historic events, even as we reflect on universal truths about the need to defend human rights and combat hatred in all of its forms.
The Holocaust is trivialized when spiteful politicians compare their opponents to Hitler. History must be precise – it must instruct, it must warn, and it must inspire us to learn the particular and universal values as we prepare to mend this fractured world.
The fifth trend reflects new forms of anti-Semitism which blur the lines between opposition to the policies of the State of Israel and anti-Semitism. What I hear from our diplomatic missions, and from non-governmental organizations alike, is that this happens easily and often. I want to be clear – legitimate criticism of policies of the State of Israel is not anti-Semitism.
All democracies should welcome differing positions, but we do record huge increases in anti-Semitic acts throughout Europe whenever there are hostilities in the Middle East. During the 2008-2009 conflict in the Gaza strip, anti-Semitic violence increased in Malmo, and in December 2008, anti-Semitic violence broke out against the Jewish community during a peaceful gathering in support of ALL the victims in the conflict. In 2010, leaders of the Swedish Jewish community received threatening messages and calls in conjunction with the Gaza flotilla incident.
This form of anti-Semitism is more difficult for many to identify, as it is not the objection to a policy of the State of Israel. When individual Jews are effectively banned or their conferences boycotted, or are held responsible for Israeli policy – this is not objecting to a policy – this is aimed at the collective Jew and is anti-Semitism.
Natan Sharansky, the great human rights activist in the former Soviet Union, identified when he believes criticism crosses the line: It is anti-Semitic when Israel is demonized, held to different standards, or delegitimized.
The sixth trend is the growing nationalistic movements which target “the other” – be they immigrants, or religious and ethnic minorities – in the name of protecting the identity and “purity” of nations.
Extremist far-right parties have been increasingly gaining popular support throughout Europe. Far right groups have now entered parliaments in Austria, France, Hungary, Italy, and the Netherlands. These extremist parties run and gain popular support through anti-immigration and racist platforms.
In Sweden, Jews have begun to march against these trends and the violent anti-Semitism that has come to permeate their lives. After Saturday services, members of Malmo’s Jewish community go on walks wearing visibly Jewish symbols. Some non-Jews have joined their walks, also wearing kippot in solidarity with the vulnerable Jewish community.
In June, five young Swedish Muslim men from Malmo organized a class trip to the Auschwitz extermination camp and filmed a documentary about it. Their initiative is a shining example of how we can all strive to counter hate and reverse the dual trends of Holocaust denial and intolerance.
When this fear or hatred of the “other” occurs or when people try to find a scapegoat for the instability around them, it is never good for the Jews, or for that matter, other traditionally discriminated against minorities. The history of Europe, with pogroms, Nazism, and ethnic cleansing, provides sufficient evidence. And when public figures talk about protecting a country’s purity, we’ve seen that movie before.I encourage Muslim and Jewish communities in Sweden and throughout all of Europe to build bridges and work together to refute this trend.
One way to do this is through education. One story that should be taught is that of Sweden’s own Raoul Wallenberg. Wallenberg was a young businessman when, in 1944, he accepted a diplomatic appointment to Nazi-occupied Hungary on a mission to save Hungarian Jews. By that time in the war, the Allied forces had learned of the Nazi extermination camps. Under diplomatic cover and with the help of colleagues and other individuals, Wallenberg was able to save thousands of Hungarian Jews between July and December 1944. He did so by issuing fake passports and hiding Jews in buildings he rented and declared property of the Swedish government. He did it with the full support of the government of Sweden. Wallenberg’s story is one of courage and selflessness.
Wallenberg’s acts of courage – along with those of other rescuers – should inspire us all to stand up to hate and face it squarely. We may, one day, find ourselves confronted with the same choice. It is not the easy choice. But it is the right one. We can learn from these rescuers about what it means to commit an act that is not easy, not profitable, but moral.
Government leaders play a very important role in condemning and combating anti-Semitism. They must be sensitive and thoughtful, and they must state—in clear and unequivocal terms—that anti-Semitism and all forms of hate are destabilizing and contrary to democratic norms. Our leaders must not fall victim to the trends I have just spoken about: they must not hold Jews responsible for Israel’s actions or blame the Jewish people for anti-Semitism; they must not deny the presence of anti-Semitic violence and behavior, or fuel inter-religious hatred or discord. Our local and national government officials must confront the root causes of hatred in their societies and protect the victims, rather than vilify them.
So while I fight anti-Semitism, I am also aware that hate is hate. Nothing justifies it – not economic instability and not international events.
If we educate diverse people about the current trends of anti-Semitism, if we call out propaganda and lies, stereotypes and myths, if we condemn indifference and intolerance, if we educate, especially young people about what is possible, if we highlight people who did the right thing, if we learn about how Jews lived, not only how they died, if we utilize old technologies and new forms of communication to inform and inspire, if we sensitively instruct and train teaching about the particular universal lessons of the Holocaust, we can move the needle against all forms of hatred.
I would like to thank the Institute for Security and Development Policy for holding this pressing conference and to speak before you. I look forward to our future collaboration, and I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
TRANSCANADA SUBMITS NEW PIPELINE APPLICATION
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
New Pipeline Application Received from TransCanada
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
May 4, 2012
The State Department has received a new application from TransCanada Corp. for a proposed pipeline that would run from the Canadian border to connect to an existing pipeline in Steele City, Nebraska. The new application includes proposed new routes through the state of Nebraska. The Department is committed to conducting a rigorous, transparent and thorough review.
Under Executive Order 13337, it is the Department’s responsibility to determine if granting a permit for the proposed pipeline is in the national interest. We will consider this new application on its merits. Consistent with the Executive Order, this involves consideration of many factors, including energy security, health, environmental, cultural, economic, and foreign policy concerns.
We will begin by hiring an independent third-party contractor to assist the Department, including reviewing the existing Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the prior Keystone XL pipeline review process, as well as identifying and assisting with new analysis.
We will cooperate with the state of Nebraska, as well as other relevant State and Federal agencies, throughout the process. Nebraska has stated that their own review of the new route will take six to nine months. Previously when we announced review of alternate routes through Nebraska this past fall, our best estimate on when we would complete the national interest determination was the first quarter of 2013.
We will conduct our review efficiently, using existing analysis as appropriate.
The application will be available on the Keystone XL project website: www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov, and a notice that the Department has received the application will run in the Federal Register.
SOUTH KOREAN CORPORATION EXEC. PLEADS GUILTY TO OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND SUBMITTING FALSE DOCUMENTS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Hyosung Corporation Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Obstruction of Justice for Submitting False Documents in an ATM Merger Investigation
WASHINGTON – An executive of South Korean-based Hyosung Corporation has agreed to plead guilty and to serve time in a U.S. prison for obstruction of justice charges in connection with an automated teller machine (ATM) merger investigation conducted by the Antitrust Division, the Department of Justice announced today.
According to a two-count felony charge filed today in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., Kyoungwon Pyo, in his role as senior vice president for corporate strategy of Hyosung Corporation, an affiliate of Nautilus Hyosung Holdings Inc. (NHI), altered and directed subordinates to alter numerous existing corporate documents before they were submitted to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in conjunction with mandatory premerger filings. The department said that Pyo’s actions took place in or about July and August 2008. At the time, the department was investigating Korea-based NHI’s proposed acquisition of Triton Systems of Delaware Inc. NHI abandoned the proposed acquisition of competitor Triton Systems before the Antitrust Division reached a decision determining whether to challenge the transaction.
On Oct. 20, 2011, NHI pleaded guilty and paid a $200,000 criminal fine for its role in the obstruction of justice charges. According to the plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, Pyo has agreed to serve five months in prison.
“Maintaining the integrity of the merger review and investigation process is one of our highest priorities,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Joseph Wayland in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Senior corporate executives should understand that anyone who attempts to corrupt the process by falsifying materials submitted to the U.S. government will be held accountable for their actions.”
After receiving the premerger filings, the Antitrust Division opened a civil merger investigation of the proposed acquisition. The department said that in or about August and September 2008, Pyo falsified additional documents in response to a document request from the Antitrust Division with the intention of impairing their integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding. The department said that, among other things, the alterations misrepresented and minimized the competitive impact of the proposed acquisition.
The Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, requires companies contemplating mergers and acquisitions valued above certain thresholds to make filings with the Department of Justice and the FTC. The federal antitrust agencies have authority to investigate and challenge such proposed transactions under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, if the transactions may substantially lessen competition.
NHI was previously charged with obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum criminal fine for a corporation of $500,000 per count. NHI’s agreed-upon criminal fine of $100,000 per count takes into consideration the nature and extent of the company’s disclosure of wrongdoing and its cooperation in the department’s investigation.
Pyo is charged with obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of $250,000 for individuals.
U.S. & OHIO REACH SETTLEMENT OVER HAZARDOUS RELEASES IN LOWER ASHTABULA RIVER AND HARBOR
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Thursday, May 3, 2012
U.S. and State of Ohio Reach $5.5 Million Settlement for Damages from Hazardous Releases in Lower Ashtabula River and Harbor
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice and Ohio Attorney General have reached a proposed settlement of claims for injuries to natural resources caused by past releases and discharges of hazardous substances into the lower Ashtabula River and Harbor in northeast Ohio. The consent decree, valued at approximately $5.5 million, was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on behalf of the designated natural resource trustees, including the Department of the Interior, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
“This agreement will compensate the public for precious natural resources that were damaged by hazardous pollutants released into the Ashtabula watershed over more than half a century,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “The settlement also fosters the restoration of wildlife habitat and recreational resources along the Ashtabula that the people of Ohio will be able to enjoy for many years to come.”
“Completion of these negotiations marks a major milestone in our collective efforts to restore the Ashtabula River,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “Careful stewardship of our waterways and natural resources will ensure that they can be enjoyed by our kids and grandkids. The federal and state trustees are to be commended for their diligent efforts.”
“This settlement is the result of close coordination among the natural resource trustees, local community stakeholders, and the responsible parties,” said U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius. “This successful collaboration has resulted in a win-win proposition for the Ashtabula River basin community, enabling community enjoyment of the outdoors and wildlife while promoting a healthy community economy.”
The agreement provides for the acquisition of several ecologically-valuable properties along the Ashtabula River, implementation of habitat restoration projects and land use restrictions to protect restoration properties and reimbursement of natural resource damage assessment costs incurred by the natural resource trustees.
“It is important to maintain recreational and economic vitality along the Ashtabula River,” said Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally. “Our Agency will continue to work to restore and protect this great resource that is an essential part of these Northeast Ohio communities.”
Complaints filed by the United States and state of Ohio allege that at various times since the 1940s, numerous industrial facilities in Ashtabula released hazardous pollutants to the river including polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents and low-level radioactive materials. The released hazardous substances injured natural resources in the Ashtabula River and Harbor, resulting in fish consumption advisories and impaired navigational use of the river. To compensate the public for the value of impaired or lost natural resources, the complainants sought damages from parties that allegedly owned or operated (either directly or through predecessors) facilities where hazardous substances were released and from parties that allegedly arranged for disposal of hazardous substances at one or more of the facilities. Eighteen companies are participating in the settlement. Several federal agencies are also responsible for making payments totaling approximately $768,800.
Dredging projects carried out under the Great Lakes Legacy Act and the Water Resources Development Act removed almost 600,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments from the lower Ashtabula River between 2006 and 2008. The responsible parties previously contributed approximately $23 million toward the cost of the sediment cleanup, and many of the parties also participated in a cleanup of the Fields Brook superfund site, an alleged source of contamination in the lower Ashtabula River.
With contamination already dredged from the river, the proposed settlement targets habitat enhancement and protection. Under the consent decree, restoration projects approved by the natural resource trustees will be implemented by two groups of responsible parties – a group of four railroad companies and a separate group of 14 companies known as the Ashtabula River Cooperating Group II (ARCG II).
The railroads will implement a restoration project on a 6.4 acre riparian parcel known as the 5½ Slip peninsula, which abuts a fish habitat enhancement project previously constructed as part of the Great Lakes Legacy Act sediment cleanup project. The restoration project will include replacing invasive plant species with a diverse array of native plants; excavating a channel across the peninsula to establish a hydrologic connection between the 5½ Slip and main channel of the Ashtabula River; and establishing an area of emergent wetland habitat along the newly constructed channel. Land use restrictions will be established on the 5 ½ Slip peninsula to protect the character of the restored property.
ARCG II has agreed to develop and implement various restoration projects identified in the consent decree. One of the restoration properties, known as the former CDM property, is a 28-acre riverfront parcel along the northern boundary of Indian Trails Park. The restoration project will include enhancing a six-acre wetland area through invasive species control; planting a diverse array of native vegetation; and installing other improvements, including a canoe launch, boardwalk and small parking area to facilitate public use of the property.
Five other ARCG II restoration properties identified in the decree contain high natural resource value, including rare fen habitat, old growth forest and areas that provide ideal habitat and foraging for various threatened or endangered species. These properties occupy more than 200 acres and include 3.4 miles of river frontage. Some adjoin or are close to park areas held by the Ashtabula Township Park Commission. Collectively, these properties will preserve a natural corridor along an urbanized stretch of river.
In addition to restoration properties already acquired by ARCG II, the proposed settlement allows trustees to identify additional properties for possible acquisition and restoration. ARCG II agreed to spend up to $1.45 million to acquire and restore additional properties.
The trustees will approve all restoration work. The restoration properties will ultimately be transferred to park districts, non-profit organizations or other institutions acceptable to the trustees. The properties also will be subject to environmental covenants that establish land use restrictions designed to preserve the natural resource value of the properties.
ENGINE TEST PRODUCES CYCLONE
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