Tuesday, October 2, 2012
NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN, OCTOBER 2, 2012
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| Photo: Harrier Jet. Credit: U.S. Department of Defense |
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 2, 2012 - An Afghan-led, coalition-supported force arrested a Taliban leader in the Maiwand district of Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
The arrested Taliban leader is suspected of reporting directly to the senior Taliban leader for the district and was responsible for coordinating and directing improvised explosive device emplacement operations, as well as insurgent attacks throughout the region, officials said.
Officials said the detained Taliban leader also is linked to the preparation of a vehicle-borne IED attack against Afghan and coalition force assets.
The security force also detained multiple suspected insurgents and seized an IED firing device and IED-making materials, officials said.
In other operations today:
-- A combined force arrested a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader and weapons facilitator and detained two other suspects in the Chahar Darah district of Kunduz province. The arrested IMU leader is suspected of planning and conducting IED attacks throughout Kunduz province, as well as coordinating the movement of IED-making materials for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces.
-- A combined force detained several suspects during an operation to arrest a Haqqani leader in the Pul-e 'Alam district of Logar province. The Haqqani leader is believed to oversee the distribution of weapons to support insurgent operations throughout Logar province.
-- A combined force detained one suspectduring a search for a Taliban leader in the Sayyidabad district of Wardak province. The sought-after Taliban leader is suspected of being directly involved in multiple ambush-style attacks on coalition force convoys throughout the district.
In operations yesterday:
-- A combined force arrested a Taliban commander in the Gereshk district of Helmand province. The Taliban commander, Abdul Bari, who operated across southwest Afghanistan, is suspected of coordinating delivery of heavy machine guns and IED-making components to insurgents across central Helmand province.
-- Afghan Special Police members recovered IED-making materials and heavy weapons, including three mortars, in a coalition-supported operation in the Nerkh district of Wardak province.
PARTNERSHIP KEY TO CYBERSECURITY
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| General Keith B. Alexander |
U.S. Leaders Cite Partnership as Key to Cybersecurity
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2012 - As the cyber threat intensifies over time from exploitation to disruption to destruction, responsible U.S. agencies and industries can fight back using cooperation and transparency, the commander of U.S. Cyber Command said here yesterday.
Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, who also serves as director of the National Security Agency, was part of a panel on cybersecurity at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars.
"For the last 10 years, what we've seen on our networks has been essentially exploitation, [such as] theft of intellectual property and crime," the general said. "Over the last few weeks, we've seen distributed denial-of-service attacks, so we're seeing the threat grow from exploitation to ... disruption, and my concern is it's going to go from exploitation and disruption to destruction."
He defined destruction as physical harm to computer devices on a network that would cause the networks to fail, or the loss of a significant amount of data that would impair the ability of a company -- a stock exchange or a power grid -- to operate.
"I believe that's coming our way," Alexander said. "We have to be out in front of this for a whole host of reasons. The Defense Department's reason is that we depend on critical infrastructure to do our jobs. We depend on the power grid, [and] we depend on the Internet to operate."
For industry, the general gave examples of companies that have experienced serious losses as a result of destructive cyberattacks. In August, a viral attack on computers at Saudi Arabia's government-owned oil company, Aramco, lost data from up to 30,000 workstations. According to news reports, a malicious virus replaced data on a third of the computers of the world's largest oil producer with an image of a burning U.S. flag.
"Think about a company that loses all that data from their systems," Alexander said. "That doesn't mean you just go to backup systems -- it's gone. And if that data had important information, you can never recover it. From our perspective, that's a significant problem."
He also mentioned RSA, a U.S. computer security company that in March 2011 experienced a cyberattack that news reports said cost the company $66 million. That month, the company released an open letter to employees and customers describing the attack, its likely consequences and the company's response.
Companies that do business exclusively online are particularly vulnerable, Alexander said. One of these was DigiNotar, a Dutch certificate authority owned by VASCO Data Security International that went bankrupt within 30 days after a September 2011 security breach that resulted in the fraudulent issuing of certificates.
DigiNotar worked with Google and other online firms, Alexander added. Certificates allow people to communicate securely online, and the breach was devastating to the company.
"I do think we have to get out in front of [such cyber destruction]," the general said, "really for the operation of our government and our country, and it will also have a significant economic impact."
The solution to cyber-related intellectual property theft and destructive attacks, Alexander said, is information sharing by responsible organizations and working together in a transparent way.
"The cyber team that our government needs," the general said, includes the Homeland Security Department as the entry point for working with industry, and the FBI, National Security Agency and Cyber Command working together to help on the technical front.
The FBI would have the lead for law enforcement and identifying attackers, NSA on foreign intelligence and Cyber Command on defending the nation, Alexander said. "Together, that team is what I think the American people hold us accountable for doing," he added.
"What we're asking industry to do is to look for certain kinds of bad things going on, and if they see these things, let the government know right away. It's just like pulling a fire alarm," he said. "Call us and we'll respond. Otherwise, we don't need to know what traffic is transiting [the network]."
Alexander said he thinks it's the correct thing to do to have a civilian agency in the lead for cybersecurity, especially if the FBI, NSA and Cyber Command can do their jobs on the technical side. Such a configuration "allows for the transparency that I think the American people need in this area," he added. "Cyber is so important to all of us. They want to know we're doing it right, and the way to do that is to be transparent."
Cybersecurity also was the subject of a proclamation issued yesterday by President Barack Obama, who said in declaring October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month that the U.S. digital infrastructure is a strategic national asset that everyone has a role in protecting.
"By bringing together federal, state and local governments and private industry partners, we have made great progress in securing cyberspace for business, education, entertainment and civic life," Obama said.
"In November 2011," he added, "we released the Blueprint for a Secure Cyber Future, a strategic plan to protect government, the private sector and the public against cyber threats today and tomorrow."
FORMER INDYMAC CEO AGREES TO SETTLE IN SEC LITIGATION
FROM: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that on September 28, 2012, the United States District Court for the Central District of California entered a settled final judgment as to Michael W. Perry, the former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of IndyMac Bancorp, Inc. IndyMac, through its main subsidiary, IndyMac Bank, primarily made, purchased, and sold residential mortgage loans. In July 2008, IndyMac Bank was placed under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation receivership and IndyMac filed for bankruptcy. The Commission’s complaint alleges that IndyMac and Perry, in connection with IndyMac’s first quarter 2008 Forms 10-Q and 8-K and related earnings call, all dated May 12, 2008, failed to disclose that IndyMac Bank had only been able to maintain its well-capitalized regulatory status by retroactively including in IndyMac’s first quarter capital balance an $18 million capital contribution from IndyMac to IndyMac Bank, even though it was made on May 9, 2008, over five weeks after the end of the first quarter.
Without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, Perry consented to the entry of the Final Judgment permanently enjoining him from future violations of Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, and ordering him to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $80,000.
U.S MARSHALS REAP BIG HARVEST FROM "SEPTEMBER TO REMEMBER" OPERATION
U.S. Marshals Arrest 40 in Operation "September to Remember"
Alexandria, VA – Today, U.S. Marshal Robert W. Mathieson announces the results from Operation "September to Remember," a joint operation targeting criminal activity in the Petersburg, Hopewell, and Colonial Heights communities.
The operation began Tuesday and consisted of personnel from the United States Marshals Service; Virginia State Police, Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Prince George police departments, Dinwiddie Sheriff’s Office as well as several other local law enforcement agencies as part of Operation "September to Remember." Each of the agencies involved provided vital resources and specific expertise which contributed to the success of the operation.
The agencies involved in this joint initiative were activated to combat violence, increase police presence and improve public safety within the Tri-City communities.
Operation "September to Remember" ended today at 2 p.m.; however, several police agencies will continue enforcement efforts throughout the weekend. The combined efforts of the agencies involved resulted in the following enforcement activity:
Warrant Arrests:
89 warrants were executed;
Charges included: Aggravated Assaults, Weapon Offenses, Sexual Assaults and Dangerous Drugs.
A total of 40 arrests were made and all individuals were taken into custody without incident.
The hard work, invaluable resources and commitment of the agencies involved contributed to the overall success of the operation. The public is asked to remain vigilant and report all suspicious behavior and criminal activity to their local police agency.
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested more than 36,200 federal fugitives and 86,400 state and local fugitives in fiscal year 2011.
TOOLKIT FOR TEACHERS TO HELP PREVENT BULLYING
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| Photo: Sunrise. Credit: NASA. |
U.S. Department of Education Provides Guidance to Help Classroom Teachers Combat Bullying
The U.S. Department of Education has released a free, two-part training toolkit designed to reduce incidents of bullying, for use by classroom teachers and educators. The toolkit was developed by the Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center, supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, in collaboration with the NEA and the American Federation of Teachers.
Teachers care about bullying in the classroom, but many don’t know how to effectively intervene and prevent it, according to data collected by the National Education Association (NEA). The toolkit is designed to provide classroom teachers with the knowledge and skills to intervene in bullying behavior and to de-escalate threatening behaviors at school. It includes two modules: "Understanding and Intervening in Bullying Behavior" and "Creating a Supportive Classroom Climate."
"Teachers play a critical role in identifying, addressing, reporting and intervening in bullying behavior in their classrooms," David Esquith, director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Students, said. "These modules will certainly help those teachers who don’t know what to do when these situations arise, and will strengthen the skills of those who do."
Module 1 consists of step-by-step instructions, including a preparation guide and trainer’s outline, for conducting workshops with teachers, educators and school personnel who work with students in a school environment. Materials for the workshop focus on:
Understanding what bullying behavior is and is not
Understanding what bullying behavior may look like in the classroom
Exploring ideas for responding to bullying behavior and
Becoming equipped with specific strategies for addressing and reporting bullying behavior.
Module 2 provides state-of-the-art information on how to build a supportive classroom climate. Research shows that classrooms that have strong relationships and are respectful of diversity have less bullying. Participants in the module will:
Consider what a supportive classroom climate looks like and how it can prevent bullying
Examine the role of teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships in building a supportive classroom climate
Explore strategies for preventing bullying in the classroom, including establishing a culture of respect for differences among students
Consider how a web of positive support among students and other adults across the school community can help prevent bullying.
"Teachers often get frustrated because they truly do care about their students and want to help stop bullying in their classrooms, but they don’t know what to do," Deborah Temkin, the Department’s bullying prevention coordinator, said. "These modules are based on the best available research and practices to give teachers effective tools to not only respond to bullying, but also to stop it before it starts."
The training modules build upon the success of training materials previously released for school bus drivers in June 2011. Since that time, the school bus training materials have been used to train more than 100,000 of the nation’s bus drivers. The classroom teacher modules were developed as a result of feedback from attendees at annual Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention summits the last three years. The summits were hosted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students in conjunction with the departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Defense, Agriculture, the Interior, the Federal Trade Commission, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the National Council on Disability. Teachers, educators and others from around the country attended the summits that focused on stopping bullying in schools and communities.
More than 33 percent of students who are bullied report it happening in classrooms, according to research from the National Center for Education Statistics. And the NEA reports that only 55 percent of teachers have received training on bullying policies at their schools. The training toolkit will help enhance teachers’ existing skills in building supportive classroom climates while sharpening the skills of others who work with students in school settings.
To access the free materials, click here.
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. NAVY
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) fires Standard Missiles (SM) 2 at an airborne drone during a live-fire weapons shoot. Cowpens is part of the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, the U.S. Navy's only forward deployed carrier strike group, and is conducting a routine patrol of the western Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul Kelly (Released) 120920-N-TX154-336
Navy chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Henry F. Holcombe baptizes Electrician's Mate 3rd Class Andrew S. Lyons, from Baltimore, during a baptism service on the fantail of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Enterprise is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jared King (Released) 120923-N-CH661-039
SEC CHARGES FORMER INVESTMENT BANK ANALYST WITH TIPPING COLLEGE FRIEND ABOUT IMPENDING MERGERS
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONWashington, D.C., Sept. 27, 2012 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a former analyst at a Boston-based investment bank with illegally tipping a close friend with confidential information about clients involved in impending mergers and acquisitions.
The SEC alleges that Jauyo "Jason" Lee, who worked in the San Francisco office of Leerink Swann LLC, gleaned sensitive nonpublic information about the deals from unsuspecting co-workers involved with those clients and by reviewing various internal documents about the transactions, which involved medical device companies. Lee tipped his longtime college friend Victor Chen of Sunnyvale, Calif., with the confidential information, and Chen traded heavily on the basis of the nonpublic details that Lee had a duty to protect. Chen made more than $600,000 in illicit profits, which was a 237 percent return on his initial investment. Bank records reveal a pattern of large cash withdrawals by Lee followed by large cash deposits by Chen, who then used the money for the insider trading.
"Lee worked in an industry where safeguarding nonpublic information is essential, yet he exploited his access to confidential merger and acquisition details to give his friend an unfair trading advantage," said Merri Jo Gillette, Director of the SEC’s Chicago Regional Office.
According to the SEC’s complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Lee was first privy to information about Leerink’s client Syneron Medical Ltd., which was negotiating an acquisition of Candela Corporation in 2009. He later learned that Leerink’s client Somanetics Corporation was in the process of being acquired by Covidien plc. in 2010. As Lee collected nonpublic details about each of the deals, he communicated with Chen repeatedly and exchanged dozens of phone calls and text messages. Some of the calls took place from Lee’s office telephone at Leerink. Lee had a duty to preserve the confidentiality of the information that he received in the course of his employment at Leerink.
The SEC alleges that in the days leading up to the public announcements of each of these deals, Chen made sizeable purchases of stock and call options in Candela and Somanetics and made unusual trades in the securities of each of these acquisition targets. Chen had never previously bought securities in these companies, yet he suddenly spent a significant portion of his available cash to buy the Candela and Somanetics securities. Chen proceeded to sell most of his Candela and Somanetics holdings once public announcements were made about the transactions. Because Chen made some of his trades in his sister Jennifer Chen’s account, the SEC’s complaint also names her as a relief defendant for the purposes of recovering the illegal profits in her account.
The SEC alleges that Lee and Chen violated Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5 and 14e-3 thereunder. The SEC is seeking disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest, financial penalties, and permanent injunctions against Lee and Chen.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted in the Chicago Regional Office by Kara M. Washington and John E. Kustusch and supervised by Peter Chan and Steven L. Klawans. The litigation is being handled by Steven C. Seeger. The SEC thanks the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) Office of Fraud Detection and Market Intelligence as well as the Options Regulatory Surveillance Authority for their assistance in this matter.
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES KATHLEEN SEBELIUS SPEAKS ON ERADICATING POLIO WORLDWIDE
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| SEC. OF HHS KATHLEEN SEBELIUS |
The Legacy of a Polio-Free World
September 27, 2012
New York, NY
Thank you, Senator Wirth. Excellencies and distinguished guests, on behalf of President Obama and the American people, I want to begin by saying how proud we are to be part of the international effort to eradicate polio.
When I was born, polio was still a feared disease in the United States. It was still common to see Americans stricken with the disease on crutches and in wheelchairs. In 1952, when I was four, our country suffered its worst outbreak yet. More than 21,000 people were paralyzed and 3,000 died, most of them children.
Three years later, the Salk vaccine was introduced. And over the course of the next decades, I got to witness a modern miracle: a disease that once struck fear into the heart of every American parent disappearing completely.
This January, I was fortunate to be in New Delhi as we marked the latest milestone in the world’s effort to eradicate the disease: a full year since India’s last case of polio. A decade ago, India accounted for 85 percent of new polio cases worldwide. Today, India is the latest proof that when a country makes polio eradication a social movement and creates an inescapable accountability process, we can eliminate polio anywhere.
I want to commend the governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria for establishing their own emergency action plans. And I want to reiterate the United States’ continuing support for global eradication. We must get over the finish line. And that means strengthening systems down to the most remote village so that every child benefits from the protection vaccines can offer.
Over the last 20 years, the US has invested more than $2.1 billion in polio eradication, in partnership with WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International, additional donor nations, affected countries, and the Gates Foundation.
But if we are going to wipe out polio once and for all, now is the time to redouble our efforts. As long as the polio virus survives, there is risk of resurgence. And the longer we take to eradicate the disease, the longer we will have to wait to free up resources that can be devoted to other urgent health needs.
That’s why the United States has significantly increased our financial support for polio eradication over the last four years. And it’s why in December, we committed our full scientific capabilities to the effort as well, activating the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center, which allows for better coordination in our international efforts.
Now, we need all donors and partners to do their part, with affected countries in the lead. A future in which polio is a childhood memory for the people of every country is within reach. But we will only get there if each of us fully commits to the final push.
Thank you.
COLARADO BASED U.S. GOVERNEMENT CONTRACTOR ALLEGEDLY ENGAGED IN TIME CARD FRAUD
Friday, September 28, 2012
U.S. Government Intervenes in False Claims Suit Against CH2M Hill Hanford Group
Colorado-based Company Allegedly Engaged in Widespread Time Card Fraud At Department of Energy Nuclear Site
The government has intervened in a lawsuit against CH2M Hill Hanford Group Inc. (CH2M Hill) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, the Department of Justice announced today. CH2M Hill is a subsidiary of CH2M Hill Companies Ltd., a Colorado-based engineering and construction services company.
Between 1999 and 2008, CH2M Hill was a U.S. Department of Energy prime contractor responsible for the management and cleanup of over 170 underground storage tanks containing mixed radioactive and hazardous waste at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Nuclear Site in southeastern Washington. The lawsuit filed by Mr. Schroeder alleges that numerous CH2M Hill hourly employees regularly and substantially overstated the number of hours that they worked. The complaint also alleges that CH2M Hill management knowingly condoned this practice and submitted inflated claims to the Department of Energy that included the fraudulently claimed hours.
Eight former CH2M Hill employees, including Mr. Schroeder, have pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from the time card fraud. The lawsuit was originally filed under the False Claims Act by Carl Schroeder, a former employee of CH2M Hill.
The False Claims Act authorizes private parties to sue on behalf of the United States and authorizes the United States to intervene in such a suit and take over responsibility for litigating it. Although the act generally authorizes the whistleblower who initiated the suit to share in any recovery, it also bars recovery by any whistleblower who is convicted of criminal conduct for his role in the fraud/ The United States has notified the court that it expects to file a motion to dismiss Mr. Schroeder from the action on the basis of is criminal conduct. Mr. Schroder’s lawsuit is captioned U.S. ex rel. Schroeder v. CH2M Hill, 09-cv-5038.
The claims asserted in this case are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The case is being handled by the Civil Division of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, with the assistance of the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General.
U.S. SPACE FENCE FACILITY TO BEGIN OPERATIONS IN 2017
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| MARSHALL ISLANDS After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network. From: CIA World Factbook. |
FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE SPACE COMMAND
Basing of first U.S. Space Fence facility announced
9/25/2012 - Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. -- The Air Force will base a Space Fence radar site on Kwajalein Island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands with Initial Operations Capability (IOC) planned for fiscal year 2017.
The Fence will provide a critical Space Surveillance Network capability needed to give warfighters the ability to maintain a full and accurate orbital catalog, ensure orbital safety, and perform conjunction assessments.
Air Force Space Command will award a contract to build the radar, which will be capable of detecting, tracking, identifying and characterizing space objects in low and medium earth orbits. Construction is expected to begin September 2013 and is planned to take 48 months to complete construction and testing.
Until the final design is determined, it is unknown exactly how many personnel will be required to construct the radar site. After construction is complete and the radar is operational, approximately 10-15 contractor personnel are projected for the long-term work force at Kwajalein to maintain the Space Fence radar. A Support Agreement will be established between Air Force Space Command and the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll/Reagan Test Site for site support and facilities maintenance. Contractor operations and maintenance support for the radar site will fall under the responsibility of the 21st Space Wing.
Space Fence is a radar system operating in the S-Band frequency range, to perform uncued detection, tracking, and accurate measurement of orbiting objects in low earth (primary) and medium earth (secondary) orbital regimes.
Space Fence will provide precise positional data on orbiting objects and will be the most accurate radar in the Space Surveillance Network. Space Fence data will be fed to the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Data from the Space Fence radar will be integrated with other SSN data to provide a comprehensive SSA and integrated space picture.
The Space Fence will provide enhanced space surveillance capabilities to detect and track orbiting objects such as commercial and military satellites and space debris. The Fence will have greater sensitivity, allowing it to detect, track and measure an object the size of a softball orbiting more than 1,200 miles in space. Because it is an uncued tracking system, it will provide evidence of satellite break-ups, collisions, or unexpected maneuvers of satellites
U.S. COMMENTS ON CONVICTION OF CAMBODIAN BROADCASTER
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| Map Credit: CIA World Factbook |
Conviction of Mam Sonando
Press Statement
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
October 1, 2012
We are deeply concerned by the conviction and harsh sentence of Mam Sonando, a Cambodian independent broadcaster. Today the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced him to 20 years in prison for alleged insurrection. A number of observers in Cambodia have noted that the charges against him appear to have been politically-motivated, based on his frequent criticism of the government.
We strongly support freedom of expression, including the rights of members of the press to peacefully express political views without fear of persecution, retribution, or intimidation, consistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We call on the Cambodian government to release Mam Sonando immediately, to ensure that its court system is free from political influence, and to reaffirm its commitment to guaranteeing its citizens’ basic human rights.
CIA WORLD FACTBOOK INFORMATION
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful.
Monday, October 1, 2012
NATIONAL DAY FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS
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| CYPRUS MAP CREDIT: CIA WORLD FACTBOOK |
National Day for the Republic of Cyprus
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
September 28, 2012
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Cyprus as you celebrate your National Day this October 1.
Every year, thousands of Americans travel to Cyprus to explore your natural beauty and unique cultural heritage. I am pleased that we have extended for five years our agreement to safeguard Cyprus’s archaeological and historical artifacts, helping to preserve your rich heritage for future generations.
This year also demonstrates Cypriot leadership on the world stage with the European Union Presidency. We appreciate the work Cyprus is doing to advance common EU-U.S. priorities.
Together, our two countries are promoting peace and expanding opportunity. The United States supports your efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation. We encourage all parties to make the tough compromises necessary to achieve a lasting peace.
As you celebrate this special day, the United States looks forward to strengthening the ties between our peoples as we build together a future of peace and progress.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish Cypriot-occupied area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"), but it is recognized only by Turkey. The election of a new Cypriot president in 2008 served as the impetus for the UN to encourage both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reopen unification negotiations. In September 2008, the leaders of the two communities began negotiations under UN auspices aimed at reuniting the divided island. The talks are ongoing and the leaders continue to meet regularly. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under the internationally recognized government, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligibility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states.
FDIC AND AMERICAN EXPRESS CENTURION BANK SETTLE UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES CASE
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| Yellow Diamond Ring. Photo: U.S. Marshals service |
FDIC Announces Settlement With American Express Centurion Bank for Unfair and Deceptive Practices in Debt Collection and Credit Card Marketing
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have reached a settlement with American Express Centurion Bank (Bank), Salt Lake City, Utah, for deceptive debt collection and credit card marketing practices, in violation of section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act.
This action results from a FDIC and Utah Department of Financial Institutions examination, in which the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) joined last year. The CFPB, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Utah Department of Financial Institutions, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System took separate actions against various entities related to the Bank (collectively referred to as American Express). Under the settlements, American Express agreed to the issuance of Consent Orders, Orders for Restitution, and Orders to Pay (Orders) which result in total restitution from all entities of approximately $85 million to more than 250,000 affected consumers, and the imposition of civil money penalties totaling approximately $27 million.
The FDIC and the CFPB determined that the Bank violated federal law prohibiting unfair and deceptive practices by, among other things:
Using settlement solicitations that implied that consumers who entered into settlement agreements to partially pay such debts would have the remaining balance of their debts forgiven, when in fact the balance remained a debt owed to American Express.
Using solicitations that misrepresented the points and awards consumers would receive upon enrollment in one of American Express' credit card products.
In addition to restitution and CMP, the Consent Order requires the Bank to correct all violations, provide clearly written disclosures on debt collection statements, and stop using deceptive credit card solicitations. In addition, the Bank will improve its compliance management system and improve board oversight of affiliates and third-party service providers in order to adequately manage third-party risk.
In agreeing to the issuance of the Order, the Bank neither admits nor denies any liability.
ARMY GEN. MARTIN E. DEMPSEY TALKS ABOUT BUILDING JOINT FORCE 2020
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| ARMY GEN. MARTIN E. DEMPSEY |
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2012 - At the heart of the Capstone Concept for Joint Operations released today by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is an idea called globally integrated operations, which will be used to build and organize Joint Force 2020.
The concept stresses the military's agility and flexibility as the United States faces unclear and unknown threats in the future.
It is a confusing time, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey noted in the forward to the concept. While the overall security situation is trending toward greater stability, "destructive technologies are available to a wider and more disparate range of adversaries," he wrote. "As a result, the world is potentially more dangerous than before."
To face these varied threats, a globally postured U.S. joint force must be able to quickly combine capabilities -- both U.S. and allied nations -- across "domains, echelons, geographic boundaries and organizational affiliations," said Marine Corps Lt. Gen. George J. Flynn, the director of Joint Force Development on the Joint Staff. Flynn spoke about the Capstone concept during a recent interview.
A key aspect of the Capstone concept is these networks of forces can "form, evolve, dissolve and reform in different arrangements in time and space with significantly greater fluidity" than today's force.
Events will happen faster, Flynn said, and the military has to create the ability to operate at "the speed of the challenges."
There are eight key elements to globally integrated operations. The first is mission command. "This is all about people, it's all about empowering leaders to be able to operate on trust and on commander's intent," Flynn said. This means, he said, developing leaders who understand the environments they are working in, react well to surprise and uncertainty and who can lead transitions.
Another element is to seize, retain and exploit the initiative in time and across domains. "We want to be in position to control the pace of operations or control the tempo," Flynn said.
The United States will have a smaller force so this is going to rely on partnering, the general said. This means not just partnering with allies, but other U.S. agencies and international agencies.
"Partnering means being able to work with anyone who has a stake," in the outcomes, Flynn said.
Integrated operations means flexibility, he said. Joint commands can be local or functional or both. "As we look to the future and how we form out joint task forces, this concept says we need to have flexibility in how we do these relationships," he said. "The chairman sees this document as the lens to see if we are developing the force he needs to do that," Flynn added.
Globally integrated operations place a premium on partnering, he said. This allows the U.S. military to absorb qualities and capabilities from other agencies, helping to employ the "whole of government" strategy.
Joint forces also must leverage integration to improve capabilities across domains. "What is new today are the cyber and space domains," the general said. The U.S. military, he said, needs to use capabilities from one domain to increase the advantages it enjoys in these new domains.
Another concept element, he said, involves small-footprint capabilities such as cyber operations, space, special operations, global strike and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance that will play a more important role in the future.
The last element of the concept is joint operations, he said, which will become more and more precise to lessen the risks of unintended consequences.
The Capstone concept will permeate the military from professional military education, to training, to equipping, to mindset, Flynn said.
Last week, Dempsey said that 80 percent of Joint Force 2020 is already in the ranks. The remaining 20 percent that's being developed must dovetail with the concept, he said, because it will serve as a catalyst for the military.
PENTAGON HISTORICAL PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Pentagon Construction
Interior of the Center Courtyard During Construction.
July 1, 1942
The wood forms used in casting the concrete walls can be seen. These forms, made from 6" and 8" wide boards, give the walls the texture we see today
Pentagon Building Messengers
Mid-1940's
Building messengers propel unique bicycle trucks along the Pentagon's wide corridors. Maintenance personnel also used similar vehicles. Only a few pedal powered vehicles survive today, most having been replaced by electric vehicles.
Pentagon's Main Switchboard
Mid-1940's
All incoming local and long distance calls were handled by operators from these switchboards.
Police Struggling against Anti-War Protestors
May 22, 1972
Riot police and the media struggle against the throngs of anti-war protesters during a demonstration near the Pentagon's main entrance.
U.S.-COLUMBIA RELATIONS REGARDING NARCO-TRAFFICKING
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| Map Credit: U.S. State Department |
Narcotics and Narco-Trafficking
The United States and Colombia continue to enjoy a close counternarcotics partnership. Under Plan Colombia, significant U.S. funding, technical assistance, and material support has been provided to Colombian-led counternarcotics programs aimed at interdicting and eradicating drugs at the source as well as expanding the capacity of Colombian police, military, and judicial institutions.
Colombia remains one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of cocaine, as well as a source country for heroin and marijuana. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2010 Cocaine Signature Program, 95.5% of the cocaine seized in the United States originates in Colombia. Colombia’s marijuana is typically not sent to the United States, but feeds internal and Latin American consumption. The Colombian Government, with U.S. support, has made progress in weakening drug trafficking organizations, disrupting the supply of illicit drugs to the United States, and establishing a security presence in former conflict regions. The United States Government found that the area devoted to coca cultivation in 2010 was down 14% compared to 2009, from 116,000 to 100,000 hectares (ha). Crediting sustained aerial and manual eradication operations and aggressive enforcement activity in 2010, the U.S. Government also reported a decline in potential pure cocaine production of 7.4%, from 290 metric tons (MT) in 2009 to 270 MT in 2010--and a 60% drop from the 700 MT estimated pure cocaine production potential in 2001.
Colombia’s counter-insurgency/counternarcotics efforts show promise that they will free up areas previously influenced by narco-trafficking and terrorism. Strong eradication and interdiction programs continue to be essential for disrupting narco-trafficking networks and for thwarting cultivation in Colombia’s more remote areas. The Colombian Government’s National Consolidation Plan, which the U.S. Government supports, is helping to bring the civilian elements of the state to remote, previously ungoverned parts of the national territory. As the state extends its reach, more rural citizens are enjoying access to basic services and protection from FARC influence and intimidation. Some farmers previously forced to grow coca can now safely plant legal, alternative crops without fear of guerrilla retribution.
The United States supports locally-led programs designed to confront multiple aspects of the drug trade and assists the Government of Colombia in re-establishing control and the rule of law in areas threatened by drug-related violence. Primary elements of this comprehensive assistance include illicit crop eradication, interdiction operations, alternative livelihoods programs, institution building, and justice sector reform. Eradication efforts are aimed at preventing and destroying illicit cultivation, while alternative livelihoods projects implemented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provide economic alternatives to illicit crop production through projects, enterprise development, natural resource protection, institutional strengthening, and promoting access to markets. Work with government and civil society to advance drug demand prevention programs in schools and communities is also an important part of U.S. assistance programs in Colombia.
The United States also provides support to improve the efficiency of Colombia’s accusatory judicial system. U.S. programs help train judges, prosecutors, and police; promote timely and effective investigations and prosecutions of human rights violations; and support the identification and return of missing remains.
The United States and Colombia have an excellent relationship with regard to the extradition of narco-criminals. In 2009, 186 criminals were extradited to the United States, including former AUC leader Hebert Veloza-Garcia (aka "HH") and FARC member Gerardo Antonio Aguilar Ramirez (aka "Cesar"). In 2010, 119 criminals were extradited to the United States, and 195 criminals were extradited in 2011.
GEN. ALLEN'S COMMENTS ON 60 MINUTES REGARDING INSIDER ATTACKS
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| Anti-Taliban Fighter, 2002. Credit: U.S. Navy. |
Allen Discusses Insider Attacks in '60 Minutes' Interview
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2012 - In an interview on the CBS program "60 Minutes" last night, the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan said he takes his mission personally and is angered by insider attacks by Afghan security forces and militants wearing Afghan uniforms
"I'm mad as hell about them, to be honest with you," Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, told CBS correspondent Lara Logan. "We're going to get after this. It reverberates everywhere across the United States. We're willing to sacrifice a lot for this campaign, but we're not willing to be murdered for it."
The general said it is important to understand the Afghan people still support ISAF troops and their mission to guide Afghan troops as they prepare to take full responsibility for security in their country.
"The key point is for us to understand that the vast majority of the Afghans, ... they're with us in this," Allen said. "They understand right now the severity of this problem and the urgency of what's happening."
Afghans have been killed trying to save coalition forces when some attacks have been under way," the general noted. "[It] was the only reaction that they could have taken ... to try to save us at that moment of attack," he said.
More than 50 coalition members have been killed by insider attacks this year. Allen said insurgents recognize the vulnerability posed as coalition forces work alongside Afghan counterparts, and they have adapted their tactics to exploit it.
"In Iraq, the signature weapon system that we hadn't seen before was the [improvised explosive device]," he said. "We had to adjust to that. Here, I think the signature attack that we're beginning to see is going to be the insider attack."
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, also interviewed in the segment, acknowledged the attacks and pledged to help ISAF eliminate the threat. "These attacks are sad," he said. "This is something I have discussed in detail, something that I bear responsibility for to correct."
Allen also discussed the presence of al-Qaida and ISAF's commitment to continuing to "target and eliminate them."
"Al-Qaida has come back, [and] is a resilient organization," he said. "But they're not here in large numbers. But al-Qaida doesn't have to be anywhere in large numbers."
The terrorist organization is not significant in a traditional military sense, Allen said. "Al-Qaida has significance beyond its numbers, frankly," he added. "And so for us, our 24-hour-a-day objective is to seek out those al-Qaida cells."
It is important to ensure al-Qaida doesn't feel as though it can put down roots in Afghanistan, the general said, and while security isn't perfect around the country, there has been much improvement.
"An awful lot of the population of this country is living in an area where there is vastly improved security from where it was just a few years ago," he said.
Meanwhile, Allen said, coalition officials are doing a great deal to address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan, and the relationship between ISAF forces and the Pakistani military has improved dramatically.
"There's a very complex relationship with Pakistan, and we'll work very hard and very closely with the Pakistani military to achieve common objectives," he said. "But to some extent, the Pakistani military has been successful in cooperating with us in the last several months with regard to complementary operations on both sides of the border, but much more needs to be done."
ISAF is doing everything it can within its authority to hunt down and kill Haqqani network operatives in Afghanistan who "ultimately threaten my troops, threaten the Afghan troops and the Afghan society, the Afghan civilians, and ultimately the Afghan government," Allen said.
The general also described his intense commitment to the mission in Afghanistan, which he said often leads him to "turn around and go back" to work some nights after asking himself while he's walking home if he's done enough.
"I came here believing this would be the last job I'd ever have," Allen said. "I don't care about anything beyond this. This is what's important to me. I almost can't remember ever having been anywhere else.
"This is completely consuming for me, and I am dedicated 24 hours a day to these magnificent troops, to the Afghans, to this cause, and ultimately to successful completion," he continued. "This is very personal to me. And I take it very personally."
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