Tuesday, November 6, 2012
THE NATIONAL GUARD PROVIDES POST-SANDY AID
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| New York Army National Guard soldiers assist residents at Long Beach City Hall, N.J., for evacuation to shelters. Guard members are assisting throughout the flood-ravaged region. U.S. Army photo by Col. Richard Goldenberg, New York National Guard |
By Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jim Greenhill
National Guard Bureau
NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2012 - More than 7,000 National Guard members are providing aid to Hurricane Sandy-impacted communities along the East Coast and other areas, including thousands of Guardsmen in New York and New Jersey helping residents get onto their feet after the superstorm destroyed homes and crippled infrastructure.
National Guard members on Nov. 3 started supporting other state and federal agencies working to ease gasoline distribution challenges in New York. Guard members also provided food, water, presence patrols and transportation, going from house- to house on Staten Island conducting wellness checks and running pumps and generators.
More than 4,000 Guard troops are focused on the two states where Sandy did the most damage: New Jersey and New York.
"The National Guard takes its missions from the governor, and they're supporting the first responders, so when the capabilities of the first responders have been exceeded, then the National Guard is called in to support," said Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.
The National Guard has hundreds of thousands of troops available nationwide and a plethora of capabilities a phone call away, the general noted.
"We'll tailor those to meet the need, based on what the city and the state require," Grass said.
"More than 6,000 Army National Guard soldiers are part of the massive relief effort across the entire region," said Army Lt. Gen. William E. Ingram Jr., the director of the Army National Guard. "Our soldiers are concentrated in communities hardest hit by the cold, flooding and power outages.
"We're ramping up our future operations as well," Ingram continued. "About a thousand additional soldiers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Delaware are on their way to help out with critical transportation, security and supply distribution efforts in New York and New Jersey."
Grass saw the challenges New Jersey and New York residents face first-hand Nov. 2 during an eight-hour visit to assess damage and needs and thank troops.
"New Jersey is in consequence management, recovering," he said. "Lots and lots of contract capability, construction capability ... still long lines in some places as they recover and at the gas stations."
As Grass conducted a damage-assessment survey from a National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter over New York City and its environs Nov. 2, he saw houses off their foundations, piles of soaked possessions including mattresses dragged to the curb, and sand-covered roadways from shore to shore of narrow barrier islands. As darkness fell, chunks of the metropolis were in darkness and gas stations were easy to identify by the police lights flashing outside and the miles-long lines of tail-lights snaking along approach roads.
"In New York, it's going to be a long haul there," Grass said. "So much damage -- especially the subways. It's going to take a while to get those pumped out. But the city looks like it's ready to roll. It's functioning down there. Some of the outer islands, you could see a lot of damage, and it's going to take a while to get that cleaned up."
"The National Guard has been called on again when our citizens are in need of help -- neighbors helping neighbors," Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the adjutant general of New York National Guard, said during a visit to Manhattan to assess possible National Guard support to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers efforts to remove water from flooded road and subway tunnels.
"These are soldiers that have trained for combat but serve in domestic operations," Murphy said. "They've done just incredible work in the area of security, logistics distribution and working with law enforcement and their local partners. Our soldiers and airmen ... are true professionals and they want to help the citizens that they live with every day, their neighbors."
When he wasn't talking with troops on the ground Nov. 2, Grass was engaged in a steady stream of phone consultations with federal, state and local officials that left no time for even a food break. Returning to the Pentagon late Nov. 2, his weekend continued with a steady stream of White House, secretary of defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency and other meetings that started as the storm approached more than a week ago.
"I saw today many, many soldiers and airmen who have deployed overseas," Grass said as he returned to the Pentagon. "You couldn't ask for a better team to be ready to support the citizens and every one of those soldiers and airmen out there I saw today was very happy to do the mission they are doing."
Residents returned Guard members' enthusiasm for the post-storm aid mission with appreciation.
"The level of appreciation for the soldiers and the airmen is just unprecedented," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jerome Jenkins, the senior enlisted leader of the New Jersey Army National Guard. "Astounding, great reaction, because they know that we're here to help. When they see the Guard, they know that we're here to help."
Search and rescue, sheltering, debris removal, food and water distribution, power generation support, door-to-door wellness checks, damage surveys and working with local authorities to maintain civil order are among New Jersey Guard members' missions, he said.
"It's been a great opportunity for us as Guard members to show our neighbors, the citizens of New Jersey, what they're paying for," said Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Vincent Morton, the senior enlisted leader of the New Jersey Air National Guard. "We bring a calming effect. Outside the door, the wind is blowing, the tide is coming up; when they see us in uniform, it brings that calming effect."
Morton added: "We get an opportunity to serve right here in the state of New Jersey. It's our neighbors. ... It's very rewarding: You go overseas, you serve your country -- but it's even more rewarding when you get back and you serve your neighbors. The Air National Guard is a key piece when there's a state emergency, we're always easy to get to, and we bring a huge skill set to the fight."
Guard members continued to provide support in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.
Operations in those states included route clearance, mounted presence patrols, commodities distribution, power generation support, sand and debris clearance, snow clearance, traffic control, search and rescue and health and welfare checks on residents in remote areas, according to the National Guard Coordination Center in Arlington, Va.
States outside the affected area also were contributing. For the first time, a C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft from the Ohio National Guard supported a domestic mission by transporting soldiers and vehicles headed to New York to support relief efforts there.
OSHA URGES HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY WORKERS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
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| Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force |
US Labor Department’s OSHA urges hurricane recovery workers to protect themselves against hazards
BOSTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is urging workers and members of the public engaged in Hurricane Sandy cleanup and recovery efforts in New York, New Jersey and the New England states to be aware of the hazards they might encounter and the steps they should take to protect themselves.
"Storm recovery workers are working around the clock to clean up areas impacted by the storm," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's New York regional administrator. "We want to make sure that workers are aware of the hazards involved in cleanup work and take the necessary precautions to prevent serious injuries."
OSHA field staff members are providing safety assistance, technical support, and information and training to those involved in the recovery efforts. For more information about unsafe work situations, workers and the general public can contact OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
For more information about protecting workers during Hurricane Sandy recovery, visit http://www.osha.gov/sandy/index.html. This comprehensive website offers fact sheets, concise "quick cards," frequently asked questions, safety and health guides, and additional information in English and Spanish.
Cleanup work can involve restoring electricity, communications, and water and sewer services; demolition activities; removal of floodwater from structures; entry into flooded areas; cleaning up debris; tree trimming; structural, roadway, bridge, dam and levee repair; use of cranes, aerial lifts and other heavy equipment; hazardous waste operations; and emergency response activities.
Inherent hazards may include downed electrical wires, carbon monoxide and electrical hazards from portable generators, fall and "struck-by" hazards from tree trimming or working at heights, being caught in unprotected excavations or confined spaces, burns, lacerations, musculoskeletal injuries, being struck by traffic or heavy equipment, and drowning from being caught in moving water or while removing water from flooded structures.
Protective measures include evaluating the work area for all hazards; assuming all power lines are live; using the right personal protective equipment (hard hats, shoes, reflective vests, safety glasses); conducting exposure monitoring where there are chemical hazards; following safe tree cutting procedures to prevent trees from falling on workers; and using fall protection and proper ladder safety when working at heights.
For additional information on grants, cleanup efforts and recovery resources, visit the Labor Department's Hurricane Recovery Assistance Web page, which is being continuously updated at http://www.dol.gov/opa/hurricane-recovery.htm. Also, a checklist of activities to be undertaken before, during and after a hurricane is available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information about the agency, visit http://www.osha.gov.
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO ELECTIONS IN NICARAGUA
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| Nicaragua. Map Credit: CIA World Factbook |
Response to Municipal Elections in Nicaragua
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 5, 2012
The U.S. government is concerned that the municipal elections conducted Sunday, November 4, in Nicaragua failed to demonstrate a degree of transparency that would assure Nicaraguans and the international community that the process faithfully reflected the will of the Nicaraguan people.
There have been widespread complaints about the partisan manner in which Nicaragua’s Supreme Electoral Council managed the process in the run-up to and on Election Day to the advantage of the ruling party. Irregularities observed on election day included citizens being denied the right to vote, a failure to respect the secrecy of citizens’ votes, and reported cases of voters being allowed to vote multiple times. These disturbing practices have marred multiple recent Nicaraguan elections.
We again urge the Government of Nicaragua to implement the recommendations the European Union and Organization of American States electoral observation missions made following the controversial 2011 national elections, and to uphold its commitment to representative democracy under the OAS Charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra was elected president in 2006 and reelected in 2011. The 2008 municipal elections, 2010 regional elections, and November 2011 presidential elections were marred by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions have been weakened under the ORTEGA administration.
DROUGHT AND THE MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE
First+published+in+the+United+States+before+1923+-+public+domainROCKY+MOUNTAINS,+WIKIMEDIA.jpg) |
| Photo: Rocky Mountains. Credit: Wikimedia. |
Drought in 2001-2002 Fueled Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak
November 5, 2012
Results of a new study show that episodes of reduced precipitation in the Southern Rocky Mountains, especially during the 2001-2002 drought, greatly accelerated a rise in numbers of mountain pine beetles. The overabundance is a threat to regional forests.
The research is the first to chart the evolution of the current pine beetle epidemic in the southern Rocky Mountains.
It compared patterns of beetle outbreaks in the two primary host species, the ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine, said University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder) researcher Teresa Chapman.
A paper on the subject is published in the current issue of the journal Ecology. Chapman is lead author of the paper; co-authors include CU-Boulder scientists Thomas Veblen and Tania Schoennagel.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the research.
"This study confirms that warming temperatures and drought are likely triggers of the widespread bark beetle outbreaks that have devastated forests over vast areas of the West," said Richard Inouye, program director in NSF's Division of Environmental Biology.
"It also suggests why bark beetle outbreaks may vary for two different tree species," he said, "and how different forests may be more or less susceptible to these insects that are transforming mountain landscapes."
The current mountain pine beetle outbreak in the Southern Rockies--which ranges from southern Wyoming through Colorado and into northern New Mexico--is estimated to have affected almost 3,000 square miles of forests.
While the 2001-2002 drought in the West played a key role in pushing the pine beetle outbreak into a true regional epidemic, the outbreak continued to gain ground even after temperature and precipitation levels returned to levels nearer the long-term averages.
The beetles decimated lodgepole pine forests by moving into wetter and higher elevations and into less susceptible tree stands--those with smaller-diameter lodgepoles that share space with other tree species.
"In recent years some researchers have thought the pine beetle outbreak in the Southern Rocky Mountains might have started in one place and spread from there," said Chapman.
"What we found was that the mountain pine beetle outbreak originated in many locations. The idea that the outbreak spread from multiple places, then coalesced and continued spreading, really highlights the importance of the broad-scale drivers of the pine beetle epidemic, like climate and drought."
Mountain pine beetles range from Canada to Mexico and are found at elevations from sea level to 11,000 feet. These native insects have shaped the forests of North America for thousands of years by attacking old or weakened trees, resulting in younger forests.
The effects of pine beetle overpopulation are especially evident in recent years on Colorado's Western Slope, including Rocky Mountain National Park, with a particularly severe epidemic occurring in Grand and Routt counties.
The most recent mountain pine beetle outbreak began in the 1990s, primarily in scattered groups of lodgepole pines at low elevations in areas of lower annual precipitation.
Following the 2001-2002 drought, the outbreak was "uncoupled" from the initial weather and landscape conditions, triggering a rise in beetle populations on the Western Slope and propelling the insects over the Continental Divide into the Northern Front Range to infect ponderosa pine, Chapman said.
The current pine beetle epidemic in the Southern Rocky Mountains also was influenced by extensive forest fires that ravaged Colorado's Western Slope from roughly 1850 to 1890.
Lodgepole pine stands completely burned off by the fires were followed by huge swaths of seedling lodgepoles that eventually grew side-by-side into dense mature stands, making them easier targets for the pine beetles.
"The widespread burning associated with dry years in the 19th century set the stage by creating vast areas of trees in the size classes most susceptible to beetle attack," said Chapman.
Veblen said a 1980s outbreak of the pine beetle in Colorado's Grand County ended when extremely low minimum temperatures were reached in the winters of 1983 and 1984, killing the beetle larvae.
But during the current outbreak, minimum temperatures during all seasons have been persistently high since 1996, well above the levels of extreme cold shown to kill beetle larvae in laboratory experiments.
"This implies that under continued warming trends, future outbreaks will not be terminated until they exhaust their food supply--the pine tree hosts," said Veblen.
Chapman said there has been a massive and unprecedented beetle epidemic in British Columbia, which also began in the early 1990s and now has affected nearly 70,000 square miles.
"It is hard to tell if this current beetle epidemic in the Southern Rockies is unprecedented," she said. "While warm periods in the 16th century may have triggered a large beetle epidemic, any evidence would have been wiped out by the massive fires in the latter 19th century."
The rate of spread of the mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine forests has declined in the southern Rocky Mountains during the past two years because of a depletion of host pine population.
But surveys indicate that the rate of beetle spread in ponderosa pine forests on the Front Range has increased sharply over the past three years.
The current study suggests that under a continued warmer climate, the spread of the beetle in ponderosa pines is likely to grow until that food source also is depleted.
"Our results emphasize the importance of considering different patterns in the population dynamics of mountain pine beetles for different host species, even under similar regional-scale weather variations," said Chapman.
"Given the current outbreak of mountain pine beetles on the Front Range, the effect on ponderosa pines is certainly something that needs further study."
CHANGES ON THE WAY FOR U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
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| Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, unveils his command's five-year strategic plan designed to guide the command as it evolves to meet future challenges, Oct. 12, 2012. U.S. Transportation Command photo by Bob Fehringer |
Transcom Transforms for Changing Global Requirements
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill., Nov. 5, 2012 - Putting in place the most-sweeping strategic planning effort in U.S. Transportation Command's 25-year history, Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, Transcom commander, said his organization is revolutionizing the way the military deploys, sustains and redeploys its forces around the globe.
Fraser assumed his post overseeing the Defense Department's global air, land and sea transportation enterprise in October 2011. It was a year of unprecedented geopolitical change across the Middle East and Northern Africa; the massive earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan; the logistical drawdown in Iraq and surge operations in Afghanistan.
In every case, Fraser noted, the combatant commanders responsible for these and every other effort the military conducted turned to Transcom and its unmatched transportation and distribution capabilities to carry out their missions.
Speaking with American Forces Press Service in his headquarters office here, Fraser said he's been amazed that the people of Transcom, including its service components and commercial and international partners, make such a daunting task look almost easy.
During any given day, he said, the command oversees 100 rail car shipments, 26 ships underway and another nine ships being loaded or offloaded, 2,000 truck cargo shipments, 2,000 household goods movements, 900 airlift sorties, 97 operational air refueling sorties, seven air evacuation sorties and 30 courier deliveries.
"It is fascinating that we are able to do what we do the way that we do it, and I think others enjoy being able to turn to us to provide them options to ... accomplish their mission," Fraser said.
Transcom was never envisioned as a permanent combatant command when it initially stood up in 1987. It was meant to be a planning headquarters, to be activated only in wartime to deal with the associated transportation and logistics challenges.
Operation Desert Storm -- the largest deployment of U.S. troops and equipment since the Vietnam War -- changed that thinking. "There came a realization that you really need to do in peace what you do in war," Fraser said.
So for the past two decades, Transcom has matured its processes, evolving into what Fraser calls a "world-class, joint deployment and distribution enterprise that provides unfailing support to our warfighters and their families around the globe."
The challenge now, he said, is that what has worked so well in the past isn't necessarily the best formula for the future -- particularly in light of budgetary constraints and changing support requirements as the United States draws down in Afghanistan.
"We are at a point in time where things are going to be different," Fraser said. "We are not going to be as engaged in as many areas constantly, and there is not going to be as much business."
That, he acknowledged, is one of Transcom's big challenges moving forward.
A state-of-the-art global transportation and distribution enterprise simply can't be turned on and off like a spigot, he explained.
The enterprise, Fraser said, relies on ready, well-oiled capabilities within Transcom's organic assets, provided by the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Military Sealift Command, Air Mobility Command and Joint Enabling Capabilities Command.
Not as well recognized, he noted, is the key role commercial partners play: contributing ships, cargo space, aircraft and logistics support to complement what the military provides.
"We really rely upon our commercial partners," Fraser said. "They provide tremendous capability to us, when we need it and where we need it, and we are able to capitalize upon their infrastructure and the capabilities they have to accomplish our mission."
The general said Transcom's new strategy recognizes the importance of keeping its organic and commercial enterprises viable so they're able to support future missions -- whether for humanitarian assistance and disaster response or kinetic operations.
The way to do that, Fraser said, is to remain the uncontested "transportation provider of choice" that combatant commanders keep busy supporting their exercises and engagements, even as wartime requirements decrease.
So as it strives to preserve readiness capability, Transcom is focusing on improving its business model to better align resources and processes to support the mission, Fraser said. For example, he noted, the command is investing heavily in information technology to give leaders the tools to make the best -- and when feasible, lowest-cost -- options as they make transportation and logistics decisions.
And in what Fraser said he considers one of the most important engines for change, Transcom is looking inward, to transform its workforce into "enterprise-focused professionals." The goal, he explained, is to encourage collaboration, build trust and empower people to make decisions and inspire innovation.
That makes each and every member of Transcom a partner in transforming the command for the future, Fraser said. "I feel that this sets us up for success, because the workforce has all been a part of this," he said. "They have been part of the process, they bought into the process and they understand where we are going to go, why we are going where we are going and how we are preparing for the future."
Fraser said he's already seeing the difference this emphasis is making. And based on past performance, he said, he's convinced that the men and women of Transcom will continue to live up to their motto, "Together, we deliver."
"It really is about people," Fraser said. "Because it takes all of us to provide whatever is needed -- humanitarian supplies, disaster response, responding to a crisis ... or sustaining the forces.
"Wherever that may be, they know that we are going to deliver," he said. "And it is all of us doing it. It is the people that are making that happen – and will continue to, into the future."
U.S. AIR FORCE HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF PHOTOS
FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
New York Air National Guard Master Sgt. Thomas Moade from the 174th Attack Wing out of Syracuse leads other members of the 174th as well as members of the New York Army Guard from Newburg in taking water and cases of food to local residents in Staten Island on Nov. 2. The food and water was provided to people who needed assistance after Hurricane Sandy took down power lines and caused massive destruction to many homes in the area leaving families desperate for help. Moade and the others were taking the food to those who could not make it to the Emergency Response location.
Staff Sergeant Jennifer Bartkus and Airman First Class Ryan Culp from the 161st Air Refueling Wing Aerial Port, Phoenix help guide a vehicle being loaded on a C-17 Globemaster III, Nov. 2, 2012. The 161st ARW will facilitate the loading and transportation of Salt River Project and Arizona Public Service line crews, support staff and required vehicles in efforts to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
ABDUL RAUF RECEIVES SPECIALLY DESIGNATED GLOBAL TERRORIST TITLE FROM U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Designation of Haqqani Network Chief of Suicide Operations Qari Zakir
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 5, 2012
The Secretary of State has designated Haqqani Network chief of suicide operations Qari Zakir (also known as Abdul Rauf) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. As a result of the designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Zakir has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him or to his benefit.
In addition to today’s domestic designation under E.O. 13224, both Qari Zakir and the Haqqani Network as an organization were listed by the United Nations 1988 Sanctions Committee. The UN listings will require all UN member states to implement an assets freeze, a travel ban, and an arms embargo against the Haqqani Network and Qari Zakir. The Haqqani Network was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity under E.O. 13224 in September 2012, and today’s UN actions demonstrate international resolve in eliminating the Haqqani Network’s ability to execute violent attacks in Afghanistan.
Qari Zakir is the chief of suicide operations for the Haqqani Network and the operational commander in Kabul, Takhar, Kunduz, and Baghlan Provinces, Afghanistan. Zakir is responsible for the Haqqani Network’s training program, which includes instruction in small arms, heavy weapons, and basic improvised explosive device (IED) construction.
Zakir approached Haqqani Network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani in 2008, requesting financial assistance in exchange for expanding the group’s influence and operations into northern Afghanistan, and has become a trusted associate and confidant of Sirajuddin. He has been involved in many of the Haqqani Network’s high-profile suicide attacks and is partially responsible for making some of the final determinations on whether or not to proceed with large-scale attacks planned by local district-level commanders. Attacks using personnel selected from Zakir’s training program include the 2010 attacks on coalition force bases Salerno and Chapman; the June 2011 attack on the Intercontinental Hotel, which killed 11 civilians and two Afghan policemen; and the September 2011 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, which killed 16 Afghans, including at least six children.
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| Photo Credit: U.S. Army. |
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Designation of Haqqani Network Chief of Suicide Operations Qari Zakir
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 5, 2012
The Secretary of State has designated Haqqani Network chief of suicide operations Qari Zakir (also known as Abdul Rauf) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. As a result of the designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Zakir has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him or to his benefit.
In addition to today’s domestic designation under E.O. 13224, both Qari Zakir and the Haqqani Network as an organization were listed by the United Nations 1988 Sanctions Committee. The UN listings will require all UN member states to implement an assets freeze, a travel ban, and an arms embargo against the Haqqani Network and Qari Zakir. The Haqqani Network was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity under E.O. 13224 in September 2012, and today’s UN actions demonstrate international resolve in eliminating the Haqqani Network’s ability to execute violent attacks in Afghanistan.
Qari Zakir is the chief of suicide operations for the Haqqani Network and the operational commander in Kabul, Takhar, Kunduz, and Baghlan Provinces, Afghanistan. Zakir is responsible for the Haqqani Network’s training program, which includes instruction in small arms, heavy weapons, and basic improvised explosive device (IED) construction.
Zakir approached Haqqani Network leader Sirajuddin Haqqani in 2008, requesting financial assistance in exchange for expanding the group’s influence and operations into northern Afghanistan, and has become a trusted associate and confidant of Sirajuddin. He has been involved in many of the Haqqani Network’s high-profile suicide attacks and is partially responsible for making some of the final determinations on whether or not to proceed with large-scale attacks planned by local district-level commanders. Attacks using personnel selected from Zakir’s training program include the 2010 attacks on coalition force bases Salerno and Chapman; the June 2011 attack on the Intercontinental Hotel, which killed 11 civilians and two Afghan policemen; and the September 2011 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, which killed 16 Afghans, including at least six children.
MARINES HELP STATEN ISLAND RESIDENTS
Photo: Marine Corps UH-1N Iroquois "Huey" helicopters with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit deliver meals-ready-to-eat to Staten Island, N.Y., Nov. 4, 2012. The Navy-Marine Corps team is well equipped to respond to national disasters when required, through the coordination of U.S. Northern Command. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Megan Angel
Headquarters Marine Corps
NEW YORK, Nov. 5, 2012 - Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived here yesterday via CH-53E helicopters to aid Staten Island impacted by Superstorm Sandy.
The group of 20 Marines worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the New York City Parks Department and other civilian authorities to provide relief to citizens affected by Hurricane Sandy's damaging winds and flooding.
"It feels good to help," said Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Antonio M. Medina, an optics technician attached to the 26th MEU. "We're trying to coordinate efforts with the local and some state agencies so that we can try to help with the situation, take furniture that's rotten, get medicine, whatever it takes to relieve [people's] problems."
The Marines are moving house to house through Staten Island, surveying damaged structures, assisting those in need of medical support and providing manpower to remove damaged household goods from residents' homes.
The 26th MEU Marines are scheduled to provide assistance as the surrounding New York communities return to normal operations and power is restored. The eastern shore of Staten Island has seen some of the worst destruction from Hurricane Sandy; homes were flooded, power lines broken and, as of yesterday, some fallen trees remained atop homes and vehicles.
"... [A]s long as the mission needs us to be here or until we're told to move to somewhere else to help, we'll be here," Medina said. "The [locals] appreciate the help a lot. They shake our hands and say 'Thank you.' They even have offered us food in several locations but we're not here to take their things. We're here to help them out."
Many of the residents expressed their gratitude to the Marines for lending a hand. Salvatore Greco, who served in the Marine Corps during the early 90's, said he was excited when he saw a group of Marines helping out with the recovery.
"It's a blessing," Greco said. "The first thing I asked was, 'Where's my Marines at?'"
Greco's wife, Sebahet, said she wants to see more Marines helping out.
"I was hoping that the Marines were here," she said. "I was happy to see them here."
The Marines, operating from the USS Wasp, USS San Antonio and USS Carter Hall off the coast of New York City, are part of a Navy and Marine Corps team that provides crisis response anywhere in the world. The Navy-Marine team can land forces ashore by air and sea, and is uniquely suited to assist local authorities in moving personnel and equipment.
Monday, November 5, 2012
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT COMMENTS ON MEKONG RIVER DAM
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| Laos. Map Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
Taken Question: Laos Approval of Xayaburi Dam
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 5, 2012
Question: What is your reaction to Laos’ plan to begin construction on a dam on the lower Mekong River?
Answer: We understand that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has announced its intention to officially begin construction of the Xayaburi dam on the main stem of the Mekong River. The United States recognizes the important role that dams can play in managing water resources to advance economic growth. At the same time, our own experience has made us acutely aware of the economic, social and environmental impacts that large infrastructure can have over the long-term. The extent and severity of impacts from the Xayaburi dam on an ecosystem that provides food security and livelihoods for millions are still unknown.
While these are sovereign development decisions, we are concerned that construction is proceeding before impact studies have been completed. We continue to believe that the Mekong River Commission (MRC) can be a useful platform to provide access to the best science and facilitate consultation with all stakeholders. We also understand that the members of the MRC have not reached consensus on whether the project should proceed.
The United States values its long-standing partnership with the MRC and its member nations. We have a strong interest in the sustainable management of the Mekong River, and we view our robust engagement as a sign of our strong commitment toward a lasting and positive relationship with the region.
We hope that the government of Laos will uphold its pledge to work with its neighbors in addressing remaining questions regarding Xayaburi. We encourage the MRC countries to continue to work together to realize their shared vision of an economically prosperous, socially just and environmentally sound Mekong River basin.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997.
GALACTIC COLLISION VIDEO FROM NASA
FROM: NASASpacecraft Image Mashup Shows Galactic Collision
This new composite image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Spitzer Space Telescope shows two colliding galaxies more than a 100 million years after they first impacted each other. The continuing collision of the Antennae galaxies, located about 62 million light years from Earth, has triggered the formation of millions of stars in clouds of dusts and gas
This new composite image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Spitzer Space Telescope shows two colliding galaxies more than a 100 million years after they first impacted each other. The continuing collision of the Antennae galaxies, located about 62 million light years from Earth, has triggered the formation of millions of stars in clouds of dusts and gas
NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR NOVEMBER 5, 2012
Photo Credit: U.S. Army.FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Senior Taliban Leader
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban senior leader in Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
The arrested insurgent leader commanded all Taliban fighters within Kandahar city and the eastern Panjwai districts. He directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces while coordinating the movement of supplies, weapons and improvised explosive device making-materials throughout Kandahar province to support the Taliban insurgency, officials said.
The security force also detained two suspected insurgents as a result of the operation, officials said.
Also today, a combined force detained three suspected insurgents during a search for a Haqqani leader in Khost province. The sought-after leader is believed to be responsible for multiple attacks throughout southern Khost province as well as IED emplacements. During the operation, the security force seized an assault rifle and numerous grenades.
In Nov. 4 operations:
-- In Logar province, a combined force arrested a Haqqani senior leader. The arrested insurgent leader is tied to the Aug. 7 suicide vehicle-borne IED attack on Forward Operating Base Shank. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent.
-- A combined force killed two insurgents engaged in threatening activity during separate operations in Kunar and Logar provinces.
-- Afghan police accompanied by coalition troops seized a cache of explosives and IED-making materials in Ghazni province. Items seized include three 40 mm rocket-propelled grenades, one anti-tank mine and one IED with detonation cord. The force destroyed the cache.
-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader and IED expert in Kandahar province. The detained insurgent leader was an attack specialist who coordinated the movement and storage of IEDs, weapons and associated supplies to support the Taliban throughout the province. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent.
-- A combined force arrested a Taliban leader in Helmand province. The detained Taliban leader executed ambush and IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces while facilitating the movement of lethal aid throughout the province.
-- In Logar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban courier. The detained Taliban courier served as a cross-border facilitator who passed messages and information between senior Taliban leaders.
In Nov. 3 operations:
-- In Kandahar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader. The arrested insurgent leader is suspected of overseeing the emplacement and distribution of IEDs throughout northern Kandahar province. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized a number of firearms.
-- A combined force seized 2,800 pounds of opium and 88 pounds of heroin following a firefight in southern Helmand province in which one insurgent was killed and another was detained. A vehicle and the drugs were destroyed on site.
-- In Logar province, a combined force arrested a Haqqani leader. The arrested insurgent leader oversaw operations and multiple attack cells in northern Logar province. The security force also detained a number of suspected insurgents.
-- In Nangarhar province, a combined force detained a number of insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader. As the security force approached the Taliban leader's suspected location, two armed insurgents attacked the Afghan and coalition troops with small-arms fire. Friendly forces returned fire, wounding the two armed insurgents, who were later evacuated to a coalition medical facility. The security force seized several assault rifles and shotguns as well as large quantities of ammunition and gear.
In Nov. 2 operations:
-- In Kunar province, a Haqqani weapons facilitator turned himself in to Afghan and coalition forces. The detained Haqqani member is believed to have engineered IED and other attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces. According to a coalition official, the individual quit the insurgency out of concerns for his own safety and to protect his family.
-- In Paktiya province, a coalition force killed Haqqani leader Sadiq Jan. Sadiq Jan, also known as Lewo, was responsible for directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, kidnapping local nationals and coordinating the movement of weapons and bomb-making materials for insurgent attacks.
-- A combined force seized 1,650 pounds of homemade explosives in Ghazni province. The explosives were destroyed.
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