GOING "NET ZERO" WITH ENERGY

Photo:  Solar Panels.  Credit:  U.S. Navy.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE "ARMED WITH SCIENCE"

Waste not.Written on December 9, 2012 by jtozer
Hatch Stage Field Goes Net Zero Energy


It is a common adage that many people have heard throughout life, but
Fort Rucker is taking the saying to heart as it implements its first Net Zero energy facility, slated for completion by the end of December.

Hatch Stage Field is in the process of installing a 51-kilowatt Photovoltaic array, which are solar panels that will be used to collect energy from the sun to convert into electricity, according to Candy Vaughan, Directorate of Public Works branch chief of utilities and energy management.

"The idea is for the field to be Net Zero, which means for us to generate more electricity than we use over the course of the year," she said. "That will be the first place on Fort Rucker to go to Net Zero."

The ultimate goal is complete Net Zero, according to Trevor Marshall, DPW energy engineer, which is in three components: Net Zero energy, Net Zero water and Net Zero waste.

"Net Zero energy is producing as much energy as is consumed, which we’re going to do at Hatch," he said. "Net Zero water is turning water from aquifers, rainwater and things like that into useable water for irrigation purposes; and Net Zero waste is making sure that we don’t put any waste into landfills by recycling or reusing what we can and turning any waste we can into energy."

Vaughan said that the solar array is directly connected to Alabama Power’s electrical grid, so any energy that is generated at the facility that isn’t used can be fed back onto the grid.

"We will still have a monthly fee [with the power company], but what we will not pay is the avoided cost," she said. "As we put electricity back on their grid, they will credit us the amount that the [power company] doesn’t have to spend to create that electricity."

The amount of electricity being fed back onto the grid should offset the electrical cost and more, according to Marshall.

"The solar panels create the electricity in direct current and then an inverter will convert that electricity in alternate current," he explained. "The electricity will then go to Alabama Power’s transformer and step it up to their distribution voltage, and from there it can go anywhere on their distribution system. They will look at how much were sending out versus how much we’re receiving and be able to credit our bill accordingly."

The solar array will generate about 73,000 kilowatt-hours per year, while Hatch Stage Field uses about 20,000 kWh per year, according to Vaughan.

The new system will save Fort Rucker thousands of dollars a year in energy costs in an area that has a high rate of energy consumption, according to Marshall.

"It was decided that Hatch Stage Field [receive the solar array] because there is a higher rate there," said Vaughan. "Solar arrays are high-cost projects, so it just made a lot more sense to use it where the rates are higher, and Hatch has its own electrical account and the rate was significantly higher than the main post."

She added that the installation of the solar array at Hatch could be a preview of what’s to come at other facilities on post.

"We would like to do it in areas that makes sense like the stage fields where the energy cost is high," said Vaughan. "As the cost of these solar panels are coming down, we’re getting closer to being able to do this in more locations."

Although the cost of solar panels is still high, Vaughan said the project at Hatch cost Fort Rucker nothing.

"We had some equipment at one of the main electric substations that were damaged in 2004," she said. "It was determined that repairs needed to the equipment were not cost effective and Alabama Power, along with other companies, removed the generators and credited Fort Rucker with the equipment to apply to this project.
"This is important from an energy perspective because it increases our [sense of] security," said Marshall. "If we can produce our own renewable energy, then we’re not relying on outside sources to supply us."
By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff Writer

LONDON BANK FORFEITS $227 MILLION TO SETTLE CASE WITH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

WASHINGTON – Standard Chartered Bank, a financial institution headquartered in London, has agreed to forfeit $227 million to the Justice Department for conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The bank has agreed to the forfeiture as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department and a deferred prosecution agreement with the New York County District Attorney’s Office for violating New York state laws by illegally moving millions of dollars through the U.S. financial system on behalf of sanctioned Iranian, Sudanese, Libyan and Burmese entities. The bank has also entered into settlement agreements with the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.; George Venizelos, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office; and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chief Richard Weber.

A criminal information was filed today in federal court in the District of Columbia charging Standard Chartered Bank with one count of knowingly and willfully conspiring to violate IEEPA. Standard Chartered Bank has waived the federal indictment, agreed to the filing of the information and has accepted responsibility for its criminal conduct and that of its employees.

"For years, Standard Chartered Bank deliberately violated U.S. laws governing transactions involving Sudan, Iran, and other countries subject to U.S. sanctions," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. "The United States expects a minimum standard of behavior from all financial institutions that enjoy the benefits of the U.S. financial system. Standard Chartered’s conduct was flagrant and unacceptable. Together with the Treasury Department and our state and local partners, we will continue our unrelenting efforts to hold accountable financial institutions that intentionally mislead regulators to do business with sanctioned countries."

"When banks dodge U.S. sanctions laws, they imperil our financial system and our national security," said U.S. Attorney Machen. "Today’s agreement holds Standard Chartered Bank accountable for intentionally manipulating transactions to remove references to Iran, Sudan, and other sanctioned entities, and then further concealing these transactions through misrepresentations to U.S. regulators. This $227 million forfeiture should make clear that trying to skirt U.S. sanctions is bad for business."

"Investigations of financial institutions, businesses, and individuals who violate U.S. sanctions by misusing banks in New York are vitally important to national security and the integrity of our banking system. Banks occupy positions of trust. It is a bedrock principle that they must deal honestly with their regulators. I will accept nothing less; too much is at stake for the people of New York and this country," said District Attorney Vance. "These cases give teeth to sanctions enforcement, send a strong message about the need for transparency in international banking, and ultimately contribute to the fight against money laundering and terror financing. I thank our federal partners for their cooperation and assistance in pursuing this investigation."

"Standard Chartered Bank regularly engaged in prohibited banking practices, took steps to conceal the illegal conduct, and misled regulators about the pattern of illegality," said Assistant Director in Charge Venizelos. "New York is a world financial capital and an international banking hub, and you have to play by the rules to conduct business here."

"To protect and uphold the integrity of the American financial system, it is essential that we ensure global banking institutions obey U.S. laws, including sanctions against other countries," said IRS-CI Chief Weber. "Criminal Investigation, the world’s preeminent financial investigative agency, was proud to be part of this law enforcement team working collaboratively with our federal and local partners to hold Standard Chartered Bank accountable for their criminal actions. When we work together, it’s a force multiplier and it is government working smart. It’s what taxpayers expect of us."

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) operates a branch in New York ("SCB New York") that provides wholesale banking services, primarily U.S.-dollar clearing for international wire payments. SCB New York also provides U.S.-dollar correspondent banking services for SCB’s branches in London and Dubai. According to court documents, from 2001 through 2007, SCB violated U.S. and New York state laws by moving millions of dollars illegally through the U.S. financial system on behalf of Iranian, Sudanese, Libyan and Burmese entities subject to U.S. economic sanctions. SCB knowingly and willfully engaged in this criminal conduct, which caused SCB’s branch in New York and unaffiliated U.S. financial institutions to process over $200 million in transactions that otherwise should have been rejected, blocked or stopped for investigation under Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations relating to transactions involving sanctioned countries and parties.

According to court documents, SCB engaged in this criminal conduct by, among other things, instructing a customer in a sanctioned country to represent itself using SCB London’s unique banking code in payment messages, replacing references to sanctioned entities in payment messages with special characters and deleting payment data that would have revealed the involvement of sanctioned entities and countries using wire payment methods that masked their involvement. This conduct occurred in various business units within SCB in locations around the world, primarily SCB London and SCB Dubai, with the knowledge and approval of senior corporate managers and the legal and compliance departments of SCB.

In addition to evading U.S. economic sanctions, SCB made misleading statements to regulators to further conceal its business with sanctioned countries. In August 2003, SCB wrote in a letter to OFAC that the use of cover payments for transactions related to sanctioned countries was contrary to SCB’s global instructions. In fact, SCB used the cover payment method to effect billions of dollars in payments, lawful and unlawful, through SCB New York originating from or for the benefit of customers in Iran, Libya, Burma and Sudan – all U.S. sanctioned countries – and continued to do so after the letter was sent.

During an extensive examination of all transactions at, by, or through SCB New York to detect suspicious activity, SCB failed to disclose to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and New York Department of Financial Services that it was processing billions of dollars of non-transparent payments for customers in sanctioned countries. As a result of SCB’s failure to disclose these transactions, the regulators were misled about the nature and extent of SCB’s business with sanctioned countries.

SCB’s agreement to forfeit $227 million will settle forfeiture claims by the Department of Justice and New York State. In light of the bank’s remedial actions to date and its willingness to acknowledge responsibility for its actions, the Justice Department will recommend the dismissal of the information in 24 months, provided the bank fully cooperates with, and abides by, the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement.

Under the terms of its settlement agreement with SCB, OFAC’s penalty of $132 million will be satisfied by $227 million forfeited in connection with the bank’s resolution with the Justice Department. OFAC’s settlement agreement further requires the bank to conduct a review of its policies and procedures and their implementation, taking a risk-based sampling of U.S. dollar payments to ensure that its OFAC compliance program is functioning effectively to detect, correct and report apparent sanctions violations to OFAC.

The case was prosecuted by Money Laundering and Bank Integrity Unit Trial Attorney Clay Porter of the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney George P. Varghese of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Washington Field Division, with assistance from OFAC.

The Money Laundering and Bank Integrity Unit is a corps of prosecutors with a boutique practice aimed at hardening the financial system against criminal money laundering vulnerabilities by investigating and prosecuting financial institutions and professional money launderers for violations of the money laundering statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act and other related statutes.

The Department of Justice expressed its gratitude to OFAC, under the leadership of Director Adam J. Szubin, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA BELIEVES KUWAIT IS AN IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR THE U.S.

"Mushrooms" in the desert: water towers in Kuwait. From: CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Panetta Calls Kuwait Important U.S. Partner
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait, Dec. 11, 2012 – On his first official visit to Kuwait, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today that the nation is an important partner with a longstanding U.S. bilateral defense partnership.

More than 13,500 U.S. forces serve in Kuwait, the secretary told reporters traveling with him. The last visit to Kuwait by a U.S. defense secretary was almost five years ago, he added.

Kuwait is strategically located at the head of the Persian Gulf between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The United States and Kuwait "share a history of cooperation that goes back to the first Gulf War," Panetta said, "and I look forward to discussing with the government of Kuwait how can we enhance that partnership in the face of regional security challenges in the area."

Together, U.S. and Kuwaiti troops conduct security cooperation activities and are involved in joint exercises and training, the secretary said.

"Our presence in Kuwait and throughout the Gulf helps enhance the capabilities of partner nations, deters aggression and helps ensure that we’re better able to respond to crises in the region," Panetta added.

The new U.S. defense strategy makes clear the United States will maintain a force presence in the Middle East, he said, and the department is maintaining a very strong and flexible presence there.

With nearly 50,000 U.S. troops in the region, the United States is in a position to be able to respond to any contingency that arises there, the secretary said.

"Kuwait," he added, "plays a critical role in our ability to do that."

Panetta said one of the main reasons for the trip is to visit troops during the holiday season, "and to express on behalf of the nation our best wishes for the holidays to all of them."

It’s a tough time of year to be away from loved ones, he added.

"Since 9/11, so many have spent so many holidays away from home, the secretary said. "I want them to hear directly from me how much I appreciate their dedication, their commitment, their sacrifice and their willingness to put their lives on the line to keep our country safe so far away from their families.

"Our hope," he added, "is that ultimately, one day soon, they can be home with their families for Christmas."

U.S. SAYS PAKISTAN AND CORRUPTION ARE HINDERING STABILITY IN AFGHANISTAN

Map:  Pakistan.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Pakistan, Corruption Remain Stumbling Blocks in Afghanistan
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 - Safe havens in Pakistan, corruption and limited Afghan government capabilities are the greatest obstacles to stability in Afghanistan, according to a Pentagon report delivered to Congress and made public today.

The Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan also states that the coalition surge accomplished its mission.

The enemy has lost capability, the report says. The number of attacks is down and, while the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies can launch a few flashy attacks, the terror group's capabilities have waned.

Pakistan remains a problem, but there is some progress on that front, according to the report.

"The insurgency and al-Qaida continue to face U.S. counterterrorism pressure within the safe havens," the report says. "U.S. relations with Pakistan have begun to improve following the re-opening of Pakistani ground lines of communication, and there has been nascent improvement with respect to cross-border cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan."

In fact, the report continues, there has been some cooperation on both sides of the border in coordinating counterterror offensives.

Most security metrics have improved, the report says. It compares the first year of the surge – 2010 – with April through September of this year, noting that enemy-initiated attacks have declined by 12 percent. Detonations of improvised explosive devices declined 9 percent. The percentage of civilian casualties caused by NATO forces declined 28 percent. Direct- fire attacks have dropped by 9 percent, and indirect-fire attacks are down by 24 percent.

However, civilian casualties caused by enemy attacks are up 11 percent, according to the Pentagon report.

The report's findings point to progress with the Afghan national security forces, which will take over security operations when U.S. and coalition forces leave at the end of 2014.

"The ANSF has grown by 88,464 personnel, and has dramatically increased its capabilities," the report states. "The areas of the country influenced by the insurgents and the ability of the insurgency to attack the population have been significantly diminished."

The report to Congress highlights the improvement in security of populated areas. "Security dramatically improved in most of Afghanistan's five most populous districts, with [enemy-initiated attacks] in the first nine months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 dropping 22 percent in Kabul, 62 percent in Kandahar, 13 percent in Herat, 88 percent in Mazar-e-Sharif, and rising 2 percent in Kunduz," the report says.

Insurgent attacks are taking place away from these populated centers, the report says, noting that the majority of Afghanistan's 405 districts now experience very low levels of enemy attacks. Eighty percent of attacks occur in districts encompassing only 20 percent of the population, and nearly half of all attacks in Afghanistan occur in just 17 districts that contain only 5 percent of the population, the report states.

The Taliban's ability to attack Afghans is diminished particularly in Kandahar, the group's operational and ideological base.

But overall, the report paints a picture of mixed progress toward security and stability, with the area along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border remaining a hot zone. "Pakistani-based sanctuary for insurgents, such as the Haqqani Taliban Network in North Waziristan, as well as the financial and operational support that insurgents receive from various sources, keeps the security situation along the border with Pakistan in Regional Command – East volatile," the report says.

While enemy attacks in the region declined slightly, eastern Afghanistan accounted for almost a third of all insurgent attacks throughout the country.

"The Taliban-led insurgency remains adaptive and determined, and retains the capability to emplace substantial numbers of IEDs and to conduct isolated high-profile attacks," the report says. "The insurgency also retains a significant regenerative capacity."

As ISAF and Afghan forces erode Taliban efforts, insurgents have increasingly resorted to asymmetric tactics in an attempt to regain territory and influence, including assassinations, kidnappings, intimidation tactics, encouraging insider attacks and strategic messaging campaigns, the report states.

FORMER SACRAMENTO WOMAN SENTENCED FOR PART IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF TEENAGE GIRLS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Former Sacramento woman sentenced to 9 years for sex trafficking
OAKLAND, Calif. — A former Sacramento woman was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in federal prison on charges stemming from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI that linked her to a scheme to sex traffic teenage girls.

Helen Jean Singh (née Kearney), 22, pleaded guilty earlier this year to participating in a sex trafficking conspiracy involving the prostitution of teenage females. During Wednesday's sentencing, Singh accepted responsibility for her actions.

A federal grand jury indicted Singh and her husband, Mahendar "Mike" Singh, on the sex trafficking conspiracy charge in December 2011. According to the indictment, the pair recruited teenage girls by promising money, drugs and a "family-like environment." The couple maintained control over their victims by providing drugs, using physical force and threats of physical force, and fostering a climate of fear. The Singh's used the Internet to advertise their prostitution enterprise, which spanned from Sacramento County to multiple Bay Area counties.

"Few crimes strike at our community the way sex trafficking does," U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said. "By sexually exploiting children and young adults for financial gain, sex traffickers have shown that greed has no bounds. My office will continue to lead efforts by law enforcement to fight the menace that is sex trafficking."

The Singhs were arrested in August 2011 after the South San Francisco Police Department responded to a motel near the San Francisco Airport and found Mahendar Singh with three teenage girls. The affidavit alleges the defendants used an Internet website to advertise their victims and employed cell phones and text-messaging to make arrangements with customers.

"While no prison sentence can ever compensate for the physical and emotional toll experienced by trafficking victims, this lengthy prison term should serve as a sobering warning about the consequences facing those who engage in this reprehensible practice," said Clark Settles, special agent in charge ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco. "Human traffickers prey on the powerless and the vulnerable. ICE Homeland Security Investigations and its federal law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those who cannot protect themselves."

"The FBI will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue and bring to justice sex traffickers who exploit and victimize juveniles," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Gavin of FBI San Francisco. "We will also work with our community partners to help those who are victimized get the assistance they need."

In addition to HSI and the FBI, the other agencies involved in the case included the South San Francisco Police Department; the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office; the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Criminal Section, Civil Rights Division; U.S. Department of Justice; and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice.

The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton. Judge Hamilton also sentenced Helen Singh, who was and will remain in custody, to a five-year period of supervised release following her prison term and ordered her to forfeit property and make restitution of $45,000 to one of the victims. Mahendar Singh, who also pleaded guilty previously, received the same sentence April 18.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Huang prosecuted the case with the assistance of legal assistant Vanessa Vargas.

Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes that HSI investigates. In its worst manifestation, human trafficking is akin to modern-day slavery. HSI relies on tips from the public to dismantle these organizations. Trafficking victims are often hidden in plain sight, voiceless and scared. The public is urged to report suspicious human trafficking activity to the ICE HSI Tip Line at
1-866-347-2423 or report tips online at www.ice.gov/tips.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PREPARES FOR SEQUESTRATION

Credit:  U.S. Navy.

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE

DOD prepares for potential sequestration
by Senior Master Sgt. David Byron
Air Force Public Affairs Agency

12/10/2012 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Office of Management and Budget has instructed the Department of Defense to pursue internal planning to meet required budget cuts if sequestration goes into effect Jan. 3.

"We are at the very start of this process," said Dr. George Little, acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, during a Pentagon press availability here, Dec. 5. "We don't have all the details firmed up. Naturally, we hope very much that sequestration will be avoided and we don't enter that phase."

Sequestration is a mechanism enacted by Congress that will initiate severe across-the-government budget cuts if Congress and the president are unable to pass a budget that meets the requirements of the Budget Control Act of 2011.

For the DOD, sequestration would cut the defense budget by $500 billion over the next 10 years. These cuts would be in addition to the nearly $500 billion in cuts, during the same time frame, already directed by the 2011 BCA.

DOD officials have already been considering possible effects of sequestration, including communicating impacts to the DOD work force.

"Our focus has been on examining the potential impacts of sequestration," Little said. "We know what the potential impacts might be, and that helps us create a baseline for what we need to plan against."

He explained that although the core of the effort this month is planning against the possible cuts, officials still hold hope that Congress and the administration can come to a resolution avoiding sequestration.

If the cuts do go into effect Jan. 3, Little said the DOD should still have the first couple of months in 2013 to determine the best way to handle the effects.

"Not every consequence of sequestration would occur on Jan. 3," he said. "People will still come to work, we think, at this stage. This will be a phased-in approach to dealing with sequestration, if it were to take place."

Whatever the effect, he said DOD officials are committed to communicating the issues to the internal DOD community as soon as they are clear.

"We have a lot of internal constituencies to reach out to -- service members, their families and the civilian employees of the Department of Defense -- and we're talking active, Guard and Reserve," said Little. "Three million people work inside this department. One out of 100 Americans work for the secretary of defense. That is a big number and it's a big communication challenge should sequestration take effect."

Little said he has stood up a communication task force to take part in the planning process.

"We expect, through our planning efforts, to identify not just numbers, but also how we communicate it to our three million-person workforce, and prepare them for what may come down the pike," he said. "We're going to try to do what we can, as quickly as possible, to define precisely who we need to talk to and when."

SOME U.S. NAVY PHOTO HISTORY OF "OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM"

FROM: U.S. NAVY
011017-N-2383B-506 Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (Oct. 17, 2001) -- An Aviation Ordnanceman pushes a 2000-pound GBU-10 laser guided bomb through the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt and its carrier air wing are conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Johnny Bivera. (RELEASED)

011031-N-3405L-007 In the skies over Afghanistan (Oct. 31, 2001) – Two 500-pound Laser Guided Bomb Units (GBU-12) (left) and an AIM-9 "Sidewinder" short-range air-to-air missile are visible on the wing of an F/A-18 "Hornet" from the "Mighty Shrikes" of Strike Fighter Squadron Nine Four (VFA-94). VFA-94 is assigned to Carrier Air wing Eleven (CVW 11) aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Steve Lightstone. (RELEASED)

011207-N-2383B-504 At sea aboard USS Bataan (LHD 5) Dec. 7, 2001-- U.S. Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) conduct a small arms live-fire exercise on the flight deck aboard USS Bataan. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group is deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Johnny Bivera (RELEASED).


 

U.S. AID TO THE SYRIAN PEOPLE

Temple ruins at Palmyra.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Government Assistance for Syria
December 10, 2012

The United States continues to support the Syrian people as the newly-formed Syrian Opposition Coalition sets a course toward the start of the peaceful, democratic, inclusive future that the people of Syria deserve. Assistance includes our vigorous diplomatic support of the newly formed Syrian Opposition Coalition, humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the conflict, and non-lethal support for local councils and civil society inside Syria.
The United States supports the Syrian people’s aspirations for Syrian-led transition to a more just, inclusive, and peaceful Syria. We are working with likeminded states to further isolate the regime and support the Syrian people’s calls for Asad to depart from power. An estimated 40,000 Syrians have been killed over the past 20 months of unrest and violence, and the regime’s legitimacy has completely collapsed. The United States and the like-minded countries are supporting the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s efforts to advance a political transition in Syria and helping the Syrian people pursue a democratic transition.
In partnership with the United Nations and the international community, the United States is providing nearly $200 million in humanitarian assistance through established international humanitarian and non-governmental organizations to support the urgent humanitarian needs of those inside Syria and in neighboring countries who are affected by the continuing violence in Syria. As the winter approaches, we are coordinating closely with the Coalition and civilian groups inside Syria to ensure that our assistance best serves the needs of the Syrian people. We continue to develop ways for humanitarian assistance to reach previously inaccessible areas inside Syria. All humanitarian assistance is provided on the basis of need and not political affiliation.
The United States is also providing approximately $50 million in non-lethal support to the unarmed Syrian opposition and civil society groups, including local councils and grassroots organizations. This assistance provides training and equipment to the Syrian non-violent opposition to build up a nation-wide network of ethnically and religiously diverse civilian activists, which will help promote unity among the Syrian people and accelerate the country’s democratic transition. It builds the capacity of local councils and grassroots organizations and supports their efforts to respond to the needs of their communities and mobilize ongoing non-violent protest movements. Finally, our assistance includes support for independent media, efforts to document abuses of the regime, and transition planning.
Diplomatic Support

The United States was actively engaged in the Doha meetings in late November, which launched the Syrian Opposition Coalition. In subsequent meetings and at the upcoming Friends of the Syrian People meeting that will gather in Marrakesh in mid-December, the United States is supporting efforts to strengthen the Syrian peoples’ leadership of the transition underway. To ensure that our assistance responds to the most pressing needs of the Syrian people, we are closely coordinating with the Coalition and Syrian-based unarmed opposition groups.

Humanitarian Assistance

The Assad regime’s war on its own civilian population has precipitated a critical humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 40,000 killed over the past 20 months. The United States is providing nearly $200 million in humanitarian aid to assist the four million people in need inside Syria and the more than 460,000 Syrian refugees now living in neighboring countries. The U.S. funds are providing urgently needed food, clean water, medical supplies, emergency medical care, and mental health support for children. The United States is also providing relief supplies, such as plastic sheeting to repair damaged buildings, warm clothes, blankets and heaters to help conflict-affected families survive the coming winter.

U.S. DOD Background Briefing on Section 1230 Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Pentagon Briefing Room

Background Briefing on Section 1230 Report on Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan, Pentagon Briefing Room

ANTARTIC SEA ICE COVER AND CLIMATE CHANGE

FROM: NASA
Sheldon GlacierView of Sheldon Glacier with Mount Barre in the background, seen from Ryder Bay near Rothera Research Station, Adelaide Island, Antarctica. A new NASA/British Antarctic Survey study examines why Antarctic sea ice cover has increased under the effects of climate change over the past two decades.

Image credit-British Antarctic Survey
 

SAM ON MARS

FROM: NASA

Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite on Mars Curiosity
How samples are delivered and then tested in the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite on the Mars Curiosity rover.

President Obama Talks #My2k with The Santana Family | The White House

President Obama Talks #My2k with The Santana Family | The White House

Who’s at risk for flu?

Who’s at risk for flu?

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR DECEMBER 10, 2012

Refueling Over Afghanistan.  Credit::  U.S. Air Force.    

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leader in Helmand Province
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 - A combined coalition and Afghan security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The leader was a weapons facilitator directly involved in coordinating attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces, officials said. He also directed assassinations, coordinated the shipment and distribution of bomb-making materials and weapons, and provided intelligence to Taliban senior leadership operating in the province.

The security force also detained three suspected insurgents and seized an Afghan army uniform.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force in Kandahar province's Arghandab district arrested a Taliban facilitator who organized high-profile attacks while financing the manufacture of improvised explosive devices and vehicle-borne bombs. He also trained insurgents for IED attacks. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- In Khost province's Terayzai district, a combined force arrested a Haqqani network leader responsible for commanding high-profile attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and the coordination and movement of IEDs and Haqqani insurgents. He conducted IED testing and was overseeing the shipment of weapons to support an impending attack. The security force also seized weapons and detained a suspected insurgent.

-- A combined force in Wardak province's Nerkh district arrested a Taliban leader who directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and oversaw IED operations.

-- In Balkh province's Balkh district, a combined force detained four insurgents during a search for a Haqqani network facilitator who coordinates suicide bombings. The security force also seized 10 pounds of illegal narcotics.

In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A combined force in Paktia province's Sayyid Karam district arrested a Haqqani network leader who controlled a group that conducts IED attacks against Afghan officials and Afghan and coalition forces. He also built, stored and transported IEDs for insurgents operating in the area. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent and seized IED-making materials, grenades and a large amount of ammunition.

-- In Kandahar province's Maiwand district, a combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator who was directly involved in IED operations and facilitated suicide-bomb attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also oversaw the transport of ammunition and IED-making materials to insurgents. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- A combined force in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district arrested a Taliban leader who procured heavy weapons, ammunition and bomb-making materials and advised Taliban insurgents. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- In Balkh province's Chimtal district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader responsible for planning and conducting attacks and kidnappings and for weapons procurement.

In other recent operations:

-- A combined force in Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district arrested a Taliban leader Dec. 8. He distributed IED materials, detained a suspected insurgent and seized bomb-making materials.

-- In Uruzgan province's Shahid-e-Hasas district Dec. 7, Afghan and coalition security forces seized and destroyed weapons, ammunition and three motorcycles used by insurgents. Several insurgents were killed and three suspected insurgent were detained during the operation.

U.S. Department Of Defense Contracts for December 10, 2012

Contracts for December 10, 2012

U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing - December 10, 2012

Daily Press Briefing - December 10, 2012

MAN + NATURAL CHANGES = DISASTER x ?

Ice Island Moves into the Artic Ocean.  Credit:  NASA 

FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

NSF-supported Researchers Pinpoint 1,500-Year Cycle in Arctic Atmospheric Pattern
A team of scientists supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has identified for the first time a clear 1,500-year cycle in the far North's surface atmosphere pressure pattern. Called the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the cycle greatly influences weather in the Northern Hemisphere.

Lead researcher Dennis Darby, a geological oceanographer at Virginia's Old Dominion University, used the findings to describe a worst-case scenario in which the cyclical pressure pattern could combine with man-made climate change to exacerbate severe weather and flooding trends.

The findings were published Nov. 11 on Nature Geoscience's website. Darby coauthored the paper with a team of scientists from Old Dominion and Kent State universities and the University of Southern California (USC).

Coauthors are Joseph Ortiz, a geological oceanographer from Kent State; Chester Grosch, a physical oceanographer and computer scientist from ODU and Steven Lund, a geophysicist from USC.

William Wiseman, a program director in the Arctic Natural Sciences Program in NSF's Office of Polar Programs, said the new research is innovative in its approach to separating human influences on climate from naturally occurring events.

"Separating the effects of human contributions to climate variability from those due to natural variability is never easy," he said. "Darby and his colleagues, using clever analyses of sediment data, have noted an important long-term variation in sediment transport that is consistent with variability in the Arctic climate on similar time scales. This work adds one more piece of information to our understanding of a very complex system."

Working from a 20-meter-long sediment core raised offshore of Alaska from waters 1,300 meters deep, the researchers could detect varying amounts of iron-rich sand grains ice-rafted from Russia over the last 8,000 years. The core was originally recovered from the flank of Barrow Canyon by an NSF-funded oceanographic cruise on which researchers Lloyd Keigwin, Julie Brigham-Grette and Neil Driscoll were co-investigators.

Darby and his colleagues were able to show through geochemical analysis that some of these Russian grains came from the Kara Sea, which is off the northern Russia landmass east of the northern tip of Finland. This is more than 3,000 miles from the core sample site, and the authors say Kara iron grains could have only arrived at the Alaskan coast by drifting in ice. Furthermore, the ice floes would only move from the Kara to offshore Alaska during strong positive AO conditions.

When the AO index is positive, surface pressure is low in the polar region. This helps the mid-latitude jet stream blow strongly and consistently from west to east, thus keeping cold Arctic air locked in the polar region. When the AO index is negative, there tends to be high pressure in the polar region, weaker zonal winds and greater movement of frigid polar air into the populated areas of the middle latitudes.

Measurements taken by instruments in modern times clearly show relatively short-term fluctuations in the AO, with profound impacts on weather and climate. "But how the AO varies during the Holocene (roughly the last 12,000 years) is not well understood," the authors write in Nature Geoscience.

Darby said that time-series analysis of the researchers' geochemical record reveals a 1,500-year cycle that is similar to what other researchers have proposed in recent decades, based on scattered findings in paleoclimate records. But he and his colleagues are the first to find a high-resolution indicator of the Arctic record that resolves multidecadal-through-millennial-scale AO cycles, he said.

"Our record is the longest record to date to reconstruct the AO and documents that there is millennial scale variability in the AO," Ortiz said. "The sedimentation rate at our site is also sufficient to statistically differentiate between a 1,000-year cycle and a 1,500-year cycle, which helps us to understand the dynamics of the response of the climate system to external forcing during the Holocene geological period."

The 1,500-year cycle is distinct from a 1,000-year cycle found in a similarly analyzed record of total solar irradiance, the authors write, suggesting that the longer cycle arises from either internal oscillation of the climate system or as an indirect response to low-latitude solar forcing.

"The AO can remain in a rather strong negative or positive mode for many decades," the research team writes in the Nature Geoscience article. "When it is positive as suggested by the upswing in the Kara series during the last 200 years, then the additional warmth due to the entrapped Arctic cold air masses during winters could exacerbate the mid-latitude signature of anthropogenic global warming resulting from increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. When the AO is strongly negative as seen in the winters of 2009-11, the Northern Hemisphere experiences prolonged intervals of colder than normal conditions. Because the maximum amplitudes of the AO as recorded in the Kara (iron) grain record in recent decades is less than a third of the amplitude in the past, the full range of variability in the AO is not likely recorded in the instrumental records of the last few decades."

Darby does his detective work by analyzing sediments, mostly from core samples that have been collected when researchers drill a hollow tube into the floor of the Arctic Ocean or nearby seas. The work is made possible by an iron-grain chemical fingerprinting technique he developed that enables him to determine the landmass where the grains originated. This provides evidence about winds and currents--and therefore the overall weather patterns--that brought the grain to its resting place.

Even if natural cycles are responsible for some recent warming trends, this doesn't let humans off the hook for polluting the atmosphere, Darby said. Human influence may combine with natural cycles to increase global warming.

Darby's research is not directly involved in weighing human contributions to climate change, such as increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere brought on by combustion.

"We're looking for natural conditions that are helping to cause this global warming and sea level rise," Darby said. "There seems to be a natural pacing to climate change. If you don't know what changes are naturally occurring over the long haul, you don't know how to deal with conditions over the short term."

THE UNDERWATER UNDERGROUND

FROM: FEMA
Hoboken, N.J., Dec. 4, 2012 -- The Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) remains closed due to salt water inundation caused form Hurricane Sandy. The PATH power staff is working overtime to get the trains up and running by December 17th. Adam DuBrowa-FEMA

Hoboken, N.J., Dec. 4, 2012 -- The Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) Power Director Andre Bou supervises the electrical repairs to miles of lines along the Hoboken tracks. The PATH is eligible for federal assistance under the FEMA Public Assistance program and is working overtime to repair the electrical systems that were damaged from salt water innundation caused from Hurricane Sandy. Adam DuBrowa/FEMA

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK GUARANTEES FINANCING TO SELL HELICOPTERS TO BRAZIL

Whether seen at night or during the day, the capital city of Brazil is unmistakable from orbit. Brasilia is located on a plateau - the Planalto Central - in the west-central part of the country, and is widely considered to be one of the best examples of 20th century urban planning in the world. One of its most distinctive design features - as seen from above - suggests a bird, butterfly, or airplane traveling along a northwest-southeast direction, and is made dramatically visible by city light patterns (image center right, between Lake Paranoa and the airport). Following the establishment of Brasilia in the early 1960s, informal settlements began to form around the original planned city. Ceilandia was one such settlement. In 1970, Ceilandia was formalized by the government and is now a satellite city of Brasilia with its own distinct urban identity. The developed areas of Brasilia and its satellites are clearly outlined by street grids and highway lights in this photograph taken from the International Space Station. The large unlit region to the upper right is the Brasilia National Park. Image courtesy of NASA. From: CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

Ex-Im Bank Approves Financing to Export Helicopters; Supports More Than 500 Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced today it will guarantee financing to support the export of U.S.-made helicopters to Brazil. This marks the first time the Bank has financed high-tech AW139 helicopters destined to be operated by Omni Taxi Aereo (OTA) of Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Omni Helicopters International S.A. (OHI) will buy the aircraft and assign them to its operating subsidiary, OTA. Philadelphia manufacturer AgustaWestland North America will supply its twin-engine helicopters in order for OHI to service its transportation contracts with Petrobras, which operates deep-water drilling rigs off the Brazilian coast.


The Bank’s financing is estimated to support at least 500 American jobs in all phases of aircraft production and delivery, based on the number employed by AgustaWestland in Philadelphia.


"With this transaction, we’ve guaranteed employment for skilled American workers," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "We’re pleased not only to help support these well-paying jobs, but also to level the playing field for an American manufacturer in the highly competitive energy-industry aircraft market."


Brazil’s state-owned Petrobras off-shore drilling industry increasingly demands new-technology, medium-lift helicopters like the AW139 model produced by AgustaWestland North America in its Philadelphia factory. Each AW139 helicopter can carry fifteen passengers to remote off-shore operations. It features a range of 575 miles and can fly at a cruising speed of 190 miles per hour.


Bruno Cellemme, President and CEO of AgustaWestland (Philadelphia), remarked, "AgustaWestland is pleased to again partner with the Export-Import Bank of the United States to support the export of helicopters produced at our Philadelphia plant. These exports help to sustain jobs at our Philadelphia-based manufacturing plant, which employs more than 500 aerospace workers."

CRATER SCIENCE

FROM: NASA
Planetary CSI: Crater Science Investigations
If you want to learn more about the history of Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system, craters are a great place to look. Now, thanks to LRO's LROC instrument, we can take a much closer look at Linné Crater on the moon--a pristine crater that's great to use to compare with other craters!

Credit-NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center