Sunday, February 10, 2013
FAREWILL TO LEON PANETTA AFTER FIVE DECADES OF PUBLIC SERVICE
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| President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, joined by Sylvia Panetta, review troops during the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of Secretary Panetta, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson in Arlington, Va., Feb. 8, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) |
Panetta Reflects on His Public Service During Farewell Tribute
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2013 - Retiring Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed his gratitude today for all those he served with through five decades of public service to the nation during his farewell ceremony here.
The Armed Forces Farewell tribute, hosted by President Barack Obama, and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, drew a distinguished audience of current and former military and government leaders as Panetta reflected on his career.
"It's been 50 years of public service, and I ... will always cherish the deep and lasting friendships that I've made here in Washington," Panetta said. "I'm extremely grateful that so many of those friends could be here this afternoon."
"I have spent a long time in this town," he said. "As the son of immigrants ... I have truly lived the American dream. Being an Italian-American in Congress, at senior levels in the executive branch, has been for me a very unique experience."
Panetta said he is still impressed by the sight of the Capitol and the White House at night, calling it a "very special experience." He thanked the president for giving him a chance to lead the Defense Department.
"Mr. President, I want to express my deepest thanks to you for the opportunity to serve this country again as a member of your administration," he said.
"It has been a tremendous honor and a tremendous privilege these past four years, and especially now as the 23rd secretary of defense," Panetta said.
"I hope that in some small way I have helped to fulfill the dream of my parents, the dream that they wanted and the dream that all of us want, of giving our children a better life," he said.
Panetta recalled some of the proudest moments of his career and some of the experiences and memories he will cherish.
"I will never forget the pride and exhilaration when I walked out of the White House after the president announced the success of the bin Laden operation," he said.
"I could hear the chants of those people who were gathered around the White House and in Lafayette Park yelling, 'USA, USA,'" Panetta said. "Thank you, Mr. President, for your strong support in what was a very tough decision. The memory of that operation and the team that helped put it together, both the intelligence team and the military team, will be with me forever."
The defense secretary said he'll remember visiting deployed troops on bases around the world, and "looking into the eyes of brave men and women who are putting their lives on the line every day for this country."
Panetta cited moments where he honored veterans of past wars, and was inspired by wounded warriors returning home from war.
"I'll always remember the moments of grief, when this nation has rendered final honors to our fallen heroes and when we've had to comfort their families," he said.
"Writing notes of condolence to those families who have lost loved ones has been for me one of my toughest jobs," Panetta said. These moments of selflessness, courage and sacrifice, and heroism provide optimism and a renewed sense of pride in our country.
Panetta said he would have "no greater honor" in his life than leading the men and women of the U.S. military as secretary of defense, serving alongside Dempsey and the Joint Chiefs.
"As we used to say when I was in the Army, there isn't anyone I'd rather be in the foxhole with than Marty Dempsey," he said. "I cannot tell you what a privilege it has been to work with you and to work with all of the service chiefs."
"We've dealt with some very tough issues, and there is no way that I could have done this job without your support, without your loyalty, and without your dedication," Panetta said.
Panetta noted he and the chairman have testified before Congress 11 times and held 10 press conferences together since assuming leadership of the Pentagon.
"It has been the honor of my life to have served in the position of secretary of defense," he said. "And wherever I go and whatever I do, I will thank God every day for the men and women in this country who are willing to put their lives on the line for all of us."
"My prayer as I leave," Panetta said, "is that we all have the same courage and dedication to protecting our nation, the United States of America, the home of the free and the brave."
OBSERVATION EARTH
FROM: NASA
LDCM-A New Era in Earth Observation
NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) is the eighth satellite in the Landsat series, which began in 1972. The mission will extend more than 40 years of global land observations that are critical in many areas, such as energy and water management, forest monitoring, human and environmental health, urban planning, disaster recovery and agriculture. NASA's Launch Services Program will launch the LDCM spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
THREE CHARGED WITH FRAUD IN ALLEGED CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY SCHEME
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONSEC Charges We The People, Inc., of The United States and Three Individuals In Offering Fraud Scheme
On February 4, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed complaints in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in connection with an offering fraud conducted by We The People, Inc. of the United States ("We The People"), a purported charitable organization based in Tallahassee, Florida.
In its complaint against Richard Olive, We The People’s former chief of program services, and Susan Olive, We The People’s former chief of finance and administration, the Commission alleges that the Olives, husband and wife, orchestrated a fraudulent scheme that raised more than $75 million from approximately 450 investors located across the United States, most of whom were senior citizens. Investors were solicited to transfer assets to We The People in exchange for what it called a charitable gift annuity. The Commission alleges that We The People – through the Olives – lured investors by making various false and misleading statements regarding, among other things, the value of the products sold and the safety and security of the investments. The complaint also alleges that the Olives failed to disclose to investors indictments and regulatory sanctions issued against them for fraudulently selling similar products. In addition to the misrepresentations, the Commission alleges that the Olives misappropriated investor funds for personal use.
The complaint alleges that, based on this conduct, Richard and Susan Olive violated, or aided and abetted the violation of, Sections 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The complaint also claims that the Olives violated Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act, and Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act. The Commission seeks that the Olives be permanently enjoined, and be ordered to pay disgorgement plus pre- and post-judgment interest, and third-tier civil money penalties.
In addition, the Commission filed settled actions against We The People and William Reeves, We The People’s in-house counsel. Without admitting or denying the Commission’s allegations, We The People consented to a final judgment providing injunctive relief under Sections 5(a), 5(c) and 17(a) of the Securities Act, and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, disgorgement, and the appointment of a receiver to protect the more than $60 million of investor assets still held by We The People.
Without admitting or denying the Commission’s allegations, Reeves consented to a final judgment providing injunctive relief under Sections 5(a), 5(c), 17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act, and providing that the Court will determine issues relating to the imposition of a civil money penalty against him at a later date. Reeves also agreed to a suspension from appearing or practicing before the Commission as an attorney, with the right to apply for reinstatement after 5 years. Reeves entered into a cooperation agreement with the Commission, and the terms of his settlement reflect his assistance in the Commission’s investigation and anticipated cooperation in its pending enforcement action.
OUT-GOING NATO COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN IS CONFIDENT ABOUT THE FUTURE
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSEAllen 'Very Confident' About Afghanistan's Future
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 10, 2013 - There are measures of success every day in Afghanistan and the out-going commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force is very confident of victory.
Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen spoke to reporters traveling with Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shortly before turning over command to Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. Allen has been nominated to be the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Allen said he is "very confident" that NATO and their Afghan partners are on the right trajectory. "We have seen some really heroic level activities occur here in just the last year," Allen said. "What happened last summer was unbelievable when you think about it. We shipped home 23,000 troops during the fighting season. We shifted from a main force strategy that relied on U.S. and ISAF combat formations to one where the (Afghan National Security Forces) were in the lead – an ANSF that was still being built while it was expanding its operations in the combat zone."
At the same time, NATO closed 600 bases in Afghanistan.
Today, another 10,000 U.S. troops have been withdrawn and Afghan forces are almost entirely in the lead for security throughout the country. Afghan government forces have taken ground, they have held ground already taken and they are forcing the Taliban to launch attacks farther and farther away from centers of population, he said.
Commanders have repeatedly stressed that there will not be a victory parade ending hostilities in Afghanistan, rather it remains a counterinsurgency battle and leaders measure progress incrementally. "Every day, there is another lamination of accomplishment," he said. "There is no decisive battle in the Napoleonic sense, just every day these laminations contributing to the end state."
The general said he is comfortable the trajectory is moving in the right direction. Allen is however concerned about a lag in efforts by the Afghan government to put structures in place to build on counterinsurgency efforts.
Still, the country has come a long way. Afghanistan has been in serious conflict for 33 years, with much of its infastructure destroyed which will take time and money to rebuild. "The school system was devastated," Allen said.
The good news is the international community has pledged to help. During NATO meetings in Lisbon and Chicago, NATO and partner nations pledged to stay with Afghanistan through this transition. In Tokyo and Bonn, nations pledged money to help Afghanistan overcome generation of tragedy. Nations understand what one of the world's poorest countries needs and have pledged a "decade of transformation."
One upcoming benchmark will be the presidential election set for April 2014. The 352,000 members of the Afghan national security force will secure the vote. "The international community is very clear that it will judge the success of what we have done by the transparency and inclusiveness of the Afghan population. We've been very clear on this: the international community is in this to a point, but we aren't in this to a fault," Allen said.
That contest he says, will be a true test of Afghanistan's progress. "The rhetoric has to be matched by real and meaningful reform. Reform that reduces the capacity of the criminal patronage networks to grip and weaken the institutions of the state." Reforms must also guarantee the rights of minorities and women, Allen said.
Donor nations must have the strategic patience, but there has to be demonstrated performance, he said.
Allen is less concerned about the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan post-2014 than he is about the capabilities needed in the country.
PENTAGON OFFICIAL WORRIES ABOUT BUDGET CUTS
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| Credit: U.S. DOD |
DOD Official: Cuts, Lack of Budget Form 'Nightmare Scenario'
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2013 - Major across-the-board defense spending cuts set to kick in March 1 and the possibility of the government operating under a continuing resolution instead of a budget for the rest of the year pose a "nightmare scenario" for the Defense Department, a senior Pentagon official said in New York this week.
Frank Kendall, deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told participants in the Cowen Aerospace and Defense Conference, that the cuts -- mandated by a "sequestration" mechanism in budget law that will take effect unless Congress intervenes -- translate to $50 billion over the rest of fiscal year 2013.
"There are a couple of problems in here," Kendall said. "One is, obviously, the size of the cut. ... Another problem is the way the cut has to be taken -- it's basically each budget account. Each line item has to take about a 9 percent or 10 percent hit."
The continuing resolution, Kendall added, is another aspect of the department's problem.
"If we end up under a year-long continuing resolution, we have serious problems there as well," he said. "The total number that we're using is based on [fiscal 2012], which actually is a little bit better number than our [fiscal 2013] request. The problem is where the money is."
Officials expected readiness accounts to go up, Kendall explained, but they cannot go up under sequestration.
"There's a big shortfall in readiness," he noted. "The services, particularly the Army and the Marine Corps, are very disturbed about this. A large fraction of the units that are in the cycle to go Afghanistan will not be ready when the time comes."
The cuts will hit close to home, he added, and those defending the nation away from home.
"It's people not flying. It's ships not steaming. It's maintenance not being done. ... It's units not being trained to go to war," Kendall said. "I think it's utterly unconscionable to put our people who are so dedicated out there into that kind of position."
Still, Kendall maintained, Defense Department officials will do everything possible to protect units that are deploying sooner and to sustain current operations. Officials also are trying to protect personnel accounts, he said.
"We are protecting military people -- they're not going to have a cut," Kendall said. "But our civilians are essentially all going to take a 20 percent pay cut for the last half year, give or take" if nothing changes.
Kendall noted that the post-Cold War drawdown occurred under much different circumstances.
"We took a huge amount of force structure out. We took a lot of money out of our other accounts. But ... that was a hugely different world [and] national security environment that we were living in," he said. "And there was a good reason to take the force structure down.
"We're not in that situation today," he continued. "We are getting out of Afghanistan, so we'll be bringing the ground forces down, in particular, because of that. But the rest of the situations in the world that we deal with have not changed.
The undersecretary noted that massive cuts loom for the Defense Department amid a national security environment that includes al-Qaida's activity in Africa, unrest in Syria, the unpredictability of Iran and North Korea, and the modernization of the Chinese and Russian militaries.
The undersecretary said that as part of the need for deficit reduction, Pentagon officials developed a new strategy that would accommodate spending reductions of about $50 billion for 10 years.
"That would have to be done again under sequestration if sequestration were actually implemented for the full 10 years," he added.
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT CONDEMNS SATURDAYS TERRORIST ATTACK IN IRAQ
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Terrorist Attack on Camp Hurriya in Iraq
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 9, 2013
The United States condemns in the strongest terms the vicious and senseless terrorist attack that took place this morning at Camp Hurriya killing 6 people and injuring dozens more. We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and hope for the swift recovery of those who were injured.
We understand the Government of Iraq has undertaken to promptly investigate the attack. We call on it to earnestly and fully carry out that investigation and to take all appropriate measures to enhance the security of the camp consistent with its commitment and obligation to the safety and security of the camp's residents. The terrorists responsible for this attack must be brought to justice.
We are consulting with the Government of Iraq and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, and we remain committed to assisting the Government of Iraq and UNAMI in their efforts to implement the December 25, 2011 agreement.
Terrorist Attack on Camp Hurriya in Iraq
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 9, 2013
The United States condemns in the strongest terms the vicious and senseless terrorist attack that took place this morning at Camp Hurriya killing 6 people and injuring dozens more. We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and hope for the swift recovery of those who were injured.
We understand the Government of Iraq has undertaken to promptly investigate the attack. We call on it to earnestly and fully carry out that investigation and to take all appropriate measures to enhance the security of the camp consistent with its commitment and obligation to the safety and security of the camp's residents. The terrorists responsible for this attack must be brought to justice.
We are consulting with the Government of Iraq and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, and we remain committed to assisting the Government of Iraq and UNAMI in their efforts to implement the December 25, 2011 agreement.
2013 WINTER STORM IN NEW ENGLAND
FROM: NASA
Two Systems Become One Historic Blizzard
Two low pressure systems merged over New England around midnight (EST) on Feb. 9, 2013. This animation of NOAA's GOES-13 satellite imagery from Feb. 7 to Feb. 9 shows the two systems coming together and creating a blizzard of historic proportions in New England. On Feb. 9 at 4 a.m. hundreds of thousands of people were without power in Massachusetts alone. Credit: NASA GOES Project
EATING ON THE FLY: FOOD FOR PILOTS
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| U.S. Air Force graphic/Airman 1st Class Drew Buchanan |
Fueling the high flyers - U2 tube food calms cravings in the cockpit
by Senior Airman Shawn Nickel
9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs
2/7/2013 - BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- Pureed peach cobbler, chicken-a-la-king, key lime pie, or even the classic sloppy joe in a metallic tube don't compare to a home cooked meal, but U-2 pilots say the food they eat while flying long missions is delicious.
While wearing a fully pressurized suit, pilots aren't able to open the visors on their helmets and have limited range of motion to feed themselves while wearing their bulky yellow equipment. To overcome these challenges, America's highest flying aviators use tube food, a specialized method of eating.
Similar to the size of a tube of toothpaste, these metallic containers are fitted with a plastic straw designed to slip through a sealed port on each pilot's helmet. The port does not to affect the pressure of the suit and is also used for hydration.
The tube meals come from an Army research laboratory in Natick, Mass. Expert chefs and nutritionists craft these meals, which are then turned into a paste the consistency of baby food.
"We've been making these for years and years," said Dan Nattress, a food technologist with Combat Feeding. Combat Feeding has been supplying tube food to U-2 pilots for five decades and is constantly adding new flavors.
While technicians from the 9th Physiological Support Squadron assist pilots into their full pressure suits, they ask for their food preference.
"Depending on the duration of the flight, each pilot is different," said Staff Sgt. Suzzett Stalesky, 9th PSPTS suit technician. "Some pilots take the same thing every flight, and some are still trying to find what agrees with their body during a flight."
Stalesky said pilots usually eat one tube an hour. They can have the classics like beef stroganoff and applesauce, or more exciting options to give them a little "kick" like chocolate pudding with enough caffeine to satisfy any coffee addict.
"It's not like having a few cups of Starbuck's coffee, but it's pretty close," said an Air Force major with the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron, whose favorite flavor is pasta Bolognese.
So what is the favorite dish among the most seasoned U-2 pilots?
Stalesky said caffeinated chocolate pudding and chicken-a-la-king takes the cake.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
THE NOR'EASTER APPROACHES AS SEEN FROM SPACE
FROM: NASA
Powerful Nor'easter Coming Together
A massive winter storm is coming together as two low pressure systems are merging over the U.S. East Coast. A satellite image from NOAA's GOES-13 satellite on Feb. 8 shows a western frontal system approaching the coastal low pressure area.
The satellite image, captured at 9:01 a.m. EST, shows clouds associated with the western frontal system stretching from Canada through the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, into the Gulf of Mexico. The comma-shaped low pressure system located over the Atlantic, east of Virginia, is forecast to merge with the front and create a powerful nor'easter. The National Weather Service expects the merged storm to move northeast and drop between two to three feet of snow in parts of New England.
Credit: NASA
GEN. DEMPSEY SAYS MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN DETERMINES TROOP NUMBERS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Afghan Mission Will Determine Troop Numbers, Dempsey Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, Feb. 9, 2013 - The mission in Afghanistan will determine the number of American troops who will still be deployed there after 2014, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
Military leaders are confident that the number will match the mission. "I will not at any point ask 10,000 troops to do 20,000 troops work," Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters.
Dempsey is flying to Afghanistan for the change of command ceremony from Marine Corps Gen. John Allen to Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford.
Dunford will be the last commander in Afghanistan of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and the last commander of Operation Enduring Freedom when the mission ends in December 2014. He will preside as the Afghan forces take the lead for security and will command as U.S. forces draw down in the country. There are currently 66,000 American service members in Afghanistan.
As Dunford takescommand, he has to keep three things in careful equilibrium, the chairman said. These are keeping the pressure on al-Qaida and other transnational terror groups seeking to operate in Afghanistan, training Afghan security forces, and redeploying U.S. and NATO forces out of the country.
NATO and partner forces – including U.S. service members – will be leaving the country through the end of 2014 in a steady and gradual manner. This spring Afghan forces will be in the lead for security throughout the country. "As that occurs, there will be some force structure changes that grow from that decision," Dempsey said.
But it is more complicated than simply loading personnel on planes and flying them back to the United States. "There's never a flip of a switch," the chairman said.
Not all Afghan forces have the same capability. In some areas kandaks – Afghan battalions – may need help. Elsewhere, kandaks may be trained, but the higher headquarters may need assistance. "You may be training a kandak in one part of the country and brigades and corps in another, just because the developmental model is different," he said.
The enemy has a say in Afghan plans. The Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, has decreed that he wants the Taliban to make 2013 an intense year, the chairman said. "But here's what's different, the situation this summer – the first summer where Afghan security forces are in the lead – that intensity will be directed principally at them," the chairman said.
The Taliban taking on Afghan forces rather than Western personnel changes the political, internal discourse in Afghanistan. "We'll have to see how it changes it," he said.
This shift to Afghan control is already happening. Afghan security forces are in the lead in protecting more than 75 percent of the population. And there are results from that, Dempsey said. "One vignette: Every Sunday, John Allen has a memorial service outside his headquarters to remember the soldiers who were lost in the past week," the chairman said. "This past Sunday was the first service he held since he was commander where there wasn't a single ISAF ... soldier killed in action. First week in 19 months. However, there were 25 Afghan soldiers killed."
This summer the Taliban will test the Afghan soldiers and police. U.S. service members will help the Afghan forces in the summer fighting season. They will not only provide their Afghan brethren physical support, but psychological support as well, and this will build the Afghan's self-esteem. "What really hangs in the balance now is the confidence level of the Afghan security forces and its people," he said. "We have to continue building their confidence, because they are capable fighters."
Defense leaders have matched the number of troops to the mission. Dempsey called this a collaborative and thorough effort. "We didn't start talking numbers until we had a clear understanding of missions," he said. The missions for the post-2014 period are: some continued counter terror effort against transnational global threats; to train, advise and assist Afghan troops; and to provide support to other U.S. government agencies working in the country.
"Once we settled in on the missions, then we were able to provide options on how to accomplish them," he said. For example, it requires a different number of personnel to train an Afghan kandak than an Afghan brigade. Figuring out what units need what help "illuminates what the numbers should be," the chairman said. "So we're not going from number to mission, we're going from mission to number."
Afghanistan's neighbor Pakistan remains crucial to any solution in the region, and Dempsey said he has "seen a degree of interest and cooperation on the part of our Pakistani military counterparts that is actually quite encouraging," he said. "They finally believe we are not going to shut out the lights and leave at the end of '14. They see a viable partnership among them, us and the Afghans."
Cooperation, which was always good at the tactical level, has climbed a notch to the operational level. It also helps that Pakistani leaders now assess the terrorist threat to the nation closer to the American view.
Dempsey is optimistic that the Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan and the United States will be in place this year. Protections for U.S. troops under the agreement do not seem to be the same showstopper that they were in Iraq, he said.
Reporters asked about the "zero option" for U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014. "I have said publically no one has ever mentioned zero to me, and I would never recommend zero," Dempsey said.
Ultimately political reconciliation between the Taliban and the Afghan government will be what ends the war in Afghanistan. While there are no active negotiations now, the Taliban are talking among themselves about this, the chairman said. "As they talk among themselves, their behavior appears to be migrating toward being a political factor in Afghanistan's future and less a internal security threat," he said.
This does not mean peace will suddenly break out in the nation. "There will be irreconcilable parts of the Taliban that are just so ideologically skewed that the idea of any concessions is just anathema to them," he said. "On the other hand, I think there will be portions that will be willing to be part of the political landscape and not part of the security landscape."
Afghan Mission Will Determine Troop Numbers, Dempsey Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, Feb. 9, 2013 - The mission in Afghanistan will determine the number of American troops who will still be deployed there after 2014, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
Military leaders are confident that the number will match the mission. "I will not at any point ask 10,000 troops to do 20,000 troops work," Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters.
Dempsey is flying to Afghanistan for the change of command ceremony from Marine Corps Gen. John Allen to Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford.
Dunford will be the last commander in Afghanistan of NATO's International Security Assistance Force and the last commander of Operation Enduring Freedom when the mission ends in December 2014. He will preside as the Afghan forces take the lead for security and will command as U.S. forces draw down in the country. There are currently 66,000 American service members in Afghanistan.
As Dunford takescommand, he has to keep three things in careful equilibrium, the chairman said. These are keeping the pressure on al-Qaida and other transnational terror groups seeking to operate in Afghanistan, training Afghan security forces, and redeploying U.S. and NATO forces out of the country.
NATO and partner forces – including U.S. service members – will be leaving the country through the end of 2014 in a steady and gradual manner. This spring Afghan forces will be in the lead for security throughout the country. "As that occurs, there will be some force structure changes that grow from that decision," Dempsey said.
But it is more complicated than simply loading personnel on planes and flying them back to the United States. "There's never a flip of a switch," the chairman said.
Not all Afghan forces have the same capability. In some areas kandaks – Afghan battalions – may need help. Elsewhere, kandaks may be trained, but the higher headquarters may need assistance. "You may be training a kandak in one part of the country and brigades and corps in another, just because the developmental model is different," he said.
The enemy has a say in Afghan plans. The Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, has decreed that he wants the Taliban to make 2013 an intense year, the chairman said. "But here's what's different, the situation this summer – the first summer where Afghan security forces are in the lead – that intensity will be directed principally at them," the chairman said.
The Taliban taking on Afghan forces rather than Western personnel changes the political, internal discourse in Afghanistan. "We'll have to see how it changes it," he said.
This shift to Afghan control is already happening. Afghan security forces are in the lead in protecting more than 75 percent of the population. And there are results from that, Dempsey said. "One vignette: Every Sunday, John Allen has a memorial service outside his headquarters to remember the soldiers who were lost in the past week," the chairman said. "This past Sunday was the first service he held since he was commander where there wasn't a single ISAF ... soldier killed in action. First week in 19 months. However, there were 25 Afghan soldiers killed."
This summer the Taliban will test the Afghan soldiers and police. U.S. service members will help the Afghan forces in the summer fighting season. They will not only provide their Afghan brethren physical support, but psychological support as well, and this will build the Afghan's self-esteem. "What really hangs in the balance now is the confidence level of the Afghan security forces and its people," he said. "We have to continue building their confidence, because they are capable fighters."
Defense leaders have matched the number of troops to the mission. Dempsey called this a collaborative and thorough effort. "We didn't start talking numbers until we had a clear understanding of missions," he said. The missions for the post-2014 period are: some continued counter terror effort against transnational global threats; to train, advise and assist Afghan troops; and to provide support to other U.S. government agencies working in the country.
"Once we settled in on the missions, then we were able to provide options on how to accomplish them," he said. For example, it requires a different number of personnel to train an Afghan kandak than an Afghan brigade. Figuring out what units need what help "illuminates what the numbers should be," the chairman said. "So we're not going from number to mission, we're going from mission to number."
Afghanistan's neighbor Pakistan remains crucial to any solution in the region, and Dempsey said he has "seen a degree of interest and cooperation on the part of our Pakistani military counterparts that is actually quite encouraging," he said. "They finally believe we are not going to shut out the lights and leave at the end of '14. They see a viable partnership among them, us and the Afghans."
Cooperation, which was always good at the tactical level, has climbed a notch to the operational level. It also helps that Pakistani leaders now assess the terrorist threat to the nation closer to the American view.
Dempsey is optimistic that the Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan and the United States will be in place this year. Protections for U.S. troops under the agreement do not seem to be the same showstopper that they were in Iraq, he said.
Reporters asked about the "zero option" for U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014. "I have said publically no one has ever mentioned zero to me, and I would never recommend zero," Dempsey said.
Ultimately political reconciliation between the Taliban and the Afghan government will be what ends the war in Afghanistan. While there are no active negotiations now, the Taliban are talking among themselves about this, the chairman said. "As they talk among themselves, their behavior appears to be migrating toward being a political factor in Afghanistan's future and less a internal security threat," he said.
This does not mean peace will suddenly break out in the nation. "There will be irreconcilable parts of the Taliban that are just so ideologically skewed that the idea of any concessions is just anathema to them," he said. "On the other hand, I think there will be portions that will be willing to be part of the political landscape and not part of the security landscape."
YEMENI GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATES IRANIAN-SUPPLIED WEAPONS CACHE
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Yemeni Government Investigation into Iranian-Supplied Weapons Cache
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 9, 2013
The United States commends the Government of Yemen for its successful and significant interdiction of a vessel attempting to smuggle a large cache of Iranian-supplied weapons, explosives, and other munitions into Yemen. At a press conference in Sana’a earlier today, Yemeni Government officials noted that their investigation thus far shows that these weapons were loaded onto the vessel in Iran and were intended for armed insurgents operating in Yemen. Yemen’s decision to bring this incident to the attention of the United Nations Security Council underscores its vigilance in countering threats to its sovereignty, its ongoing political transition, and the region’s stability.
According to Yemeni Government officials, their initial investigation has revealed that the vessel was carrying a large shipment of explosives, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, IED precursors, and most disturbingly, man-portable anti-aircraft missiles. These weapons are clearly designed to cause significant damage with the highest possible number of casualties and are a threat to both Yemen and the region. Paragraph 5 of UNSCR 1747 expressly prohibits Iran from exporting arms and related material, and, in light of this evidence, the United States encourages the UN Sanctions Committee to respond immediately to the Yemeni Government’s request to send a Panel of Experts to examine the seized weapons and bring its findings to the Security Council.
The origin of the vessel and weapons underscores Iran’s ongoing evasion of six relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Iran continues to defy the international community through its proliferation activities and support for destabilizing action in the region. The international community must continue to speak with one voice and work to ensure that Iran adheres to all of its international obligations.
Yemeni Government Investigation into Iranian-Supplied Weapons Cache
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 9, 2013
The United States commends the Government of Yemen for its successful and significant interdiction of a vessel attempting to smuggle a large cache of Iranian-supplied weapons, explosives, and other munitions into Yemen. At a press conference in Sana’a earlier today, Yemeni Government officials noted that their investigation thus far shows that these weapons were loaded onto the vessel in Iran and were intended for armed insurgents operating in Yemen. Yemen’s decision to bring this incident to the attention of the United Nations Security Council underscores its vigilance in countering threats to its sovereignty, its ongoing political transition, and the region’s stability.
According to Yemeni Government officials, their initial investigation has revealed that the vessel was carrying a large shipment of explosives, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, IED precursors, and most disturbingly, man-portable anti-aircraft missiles. These weapons are clearly designed to cause significant damage with the highest possible number of casualties and are a threat to both Yemen and the region. Paragraph 5 of UNSCR 1747 expressly prohibits Iran from exporting arms and related material, and, in light of this evidence, the United States encourages the UN Sanctions Committee to respond immediately to the Yemeni Government’s request to send a Panel of Experts to examine the seized weapons and bring its findings to the Security Council.
The origin of the vessel and weapons underscores Iran’s ongoing evasion of six relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Iran continues to defy the international community through its proliferation activities and support for destabilizing action in the region. The international community must continue to speak with one voice and work to ensure that Iran adheres to all of its international obligations.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA OUTLINES PROBLEMS OF BENGHAZI RESPONSE
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| Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta testifies on the Defense Department's response to the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya, during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2013. Testimony also included the findings of the department's internal review following the attack. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta: Distance, Time Affected Benghazi Response
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2013 - Better intelligence and closer interagency cooperation can help to prevent future crises like the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.
Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Panetta said an exhaustive review of the Benghazi events has established the Defense Department responded appropriately to the attacks.
"This was, pure and simple, a problem of distance and time," he said.
"The interagency response was timely and appropriate, but there simply was not enough time given the speed of the attacks for armed U.S. military assets to have made a difference," Panetta told the senators, quoting the Accountability Review Board's findings.
The secretary and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the committee in what may be Panetta's last appearance before Congress as defense secretary. Since the attacks, he noted, DOD has fully supported Congressional and State Department efforts to review the actions and decisions surrounding the events in Benghazi.
"The Department of Defense and the rest of the United States government spared no effort to do everything we could to try to save American lives," said Panetta, noting that two service members were part of the six-man team that evacuated Americans there within 12 hours of the initial attack.
"There will always be a tension between mission effectiveness for personnel -– that ability to get out and do what they're supposed to do in these countries -- and their physical security," he noted. "We are committed to steps that avoid a 'bunker mentality' and yet still afford greater protection from armed attack."
Panetta said DOD is taking a three-pronged approach to help prevent future attacks on U.S. diplomats and facilities by strengthening host-nation security capabilities, increasing security measures and enhancing intelligence and military response options.
"We have to be able to better assess and build up the capabilities of host governments to provide security," he said.
While the military doesn't have primary responsibility for security at U.S. diplomatic missions, he added, "where permissible and appropriate, and in collaboration with the Secretary of State and the U.S. chief of mission in the affected country, we believe that the Defense Department can assist in their development of host-nation forces using a range of security assistance authorities to train and equip these forces."
DOD also is supporting the State Department's efforts to harden facilities and reassess diplomatic security, the secretary said. Teams have evaluated 19 vulnerable diplomatic facilities, including the U.S. Embassy in Libya, he added, and officials are in the process of developing recommendations on potential security increases as required.
Over the next two to three years, he said, the Defense Department will assign nearly 1,000 additional Marines to diplomatic security detachments. There are 152 such detachments in place today, the secretary noted, and 35 more will stand up.
Officials also are focused on enhancing intelligence collection and ensuring that U.S. forces throughout the region are prepared to respond to crises, if necessary, Panetta said. He emphasized that the U.S. military is not a global emergency-response service, and troops need good intelligence information to operate effectively.
"We have forces on alert, and we're prepared to move, but our ability to identify threats, to adjust posture, to prevent plots and respond to attacks to our personnel at home and overseas depends on actionable intelligence, and it always will," he said.
Therefore, the secretary said, the Defense Department is working to enhance intelligence collection, improve the responsiveness of contingency assets and adjust the location of reaction forces.
"At the same time, we're working closely with State to ensure they have our best estimate of response times for each at-risk diplomatic facility, so that they can make the best informed decisions about adjustments to their staff presence in areas of increased security threat," he added.
Panetta closed his statement with a reminder to the committee that he sees budget uncertainty as the greatest security risk facing the nation.
With a "sequestration" mechanism in budget law set to trigger major across-the-board spending cuts March 1, he noted, DOD could lose about $500 billion in funding over the next decade, on top of the $487 billion spending cutback already planned.
"I know the members of this committee share the deep concerns that I have raised about sequestration, and I urge you to do the responsible thing and avoid weakening our national defense," he said.
Congress, DOD, the State Department and the intelligence community all have a responsibility for the nation's security, Panetta noted.
"If we work together, we can keep our Americans safe," he said.
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS SECURITY DETERIORATING IN NORTH DARFUR
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| Map: Sudan (Darfur and Jebel Marra). Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
Rapid and Significant Deterioration in Security in North Darfur and Jebel Marra
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 8, 2013
The United States is profoundly concerned by violent clashes between heavily armed tribal militias in North Darfur and between Sudanese government forces and rebels in Jebel Marra. Recent violence has resulted in civilian deaths and displaced some 100,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance.
In just the first month of 2013, more civilians have been newly displaced by violence in Darfur than in all of 2012. To meet the humanitarian needs of those affected by these clashes, we call on the Sudanese government to grant UN agencies unrestricted access to all areas of Darfur, and to work closely with UN agencies, humanitarian actors, and the African Union - United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) to deliver assistance.
We urge the Sudanese government to urgently disarm militias in Darfur, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1556; to cease aerial bombardments; and to implement the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur as the basis for a more inclusive and effective peace process.
U.S. DOJ REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH MACMILLAN IN E-BOOKS CASE
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANTITRUST DIVISIONDepartment Continues to Litigate Against Apple Inc.
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement with Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC, which does business as Macmillan, and will continue to litigate against Apple Inc. for conspiring with Macmillan and four of the other largest U.S. book publishers to raise e-book prices to consumers.
Today's proposed settlement was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. If approved by the court, the settlement will resolve the department's competitive concerns involving Macmillan. The department's Antitrust Division previously settled its claims against four book publishers–Hachette Book Group Inc., HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C., Penguin Group (USA) Inc. and Simon & Schuster Inc.
On April 11, 2012, the department filed a lawsuit against Apple and the five publishers alleging they conspired to eliminate retail price competition, resulting in consumers paying millions of dollars more for their e-books. The settlement with Hachette, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster was approved by the court in September 2012. The public comment period on the department's settlement with Penguin will close on March 5, 2013. The trial against Apple is scheduled to begin in June 2013.
"As a result of today's settlement, Macmillan has agreed to immediately allow retailers to lower the prices consumers pay for Macmillan's e-books," said Jamillia Ferris, Chief of Staff and Counsel at the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. "Just as consumers are already paying lower prices for the e-book versions of many of Hachette's, HarperCollins' and Simon & Schuster's new releases and best sellers, we expect the prices of many of Macmillan's e-books will also decline.
"According to the complaint, the five publishers and Apple were unhappy that competition among e-book sellers had reduced e-book prices and the retail profit margins of the book sellers to levels they thought were too low. To address these concerns, the department said the companies worked together to raise retail e-book prices and eliminate price competition, substantially increasing prices paid by consumers. Before the companies began their conspiracy, retailers regularly sold e-book versions of new releases and bestsellers for, as described by one of the publisher's CEO, the “wretched $9.99 price point." As a result of the conspiracy, consumers were typically forced to pay $12.99, $14.99 or more for the most sought after e-books, the department said.
Under the proposed settlement agreement, Macmillan will immediately lift restrictions it has imposed on discounting and other promotions by e-book retailers and will be prohibited until December 2014 from entering into new agreements with similar restrictions. The proposed settlement agreement also will impose a strong antitrust compliance program on Macmillan, including requirements that it provide advance notification to the department of any e-book ventures it plans to undertake jointly with other publishers and regularly report to the department on any communications it has with other publishers. Also for five years, Macmillan will be forbidden from agreeing to any kind of most favored nation (MFN) provision that could undermine the effectiveness of the settlement.
Macmillan has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as Farrar, Straus and Giroux and St. Martin's Press. Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH owns Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC, which does business as Macmillan, and has its principal place of business in Stuttgart, Germany.
Hachette Book Group USA has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through its publishers such as Little, Brown and Company and Grand Central Publishing.
HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C. has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as Harper and William Morrow.
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as The Viking press and Gotham Books. Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of The Penguin Group, a division of Pearson plc, which has its principal place of business in London.
Simon & Schuster Inc. has its principal place of business in New York City. It publishes e-books and print books through publishers such as Free Press and Touchstone.
Apple Inc. has its principal place of business in Cupertino, Calif. Among many other businesses, Apple distributes e-books through its iBookstore.
The proposed settlement, along with the department's competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register, consistent with the requirements of the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60-days of its publication to John R. Read, Chief, Litigation III Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20530. These comments will be published either in the Federal Register or, with the permission of the court, will be posted electronically on the department's website. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
FACT SHEET ON U.S. ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Government Assistance to Syria
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
The United States supports the Syrian people’s aspirations for a Syrian-led transition to a democratic, inclusive, and peaceful Syria. The United Nations estimates that more than 60,000 Syrians have been killed in the nearly two years since unrest and violence began. In the last month alone, the number of Syrians seeking refuge in neighboring countries has risen sharply. More than 700,000 Syrians have registered as refugees since the crisis began, or are awaiting registration in neighboring countries while, inside Syria, an additional 2.5 million people remain internally displaced and 4 million people are in need of assistance. The Syrian regime has sacrificed all legitimacy in a vicious effort to cling to power. U.S. assistance includes vigorous diplomatic support of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, $365 million in humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the conflict, and over $50 million nonlethal support for local opposition councils and civil society inside Syria.
Diplomatic Support
The United States continues to support the Syrian people as the Syrian Opposition Coalition sets a course toward the peaceful, democratic, inclusive future that the people of Syria deserve. We are working with other nations to further isolate the regime and support the Syrian people’s calls for President Assad to step down. We and our international partners actively supported the efforts of the Syrian people to launch the Syrian Opposition Coalition in Doha in November 2012 and, on December 11, 2012, President Obama recognized the Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The Coalition – which includes opponents of the Assad regime from across the political and ethno-sectarian spectrum – has made real progress since its founding, and is stepping up its outreach to women, minorities, religious leaders and civil society. The Coalition has also begun to develop formal structures and plans for a democratic political transition that protects the rights, the dignity, and the aspirations of all Syrians. In Paris on January 28, more than 50 countries supporting the Syrian opposition gathered to reaffirm their commitment to provide support to the Syrian Opposition Coalition and agreed on the urgent need to increase and improve the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including for areas outside of regime control. On February 2, Vice President Biden met with Syrian Opposition Coalition President al-Khatib in Munich. The Vice President praised al-Khatib’s personal courage and leadership of the Coalition and urged al-Khatib to continue his efforts to maintain unity among the SOC leadership, to isolate extremist elements within the broader opposition, and to reach out to – and be inclusive of – a broad range of communities inside Syria.
Humanitarian Assistance
The United States, along with the international community, is tirelessly working to provide humanitarian aid to the innocent civilians affected by the brutal conflict in Syria. In advance of the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria in Kuwait, President Obama announced an additional $155 million in humanitarian assistance for those suffering as a result of the Assad regime’s brutality. This new funding includes $10 million in humanitarian assistance to provide flour to bakeries in Aleppo previously announced on January 25.
With this new assistance, U.S. humanitarian assistance totals $365 million to help more than 1.5 million people inside Syria and the more than half a million people who have fled to the safety of neighboring countries. Over $200 million of this total goes to address critical needs inside Syria. Our assistance is providing emergency medical care and medical supplies, food aid, and winterization supplies like blankets and heaters for those affected by the crisis, both inside Syria and those now seeking refuge.
U.S. humanitarian aid is being provided throughout all 14 governorates of Syria on the basis of need. It is not branded in order to ensure the safety of aid recipients and humanitarian aid providers as well as to ensure that aid distribution is not thwarted en route. The United States is committed to using all channels to reach affected Syrians throughout the country and is working through UN, NGO, and community-based partners, as well as with the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s Assistance Coordination Unit. The United States is also working closely with country partners in the region who have generously opened their borders.
Transition Support to the Unarmed Opposition
The United States is also providing over $50 million in nonlethal support to the unarmed Syrian opposition, including emergent local and national democratic institutions, and nonsectarian civic groups. This assistance includes training and equipment to build the capacity of a nationwide network of ethnically and religiously diverse civilian activists to link Syrian citizens with nascent governance structures. This support enhances the information security of Syrian activists, human rights organizations, and media outlets, empowers women leaders to play a more active role in transition planning and peace negotiations, and supports the psycho-social rehabilitation of Syrian refugees who are victims of torture and war. Activities sponsored by these funds enable local councils and grassroots organizations to respond to the needs of their communities and promotes constructive participation in the country’s political transition.
Over 4,000 major pieces of equipment have been provided, mostly to Damascus, Aleppo, and other areas with significant opposition presence, including communications and computer equipment, as well as generators and medical supplies, to support unarmed Syrian opposition groups strengthen civil society, media, and democratic transition planning.
Support to civil society groups and local councils includes efforts to train, equip, and build the capacity of nearly 1,500 grassroots activists, including women and youth, from over 100 opposition councils and organizations in 10 different regions of Syria; develop groups’ abilities to mobilize citizens, share information, provide community services, and undertake civic functions; support interreligious and communal dialogues and encouraging citizen participation in shaping the Syrian transition; and supporting human rights documentation and transitional justice workshops while laying the foundation for future accountability efforts.
Support to independent media projects includes assistance to community radio stations providing information for refugees about available services; training for networks of citizen journalists, bloggers, and cyberactivists to support their documentation, packaging, and dissemination of information on developments in Syria; and technical assistance and equipment to enhance the information and communications security of Syrian activists within Syria.
Assistance in support of democratic transition planning includes efforts to link unarmed opposition elements inside Syria with global supporters; support for the independent Syria Justice and Accountability Center to document human rights abuses and coordinate transitional justice and accountability efforts; technical assistance to emerging political parties; and facilitating nonsectarian Syrian activists’ participation in political and economic transition planning to promote the business community’s engagement in transition processes.
U.S. Government Assistance to Syria
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
The United States supports the Syrian people’s aspirations for a Syrian-led transition to a democratic, inclusive, and peaceful Syria. The United Nations estimates that more than 60,000 Syrians have been killed in the nearly two years since unrest and violence began. In the last month alone, the number of Syrians seeking refuge in neighboring countries has risen sharply. More than 700,000 Syrians have registered as refugees since the crisis began, or are awaiting registration in neighboring countries while, inside Syria, an additional 2.5 million people remain internally displaced and 4 million people are in need of assistance. The Syrian regime has sacrificed all legitimacy in a vicious effort to cling to power. U.S. assistance includes vigorous diplomatic support of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, $365 million in humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the conflict, and over $50 million nonlethal support for local opposition councils and civil society inside Syria.
Diplomatic Support
The United States continues to support the Syrian people as the Syrian Opposition Coalition sets a course toward the peaceful, democratic, inclusive future that the people of Syria deserve. We are working with other nations to further isolate the regime and support the Syrian people’s calls for President Assad to step down. We and our international partners actively supported the efforts of the Syrian people to launch the Syrian Opposition Coalition in Doha in November 2012 and, on December 11, 2012, President Obama recognized the Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The Coalition – which includes opponents of the Assad regime from across the political and ethno-sectarian spectrum – has made real progress since its founding, and is stepping up its outreach to women, minorities, religious leaders and civil society. The Coalition has also begun to develop formal structures and plans for a democratic political transition that protects the rights, the dignity, and the aspirations of all Syrians. In Paris on January 28, more than 50 countries supporting the Syrian opposition gathered to reaffirm their commitment to provide support to the Syrian Opposition Coalition and agreed on the urgent need to increase and improve the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including for areas outside of regime control. On February 2, Vice President Biden met with Syrian Opposition Coalition President al-Khatib in Munich. The Vice President praised al-Khatib’s personal courage and leadership of the Coalition and urged al-Khatib to continue his efforts to maintain unity among the SOC leadership, to isolate extremist elements within the broader opposition, and to reach out to – and be inclusive of – a broad range of communities inside Syria.
Humanitarian Assistance
The United States, along with the international community, is tirelessly working to provide humanitarian aid to the innocent civilians affected by the brutal conflict in Syria. In advance of the International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria in Kuwait, President Obama announced an additional $155 million in humanitarian assistance for those suffering as a result of the Assad regime’s brutality. This new funding includes $10 million in humanitarian assistance to provide flour to bakeries in Aleppo previously announced on January 25.
With this new assistance, U.S. humanitarian assistance totals $365 million to help more than 1.5 million people inside Syria and the more than half a million people who have fled to the safety of neighboring countries. Over $200 million of this total goes to address critical needs inside Syria. Our assistance is providing emergency medical care and medical supplies, food aid, and winterization supplies like blankets and heaters for those affected by the crisis, both inside Syria and those now seeking refuge.
U.S. humanitarian aid is being provided throughout all 14 governorates of Syria on the basis of need. It is not branded in order to ensure the safety of aid recipients and humanitarian aid providers as well as to ensure that aid distribution is not thwarted en route. The United States is committed to using all channels to reach affected Syrians throughout the country and is working through UN, NGO, and community-based partners, as well as with the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s Assistance Coordination Unit. The United States is also working closely with country partners in the region who have generously opened their borders.
Transition Support to the Unarmed Opposition
The United States is also providing over $50 million in nonlethal support to the unarmed Syrian opposition, including emergent local and national democratic institutions, and nonsectarian civic groups. This assistance includes training and equipment to build the capacity of a nationwide network of ethnically and religiously diverse civilian activists to link Syrian citizens with nascent governance structures. This support enhances the information security of Syrian activists, human rights organizations, and media outlets, empowers women leaders to play a more active role in transition planning and peace negotiations, and supports the psycho-social rehabilitation of Syrian refugees who are victims of torture and war. Activities sponsored by these funds enable local councils and grassroots organizations to respond to the needs of their communities and promotes constructive participation in the country’s political transition.
Over 4,000 major pieces of equipment have been provided, mostly to Damascus, Aleppo, and other areas with significant opposition presence, including communications and computer equipment, as well as generators and medical supplies, to support unarmed Syrian opposition groups strengthen civil society, media, and democratic transition planning.
Support to civil society groups and local councils includes efforts to train, equip, and build the capacity of nearly 1,500 grassroots activists, including women and youth, from over 100 opposition councils and organizations in 10 different regions of Syria; develop groups’ abilities to mobilize citizens, share information, provide community services, and undertake civic functions; support interreligious and communal dialogues and encouraging citizen participation in shaping the Syrian transition; and supporting human rights documentation and transitional justice workshops while laying the foundation for future accountability efforts.
Support to independent media projects includes assistance to community radio stations providing information for refugees about available services; training for networks of citizen journalists, bloggers, and cyberactivists to support their documentation, packaging, and dissemination of information on developments in Syria; and technical assistance and equipment to enhance the information and communications security of Syrian activists within Syria.
Assistance in support of democratic transition planning includes efforts to link unarmed opposition elements inside Syria with global supporters; support for the independent Syria Justice and Accountability Center to document human rights abuses and coordinate transitional justice and accountability efforts; technical assistance to emerging political parties; and facilitating nonsectarian Syrian activists’ participation in political and economic transition planning to promote the business community’s engagement in transition processes.
U.S. EXPORTS REACH NEW ANNUAL RECORD OF NEALY $2.2 TRILLION
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
U.S. Exports Reach $186.4 Billion in December, Rise to Record Annual Total of Nearly $2.2 Trillion in 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States exported $186.4 billion in goods and services in December 2012, according to data released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Commerce Department.
U.S. exports of goods and services in 2012 reached a record annual total of nearly $2.2 trillion ($2.195 trillion), which is 39.1 percent above the level of exports in 2009. Over the past 12 months, exports have been growing at an annualized rate of 11.6 percent when compared to 2009.
"Today’s record-breaking numbers show that U.S. exports in 2012 continued on a historic path of growth," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "Thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of our exporters, America is making steady progress towards meeting President Obama’s National Export Initiative goal of doubling exports. Over the past year, U.S. companies big and small have exported almost $2.2 trillion worth of goods and services, fueled by the power of American innovation."
"But we cannot stop here. More can and must be done to increase international sales and create jobs in the United States. Through our nationwide Global Access for Small Business initiative, Ex-Im Bank is reaching out locally to more small and medium-sized businesses to provide them with the export financing and training they need to succeed globally," Hochberg said.
Over the last 12 months, among the major export markets (i.e., markets with at least $6 billion in annual imports of U.S. goods), the countries with the largest annualized increase in U.S. goods purchases, when compared to 2009, occurred in Panama (52.0 percent), Chile (42.2 percent), Russia (41.4 percent), Peru (37.9 percent), Venezuela (37.6 percent), Argentina (36.2 percent), United Arab Emirates (36.0 percent), Hong Kong (33.4 percent), Turkey (32.9 percent) and Columbia (31.7 percent).
About Ex-Im Bank
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years (from Fiscal Year 2008), Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.6 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.
Ex-Im Bank approved nearly $35.8 billion in total authorizations in FY 2012 – an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6.1 billion directly supporting small-business export sales – also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
U.S. Exports Reach $186.4 Billion in December, Rise to Record Annual Total of Nearly $2.2 Trillion in 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States exported $186.4 billion in goods and services in December 2012, according to data released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Commerce Department.
U.S. exports of goods and services in 2012 reached a record annual total of nearly $2.2 trillion ($2.195 trillion), which is 39.1 percent above the level of exports in 2009. Over the past 12 months, exports have been growing at an annualized rate of 11.6 percent when compared to 2009.
"Today’s record-breaking numbers show that U.S. exports in 2012 continued on a historic path of growth," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "Thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of our exporters, America is making steady progress towards meeting President Obama’s National Export Initiative goal of doubling exports. Over the past year, U.S. companies big and small have exported almost $2.2 trillion worth of goods and services, fueled by the power of American innovation."
"But we cannot stop here. More can and must be done to increase international sales and create jobs in the United States. Through our nationwide Global Access for Small Business initiative, Ex-Im Bank is reaching out locally to more small and medium-sized businesses to provide them with the export financing and training they need to succeed globally," Hochberg said.
Over the last 12 months, among the major export markets (i.e., markets with at least $6 billion in annual imports of U.S. goods), the countries with the largest annualized increase in U.S. goods purchases, when compared to 2009, occurred in Panama (52.0 percent), Chile (42.2 percent), Russia (41.4 percent), Peru (37.9 percent), Venezuela (37.6 percent), Argentina (36.2 percent), United Arab Emirates (36.0 percent), Hong Kong (33.4 percent), Turkey (32.9 percent) and Columbia (31.7 percent).
About Ex-Im Bank
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years (from Fiscal Year 2008), Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.6 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.
Ex-Im Bank approved nearly $35.8 billion in total authorizations in FY 2012 – an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6.1 billion directly supporting small-business export sales – also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS OF USS TENNESSEE
FROM: U.S. NAVY
The Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Tennessee (SSBN 734) returns to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Tennessee deployed for operations more than three months ago. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Kimber (Released) 130206-N-FG395-167
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