OPERATIONAL TESTING OF F-35 TO BEGIN AT NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE

Maj. Gen. Jeffery Lofgren, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, provides remarks during the F-35A Lightning II arrival ceremony March 19, 2013, in the Thunderbird Hangar on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron will design the tactics for the F-35A. The squadron will also determine how to integrate the F-35A with other aircraft in the Air Force inventory. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lawrence Crespo)

FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
Nellis accepts delivery of F-35 with ceremony
by Master Sgt. Kelley J. Stewart
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

3/20/2013 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) -- In the Thunderbird Hangar filled to capacity, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Lofgren, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, formally accepted delivery of three F-35A Lightning IIs March 19.

The aircraft will be assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron where they will undergo operational testing.

During the ceremony, the general focused on the importance of the F-35 program to the Air Force and the USAF Warfare Center by tying the aircrafts' arrival to the center's three priorities.

The first priority of the warfare center is developing capabilities and leaders who can fight in a contested environment. One of the focus areas for the 422nd TES will be operational testing to develop tactics for the aircraft and pilots.

"What lies ahead for the 422nd TES and the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group is no small task," said Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "You will forge the F-35 into the fighter of the future and test it to the limits."

Carvalho went on to say the group's and squadron's pilots and maintainers "would take the F-35's performance to new heights and define the very tactics the F-35 will one day use to defend freedom around the world."

Lofgren expects to see the same dramatic new tactics development with the F-35A as was seen with the F-22.

"The aircraft has so much more capability than our current aircraft," he said. "It will be exciting to see our experts develop innovative new ways to use the F-35 that have not been thought of yet."

The second priority of the warfare center is integrating the capabilities of air, space and cyberspace to achieve greater warfighting effect in the battlespace.

"Integration of the F-35's incredible sensors, and its ability to operate anywhere in the battlespace, will make the whole of all our forces more survivable and lethal," Lofgren said.

Using the F-35A in tandem with the F-22 Raptor increases this lethality.

According to Gen. Mike Hostage III, Air Combat Command commander, the Air Force needs the fifth generation of capability it's leveraging with the F-35A and F-22.

"No amount of fourth-generation capability is going to be able to survive in the environment that will be presented by our adversaries in the next decade without a fifth-generation capability to open up the way, to basically beat down the threat," he said. "Having the F-35s at Nellis brings the test and evaluation of the aircraft closer to operational conditions. I can't think of a better place to take the F-35 through the steps needed to reach initial operating capability for our Air Force."

The final warfare center's priority is to use the triad of live flying, virtual or simulator flying, and the constructive or synthetic threats and battlespace to test and develop tactics and conduct advanced training of future leaders using the F-35A.

This final priority is driven by the fact the aircraft's capabilities are so advanced that "we cannot develop our warfighting edge with live flying alone," Lofgren said.

A simulator complex to test and develop tactics and to conduct advanced training is being built at Nellis AFB and will provide F-35A pilots with realistic threat scenarios they could face in real-world combat.

The F-35A will be doing its live-flying training over the Nevada Test and Training Range.

"The F-35, with its advanced electronic warfare and integrated avionics, is able to locate and identify real and fake targets and jam with unmatched precision which will present a challenge for the NTTR to replicate the threat," Lofgren said.

Combining virtual and live training will allow the Air Force to "link and integrate current and future combat systems," the general said.

The F-35A Lightning II blends the capabilities of seven legacy aircraft into one. As a stealth aircraft, it can enter areas without being seen by radar and this capability will also allow the pilot to see other aircraft first. The F-35 can also penetrate deeper into enemy territory allowing it to find and destroy ground targets while evading hostile surface-to-air weapons.

"Not only is it deadly in the air, it is easy to work on and sustain," he said. "Great improvements have been made in sustaining this aircraft so our world-class maintainers can fix and ready the F-35 faster."

Nellis is scheduled to receive 36 F-35A Lightning IIs by 2020.

　

FAKE HEDGE FUND MANAGER SENTENCED TO 40 MONTHS IN PRISON

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Andrey C. Hicks of Boston, Mass., has been sentenced to 40 months in prison in connection with criminal charges brought by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. In a criminal complaint unsealed on October 28, 2011, Hicks was charged with committing wire fraud, attempting to commit wire fraud, and aiding and abetting wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 1343, 1349, and 2. In addition to his prison term, Hicks was ordered to pay $2.3 million in restitution and faces three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. Hicks pled guilty to the charges on December 12, 2012.

On October 26, 2011, the SEC filed an emergency enforcement action charging Hicks and Locust Offshore Management, LLC, his investment advisory firm, with fraud in connection with misleading prospective investors about their supposed quantitative hedge fund and diverting investor money to the money manager's personal bank account. The SEC alleges in its complaint that Hicks and his advisory firm made misrepresentations about his education, work experience, and the hedge fund's auditor, prime broker/custodian, and corporate status when soliciting individuals to invest in the purported hedge fund, called Locust Offshore Fund, Ltd. By making these representations and creating other indicia of legitimacy, the SEC alleged that Hicks may have obtained at least $1.7 million from 10 investors and may have misappropriated at least a portion of these funds for personal expenses. In the Commission's action, the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order on October 26 that, among other things, freezes the assets of the money manager, his advisory firm, and the hedge fund. On October 28, 2011, the Court converted the temporary restraining order into a preliminary injunction that will continue the asset freeze and other relief until further order of the Court. On March 20, 2012, Judge Richard Stearns of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered final judgments by default against Locust Offshore Management, LLC, and its CEO, Andrey C. Hicks. The Judgments jointly and severally ordered Hicks and Locust Offshore Management to pay disgorgement of $2,481,004 and prejudgment interest of $31,054.39. In addition, Hicks was ordered to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $2,512,058.39, and Locust Offshore Management was ordered to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $2,512,058.39.

On June 15, 2012, SEC Administrative Law Judge Cameron Elliott entered an order making findings and imposing sanctions by default against Hicks barring him from association with an investment adviser, broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, municipal advisor, transfer agent, or national recognized statistical rating organization. And on June 19, 2012, ALJ Elliott entered a similar order against Locust Offshore Management barring it from acting as an investment adviser.

RESEARCHERS STUDY BLUE MUSSELS AND OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

Photo:  Mussel.  Credit:  Wikimedia Commons

FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Blue Mussels 'Hang On' Along Rocky Shores: For How Long?

Imagine trying to pitch a tent in a stiff wind. You just have it secured, when a gale lifts the tent--stakes and all--and carries it away.

That's exactly what's happening to a species that's ubiquitous along the rocky shores of both the U.S. West and East Coasts: the blue mussel.

Mussels make use of what are called byssal threads--strong, silky fibers--to attach to rocks, pilings and other hard substrates. They produce the threads using byssus glands in their feet.

Now, scientists have discovered, the effects of ocean acidification are turning byssal threads into flimsy shadows of their former selves, leaving mussels tossed about by wind and waves.

At high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide--levels in line with expected concentrations over the next century--byssal threads become weaker, less able to stretch and less able to attach to rocks, found scientists Emily Carrington, Michael O'Donnell and Matthew George of the University of Washington.

The researchers recently published their results in the journal Nature Climate Change; O'Donnell is the lead author.

Oceans turning caustic

The pH of the seas in which these and other marine species dwell is declining. The waters are turning more acidic (pH dropping) as Earth's oceans change in response to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

As atmospheric carbon rises as a result of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions, carbon in the ocean goes up in tandem, ultimately resulting in ocean acidification, scientists have found.

To study the effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms, Carrington has been awarded an NSF SEES (Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability) Ocean Acidification grant.

"We need to understand the chemistry of ocean acidification and its interplay with other marine processes--while Earth's seas are still hospitable to life as we know it," says David Garrison, program director in NSF's Division of Ocean Sciences. "In the rocky intertidal zone, blue mussels are at the heart of those processes."

Land between the tides

Visit the land between the tides, and you'll see waves crashing on boulders tinged dusky blue by snapped-closed mussels.

"Their shells are a soft color, the misty blue of distant mountain ranges," wrote Rachel Carson more than 50 years ago in her best-selling book The Edge of the Sea.

For blue mussels trying to survive, the rocky intertidal zone indeed may be akin to scaling a mountain range.

The rocky intertidal is above the waterline at low tide and underwater at high tide--the area between tide marks.

It's home to such animals as starfish and sea urchins, and seaweed such as kelp. All make a living from what floats by rocky cliffs and boulders.

It can be a hard go. Rocky intertidal species must adapt to an environment of harsh extremes. Water is available when the tide washes in; otherwise residents of this no man's land between sea and shore are wide open to the elements.

Waves can dislodge them, and temperatures can run from scalding hot to freezing cold.

Hanging on for dear life

In the rocky intertidal, blue mussels hang on for dear life.

That may not always be the case.

Combining results from laboratory experiments with those from a mathematical model, Carrington and colleagues show that at high carbon dioxide concentrations, blue mussels can be dislodged by wind and wave forces 40 percent lower than what they are able to withstand today.

Mussels with this weakened ability, once dislodged from their homes, could cause ecological shifts in the rocky intertidal zone--and huge economic losses in a global blue mussel aquaculture industry valued at U.S. $1.5 billion each year.

"Mussels are among the most important species on rocky shores worldwide," says O'Donnell, "dominating ecosystems wherever they live. The properties in their byssal threads are also of interest to biochemists and have been studied as possible medical adhesives."

Blue mussels may make important contributions to the field of materials science, says Carrington.

"Some species of mussels are experts at gluing onto seagrass, some to other shells, some even adhere to rocks in the harsh conditions of deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Each may have different genes that code for different proteins, so the adhesives vary."

Will their potential be realized? Carrington, O'Donnell and George have found a disturbing answer.

The scientists allowed mussels to secrete byssal threads in a range of ocean water chemistries from present-day through predicted near-future conditions, then tested the threads to see how strong they were.

At levels considered reasonable for a near-future coastal ocean (given current rates of acidification), byssal threads were less able to stretch and therefore less able to adhere. Further testing revealed that the problem was caused by weakening of the glue where the threads attach to rocks and other hard surfaces.

Ocean acidification beyond shells and corals

"Much ocean acidification research has focused on the process of calcification," says Carrington, "through which animals and some plants make hard parts such as shells."

In acidifying oceans, marine species that depend on calcium carbonate have a more difficult time forming shells or, in the case of coral reefs, skeletons.

"But there's more to marine communities than calcified parts," says O'Donnell. Other species such as mussels and their byssal threads, he says, are equally important.

"Understanding the broader consequences of ocean acidification requires looking at a variety of biological processes in a range of species."

A need that didn't exist when Rachel Carson wrote The Edge of the Sea.

"When we go down to the low-tide line, we enter a world that is as old as the Earth itself--the primeval meeting place," mused Carson, "of the elements of earth and water."

And of mussels and rock. Fifty years hence, will the mussels still be here?

FDA ANALYSIS OF ARSENIC FOUND IN RICE

 

Photo:  Rice.  Credit:  FDA

FROM: U.S FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors hundreds of foods and beverages that make up the average American diet. The agency looks for substances that could be harmful to consumers, including industrial chemicals, heavy metals, pesticide residues and radiation contamination.

Those dietary staples include rice and rice products, foods that FDA has specifically tested for the presence of inorganic arsenic, a chemical that under some circumstances has been associated with long-term health effects.

The agency has analyzed nearly 200 samples of rice and rice products and is collecting about 1,000 more. Since rice is processed into many products, these samples include rice products such as cereals, rice beverages and rice cakes.

Arsenic levels can vary greatly from sample to sample, even within the same product. FDA’s testing of the initial samples found these average levels of inorganic arsenic in micrograms (one millionth of a gram):
Rice (other than Basmati rice): 6.7 per 1 cup (cooked)
Rice cakes: 5.4 per 2 cakes
Rice beverages: 3.8 per 240 ml (some samples not tested for inorganic arsenic)
Rice cereals: 3.5 per 1 cup
Basmati rice: 3.5 per 1 cup cooked
Based on data and scientific literature available now, FDA is not recommending that consumers change their consumption of rice and rice products at this time, but that people eat a balanced diet containing a wide variety of grains.

Data collection is the critical first step in assessing long-term health risks and minimizing those risks.

"We understand that consumers are concerned about this matter. FDA is committed to ensuring that we understand the extent to which substances such as arsenic are present in our foods, what risks they may pose, whether these risks can be minimized, and to sharing what we know," says FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.

Once FDA has completed its analysis of about 1,200 rice products, the agency will analyze these results and determine whether or not to issue additional recommendations.

Arsenic is Found in the Environment

Arsenic is a chemical element distributed in the Earth’s crust. It is released from volcanoes and from the erosion of mineral deposits. It is found throughout the environment—in water, air and soil. For that reason, it is inevitably found in some foods and beverages.

Human activities also add arsenic to the environment. They include burning coal, oil, gasoline and wood, mining, and the use of arsenic compounds as pesticides, herbicides and wood preservatives.

FDA has been monitoring arsenic levels in rice for more than 20 years. Its analysis thus far does not show any evidence of a change in total arsenic levels. The change is that researchers are better able to measure whether those levels represent more or less toxic forms of arsenic.

Rice comes from all over the world and is grown very differently from region to region, which may greatly vary the levels of arsenic within the same kind of product. The larger sample that FDA is taking will cover the wide variety of rice types, geographical regions where rice is grown, and the wide range of foods that contain rice as an ingredient.

FDA expects to complete the additional collection and analysis of samples by the end of the year. The agency is paying particular attention to rice and rice products consumed by children, as well as consumers like Asian-Americans and those with celiac disease who may consumer higher levels of rice.


　

HEZBOLLAH OPERATIVE CONVICTED IN CYPRUS

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Cypriot Court Convicts Hezbollah Operative
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
March 21, 2013

The United States applauds the government of Cyprus for its professional investigation and successful conviction in court today of Hezbollah operative Hossam Taleb Yaacoub on a range of charges involving his surveillance activities of Israeli tourist targets. Over the past year, we have seen Hezbollah engage in increasingly aggressive terrorist activity around the world. In July 2012, just two weeks after Yaacoub’s arrest, we witnessed the deadly impact of Hezbollah’s commitment to terrorism in Burgas, Bulgaria. Today’s verdict underscores the need for our European allies – and other governments around the world – to crack down on this deadly group and to send a strong message that Hezbollah can no longer operate with impunity, at home or abroad.

U.S SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY TAKES QUESTIONS IN BAGHDAD

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Solo Press Availability in Baghdad, Iraq
Press Availability
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Baghdad, Iraq
March 24, 2013
　

SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon. As-Salāmu `Alaykum. I’m glad to be here with all of you, and it’s a pleasure for me to be able to be back in Iraq. I haven’t been able to be here for a little bit of time now, so the difference for me is very noticeable in the reduced energy, if you will, and presence of personnel.

I was very pleased to be able to have a chance to affirm to the Iraqi leaders that I met with that the United States continues to stand with the people of Iraq as they work to establish a democracy and a better future. And we are particularly grateful for the efforts of those people who remain so committed to political activity, to engaging in the constitutional process, and who are working for the rights that are guaranteed by the constitution.

This past week, both of our countries marked the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the war here in Iraq, and we were, all of us, reminded of the remarkable sacrifices of so many Iraqis and also so many Americans who, together, gave their lives in a common fight to try to build the civil state that the people of Iraq have chosen for themselves.

Iraq today continues – and I saw this in my meetings and felt it in the discussions that I had – continues to face some tough challenges on fulfilling that promise. It is difficult and – it is difficult for some to find the way to strengthen their democratic institutions and develop its full economic potential, and now that our forces are gone, to ensure that it’s going to be able to stand on its own two feet with respect to the security challenges. I want to assure the Iraqi people today that as you recover from four decades of war and dictatorship, and as you courageously face down lingering menace of terrorism, the United States is going to continue to uphold our end of the Strategic Framework Agreement.

It’s also important to recognize where there is, in fact, progress that is measurable. Iraq had one of the fastest-growing economies in the world in 2012, and while inflation stayed at single digits at the same time. For the first time in the lives of many Iraqis, people are now free to express their opinion, they’re free to organize politically as they wish. And anti-trafficking laws have been put in place, a human rights commission is now in place to work to try to protect fundamental freedoms, though we know there is a lot more to do in this arena. New bilateral relationships are strengthening Iraq’s place in the world.

But it would be disingenuous not to come here and say that there is a great deal of work yet to do. The United States is clear-eyed about the challenges that are still presented here in Iraq, including matters of transitional justice, reconciliation, division of authority, allocation of resources, and advancing the rule of law. We know from our own experience how difficult the work of democracy is and can be. Democracy, I would say to our friends in Iraq, is about inclusion and about compromise. When consensus is not possible, those who are dissatisfied should not just walk away from the system, should not just withdraw, just as those who prevail should not ignore or deny the point of view of other people.

If the Iraqi democratic experiment is to succeed, all Iraqis must work together so that they can come together as a nation. We will continue to build the partnerships between our security and our defense sectors. But we’re also working to build partnerships in education and culture, energy and trade, finance, technology, transportation, and the rule of law. And I will be encouraging companies as they deem appropriate to do business here; firms like Ford, Boeing, General Motors, General Electric are doing so right now, and they have done well.

Fundamental to any democracy anywhere is an election. And the United States is working very closely with the Iraqi electoral commission and with the United Nations in order to ensure the will of the Iraqi people can be reflected through the provincial elections this next month, and then, of course, through the national elections next year. In my meetings today, I stressed our concern that local elections in two provinces have been delayed, and I urged the cabinet to revisit this decision. And the Prime Minister said it was appropriate to revisit it with the cabinet.

Iraq’s success will take enormous cooperation. It’ll take dialogue and it’ll take courage. It’ll require the resolve to defend the sovereignty of the country and its airspace. It will take a commitment to being a good neighbor in a difficult neighborhood. And as Iraqi leaders make difficult decisions in these areas, we are going to work to try to help them succeed. We all want to see Iraq succeed. There’s such an enormous investment of our treasure, our people, and our money in this initiative. The world has an interest in seeing Iraq take a leading role in the region as a functioning democracy, and I believe that if Iraq remains inclusive and cohesive, it has the best chance of succeeding. And as it grows stronger in that format, working to enforce its constitutional rights, it will find that the United States will work with it to achieve those goals.

MODERATOR: We’ll take three questions today. The first will be from Paul Richter of the LA Times.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can you tell us what you told Prime Minister Maliki about the flow of Iranian arms through Iraq into Syria, and what specific commitment you got from him to try to start doing something about that?

SECRETARY KERRY: We had a very spirited discussion on the subject of the overflights. And I made it very clear that for those of us who are engaged in an effort to see President Assad step down and to see a democratic process take hold with a transitional government according to the Geneva Communiqué, for those of us engaged in that effort, anything that supports President Assad is problematic. And I made it very clear to the Prime Minister that the overflights from Iran are, in fact, helping to sustain President Assad and his regime.

So we agreed to try to provide more information with respect to this, but I also made it clear to him that there are members of Congress and people in America who increasingly are watching what Iraq is doing and wondering how it is that a partner in the efforts for democracy and a partner for whom Americans feel they have tried so hard to be helpful – how that country can be, in fact, doing something that makes it more difficult to achieve our common goals, the goal expressed by the Prime Minister with respect to Syria and President Assad.

So my hope is that we’ll be able to make some progress on this, and I’m taking some homework back to Washington with me, and I think the Prime Minister will have discussions here.

MODERATOR: The second question will be from Sohar Hamudi from Amar-Iraqiya.

QUESTION: (In Arabic.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Just one minute, please.

QUESTION: Yes. (In Arabic.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Are you talking about the elections? Okay.

Well, there are two provinces I mentioned, both in Ninewa and in Anbar, where the election – the provincial election has been suspended. And from the perspective of the United States, we strongly urge the Prime Minister to take this issue to the cabinet and to see if it can be revisited, because we believe very strongly that everybody needs to vote simultaneously. The fact is that while security has been put forward as a rationale for that postponement, no country knows more about voting under difficult circumstances than Iraq.

The first election here was conducted under the most extraordinarily difficult circumstances, but Iraqis came out and voted. So we believe very strongly that all of the countries should vote at the same time in these provincial elections, and we hope that the Prime Minister, through his cabinet, will be able to revisit this issue. There is still time for that election to take place in those provinces.

MODERATOR: The final --

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

MODERATOR: I’m sorry, there’s – we can’t do follow-ups.

QUESTION: No, what is my question (inaudible).

MODERATOR: My apologies. Go ahead.

QUESTION: I’m sorry. (In Arabic.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Oh, that’s why I asked you if you were referring to the elections. I apologize. With respect to demonstrations, we believe very strongly that every citizen has the right to have their voice heard. And under the constitution of Iraq, people have a right to be able to affiliate, to express any political view, and nobody should be penalized for that.

So we urge people to demonstrate peacefully if they choose to demonstrate. We do not want to see, nor do we advocate anything but peaceful demonstration, but we urge the government to respond to those demonstrations in an appropriate way – not with violence, not with repression, but rather with the openness that a democracy merits. The country will be stronger for people having the right to be able to express their views in a peaceful way.

MODERATOR: The final question will be from Anne Gearan from The Washington Post.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, Moaz al-Khatib has announced his resignation as head of the Syrian Opposition Coalition today. What is your view of that move and the internal divisions within the group that led up to it? And are you worried that the group is essentially disintegrating?

And secondly, since this is the first we’ve seen you since the President’s trip, can you tell us how optimistic you are that the Israelis and the Palestinians are really ready to sit down and bargain? Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, Anne. With respect to Moaz al-Khatib, I’m personally sorry to see him go because I like him on a personal level, and because I have appreciated his leadership. But the notion that he might resign has, frankly, been expressed by him on many different occasions in many different places, and it is not a surprise. We have worked very closely with the newly chosen Prime Minister Hitto. We’ve worked with him in the delivery of aid. We have confidence about his abilities and the abilities of the Vice President’s and others around him. And it’s almost inevitable, in the transition of a group such as the opposition, for these kinds of changes to take place as it evolves.

We view this as a continuum. It’s not about one person. It’s about President Assad. It’s about a regime that is killing its own people. It’s about an opposition that is bigger than one person. And that opposition will continue, and I am confident personally that ultimately, President Assad is going to either negotiate his way out of office through the Geneva process, or, if he leaves people no choice, the opposition will forcibly change this regime. But I think that is going to continue, and the United States will continue to support the opposition.

Thank you all.

QUESTION: With respect to --

SECRETARY KERRY: Oh, with respect to the Mideast process, I think the President’s trip to the Mideast was historic in every respect, and I know that the folks in Israel felt its impact. They were impressed by him, impressed by the vision that he expressed, and I think that his words even after he has left are reverberating. People are debating and talking, and that is precisely what the President sought to do.

So I think it was an extremely successful visit, a moving one for Israelis. I know for Prime Minister Netanyahu, whom I saw last night, he felt very strongly that it was an outstanding meeting. And I know from the President, before he left, that he was very impressed by the discussions he had. He felt they were the best that he has had to date, and I think the stage has been set for the possibilities that parties can hopefully find a way to negotiations.

Now, I think all of us have learned in the course of the last years, through many presidents and many secretaries of States, there has been no more intractable problem. And so expressing optimism when you don’t even have negotiations would be foolhardy. What I have is hope. I have hope that the President’s words kindled a sense of the possible in the people of Israel and the region and the Palestinians. I think that he has charged me and others with the responsibility of trying to find out what the way forward is. And I engaged in some of that discussion yesterday, both with President Abbas as well as with Prime Minister Netanyahu and some of his team.

We have to keep working at this. We’ve just begun those discussions. I wouldn’t characterize them in any way except open, candid, and a good beginning, and that’s where I’ll leave it. Thanks, appreciate it.

BUDGET CONCERNS RAISED AT GEN. DEMPSEY'S TOWN HALL

FROM: U.S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Budget Concerns Take Center Stage at Beaufort Town Hall
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service


MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, BEAUFORT, S.C., March 22, 2013 - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave Marines and their families the long view of defense budgets during a town-hall meeting here yesterday.

Throughout history, the military is either growing or shrinking, but it doesn't remain static, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said.

"I actually think it's one of the things that makes us more versatile and adaptable," he added. "We get these swings of resources, and we deal with it."

After a decade of growth, the budget is shrinking, and there is a reason for this, the chairman said, noting that service members are not walled off from America. They are in touch with their fellow Americans, he said, and know that many are out of work, many have lost homes, and many are underemployed. "There really is an economic crisis in America," Dempsey said. "We really do have challenges."

At the same time, the military – those who wear the uniform and the families who support them – has earned the esteem of the American people. Dempsey cited recent surveys that show almost 80 percent of Americans approve of their military. "That's incredible," he said. "You can't get 80 percent of the people in this country to agree about anything."

The approval rating is so high because Americans trust their service members, the chairman said. "The country believes we don't act in our own self-interest, we act in the country's interest," he added.

If the military tries to ignore the economic problems, Dempsey told the Marines and their families, "I guarantee you we would lose that stature, that esteem, that trust, of the American people."

The military has to find ways to do what needs to be done at less cost, the chairman said. "And we will," he added. "It'll be uncertain for a period of time, but we will lead our way through this. We're not going to act like victims, and [we will] do the best we can for the country, while articulating the risk."

And there is risk, Dempsey said. A school of thought based at Harvard posits that the level of violence in the world is at an evolutionary low, he noted, because no big wars have killed millions since the middle of the 20th century.

But that does not mean the risk is gone, the general said. The ability of nonstate actors and "middling powers" such as North Korea to inflict harm has increased, he added.

"In my view, the world is actually more dangerous, not less dangerous," Dempsey said. "Maybe violence is at an evolutionary low, but the world is more dangerous, because more people can do us harm."

Cutting the military now has different dangers compared to drawdowns in the past, he said, because it's occurring in an era of instability and uncertainty.

But an existential threat to the country doesn't exist right now, Dempsey said. "A terrorist attack? Yes, and at some point, a ballistic missile," he added. "But [we're] not there yet."

This is a transitional period where Americans feel safer, the chairman said, and so the military must adapt itself and "find the sweet spot in the budget that will allow us enough capability and capacity, ... and then make sure we build into the force the ability to expand when we get it wrong."

DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH INSIDER TRADING

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

SEC Charges Del Monte Foods Company Employee with Insider Trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Juan Carlos Bertini, a vice president of finance at Del Monte Foods Company ("Del Monte"), with insider trading for purchasing stock in advance of Del Monte's announcement that it would be acquired by an investor group.

According to the SEC's complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Bertini worked on the buyout transaction for Del Monte and obtained material nonpublic information regarding the investor group's pending offer. Bertini then used that information to acquire 8,000 shares of Del Monte stock in his mother's brokerage account and reap illicit profits of approximately $16,035.

The SEC alleges that Bertini caused false information to be supplied to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA"), which requested information about the trades from Del Monte. In the course of FINRA's investigation, Bertini provided inaccurate information regarding his involvement in the trades to Del Monte's counsel. He told counsel that he learned of his mother's purchases of Del Monte shares after she purchased them and after the acquisition was announced in late November 2010. Bertini also told counsel that his mother purchased the Del Monte shares after she read articles suggesting that Del Monte was going to be acquired. In truth, Bertini was responsible for the trading that had occurred in his mother's brokerage account.

Without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations, Bertini agreed to settle the case against him. The settlement is pending final approval by the court. Specifically, Bertini consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining him from future violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; requiring him to pay disgorgement of $16,035, the amount of his ill-gotten gains, plus prejudgment interest of $961, and a civil penalty of $32,070; and prohibiting him from serving as an officer and director of a public company for a period of five years

NATO ISAF DEPUTY COMMANDER SAYS WARDAK TEST OF TRANSITION SUCCESS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Wardak Could Be Early Test of Transition Success, Official Says
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 - Afghanistan's political situation and its people's confidence will be essential to a successful shift to Afghan-led security, a top commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan said today.

Briefing Pentagon reporters by video link from Kabul, Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. Nick Carter of the British army, deputy commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, said the transition in Wardak province, which Afghan President Hamid Karzai last month ordered all U.S. special operations forces to leave, offers an example of the issues coalition forces and their Afghan partners face as they exchange supported and supporting roles.

Transition in Wardak is an "interesting pilot," Carter said.

"Wardak is probably one of the most complicated provinces that we have had to deal with, and how this goes I think will be a good bellwether of how the overall transition process works," the general explained.

Wardak sits on a political divide, he said, with tension between tribes and with the Taliban. "Many of the elders and landowners from Wardak have moved back into Kabul," Carter noted. "And the extent to which there is, therefore, the fabric of leadership in place in Wardak is very challenging."

The politics of Wardak "give us a really good indication as to how the Afghans are going to manage transition as we step forward," he said. "So it's an interesting place to focus on in terms of our attention."

The general said the overall NATO ISAF campaign is at an inflection point, as the final phase of the transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces takes place this year, mostly in the eastern provinces. ISAF will revert "to train, advise, assist, and enable, where appropriate, with combat operations happening either in extremis or certainly on a limited basis," Carter said.

Operations in Afghanistan will proceed through Afghan command channels, as coalition forces begin to concentrate their efforts "up to the brigade level in the context of the Afghan army this fall, and then up to the corps level, probably after the election next summer," he said.

Afghan security forces' current capability tells a significant success story, Carter said, with five out of the 26 Afghan army brigades now operating independently, and 16 of them effective with support. This "is a creditable performance and it's one that we see improving significantly during the course of this year," he added.

Afghanistan has changed significantly over 10 years, and that confuses things for the Taliban, the general said. Schooling and greatly expanded use of mobile phones and the Internet have made the population more aware, while economic improvement and expanded medical care have improved conditions for many people.

The Taliban will have to grapple with those changes, the general said. "I think for all those reasons, the insurgency is having to think differently about how it might come back, if it ever came back in political participatory terms," he said.

Carter said despite growing competence in Afghan forces and improvements in the people's standard of living, the biggest challenge of the moment is maintaining Afghan confidence.

"Afghans still need reassuring," he said. "And, of course, they've got this significant political transition coming up in 2014, and that will be very challenging. You have to go back to 1902 for the last time there was a peaceful political transition in Afghanistan, and that, of course, worries Afghans."

The general noted that deadlines have a habit of focusing minds.

"What we have to compete with in challenge terms this year is maintaining the population's confidence through into 2014. ... And to my mind, that's the big challenge," he said.

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK AUTHORIZED FIANANCING FOR ISRAELI AIRLINE AIRCRAFT PURCHASE

FROM: EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Authorizes $190 Million to Israeli Airline
Financing will support 1,300 American Jobs

Washington D.C. – Today, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) authorized more than $190 million in financing to support the export of Boeing 737-900ER aircraft to El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd. (El Al). According to Boeing, this transaction will help the company create and sustain more than 1,300 American jobs.

"This transaction will help ensure that El Al has a modern and efficient fleet that can meet the growing demands of their customer base," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg. "Ex-Im has a long and productive history of working with El Al, dating back to 1960. This transaction demonstrates that Ex-Im Bank’s strong support of the American aerospace industry increases American competitiveness and supports high-quality American jobs in the process."

"Ex-Im's support of the American aerospace industry is remarkable and should be praised," said El Al Chief Financial Officer Nissim Malki. "El Al benefits from this support, which will facilitate the financing of 737-900 aircraft manufactured by Boeing. We are pleased that this wonderful news came during President Obama’s visit to Israel and would like to thank Ex-Im Bank and Chairman Hochberg for their professionalism, patience and creativity in finalizing the transaction."

This transaction is supported by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). According to NAM, "this particular transaction will have a positive impact on jobs – both directly and indirectly throughout the supply chain – and will support economic growth in a key manufacturing sector."

El Al was established in 1948 and is the national flag carrier of Israel. El Al continues to play a crucial role for the country, serving all sectors of the Israeli air travel industry, including business travelers, tourists, friends and relatives and immigrants.

Ex-Im Bank’s first transaction with Israel was in 1948, the year the country was founded. In FY’12, the Bank authorized $1.7 million and its exposure was $580 million. Ex-Im’s current exposure in Israel is approximately $950 million.

JUSTICE INVESTING $20 MILLION TO IMPROVE FIREARM BACKGROUND CHECKS

Photo:  Handgun.  Credit:  Wikimedia Commons.

FROM: U.S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Friday, March 22, 2013
Justice Department to Invest $20 Million in Firearm Background Check System Improvements
Grants to Help Reduce Information Gaps in National Instant Criminal Background Check System

The Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is planning to invest more than $20 million to strengthen the firearm background check system by improving states’ abilities to share information with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) are providing funding for three grants to support state, territorial and tribal efforts to reduce information gaps and make instantly available to NICS all records prohibiting the purchase or possession of firearms.

"As part of President Obama’s comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence, the Administration is committed to enhancing and strengthening the national criminal record system in support of stronger firearm background checks," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "The Department of Justice intends to take immediate and effective action to work with states to fill gaps in information currently available to the NICS system."

The NICS background check system is the most efficient and effective way to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, but in order to work, the system must have timely and accurate information about these individuals. States are a critical source for several key categories of relevant records and data, including criminal history records and records of persons prohibited from having guns because of domestic violence or for mental health reasons.

The grants would be used to improve access to and reporting of prohibiting mental health information such as involuntary commitments to mental health facilities, felony convictions as well as misdemeanor convictions of domestic violence, domestic violence restraining orders and immediate access to active felony and misdemeanor warrants. The grants will also support upgrades and enhancements to electronic submissions of fingerprints to state and federal systems as well as linking of arrest and disposition. Funding will be provided under National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP), and a new, one-time initiative called, Improving the Completeness of Firearm Background Checks through Enhanced State Data Sharing. This new initiative creates a competitive grant program designed to incentivize states, territories and tribes to share information with NICS by closing information gaps that inhibit complete and accurate background checks.

Since 1995, the BJS has provided grants and technical assistance to states to improve criminal history data availability for background checks and other purposes under the NCHIP. In 2009, after the Virginia Tech shootings, BJS launched the NARIP, addressing information requirements of NICS firearm background checks and requiring states to make additional records available. BJA also supports information sharing among the nation’s state and local government agencies, directly supporting the mission of BJS and President Obama’s plan to reduce gun violence.

SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S PRESS STATEMENT ON RECONCILIATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND TURKEY

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Reconciliation between Israel and Turkey
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
March 23, 2013

　

The reconciliation between Israel and Turkey is a very important development that will help advance the cause of peace and stability in the region. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Prime Minister Erdogan deserve great credit for showing the leadership necessary to make this possible.

As I discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu this evening, this will help Israel meet the many challenges it faces in the region. We look forward to an expeditious implementation of the agreement and the full normalization of relations so Israel and Turkey can work together to advance their common interests

THE GREENLAND MELT PONDS

FROM: NASA
Each spring and summer, as the air warms up and the sunlight beats down on the Greenland ice sheet, sapphire-colored ponds spring up like swimming pools. As snow and ice melt atop the glaciers, the water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface that are sometimes visible from space. These melt ponds and lakes sometimes disappear quickly - a phenomenon that scientists have observed firsthand in recent years.The natural-color image above was acquired on July 4, 2010, by the Advanced Land Imager on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite. This glacial ice field lies in southwestern Greenland, not far from Disko Bay (Disko Bugt in Danish) and Davis Strait. The center of the image is 68.91° North latitude and 48.54° West longitude. › Read MoreImage Credit: NASA

Expanding Access To Healthcare

Expanding Access

Weekly Address: Helping Protect Our Kids by Reducing Gun Violence | The White House

Weekly Address: Helping Protect Our Kids by Reducing Gun Violence | The White House

U.S. FACT SHEET: THE GREENING DIPLOMACY INITIATIVE

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
The Greening Diplomacy Initiative Leading by Example
Fact Sheet
March 20, 2013
　

"As we deepen our commitment to the promotion of clean, renewable energy, energy efficiency and resource conservation, our embassies abroad and facilities at home become platforms for eco-diplomacy – models of sustainability that reflect and project America’s commitment to responsible environmental stewardship, reduce operating costs, and conserve our resources."

Secretary of State John Kerry

　

The Greening Diplomacy Initiative (GDI) aims to improve the environmental sustainability of the U.S. Department of State’s global operations and to encourage foreign embassies in Washington to do the same. Advanced by the Department’s Greening Council in 2009, the GDI challenges the Department to develop and implement policies and actions that lessen its overall environmental footprint, reduce costs, and ensure sustainability remains at the forefront of U.S. foreign policy.

Presidential Directive

President Barack Obama instructed federal agencies to develop, implement, and annually update a strategic sustainability plan to meet energy, water, and waste reduction targets (Executive Order 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance.) Agencies are rated on Energy Management, Transportation Management, and Environmental Stewardship. The State Department consistently receives high marks in all three areas of the Office of Management and Budget’s Sustainability/Energy Scorecard related to domestic operations.

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals

The State Department has established a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal of 20% by FY2020 for its domestically controlled facilities (relative to a FY2008 baseline) for emissions created by building power generation. The Department also established a greenhouse gas reduction goal of 2% for emissions from waste, energy transmission loss, and travel.

Recent State Department Milestones
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions from domestic buildings by 34% from FY2008 baseline.
Reduced energy intensity of its headquarters by 15% since 2003; achieving Energy Star rating.
Since FY2009, achieved over $18 million in energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs).
Built its first domestic LEED Platinum facility along with 4 LEED Gold, 3 LEED Silver and 7 LEED certified embassies and consulates overseas, and 35 LEED projects underway.
Increased number of vehicles using alternative fuels to 45% of domestic fleet.
Established air- and commuter-travel teams to make employee travel more environmentally and energy efficient.
In lieu of FY 2012 travel, enrolled over 60,000 trainees for online training; hosted over 33,000 digital video conferences and 1,300 web conferencing programs; and employed 209 virtual interns.
Joining with D.C. Foreign Missions

The D.C. Greening Embassies Forum established by the State Department and Earth Day Network was launched on Earth Day 2010. It consists of Washington, D.C.-based foreign missions and international organizations, and shares challenges, experiences, and best practices on green facility renovations. In 2012, the Forum brought together over 50 diplomatic missions and international institutions in Washington, D.C. to sign a pledge with the city and its mayor. They committed to maintain their operations sustainably and to pursue environmental and efficiency goals that parallel those of the District of Columbia.

Saving Energy at Little or No Cost

The Department is meeting a significant portion of its GHG reductions at zero net cost through installing energy saving measures, such as efficient lighting and plumbing fixtures, financed in part through ESPCs. Contractors install energy saving equipment throughout Department buildings and the energy cost savings from these measures pays contractors for a set number of years.

Sharing Employees’ Ideas

The State Department established an internal GDI website where domestic offices and U.S. missions overseas may exchange sustainability practices, propose innovative solutions, and search for Department resources. The Department also encourages online discussions with its workforce on greening issues.

GEN. AUSTIN SAYS AFGHANISTAN REMAINS ONE OF CENTCOM'S PRIORITIES

Morning In Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. Army.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Afghanistan, Engagement Remain Centcom Priorities
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., March 22, 2013 - The war in Afghanistan and maintaining contacts throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility will be Centcom's continuing mission, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III said here today after taking the command's reins.

Austin received the Centcom flag from Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, who will retire after a four-decade military career.

The general assumes command at a time when American troops are still in combat in Afghanistan and the outcome of the Arab Spring remains unknown.

Austin praised the men and women of the command for their expertise and professionalism, noting that in the last decade, the command has fought two wars thousands of miles from America's shores. He also thanked the representatives of 60 nations who have fought alongside America's finest.

"All 60 nations are continuing to play an integral role in what we do at this unique headquarters and throughout the Centcom area of responsibility," he said.

All that the military has accomplished in Iraq and Afghanistan is incredible, Austin said, but he added that he'll leave the final word to historians.

"The fact is, the full story has not been written," he said. "That said, these are historic times and challenging times, and much more will be required of us in the days ahead, for the world that we live in remains complex and extremely volatile." Much of that instability is in the Central Command region.

Calling Afghanistan his top priority, Austin pledged to do all he can to ensure the success of the mission there. The United States and its allies will continue to work with the Afghans so their security forces can protect their own people, and this commitment will continue beyond the end of 2014, when Afghan forces will have full security responsibility for their country and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission ends.

The United States must remain engaged in the Middle East and Central Asia, Austin said. "We must remain mindful of the fact that success in our various critical endeavors will require the efforts of many -- indeed, all -- of us, working together," he added, noting that the leaders and people of the region want to help to find solutions for the problems.

The general cited the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council as just two organizations that can work toward peace in the region. "The U.S. will continue to play an important role as a key partner to our friends and allies," Austin said. "We will provide them with the necessary support, and we will stand ready and willing to hold accountable those who would threaten the regional stability and security through their actions or through the actions of proxies."

EPA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT REACH AGREEMENT TO REDUCE RAW SEWAGE OVERFLOWS IN KANSAS

FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Agreement Reached with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas to Improve Sewer and Stormwater Systems

Settlement will ensure reductions in raw sewage overflows and stormwater flooding in the most impacted neighborhoods

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Unified Government of Wyandotte Co. and Kansas City, Kan., has agreed to a settlement to address unauthorized overflows of untreated raw sewage and to reduce pollution levels in urban stormwater.

The settlement, lodged in federal court in Kansas City, Kan. requires the Unified Government to implement improved operation and maintenance programs for its sewer system, perform initial work to address sewer overflows, and implement an improved Storm Water Management Plan. The Unified Government will also develop a proposed overflow control plan for the sewer system by September 2016 for approval by EPA. Unified Government’s implementation of that plan, once approved, will be embodied in a subsequent judicial settlement.

"EPA is working with cities to find effective, affordable solutions to control raw sewage and stormwater overflows," said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "The settlement allows the Unified Government to tackle their most important water quality problems first, while preparing a long-term approach to keep local waterways protected in the future."

"This agreement will put the Unified Government of Wyandotte County on a clear path toward compliance with the Clean Water Act," said Ignacia S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. "The settlement will address deficiencies and require improvements to Wyandotte County’s sewer and stormwater systems that will reduce risks and bring cleaner water for the benefit of the county resident’s health and the environment."

The Unified Government’s sewer system collects and receives domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater from approximately 110,000 area residents. The system includes five wastewater treatment plants and more than 800 miles of sewer lines. The system is served by about one-third combined sewers, which carry both stormwater and wastewater, and the remainder by separated sewers.

Since 2004, the Unified Government has reported more than 450 illegal sewer overflows from its sewer system. These overflows resulted in the discharge of raw sewage into the Missouri River, the Kansas River and their tributaries. Untreated sewage from overflows can cause serious water quality problems and health issues from pollutants including harmful bacteria, oxygen-depleting substances, suspended solids, toxic metals and chemicals, and nutrients. The overflows are in violation of the federal Clean Water Act and the terms of the city’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits for operation of its sewer system.

Under the agreement, the Unified Government is required to perform initial work primarily in the combined sewer portion of the system, located in the oldest developed area of the city, which is expected to provide relief to residences and other properties in the urban core that are often affected by illegal sewer overflows.

The settlement also requires the Unified Government to implement an improved Storm Water Management Plan, designed to reduce pollutants in stormwater. Municipal stormwater sewers carry significant amounts of pollution into urban rivers, lakes, and streams. Pollutants such as lead, copper, oxygen-depleting materials and sediment in municipal stormwater can clog streams, harm or kill aquatic life, and result in human exposure to harmful substances. The existing stormwater management program at issue in this settlement was drafted by the Unified Government and made part of the stormwater discharge permit issued by the State of Kansas in 2001 and reissued in 2007.

Keeping raw sewage and contaminated stormwater out of the waters of the United States is one of the EPA’s highest priorities. Reductions in sewer and stormwater overflows are accomplished by obtaining cities’ commitments to implement timely, affordable solutions to these problems, which may also include the use of Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Plans. Integrated plans are intended to be an option to help municipalities meet their CWA obligations by optimizing the benefits of their infrastructure improvement investments through the appropriate sequencing of work. This approach can also lead to more sustainable and comprehensive solutions, such as green infrastructure, that improve water quality and enhance community vitality.

The settlement, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.

U.S. SOUTHERN COMMANDER WARNS OF CONNECTION BETWEEN CRIME AND TERRORISM



Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, holds a news conference with reporters at the Pentagon, March 20, 2013. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Kelly Warns of Potential Crime-Terrorism Nexus in Latin America
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 - A potential connection between crime syndicates and terrorists in Latin America would constitute a clear danger to the region, U.S. Southern Command's senior leader told reporters at the Pentagon today.

Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly said the increase in Iranian influence in Latin America is worrisome, and an example of the peril that the combination of criminal networks and states that sponsor terrorism, like Iran, could pose.

Kelly, who took over U.S. Southern Command in November, told reporters at a Pentagon news conference that in the past six years Iran has tried to increase its influence in Central and South America. The Iranian government, he said, has built embassies and cultural centers in the region.

"The concern is that ... they're looking ... for influence -- say for votes in the U.N. on sanctions," he said. "But also, and I've ... made mention to some of our friends in the region that these guys are very, very good at what they do, and very, very skilled at what they do, and that people should just be careful as to who they're dealing with."

The general stressed he is not accusing Iran of sponsoring terrorism in Latin America, but he noted that Iran is involved in terrorism in other areas of the world.

"We do know that some terrorist organizations are able to skim off fairly substantial sums of money from the drug profits," Kelly said. "And so there has to be kind of a network for that to happen."

The criminal networks in Latin America are very sophisticated and very well financed, he said.

Drugs are the basis for this wealth and the drug-related money coming out of the United States "is astronomical," Kelly said.

"I mean palettes of money," he said. "For a buck, anything can get on the [drug transport] network."

That network, Kelly said, transports tons of drugs into the United States and Europe and moves bales of money back out.

"The point of it all is the network is a very dangerous thing to have working as effectively as it does, because anything can get on it," he said.

Kelly said his command is working to build military-to-military contacts throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

"The good news about Latin America and my part of the world is that there are no wars," he said.

And most Latin American countries, including Brazil -- the world's fifth-largest economy -- want the United States as a partner, Kelly said.

The countries of the region don't ask for much, the general said.

"When I go down and visit, they're not asking for an awful [lot] -- they're not asking for money," Kelly said. "They're willing to pay their own way."

What the Latin American countries need is expertise, the general said. For example, Peru is asking for help in getting its separate military services to work together better. Colombia needs help in countering improvised explosive devices that the terror group FARC and criminal syndicates use to protect coca fields and factories. Other nations need medical expertise.

Turning to another topic, Kelly noted that sequestration will hit his command hard. He said there will be fewer vessels to interdict cocaine shipments, and fewer troops to operate with partner militaries

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK CHAIRMAN COMPLETS MISSION TO MEXICO

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

Ex-Im Bank Chairman Hochberg Concludes Successful Business Development Mission in Mexico City
Chairman Encourages Mexican Businesses to "Buy American"

Mexico City, Mexico: Fred P. Hochberg, chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), concluded a successful business-development mission in Mexico March 13 – March 15. During his visit, Hochberg met with local businesses and government leaders to promote Ex-Im Bank financing. The Bank’s financing helps support the purchase of U.S. goods and services by Mexican buyers.

"As our nation’s leading trading partner and Ex-Im Bank’s top customer, Mexico provides enormous opportunities for American businesses and workers," said Hochberg. "I am pleased with the outcome of our meetings and look forward to continuing to work with our partners in Mexico on projects that boost our nations’ economies and create jobs on both sides of the border."

"With bilateral trade of over half a trillion dollars in 2012, Mexico is our second-largest export market and our third-largest source of imports," Ambassador Wayne said. "Supply chains are integrated across the border and thousands of jobs on both sides of the border depend on smooth, open bilateral trade. I am grateful for Chairman Hochberg’s visit and to our Mexican government and private sector counterparts for looking for new ways to build on our strong economic partnership."

While in Mexico City, Hochberg met several business and financial leaders, including Enrique de la Madrid Cordero, director of Bancomext; Carlos Slim Domit, chairman of board, Grupo Carso; Andrés Conesa, chairman of AeroMexico; Eduardo Tricio, chairman of Grupo Industrial Lala; Claudio X. Gonzalez, chairman of Consejo Mexicano de Hombres de Negocios; Alejandro Alonso, CEO of Aerolineas Ejecutivas; Emilio Lozoya Austin, director general of PEMEX; Francisco Rojas, director of CFE; Agustin Carstens, governor of Mexico´s Central Bank; and Luis Videgaray, secretary of Hacienda, Ministry of Treasury.

Mexico is one of nine key markets (others are Brazil, Colombia, Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria, India, Indonesia and Vietnam) where Ex-Im Bank is focusing its business-development efforts because of the country's infrastructure and development needs. Mexico is currently the largest market exposure in Ex-Im's portfolio ($8.5 billion in FY’12).