FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Agreement Between Kosovo and Serbia in the EU-facilitated Dialogue
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 19, 2013
I congratulate Serbia and Kosovo for reaching agreement today in the European Union-facilitated Dialogue led by High Representative Catherine Ashton. This agreement on principles for normalization of relations required compromise and political courage from both sides, and I applaud the governments of Kosovo and Serbia for making the hard decisions that will move them closer to their goals of European integration. I encourage both countries now to implement expeditiously and fully all Dialogue agreements reached to date, so that all of those living in Kosovo and Serbia can continue to build a more peaceful and prosperous future.
I commend High Representative Ashton for her facilitation of these talks between Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. Her leadership and dedication were critical in bringing about this important agreement.
The United States will remain deeply committed to seeing the people of Serbia, Kosovo, and the entire region realize their aspirations of integration into a Europe free, whole, and at peace.
Friday, April 19, 2013
CALIFORNIA REAL ESTATE INVESTOR PLEADS GUILTY TO BID RIGGING AT PUBLIC FORECLOSURE AUCTIONS
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Investigation Has Yielded 30 Plea Agreements to Date
WASHINGTON — A Northern California real estate investor has agreed to plead guilty for his role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced.
Felony charges were filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco against Mohammed Rezaian, of Novato, Calif. Rezaian is the 30th individual to plead guilty or agree to plead guilty as a result of the department's ongoing antitrust investigations into bid rigging and fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California.
According to court documents, Rezaian conspired with others not to bid against one another, but instead to designate a winning bidder to obtain selected properties at public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and San Mateo counties, Calif. Rezaian was also charged with conspiring to use the mail to carry out schemes to fraudulently acquire title to selected properties sold at public auctions, to make and receive payoffs, and to divert to co-conspirators money that would have otherwise gone to mortgage holders and others. According to court documents, a forfeiture allegation was also included in the charges against Rezaian.
The department said Rezaian conspired with others to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and San Mateo counties beginning as early as July 2008 and continuing until about January 2011.
"As a result of this investigation, the Antitrust Division has thus far filed charges against 30 real estate investors in Northern California for their illegal activity at foreclosure auctions," said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. "The division will vigorously pursue the perpetrators of these fraudulent and anticompetitive schemes."
The department said that the primary purpose of the conspiracies was to suppress and restrain competition and to conceal payoffs in order to obtain selected real estate offered at San Francisco and San Mateo County public foreclosure auctions at non-competitive prices. When real estate properties are sold at these auctions, the proceeds are used to pay off the mortgage and other debt attached to the property, with remaining proceeds, if any, paid to the homeowner.
"Not only is bid rigging at public foreclosure auctions illegal, it also severely undermines the integrity of a fair and competitive marketplace," said David J. Johnson, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office. "The FBI will continue to investigate and pursue those who commit fraudulent anticompetitive practices at foreclosure auctions and work with those who have fallen victim to such selfish crimes."
A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals. The maximum fine for the Sherman Act charges may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims if either amount is greater than $1 million. A count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The government can also seek to forfeit the proceeds earned from participating in the conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
The charges today are the latest filed by the department in its ongoing investigation into bid rigging and fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Francisco, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda counties, Calif. These investigations are being conducted by the Antitrust Division's San Francisco office and the FBI's San Francisco office. .
Today's charges were brought in connection with the President's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed nearly 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants.
Investigation Has Yielded 30 Plea Agreements to Date
WASHINGTON — A Northern California real estate investor has agreed to plead guilty for his role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced.
Felony charges were filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco against Mohammed Rezaian, of Novato, Calif. Rezaian is the 30th individual to plead guilty or agree to plead guilty as a result of the department's ongoing antitrust investigations into bid rigging and fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California.
According to court documents, Rezaian conspired with others not to bid against one another, but instead to designate a winning bidder to obtain selected properties at public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and San Mateo counties, Calif. Rezaian was also charged with conspiring to use the mail to carry out schemes to fraudulently acquire title to selected properties sold at public auctions, to make and receive payoffs, and to divert to co-conspirators money that would have otherwise gone to mortgage holders and others. According to court documents, a forfeiture allegation was also included in the charges against Rezaian.
The department said Rezaian conspired with others to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and San Mateo counties beginning as early as July 2008 and continuing until about January 2011.
"As a result of this investigation, the Antitrust Division has thus far filed charges against 30 real estate investors in Northern California for their illegal activity at foreclosure auctions," said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. "The division will vigorously pursue the perpetrators of these fraudulent and anticompetitive schemes."
The department said that the primary purpose of the conspiracies was to suppress and restrain competition and to conceal payoffs in order to obtain selected real estate offered at San Francisco and San Mateo County public foreclosure auctions at non-competitive prices. When real estate properties are sold at these auctions, the proceeds are used to pay off the mortgage and other debt attached to the property, with remaining proceeds, if any, paid to the homeowner.
"Not only is bid rigging at public foreclosure auctions illegal, it also severely undermines the integrity of a fair and competitive marketplace," said David J. Johnson, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office. "The FBI will continue to investigate and pursue those who commit fraudulent anticompetitive practices at foreclosure auctions and work with those who have fallen victim to such selfish crimes."
A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals. The maximum fine for the Sherman Act charges may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims if either amount is greater than $1 million. A count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The government can also seek to forfeit the proceeds earned from participating in the conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
The charges today are the latest filed by the department in its ongoing investigation into bid rigging and fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Francisco, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda counties, Calif. These investigations are being conducted by the Antitrust Division's San Francisco office and the FBI's San Francisco office. .
Today's charges were brought in connection with the President's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it's the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed nearly 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants.
USS NIMITZ TRANSITS PACIFIC AND THE 7 SUBMARINES OF APRA HARBOR
FROM: U.S. NAVY
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits the Pacific Ocean behind the Military SEaliftCommand fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187) as it conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59). Nimitz is underway for a sustainment training exercise in preparation for an upcoming deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Raul Moreno Jr. (Released) 130412-N-LP801-006
With the mooring of the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Bremerton (SSN 698) on April 16, Apra Harbor now has seven submarines in port. This is the highest number of submarines in the harbor since the re-establishment of Commander, Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 15 in 2001. The submarines are conducting maintenance prior to continuing their deployments. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jeffrey Jay Price (Released) 130417-N-LS794-001
SEC CHARGES CEO OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY FIRM WITH LYING TO CalPERS AND OTHER CLIENTS
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C., April 18, 2013 — The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the CEO of Chicago-based investment advisory firm Simran Capital Management with lying to the California Public Employers' Retirement System (CalPERS) and other current and potential clients about the amount of money managed by the firm.
Institutional investors such as CalPERS often use assets under management (AUM) as a metric to screen prospective investment advisers soliciting their business. An SEC investigation revealed that while pitching Simran's services, Mesh Tandon falsely certified to CalPERS that his firm satisfied its minimum AUM requirements. After fraudulently obtaining the business from CalPERS, Tandon also falsely inflated Simran's AUM in communications with other potential clients with whom he touted his firm's relationship with CalPERS. Tandon also fraudulently reported an inflated AUM in filings with the SEC, and he later attempted to mislead SEC examiners during a routine examination of Simran.
Tandon, who previously lived in Chicago and now resides in Texas, has agreed to settle the SEC's fraud charges.
"Tandon deliberately undermined the CalPERS screening process by grossly misrepresenting his firm's purported assets under management," said Merri Jo Gillette, Director of the SEC's Chicago Regional Office. "To make matters worse, he then used his association with CalPERS to lure other public institutional investors under false pretenses."
According to the SEC's order instituting settled administrative proceedings against Tandon, he represented to CalPERS in May 2008 that Simran met explicit AUM requirements and managed at least $200 million as of Dec. 31, 2007. In fact, Simran managed approximately $80 million at that time. Evidence indicates that Tandon was aware that Simran did not meet the CalPERS requirements for AUM.
According to the SEC's order, Tandon touted Simran's relationship with CalPERS to other prospective clients from 2008 to 2011, and he instructed other Simran employees to do the same. On more than a dozen occasions, Tandon and Simran employees falsely inflated the firm's AUM in communications with employee retirement systems and other prospective clients. Tandon and Simran also overstated the AUM in at least four of the firm's Form ADVs filed with the SEC. In February 2012, Simran withdrew its SEC registration as an investment adviser and has since ceased operations.
According to the SEC's order, Tandon violated Sections 206(1), 206(2), and 207 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Tandon neither admitted nor denied the findings, and agreed to be barred from the securities industry and pay disgorgement of $20,018, prejudgment interest of $1,680, and a penalty of $100,000.
The SEC's investigation was conducted by Peter K.M. Chan along with Jonathan I. Katz and Andrew O'Brien in the Chicago Regional Office. They were assisted by members of the Chicago Regional Office's examination staff including Susan M. Weis, Jeson G. Patel, and Max J. Gillman.
Washington, D.C., April 18, 2013 — The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the CEO of Chicago-based investment advisory firm Simran Capital Management with lying to the California Public Employers' Retirement System (CalPERS) and other current and potential clients about the amount of money managed by the firm.
Institutional investors such as CalPERS often use assets under management (AUM) as a metric to screen prospective investment advisers soliciting their business. An SEC investigation revealed that while pitching Simran's services, Mesh Tandon falsely certified to CalPERS that his firm satisfied its minimum AUM requirements. After fraudulently obtaining the business from CalPERS, Tandon also falsely inflated Simran's AUM in communications with other potential clients with whom he touted his firm's relationship with CalPERS. Tandon also fraudulently reported an inflated AUM in filings with the SEC, and he later attempted to mislead SEC examiners during a routine examination of Simran.
Tandon, who previously lived in Chicago and now resides in Texas, has agreed to settle the SEC's fraud charges.
"Tandon deliberately undermined the CalPERS screening process by grossly misrepresenting his firm's purported assets under management," said Merri Jo Gillette, Director of the SEC's Chicago Regional Office. "To make matters worse, he then used his association with CalPERS to lure other public institutional investors under false pretenses."
According to the SEC's order instituting settled administrative proceedings against Tandon, he represented to CalPERS in May 2008 that Simran met explicit AUM requirements and managed at least $200 million as of Dec. 31, 2007. In fact, Simran managed approximately $80 million at that time. Evidence indicates that Tandon was aware that Simran did not meet the CalPERS requirements for AUM.
According to the SEC's order, Tandon touted Simran's relationship with CalPERS to other prospective clients from 2008 to 2011, and he instructed other Simran employees to do the same. On more than a dozen occasions, Tandon and Simran employees falsely inflated the firm's AUM in communications with employee retirement systems and other prospective clients. Tandon and Simran also overstated the AUM in at least four of the firm's Form ADVs filed with the SEC. In February 2012, Simran withdrew its SEC registration as an investment adviser and has since ceased operations.
According to the SEC's order, Tandon violated Sections 206(1), 206(2), and 207 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Tandon neither admitted nor denied the findings, and agreed to be barred from the securities industry and pay disgorgement of $20,018, prejudgment interest of $1,680, and a penalty of $100,000.
The SEC's investigation was conducted by Peter K.M. Chan along with Jonathan I. Katz and Andrew O'Brien in the Chicago Regional Office. They were assisted by members of the Chicago Regional Office's examination staff including Susan M. Weis, Jeson G. Patel, and Max J. Gillman.
INTEL OFFICIAL SAYS SEQUESTRATION CAUSED INTELLIGENCE DEGRADATION WILL BE "INSIDIOUS"
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Cuts Make Intelligence Failures Likely, Top Intel Official Says
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 - Speaking to a Senate panel about the effects of sequestration on the national security environment, the director of national intelligence said today that he's "seen this movie before."
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on current and future worldwide threats, James R. Clapper said he served through the last round of budget cuts 20 years ago.
"And we were then enjoined to reap the peace dividend occasioned by the end of the Cold War," he said. "We reduced the intelligence community by about 23 percent. During the mid and late '90s, we closed many CIA stations, reduced [human intelligence] collectors, cut analysts, allowed our overhead architecture to atrophy, neglected basic infrastructure needs such as power, space and cooling, and let our facilities decay. And most damagingly, we badly distorted the workforce."
The intelligence community has spent the last decade rebuilding, Clapper said, but, with sequestration, another damaging downward spiral looms.
"Sequestration forces the intelligence community to reduce all intelligence activities and functions without regard to impact on our mission," the nation's senior intelligence officersaid, adding that the cuts jeopardize the nation's safety and security, and that the jeopardy will increase over time.
"Unlike more directly observable sequestration impacts like shorter hours at the parks or longer security lines at airports," he said, "the degradation to intelligence will be insidious. It will be gradual and almost invisible until, of course, we have an intelligence failure."
In his 50 years of intelligence experience, Clapper told the senators, the country has never "confronted a more diverse array of threats, crises and challenges around the world."
This makes the mandatory budget cuts imposed by sequestration "incongruous," he added.
The world is changing, Clapper said, and the threat environment along with it. "Threats are more interconnected and viral," he said. "Events which, at first blush, seem local and irrelevant can quickly set off transnational disruptions that affect U.S. national interests."
Threats in the cyber realm can come from both state and nonstate actors, he said, and their danger to global security "cannot be overstated."
Climate, disease and competition for natural resources have huge national security implications, Clapper said
"Many countries important to U.S. interests are living with extreme water and food stress that can destabilize governments, force human migrations and trigger conflicts," he said.
And while al-Qaida and the potential for a massive coordinated attack on the United States may be diminished, he said, the jihadist movement is now more diffuse and still determined to attack.
The rise of new governments and ongoing unrest in the Arab world creates openings for extremists, Clapper told the senators. Opportunistic individuals and groups can take advantage of diminished counterterrorism capabilities, porous borders, easy availability of weapons and internal stresses, he explained.
In Iran, the technical expertise to enrich uranium and build nuclear reactors and ballistic missiles continues to develop, Clapper said. Tehran has the scientific, technical and industrial capability to build missile-deliverable nuclear weapons, he continued, but the central question is whether it has the political will to do so.
"Such a decision, we believe, will be made by the [Iranian government's] supreme leader, and at this point we don't know if he'll eventually decide to build nuclear weapons," Clapper said.
"The increasingly beleaguered [Syrian] regime, having found that its escalation of violence through conventional means is not working, appears quite willing to use chemical weapons against its own people," he said. "We receive many claims of chemical warfare use in Syria each day and we take them all seriously, and we do all we can to investigate them."
Countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa are experiencing violence and political turmoil, he said, leading to civilian casualties and economic dislocation. Some 3.6 million Syrians have been displaced, and an additional 1.3 million have fled the country, Clapper said, noting that the refugee flow is placing pressure on neighboring countries.
"Moving to Asia, the Taliban-led insurgency has diminished in some areas of Afghanistan but is still resilient and capable of challenging U.S. international goals," he said. "The coalition drawdown will have an impact on Afghanistan's economy, which is likely to decline after 2014."
And in Pakistan, which faces no real prospects for sustainable economic growth, Clapper said, "the government has not instituted much-needed policy and tax reforms." On a more positive note, he continued, the Pakistani military continues its efforts to eliminate the al-Qaida and Taliban safe havens in the federally administered tribal areas.
China continues to supplement its military capabilities by strengthening its maritime law enforcement efforts in support of its claims in the South and East China Seas, he said.
"Closer to home," Clapper continued, "despite positive trends toward democracy and economic development, Latin America and the Caribbean contend with weak institutions, slow recovery from devastating natural disasters and drug-related violence and trafficking."
The intelligence director concluded his testimony by repeating his warning about sequestration spending cuts.
"So in sum, given the magnitude and complexity of our global responsibilities, insightful, persistent and comprehensive intelligence, at least in my mind, has never been more important or more urgent," he said. "So I have trouble reconciling this imperative with sequestration."
Cuts Make Intelligence Failures Likely, Top Intel Official Says
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 - Speaking to a Senate panel about the effects of sequestration on the national security environment, the director of national intelligence said today that he's "seen this movie before."
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on current and future worldwide threats, James R. Clapper said he served through the last round of budget cuts 20 years ago.
"And we were then enjoined to reap the peace dividend occasioned by the end of the Cold War," he said. "We reduced the intelligence community by about 23 percent. During the mid and late '90s, we closed many CIA stations, reduced [human intelligence] collectors, cut analysts, allowed our overhead architecture to atrophy, neglected basic infrastructure needs such as power, space and cooling, and let our facilities decay. And most damagingly, we badly distorted the workforce."
The intelligence community has spent the last decade rebuilding, Clapper said, but, with sequestration, another damaging downward spiral looms.
"Sequestration forces the intelligence community to reduce all intelligence activities and functions without regard to impact on our mission," the nation's senior intelligence officersaid, adding that the cuts jeopardize the nation's safety and security, and that the jeopardy will increase over time.
"Unlike more directly observable sequestration impacts like shorter hours at the parks or longer security lines at airports," he said, "the degradation to intelligence will be insidious. It will be gradual and almost invisible until, of course, we have an intelligence failure."
In his 50 years of intelligence experience, Clapper told the senators, the country has never "confronted a more diverse array of threats, crises and challenges around the world."
This makes the mandatory budget cuts imposed by sequestration "incongruous," he added.
The world is changing, Clapper said, and the threat environment along with it. "Threats are more interconnected and viral," he said. "Events which, at first blush, seem local and irrelevant can quickly set off transnational disruptions that affect U.S. national interests."
Threats in the cyber realm can come from both state and nonstate actors, he said, and their danger to global security "cannot be overstated."
Climate, disease and competition for natural resources have huge national security implications, Clapper said
"Many countries important to U.S. interests are living with extreme water and food stress that can destabilize governments, force human migrations and trigger conflicts," he said.
And while al-Qaida and the potential for a massive coordinated attack on the United States may be diminished, he said, the jihadist movement is now more diffuse and still determined to attack.
The rise of new governments and ongoing unrest in the Arab world creates openings for extremists, Clapper told the senators. Opportunistic individuals and groups can take advantage of diminished counterterrorism capabilities, porous borders, easy availability of weapons and internal stresses, he explained.
In Iran, the technical expertise to enrich uranium and build nuclear reactors and ballistic missiles continues to develop, Clapper said. Tehran has the scientific, technical and industrial capability to build missile-deliverable nuclear weapons, he continued, but the central question is whether it has the political will to do so.
"Such a decision, we believe, will be made by the [Iranian government's] supreme leader, and at this point we don't know if he'll eventually decide to build nuclear weapons," Clapper said.
"The increasingly beleaguered [Syrian] regime, having found that its escalation of violence through conventional means is not working, appears quite willing to use chemical weapons against its own people," he said. "We receive many claims of chemical warfare use in Syria each day and we take them all seriously, and we do all we can to investigate them."
Countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa are experiencing violence and political turmoil, he said, leading to civilian casualties and economic dislocation. Some 3.6 million Syrians have been displaced, and an additional 1.3 million have fled the country, Clapper said, noting that the refugee flow is placing pressure on neighboring countries.
"Moving to Asia, the Taliban-led insurgency has diminished in some areas of Afghanistan but is still resilient and capable of challenging U.S. international goals," he said. "The coalition drawdown will have an impact on Afghanistan's economy, which is likely to decline after 2014."
And in Pakistan, which faces no real prospects for sustainable economic growth, Clapper said, "the government has not instituted much-needed policy and tax reforms." On a more positive note, he continued, the Pakistani military continues its efforts to eliminate the al-Qaida and Taliban safe havens in the federally administered tribal areas.
China continues to supplement its military capabilities by strengthening its maritime law enforcement efforts in support of its claims in the South and East China Seas, he said.
"Closer to home," Clapper continued, "despite positive trends toward democracy and economic development, Latin America and the Caribbean contend with weak institutions, slow recovery from devastating natural disasters and drug-related violence and trafficking."
The intelligence director concluded his testimony by repeating his warning about sequestration spending cuts.
"So in sum, given the magnitude and complexity of our global responsibilities, insightful, persistent and comprehensive intelligence, at least in my mind, has never been more important or more urgent," he said. "So I have trouble reconciling this imperative with sequestration."
INSTALLING AIRCRAFT CATCHERS AT BUCKLEY
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| A Colorado Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon tests a newly installed Barrier Arresting Kit-12 system April 12, 2013, on the flightline at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. Airmen from the 460th Civil Engineer Squadron, 140th CES, Colorado Air National Guard, and 200th RED HORSE, Ohio National Guard, installed two BAK-12 systems in preparation for upcoming flightline construction. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Riley Johnson/Released |
CE units combine forces to catch planes
by Airman 1st Class Riley Johnson
460th Space Wing Public Affairs
4/16/2013 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Airmen from the 460th Civil Engineer Squadron and 140th CES, Colorado Air National Guard, received assistance from the 200th RED HORSE, Ohio Air National Guard, to install two Barrier Arresting Kit-12 systems April 12 on Buckley's flightline.
The team of power production Airmen assembled and installed the BAK-12 systems during a five-day span.
"We did it in a short timeframe. Everyone started on Monday, and we had the certification run on Friday. We saw all inclement weather conditions, from snow to high winds, and zero visibility," said Master Sgt. Joshua Barnett, 140th CES power productions NCO in charge.
The barrier systems were installed on Buckley in preparation for upcoming flightline construction.
The BAK-12 is an emergency stopping system for tail-hook equipped aircraft to prevent crashes and give assurance to pilots should their aircraft experience maintenance issues.
The system consists of a cable stretched across the flightline that is attached to the braking mechanisms on both sides. As the aircraft engages the system, the braking mechanism will slowly apply pressure until the aircraft comes to a stop.
After the week-long assembly, the BAK-12 proved it was capable of stopping a 29,000 pound F-16 Fighting Falcon traveling at a speed of more than 100 mph.
"The most rewarding part was seeing the plane hit the catch line. When I first went out there it was a patch of grass and a flightline. We got to see what we had worked so hard to do," said Senior Airman Taquan Kelley, 460th CES power production journeyman.
Eight Airmen from the 200th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers provided Buckley's power production teams with manpower, assets and expertise.
"This effort is a great example of leveraging guard and active-duty assets to complete a mission. Installing two Barrier Arresting Kit-12 systems in one week is not easy. The entire team of power production and heavy equipment personnel should be proud of their achievement and how well they were able to integrate operations," said Maj. Gibb Little, 460th CES operation flight commander.
SEC CHARGES FORMER INVESTMENT BANKER WITH INSIDER TRADING
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it filed a settled insider trading civil action in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against former investment banker Richard Bruce Moore. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Richard Bruce Moore, 13-cv-2514 (HB) (S.D.N.Y.). Moore is a Canadian citizen and a former investment banker at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC).
The SEC alleged in its complaint that Moore purchased American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) of Tomkins plc, a United Kingdom engineering and manufacturing company, ahead of an announcement that the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and a Canadian private equity firm had approached Tomkins with a takeover offer. According to the complaint, Moore's job at CIBC included pitching investment ideas to the CPPIB. During 2010, in the course of his efforts to get CIBC a role in CPPIB transactions, Moore came to learn information that allowed him to conclude that the Board was working on an offer to acquire Tomkins. The complaint further alleges that, on June 28, 2010, Moore misappropriated that information from CIBC by purchasing 51,350 Tomkins ADRs on the New York Stock Exchange. Â On July 19, 2010, the day the offer was announced, the closing price of Tomkins ADRs rose 27 percent, from $13.87 to $17.67 a share. The complaint alleges that, through his purchase of the ADRs, Moore realized illicit gains of more than $163,000.
The SEC's complaint charged Moore with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the Commission's complaint, except for his admission of jurisdiction and certain facts agreed to in a parallel settlement with the Ontario Securities Commission, Moore consented to the entry of a proposed final judgment enjoining him from future violations of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5, ordering him to pay $163,293 in disgorgement plus $14,905 in prejudgment interest thereon, and imposing a $163,293 penalty. The settlement is subject to approval by the district court.
Moore has also agreed to an SEC administrative Order that would be based on entry of an injunction against him in the insider trading civil action and would bar him from association with any broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, or transfer agent, and from participating in any penny stock offering.
Moore also purchased a large number of Tomkins common shares on the London Stock Exchange ahead of the acquisition offer announcement. In a parallel action, the Ontario Securities Commission today announced charges against Moore based on his trading in Tomkins common shares and his trading in a second, unrelated, stock.
The Commission acknowledges the assistance of the Ontario Securities Commission, the Jersey Financial Services Commission, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
IRIS TO HELP SCIENTISTS UNDERSTAND SUN'S PHYSICAL PROCESSES
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| Workers unload NASA's IRIS spacecraft from a truck at the processing facility at Vandenberg where the spacecraft will be readied for launch aboard an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket. Photo credit: VAFB/Randy Beaudoin |
FROM: NASA
NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) satellite arrived at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Tuesday, April 16, to begin its final preparations for launch currently scheduled no earlier than May 28. IRIS will improve our understanding of how heat and energy move through the deepest levels of the sun’s atmosphere, thereby increasing our ability to forecast space weather. Following final checkouts, the IRIS spacecraft will be placed inside an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket. Deployment of the Pegasus from the L-1011 carrier aircraft is targeted for 7:27 p.m. PDT at an altitude of 39,000 feet at a location over the Pacific Ocean about 100 miles northwest of Vandenberg AFB off the central coast of California south of Big Sur.
"IRIS will contribute significantly to our understanding of the interface region between the sun's photosphere and corona," said Joe Davila, IRIS mission scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "This region is crucial for understanding how the corona gets so hot."
IRIS carries a single instrument, a multi-channel imaging spectrograph with an ultraviolet (UV) telescope that will help scientists better understand the physical processes in the sun’s interface region.
"With the high-resolution images from IRIS, scientists will be able to use advanced computer models to unravel how matter, light, and energy move from the sun’s 6,000 Kelvin surface to its million Kelvin corona," said Eric Ianson, IRIS mission manager at NASA Goddard. "Scientists will be able to combine data from NASA’s IRIS and Solar Dynamics Observatory and the NASA/JAXA Hinode missions to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the sun’s atmosphere."
IRIS is a NASA Small Explorer mission. The program provides frequent flight opportunities for world-class scientific investigations from space using innovative, streamlined and efficient management approaches within the heliophysics and astrophysics areas.
NASA's Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., is responsible for launch management. Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto, Calif., designed and built the IRIS spacecraft and instrument. NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., is responsible for mission operations and ground data systems.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
1ST ARMORED DIVISION ELEMENTS TO AID JORDANIAN MILITARY
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Advance Headquarters Elements Operating in Jordan
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 - Elements of the 1st Armored Division headquarters at Fort Bliss, Texas, are preparing for what's expected to be a year-long mission in Jordan to help the Jordanian military deal with consequences of the Syrian conflict, Army Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, the division commander, told reporters today.
Members of the element, to be led by Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr., deputy division commander for operations, are expected to rotate during the mission, Pittard said. Details are still being worked out, he added, estimating that deployments would be in the six-month range.
About 110 soldiers will deploy from Fort Bliss, with liaison officers and other augmentees to increase the element's size closer to 200, he said.
On the ground, the element will coordinate with U.S. military forces operating in Jordan and provide assistance "in everything from humanitarian assistance to stability [operations] to other things in support of Jordan," Pittard said. The operational role, however, is expected to be "very, very limited," he said, adding that the headquarters is prepared to expand the mission and the scale of the mission as necessary.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the deployment during testimony yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The contingent will enhance efforts of a small U.S. military team that has been working in Jordan since last year on planning related to chemical weapons and preventing a spillover of violence across Jordan's borders, the secretary told the Senate panel.
"These personnel will continue to work alongside Jordanian armed forces to improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios," he said.
Pittard reported today that the advance party already is on the ground in Jordan preparing for the mission.
The division is regionally aligned with U.S. Central Command, and Pittard and most of his headquarters staff worked alongside their Jordanian counterparts during Exercise Eager Light in October, he said. Exercise Eager Lion, also in Jordan, is slated for June. Another portion of the headquarters is in Saudi Arabia for Exercise Earnest Leader, and others will participate in Exercise Bright Star in Egypt in September, he said.
The deployment comes just two weeks after the announcement that missile defenders based at Fort Bliss would deploy to Guam as a precautionary move to protect against North Korean missiles.
Members of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense System battery deployed last week and are in place and operational in Guam, Pittard reported.
"They are well-trained and ready, and the capability they bring will certainly help to protect our country," he said.
Pittard said he's proud that Fort Bliss "has really become one of our premier installations" in the expeditionary Army.
Advance Headquarters Elements Operating in Jordan
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 - Elements of the 1st Armored Division headquarters at Fort Bliss, Texas, are preparing for what's expected to be a year-long mission in Jordan to help the Jordanian military deal with consequences of the Syrian conflict, Army Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, the division commander, told reporters today.
Members of the element, to be led by Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr., deputy division commander for operations, are expected to rotate during the mission, Pittard said. Details are still being worked out, he added, estimating that deployments would be in the six-month range.
About 110 soldiers will deploy from Fort Bliss, with liaison officers and other augmentees to increase the element's size closer to 200, he said.
On the ground, the element will coordinate with U.S. military forces operating in Jordan and provide assistance "in everything from humanitarian assistance to stability [operations] to other things in support of Jordan," Pittard said. The operational role, however, is expected to be "very, very limited," he said, adding that the headquarters is prepared to expand the mission and the scale of the mission as necessary.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the deployment during testimony yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The contingent will enhance efforts of a small U.S. military team that has been working in Jordan since last year on planning related to chemical weapons and preventing a spillover of violence across Jordan's borders, the secretary told the Senate panel.
"These personnel will continue to work alongside Jordanian armed forces to improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios," he said.
Pittard reported today that the advance party already is on the ground in Jordan preparing for the mission.
The division is regionally aligned with U.S. Central Command, and Pittard and most of his headquarters staff worked alongside their Jordanian counterparts during Exercise Eager Light in October, he said. Exercise Eager Lion, also in Jordan, is slated for June. Another portion of the headquarters is in Saudi Arabia for Exercise Earnest Leader, and others will participate in Exercise Bright Star in Egypt in September, he said.
The deployment comes just two weeks after the announcement that missile defenders based at Fort Bliss would deploy to Guam as a precautionary move to protect against North Korean missiles.
Members of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense System battery deployed last week and are in place and operational in Guam, Pittard reported.
"They are well-trained and ready, and the capability they bring will certainly help to protect our country," he said.
Pittard said he's proud that Fort Bliss "has really become one of our premier installations" in the expeditionary Army.
ISAF NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN
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| U.S. soldiers provide security for a hasty patrol base in the Registan Desert in the Panjwai district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, April 10, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kimberly Hackba |
Afghan, Coalition Troops Arrest Taliban Facilitator
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, April 18, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban leader and another insurgent in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.
The leader is accused of directing and participating in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the province's Panjwai and Kandahar districts. He is believed to facilitate weapons and equipment for insurgent operations and to have significant experience with the construction and emplacement of improvised explosive devices.
In Afghanistan operations yesterday:
-- A combined force in Samangan province's Darah-ye Suf-e Pain district detained two insurgents during a search for a senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader believed to direct insurgent fighters and to have planned high-profile attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and civilians.
-- In Nuristan province's Waygal district, a combined force killed two insurgents during a search for the suspected top Taliban official in the district, who is believed to be responsible for leading attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, conducting illegal checkpoints and kidnapping Afghan officials.
-- Afghan Provincial Response Company Uruzgan, enabled by coalition forces, killed two insurgents and seized and destroyed IED-making materials in Uruzgan province's Shahid-e Hasas district during a search for a Taliban weapons facilitator.
QUARTERLY REPORT ON PIRACY OFF COAST OF SOMALIA
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| Map: Somalia. Credit: CIA World Factbook. |
Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia: Quarterly Update
Fact Sheet
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
April 17, 2013
The Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia was created on January 14, 2009 pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1851. This voluntary, ad hoc international forum brings together over 80 countries, organizations, and industry groups with a shared interest in combating piracy. Chaired by the United States in 2013, the Contact Group continues to coordinate political, military, industry, and non-governmental efforts to bring an end to piracy off the coast of Somalia and to ensure that pirates are brought to justice.
Through its five thematic working groups, the Contact Group draws on international expertise and adopts a problem-solving approach towards addressing piracy, working closely with Somali authorities and regional administrations. Working Group 1, chaired by the United Kingdom, focuses on military and operational coordination, information sharing, and capacity building; Working Group 2, chaired by Denmark, addresses legal and judicial issues; Working Group 3, chaired by the Republic of Korea, works closely with the shipping industry to enhance awareness and build capabilities among seafarers transiting the region; Working Group 4, chaired by Egypt, aims at raising public awareness of the dangers of piracy; and Working Group 5, chaired by Italy, focuses on illicit financial flows associated with piracy as well as disrupting the pirate enterprise ashore.
This unique international partnership is contributing toward a significant decline in successful pirate attacks in the region. There has not been a single successful pirate attack in the region to date in 2013, and 2012 saw a nearly 75 percent decline in successful attacks over 2011.
Recent Developments
Apprehensions at Sea
On February 25, the EU Naval Force frigate HNLMS DE RUYTER transferred nine suspected pirates to authorities in the Republic of Seychelles. The suspects were captured aboard two skiffs after an alarm report from a merchant vessel on February 19.
Piracy Trials
Trials have been proceeding in the region for 16 suspected pirates detained in April 2012 by the Danish naval vessel ABSALON, operating as part of NATO’s Operation OCEAN SHIELD. A court in Seychelles sentenced three of the pirates to prison terms of 24 years and a fourth to 16 years. Denmark collaborated with Pakistan to secure Pakistani fishermen held hostage by the pirates to serve as witnesses in court. The next step will be to transfer the convicted pirates to serve their sentences in their home country, Somalia.
Prisoner Transfers
Meetings
The Contact Group’s Working Group 4 (Public Information) and 1 (Military and Operational Coordination, Information Sharing, and Capacity Building) met March 18-21, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Somali government officials participated for the first time in Working Group 4 meetings, and committed to harmonizing official counter piracy messaging with that of the international community. Working Group 1 reviewed the significant progress being made to enhance effective coordination of international activity to develop regional maritime security, judicial and penal capabilities, and exchanged views with leaders of the multinational naval forces operating in the High-Risk Area on the effectiveness of preventative efforts at sea, and the recent deliberations of the Shared Awareness and De-Confliction Mechanism (known as SHADE).
Representatives of the Somali Contact Group on Counter Piracy (The Kampala Process), consisting of the Federal Government of Somalia, Puntland, Galmudug, and Somaliland, met in Addis Ababa on March 11-17. These meetings, facilitated by UNPOS, UNODC, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and the NGO Oceans Beyond Piracy, resulted in substantial progress towards developing a single draft Somali Maritime Strategy.
Working Groups 2 and 5 will meet in Copenhagen on April 10-12.
The Fourteenth Plenary of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia will meet in New York City in the UN headquarters on May 1, 2013, chaired. The United States will chair this meeting.
Significant Developments
The Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution & Intelligence Coordination Centre (RAPPICC) in the Seychelles officially opened on February 25. The RAPPICC will coordinate counter-piracy intelligence and information in order to better target the kingpins and financiers of Somali piracy.
Ambassador Thomas Winkler of Denmark, Chairman of the Contact Group’s Working Group 2 (Judicial Issues), accompanied UNODC officials on a visit to Puntland, including to the prison in Bosasso, which has been rebuilt in large part with funding provided by the Trust Fund. During the visit, Puntland authorities and UNODC agreed on the establishment of a national monitoring group for transferred pirate prisoners, which UNODC will supplement with an international monitoring group. In Somaliland, UNODC opened a housing complex at Hargeisa prison as part of a continuing process to upgrade penal facilities throughout the region. UNODC Counter Piracy Programme prison advisors visited the five Kenyan prisons where 130 convicted pirates are currently serving sentences of up to 20 years.
In March, $1.95 million was disbursed to the UN Development Program and UNODC to implement projects approved by the UN Trust Fund, which is managed by the UN Department of Political Affairs. The projects will develop police capacity to combat piracy in Puntland, Somalia; facilitate effective prosecution of individuals suspected of piracy; provide support to prisoner transfer flights from Seychelles to Somalia; and support the creation of a maritime law enforcement strategy and legal framework in Somalia.
Working Group 3 hosted an ad hoc meeting in London on January 15 on the High Risk Area (HRA) in London, where participants deliberated on the scope of the HRA as defined in the fourth iteration of the Best Management Practices guidelines. Another issue discussed was the idea of a transit corridor off the coast of India. The meeting provided a forum for a focused and in-depth deliberation of the HRA issue among all parties concerned.
Piracy Statistics for January 1-April 1, 2013
Hostage seafarers in pirate custody
67 on six fishing vessels, including M/V NAHAM (Oman), hijacked March 26, 2012
17 held on land from M/V ASHPAHLT VENTURE, LEOPARD, and PRATALAY 4
SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY REMEMBERS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EMBASSY BOMBING IN BEIRUT
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
30th Anniversary of the Embassy Beirut Bombing
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 17, 2013
Today, on the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, the United States celebrates close cooperation with the people of Lebanon that proves the enemies of democracy failed.
On April 18, 1983, a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle laden with 2,000 pounds of explosives in front of Embassy Beirut, in what was then the single largest attack on a U.S. diplomatic facility.
This act of terrorism killed 52 American diplomats, military personnel, and Lebanese Embassy colleagues. It also wounded more than 100 Americans and Lebanese.
As we reflect on that day, we also remember another terrorist attack later that year against the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut, as well as a third attack on the Beirut Embassy a year later.
All the Americans lost in these acts of terror had come in peace. They and our cherished Lebanese colleagues made the ultimate sacrifice through their service.
Hizballah and other terrorist organizations like it hoped through these violent attacks to deter the United States from maintaining our strong relationship with the Lebanese people, and from working with all elements of Lebanese society to insure the stability and sovereignty of Lebanon.
Yet the last 30 years of close cooperation between the United States and Lebanon - especially at the people-to-people level - proves the terrorists' goals were not achieved.
They underestimated the resolve of the United States to fight terrorism and to bring terrorists to justice wherever they may lurk, resolve renewed this week following the cowardly bombings in my hometown of Boston.
The recent loss of State Department colleagues in Zabul, Ankara, and Benghazi remind us of the sacrifices made by our colleagues around the world who work at U.S. diplomatic missions to promote and protect democracy, enhance freedom and justice, and facilitate development.
Just as we did 30 years ago, the United States today steadfastly supports the Lebanese people and their continued advance toward a sovereign, stable, independent, and prosperous nation.
30th Anniversary of the Embassy Beirut Bombing
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
April 17, 2013
Today, on the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, the United States celebrates close cooperation with the people of Lebanon that proves the enemies of democracy failed.
On April 18, 1983, a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle laden with 2,000 pounds of explosives in front of Embassy Beirut, in what was then the single largest attack on a U.S. diplomatic facility.
This act of terrorism killed 52 American diplomats, military personnel, and Lebanese Embassy colleagues. It also wounded more than 100 Americans and Lebanese.
As we reflect on that day, we also remember another terrorist attack later that year against the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut, as well as a third attack on the Beirut Embassy a year later.
All the Americans lost in these acts of terror had come in peace. They and our cherished Lebanese colleagues made the ultimate sacrifice through their service.
Hizballah and other terrorist organizations like it hoped through these violent attacks to deter the United States from maintaining our strong relationship with the Lebanese people, and from working with all elements of Lebanese society to insure the stability and sovereignty of Lebanon.
Yet the last 30 years of close cooperation between the United States and Lebanon - especially at the people-to-people level - proves the terrorists' goals were not achieved.
They underestimated the resolve of the United States to fight terrorism and to bring terrorists to justice wherever they may lurk, resolve renewed this week following the cowardly bombings in my hometown of Boston.
The recent loss of State Department colleagues in Zabul, Ankara, and Benghazi remind us of the sacrifices made by our colleagues around the world who work at U.S. diplomatic missions to promote and protect democracy, enhance freedom and justice, and facilitate development.
Just as we did 30 years ago, the United States today steadfastly supports the Lebanese people and their continued advance toward a sovereign, stable, independent, and prosperous nation.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAGEL'S STATEMENT ON SYRIA BEFORE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
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| DOD Photo: Secretary Of Defense Chuck Hagel |
Statement on Syria before the Senate Armed Services Committee
As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Washington, D.C., Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Mr. Chairman, thank you.
Senator McCain, thank you.
Senator King, thank you.
I think the Chairman and I both very much appreciate the opportunity to discuss this issue today. And I would like to make a brief statement to lay out some of the general parameters on what we're doing, and then I think the Chairman has a very short statement, then we'll get into whatever you want to talk about.
First, the policy of the United States government is to work with allies and partners, as you both know, and as well as the Syrian opposition to provide humanitarian assistance across Syria and the region. And it's to hasten the end of violence, to bring about a political transition to a post-Assad authority that will restore stability, respect the rights of all its people and prevent Syria from becoming a safe haven for extremists, and take the necessary actions to secure Syria's chemical and biological weapons.
The best outcome for Syria – and the region – I think as we all agree is a negotiated political transition. The role of the Department of Defense is to support broader U.S. diplomatic efforts while ensuring that the U.S. military is fully prepared to protect America's interests and meet our security commitments to the region.
In pursuit of a negotiated political solution in Syria, the U.S. government is working to mobilize the international community, further isolate the Assad regime and support the moderate Syrian opposition. The United States has acknowledged the Syrian Opposition Coalition, the SOC, as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people and committed to provide them with $117 million in nonlethal assistance including communications and medical equipment. The State Department and USAID are providing technical assistance to the opposition which includes training for over 1,500 Syrian leaders and activists from over 100 local councils. The goal is to strengthen these opposition groups that share the international community's vision for Syria's future and minimize the influence of extremists. Additionally, President Obama has directed his national security team to increase nonlethal assistance to both the SOC and the Supreme Military Council, the SMC. We are working now to assess how to allocate and deliver that additional assistance.
The Department of State and USAID with support from other U.S. government agencies are working to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Syria and help the more than one million Syrian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. To date the United States has provided $385 million in humanitarian assistance, including emergency medical care and supplies, food and shelter. The United States is the largest single bilateral provider of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people. The United States is leading efforts to ensure that other countries make good on the $1.5 billion in commitments made at the international humanitarian pledging conference for Syria held in Kuwait earlier this year. We're also working through diplomatic and military channels to encourage Russia and China to do more to help resolve this crisis, and I have conveyed the message in recent calls with both my Russian and Chinese counterparts.
Internationally, the United States has worked with the E.U., Arab League, GCC countries and over 50 countries to build a robust sanctions regime designed to pressure the Syrian government and bring about an end to the conflict. These sanctions are having an impact on the Assad regime's ability to access the international financial system and raise foreign currency revenue.
In support of U.S. government efforts to respond to the crisis, the Department of Defense has expanded security consultations with key allies and partners in the region and in Europe, ensured that the U.S. military is strategically postured in the region and engaged in robust military planning for a range of contingencies.
U.S. military leaders are in regular communications with senior allied military leaders. Over the past year we have synchronized defense planning with several nations including Canada, the United Kingdom and France. Following the president's recent trip to Israel and Jordan, on Saturday, I will travel to the region and meet with defense leaders of Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE to review our regional security efforts. Secretary Kerry will be in Turkey this weekend, discussing Syria with the Turkish government and other key partners. The President's National Security Adviser has just returned from Russia where he would discuss Syria with Russian leaders, and Chairman Dempsey will be in China this week discussing Syria with Chinese leaders.
Last December the Department of Defense deployed Patriot missile batteries to southern Turkey for the protection of our NATO Ally. Since last year a small team of U.S. military experts has been working in Jordan on planning related to chemical weapons and preventing a spillover of violence across Jordan's borders. Last week I ordered the deployment of a U.S. Army headquarters element to enhance this effort in Amman. These personnel will continue to work alongside the Jordanian Armed Forces to improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios.
Through our Cooperative Threat rReduction program, the Department of Defense personnel and our interagency partners are also working closely with Syria's neighbors, including Jordan, Turkey and Iraq to help them counter the threat from Syria's chemical weapons. As part of this effort, the Department of Defense is funding over $70 million for activities in Jordan including providing training and equipment to detect and stop any chemical weapons transfers along its border with Syria and developing Jordanian capacity to identify and secure chemical weapons assets.
President Obama has made clear that if Assad and those under his command use chemical weapons or fail to meet their obligations to secure them, there will be consequences and they will be held accountable. The Department of Defense has plans in place to respond to the full range of chemical weapon scenarios.
The U.S. military is constantly updating and adjusting tactical military planning to account for the rapidly shifting situation on the ground and to prepare for additional new contingencies, not only those associated with the Syrian regime's chemical weapons but also the potential spillover of violence across Syria's borders that could threaten Allies and partners.
While I cannot discuss specific plans in an open session, we have been developing options and planning for post-Assad Syria and we will continue to provide the President and Congress with our assessment of options for U.S. military intervention.
The reality is that this is a complex and difficult situation, as everyone on this committee knows. The killing of innocents by the Syrian regime is tragic. The Assad regime is intent on maintaining power. The conflict within Syria has developed along dangerous sectarian lines. And the opposition has not yet sufficiently organized itself politically or militarily.
We have an obligation and responsibility to think through the consequences of any direct U.S. military action in Syria. Military intervention at this point could hinder humanitarian relief operations. It could embroil the United States in a significant, lengthy, and uncertain military commitment. Unilateral military action could strain other key international partnerships, as no international or regional consensus on supporting armed intervention now exists. And finally, a military intervention could have the unintended consequence of bringing the United States into a broader regional conflict or a proxy war.
Military intervention is always an option. It should be an option, but an option of last resort.
The best outcome for Syria – and the region – is negotiated political transition to a post-Assad Syria.
Having said that, the responsibility of the Department of Defense is to protect America's national security and to provide the President with a full range of options for any contingency. The United States military is prepared to respond at the President's direction. We will continue to work with our allies and partners to defend our interests, meet security commitments in the region and support efforts to achieve a political solution to the crisis.
And I'll look forward to your questions and would ask now if General Dempsey has some remarks.
JUSTICE SETTLES DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT INVOLVING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Owners and Managers of Rental Homes in Mississippi for Discriminating Against Families with Children
The Justice Department announced today that Marcus Manly Magee III, Ina Magee, and their company, M.M. and S. Inc., have agreed to pay $27,000 to settle a lawsuit involving violations of the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants established and implemented an occupancy policy at 23 rental properties in Magee, Miss., that differentiated between the maximum number of adults and children who could reside in each home.
Under the consent order, which was approved today by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, the defendants must pay $20,000 to a family that was harmed by defendants’ discriminatory practices and $7,000 to the United States as a civil penalty. In addition, the order prohibits the defendants from discriminating against families with children in the future, mandates a non-discriminatory occupancy policy of two persons per bedroom, and requires the defendants to receive training on the Fair Housing Act.
"The Fair Housing Act ensures that families cannot be denied housing based on policies that discriminate against children," said Eric Halperin, Special Counsel for Fair Lending in the Civil Rights Division. "The Justice Department will continue its vigorous enforcement of fair housing laws that protect the rights of families with children."
"This settlement ensures that prospective families seeking housing will be treated fairly under the law," said Gregory K. Davis, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. "We will continue to work with the Civil Rights Division to protect the rights of Mississippi citizens through enforcement of the Fair Housing Act."
The lawsuit, filed in November 2011, arose as a result of a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After HUD investigated the complaint, it issued a charge of discrimination and the matter was referred to the Justice Department. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to rent a three-bedroom home to a woman with four children because she had "too many children" under the defendants’ occupancy policy. The suit also alleged that by setting a lower maximum number of children than adults who could reside in each home, the defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination or denied rights protected by the Fair Housing Act to a group of persons.
"Housing providers have an obligation to ensure that their occupancy standards do not violate a family’s housing rights," said John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "HUD and the Department of Justice are committed to taking action against anyone who unlawfully denies housing to families because of the number of children in their family."
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Owners and Managers of Rental Homes in Mississippi for Discriminating Against Families with Children
The Justice Department announced today that Marcus Manly Magee III, Ina Magee, and their company, M.M. and S. Inc., have agreed to pay $27,000 to settle a lawsuit involving violations of the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants established and implemented an occupancy policy at 23 rental properties in Magee, Miss., that differentiated between the maximum number of adults and children who could reside in each home.
Under the consent order, which was approved today by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, the defendants must pay $20,000 to a family that was harmed by defendants’ discriminatory practices and $7,000 to the United States as a civil penalty. In addition, the order prohibits the defendants from discriminating against families with children in the future, mandates a non-discriminatory occupancy policy of two persons per bedroom, and requires the defendants to receive training on the Fair Housing Act.
"The Fair Housing Act ensures that families cannot be denied housing based on policies that discriminate against children," said Eric Halperin, Special Counsel for Fair Lending in the Civil Rights Division. "The Justice Department will continue its vigorous enforcement of fair housing laws that protect the rights of families with children."
"This settlement ensures that prospective families seeking housing will be treated fairly under the law," said Gregory K. Davis, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. "We will continue to work with the Civil Rights Division to protect the rights of Mississippi citizens through enforcement of the Fair Housing Act."
The lawsuit, filed in November 2011, arose as a result of a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). After HUD investigated the complaint, it issued a charge of discrimination and the matter was referred to the Justice Department. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants violated the Fair Housing Act by refusing to rent a three-bedroom home to a woman with four children because she had "too many children" under the defendants’ occupancy policy. The suit also alleged that by setting a lower maximum number of children than adults who could reside in each home, the defendants engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination or denied rights protected by the Fair Housing Act to a group of persons.
"Housing providers have an obligation to ensure that their occupancy standards do not violate a family’s housing rights," said John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "HUD and the Department of Justice are committed to taking action against anyone who unlawfully denies housing to families because of the number of children in their family."
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability.
RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS
Sailors and Marines man the rails aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) while entering Hong Kong. Peleliu is the flagship for the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group on deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jasmine Sheard (Released) 130415-N-SH505-028
Hundreds of San Narciso residents cross the new San Pascual footbridge following an official ribbon cutting ceremony. The footbridge was one of seven engineering civic action projects completed by Combined/Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force (CJCMOTF) units in support of exercise Balikatan 2013, an annual Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Fahey (Released) 040414-N-VN372-002.
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