Sunday, May 10, 2015
U.S. LABOR DEPT. OFFERS FIVE THINGS TO KNOW REGARDING APRIL EMPLOYMENT NUMBERS
FROM: U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
OPA News Release
Five things you should know about the April employment numbers
WASHINGTON — With the release of the April 2015 Employment Situation Report today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez says there are five things you should know about the numbers:
With 223,000 jobs added in April, private-sector employment has grown for 62 consecutive months — the longest streak on record — to the tune of 12.3 million jobs over that time.
The national unemployment rate fell to 5.4 percent in April, the lowest it's been since May 2008.
The unemployment rate a year ago, in April 2014, was 6.2 percent. Since that time, the labor force participation rate has held steady, which means the decline in the unemployment rate has been due to people getting jobs.
Job growth last month was particularly strong in three sectors: construction, professional and business services, and education and health services. These are sectors that have historically provided good-paying middle-class jobs.
Despite all of the progress made, wages continue to be the unfinished business of the recovery. Wage growth has been picking up, with the average hourly wage increasing by 2.2 percent over the last year. But too many working people are still earning poverty wages. It's long past time for Congress to act to raise the minimum wage so that every person can share in the prosperity being created
OPA News Release
Five things you should know about the April employment numbers
WASHINGTON — With the release of the April 2015 Employment Situation Report today, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez says there are five things you should know about the numbers:
With 223,000 jobs added in April, private-sector employment has grown for 62 consecutive months — the longest streak on record — to the tune of 12.3 million jobs over that time.
The national unemployment rate fell to 5.4 percent in April, the lowest it's been since May 2008.
The unemployment rate a year ago, in April 2014, was 6.2 percent. Since that time, the labor force participation rate has held steady, which means the decline in the unemployment rate has been due to people getting jobs.
Job growth last month was particularly strong in three sectors: construction, professional and business services, and education and health services. These are sectors that have historically provided good-paying middle-class jobs.
Despite all of the progress made, wages continue to be the unfinished business of the recovery. Wage growth has been picking up, with the average hourly wage increasing by 2.2 percent over the last year. But too many working people are still earning poverty wages. It's long past time for Congress to act to raise the minimum wage so that every person can share in the prosperity being created
SHOPPING MALL DEVELOPER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO CONCEAL $17 MILLION IN ASSETS DURING BANKRUPTCY
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Arizona Shopping Center Developer Arrested for Fraud and Bankruptcy Crimes in Alleged Scheme to Conceal $17 Million in Assets
An Arizona shopping center developer was arrested today on fraud and bankruptcy charges in connection with a scheme to allegedly conceal his control of approximately $17 million in assets.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona and Inspector in Charge Gary Barksdale of the Criminal Investigations Group of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
Alex Papakyriakou, aka, Alex Papas, 57, of Phoenix, Arizona, was charged in an indictment in the District of Arizona with eight counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bankruptcy-related offenses, four counts of concealing assets in bankruptcy, one count of making a false oath in bankruptcy and three counts of falsification of records in bankruptcy.
According to allegations in the indictment, Papas and a now deceased business partner organized over 200 limited liability companies from 1997 to 2008 to develop shopping centers and other real estate projects in Arizona and elsewhere, funded by approximately $150 million from investors and $250 million in bank loans. When the companies encountered financial difficulties in 2007 and 2008, Papas allegedly created Cobea Associates, LLC (Cobea), a company nominally owned by his sister in South Africa, but actually operated and controlled by him to shield his valuable family assets from investors and other creditors. Papas then allegedly transferred title of his assets to Cobea, including a luxurious home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, a vacation beach house and a condominium in Laguna Beach, California, and a business entity in Scottsdale, Arizona, which bought and sold expensive vintage collector automobiles.
From June 2008 through approximately June 2013, Papas allegedly deceived various banks regarding the transfer of the assets and his financial condition to both obtain new loans and extend existing loans secured by his assets. Additionally, in 2011, Papas filed for bankruptcy, claiming that he had less than $1 million in assets and over $144 million in liabilities, while allegedly concealing and denying his control of the millions of dollars in assets he transferred to Cobea.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Group of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Jack Patrick and Trial Attorney Sarah Hall of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Woo of the District of Arizona.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Arizona Shopping Center Developer Arrested for Fraud and Bankruptcy Crimes in Alleged Scheme to Conceal $17 Million in Assets
An Arizona shopping center developer was arrested today on fraud and bankruptcy charges in connection with a scheme to allegedly conceal his control of approximately $17 million in assets.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona and Inspector in Charge Gary Barksdale of the Criminal Investigations Group of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
Alex Papakyriakou, aka, Alex Papas, 57, of Phoenix, Arizona, was charged in an indictment in the District of Arizona with eight counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bankruptcy-related offenses, four counts of concealing assets in bankruptcy, one count of making a false oath in bankruptcy and three counts of falsification of records in bankruptcy.
According to allegations in the indictment, Papas and a now deceased business partner organized over 200 limited liability companies from 1997 to 2008 to develop shopping centers and other real estate projects in Arizona and elsewhere, funded by approximately $150 million from investors and $250 million in bank loans. When the companies encountered financial difficulties in 2007 and 2008, Papas allegedly created Cobea Associates, LLC (Cobea), a company nominally owned by his sister in South Africa, but actually operated and controlled by him to shield his valuable family assets from investors and other creditors. Papas then allegedly transferred title of his assets to Cobea, including a luxurious home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, a vacation beach house and a condominium in Laguna Beach, California, and a business entity in Scottsdale, Arizona, which bought and sold expensive vintage collector automobiles.
From June 2008 through approximately June 2013, Papas allegedly deceived various banks regarding the transfer of the assets and his financial condition to both obtain new loans and extend existing loans secured by his assets. Additionally, in 2011, Papas filed for bankruptcy, claiming that he had less than $1 million in assets and over $144 million in liabilities, while allegedly concealing and denying his control of the millions of dollars in assets he transferred to Cobea.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Group of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Jack Patrick and Trial Attorney Sarah Hall of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Woo of the District of Arizona.
DOL SAYS CONFINED SPACES RULE PROTECTS CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
FROM: U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
Confined spaces rule could protect nearly 800 construction workers a year
from serious injuries and reduce life-threatening hazards
Construction protections now match those in manufacturing and general industry
WASHINGTON — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued a final rule to increase protections for construction workers in confined spaces.
Manholes, crawl spaces, tanks and other confined spaces are not intended for continuous occupancy. They are also difficult to exit in an emergency. People working in confined spaces face life-threatening hazards including toxic substances, electrocutions, explosions and asphyxiation.
Last year, two workers were asphyxiated while repairing leaks in a manhole, the second when he went down to save the first — which is not uncommon in cases of asphyxiation in confined spaces.
"In the construction industry, entering confined spaces is often necessary, but fatalities like these don't have to happen," said Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "This new rule will significantly improve the safety of construction workers who enter confined spaces. In fact, we estimate that it will prevent about 780 serious injuries every year."
The rule will provide construction workers with protections similar to those manufacturing and general industry workers have had for more than two decades, with some differences tailored to the construction industry. These include requirements to ensure that multiple employers share vital safety information and to continuously monitor hazards — a safety option made possible by technological advances after the manufacturing and general industry standards were created.
"This rule will save lives of construction workers," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Unlike most general industry worksites, construction sites are continually evolving, with the number and characteristics of confined spaces changing as work progresses. This rule emphasizes training, continuous worksite evaluation and communication requirements to further protect workers' safety and health."
Compliance assistance material and additional information is available on OSHA's Confined Spaces in Construction Web page.
Confined spaces rule could protect nearly 800 construction workers a year
from serious injuries and reduce life-threatening hazards
Construction protections now match those in manufacturing and general industry
WASHINGTON — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued a final rule to increase protections for construction workers in confined spaces.
Manholes, crawl spaces, tanks and other confined spaces are not intended for continuous occupancy. They are also difficult to exit in an emergency. People working in confined spaces face life-threatening hazards including toxic substances, electrocutions, explosions and asphyxiation.
Last year, two workers were asphyxiated while repairing leaks in a manhole, the second when he went down to save the first — which is not uncommon in cases of asphyxiation in confined spaces.
"In the construction industry, entering confined spaces is often necessary, but fatalities like these don't have to happen," said Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "This new rule will significantly improve the safety of construction workers who enter confined spaces. In fact, we estimate that it will prevent about 780 serious injuries every year."
The rule will provide construction workers with protections similar to those manufacturing and general industry workers have had for more than two decades, with some differences tailored to the construction industry. These include requirements to ensure that multiple employers share vital safety information and to continuously monitor hazards — a safety option made possible by technological advances after the manufacturing and general industry standards were created.
"This rule will save lives of construction workers," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Unlike most general industry worksites, construction sites are continually evolving, with the number and characteristics of confined spaces changing as work progresses. This rule emphasizes training, continuous worksite evaluation and communication requirements to further protect workers' safety and health."
Compliance assistance material and additional information is available on OSHA's Confined Spaces in Construction Web page.
U.S. SUPPORTED NEW SYRIAN FORCES BEGIN COMBAT TRAINING
Right: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey answers a reporter's questions as Defense Secretary Ash Carter listens during a press conference in the Pentagon Briefing Room May 7, 2015. DoD Photo by Glenn Fawcett.
Carter: Combat Training Begins for New Syrian Forces
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, May 7, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced today that combat training has begun for nearly 90 fighters from the new Syrian forces and that a second group will begin training in the next few weeks.
Carter spoke alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey during a briefing to the Pentagon press corps here.
“The program is a critical and complex part of our counter-ISIL efforts,” Carter said, referring to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.
The training for what the secretary called “highly vetted individuals” is led by very experienced trainers and taking place in a secure location, he said.
New Syrian Forces
Carter said the trainees have been in the program for quite a while, having gone through a process of being recruited and vetted.
“The training takes some time,” he added, “and then they would be inserted into operations, and the trainees [coming in] behind them. … We hope this to be an ever-expanding program once it proves itself, which I think it will.”
The trainees are being trained and equipped specifically to fight ISIL, the secretary said.
“That is the purpose, and that is the basis upon which they're being vetted and trained,” Carter said, adding that it’s not a goal of the U.S. program to have the new Syrian forces engage the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Engaging ISIL
The trainees are being fielded to engage ISIL, he said. “That will be their principal mission and that's one of the bases on which they would join our program in the first place.”
If Assad’s forces undertook to engage the new Syrian forces being trained, the Defense Department “would have some responsibility toward them,” the secretary said, but the extent of such responsibility and the rules of engagement have not yet been decided.
Carter said that along with the training, those who participate will receive compensation and small arms.
“We're figuring out what the best training is [and] what the best initial deployment is,” the secretary added. “We expect that to be successful and therefore to grow, but you have to start somewhere, and this is where we're starting.”
Growing the Program
Dempsey noted the program will be grown in a measured way.
“This … program is very complex,” the chairman added. “It won't be easy, but I'd emphasize that it's one part, one component, of a much broader approach.”
The stability of the Assad regime could be a consideration as the training program proceeds, and Dempsey agreed that a destabilized regime would pose new challenges.
“Two years ago, Assad was at a point where we thought he was at a disadvantage and that the opposition was on the rise, and then that situation reversed itself for a period of time,” Dempsey explained, “so we've been through the intellectual rigor of what this might mean.”
Counter-ISIL Strategy
For Syria it might mean further instability if power were to transfer precipitously, the chairman said, and it could worsen the humanitarian crisis.
“For us and our counter-ISIL strategy, it wouldn't change the dynamic --
meaning that we still have the fundamental challenge of finding moderate Syrian opposition men to train to be a stabilizing influence over time,” Dempsey said.
“On the side of our diplomacy and our diplomats, there’s the issue of finding moderate Syrian opposition to establish a political structure to which the military force we're building can be responsive,” he added.
The challenges wouldn’t change for the Defense Department, he said, but it would make the situation for Syria more complicated.
Dempsey added, “I do think that the [Assad] regime's momentum has been slowed, and … I do believe the situation is trending less favorably for the regime. And if I were him, I would find the opportunity to look to the negotiating table.”
JAMAICA RESIDENT FOUND GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY RELATED TO LOTTERY FRAUD
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Jamaican Lottery Fraud Defendant Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Fraud and Other Charges
Sanjay Ashani Williams, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, was found guilty on charges of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud or mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering and 45 counts of wire fraud (counts two through 44), after a six-and-a-half-day-jury trial in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers for the District of North Dakota.
Williams sold “lead lists” to Jamaican lottery fraud scammers, providing the scammers with the names, telephone numbers and personal information of potential victims. Williams’ co-conspirators then contacted victims by telephone or mail and falsely told the victims they had won a large sweepstakes prize, such as $3.5 million and a new Mercedes Benz automobile. Callers repeatedly instructed victims that in order to claim the prize, the victims had to send money, sometimes thousands of dollars, to the scammers to pay non-existent taxes, fees, insurance and the like. Williams and other scammers deliberately targeted victims over the age of 55. After the “fees” were paid, the victims were required to send more and more money, however, the prize was fake and the victims did not receive the promised prize.
The scammers frequently impersonated trusted institutions such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bank of America, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state government agencies. They sometimes mailed official-looking, but fake, documents on letterhead to victims. Scammers also used official-looking email addresses, telephone numbers and sent bogus checks to victims in order to make the scam more convincing.
Williams is the first person prosecuted and convicted, in either the United States or Jamaica, for selling lead lists to be used in the Jamaican lottery fraud. In this case alone, over 70 victims were identified, with reported losses totaling over $5 million. Individual victims lost as much as $800,000 to the scam. Williams was one of the first Jamaican national defendants implicated in the Jamaican lottery fraud to have been tried and convicted in the United States. Prior to Williams’ trial, 11 indicted defendants from Jamaica and the United States were arrested and pleaded guilty in this case and 14 indicted defendants are awaiting arrest and extradition from Jamaica. Three additional co-conspirators were charged in a separate indictment.
“This case should send the message to fraudsters around the world, if you victimize North Dakota citizens, we can and will find you and bring you to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Myers said. “It is our hope that this groundbreaking prosecution will open doors for other jurisdictions to prosecute these cases and that the lessons we’ve learned can be used across the country.”
Williams faces up to 40 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines, restitution and criminal forfeiture. The honorable Daniel L. Hovland has set a sentencing hearing and forfeiture hearings for Williams on Aug. 6, 2015, in U.S. District Court in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The case was investigated by the North Dakota office of the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) in Florida, with assistance from many other federal and state law enforcement agencies. Corporal Kevin Watson of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), Lottery Scam Task Force in Jamaica, testified as an expert witness.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clare Hochhalter, Nick Chase and Patrick Thomas and Trial Attorney Lorinda Laryea for the Department of Justice prosecuted the case.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Jamaican Lottery Fraud Defendant Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Fraud and Other Charges
Sanjay Ashani Williams, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, was found guilty on charges of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud or mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering and 45 counts of wire fraud (counts two through 44), after a six-and-a-half-day-jury trial in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers for the District of North Dakota.
Williams sold “lead lists” to Jamaican lottery fraud scammers, providing the scammers with the names, telephone numbers and personal information of potential victims. Williams’ co-conspirators then contacted victims by telephone or mail and falsely told the victims they had won a large sweepstakes prize, such as $3.5 million and a new Mercedes Benz automobile. Callers repeatedly instructed victims that in order to claim the prize, the victims had to send money, sometimes thousands of dollars, to the scammers to pay non-existent taxes, fees, insurance and the like. Williams and other scammers deliberately targeted victims over the age of 55. After the “fees” were paid, the victims were required to send more and more money, however, the prize was fake and the victims did not receive the promised prize.
The scammers frequently impersonated trusted institutions such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bank of America, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state government agencies. They sometimes mailed official-looking, but fake, documents on letterhead to victims. Scammers also used official-looking email addresses, telephone numbers and sent bogus checks to victims in order to make the scam more convincing.
Williams is the first person prosecuted and convicted, in either the United States or Jamaica, for selling lead lists to be used in the Jamaican lottery fraud. In this case alone, over 70 victims were identified, with reported losses totaling over $5 million. Individual victims lost as much as $800,000 to the scam. Williams was one of the first Jamaican national defendants implicated in the Jamaican lottery fraud to have been tried and convicted in the United States. Prior to Williams’ trial, 11 indicted defendants from Jamaica and the United States were arrested and pleaded guilty in this case and 14 indicted defendants are awaiting arrest and extradition from Jamaica. Three additional co-conspirators were charged in a separate indictment.
“This case should send the message to fraudsters around the world, if you victimize North Dakota citizens, we can and will find you and bring you to justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Myers said. “It is our hope that this groundbreaking prosecution will open doors for other jurisdictions to prosecute these cases and that the lessons we’ve learned can be used across the country.”
Williams faces up to 40 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines, restitution and criminal forfeiture. The honorable Daniel L. Hovland has set a sentencing hearing and forfeiture hearings for Williams on Aug. 6, 2015, in U.S. District Court in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The case was investigated by the North Dakota office of the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) in Florida, with assistance from many other federal and state law enforcement agencies. Corporal Kevin Watson of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), Lottery Scam Task Force in Jamaica, testified as an expert witness.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clare Hochhalter, Nick Chase and Patrick Thomas and Trial Attorney Lorinda Laryea for the Department of Justice prosecuted the case.
CDC SAYS MANY DON'T RECEIVE RECOMMENDED CANCER SCREENINGS
FROM: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Cancer Screening Test Use — United States, 2013
Many people are not receiving breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening as recommended. These screenings can reduce deaths from these cancers. People should talk with their healthcare providers about what screenings are appropriate for them, when they should start to receive them, and how often tests should be repeated. Screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer can reduce deaths from these cancers. While many people are up-to-date with these screenings, there is room for improvement. In 2013, screening use was below national targets, with no progress in increasing screening use compared with 2010.
Among adults of screening age, 72.6 percent of women reported having a mammogram within two years (Healthy People 2020 target 81.1 percent), 80.7 percent reported having a Pap test within three years (target 93.0 percent), and 58.2 percent of adults reported having recent colorectal cancer screening (target 70.5 percent).
Cancer Screening Test Use — United States, 2013
Many people are not receiving breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening as recommended. These screenings can reduce deaths from these cancers. People should talk with their healthcare providers about what screenings are appropriate for them, when they should start to receive them, and how often tests should be repeated. Screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer can reduce deaths from these cancers. While many people are up-to-date with these screenings, there is room for improvement. In 2013, screening use was below national targets, with no progress in increasing screening use compared with 2010.
Among adults of screening age, 72.6 percent of women reported having a mammogram within two years (Healthy People 2020 target 81.1 percent), 80.7 percent reported having a Pap test within three years (target 93.0 percent), and 58.2 percent of adults reported having recent colorectal cancer screening (target 70.5 percent).
Saturday, May 9, 2015
AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE HITTING ISIL
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 8, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
Airstrikes in Syria
Attack, bomber fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five airstrikes in Syria:
-- Near Hasakah, four airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.
-- Near Raqqah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.
Airstrikes in Iraq
Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted nine airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:
-- Near Asad, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building.
-- Near Qaim, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.
-- Near Beiji, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying six ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and an ISIL armored personnel carrier.
-- Near Mosul, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.
-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit, destroying seven ISIL buildings and destroying nine ISIL heavy machine guns.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.
Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Airstrikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq
From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 8, 2015 – U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
Airstrikes in Syria
Attack, bomber fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five airstrikes in Syria:
-- Near Hasakah, four airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL vehicle.
-- Near Raqqah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.
Airstrikes in Iraq
Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted nine airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense:
-- Near Asad, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building.
-- Near Qaim, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.
-- Near Beiji, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying six ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and an ISIL armored personnel carrier.
-- Near Mosul, three airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.
-- Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL large tactical unit, destroying seven ISIL buildings and destroying nine ISIL heavy machine guns.
Part of Operation Inherent Resolve
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.
Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT ON LIBERIA AND NEW EBOLA CASES
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
May 09, 2015
Statement by the Press Secretary on Liberia
Today, the Republic of Liberia reached the important milestone of 42 days without reporting a new Ebola case, and we are pleased the World Health Organization was able to declare the end of the country’s current outbreak. We congratulate the people of Liberia on reaching this important marker, and once again pledge our commitment to ending the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and helping to rebuild Liberia and other affected nations. As President Obama said when Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf visited the White House last month, “We’re proud to partner with you and we intend to see this through until the job is done.” While this milestone is important, the world must not forget that the Ebola outbreak still persists in neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea. We must not let down our guard until the entire region reaches and stays at zero Ebola cases. And we must all work together to strengthen capacity around the world to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to outbreaks before they become epidemics.
May 09, 2015
Statement by the Press Secretary on Liberia
Today, the Republic of Liberia reached the important milestone of 42 days without reporting a new Ebola case, and we are pleased the World Health Organization was able to declare the end of the country’s current outbreak. We congratulate the people of Liberia on reaching this important marker, and once again pledge our commitment to ending the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and helping to rebuild Liberia and other affected nations. As President Obama said when Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf visited the White House last month, “We’re proud to partner with you and we intend to see this through until the job is done.” While this milestone is important, the world must not forget that the Ebola outbreak still persists in neighboring Sierra Leone and Guinea. We must not let down our guard until the entire region reaches and stays at zero Ebola cases. And we must all work together to strengthen capacity around the world to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to outbreaks before they become epidemics.
CHARLES RIVKIN SPEAKS ON TRADE
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at the Second Worldwide Symposium of the Foreign Trade Advisors of France
Remarks
Charles H. Rivkin
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
Miami, FL
May 7, 2015
Thank you, Paul, for that kind introduction.
Mesdames et messieurs les parlementaires, mesdames et messieurs les ambassadeurs… Messieurs les chefs d’entreprise, et les entrepreneurs, tous ceux parmi vous qui aspirent à créer des entreprises et à investir aux Etats-Unis…
C’est pour moi un honneur de participer à ce forum et d’avoir l’opportunité de m’adresser à une assemblée aussi prestigieuse de femmes et d’hommes politiques, de chefs d’entreprise qui viennent de cinquante pays différents, et aussi d’entrepreneurs, un mot d’origine francaise qui fait aujourd’hui partie intégrante du vocabulaire américain et de notre ADN.
Le mot “terroir” est un mot francais qui n’a pas d’équivalent en anglais. Mais après avoir parcouru les 22 régions francaises – en tant qu’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis en France – j’ai pu pleinement appréhendé le sens de ce terme: l’histoire, la culture, et la fierté qui émanent de ces territoires et qui donnent à vos regions leur identité. J’ai pu réaliser à quel point ce pays se caractérise par sa richesse et sa diversité.
C’est un honneur pour moi de me trouver aujourd’hui avec des représentants de ce pays que j’affectionne tant.
Today, in English, I will briefly explore the question that the organizers of this conference have asked me to address: “The United States in 2025: first economic and political power?” Of course, the title is intentionally a little provocative. But while we cannot claim to predict the future, we can follow the wisdom of a previous American president – Abraham Lincoln.
He once said: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
“Le meilleur moyen de prédire l’avenir est de le créer.”
Under President Obama and Secretary Kerry’s leadership, I am fortunate to be in a position where we are working to do just that.
We do this by following two key principles.
The first is that “economic policy is foreign policy, and foreign policy is economic policy.” Secretary John Kerry has not only recognized the inextricable link between foreign policy and economic policy, he has made it central to everything we do.
The majority of challenges we face are economic in nature and, very often, those challenges have security implications for the United States of America. In a world where countries like the BRICS nations are already using their economic clout to punch above their weight, it is clear that economic power is no longer an option. It’s an imperative.
The second principle recognizes the strategic value of a shared economic future. The world has become flatter, more connected, and therefore more interdependent. There is no realistic scenario for an aspiring world power to try and create its economic, or any kind of, success in individually directed ways.
In the 21st century, the ones who earn the most economic power will be those who are smart enough to share it with key partners. This is central to what the Secretary calls the shared prosperity agenda.
As Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, we are working to make that agenda real in many ways, including through two ongoing multilateral trade deals, which will not only benefit 12 countries in the Asia Pacific region, including the United States, but all 28 of our friends and allies in the European Union.
The deal that is closest to conclusion is the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, or TPP, which would bring the United States into free and open trade with Canada and Mexico; Chile and Peru; Australia and New Zealand; Japan, Malaysia and Singapore; Brunei and Vietnam.
Our hope is that this partnership will be followed by a second transformative trade deal – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – or T-TIP – which we are currently negotiating with the European Union.
These deals – together – would account for the greater majority of the world’s trade, GDP, and future economic growth. Not only that, these ambitious, comprehensive, and high-standard trade and investment agreements would allow us to create enforceable labor, consumer and environmental standards that will establish a high bar for the rest of the world.
TPP alone, if concluded, would connect Americans with 40 percent of the world’s GDP – and 50 percent of its projected economic growth. In Asia, there are currently 525 million middle class consumers. That number is expected to grow to 2.7 billion by 2030. For the United States, that’s a market that’s projected to be six times the size of our domestic one.
T-TIP is equally important to us. The transatlantic economic relationship is already the world’s largest, accounting for one third of total goods and services trade and nearly half of global economic output.
It will not only boost economic growth in the United States and the EU. It will add to the more than 13 million American and EU jobs already supported by transatlantic trade and investment. We will also build on the transatlantic ties that undergird our national security.
I know that, in the audience today, there are many companies, most of them French, that either have a presence in the United States, or are strongly considering investing here.
This brings me to a third component of the shared prosperity agenda that I would like to briefly talk about. As Assistant Secretary, everywhere I travel, from Mumbai to Mexico City, from Bangkok to Beijing, I meet with investors and other business people who tell me just how much they love investing in the United States – and how they plan to invest even more. They recognize – as we do – that the U.S. is the world’s most attractive and stable market for high-quality goods and services.
Maintaining a strong and vibrant business climate that is built on innovation, strong intellectual property rights protections, a transparent legal system and a stable regulatory environment is central to the American economy and to our way of life. And we have a consumer market, workforce, advanced technology and resources that are, frankly, second to none.
The sheer diversity of the U.S. economy means that there are opportunities for nearly every company – from start-ups to medium-sized enterprises to multinationals.
Through SelectUSA, a joint initiative with the Department of Commerce, we work to promote, increase and support inward investment in the United States. We know that foreign companies will create jobs and innovation in the U.S., and also generate profits and exports for their home countries. Not only that, these companies bring back home technology, management expertise, cultural understanding, innovative products, and access to new markets. They increase prosperity, as well as economic and political stability, for nations and workers alike.
That’s the underlying wisdom of global prosperity. It’s not a “zero sum game,” but one of mutual gain.
As Victor Hugo also said: “There is nothing in the world – not even mighty armies – as powerful as an idea whose time has come.”
“Rien n’est plus puissant – pas même les plus grandes armées - qu’une idée dont le temps est venu.”
Economic power, based on two-way trade and investment, is one of those ideas whose time has truly come. The kind of 21st century, high standard and ambitious free trade agreements that we seek will bring shared prosperity, and so much more.
As Secretary of Defense Ash Carter recently said – and I quote: “Passing TPP is as important to me as another aircraft carrier. It would deepen our alliances and partnerships abroad and underscore our lasting commitment to the Asia-Pacific. And it would help us promote a global order that reflects both our interests and our values.”
These two trade deals, ladies and gentlemen, are as much strategic as they are economic. They will solidify relations with our friends and allies around the world.
And by embracing this idea of shared prosperity, we are not only embracing the future, we are helping to write it as well.
Merci, thank you – I enjoyed having the chance to speak with you and would be pleased to answer any of your questions.
Remarks at the Second Worldwide Symposium of the Foreign Trade Advisors of France
Remarks
Charles H. Rivkin
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs
Miami, FL
May 7, 2015
Thank you, Paul, for that kind introduction.
Mesdames et messieurs les parlementaires, mesdames et messieurs les ambassadeurs… Messieurs les chefs d’entreprise, et les entrepreneurs, tous ceux parmi vous qui aspirent à créer des entreprises et à investir aux Etats-Unis…
C’est pour moi un honneur de participer à ce forum et d’avoir l’opportunité de m’adresser à une assemblée aussi prestigieuse de femmes et d’hommes politiques, de chefs d’entreprise qui viennent de cinquante pays différents, et aussi d’entrepreneurs, un mot d’origine francaise qui fait aujourd’hui partie intégrante du vocabulaire américain et de notre ADN.
Le mot “terroir” est un mot francais qui n’a pas d’équivalent en anglais. Mais après avoir parcouru les 22 régions francaises – en tant qu’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis en France – j’ai pu pleinement appréhendé le sens de ce terme: l’histoire, la culture, et la fierté qui émanent de ces territoires et qui donnent à vos regions leur identité. J’ai pu réaliser à quel point ce pays se caractérise par sa richesse et sa diversité.
C’est un honneur pour moi de me trouver aujourd’hui avec des représentants de ce pays que j’affectionne tant.
Today, in English, I will briefly explore the question that the organizers of this conference have asked me to address: “The United States in 2025: first economic and political power?” Of course, the title is intentionally a little provocative. But while we cannot claim to predict the future, we can follow the wisdom of a previous American president – Abraham Lincoln.
He once said: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
“Le meilleur moyen de prédire l’avenir est de le créer.”
Under President Obama and Secretary Kerry’s leadership, I am fortunate to be in a position where we are working to do just that.
We do this by following two key principles.
The first is that “economic policy is foreign policy, and foreign policy is economic policy.” Secretary John Kerry has not only recognized the inextricable link between foreign policy and economic policy, he has made it central to everything we do.
The majority of challenges we face are economic in nature and, very often, those challenges have security implications for the United States of America. In a world where countries like the BRICS nations are already using their economic clout to punch above their weight, it is clear that economic power is no longer an option. It’s an imperative.
The second principle recognizes the strategic value of a shared economic future. The world has become flatter, more connected, and therefore more interdependent. There is no realistic scenario for an aspiring world power to try and create its economic, or any kind of, success in individually directed ways.
In the 21st century, the ones who earn the most economic power will be those who are smart enough to share it with key partners. This is central to what the Secretary calls the shared prosperity agenda.
As Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, we are working to make that agenda real in many ways, including through two ongoing multilateral trade deals, which will not only benefit 12 countries in the Asia Pacific region, including the United States, but all 28 of our friends and allies in the European Union.
The deal that is closest to conclusion is the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, or TPP, which would bring the United States into free and open trade with Canada and Mexico; Chile and Peru; Australia and New Zealand; Japan, Malaysia and Singapore; Brunei and Vietnam.
Our hope is that this partnership will be followed by a second transformative trade deal – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – or T-TIP – which we are currently negotiating with the European Union.
These deals – together – would account for the greater majority of the world’s trade, GDP, and future economic growth. Not only that, these ambitious, comprehensive, and high-standard trade and investment agreements would allow us to create enforceable labor, consumer and environmental standards that will establish a high bar for the rest of the world.
TPP alone, if concluded, would connect Americans with 40 percent of the world’s GDP – and 50 percent of its projected economic growth. In Asia, there are currently 525 million middle class consumers. That number is expected to grow to 2.7 billion by 2030. For the United States, that’s a market that’s projected to be six times the size of our domestic one.
T-TIP is equally important to us. The transatlantic economic relationship is already the world’s largest, accounting for one third of total goods and services trade and nearly half of global economic output.
It will not only boost economic growth in the United States and the EU. It will add to the more than 13 million American and EU jobs already supported by transatlantic trade and investment. We will also build on the transatlantic ties that undergird our national security.
I know that, in the audience today, there are many companies, most of them French, that either have a presence in the United States, or are strongly considering investing here.
This brings me to a third component of the shared prosperity agenda that I would like to briefly talk about. As Assistant Secretary, everywhere I travel, from Mumbai to Mexico City, from Bangkok to Beijing, I meet with investors and other business people who tell me just how much they love investing in the United States – and how they plan to invest even more. They recognize – as we do – that the U.S. is the world’s most attractive and stable market for high-quality goods and services.
Maintaining a strong and vibrant business climate that is built on innovation, strong intellectual property rights protections, a transparent legal system and a stable regulatory environment is central to the American economy and to our way of life. And we have a consumer market, workforce, advanced technology and resources that are, frankly, second to none.
The sheer diversity of the U.S. economy means that there are opportunities for nearly every company – from start-ups to medium-sized enterprises to multinationals.
Through SelectUSA, a joint initiative with the Department of Commerce, we work to promote, increase and support inward investment in the United States. We know that foreign companies will create jobs and innovation in the U.S., and also generate profits and exports for their home countries. Not only that, these companies bring back home technology, management expertise, cultural understanding, innovative products, and access to new markets. They increase prosperity, as well as economic and political stability, for nations and workers alike.
That’s the underlying wisdom of global prosperity. It’s not a “zero sum game,” but one of mutual gain.
As Victor Hugo also said: “There is nothing in the world – not even mighty armies – as powerful as an idea whose time has come.”
“Rien n’est plus puissant – pas même les plus grandes armées - qu’une idée dont le temps est venu.”
Economic power, based on two-way trade and investment, is one of those ideas whose time has truly come. The kind of 21st century, high standard and ambitious free trade agreements that we seek will bring shared prosperity, and so much more.
As Secretary of Defense Ash Carter recently said – and I quote: “Passing TPP is as important to me as another aircraft carrier. It would deepen our alliances and partnerships abroad and underscore our lasting commitment to the Asia-Pacific. And it would help us promote a global order that reflects both our interests and our values.”
These two trade deals, ladies and gentlemen, are as much strategic as they are economic. They will solidify relations with our friends and allies around the world.
And by embracing this idea of shared prosperity, we are not only embracing the future, we are helping to write it as well.
Merci, thank you – I enjoyed having the chance to speak with you and would be pleased to answer any of your questions.
PRESIDENT OBAMA ON CONTINUATION OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
May 08, 2015
Letter -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to the Central African Republic
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13667 of May 12, 2014, with respect to the Central African Republic is to continue in effect beyond May 12, 2015.
The situation in and in relation to the Central African Republic, which has been marked by a breakdown of law and order, intersectarian tension, widespread violence and atrocities, and the pervasive, often forced recruitment and use of child soldiers, threatens the peace, security, or stability of the Central African Republic and neighboring states, and continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13667 with respect to the Central African Republic.
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
May 08, 2015
Letter -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to the Central African Republic
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13667 of May 12, 2014, with respect to the Central African Republic is to continue in effect beyond May 12, 2015.
The situation in and in relation to the Central African Republic, which has been marked by a breakdown of law and order, intersectarian tension, widespread violence and atrocities, and the pervasive, often forced recruitment and use of child soldiers, threatens the peace, security, or stability of the Central African Republic and neighboring states, and continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13667 with respect to the Central African Republic.
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
U.S. STATEMENT ON FISSILE MATERIAL CUT-OFF TREATY AND COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST-BAN TREATY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
05/05/2015 12:33 PM EDT
U.S. Support for Multilateral Measures
Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
The United States is committed to negotiate a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, also known as Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty.
We are hopeful that the two-year UN Group of Governmental Experts, which first convened in Geneva in March 2014, will serve to motivate and revitalize work on FMCT and progress within the Conference on Disarmament.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is in the security interest of every nation, and the United States remains committed to ratifying the CTBT and bringing it into force.
The United States makes the largest annual financial contribution to the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, paying more than 22 percent of the Commission’s annual budget.
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
Protocols to the Africa and South Pacific Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone treaties were submitted to the U.S. Senate for advice and consent to ratification in May 2011.
The United States and other P5 states signed the Protocol to the Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty in May 2014. It was submitted to the Senate in April 2015.
The United States is committed to signing the revised Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty.
The United States supports Middle East regional states as they work towards consensus for a conference on the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.
05/05/2015 12:33 PM EDT
U.S. Support for Multilateral Measures
Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
The United States is committed to negotiate a treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, also known as Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty.
We are hopeful that the two-year UN Group of Governmental Experts, which first convened in Geneva in March 2014, will serve to motivate and revitalize work on FMCT and progress within the Conference on Disarmament.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is in the security interest of every nation, and the United States remains committed to ratifying the CTBT and bringing it into force.
The United States makes the largest annual financial contribution to the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, paying more than 22 percent of the Commission’s annual budget.
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
Protocols to the Africa and South Pacific Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone treaties were submitted to the U.S. Senate for advice and consent to ratification in May 2011.
The United States and other P5 states signed the Protocol to the Central Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty in May 2014. It was submitted to the Senate in April 2015.
The United States is committed to signing the revised Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty.
The United States supports Middle East regional states as they work towards consensus for a conference on the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.
Friday, May 8, 2015
DOD MEDIA ON V-E DAY
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
V-E Day Marked End of Long Road for World War II Troops
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2015 – When President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin simultaneously announced that Nazi Germany had surrendered on May 8, 1945, the joy Americans felt was tempered by where they were.
The war that began with Germany invading Poland Sept. 1, 1939, ended with the total defeat of the Nazi menace and the unconditional surrender of the German military.
In New York, London and Moscow the eruption of joy was instantaneous. Men and women rushed to the streets to hug and kiss and dance. The war against Nazi Germany was over. The killing had stopped. A great evil ended.
The End of a Long Road
On the front lines deep in Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia, the celebration was more muted, with soldiers gradually realizing they were not going to be shot at anymore and were going to go home.
Their joy was further tempered because, while Germany was defeated, Japan fought on. The soldiers realized their divisions, brigades and units would be part of the invasion of Japan.
In the Pacific, there was a brief acknowledgement that the European battle was over, but it didn’t really matter to the soldiers and Marines who were still attacking Japanese positions on Okinawa or to the sailors who were fending off kamikaze attacks on ships off the island.
V-E Day signified the end of a long road. Just between June 1944 and May 8, 1945, there were 552,117 U.S. casualties in the European theater of operations. Of those, 104,812 were killed in action.
In January 1945, many believed the war in Europe would last much longer.
In January, U.S. Army soldiers were still battling against German forces that had launched the Battle of the Bulge. That battle was the largest the U.S. Army ever fought and out of the 90,000 casualties around 19,000 soldiers were killed.
Events accelerated from there.
The War Moves into Germany
Bombing missions continued over Germany and every B-17 or B-24 lost over the Reich meant a loss of 10 Americans. On the ground, Allied troops mopped up German resistance on the west bank of the Rhine River.
On March 7, 1945, soldiers from the 9th Armored Division secured the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River in Remagen, Germany. The U.S. 1st Army vaulted the water barrier and struck deep into Germany. The 3rd Army also crossed the river and moved on. On March 22, U.S. and British forces launch a massive operation over the Rhine in Oppenheim.
On April 2, U.S. forces surrounded 600,000 Germans in the Ruhr Pocket. Throughout the month, American forces begin discovering the consequences of the Nazi ideology as they liberated death camps like Buchenwald, Ohrdruf and Dachau.
On April 12, Americans were shocked by the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Harry S Truman was sworn in and vowed to continue Roosevelt’s policies.
On April 21, Soviet forces began their assault on the German capital of Berlin.
With the Soviets closing in, Hitler committed suicide on April 30 and turned power over to Admiral Karl Donitz.
Surrender
On May 2, German forces in Berlin surrendered to the Soviets.
On May 7, formal negotiations for Germany’s surrender began at the Supreme headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force headquarters in Rheims, France, and the Germans surrender unconditionally the next day.
At the conclusion of the surrender, the allied staff attempted to write a message for General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower to send to allied leaders. He opted for “The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241, May 7th, 1945.”
V-E Day Marked End of Long Road for World War II Troops
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2015 – When President Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin simultaneously announced that Nazi Germany had surrendered on May 8, 1945, the joy Americans felt was tempered by where they were.
The war that began with Germany invading Poland Sept. 1, 1939, ended with the total defeat of the Nazi menace and the unconditional surrender of the German military.
In New York, London and Moscow the eruption of joy was instantaneous. Men and women rushed to the streets to hug and kiss and dance. The war against Nazi Germany was over. The killing had stopped. A great evil ended.
The End of a Long Road
On the front lines deep in Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia, the celebration was more muted, with soldiers gradually realizing they were not going to be shot at anymore and were going to go home.
Their joy was further tempered because, while Germany was defeated, Japan fought on. The soldiers realized their divisions, brigades and units would be part of the invasion of Japan.
In the Pacific, there was a brief acknowledgement that the European battle was over, but it didn’t really matter to the soldiers and Marines who were still attacking Japanese positions on Okinawa or to the sailors who were fending off kamikaze attacks on ships off the island.
V-E Day signified the end of a long road. Just between June 1944 and May 8, 1945, there were 552,117 U.S. casualties in the European theater of operations. Of those, 104,812 were killed in action.
In January 1945, many believed the war in Europe would last much longer.
In January, U.S. Army soldiers were still battling against German forces that had launched the Battle of the Bulge. That battle was the largest the U.S. Army ever fought and out of the 90,000 casualties around 19,000 soldiers were killed.
Events accelerated from there.
The War Moves into Germany
Bombing missions continued over Germany and every B-17 or B-24 lost over the Reich meant a loss of 10 Americans. On the ground, Allied troops mopped up German resistance on the west bank of the Rhine River.
On March 7, 1945, soldiers from the 9th Armored Division secured the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River in Remagen, Germany. The U.S. 1st Army vaulted the water barrier and struck deep into Germany. The 3rd Army also crossed the river and moved on. On March 22, U.S. and British forces launch a massive operation over the Rhine in Oppenheim.
On April 2, U.S. forces surrounded 600,000 Germans in the Ruhr Pocket. Throughout the month, American forces begin discovering the consequences of the Nazi ideology as they liberated death camps like Buchenwald, Ohrdruf and Dachau.
On April 12, Americans were shocked by the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Harry S Truman was sworn in and vowed to continue Roosevelt’s policies.
On April 21, Soviet forces began their assault on the German capital of Berlin.
With the Soviets closing in, Hitler committed suicide on April 30 and turned power over to Admiral Karl Donitz.
Surrender
On May 2, German forces in Berlin surrendered to the Soviets.
On May 7, formal negotiations for Germany’s surrender began at the Supreme headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force headquarters in Rheims, France, and the Germans surrender unconditionally the next day.
At the conclusion of the surrender, the allied staff attempted to write a message for General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower to send to allied leaders. He opted for “The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241, May 7th, 1945.”
PRESIDENT OBAMA CONGRATULATES PRIME MINISTER CAMERON ON ELECTION VICTORY
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
May 08, 2015
Statement by the President on the Election in the United Kingdom
I congratulate Prime Minister Cameron on his impressive electoral victory. The special and essential relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is rooted in deep and abiding shared interests and values. I have enjoyed working closely with Prime Minister Cameron on a range of shared interests these last several years, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds between our countries, as we work together on behalf of global peace, security and prosperity.
May 08, 2015
Statement by the President on the Election in the United Kingdom
I congratulate Prime Minister Cameron on his impressive electoral victory. The special and essential relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is rooted in deep and abiding shared interests and values. I have enjoyed working closely with Prime Minister Cameron on a range of shared interests these last several years, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen the bonds between our countries, as we work together on behalf of global peace, security and prosperity.
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