ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER SAYS CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE VOTE IS “ELECTION-YEAR TACTIC”

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Vote
Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today: 
“In recent months, the Justice Department has made unprecedented accommodations to respond to information requests by Chairman Issa about misguided law enforcement tactics that began in the previous administration and allowed illegal guns to be taken into Mexico.  Department professionals have spent countless hours compiling and providing thousands of documents -- nearly 8,000 -- to Chairman Issa and his committee.   My staff has had numerous meetings with congressional staff to try and accommodate these requests and yesterday, I met with Chairman Issa to offer additional internal Department documents and information that would satisfy what he identified as the Committee’s single outstanding question.

“Unfortunately, Chairman Issa has rejected all of these efforts to reach a reasonable accommodation.  Instead, he has chosen to use his authority to take an extraordinary, unprecedented and entirely unnecessary action, intended to provoke an avoidable conflict between Congress and the Executive Branch.  This divisive action does not help us fix the problems that led to this operation or previous ones and it does nothing to make any of our law enforcement agents safer.  It's an election-year tactic intended to distract attention -- and, as a result -- has deflected critical resources from fulfilling what remains my top priority at the Department of Justice:  Protecting the American people.

“Simply put, any claims that the Justice Department has been unresponsive to requests for information are untrue.  From the beginning, Chairman Issa and certain members of the Committee have made unsubstantiated allegations first, then scrambled for facts to try to justify them later. That might make for good political theater, but it does little to uncover the truth or address the problems associated with this operation and prior ones dating back to the previous Administration.

“I have spent most of my career in law enforcement and worked closely with brave agents who put their lives on the line every day.  I know the sacrifices they make, so as soon as allegations of gunwalking came to my attention – and well before Chairman Issa expressed any interest in this issue -- I ordered the practice stopped.  I made necessary personnel changes in the Department's leadership and instituted policy changes to ensure better oversight of significant investigations.  And, I directed the Department's Inspector General to open a comprehensive investigation.  That investigation is ongoing, and the American people and Congress can count on it to produce a tough, independent review of the facts.

“When Chairman Issa later began his own investigation, I made it clear that the Department would cooperate with all appropriate oversight requests, while still adhering to our legal obligations to protect information involving ongoing law enforcement investigations, legally-protected grand jury material and other sensitive information whose disclosure would endanger the American people or our agents investigating open cases.

“The American people deserve better.  That is why, I will remain focused on, and committed to, the Justice Department’s mission to protect the rights, safety, and best interests of my fellow citizens and to stand by my brave colleagues in law enforcement.”

U.S. AFRICA COMMANDER GE. HAM SAYS THERE ARE THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA

Photo:  Army Gen. Carter F. Ham.  Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.
FROM:  AMEICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Africa Command during a March 9, 2011, address near Stuttgart, Germany. DOD photo by Stuart Java
Ham: Africa Presents Opportunity, Challenges
By Donna Miles

STUTTGART, Germany, June 19, 2012 - For decades, Africa was arguably the most overlooked continent on the globe, with U.S. military involvement there shared among three combatant commands and engagement activities episodic at best.
But five years since the standup of U.S. Africa Command, its commander called Africa a land of great opportunity, but he also said the continent presents threats not only to the immediate region, but to the United States and its interests as well.

"There are a lot of reasons why Africa matters to the United States," Army Gen. Carter F. Ham said during a recent interview with American Forces Press Service at his headquarters here.

Opportunity abounds on the continent, with some of the world's fastest-growing economies and a young, vibrant and growing population that's already topped a billion people, he noted. Meanwhile, Africa is experiencing growing democratization, with Africans increasingly choosing their own governments in a way that contributes to both regional and continental stability.

But amid these positive developments, Ham cited some negative trends he said have the potential to impact the security of America and its partners and allies.

Topping the list of why Africa matters to the United States, he said, is the presence of violent extremist organizations "that have very clearly articulated an intent to attack the United States, its allies, its citizens and its interests both within Africa and also more broadly, in Europe."

Africom's headquarters became fully operational in 2008, a decade after the near-simultaneous Aug. 7, 1998, terrorist attacks on the U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. The years since then have witnessed additional terrorist activity, particularly in the Horn of Africa and Pan-Sahel regions.

Wide, ungoverned and under-governed spaces have proven to be fertile ground for violent extremism, Ham said. To the east, the al-Shabab terrorist organization announced in February that it had officially joined forces with al-Qaida's senior leaders. Meanwhile, an al-Qaida affiliate known as al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb is working to undermine the rule of law and governments in North and West Africa, particularly the trans-Sahara region, with a goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate there.
More recently, a violent group known as Boko Haram has begun extending its influence in Northern Nigeria as it challenges the Nigerian central government.

"While each of those three organizations is of concern, the greatest concern to me is the apparent intent of those organizations to find ways where they can collaborate, cooperate and synchronize their efforts," Ham said.

It's a concern he shared with Congress in February. "If they are able to coordinate their efforts, share funding, training, weapons exchange and what have you, I think that presents a real challenge for us," he told the House Armed Services Committee.

Preventing a merger of these like-minded organizations is a major focus of Africom as it works hand-in-hand with African partners every day through military-to-military programs, military-sponsored activities and other operations aimed at promoting a stable, secure Africa, the general said.

"To counter the threat posed by these three organizations, we do work by, with and through ... the host-nation forces to increase their capability," Ham told the House panel. "There are some times where it may be appropriate for U.S. forces to act," he said, citing U.S. and NATO actions in Libya as an example. "But more generally, we're better off when it is Africans leading with a bit of training and support [and] equipping from us."

Ham underscored U.S. Africa Command's most fundamental mission: "to advance the security interests of the United States, in our case, particularly in Africa."

"Our primary role is to protect America, Americans and American interests from the threats that might emanate from the continent of Africa," he said.

Doing so, Ham said, involves strengthening the capabilities of individual African states and regional organizations so they ultimately can provide their own security.

President Barack Obama, on visiting Ghana in 2009, recognized what's been one of Africom's guiding principles: that Africans themselves are best able to address African security challenges.

"The shorthand for that is, 'African solutions to African problems," Ham said. "We recognize that. And we try to abide by that in all that we do. So our efforts are taken largely by, with, and through our African partners," with Africom and its service components almost always playing a supporting or "enabling" role.
"We train, we advise, we assist. Sometimes we provide equipment, but all in an effort to try to enable the Africans to address problems on their own," he continued. "It is their region, it is their continent and while it is certainly in our interest for that continent to be stable, it is better if the Africans decide when and how to do that."
Since taking command in March 2010, Ham said he's been struck by the sense of optimism among the African partners he meets.

"They recognize the challenge they face, and they are realistic about that," he said. "But they also have this sense that they are going to overcome those challenges and move forward."

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT FACT SHEET: U.S. RELATIONS WITH LITHUANIA

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Map Credit: U.S. State Department
U.S. Relations With Lithuania
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
Fact Sheet
June 6, 2012
U.S.-LITHUANIA RELATIONS
The U.S. and Lithuania share a history as valued allies and strong partners. The United States established diplomatic relations with Lithuania in 1922, following its declaration of independence during World War I. Lithuania was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 during World War II. In 1990, Lithuania proclaimed its renewed independence, and international recognition followed. The United States had never recognized the forcible incorporation of Lithuania into the Soviet Union, and it views the present Government of Lithuania as the legal continuation of the interwar republic.

Since Lithuania regained its independence, the United States has worked closely with the country to help it rebuild its democratic institutions and a market economy. The U.S. welcomed Lithuania's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004. As a NATO ally and EU member, Lithuania has become a strong, effective partner committed to democratic principles and values. The country is a strong supporter of U.S. objectives in the area of democracy promotion and has helped the people of other young European nations develop and strengthen civil institutions.

U.S. Assistance to Lithuania
The United States provides no significant foreign assistance to Lithuania.

Bilateral Economic Relations
Lithuania is a relatively small but potentially attractive market for U.S. goods and services. Steps undertaken during the country's accession to the EU and NATO helped improve its legal, tax, and customs systems, which aided economic and commercial sector development. The United States and Lithuania have signed an agreement on bilateral trade and intellectual property protection and a bilateral investment treaty. Lithuania participates in the visa waiver program, which allows nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for certain business or tourism purposes for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

Lithuania's Membership in International Organizations
Lithuania’s foreign policy is largely informed by what it perceives as an expansionist Russia. Lithuania and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BRIEFING FROM AFGHANISTAN BY GEN. RICHARD CRIPWELL

Map Credit:  U.S. State Department.
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Presenter: Director of Strategic Transition Group, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Brig. Gen. Richard Cripwell 
DOD News Briefing with Brig. Gen. Cripwell via Teleconference from Afghanistan


            CAPT JANE CAMPBELL, DIRECTOR, PRESS OPERATIONS:  Good morning here in the briefing room, and good evening in Afghanistan. I'd like to welcome the ISAF Strategic Transition Group Brigadier General Richard Cripwell, British army, to the Pentagon Briefing Room.

            Brigadier Cripwell assumed duties at ISAF headquarters in April of this year. Since 1982 he has served in junior regiment appointments with the Royal Engineers and the Queen's Gurkha Engineers and in field and amphibious regiments. He commanded 34 Field Squadron (Air Support) and 26 Engineer Regiment, supporting a number of Royal Air Force and mechanized brigade deployments.

            Brigadier Cripwell has also served in command and staff positions in Kosovo, Mozambique and Iraq. He has also served operations in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, and various parts of the Middle East and the Balkans.

            This is Brigadier Cripwell's first time with us in the Pentagon Briefing Room. He will provide brief opening remarks on progress towards transition in Afghanistan and then take your questions.

            And with that, sir, I'll turn it over to you.

            BRIGADIER RICHARD CRIPWELL:  Thank you.

            Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. As was said, my name is Brigadier General Richard Cripwell, and I am the director of the Strategic Transition and Assessments Group here at ISAF headquarters.

            Thank you all for being here. I'm pleased to have this opportunity to talk to you about the transition of security responsibility from ISAF to the Afghanistan National Security Forces, a process that is placing the lead for security in Afghanistan with the police and the armed forces.

            It is a process that was initiated by the Lisbon conference in late 2010, a process that is defined by the Inteqal agreement or the transition agreement and which is regulated by the Joint Afghan-NATO Inteqal Board, which is responsible for making recommendations to the president of Afghanistan about transition.

            There are plans to be five tranches to transition. And as you will be aware, on the 13th of May, President Karzai announced the details of tranche three. As a result of that, every capital in all 34 provinces in Afghanistan has now entered transition. This tranche will see three-quarters of Afghanistan's population living in areas where the ANSF is in the lead for security.

            The importance of this process cannot be overstressed. President Karzai stated in Chicago that it remains his highest joint strategic priority. And we are on track, with our Afghan colleagues, to complete the process of entering transition by the middle of 2013, with completion of the process by the end of 2014. After 2014, we will maintain an equally strong partnership with Afghanistan, as the Strategic Partnership Agreement and many bilateral agreements make clear.

            I would conclude these brief opening remarks by saying a few words about how the Afghan National Security Forces are going to assume the lead for security within the country. I am fortunate enough to work with the army and the police every day and to see them all over the country. The responsibility for leading security is not one they take lightly, but it is one that they relish.

            They are growing in capability all the time, and their confidence in themselves is growing exponentially. During recent high-profile incidents across Afghanistan, the ANSF have taken leading roles and responded aggressively, with little or no coalition support. In simple terms, they know what they have to do, and that they are proving that they can do it every day.

            Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes my opening remarks. Again, thank you for attending, and I look forward to hearing your questions.

            Q:  Hi, General. This is Courtney Kube from NBC News.

            I realize that current ops aren't really in your daily purview, but there was a suicide attack in Khost earlier today, and we've been having a hard time getting the ground truth on what happened. Can you give us an idea? It seems -- our understanding is there were both Afghans and Americans killed. Can you give us your understanding of what happened?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  All I can tell you, and this is -- I've been, in fact, out of the capital for most of the day -- I'm aware that there was a suicide bomb attack in Khost, that there have been ISAF casualties, and I understand there have been a great deal of Afghan civilian casualties as well. But I have no more details than that, and I think it would be inappropriate for me to speculate. The ISAF spokesman will have more details in due course.

            Q:  General, Otto Kreisher with SEAPOWER Magazine and others.

            We've had another incident recently of green-on-blue. That's a continuing problem that kind of erodes the confidence our troops have in working with their allies. How do you appraise that situation? And what's being done, you know, to avoid those?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  Well, firstly, I'm not aware that there have been any recent green-on-blue attacks, although I'm aware there's been some accusations of them. But to approach your question more broadly, of course any death out here is an absolute tragedy, and it is more so when it is caused by Afghan forces.

            But I should be clear, firstly, that it's a tragedy as much for the Afghans themselves.

            Every single day there are tens of thousands and more ongoing relationships between ISAF forces and the Afghans. We work extremely closely. We work extremely well together. These attacks are absolutely not representative of the huge, huge majority of the Afghan forces, and they are dismayed by them as we are.

            In answer to your question of what's being done, I -- the Afghans are doing an enormous amount to ensure the loyalty of every single member of the police and the army. The deputy commander here has spoken about this in the past, but it includes biometric testing, it includes the deployment of a national directorate of security officials into units. And as I say, they are turning every stone they can to ensure the loyalty of their own forces.

            Q:  Yes, thanks for speaking with us. This is Kristina Wong from The Washington Times.

            Last summer there was a highly critical ISAF report called "The Crisis of Compatibility," on the relationship between ISAF and Afghan National Security Forces. I'm wondering, what recommendations from that report have been implemented? And has that relationship between ISAF and ANSF forces improved?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  I can't speak to the detail of the report, but I can tell you -- and as I said in my introductory remarks -- I am out almost every day with Afghan army officials and Afghan police officials, and that we work extremely closely together. And we see that in my area in transition all of the time.

            The whole point of transition is to put the ANSF in the lead and for ISAF to be in support of them. And those relationships, day in, day out, across the country are working extremely well.

            Q:  What metrics are used to gauge the ANSF other than performance in those high-profile attacks?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  I'm sorry, could I ask you to repeat the question? It got lost in transmission.

            Q:  What metrics are used to gauge the progress of the -- and competence of the ANSF other than performance during those high- profile attacks? And why are they -- why are they deemed better than expected?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  I think that -- actually I think it's not just that they're doing better than expected; I think they're also surprising themselves with their ability and their capability. It's not simply an ability to deal with high-profile attacks. The fact remains is the Afghans are out dealing with incidents of all sorts every day. Their ability to plan and conduct operations is improving all of the time. And they are now routinely, for example, planning and conducting brigade operations around the country. This is very serious soldiering, and it's a significant achievement on their part to have -- to have come this far in the time that they have.

            Q:  Dan De Luce from Agence France-Presse.

            What would cause you, if anything -- what would cause ISAF to reconsider the pace of this transition? Is there anything that could somehow slow down this scheduled transition?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  I've certainly seen nothing to date at all that questions the pace of transition.

            As I'm sure you are aware, transition is simply about the security forces being able to be in the lead. It doesn't necessarily mean that all of the challenges that lie within a district or province have been solved. But to date, in tranches one and two there has been no regression in terms of security or governance or development in those areas.

            And whilst clearly there are challenges ahead in tranche three, I've seen no indication at all that either the Afghan national forces would not be able to deal with those problems or that they would put the rough timetable for transition into question.

            Q:  And then in that context, how concerned are you about the ethnic composition of the Afghan force and the relative shortage of southern Pashtuns in the force?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  Well, the details of the makeup of the ANSF are, you know, beyond the issues that I look at. But all I can say is that whatever the ethnic diversity of the security forces, I've seen absolutely no impression of that in the areas that I visited and in the reports that I read of their performance around the country.

            Q:  Hi, my name is Ben Iannotta. I'm editor of an intelligence magazine called the C4ISR Journal.

            The decision not to plug the ANSF into the Afghanistan Mission Network, is that driven by strategy or cost, or is it a sign of a lack of trust between ISAF and ANSF?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  I don't know is the simple answer to that question. I think I'd have to refer you to the spokesman or to a particular expert on that.

            But there is no -- to be clear, there is no lack of trust in the ANSF. We are going on operations with them every day. They are leading, certainly in transitioned areas, nearly 50 percent of operations. You absolutely have to trust your comrades and colleagues when you're operating in that kind of environment. So there is absolutely no lack of trust between us and our Afghan colleagues.

            Q:  Hi, General. John Harper with the Asahi Shimbun.

            How many ISAF troops do you think will need to remain in Afghanistan in 2013 to ensure the transition moves along smoothly?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  You'll be surprised to hear that I'm not going to indulge in speculation over troop levels in Afghanistan. But I am absolutely confident that the ANSF, first and foremost, will be absolutely in a position to assume the lead for security across the country, supported by ISAF forces, by roughly the middle of 2013.

            Q:  Thank you, General. This is Lalit Jha from Pajhwok Afghan News.

            As we are post-2014, what do you think the key challenge is which ANSF are facing now and that needs to be addressed on a priority basis before 2014?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  Well, I think the -- again, you'd be better off asking those who are responsible for equipping and training the ANSF that question.

            I've certainly seen on my travels nothing that is stopping the ANSF conducting operations as they choose to and stopping them from reacting to incidents in a manner that they choose to. ISAF support is there, but increasingly, the Afghans are more than capable and more than content to deal with operations entirely dependent on their own capabilities.

            Q:  Otto Kreisher again.

            Let me follow up on that. There's been, you know, substantial reports about their lack of air cover -- indigenous air cover, their logistics problems, their intelligence and communications. You don't see those as a problem?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  All I'm saying, as I -- as I said to the -- to the last question, I think the details of those issues -- these are issues that are not affecting transition, and that that clearly is the bit that I am most focused on. I have not seen issues about enablers impacting on the ability of the Afghan security forces, be it army or police, to maintain the lead in transitioning areas.

            Q:  Good morning. Larry Shaughnessy from CNN.

            The talks to try to reopen the Pakistan border to ISAF convoys fell apart not long ago. I know the Northern Distribution Network is working, but at a tremendous cost. Is there something besides money that is a problem created by the lack of a southern distribution network, for lack of a better term, through Pakistan? Or is it just a matter of it costs more to do everything?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  I haven't been privy to the negotiations that have been going on over the opening of the Pakistan GLOC. Now, clearly I'm aware that there have been some very detailed negotiations in the past, and I'm sure there will in the future.
            I'm not aware of the detail, other than to say -- as, again, the deputy commander said not so long ago -- that ISAF is managing perfectly well at the moment in its conduct of operations. But the detail of the discussions over the GLOC, I'm afraid I haven't got any information on that.

            Q:  If I could follow up. But beyond the discussions, in practical, day-to-day operations, is the lack of a GLOC with Pakistan causing you any operational, day-to-day problems? I know he's saying it's working right now, but do you anticipate a problem that cannot be easily solved using the Northern Distribution Network?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  I'm not aware of one, no.

            Q:  Chris Carroll, Stars and Stripes.

            Is progress being made throughout the entire ANSF? We continually hear anecdotes about, you know, a large number of Afghan forces who are not well-trained and who are not easy to operate with. Is it the case that there's a small group or, you know, a minority of well-trained professional soldiers and a larger group that are not progressing at the same rate?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  You know, I must say, I've never heard that.
            Again, at the risk of repeating myself, you can't -- you cannot mount -- wherever you may be in this country, you cannot mount, as the Afghans are doing, brigade-level operations and hope that a thin veneer of professionalism is in some way hiding a basic incompetence below that. You know, a brigade operation requires a properly trained and, indeed, resourced force. They're doing that around the country.

            So I certainly haven't heard the apocryphal stories that you mention, and I don't believe the evidence on the ground would support them either.

            Q:  Just a follow-up question. What kind of capabilities are the ANSF developing -- for example, explosive, ordnance disposal, logistics, special forces, you know -- that we might not hear about every day?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  Well, it's kind of you to think that I would know, but I'm afraid that is -- that is well beyond my brief on transition, and you would be far better up close, not least because you would be speaking to someone who knows, to speak to somebody else on this.

            Q:  General, it's Luis Martinez of ABC News.

            Every region in Afghanistan brings its own security challenges. How do you tailor ANSF forces to each region? I imagine they bring their own unique characteristics that require specific training to -- and so it's going to vary from region to region. How can you -- how do you do that?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  Well, you're absolutely right, of course, that the, you know, various parts of Afghanistan bring challenges of their own. And the Afghans deal with this as any other army in the world would deal with it, that there is -- there is always a level of basic training that is provided to every member of security forces, which is then honed when you get down to a unit in a particular area.

            It is the responsibility of the Afghan corps and the Afghan brigades to make sure that that -- the special training, if you like, sensitive to the environment, is conducted. And of course ISAF is absolutely part of that training process and mechanism in various parts of the country. But the Afghans would treat this in -- no differently to any other army in the world.

            CAPT. CAMPBELL:  One more.

            Q:  If I could follow up, sir. With the push into the eastern portions of -- eastern regions of Afghanistan this year, does that mean that you see more of a kinetic force among the ANSF that go in there? Or do you try -- find a mix, given that you're going to have to turn that over towards the security transition in the future?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  If I understand your question correctly, again, I don't think that -- the nature of basic training doesn't change. Wherever a unit may go to thereafter, whether it be -- wherever it may be deployed in the country, there will always be special training that will be conducted before it goes into a certain area.

            I don't think, wherever you may go in this country, that you should assume that operations will be more or less kinetic. The important thing is that the forces will get the appropriate training, the appropriate assistance wherever they may get deployed.

            Q:  Another question. Can you describe from what you've seen, you know, personally, the relationship between ISAF and Afghan forces? How close do they interact when they're not training? Are they eating together?

            Are they -- can you -- are they friends? Are they -- you know, how do they interact with one another, besides from during training, that you've seen?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  Yeah. I mean, working together means all of those things. Going out on a patrol or an operation is just part of working together.

            Our troops and Afghan troops absolutely in the field eat together. It's clearly difficult to socialize together, but they are -- they are together. And I think, as much as people who may well be speaking different languages can be, there are unquestionably some very close relationships all over the country between ISAF forces of all nationalities and the Afghans.

            So this isn't simply coming together as you prepare to go out the gate on a patrol. These are -- you know, as I say, the patrol is, if you like, just the pointy end of some very strong relationships across the country.

            Q:  Excuse me. General, Chris Carroll from Stars and Stripes again.

            Is there any update on the numbers from the recent 1230 report on the percentages of Afghan units able to operate, you know, with advisers or with partners, et cetera?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  In simple terms, no, there isn't. As you know, the 1230 comes out every six months or so. The next one will be due in the late fall. And yeah, that will be the appropriate time, not least because, obviously, the data is being collected. So in simple terms, the answer is no to your question.

            CAPT. CAMPBELL:  General, we'll wrap it up with one last question here and then turn it back over to you.

            So one more question on our end, sir.

            Q:  Matt Schofield, McClatchey Newspapers.

            You know, going forward, the future of -- the future success of the ANSF, we've heard there is some backsliding on the success against poppy production. This is a primary source of funding.

            What's the -- what's -- going forward, how do you see that moving? I mean, is there -- does there need to be a renewed effort to go back after poppy, to decrease the funding of Taliban, et cetera? Or do you -- are you happy with the way things are going, or is that -- is that not an operational thing -- is that not a transitional issue?

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  It's not a transitional issue. But what I will say is that the governor-led eradication schemes this year have been more successful than they ever have been. And you know, as an example of the Afghans taking responsibility for their own future, I think it's an excellent example. But it doesn't impact on transition. No, it doesn't.

            CAPT. CAMPBELL:  General, we're grateful for your time that you've devoted to speak with us this evening your time, this morning our time. And I'd like to just turn it back over to you for a few closing remarks on your end, sir. And again, thank you from the Briefing Room.

            BRIG. CRIPWELL:  Thanks very much indeed. And thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your questions.

            I would just reiterate what I said at the start, that transition is a strategically important process for this country. It is one not simply that is being imposed on the Afghans; it is one that they are absolutely part of.

            And the success of the Afghan National Security Forces to date in assuming the responsibility for 75 percent of the population of their country, and the success that I have no doubt that they are going to enjoy in the future, is absolutely critical to them assuming responsibility and ensuring the sovereignty and peace in this country in the future.
            Thank you very much, indeed, for your time.

            CAPT. CAMPBELL:  General, thank you.

VA ANNOUNCES ALMOST ALL AGENT ORANGE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED

Photo:  Huey-Helicopter Spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam.   Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.

FROM:  U.S. VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
VA Nearly Done With Agent Orange Claims
June 19, 2012 by Alex Horton
About two years ago, Secretary Shinseki made the decision to award presumptions of service connection to certain diseases that may have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. That decision added nearly a quarter of a million claims to an already stressed backlog, but it was a long overdue victory for Vietnam Vets and their families who waited too long for action.

Today, VA announced that nearly all of the 230,000 claims for Agent Orange presumption for diseases including ischemic heart disease, hairy cell and other chronic B-cell leukemias, and Parkinson’s disease have been processed, which has put $3.6 billion into the hands of Vietnam Vets and their survivors. The most experienced raters, about 36 percent of all employees who handle claims, were put on these claims to get the claims finished as soon as possible.

Now that nearly all Agent Orange presumption claims have been completed, the 1,200 claims workers diverted to this unprecedented action will return to normal duties. This will surely help tackle the backlog, which significantly grown as Veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan and file more complex claims at a higher rate than ever before (45 percent of new Veterans submit claims after service). VA completed one million claims in each of the last two years, an unprecedented number, but the amount of claims submitted outpaced those numbers.

VA has put together a transformation plan that emphasizes technology and new processes to finish claims faster and more accurately. The Veterans Benefits Management System is on its way to 16 regional offices this year, and will be found at 56 regional offices by the end of next year.

Veterans who may qualify for Agent Orange presumption include those who were exposed based on duty or visitation in Vietnam or on its inland waterways between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975; exposed along the demilitarized zone in Korea between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971; or exposed due to herbicide tests and storage at military bases within and outside of the United States. Check out the Agent Orange Fast Track web site if you think you may be affected by the diseases listed above as a result of Agent Orange exposure.

NORTHFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY CO. ORDERED TO PAY $800,000 AFTER TERMINATION OF INJURED WORKER

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Norfolk Southern Railway Co. ordered by US Labor Department's OSHA to pay more than $800,000 after terminating injured workers
Investigation found violations of Federal Railroad Safety Act whistleblower provisions
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found that Norfolk Southern Railway Co. violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act and consequently has ordered the company to pay three whistleblowers $802,168.70 in damages, including $525,000 in punitive damages and attorneys' fees. Additionally, the company has been ordered to expunge the disciplinary records of the whistleblowers, post workplace notices regarding railroad employees' whistleblower protection rights and provide training to its employees about these rights.

Three concurrent investigations were completed by OSHA's offices in Columbia, S.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Harrisburg, Pa. The investigations revealed reasonable cause to believe that the employees' reporting of their workplace injuries led to internal investigations and, ultimately, to dismissals from the company.

A laborer based in Greenville, S.C., was terminated on Aug. 14, 2009, after reporting an injury as a result of being hit by the company's gang truck. The railroad charged the employee, a laborer, with improper performance of duties. OSHA found that the employee was treated disparately in comparison to four other employees involved in the incident. The laborer was the only employee injured and, thus, the only employee who reported an injury. He also was the only employee terminated. OSHA has ordered the railroad to pay punitive damages of $200,000 as well as compensatory damages of $110,852 and attorney's fees of $14,325.

In Louisville, Ky., an engineer at a Norfolk Southern facility was terminated on March 31, 2010, after reporting an injury as a result of tripping and falling in a locomotive restroom. The railroad, after an investigative hearing, charged the employee with falsifying his injury. OSHA found that the investigative hearing was flawed and orchestrated to intentionally support the decision to terminate the employee. OSHA has ordered the railroad to pay the employee $150,000 in punitive damages, $50,000 in compensatory damages and $7,375 in attorney's fees.

On July 22, 2010, a railroad conductor based in Harrisburg, Pa., was terminated after reporting a head injury sustained when he blacked out and fell down steps while returning from the locomotive lavatory. The company, after an investigative hearing presided over by management officials, found the employee guilty of falsifying a report of a work-related injury, failing to promptly report the injury, and making false and conflicting statements. The day before the injury, the employee had been lauded for excellent performance, highlighted by no lost work time due to injuries in his 35-year career. OSHA found that the investigative hearing was flawed, and there was no evidence the employee intended to misrepresent his injury. OSHA is ordering the railroad to pay the employee $175,000 in punitive damages, $76,623.27 in back wages plus interest and $17,993.43 in compensatory damages, as well as all fringe benefits.

"Firing workers for reporting an injury is not only illegal, it also endangers all workers. When workers are discouraged from reporting injuries, no investigation into the cause of an injury can occur," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "To prevent more injuries, railroad workers must be able to report an injury without fear of retaliation. The Labor Department will continue to protect all employees, including those in the railroad industry, from retaliation for exercising these basic worker rights. Employers found in violation will be held accountable."

These actions follow several other orders issued by OSHA against Norfolk Southern Railway Co. in the past year. OSHA's investigations have found that the company continues to retaliate against employees for reporting work-related injuries and has effectively created a chilling effect in the railroad industry.

Any party to this case can file an appeal with the Labor Department's Office of Administrative Law Judges.

Norfolk Southern Railway Co. is a major transporter/hauler of coal and other commodities, serving every major container port in the eastern United States with connections to western carriers. Its headquarters are in Norfolk, Va., and it employs more than 30,000 union workers worldwide.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the FRSA and 20 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various securities laws, trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail, maritime, health care, workplace safety and health regulations, and consumer product safety laws.

Under the various whistleblower provisions enacted by Congress, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who raise various protected concerns or provide protected information to the employer or to the government. Employees who believe that they have been retaliated against for engaging in protected conduct may file a complaint with the secretary of labor for an investigation by OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program.

USS FORT MCHENRY RMEMBERS THE WAR OF 1812

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
120615-N-CN263-054 BALTIMORE (June 15, 2012) Lance Cpl. Zachary Franks, a military policeman assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 26, discusses the .50-caliber M2 machine gun mount on his Humvee with a tour group aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43). Fort McHenry welcomed more than 1,000 visitors aboard throughout the day to celebrate the Star Spangled Sailabration, which coincides with Baltimore Navy Week 2012 and commemorates the War of 1812 and the writing of the "Star Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Wesley Dannelley/Released) 

Sailors, Marines Show Off USS Fort McHenry
Story Number: NNS120617-05Release Date: 6/17/2012 9:48:00
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Wesley Dannelley, Navy Operational Support Center Baltimore
BALTIMORE (NNS) -- USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) welcomed more than 1,000 guests aboard for the Star-Spangled Sailabration, June 15, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the nation's flag.

Crew members conducted guided tours around the deckplates and visitors observed the day-to-day activities Sailors and Marines perform aboard the ship, as well as some of the tasks Marines perform while ashore or forward deployed.

Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 26 (CLB 26), embarked for the War of 1812 celebrations, displayed equipment and vehicles for public view, and offered demonstrations on various tools of the trade.

Marine Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) members attached to CLB 26 donned the heavy Kevlar EOD suit used to protect Marines when they handle and dispose of various explosive devices. Guests were also introduced to the "EOD Bot," the remote-controlled robot that allows EOD teams to gather information and/or handle explosives while keeping personnel out of harm's way.

Lance Cpl. Easten Fry, a field artillery cannoneer with Bravo Battery 1/10, also attached to CLB 26, was the subject matter expert for the Marine Corps' M777A2 Howitzer, answering questions and giving demonstrations of the weapon's capabilities.

"Having people take time out of their day to walk a quarter of a mile down a pier in the heat to hear about my job makes me feel appreciated," Fry said.

United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps Seaman Apprentice Phillip Plunkard expressed his excitement about being onboard a warship. "Getting to learn all about the Navy, and seeing all the helicopters was so cool!"

While aboard, Plunkard met Cmdr. Ray Hartman, commanding officer of Fort McHenry, who shared words of wisdom and encouragement.

Fort McHenry is homeported at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek/Fort Story, and is currently preparing for its upcoming deployment.

RECENT PHOTOS RELEASED BY THE U.S. NAVY

120614-N-WO496-200 GULF OF OMAN (June 14, 2012) The MK-45 5-inch/.54-caliber lightweight gun fires a round aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) during a live-fire exercise. Porter is deployed as part of Enterprise Carrier Strike Group to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Forster/Released)

Capt. Brandon Cordill, left wingman of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, flies an F/A-18 Hornet over Baltimore during the Star Spangled Sailabration, which coincides with Baltimore Fleet Week 2012 and commemorates the War of 1812 and the writing of the "Star Spangled Banner." U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Johnson (Released) 120615-N-BA418-135

120617-N-HM950-114 BERAUS, Malaysia (June 17, 2012) U.S. Marines and Malaysian soldiers from the 10 Paratrooper Brigade conduct an ambush exercise during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Malaysia 2012. CARAT is a series of bilateral military exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Timor Leste joins the exercise for the first time in 2012. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Aaron Glover/Released)

ESA Portal - Czech Republic - Hladké pohyby: jak kosmické aktivity pomáhají s filmovými animacemi

ESA Portal - Czech Republic - Hladké pohyby: jak kosmické aktivity pomáhají s filmovými animacemi

PENTAGON SAYS AFGHAN TRANSITION ROCEEDS

Photo:  U.S. Pentagon Under Construction.  Credit:  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE 

Afghan Transition Remains On Track, Officials Say

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 - Despite the threat of insider attacks in Afghanistan, coalition forces continue to apply pressure against insurgents in the country, Defense Department spokesmen said today.


During a Pentagon press conference, Navy Capt. John Kirby acknowledged multiple attacks by those in Afghan uniform in Kandahar, which left nearly 10 International Security Assistance Force troops wounded.


"[It was] clearly a tough day in Kandahar, or [the] last couple of days. There's no question about that," Kirby said. "We still believe, and it still appears to be, what we consider a green-on-blue, an insider threat attack ... three attackers that were dressed in Afghan national security force uniforms."


Kirby said it was unclear if the attackers wore Afghan police or army uniforms, but all three are still at large. Two other attacks were also reported in the area.


"In one of them, we do believe that it was at least facilitated -- potentially facilitated by an individual dressed in an Afghan National Police uniform," the Navy captain said. "But again, details are very sketchy right now. ISAF is certainly looking into this."


Kirby also provided details about a recent attack on Forward Operating Base Frontenac, in Kandahar's Arghandab Valley.


"It does appear that some insurgents dressed in [Afghan security force] uniforms were able to breach the perimeter of the operating base and were engaged very quickly by friendly forces inside," he said.


"There was a quick response force from a nearby combat outpost that responded almost immediately, and of course, all the casualties were evacuated to Kandahar Airfield," Kirby said.

Although there were no U.S. forces reported killed, Kirby said several were wounded in the course of killing at least seven insurgents.


Kirby noted it's too early to say with certainty whether these attacks are connected beyond the fact that all occurred in or around Kandahar.


"It's not uncommon that in the warm months of the year, violence will increase," he said. "Part of that is because of the weather. Part of it is because ISAF and coalition forces are being more aggressive."


"They're out and about much more, particularly in the south," Kirby said. "So they have occasion to be in more contact with or more of a problem for the enemy, and therefore, eliciting some of these attacks."


Even so, the withdrawal of 23,000 surge forces remains on track and will be complete by the end of September, Kirby said.


Pentagon Press Secretary George Little stated ISAF will continue to overcome threats from al-Qaida terrorists in Afghanistan, even during the transition phase from ISAF to Afghan security forces.


"As we transition to a new phase in our relationship with Afghanistan, we believe that the Afghans themselves, working with ISAF countries that could maintain a presence beyond 2014, are going to be able to effectively suppress this threat," Little said.


"Al-Qaida should take no comfort in 2014 as an end date for the Lisbon transition," he said. "[This] will be a continuing priority and focus of the United States and our allies, to include Afghanistan. They will continue to see pressure brought to bear against them ... pressure [that] is happening now, and it will continue in the future."

THE THREE LITTLE EXOPLANETS AND THE RED DWARF STAR

FROM:  NASA
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Compact Planetary System
This artist's concept depicts a planetary system so compact that it's more like Jupiter and its moons than a star and its planets. Astronomers using data from NASA's Kepler mission and ground-based telescopes recently confirmed that the system, called KOI-961, hosts the three smallest exoplanets currently known to orbit a star other than our sun. An exoplanet is a planet that resides outside of our solar system.

The star, which is located about 130 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation, is a red dwarf that is one-sixth the size of the sun, or just 70 percent bigger than Jupiter. The star is also cooler than our sun, and gives off more red light than yellow.

The smallest of the three planets, called KOI-961.03, is actually located the farthest from the star, and is pictured in the foreground. This planet is about the size of Mars, with a radius of 0.57 times that of Earth. The next planet to the upper right is KOI-961.01, which is 0.78 times the radius of Earth. The planet closest to the star is KOI-961.02, with a radius 0.73 times the Earth's.

All three planets whip around the star in less than two days, with the closest planet taking less than half a day. Their close proximity to the star also means they are scorching hot, with temperatures ranging from 350 to 836 degrees Fahrenheit (176 to 447 degrees Celsius). The star's habitable zone, or the region where liquid water could exist, is located far beyond the planets.

The ground-based observations contributing to these discoveries were made with the Palomar Observatory, near San Diego, Calif., and the W.M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

U.S.-RUSSIA AND ENERGY COOPERATION

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

U.S.-Russia Energy and Energy Efficiency Cooperation

Fact Sheet

Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs

June 18, 2012

The United States and Russia have an extensive dialogue on issues of energy and energy efficiency aimed at spurring innovation and stimulating the scientific development needed to address the global energy challenges of the 21st century. The U.S.-Russia Energy Working Group, one of several initiatives under the Bilateral Presidential Commission, supports this dialogue and the deployment of clean energy technologies and services. This cooperation is also implemented through a range of activities including public-private partnerships, city-to-city pairings, trade missions, and university links. These efforts endeavor to promote growth in the Russian and U.S. economies and assist in reducing national levels of carbon emissions by implementing advanced technologies, mobilizing financial resources, and facilitating creative energy management solutions.


Smart Grid
Under the Smart Grid pilot project, the cities of San Diego and Belgorod are sharing best practices and technical information to improve efficiency in electric power systems and reduce emissions. In May 2011, San Diego, Belgorod, and their respective utilities signed a protocol of intent outlining priority areas of cooperation including power distribution automation, and exchanging best practices in business processes and critical infrastructure security. The U.S. Agency for International Development is working with the Russian Energy Agency to fund a joint U.S.-Russian Study on Legal/Regulatory, Market, Consumer and Technical Impediments to Smart Grid Technology Deployment.

• The United States and Russia have held technical workshops to lay the groundwork for a second Smart Grid pairing between Kaliningrad and a U.S. city.

Smart Cities
Building on the Smart Grid partnerships, the United States and Russia plan to establish a “Smart Cities” partnership to integrate principles of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability into urban planning. Under this partnership, benchmarks will be defined to achieve sustainable urban growth. Innovative municipalities would share best practices on meeting these benchmarks for energy efficiency and “smart” planning to lower energy costs, enhance public services, and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, thus stimulating local job growth and economic development.


Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings
Russia’s new energy efficiency law calls for a 15 percent reduction of energy consumption in public buildings by 2014. The United States and Russia are working together to share lessons learned in utilizing energy performance contracts to improve efficiency in municipal public buildings, including a pilot project with Honeywell and the City of St. Petersburg. Under the project, Honeywell is scheduled to begin the first phase of an energy efficiency audit of Hospital No. 2 in St. Petersburg. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation has indicated an interest in financing the project.


Methane Mitigation
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Russia’s Gazprom are collaborating to implement cost-effective methane mitigation technologies to reduce pipelines leakages, energy waste and harmful carbon emissions.


Energy Efficiency Trade Missions
The U.S. Commercial Service and the Department of Energy organized an Energy Efficiency Trade Mission of 12 U.S. companies to Moscow and St. Petersburg led by Under Secretary for International Trade Sanchez from June 4-7, 2012. The mission included individualized business appointments and meetings with Russian national and regional government officials for United States companies specializing in implementing energy efficiency solutions.


Promoting Clean Energy in Russia’s Far East
 In April 2012, USAID and the Russian Energy Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote clean energy development in Russia’s Far East. This collabortion aims to identify, evaluate, and implement a demonstration project for environmentally sensitive and efficient use of heat and electricity. The collaboration aims to enable investments related to energy production, delivery, and consumption using advanced clean energy technologies and services. The United States and Russia are also jointly conducting scientific research on black carbon to identify, inventory, and find solutions to harmful black carbon emissions.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ISSUES GUIDANCE ON "WORK SHARING" COMPENSATION

Picture:  Labor Day Celebration In New York City in 1882.  Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
US Labor Department announces guidance to state Unemployment Insurance agencies on implementing short-time compensation or ‘work sharing’

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced guidance to state agencies responsible for Unemployment Insurance regarding short-time compensation, commonly referred to as "work sharing." Today's announcement is the latest in a series of innovative reforms to the UI program made possible by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 signed by President Obama in February.

"Work sharing is a win-win for workers and employers," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This program will provide more flexibility to workers and employers so they may more efficiently and effectively weather the ups and downs of the economy."

Work sharing allows employees to keep their jobs and helps employers to avoid laying off their trained workforces during economic downturns by reducing the hours of work for an entire group of affected workers. Workers affected by reduced hours can have their wages compensated with a portion of their weekly unemployment compensation payments.

The guidance issued today provides detailed information about a new federal definition of short-time compensation — which includes more worker protections such as maintenance of health insurance and retirement benefits — as well as how states currently operating short-time compensation programs can transition to the new definition. The guidance also provides information to states that already have permanent short-time compensation programs on how to begin receiving 100 percent federal reimbursement of payments made by state programs.

The Labor Department will issue additional guidance to address other aspects of short-time compensation found in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, including a two-year federal initiative to enable states to quickly implement and try out short-time compensation programs; and the provision of approximately $100 million in grants to states for the implementation or improved administration of, or for promotion of and enrollment in, a short-time compensation program. The department also is developing model legislative language, to be provided in the near future, that will assist states in amending their laws so they can adopt short-time compensation programs.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE NEWS FOR JUNE 19, 2012

Photo:  Poppy Field In Afghanistan.  Credit:  Wikimedia.

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force detained a Taliban leader in the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province today, military officials reported.
The insurgent leader was responsible for sniper and improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in the region, officials said. He also provided support to insurgents in the province and delivered small-arms and vehicles for use in attacks.
The security force also detained multiple suspected insurgents.

In other Afghanistan operations today:
-- An Afghan-led, coalition-supported force detained multiple suspects while searching for a Taliban leader in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province. The Taliban leader is responsible for directing and participating in IED and direct-fire attacks against coalition forces in Kandahar and Helmand provinces.

-- A combined force detained a Taliban leader as well as one other insurgent, and seized IED-making components and an AK-47 rifle in the Gardez district of Paktiya province. The Taliban leader was responsible for building and using IED's in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also coordinated the purchase and shipment of weapons and explosives for insurgents.

-- A combined force detained several suspects during a search for a Haqqani leader in the Nadir Shah Kot district of Khost province.


In June 18 operations:
-- In the Shahr-e-Buzurg district of Badakhshan province, a combined force called in an airstrike that killed an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader. No civilian property was damaged and no civilians were harmed during the operation.


-- A combined force detained several suspects and seized multiple small-arms and ammunition in the Yaftal-e Sufla district of Badakhshan province.


-- A combined force killed four insurgents during a search for a Haqqani explosives expert in the Mota Khan district of Paktika province. The force also detained one suspect and seized multiple assault rifles, grenades and a suicide vest.


In June 17 operations:
-- A combined force called in an airstrike that killed several Taliban leaders during an operation in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan.
In June 16 operations:


-- A combined force detained several suspects and seized 3,300 pounds of opium and 5,500 pounds of ammonium chloride, a chemical used to refine opium into heroin, in the Northern Musa Qal'ah district of Helmand province. The opium, chemicals and drug-processing equipment were destroyed.

RUSSIA REPORTEDLY RESUPPLYING BASE IN SYRIA

Map Credit:  U.S. State Department Website:

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Russia Resupplying Base in Syria, DOD Spokesman Says

By Karen Parrish
WASHINGTON, June 19, 2012 - A Russian cargo ship reportedly carrying attack helicopters to Syria turned back today when its British insurer canceled coverage, but a Defense Department spokesman said three other Russian vessels will carry supplies and possibly troops to the Russian naval base at Tartus.


Russian military officials have said the supplies are intended for their own resupply and force protection, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby told reporters today.


Kirby said defense officials support Russia's decision to stop the cargo ship's voyage. "We ... don't want to see the Assad regime get arms and ammunition or any lethal support that they could use," he said.

In January 2011, Syrians began protesting against the government of Bashar Assad. The protests spread into a more general uprising, which United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in May had claimed some 10,000 lives. Russia, a Syrian ally, has threatened to veto any U.N. Security Council sanctions against Syria.


President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement yesterday calling for "moving forward on [a] political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system" in Syria.


Kirby said political transition is "the right way forward."


"I think we can all agree that that's the right answer for Syria and for the Syrian people," he added.


International diplomatic and economic pressure "needs to continue to be applied to the Assad regime so that they will step down and do what's right for their own people," the spokesman added.


Kirby noted U.S. defense officials have repeatedly said providing lethal military aid to Assad's forces is "intolerable and unacceptable."


"We've been very clear with the entire international community, not just the Russians, about what our concerns are with respect to lethal aid and assistance going to the Assad regime," he added.


Pentagon Press Secretary George Little, who also spoke during today's briefing, said any disagreement over Syria between Russia and the United States hasn't affected the northern distribution network. The network, which Russia supports, has been the only means of ground transport for NATO supplies headed into Afghanistan since Pakistan closed ground cargo routes to NATO forces in November.


"It's an extremely complicated but essential network for our supplies in and out of Afghanistan," Little said. "I have heard no indication that the Russians are going to change their participation in that network and would reiterate our thanks to the government of Russia for supporting it."

"At the same time," Kirby said, "we've been very clear with them about our concerns about lethal support to the Syrian regime. It's not like we haven't been honest about what concerns us with these arms sales to Assad. We have been."


Kirby noted U.S. officials are working with the international community "as much and as aggressively as we can to make sure that Assad doesn't have at his disposal the means to kill his own people, or at least limit that ability as much as we can."

SALLY RIDE MAKES HISTORY ON JUNE 18, 1983

FROM:  NASA
Launching Into History
On June 18, 1983, a young physicist from California took her seat aboard the space shuttle and launched into history. On that date, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space as a mission specialist on STS-7. In this image, Ride monitors control panels from the pilot's chair on the flight deck.
SALLY RIDE ASTRONAUT Image Credit: NASA

POLISH AIR FORCE TAKES PART IN RED FLAG ALASKA

A Polish air force C-130 Hercules sits on the flight line during Red Flag-Alaska on Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 13, 2012. A member of the Polish air force C-130 Hercules crew guides the aircraft to begin to taxi to the runway during Red Flag-Alaska on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, June 13, 2012. The goal of Red Flag-Alaska is to provide each aircrew with vital first missions to increase their chances of survival in combat environments. Photo From:  U.S. Force Web Site.

A Polish air force C-130 Hercules takes off during Red Flag-Alaska on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson June 13, 2012. A member of the Polish Air Force C-130 Hercules crew guides the aircraft to begin to taxi to the runway during Red Flag-Alaska on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson June 13, 2012. The goal of Red Flag-Alaska is to provide each aircrew with vital first missions to increase their chances of survival in combat environments. Photo From:  U.S. Force Web Site,

A member of the Polish Air Force C-130 Hercules crew guides the aircraft to begin to taxi to the runway during Red Flag-Alaska on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson June 13, 2012. The goal of Red Flag-Alaska is to provide each aircrew with vital first missions to increase their chances of survival in combat environments. Photo From:  U.S. Force Web Site.

ESA Portal - Czech Republic - CryoSat se vydává nad moře

ESA Portal - Czech Republic - CryoSat se vydává nad moře

SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON'S REMARKS ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Release of the 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton
   Secretary of State Maria Otero
   Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Luis CdeBaca
   Ambassador-at-Large, Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in PersonsVincent Paraiso
Benjamin Franklin Room
Washington, DC
June 19, 2012
UNDER SECRETARY OTERO: Good afternoon, everyone. And welcome to the Department of State. It’s wonderful to have you all here. I want to especially welcome Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith for being here with us. Thank you for being here. (Applause.)

Every year, this event brings together committed leaders and activists from across the anti-trafficking movement, and the enthusiasm that’s surrounding this rollout shows us the momentum that we have built in the struggle against modern slavery.

I am Maria Otero. I am the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. My office oversees the bureaus that help countries and governments create just societies, societies that are grounded in democratic principles that guarantee respect for human rights and that apply the rule of law. Whether we’re helping strengthen judicial systems or we’re denouncing human rights abuses or helping build strong law enforcement capacities or combating trafficking in persons, we’re aiming to help countries protect the individual citizens in their countries.

Trafficking challenges are one of the problems that we have. And it is also the one area that deals with one of our most fundamental values. That is the basic freedom and dignity of every individual. Trafficking also tears at the very fabric of society. It rips families apart. It devastates communities. It holds people back from becoming full participants in their own political processes in their own economies. And it challenges the ability of countries to build strong justice systems and transparent governments. That’s why fighting modern slavery is a priority for the United States. In that fight, we partner with governments around the world to improve and increase the prosecution of this crime, to prevent the crime from spreading, and to protect those individuals who are victimized by it.

While governments bear this responsibility of protecting their individual citizens, this fight depends on a broader partnership as well. Without the efforts of civil society, the faith community, the private sector, we would not be able to advance and we would not be able to see the advances that the report highlights. The report that we are issuing today guides our work. It represents the very best knowledge and information on the state of modern slavery in the world today. It shows the fruit of partnerships around the world. It shows the strides that we’ve made in protecting individuals, and it shows how far we yet still have to go to assure the basic human rights.

I want to thank everyone who has worked this last year to compile these reports, from the NGOs that submit this information to the governments that provide us with data, from the diplomats in our overseas missions, to the staff of the Office of Monitor and Combating Trafficking in Persons who are here today. And today really is the culmination of tireless work over many months that they have taken on. And for that reason, it is really my pleasure and my privilege to be able to introduce my colleague who runs that office and who has shepherded and given leadership to this process, our Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Luis CdeBaca. (Applause.)

AMBASSADOR CDEBACA: Thank you, Madam Under Secretary, for the introduction and for your leadership here at the State Department. Bringing so many different issues together under this label of civilian security over the last year has allowed room here in the State Department and across the U.S. Government for constructive collaborations, whether we’re dealing with human rights, migration, criminal justice, war crimes, counterterrorism, or, as today, human trafficking. Because building democracy, growing economies, unleashing the full potential of the individual, these things don’t just happen. They start with people.

Around the world in the last year, we’ve heard those people, their voices calling, calling out for democracy, for greater opportunity. We recognize that sound. It’s the sound of hope. And traffickers ensnare their victims by exploiting that hope, especially the hope of the vulnerable. “Come with me, I’ll help you start a modeling career. Pay me $10,000, I’ll get you that job. I love you. I’ll take care of you. Just do this for us.” As long as the Trafficking in Persons Report is needed, we will find in its pages account after account of traffickers peddling false hope.

But that’s not all that we find in the pages of this report because every year that passes, those false hopes are overtaken more and more by real hope; the real hope that the modern abolitionist movement provides. And just as trafficking takes many forms, the way that we fight slavery today, the way that we provide hope for those who have been exploited, is growing. It is growing more diverse and more innovative, and so are the people who are stepping up.

We see it in the private sector, where corporate leaders are using their business skills. They’re hearing from consumers who don’t want to buy things tainted by modern slavery. Leaders like CEO Tom Mazzetta. When he read a report about forced labor in the fishing industry, he wasn’t just shocked. He acted. He wrote two letters. The first was to the company he used, until that day, to source calamari. The second was an open letter to all of his customers telling them that his brand was his family, his family name, and he would not taint it or his customers with slavery in his supply chain. We’re inspired by his principled stand.

We see it among activists like Jada Pinkett Smith and her family, who have a unique platform from which to act. When her daughter Willow began asking about these types of subjects, she didn’t just explain it away as something that happens over there. She got to work. She’s launching a new website to serve as a resource for victims and survivors and is an information hub for those who seek to learn more about this crime. Jada, we thank you for your advocacy.

We see it in people’s day to day lives, like when Aram Kovach was watching CNN one day. He saw the story of a young boy castrated because he refused to take part in a begging ring. He wasn’t just horrified by the reality of modern slavery. Aram did something. He got in touch with the boy’s family and he paid for him to come to the United States for surgery. Mr. Kovach we’re moved by your compassion.

And if I can take a moment of personal privilege, we see it in the men and women who contribute to this report: our colleagues at embassies around the world, in our regional bureaus here in Washington, and especially the reports in political affairs team of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. We thank you all for your rigor, your commitment, and the zeal with which you attack this problem.

And we see it ultimately in the victims, the survivors, whether they choose to become activists or whether they choose to lead a life of quiet anonymity. When you log on to slaveryfootprint.org – and I hope you do – and it asks you how many slaves work for you, remember that those victims are not statistics. It’ll give you a number, but these people are not numbers. They are people with hopes, with dreams, with courage, and with names. Remember their names, names like Amina, Maria Elena, Joel, Ashley. It’s their courage that challenge us to deliver on this promise, this promise of freedom.

And it’s my pleasure to introduce someone who has never turned away from that challenge. From the start of this effort, when most people didn’t want to talk about modern slavery, to this day, when we recommit ourselves to the vision of a world without slavery, ladies and gentlemen, the Secretary of State. (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you all very much. And I am delighted to see a standing room only crowd here in the Benjamin Franklin Room for this very important annual event. I welcome all of you here to the State Department. And I want to begin by thanking Ambassador CdeBaca and his team for all the hard work that goes into this report, and the passion that they bring to the fight against modern slavery. I would like, Lou, for you and your team to either stand or wave your hand if you’re already standing. Could we have everyone from – (applause) – thank you. I so appreciate what you do every day, not just when we roll out the report, and I’m very proud to be your colleague.

I also want to welcome our 10 TIP heroes, whose work is making a real difference. You will hear more about each one individually when we recognize them, but I want, personally, to thank them because they do remind us that one person’s commitment and passion, one person’s experience and the courage to share that experience with the world, can have a huge impact. And I am delighted to welcome all of our TIP heroes here today. Thank you. (Applause.)

And I will join Lou in thanking Jada Pinkett Smith and Will for being here, and through you, your daughter. Because, as Lou said, it was their daughter who brought this issue to Jada’s attention, and I am so pleased that she has taken on this cause. And we look forward to working with you.

In the United States today, we are celebrating what’s called Juneteenth. That’s freedom day, the date in 1865 when a Union officer stood on a balcony in Galveston, Texas and read General Order Number 3, which declared, “All slaves are free.” It was one of many moments in history when a courageous leader tipped the balance and made the world more free and more just. But the end of legal slavery in the United States and in other countries around the world has not, unfortunately, meant the end of slavery.

Today, it is estimated as many as 27 million people around the world are victims of modern slavery, what we sometimes call trafficking in persons. As Lou said, I’ve worked on this issue now for more than a dozen years. And when we started, we called it trafficking. And we were particularly concerned about what we saw as an explosion of the exploitation of people, most especially women, who were being quote, “trafficked” into the sex trade and other forms of servitude. But I think labeling this for what it is, slavery, has brought it to another dimension.

I mean, trafficking, when I first used to talk about it all those years ago, I think for a while people wondered whether I was talking about road safety – (laughter) – what we needed to do to improve transportation systems. But slavery, there is no mistaking what it is, what it means, what it does. And these victims of modern slavery are women and men, girls and boys. And their stories remind us of what kind of inhumane treatment we are still capable of as human beings. Some, yes, are lured to another country with false promises of a good job or opportunities for their families. Others can be exploited right where they grew up, where they now live. Whatever their background, they are living, breathing reminders that the work to eradicate slavery remains unfinished. The fact of slavery may have changed, but our commitment to ending it has not and the deeply unjust treatment that it provides has not either.

Now the United States is not alone in this fight. Many governments have rallied around what we call the three P’s of fighting modern slavery: prevention, prosecution, and protection. And this report, which is being issued today, gives a clear and honest assessment of where all of us are making progress on our commitments and where we are either standing still or even sliding backwards. It takes a hard look at every government in the world, including our own. Because when I became Secretary of State, I said, “When we are going to be issuing reports on human trafficking, on human rights that talk about other countries, we’re also going to be examining what we’re doing,” because I think it’s important that we hold ourselves to the same standard as everyone else.
Now, this year’s report tells us that we are making a lot of progress. Twenty-nine countries were upgraded from a lower tier to a higher one, which means that their governments are taking the right steps. This could mean enacting strong laws, stepping up their investigations and prosecutions, or simply laying out a roadmap of steps they will take to respond.

But this issue and the progress we’ve made are about much more than statistics on prosecutions and vulnerable populations. It’s about what is happening in the lives of the girls and women I recently met in Kolkata. I visited a few months ago and was able to meet with some extraordinary women and girls who were getting their lives back after suffering unspeakable abuses. One young girl, full of life, came up and asked me if I wanted to see her perform some karate moves. And I said, “Of course.” And the way she stood up so straight and confident, the pride and accomplishment in her eyes, was so inspiring. This was a child who’d been born in a brothel to a young mother who had been forced and sold into prostitution. But when her mother finally escaped and took her daughter with her, they were out of harm’s way and finally able to make choices for themselves.

Now I don’t know what’s going to happen to that young girl, whose image I see in my mind’s eye, in the years and decades ahead. But I do know that with a little help, her life can be so much better than her mother’s. And that’s what we need to be focused on, and it’s what we need to try to do for all victims and survivors.

That’s why in this year’s report, we are especially focused on that third P, victim protection. And in these pages, you’ll find a lot of proven practices and innovative approaches to protecting victims. This is a useful and specific guide for governments looking to scale up their own efforts. What kind of psychological support might a victim need? How should immigration laws work to protect migrant victims? How can labor inspectors learn to recognize the warning signs of traffickers? And what can you and all of us do to try to help?

When I met with the people who were working with victims in Kolkata, I met several young women from the United States who had been inspired by reading about and watching and going online and learning about what was happening in the efforts to rescue and protect victims. And they were there in Kolkata, working with organizations, NGOs, and the faith community, to do their part. So this is a moment for people to ask themselves not just what government can do to end modern slavery, but what can I do, what can we do together.

Ultimately, this report reminds us of the human cost of this crime. Traffickers prey on the hopes and dreams of those seeking a better life. And our goal should be to put those hopes and dreams back within reach, whether it’s getting a good job to send money home to support a family, trying to get an education for oneself or one’s children, or simply pursuing new opportunities that might lead to a better life. We need to ensure that all survivors have that opportunity to move past what they endured and to make the most of their potential.

I’m very pleased that every year we have the chance to honor people who have made such a contribution in this modern struggle against modern slavery. And I’m also pleased that this is a high priority for President Obama and the Obama Administration. It’s something that is not just political and not just a policy, but very personal and very deep. You might have seen over the weekend a long story about Mrs. Obama’s roots going back to the time of our own period of slavery and the family that nurtured her, which has roots in the fields and the houses of a time when Americans owned slaves.

So as we recommit ourselves to end modern slavery, we should take a moment to reflect on how far we have come, here in our country and around the world, but how much farther we still have to go to find a way to free those 27 million victims and to ensure that there are no longer any victims in the future.
Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

AMBASSADOR CDEBACA: We are joined today by 10 amazing individuals representative of thousands of more amazing individuals who work so hard to do their part in this fight. And I’d ask that the TIP heroes from this side of the stage come over and join us starting with –

SECRETARY CLINTON: Stand over here?

AMBASSADOR CDEBACA: I think we’re going to do it right over here. Starting with Marcelo Colombo. Marcelo Colombo from Argentina, in recognition of his profound influence on efforts to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases and take a bold stance against corruption and official complicity. Marcelo Colombo. (Applause.)
In recognition of her extraordinary commitment to uncovering human trafficking cases, her innovative strategy to raise public awareness in spite of limited resources, and a proactive approach to providing protection services to victims in Aruba, Jeannette Richardson-Baars (Applause.)

In recognition of her ambitious efforts to strengthen legislative and criminal justice responses to trafficking in Southeast Asia and her substantial contribution to identify the core elements of a comprehensive anti-trafficking model from Australia, Anne Gallagher. (Applause.)

In recognition of his amazing courage to escape slavery and his remarkable activism to end human trafficking, raising awareness of labor exploitation in the fishing industry of Southeast Asia, Vannak Anan Prum. (Applause.)

In recognition of his unwavering efforts in the face of threats and acts of violence against him and his family to provide aid to trafficking victims in the Republic of the Congo, Raimi Vincent Paraiso. (Applause.)

In recognition of his dedication to victim protection and support and his tireless work to enlist new partners in anti-trafficking efforts in Greece, Phil Hyldgaard. (Applause.)
For her compassion and courage in bringing attention to the suffering of the human trafficking victims in the Sinai and her groundbreaking projects that identify these abuses, Sister Azezet Habtezghi Kidane. (Applause.)

For her ongoing and exemplary leadership to increase engagement and strengthen commitments to fight trafficking in the OSCE region, Judge Maria Grazia Giammarinaro. (Applause.)

In recognition of her courageous advocacy on behalf of vulnerable people and her pioneering work to outlaw slavery once and for all in Mauritania, a country in which she was the first woman lawyer, Fatimata M’Baye. (Applause.)

The founder of International Justice Mission, an internationally recognized human rights organization, for his work to preserve rule of law around the globe, Gary Haugen. (Applause.)

UNDER SECRETARY OTERO: If I could ask Vincent to please come to the podium and speak on behalf of the TIP heroes, please. (Applause.)

MR. PARAISO: Bonjour. (Via interpreter) Madam Secretary, honorable under secretaries, honorable ambassadors, heads of diplomatic missions, distinguished guests. On behalf of my organization, Alto-Afrique Enfants, and of all the heroes here that I have the honor to represent, I would like to thank the United States Government for honoring us with this award at this unforgettable moment.

The phenomenon of human trafficking has reached alarming proportions around the world. My country, the Republic of Congo, and many others represented at this meeting are unfortunately not spared from this crime. Therefore, the international community cannot remain silent against this evil and must continue to respond relentlessly. I would also like to thank the U.S. embassies in our respective countries for their advocacy and dialogue with host country governments in the fight against this phenomenon.

In my career as a medical doctor, the numerous traumatic injuries I have seen inflicted and cured on child victims of trafficking led me to stand as a pillar of support for hundreds of children. These child victims of trafficking have been identified, rescued, protected, and sometimes supported by our organization in the Republic of the Congo. This work has led to several kidnapping and assassination attempts against me by potential traffickers. But it has also filled me with joy and happiness when, for instance, I heard a Senegalese teenager who I rescued tell me, “You are my father.”

I have the honor to represent Alto-Afrique Enfants, and we will continue the fight against traffickers with passion. As for its commitments to the fight and trafficking and forced labor, Alto will continue to work jointly with the government, UNICEF, and other international and national organizations. This is a problem that must be resolved through a joint effort. Human trafficking is a human rights violation.

An approach grounded in human rights in the prevention of and the fight against trafficking has several requirements in both law and practice. Most of all, victims’ rights must be fully respected and they must be clearly identified. Finally, these victims are entitled to justice, reparations, and should be treated with close attention, as they are vulnerable. Perseverance and collaboration will lead us to success, meaning the eradication of this phenomenon.

Madam Secretary, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen, I would like to conclude by stating that I hope we can work together to build a better future for all children of the world. Thank you. (Applause.)

UNDER SECRETARY OTERO: Merci beaucoup, Vincent. C’est magnifique. C’est tres magnifique. (Laughter.) Your words are inspiring and your leadership in this struggle is also inspiring. You and all the TIP heroes are once again reminding us that the individual actions of each human being has tremendous impact and that we are all responsible for playing a role in eradicating this horrible crime that continues to persist in our societies.

I want to thank you all for joining this event today. The commitment, the passion, the responsibility that all of you take on and that is represented in this room, once again reminds us that we are not only moving in the right direction, but that we are going to make this goal be within our reach. So thank you very much for being here with us today. Thank you, Madam Secretary. (Applause.)