NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 30, 2013

 

U.S. Marine Corps Captain Mastin Robeson stands next to Route 611 to prepare for a convoy during Operation New Hope in Kajaki, Afghanistan, Jan. 18, 2013. Robeson, a team leader, is assigned to Security Force Assistance Advisor Team, Regimental Combat Team 7. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mark Garcia

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban Leaders in Helmand Province
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 30, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested two Taliban leaders today in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, military officials reported.

One is believed to be directly responsible for orchestrating assassinations of Afghan national security force members, overseeing attacks on police checkpoints and directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also is accused of having organized the acquisition and transfer of heavy weapons and improvised explosive devices to Taliban fighters.

The other is believed to be directly responsible for the transport and financing of IED-making materials, planting IEDs and executing IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

The security force also detained four other suspected insurgents.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force in Kunduz province's Khanabad district arrested a Taliban leader accused of planning and executing IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and Afghan government officials. He also is believed to have provided financial and logistical support to Taliban and suicide-bomber operations throughout Kunduz province. The security force also detained two other suspected insurgents and seized several firearms.

-- In Nangarhar province's Khugyani district, a combined force killed two insurgents and detained nine others after being fired upon while searching for a man suspected of providing logistical support to Taliban leaders. The security force also seized several firearms and associated ammunition. No civilians were harmed during the operation, officials said.

STATE OF ALABAMA EMPLOYEE INDICTED FOR IDENTITY THEFT

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Alabama Employee Indicted for Providing Names to a Million Dollar Identity Theft Scheme

 

 

A federal grand jury in Montgomery, Ala., returned an indictment charging Lea’Tice Phillips for conspiring to file false tax returns using stolen identities, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. The 37 count indictment charges Phillips with conspiracy to file false claims, wire fraud, computer fraud and aggravated identity theft.

 

According to the court documents, Phillips worked for an Alabama state agency and had access to state databases which contained means of identification of individuals. Between October 2009 and April 2012, Phillips conspired with Antoinette Djonret and others to file false tax returns using stolen identities. On multiple occasions, Phillips accessed a state database to obtain means of identification. Phillips used her state email to send means of identification to Djonret. Djonret and others used those means of identification to file false tax returns. Djonret and her co-conspirators filed most of the tax returns from her residence in Montgomery. Djonret and her co-conspirators used an elaborate network of individuals to launder the tax refunds. They recruited individuals to purchase prepaid debit cards and to provide the cards to Djonret and her co-conspirators. The fraudulent tax refunds were directed to the prepaid debit cards. Djonret and her co-conspirators would then use the prepaid debit cards to obtain the proceeds. Some of the prepaid debit cards were in the name of Lea’Tice Phillips. In total, Djonret filed over 1,000 false tax returns that claimed over $1.7 million in fraudulent tax refunds.

 

On Aug. 9, 2012, a federal grand jury in Montgomery returned a superseding indictment charging Antoinette Djonret, Angelique Djonret, Tabitha Stinson, Melba Wilson, Chantresa Hayes and Corey Means for their roles in the same conspiracy.
 

 

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Phillips faces 10 years imprisonment for the conspiracy to file false claims, 20 years for each wire fraud count, 10 years imprisonment for each computer fraud count and a mandatory two-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft counts. She is also subject to fines, mandatory restitution and forfeiture.

 

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation. Trial attorneys Jason H. Poole and Michael Boteler of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Brown are prosecuting the case.

 

 

NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT LOOKS AT FOOD SAFETY RESTARTS WITH NEW MEMBERS

Credit:  HHS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods Restarts Critical Food Safety Work with 22 New Members, Renewed Charter
Congressional and Public Affairs
Richard J. McIntire

WASHINGTON, January 28, 2013–The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced the re-chartering of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and welcomes the addition of new members.

The committee is charged with providing recommendations to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microbiological criteria by which the safety and wholesomeness of food can be assessed. That work includes criteria for microorganisms that indicate whether foods have been adequately and appropriately processed.

"NACMCF's work provides FSIS and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a valuable resource for obtaining external expert advice on scientific and technical food safety issues for our nation's food safety programs," said FSIS Administrator Al Almanza. "Re-chartering this committee benefits the public interest and fulfills statutory responsibilities."

The committee membership consists of scientists from academia, industry, other organizations, and federal and state government as well as one individual affiliated with a consumer group, who is serving in a representational capacity. NACMCF members are appointed by the USDA Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of HHS with advice on membership from the Department of Commerce's National Marine Fisheries Service, the Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency, and the Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

NACMCF members serve a two-year renewable term. To ensure a balanced membership with diverse viewpoints, FSIS has employed a strong outreach effort to encourage nominations by minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and other under-represented populations.

Established in 1988, NACMCF formulates positions on the development of microbiological criteria, the review and evaluation of epidemiological and risk assessment data and methodologies for assessing microbiological hazards in foods. The committee's work also assists the CDC and the Departments of Commerce and Defense. The committee is the outcome of a 1985 report of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Food Protection, Subcommittee on Microbiological Criteria.

The NACMCF meets approximately twice annually, while subcommittees meet more often as necessary. Background materials are available online at the previously noted address or by contacting Karen Thomas-Sharp at (202) 690-6620.

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
130127-N-RQ668-122 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 26, 2013) Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Travis Stewart, assigned to G3 weapons department aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), fires a .50-caliber machine gun during a live-fire exercise. Harry S. Truman is underway conducting a composite training unit exercise in preparation for its upcoming deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Benjamin Malvezzi/Released)

130126-N-PW661-007 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 26, 2013) The fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) extends fuel lines to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during a replenishment-at-sea. Harry S. Truman is underway conducting a composite training unit exercise in preparation for its upcoming deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Rob Aylward/Released)

DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY CARTER'S REMARKS ON SEQUESTRATION PLANNING

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Carter: Sequestration Planning Requires Balance
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2013 - Planning for sequestration is the practical thing to do and doesn't indicate a lack of confidence in Congress, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said yesterday in an interview on "This Week in Defense News with Vago Muradian."

Though Congress voted earlier this month to delay until March 2 the implementation of about $500 billion in across-the-board defense spending cuts over 10 years, Carter explained, the threat still looms and the Pentagon must be ready.

Complicating matters, is that the Defense Department -- as is all of the federal government -- is still operating under a continuing resolution, "which means we are stuck with the budget of last year, category by category," he added. The continuing resolution is set to expire March 27, unless Congress approves a new appropriations act for fiscal 2013.

Preparing for this confluence of events requires a delicate balance between acting too early and planning too late, Carter said.

"The reason not to make adjustments too early is these are not desirable things to do," he said. "They're not good for defense, so you don't want to do them until you have to."

For example, Carter said, the Defense Department normally hires about 1,000 people each week to maintain a stable number of personnel. "However," he continued, "if I worry that I'm going to run short of money later in the fiscal year, I'd better stop hiring."

On Jan. 10, Carter issued a memo authorizing defense components to implement measures that will mitigate the effects of fiscal uncertainty, including hiring freezes, termination of temporary employees and cancelling certain equipment maintenance contracts.

"Now that's not a good thing," Carter said. "That's jobs -- 44 percent of the people we hire are veterans. And we care about hiring veterans. And of course, most importantly, we care about getting the work done."

When he talks about DOD civilians, Carter said, he's not talking about bureaucrats in Washington. "These are shipyard workers -- these are people who are doing important things," he added.

The memo requires defense components to submit their plans to Carter's office, he said, to ensure their efforts are balanced and to provide components with an opportunity to learn from each other's approaches. Meanwhile, he said, the department is taking prudent steps now in case the continuing resolution is extended for the whole year or the sequestration cuts take effect.

"What we're trying to do is take steps that are reversible," he explained. "They're harmful if they last the whole year. But if I take them now, I'll be better off later in the year."

For now, he said, these are steps that can be quickly undone.

"Later in the year, I'm going to have to do things that are irreversible -- that do irreversible harm," Carter said, including furloughing federal employees and reducing military training.

"Obviously, I don't want to do that. ... If it goes on long enough, we will do damage to readiness that will be difficult and take years to reverse," he said.

Preparations have been ongoing for some time, Carter said.

"We've been doing that quietly," he said, "because we haven't wanted to act as though sequestration or any of these things was either inevitable or, certainly, something that we could manage with ease. These are damaging, destructive things to do."

FUTURE AIRCRAFT CARRIER GERALD R. FORD RECEIVES IT'S ISLAND

130126-N-YX169-191 NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Jan. 26, 2013) Susan Ford Bales, daughter of late President Gerald R. Ford and ship's sponsor, speaks with members of the future nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) first crew during the ship's island landing ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding. The island-landing ceremony marks the final super-lift in the construction process for the ship as the 555-metric ton island is lifted into place on the ship's flight deck. The Gerald R. Ford is the first is a new class of aircraft carriers, and is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in 2015. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Nathanael Miller/Released)

FROM: U.S. NAVY
Island-landing Ceremony Held for New Carrier

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- The future aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford received its island during a ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding Jan. 26.

The Ford, named for the 38th President of the United States, is the first in a new class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers that will replace the current Nimitz-class carriers, while taking state-of-the-art technology to sea.

Susan Ford Bales,the ship's sponsor and daughter of the late president, attended and spoke before the 555-metric ton island was lifted from the pier to the flight deck. Bales paid tribute to her father, by reciting a quote from the 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Tip O'Neill.

"'God has been good to the American people. In the time of the Civil War he gave us Abraham Lincoln, and at the time of Watergate he gave us Gerald Ford - the right man at the right time who was able to heal the nation,'" Bales quoted.

Before Ford's island was lowered, the ceremony featured an ancient shipbuilding tradition of placing coins under the ship's mast for good luck. Modern shipbuilders continue this tradition, but it has been modified for aircraft carriers by placing coins and mementos under the island.

Bales placed a small sandstone block, cut from the same stone used to build the White House and the U.S. Capitol, under the Ford's island. Embedded in the stone were several coins commemorating President Ford's naval service in World War II, his years in the House of Representatives, and his service as vice president and president.

Rear Adm. Ted N. Branch, commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic, Capt. John Meier, Ford's prospective commanding officer , and Matt Mulherin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding also placed mementos under the island before it was completely lowered onto the flight deck.

"As the island is landed, Gerald R. Ford will take on that distinctive and unmistakable profile of an aircraft carrier," said Meier.

The Ford's island incorporates the latest flat panel array and dual band radar systems. The island was placed 140 feet further aft and three feet further outboard than previous carriers to improve flight deck access for aircraft operations. The super lift of the completed structure marks the last major piece of the new carrier's construction.

With the ship nearing its launch date later this year, the nucleus of its crew, known as the Ford's Pre-Commissioning Unit is being formed. This small unit of officers and enlisted Sailors has started the process of bringing the ship to life.

"The technology on the ship is so amazing that I stayed in the Navy when I found out I could get orders here," said Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SW) William Hamrick, future administrator of the Reactor department's computer network.

Meier called upon the shipbuilders at Newport News and the ship's crew to continue building a culture of excellence and a legacy that will "last for generations to come."

"Our nation and our Navy needs Gerald R. Ford to put to sea," said Meier. "Ford represents a multi-billion dollar investment by our nation. It's a clear recognition that sea power has been a keystone of our great nation's preeminence throughout the world."

The Ford is scheduled for delivery to the Navy in 2015.

U.S. OFFICIALS REMARK'S ON FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL CRIME

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks
David M. Luna
Director for Anticrime Programs, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Jakarta, Indonesia
January 26, 2013
 
Good morning.

It is a pleasure to be here with you as we begin the new APEC year.

The United States applauds the leadership of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia as the APEC Host Economy in 2013 and the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as Chair of this year’s APEC Anticorruption and Transparency (ACT) Working Group.

Your Excellency, Bambang Widjowanto, KPK Deputy Chairman, as a previous Chair of this very important and influential sub-forum in APEC, let me congratulate you on your appointment as our new ACT Chair and commend your life-long commitment to promoting human rights, advancing the rule of law, and safeguarding integrity in Indonesia.

The KPK remains a model within APEC on prosecuting high-level corruption cases, including within the police and security agencies, and demonstrating to us all that no official is above the law. The ACT must continue to support the KPK and all of our economies’ anticorruption authorities to eradicate corruption, safeguard integrity and public trust, and restore people’s faith in government as a steward of equality and justice.

I would also like to thank the Government of the Russian Federation for its leadership last year, and applaud all of the economies here for our collective achievements in 2012. I am confident that we will make great gains this year on developing an APEC regional network of anticorruption authorities that further protects our economies against abuses of power and the plunder of our national assets, human capital, and natural resources.

In 2013, we must work together to achieve the three core objectives outlined in our ACT five-year strategy: 1) to minimize impunity and kleptocracy by preventing and prosecuting public corruption; 2) to level the playing field for all businesses by fighting foreign bribery; and 3) to shut down the illegal economy and criminalized markets by combating corruption and illicit trade.

Combating Impunity and Kleptocracy: Enough is Enough!

No economy is immune from corruption, nor can any economy combat it alone. In addition to effective governance within our own jurisdictions, we must take collective action to improve governance across borders and reconfigure the way we fight corruption with smarter, more holistic strategies and approaches. We must work to prevent the flow of illicit funds, including proceeds of corruption.

APEC Leaders recognized the ACT work program in the 2012 Vladivostok Declaration on Fighting Corruption. They emphasized their commitment to investigate and prosecute corruption; to enforce our domestic bribery laws and laws criminalizing the bribery of foreign public officials; to fight money laundering and deny safe haven to assets illicitly acquired by individuals engaged in corruption. They also vowed to combat illicit trade by attacking the financial underpinnings of transnational criminal organizations and illicit networks; stripping criminal entrepreneurs and corrupt officials of their illicit wealth; and severing their access to the global financial system.

The Vladivostok Declaration also renewed and elevated APEC Leaders’ commitment to "enhance public trust by committing to transparent, fair, and accountable governance" to empower communities to monitor government policies and voice their perspectives on the use of resources.

Voice and accountability can not only help check corruption, but also allow our citizens and communities to take hold of their destinies, enjoy higher standards of living, and trust that their governments exist to do good. Transparent and open governments tend to pursue cost-effective policies; minimize misallocation of resources; and attract investment from companies looking for solid investment environments and opportunities. This is why eight APEC member countries (Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Russia, and the United States) have joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a multi-stakeholder initiative launched in 2011 to promote transparency, enhance accountability, and fight corruption. Indonesia is also a co-chair of the OGP’s Steering Committee this year, and its leadership of both the OGP and the ACT presents an opportunity for us all to further our efforts to enhance public trust and raise standards of living.

Our Leaders have spoken. They have repeatedly affirmed their will to combat corruption across the Asia Pacific region. We must answer them with a transformative good governance agenda that will anchor economic growth and development from Moscow to Jakarta, from Beijing to Lima, from San Francisco to Sydney, and transform people’s lives across all markets in APEC.

ACT colleagues, we must act decisively and collectively to implement the five-year strategy. I am confident that we can fulfill our Leaders’ mandate and achieve APEC’s broader agenda to secure open markets, economic prosperity, and the rule of law.

Fighting All Forms of Bribery

Continued cooperation with the private sector is a critical component of our efforts to level the playing field for businesses across APEC economies.

Our recent work with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and other partners has ushered in a new era of cooperation between the public and private sectors. This partnership is enhancing market integrity and forging a more connected, innovative, and dynamic Asia Pacific region that thrives on openness and a rules-based approach to trade and investment.

We can do more. Building on the APEC Santiago Commitment, the APEC Code of Conduct for Business (Business Integrity and Transparency Principles for the Private Sector), and the Complementary Anti-Corruption Principles for the Public and Private Sectors, we can vigorously enforce domestic bribery laws, including laws criminalizing the bribery of foreign public officials, and fulfill our international obligations. I also hope that we can continue to share experiences and best practices in combating foreign bribery, enlist the private sector as a partner in combating bribery, and provide specialized training to make greater inroads on this important front.

We can minimize corruption as a significant market and trade barrier and improve the investment climate in our economies by ensuring that we effectively investigate and prosecute corrupt public officials and those who bribe them, in compliance with our respective domestic laws and international obligations, where appropriate, under the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and similar instruments.

The United States looks forward to working with Indonesia, China, and all economies to support stronger bribery enforcement, prosecutions, and other actions in APEC in 2013-2014.

Combating Illicit Trade and Shutting Down the Illegal Economy

Sustainable economic growth also depends on our progress to combat illicit trade and its pernicious impact on the environment and markets.

Illicit trade and the illegal economy undermine social stability and the welfare of our communities. Illicit enterprises not only distort the legal economy, but they also divert revenue from legitimate market drivers such as businesses and governments. Illicit trade further hampers development by preventing the equitable distribution of public goods. But this goes beyond just economic harm. The illegal economy also incurs a significant negative social cost, and in some cases, devastates vital ecosystems and habitats.

The dumping of toxic waste contaminates our food and water supplies. Illegal logging and deforestation or poaching exacerbate climate change and undermine our ability in APEC to advance inclusive, green, sustainable development. Poaching and trafficking of endangered wildlife robs economies of their natural assets and their future.

The corruption that allows counterfeit or ineffective pharmaceuticals to enter our communities endangers public health, denying the sick effective treatment and permitting deadly diseases to mutate and become untreatable.

The corruption that allows traffickers to move people across borders and exploit them with impunity not only violates individuals’ basic rights and freedoms but also stunts both their and their communities’ economic potential and political development.

Kleptocracy and the embezzlement of national revenue and assets that are intended to finance the future for our citizens impair the ability of communities to make the investments necessary to stimulate growth. Revenue that could be used to build roads to facilitate commerce, hospitals to save lives, homes to raise and protect families, or schools to educate future leaders and entrepreneurs is instead siphoned away for private gain.

APEC has a number of tools in its toolkit to combat corruption and illicit trade, and we have an ongoing opportunity to work together to comprehensively and holistically combat corruption, as well as illicit finance more broadly; to foster integrity in global markets and supply chains; and to protect and promote economic growth and shared prosperity.

Among them is the ACT Multi-Year Project that Thailand and Chile are co-leading on ways to combat money laundering, recover the fruits of corrupt and criminal activity, and track illicit financial flows. As kleptocrats and criminal entrepreneurs continue to hide the proceeds of their crimes in legal structures such as offshore shell companies and foundations and then launder most of that through casinos, financial institutions, or real estate into the global financial system, we must bring them to justice and, where possible, return their illicit wealth back to impacted communities.

To do this effectively, we must also target more aggressively the financial facilitators and service providers who commit crimes in helping corrupt officials, criminals, and illicit networks inject their dirty money into our financial system.

The APEC-ASEAN Pathfinder Workshop on Combating Corruption and Illicit Trade that will be held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in June 2013, will advance a dialogue among partners across the Asia Pacific region and strengthen cooperation by creating a network of anticorruption authorities, promoting information and intelligence exchanges, and facilitating cooperation and information sharing in investigations related to corruption and illicit trade and efforts to shut down the illegal economy.

More broadly, we can and should support the effective implementation of global anti-money laundering standards promulgated by the Financial Action Task Force. Among these are preventive measures that facilitate financial transparency and help prevent the flow of proceeds of corruption.

Converting Political Will into Action: Regional Networks and Partnerships

We can build on our APEC anti-corruption and transparency commitments and the collaborative relationships around this table to create a regional network of anti-corruption bodies that would facilitate the sharing of intelligence and information, as well as the sharing of best practices and challenges in effectively tracking cross-border corruption, other crime, and illicit financial flows.

The United States is more committed than ever to combating corruption and illicit trade, and we look forward to the discussion here in Jakarta.

Together, we will create a better, more prosperous future by uniting our efforts to combat corruption and support accountability and good governance. We must turn our shared interests into collective action by developing more comprehensive approaches to combating corruption so that we can prosecute corrupt public officials and those who bribe them.

Again, I wish Indonesia a great and successful year in APEC 2013 and applaud my ACT colleagues for developing and pressing forward on a vibrant course of action to fight corruption and promote integrity—a course that I know will lead us towards economic growth and a stronger foundation to build the new markets and investment frontiers of tomorrow.

Thank you.

U.S. CONTINUES SUPPORT FOR FRANCE IN MALI

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little briefs reporters at the Pentagon, Jan. 29, 2013. During the press event, Little provided an update on the U.S. role in supporting France's military operations in Mali. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Air Force Continues Support to France in Mali
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2013 - The U.S. Air Force continues to back French air operations in Mali through refueling efforts, logistical movements, troop transport and information sharing, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

"Since French operations began Jan. 11, the U.S. has been sharing intelligence with the French," Little told reporters. The United States has provided airlift support to the French army since Jan. 21, he added, and began refueling support for French air operations Jan. 27.

As of Jan. 27, the U.S. Air Force had flown 17 C-17 sorties, moving more than 391 tons of equipment and supplies and nearly 500 French personnel into Bamako, Little said.

One refueling mission has been conducted so far, Little said, when a KC-135 Stratotanker provided about 33,000 pounds of fuel to French fighter aircraft. More refueling missions are expected to take place today, he added, noting that the United States is in constant consultation with France on their operations in Mali.

Following a phone call between Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and his French counterpart, the United States also has agreed to support the international effort by providing airlift to countries in the region, including Chad and Togo, Little said.

Further French requests for assistance will be reviewed, Little said, noting that the U.S. strongly supports French operations in Mali against al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

"AQIM and other terrorist groups have threatened to establish a safe haven in Mali, and the French have done absolutely the right thing," Little said. "We will continue to assess their needs and what our support might be in the future."

Panetta has stressed the need to go after al-Qaida wherever they are, Little said, including its various branches in south Asia and Africa.

"AQIM poses a threat in the region, and I can't rule out the possibility that AQIM poses a threat to U.S. interests," he said. "This is a group that has shown its ability to demonstrate brutality and to conduct attacks. And it's very important that we work with our partners in the region and our allies to thwart them."

ISS UPDATE FOR JANUARY 29, 2013

FROM: NASA

 

NOAA's National Weather Service SPC Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watches Update

NOAA's National Weather Service SPC Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watches Update

President Obama Speaks on Comprehensive Immigration Reform | The White House

President Obama Speaks on Comprehensive Immigration Reform | The White House

Interview With Elise Labott and Jill Dougherty of CNN: Transcript

Interview With Elise Labott and Jill Dougherty of CNN

DOD Press Briefing with George Little from the Pentagon

DOD Press Briefing with George Little from the Pentagon

U.S. NAVY DENTIST READIES TO PROVIDE FREE DENTAL CARE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) William Lyons has dedicated nearly 25 years to providing humanitarian aid in developing countries. He is preparing to deploy to the Philippines to provide dental care. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kenneth Jasik

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Face of Defense: Dentist Looks Forward to Humanitarian MissionBy Marine Corps Cpl. Kenneth Jasik
1st Marine Logistics Group

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Jan. 25, 2013 - A Navy dentist with 1st Dental Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, is preparing for a deployment to the Philippines, where he will provide free dental care for the local population.

Navy Cmdr. (Dr.) William Lyons, a native of Dubuque, Iowa, has been serving in humanitarian assistance projects for nearly 25 years.

"It's one of the best things I think a person could do," he said. "It's rewarding in more ways than money could ever be."

Lyons recalled a girl in Vietnam who was about 10 years old and had broken off a front tooth. "She didn't have it fixed for a long time, and I was able to put on a restoration to restore the contour and aesthetics," he said. "The smile that little girl gave me back is just something I'll never forget."

Lyons has been to Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam to provide dental care.

"Every place has its own unique experiences, meeting the different people," he said. "They are friendly and just all-around good people. It makes you happy just to provide treatment for them."

Lyons is prepared to deploy to the Philippines in early March, and said he is very excited for another opportunity to help a community.

"If one wants to go to a country and meet the people, volunteer work is an excellent way to do that," he said. "You're going to link up with some local people, and they'll take you into their group and show you things you wouldn't see as a tourist."

Lyons said he learns new things every time he volunteers. Whether on the home front in San Diego or overseas in an impoverished country, he said, he is ready to help.

"Regardless of what you are doing, it improves you in a sense that is not easy to explain," he added. "You get a lot of self-satisfaction out of it."

U.S. MILITARY: WOMEN TO HAVE MORE ROLES IN SPEACIAL OPERATIONS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Officials to Study More Roles for Women in Special Ops
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2013 - With women already providing direct support in special operations, officials are studying how to open more positions that currently are open only to men, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command said here today.

Navy Adm. William H. McRaven touched on the future of women in special operations during remarks at the National Defense Industrial Association's 24th Annual Special Operations and Low-intensity Conflict Symposium.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced last week that the 1994 policy that excluded women from serving in direct ground combat positions is rescinded.

"We have had women supporting direct special operations for quite some time," McRaven noted today. "So I am fully supportive of Secretary Panetta and the chairman's decision to do this -- and frankly, so were all the service chiefs and combatant commanders."

Special operations forces include a number of women with specialized language, cultural and special skills training, but McRaven acknowledged that Army Rangers, Navy SEALs and other "door-kicking" special operations units have never included women. Socom leaders have an opportunity over the next few years to assess how to open the command's ranks to women, McRaven said.

"I'm required to report back to the secretary, by the first quarter of [fiscal 2016], a plan on how to integrate them," he added.

The new guidance requires that standards be gender-neutral, the admiral noted. "We never had gender standards, ... because we had no female population. ... We had an all-male population that was going to become Rangers, or SEALs, or infantrymen," he said. "So that was the standard."

McRaven said he and his staff are looking forward to figuring out ways to integrate women into direct special operations roles.

"I guarantee you, there will be females out there that will come to [basic underwater demolition/SEAL] training or be Rangers ... and will do a phenomenal job," he said.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR JANUARY 29, 2013

Photo:  Afghanistan Search.  Credit:  U.S. Marine Corps.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Taliban IED Attack Leader
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 29, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban leader in the Arghandab district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province today, military officials reported.

The leader was responsible for planning and executing improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, and was planning an IED attack against Afghan civilians when he was arrested, officials said.

The security force also detained a suspected insurgent and seized ammunition in the operation.

Also today, a combined force in Baghlan province's Burkah district arrested an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader who conducted assassinations directed by insurgent leadership and coordinated the acquisition and delivery of weapons for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also seized an assault rifle with associated gear and ammunition.

In Kandahar province's Spin Boldak district yesterday, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader responsible for building, planting and distributing IEDs. He also conducted surveillance of Afghan and coalition forces in preparation for IED attacks and organized the transfer and delivery of IEDs to other insurgents.

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS REMARK'S ON 'EMERGING GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER'

Photo:  Taj Mahal.  Credit:  U.S. State Department.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

The New Emerging Global Economic Order: Taking the U.S.-India Example
Remarks
Robert D. Hormats
Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs
Agra, India
January 28, 2013
As prepared for delivery

Thank you for that wonderful greeting. I am honored to accept your invitation to participate in the Partnership 2013 Summit. For me this is an excellent opportunity to learn from so many distinguished women and men from across India and from around the world. To be back in Agra, against the backdrop of one of the great works of art and love of mankind, the TajMahal, is a distinct and profound pleasure. I am always happy to be in India. On Saturday, I fulfilled a long held wish, when I was able to witness Republic Day in all of its splendor. It is a remarkable event that I will long remember.

I first came to India as a young man. I traveled the Grand Trunk Road and discovered for myself "incredible India" – long before that term became a common one. My month-long journey on buses and trains – and sometimes on top of buses and trains – was one I have never forgotten. I saw up close and in action this country’s vibrant democracy, and rich, diverse, creative society. I was left with a deep and enduring affection for both India’s people and its indomitable spirit.

It is common knowledge that we are in the midst of an historic realignment in the locus of economic growth and demographics globally. Emerging economies in South and East Asia in particular are making, and are projected to continue to make, historical gains.Some in the developed world may find this threatening. I view the growing regional linkages and rapid economic growth in Asia as an opportunity to expand the economic pie and create additional growth for all.

A New Silk Road linking Central and South Asia as well as an Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor linking the rapidly expanding economies of South and Southeast Asia would help unlock and expand markets for global goods and services.

I will speak more about regional economic integration on Wednesday, in Delhi. But today I want to focus on the role industrialized countries and emerging economies can play together in the rapidly changing global economic order.

I believe nations like mine can seize this opportunity to develop new sets of cooperative relations with emerging economies to increase trade, encourage closer cultural ties, boost energy production and reliability, address environmental challenges, and improve global stability. We seek new partnerships to address the needs of the 21st century.

The burgeoning U.S.-India economic relationship is a prime example of how this is unfolding. I am not a believer in a zero sum game. The more we, and other nations represented here, can cooperate in ensuring a fair, transparent, rules based trading and financial system, with broadly shared responsibility, the more we all will prosper. The New Global Economic Order will require both the utilization of current institutions, but also pragmatic bilateral and regional cooperation.

The depth and breadth of U.S.-India ties make this relationship a model for discussing Global Partnerships for Enduring Growth – the theme of our conference. I’d like to discuss why we take this relationship so seriously.

As President Obama told the Indian parliament last year, the relationship between India and America will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century, rooted in common values and interests. We not only welcome India as a strong and influential participant in the world economy, we fully support it. I would say the same about the nations of ASEAN and others in this region. Indeed, we see ASEAN and India as two of the strongest pillars of the global economies in the 21st century.

When people ask why the United States is so interested in expanding its ties with India, my response is three-fold – One, our ties make geo-strategic sense. Two, they make geo-economic sense. And three, and most importantly, our citizens will benefit from it.

In India, Prime Minister Singh has labeled this the "Decade of Innovation." He concurrently established the National Innovation Council to create policies that support medium-to-long term innovation in India. As the Government of India notes in its draft National IPR strategy, "for innovation to create any impact, it is imperative to take the idea from the mind to the laboratory to the market."But to do that, innovators in areas such as information technology, pharmaceuticals, and clean energy need assurance that their ideas will be protected throughout that process. This is not only for them. It encourages more innovation and investment in these and other sectors. That is why we strongly support working together with India and other nations of Asia to ensure a strong intellectual property rights system that will encourage high-technology innovations, providing wide-spread benefits to all of our nations.

We also encouragethe Indian government and all of our trading partners to considera range of market-based solutions that can better support jobs and growth, while creating a level playing field.Predictable and clear policies will encourage businesses to expand, and to devote the long-term capital and resources required for further growth.Working together, the United States and India can realize the kind of innovation our leaders envision.Science, technology, and the environment are areas characterized by mutual interest and expanding cooperation.

Our collaborative effort in agriculture includes efforts to stop food loss between the farmer and the consumer, increasing prosperity for both. Such losses are enormous and a great tragedy. This can be prevented by cold chain storage and other methods. Companies are willing to invest in such systems if given the right opportunities and a welcoming environment.

On the investment side, the U.S. and Indian governments have engaged in Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) negotiations. We’re aiming for a BIT that gives a high level of openness to investment across the economy, provides strong rules on investor protection and transparency, and offers effective means for resolving investment disputes.Our S&T cooperation includes cutting edge work in space science, where we work together on Earth observation satellite projects that help us predict monsoon patterns and respond to natural disasters.

The Clean Energy Finance Center in New Delhi represents U.S. agencies that have mobilized more than $1.7 billion for clean energy projects in India, working in tandem with Indian government and industry partners. We both benefit from our comprehensive strategic dialogue on energy, in light of dramatic changes in technology and in the global energy market . This dialogue takes on even more importancewith the growing role of the Indian Ocean in global energy shipments, regional energy and maritime security, growing power needs, and sustainable clean energy objectives. We seek a broader and deeper dialogue on energy, for similar reasons, with countries in south and east Asia. We do not see the American energy boom as a reason to pull back from engagement, but as an opportunity to expand mutually beneficial engagement.
In addition to business connections, people to people connections are one of our strongest links.

More than 12,000 American alumni of Indian institutions are part of our efforts to strengthen and broaden relations with India.So are the more than three million Indian-Americans living in the United States. And last year, over 100,000 Indian students came to the U.S. to study.

With the increasing connectivity of our universities, our businesses, and our civil societies, we are seeing more engagement than ever. And I think thatincreasingly,state-level and city-level leadersin both countries, see great opportunities for their citizens from new city-to-city and state-to-state partnerships. Theseare creating the next generation, and a deeper level, of economic diplomacy. More and more international economic diplomacy will be the work of mayors, governors, chief ministers and their teams.

For example:

• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Chauhan recently visited the U.S. to describe his state’s ambitious agriculture reforms, including loan guarantees to farmers, improving irrigation, and "a single window system" for expeditious foreign investment approvals;

• CII—our hosts today—recently brought a delegation of business leaders from the state of Jammu & Kashmir to visit several U.S. cities. J&K has developed cold chain infrastructure with the help of U.S. partners that preserves apples as they go from farm to market, much as Tamil Nadu has done for bananas. Both are very positive examples;

• Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear just announced a 25-year coal deal between American companies and India;

• Washington state’s Governor Christine Gregoire has established partnerships in energy, life sciences, and film; and

• City mayors like San Antonio’s dynamicJulian Castro—who will also be participating at this summit tomorrow—are building ties with new and existing India partners.

• Our Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley led a trade mission to Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and New Delhi. Thisrepresented the largest ever state trade mission to India. Because Maryland is my home state I am especially proud of this.

In the Third U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, Secretary Clinton welcomed Minister Krishna’s proposal for a "Conversation Between Cities" to take place in 2013 to address "urban challenges and solutions in the 21st Century."

Our states and our cities are the real laboratory test tubes of democracy and creative economic policy —where our citizens are in close and direct contact with their local governments, where our entrepreneurs establish and develop new business that drive employment, and where our institutions of higher education help us all enhance our skills and retrain for new opportunities.
So the robust connections between Indian and American states and cities are a welcome commercial development, and offer both countries more ways to take the strategic partnership to an even more ambitious level. We seek to do the same with others in this region.

While we have come far, we still have more work to do to ensure this relationship achieves its potential. The United States is enormously optimistic about India’s future –

(1) that India’s greater role on the world stage will enhance peace and security;

(2) thatfurther opening India’s markets will pave the way to greater regional and global prosperity;

(3) that Indian advances in science and technology will improve lives and advance human knowledge everywhere; and

(4) that India’s vibrant, pluralistic democracy – where the rights of men and women are equally represented and both have an equal opportunity to succeed and contribute – will produce measurable results and improvements for its citizens.

But our governments cannot assume the relationship will be self-sustaining without mutual effort. This is the challenge we all face today. We have the opportunity to establish a framework for enduring growth for our two countries. And all of our countries together need to establish a series of bilateral and regional partnership for Central Asia, for East Asia, and for connections between them. Now each of us individually and – all of us– need to take the next steps to ensure that this process continues and strengthens.

CFTC CHARGES FIRMS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH MAKING ILLEGAL TRANSACTIONS IN PRECIOUS METALS

Photo:  Gold Buddha Of Burma.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
January 28, 2013

CFTC Charges Four Florida-based Precious Metals Firms and Three Individuals for Engaging in Illegal Retail Off-Exchange Transactions in Precious Metals

CFTC Orders Bar Secured Precious Metals International, Inc., Secured Precious Metals Management, Inc., Barclay Metals, Inc., Universal Clearing, LLC, Linda Laramie, Sean Stropp, and Sylvia Williams from commodities industry for five-years

Washington DC – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today issued two Orders filing and settling charges against two Fort Lauderdale, Fla. companies, Secured Precious Metals International, Inc. and Secured Precious Metals Management, Inc., and their sole owner and principal, Linda Laramie (collectively SPM), as well as two West Palm Beach, Fla. companies, Barclay Metals, Inc. and Universal Clearing, LLC, and their owners and principals, Sean Stropp and Sylvia Williams (collectively Barclay), all for engaging in illegal off-exchange financed transactions in precious metals with retail customers.

The Illegal Transactions

The CFTC Orders find that from July 2011 through June 2012, SPM and Barclay solicited retail customers, generally by telephone or through their websites, to buy and sell physical precious metals, such as gold and silver, in off-exchange leverage transactions. According to the Orders, customers paid as little as 20 percent of the purchase price for the metals, and SPM and Barclay purportedly financed the remainder of the purchase price, while charging the customers interest on the amount borrowed. The CFTC Orders state that financed off-exchange transactions with retail customers have been illegal since July 16, 2011, when certain amendments of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 became effective. As explained in the Orders, financed transactions in commodities with retail customers like those engaged in by SPM and Barclay must be executed on, or subject to, the rules of a board of trade that has been approved by the CFTC. Since SPM and Barclay’s transactions were done off-exchange with customers who were not eligible contract participants, they were illegal, the Orders find.

The CFTC Orders also state that SPM and Barclay acted as dealers for Hunter Wise Commodities, LLC (Hunter Wise), a metals merchant. The CFTC filed suit in federal court in Florida against Hunter Wise on December 5, 2012 (see CFTC Release 6447-12). However, as alleged in the CFTC complaint against Hunter Wise and according to the orders entered against SPM and Barclay, neither SPM, Barclay, nor Hunter Wise purchased physical commodities on the customers’ behalf, disbursed any funds to finance the remaining portion of the purchase price, or stored any physical commodities for customers. The Orders find that SPM and Barclay’s customers thus never owned, possessed, or received title to the physical commodities that they believed they purchased.

The CFTC Orders require SPM and Barclay to cease and desist from violating Section 4(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, as charged, and prohibit them for a five-year period from trading on or pursuant to the rules of any registered entity. The Orders also require SPM and Barclay to comply with certain undertakings, including cooperating fully and expeditiously with the CFTC in related matters. The Orders, which do not impose civil monetary penalties, acknowledge the substantial cooperation of SPM and Barclay.

CFTC’s Precious Metals Fraud Advisory

In January 2012, the CFTC issued a Consumer Fraud Advisory regarding precious metals fraud, saying that it had seen an increase in the number of companies offering customers the opportunity to buy or invest in precious metals (see the Advisory). The CFTC’s Precious Metals Consumer Fraud Advisory specifically warns that frequently companies do not purchase any physical metals for the customer, instead simply keeping the customer’s funds. The Advisory further cautions consumers that leveraged commodity transactions are unlawful unless executed on a regulated exchange.

CFTC Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this matter: David Terrell, Joy McCormack, Jennifer Chapin, Steve Turley, Jeff Le Riche, Elizabeth M. Streit, Scott R. Williamson, Rosemary Hollinger, Rick Glaser, and Richard Wagner.

U.S.-CURACAO RELATIONS



Map:  Curacao.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Curacao has semi-autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It conducts foreign affairs, including with the United States, through the Netherlands, whose embassies and consulates issue visas for travel to the island.

Tourism and financial services are mainstays of Curacao’s economy. Approximately 800,000 tourists per year visit Curacao, with almost 25% of those from the United States. Oil refining is a key part of the economy; most of the refined products are exported to the U.S. The U.S. is a major supplier of consumer and capital goods imported by Curacao. In 2010, the U.S. accounted for 40% of Curacao's exports and 37% of Curacao's imports.

The U.S. Consulate General in Curacao is responsible for the day-to-day management of relations with the Dutch Caribbean, which includes Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten. Due to the strategic location of the Dutch Caribbean for the United States, the consulate deals with issues such as securing U.S. borders, countering terrorism, and fighting international crime, especially narcotics trafficking and human trafficking. The consulate provides a variety of services to U.S. citizens; it also can issue non-immigrant visas for certain travelers to the U.S. who wish to visit, work, or study for a temporary period.

The consulate was opened in 1793. It was one of the earliest U.S. consulates, reflecting the importance of Caribbean trade to the new United States. The Consul General resides in the historic Roosevelt House, which was the local government's gift of property to the United States in 1950 as an expression of gratitude for U.S. protection during World War II.
　



Locator Map: Curacao. Credit: CIA World Factbook.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Originally settled by Arawak Indians, Curacao was seized by the Dutch in 1634 along with the neighboring island of Bonaire. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curacao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

U.S. NAVY AND TIMOR-LESTE BUILD PARTNERSHIPS

130125-N-ZZ999-001 PORT HERA NAVY BASE, Timor-Leste (Jan. 25, 2013) U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin addresses members of the U.S. and Timorese Navies during the opening ceremonies of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Timor-Leste exercise. CARAT is a series of annual, bilateral maritime exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. (U.S. Navy photo by Prudencio Cabral/Released)

FROM: U.S. NAVY
U.S. and Timor-Leste Naval Forces Build Maritime Partnerships
From Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific Public Affairs

PORT HERA NAVY BASE, Timor-Leste (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy and Timorese Navy commenced the first Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Timor-Leste exercise Jan. 25, with an opening ceremony held at Port Hera Navy Base.

U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin and Col. Falur Rate Laek, Chief of Staff of the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL), officiated the ceremony.

Fergin reaffirmed U.S. support for Timor-Leste's efforts to consolidate peace and security gains, noting the exercise enhanced mutual cooperation.

"The contributions that the participants in Exercise CARAT will make this week will strengthen the foundations of cooperation between our two countries for years to come," said Fergin.

In his opening remarks, Laek noted that the upcoming exercises build a stronger relationship between Timor-Leste and U.S. naval forces.

"The partnership between the Timor-Leste and U.S. Navy and Marines is not a new one. These Naval and Marine exercises between Timor-Leste and United States help to will ensure peace, build experience, and strengthen the permanent partnership between Timor-Leste and the United States," said Laek.

Over the next four days, Marines from U.S. Fleet Antiterrorism and Security Team (FAST), Pacific, will conduct hands on skill transfers and combat fundamentals with their F-FDTL counterparts.

In addition to FAST, Coast Guardsmen from the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Training Branch homeported in Yorktown, Va., and Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, homported in Port Hueneme, Calif., will conduct subject matter expert exchanges with the F-FDTL Navy on several F-FDTL ships. Coast Guardsmen will hold training on engineering, navigation, seamanship and damage control, while the Seabees will conduct medical, mechanical and electrical classroom courses.

Representing U.S. forces, Lt. Cmdr. Jennie Stone, CARAT Liaison Officer, Logistics Group Western Pacific, noted these exchanges allowed maritime professionals to share best practices and build partnerships.

"Our partners in the F-FDTL are skilled professionals, and this exercise helps increase interoperability between our forces, while at the same time building personal and professional relationships. This ongoing development becomes critical should future events call for our forces to work side-by-side," said Stone.

CARAT is a series of annual, bilateral maritime exercises between the U.S. Navy and the armed forces of Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.