|
1060 |
4/12/2012 |
Korea and missle launch |
Defying warnings from the international community, North Korea launched a long-range rocket it says is carrying a satellite into orbit, South Korea's Yonhap Television News reported Friday. |
|
|
1061 |
4/12/2012 |
Korean Missle Launch update |
North Korea long-range rocket broke apart in air after launch, U.S. official said.
The North Koreans have said the rocket was being used to launch a weather satellite into orbit.
Tokyo had threatened to shoot down the rocket if it appeared to be threatening its territory.
Countries including the United States and South Korea see the launch as a cover for a ballistic missile test. International leaders had urged North Korea to cancel the launch, but Pyongyang refused to back down, insisting the operation is for peaceful purposes. |
|
|
1059 |
11/29/2011 |
Video: Domestic Terrorist Bill Ayers Admits On Video that he had Fundraiser For Obama |
Video: Domestic Terrorist Bill Ayers Admits On Video that he had Fundraiser For Obama |
http://www.westernjournalism.com/video-domestic-terrorist-bill-ayers-admits-on-video-that-he-had-fundraiser-for-obama/?utm_source=Western+Journalism&utm_campaign=a7318c641d-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email |
|
1056 |
11/16/2011 |
Obama: US does not fear China |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — President Barack Obama insisted Wednesday that the United States does not fear China, even as he announced a new security agreement with Australia that is widely viewed as a response to Beijing's growing aggressiveness.
China responded swiftly, warning that an expanded U.S. military footprint in Australia may not be appropriate and deserved greater scrutiny.
The agreement, announced during a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, will expand the U.S. military presence in Australia, positioning more U.S. personnel and equipment there, and increasing American access to bases. About 250 U.S. Marines will begin a rotation in northern Australia starting next year, with a full force of 2,500 military personnel staffing up over the next several years.
Obama called the deployment "significant," and said it would build capacity and cooperation between the U.S. and Australia. U.S. officials were careful to emphasize that the pact was not an attempt to create a permanent American military presence in Australia.
"It also allows us to meet the demands of a lot of partners in the region that want to feel that they're getting the training, they're getting the exercises, and that we have the presence that's necessary to maintain the security architecture in the region," Obama said.
The president spoke shortly after arriving in the Australian capital, his second stop on a nine-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region. After a 10-hour flight from Honolulu, where he hosted an economic summit, Obama headed straight into meetings with Gillard.
On Thursday, Obama will address the Australian Parliament, then fly to the northern city of Darwin, where some of the Marines deploying to Australia next year will be based.
During his news conference with Gillard, the president sidestepped questions about whether the security agreement was aimed at containing China. But he said the U.S. would keep sending a clear message that China needs to accept the responsibilities that come with being a world power.
"It's important for them to play by the rules of the road," he said.
And he insisted that the U.S is not fearful of China's rise.
"I think the notion that we fear China is mistaken. The notion that we're looking to exclude China is mistaken," he said.
China was immediately leery of the prospect of an expanded U.S. military presence in Australia. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Wednesday that it was worth discussing whether the plan was in line with the common interests of the international community.
Obama national security aide Ben Rhodes said the agreement was not only appropriate, but also a response to the demand from nations in the region that have signaled they want the U.S. to be present.
The U.S. and smaller Asian nations have grown increasingly concerned about China claiming dominion over vast areas of the Pacific that the U.S. considers international waters, and reigniting old territorial disputes, including confrontations over the South China Sea. China's defense spending has increased threefold since the 1990s to about $160 billion last year, and its military has recently tested a new stealth jet fighter and launched its first aircraft carrier.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said that the goal of the new security pact is to signal that the U.S. and Australia will stick together in face of any threats.
In addition to the expanded Marine presence in Australia, more U.S. aircraft will rotate through Australia as part of an agreement between each nation's air force. Obama and Gillard said the increased air presence would allow the U.S. and Australia to more effectively respond to respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises in the region.
Rhodes said the U.S. military boost would amount to a "sustained U.S. presence." He distinguished that from a permanent presence in the sense that the U.S. forces will use Australian facilities, as opposed to the United States to building its own bases, as it has in such regional places as South Korea. The U.S. has not signaled any interest in that in Australia.
The only American base currently in Australia is the secretive joint Australia-U.S. intelligence and communications complex at Pine Gap in central Australia. But there are hundreds of U.S. service personnel in Australia on exchange.
Air combat units also use the expansive live bombing ranges in Australia's sparsely populated north in training rotations of a few months and occasionally naval units train off the coast. But training exercises involving ground forces are unusual.
During Wednesday's brief news conference, Obama and Gillard also fielded questions on a range of other issues, from U.S. efforts to address climate change to the debt crisis in Europe.
Obama reiterated his call for urgent action by European leaders to back the euro and develop a financial firewall to keep the threat of default facing Greece and Italy from spreading across the Eurozone.
"The problem right now is one of political will, it's not a technical problem," Obama said. "At this point, the larger European community has to stand behind the European project."
Asked whether the U.S. would be able to lower carbon emissions through a cap-and-trade system as Australia is undertaking, Obama conceded the U.S. has been unable to pass such a plan through Congress, but noted U.S. efforts to increase vehicle fuel efficiency and to explore clear energy options. He said emerging economies such as India and China must also assume responsibility for addressing climate change.
For Obama and Australia, the third time's the charm. He canceled two earlier visits, once to stay in Washington to lobby for passage of his health care bill, and again in the wake of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
"I was determined to come for a simple reason: The United States of America has no stronger ally than Australia," he said.
___
Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Rod McGuirk in Canberra contributed to this report.
|
|
|
1055 |
10/31/2011 |
Hackers infiltrate 'two US satellites |
Chinese hackers are suspected of grabbing the reins of four US government satellites in 2008 potentially crashing them to Earth or stealing valuable information, more than once.
NASA admits one of the two satellites was temporarily accessed twice in the summer and fall that year, though would not comment on the other.
'While we cannot discuss additional details regarding the attempted interference, our satellite operations and associated systems and information are safe and secure' NASA Public Affairs Officer Trent J. Perrotto said in a statement sent to Talking Points Memo |
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055311/Hackers-infiltrate-US-satellites-taken-complete-control-achieving-steps-required-command-satellite.html# |
|
1054 |
7/23/2011 |
China developing Pulse weapons to use against the United States |
China is working on electromagnetic pulse weapons that it could use against U.S. aircraft carriers if there is a future conflict over Taiwan. Is China itching for a fight?
According to The Washington Times, the information originates from an intelligence report made public on Thursday.
Excerpts of a National Ground Intelligence Center study on electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and high-powered microwave (HPM) weapons claim the arms are a part of Beijing's "assassin’s mace" and "trump card" arsenal - designed to help technologically inferior China beat U.S. military forces.
EMPs imitate the gamma-ray wave caused by a nuclear blast that takes out all electronics, like computers and automobiles, over large areas.
The intelligence report provides details about China’s EMP weapons and their plans for them. Reports on China's military in the past only made references to the sci-fi arms.
"For use against Taiwan, China could detonate at a much lower altitude (30 to 40 kilometers) … to confine the EMP effects to Taiwan and its immediate vicinity and minimize damage to electronics on the mainland," the report says.
The report - written in 2005 - was labeled "secret" for a long time. It claims Beijing has discussed building low-yield EMP missiles, but "it is not known whether [the Chinese] have actually done so."
The report also estimates "any low-yield strategic nuclear warhead (or tactical nuclear warheads) could be used with similar effects."
"The DF-21 medium-range ballistic missile has been mentioned as a platform for the EMP attack against Taiwan... [A] trump card [strategy] would be applicable if the Chinese have developed new low-yield, possibly enhanced, EMP warheads, while assassin’s mace would apply if older warheads are employed."
China did conduct EMP tests on mice, rats, rabbits, dogs and monkeys that resulted in eye, brain, bone marrow and other injuries. The report notes "it is clear the real purpose of the Chinese medical experiments is to learn the potential human effects of exposure to powerful EMP and [high-powered microwave] radiation."
Because of the limited amounts of radiation used, officials do not think that the tests were designed for "anti-personnel [radio frequency] weapons."
The tests may have been intended for torturing prisoners, or determining safety and shielding standards for military personnel or weapons.
The report postulates that China might consider utilizing EMPs against Taiwan’s electric systems or in opposition to U.S. carriers if a battle erupts in the Taiwan Strait.
"The minimization of military casualties on CVBG assets is calculated to lessen the likelihood of a U.S. nuclear response to a Taiwan strike employing nuclear EMP... The minimization of casualties on Taiwan is calculated to lessen the animosity among Taiwan’s population over forced reunification."
Taiwan left China after nationalist forces escaped to the island when the commies took power in 1949.
The United States is committed to a 1979 law to stop the forced reunification of the island with China.
Former congressional aide Peter Pry, who aided a commission on EMP many years ago, said the commission discovered that China has plans for nuclear EMP attacks against the U.S. These and many similar plans are a part of its military doctrine and exercises.
"There is also evidence that China is developing, or has already developed, super-EMP nuclear weapons that generate extraordinarily powerful EMP fields, based partly on design information stolen from the United States," Mr. Pry, president of the group EMPact America, explained in an email.
Former Pentagon specialist on China's military, Mark Stokes, confirmed the report’s information on powerful microwaves is new.
The China Academy of Engineering Physics makes China’s nuclear warheads and conducts all of their weapons research, he said.
Microwave weapons could be used to cut off enemy radar, communications, computers and other electronics in an initial attack. They could also block electronics of attacking aircraft and anti-radiation missiles, and as an anti-satellite weapon, degrade sensitive satellite electronic systems.
Sino military analyst, Richard Fisher, said EMP warheads are a possible component for China’s new DF-21D anti-ship missile designed to assault large U.S. Navy ships without causing massive casualties.
"Less is known about the longer-term effects on personnel of this kind of radiation attack," said Fisher, who is with the International Assessment and Strategy Center. "The more powerful nuclear-propelled neutron bomb was designed specifically for killing personnel without a massive blast."
The relationship between the U.S. and China has many similarities to the Cold War. Will we be going to war with China too? Tell us what you think. |
|
|
1052 |
4/25/2011 |
Australian poll show they view China as a major military threat. |
SYDNEY: Almost half of Australians believe China will become a military threat in the next 20 years and a majority believe Canberra is allowing too much Chinese investment, according to a poll released Monday.
The survey of 1,002 Australians, commissioned by the Lowy Institute foreign policy thinktank, found 44 per cent saw China as a looming defence threat.
Of those, 87 per cent said it would be because Australia would be drawn into any conflict with China as an ally of the United States.
Released as Prime Minister Julia Gillard headed for her first visit to China as leader, the poll found 75 per cent saw China's growth as good for Australia but 57 per cent thought there was too much Chinese investment Down Under.
58 per cent also thought Canberra was not doing enough to pressure Beijing on human rights, though that was down from 66 per cent a year earlier, Lowy research fellow Fergus Hanson said.
The number who thought Australia should join with other countries to limit China's influence also fell from the previous year from 55 per cent to 50 per cent.
52 per cent supported Australia joining a coalition to defend South Korea if it was attacked by the North.
"And if China, Australia's largest trading partner, intervened to support North Korea against South Korea, 56 per cent were in favour of sending Australian forces to help the South," said Hanson.
Gillard has pledged to urge China to help tame North Korea and soothe tensions on the Korean peninsula during her visit, which begins late Monday.
Michael Wesley, director of the Lowy Institute said the poll reflected the complexities of Australia's relationship with China, with whom it conducts annual trade worth some US$50.6 billion.
"The results show just how difficult it will be for Ms Gillard to balance the economic demands of the relationship with the Australian public's concerns about human rights abuses in China, its military expansion and negative perceptions about Chinese investment in Australia," Wesley said. |
|
|
1053 |
4/25/2011 |
Chinese are to take over world economy by 2016. American domainance is near an end. |
I was reported today that the Chinese economy will surpass the American economy by 2016. The US is helping them to do it. We had better wake up. Obama wants the US to be a third world company. It looks like we are heading there. Gasoline has doubled with Obama in office, unemployment is up, jobs are down, money is given to Brazil to develop their oil reserves while we are shutting down our production in the name of nature preservation. We are not developing our resources but saving them. For what? Maybe to turn over to China when they call our loans. It sure looks that way. |
|
|
1051 |
4/10/2011 |
Middle East |
Ahmadinejad: ‘A Mideast Without Israel and America Now Possible’
Also: "I can safely say that they will simply not be able to do anything and that this is the end of the road. |
|
|
1050 |
3/29/2011 |
Muslim Brotherhood gains power in Egypt |
CAIRO, March 25 (UPI) -- The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic group once banned by Egypt, has become a force as the country undergoes a change in government, observers said.
Because of its organization and network, the Muslim Brotherhood was expected to have an advantage while the post-Hosni Mubarak government takes shape, The New York Times reported Friday. What is surprising to some are the ties the organization has with its adversary, the military.
"There is evidence the Brotherhood struck some kind of a deal with the military early on," said Elijah Zarwan, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. "It makes sense if you are the military -- you want stability and people off the street. The Brotherhood is one address where you can go to get 100,000 people off the street."
In the early stages of the upheaval in the country earlier this year, the Muslim Brotherhood was reluctant to join the call for demonstrations.
"The Brotherhood didn't want this revolution; it has never been a revolutionary movement," Zarwan told the Times. "Now it has happened; they participated cautiously and they realize they can set their sights higher."
A tangible example of the organization's influence was a recent referendum on constitutional amendments in the nation's first post-Mubarak balloting, the Times reported. Among other things, the amendments call for an accelerated election process so parliamentary contests can be held before September, followed by a presidential race. That expedited calendar is seen as advantageous to the organized and highly networked Brotherhood and the remains of Mubarak's National Democratic Party.
The more secular coalition behind the uprising said more liberal forces must organize quickly.
"I worry about going too fast towards elections, that the parties are still weak," said Nabil Ahmed Helmy, former dean of the Zagazig University law school in Egypt and a member of the National Council for Human Rights. "The only thing left right now is the Muslim Brotherhood. I do think that people are trying to take over the revolution."
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/03/25/Muslim-Brotherhood-gains-power-in-Egypt/UPI-86451301057128/#ixzz1I0MWJ58A
|
|
|
1049 |
3/29/2011 |
Muslim Brotherhood |
Muslim Brotherhood in America. Mission is to institute Sharia Law. |
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=42562&s=rcme |
|
1048 |
12/10/2010 |
Navy Skipper, XO Fired for Fraternization |
December 10, 2010
Military.com|by Bryant Jordan
The skipper and executive officer of a mine countermeasures ship crew were fired Dec. 8 after Navy officials determined the two were involved in an “unduly familiar relationship.”
Lt. Cmdr. James Rushton, commander of the MCM Crew Constant, along with Constant’s XO, Lt. Cmdr. Anne Laird, both received non-judicial punishment for misconduct, Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jason Salata said today. Rushton has been reassigned to administrative duties at Commander, Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Salata said Laird also has been reassigned.
“She’s been taken off the ship, but her next assignment is still pending,” he said.
The Constant is one a number of individually named mine countermeasure ship crews that rotate aboard the Navy’s 14 anti-mine vessels. The Sailors of Constant are currently on the MCM ship “Chief” in San Diego, having swapped off the MCM ship “Dexterous” in Bahrain in July after a six-month tour.
Salata said Rushton and Laird received letters of reprimand in their files. Typically, such non-judicial punishment means the end of a Navy career. Rushton’s firing marks the 17th time this year the Navy has relieved a skipper of his duties.
Capt. Robert Hospodar, commodore of Mine Countermeasures Squadron Two, took the action against Rushton and Laird after finding that Rushton “violated the Navy’s fraternization policy by engaging in an unduly familiar relationship” with Laird, a subordinate member of his crew.
“The responsibility of officers in command for their units, their Sailors and their mission is absolute; we take their performance very seriously,” Hospodar said in a statement. “Our standards of conduct and performance for commanding officers are extremely high.”
Salata said Cmdr. Robert Smith, chief staff officer for MCMRON Two, has been put in command of the Crew Constant temporarily, pending a permanent replacement.
Rushton assumed command of the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship just one year ago, according to Salata. |
|
|
1047 |
12/9/2010 |
Iran Placing Medium-Range Missiles in Venezuela; Can Reach the U.S. |
Iran Placing Medium-Range Missiles in Venezuela; Can Reach the U.S.
by Anna Mahjar-Barducci
December 8, 2010 at 5:00 am
http://www.hudson-ny.org/1714/iran-missiles-in-venezuela
Print Send Comment RSS
Share Share
Iran is planning to place medium-range missiles on Venezuelan soil, based on western information sources[1], according to an article in the German daily, Die Welt, of November 25, 2010. According to the article, an agreement between the two countries was signed during the last visit o Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to Tehran on October19, 2010. The previously undisclosed contract provides for the establishment of a jointly operated military base in Venezuela, and the joint development of ground-to-ground missiles.
At a moment when NATO members found an agreement, in the recent Lisbon summit (19-20 November 2010), to develop a Missile Defence capability to protect NATO's populations and territories in Europe against ballistic missile attacks from the East (namely, Iran), Iran's counter-move consists in establishing a strategic base in the South American continent - in the United States's soft underbelly.
According to Die Welt, Venezuela has agreed to allow Iran to establish a military base manned by Iranian missile officers, soldiers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Venezuelan missile officers. In addition, Iran has given permission for the missiles to be used in case of an "emergency". In return, the agreement states that Venezuela can use these facilities for "national needs" – radically increasing the threat to neighbors like Colombia. The German daily claims that according to the agreement, Iranian Shahab 3 (range 1300-1500 km), Scud-B (285-330 km) and Scud-C (300, 500 and 700 km) will be deployed in the proposed base. It says that Iran also pledged to help Venezuela in rocket technology expertise, including intensive training of officers
Venezuela has also become the country through which Iran intends to bypass UN sanctions. Following a new round of UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic, for example, Russia decided not to sell five battalions of S-300PMU-1 air defence systems to Iran. These weapons, along with a number of other weapons, were part of a deal, signed in 2007, worth $800 million. Now that these weapons cannot be delivered to Iran, Russia is looking for new customers; according to the Russian press agency Novosti[2], it found one: Venezuela.
Novosti reports the words of Igor Korotchenko, head of a Moscow-based think tank on international arms trade, saying that if the S-300 deal with Venezuela goes through, Caracas should pay cash for the missiles, rather than take another loan from Russia. "The S-300 is a very good product and Venezuela should pay the full amount in cash, as the country's budget has enough funds to cover the deal ," Korotchenko said. Moscow has already provided Caracas with several loans to buy Russian-made weaponry, including a recent $2.2-mln loan on the purchase of 92 T-72M1M tanks, the Smerch multiple-launch rocket systems and other military equipment.
If Iran, therefore, cannot get the S-300 missiles directly from Russia, it can still have them through its proxy, Venezuela, and deploy them against its staunchest enemy, the U.S..
But that is not all. According to Reuters, Iran has developed a version of the Russian S-300 missile and will test-fire it soon, as declared by the official news agency IRNA, two months after Moscow cancelled the delivery to comply with United Nations sanctions[3]. Iran, in fact, has its own capabilities for constructing missiles that could carry atomic warheads. According to a study recently released by the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London, Iran is presently aiming to perfect the already existing solid-fuel, medium-range missile that can carry a nuke to hit regional targets, such as Israel[4]. If a missile base can be opened in Venezuela, many US cities will be able to be reached from there even with short-medium range missiles.
The situation that is unfolding in Venezuela has some resemblance to the Cuba crisis of 1962. At that time, Cuba was acting on behalf of the USSR; now Venezuela is acting on behalf of Iran. At present, the geopolitical situation is very different: the world is no longer ruled by two superpowers; new nations, often with questionable leaders and the ambition of acquiring global status, are appearing on the international scene. Their danger to the free world will be greater if the process of nuclear proliferation is not stopped. Among the nations that aspire to become world powers, Iran has certainly the best capabilities of posing a challenge to the West.
Back in the 1962, thanks to the stern stance adopted by the then Kennedy administration, the crisis was defused
Nowadays, however, we do not see the same firmness from the present administration. On the contrary, we see a lax attitude, both in language and in deeds, that results in extending hands when our adversaries have no intention of shaking hands with us. Iran is soon going to have a nuclear weapon, and there are no signs that UN sanctions will in any way deter the Ayatollah's regime from completing its nuclear program. We know that Iran already has missiles that can carry an atomic warhead over Israel and over the Arabian Peninsula. Now we learn that Iran is planning to build a missile base close to the US borders. How longer do we have to wait before the Obama administration begins to understand threats?
[1] http://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article11219574/Iran-plant-Bau-einer-Raketenstellung-in-Venezuela.html
[2] http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20101015/160963585.html
[3] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3982738,00.html
[4] http://www.iiss.org/whats-new/iiss-in-the-press/november-2010/iran-fortifies-its-arsenal-with-the-aid-of-north-korea/ |
|
|
1046 |
11/2/2010 |
Biggest Threat to US is the rising debt and reduction of industry |
The rising debt and the killing of the american industry is a major threat to the US. Obama care and cap and trade will bring the US down to a third world nation. China owns most of our debt. They are not our friends. China wants to change the standard from the dollar to the RMB. Wake up America. Get us back to work. |
|
|
1045 |
11/2/2010 |
Harry Reid says he has created jobs in Nevada |
Sen. Reid himself says it's his job to create jobs.
Yet Nevada continues to have the nation's highest unemployment rate, and Nevada not only ranks last among the 50 states in federal tax dollars returned per capita, but last in "stimulus" funding as well. And let's not forget that although Sen. Reid claimed to have single-handedly rescued the world from an economic depression, he blames Nevada's woes on former President Bush and Republicans. |
|
|
1044 |
11/2/2010 |
Harry Reid tries to destory all that oppose him. Is this the American Way? |
In Nevada, it is stated that the Dems changed parties in the primary and helped get Sharron Angle elected to run against Reid. The reason is the Angle would be the easiest one for Reid to beat. We will see what happens today.
Reid in the past has tried to destroy his opponents. First the head of the Republican party in Nevada buy directing the FDA to go against her husband for illegal importation of drugs into the US. ( He was found innocent). Second having the Nevada Attorney General (D) file false charges against Lt Gov Krolicki (R) for misuse of campaign funds when he announced he would run against Harry Reid. ( Lt. Gov Krolicki was found not guilty.) Interesting or not?
|
http://americanthreats.wordpress.com |
|
1042 |
10/12/2010 |
In China, many younger military leaders view America as the ultimate enemy |
Article was not one of mine. It has very good points.
Mainland China is a rapidly evolving world powerhouse. As the country gains power, moves its population more fully into the 21st century, and learns to compete and win against Western nations, China is poised to become a competitor, a threat, or both.
I started my China studies as part of my research for How To Save Jobs. China, as it turns out, has rapidly entered the world economic stage, is undercutting traditional industrial nations not only in manufacturing, but in IT, and has an almost infinite hunger for more — more of everything.
Over the last few years, I’ve started to developed a rather nuanced psychographic meta-model of what makes China tick. No matter how you run the numbers, the single biggest factor to keep in mind is the country’s population, which is the largest in the world.
It’s the size of this population that colors all other decisions and policies coming out of China. The country gives birth to more babies each year than the entire population of Canada. China has more honor students than we have students.
While many Chinese people are still dirt poor (and, in fact, live in huts with dirt floors), more and more of the Chinese population are leaving poverty and gaining an education. These Chinese citizens are both smart and aggressive, and are often the offspring of parents so poor, they make most of America’s worst impoverished seem almost wealthy by comparison.
Militarily, while China has historically shown up on our radar, they haven’t really been a direct threat. Oh, sure, as I discussed last month in Is China gearing up to start World War III?, China has always has a “thing” about Taiwan and has often conducted exercises intended to send a message to the world about their sense of entitlement regarding the small nation.
Overall, China hasn’t posed much of a threat to us.
This was, in part, because of China’s perception of a Soviet threat. To some degree, the elderly Chinese leaders in power considered all of the West a threat, but other than making sure they had some nukes, the threat was generally theoretical in nature, while the Soviet threat was very tangible, indeed.
However, an article in The New York Times has added a new factor to the meta-model of China: younger vs. older leaders.
As Michael Wines describes it, younger Chinese military leaders don’t have a decades-long history of looking to the Soviet Union as a major threat. While both the Soviets and the Chinese shared a Communist heritage, China has always felt somewhat threatened by the old Soviets’ empire-building proclivities.
Although China was somewhat protected to the north by Mongolia, their north western border was with the former Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (now Kazakhstan) and on the north eastern border, their direct neighbor was Russia itself. Since the Soviets had a history of invading and annexing their neighbors, the perceived threat amongst older Chinese leaders wasn’t just unfounded paranoia.
These old school Chinese leaders subscribed, at least to some extent, to that old saw, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” and felt somewhat more secure with American interests because they knew most of our cold war military strategy was geared towards the Soviets.
But there’s a new generation of leaders coming into power.
The current Chinese leadership are people in their late 60s and 70s (think Michael Bloomberg and Joe Lieberman) while a new generation (think Barack Obama and Sarah Palin) are just coming into power.
While some of these younger leaders can actually see Russia from their windows, they have never really had to consider the Soviet Union as a threat. Instead, to them, their biggest direct threats are economic and logistic.
While older leaders were content to let most of their population fester (or at least had little motivation to change the status quo), the younger generation of Chinese leaders know that moving their population into the middle class is the key to creating a powerhouse nation. But they also know that a huge middle class population will consume excessive amounts of food, oil, water, and other resources of all types. I modeled this growth patten in How To Save Jobs and it’s not pretty.
While these younger leaders see America as a market in much the same way their elders did, the younger leaders also see America as a competitor for increasingly scarce resources that they need in ever increasingly large quantities.
They also don’t trust us.
While older Chinese leaders had long seen America conduct Cold War relations with a predictable level of severity, the younger leaders have seen us invade sovereign nations and they’ve seen our capricious governing style. They’ve seen how our poor economic management can have worldwide repercussions. And they’ve seen how willing we are to mortgage our future for a few votes today.
To these young Chinese leaders, America seems like the dangerous old bear, not Russia.
There’s another difference between younger Chinese leaders and older ones. The younger leaders, while not quite young enough (yet) to be digital natives, are still quite tech savvy. They understand computers and computer networks. They understand hacking. They understand cyberwarfare.
They understand how a cyberattack could disrupt a nation or a company.
They also understand traditional military. That’s why China is not only building its own carrier, they’re also investing in carrier-killing technology.
And, they also understand that they can undercut Americans for jobs and provide similar work output for a tenth of what American IT workers can afford.
These younger Chinese leaders need to be watched.
Unlike their elders, these young leaders and young warriors are not just capable of playing on the traditional military battlefield, they’re also fully prepared to battle us economically and even across the Internet.
Terrorists are one thing. But a fully empowered China, testing us politically and in cyberspace, while at the same time loaning us trillions (with all the resulting entanglements and obligations) — that’s almost terrifying.
As time goes on, more and more younger, digital generation Chinese leaders will come into power, and the United States will have to alter its policy to take their changing attitudes into account. |
|
|
1043 |
10/12/2010 |
Is China gearing up to start World War III? |
America’s relationship with China is a fascinating look at dysfunctional geopolitics.
On an economic level, our fortunes are tightly intertwined. As far back as 18 months ago, I reported about how, while China is America’s largest creditor — and we’re their largest market — China also been developing modified Dong Feng 21 missiles capable of extremely long flight. The potential of threat to Americans and American interests certainly didn’t go unnoticed by our government.
China has also shown itself to be a cybersecurity threat on both the industrial and military fronts. China has conducted numerous penetration tests against U.S. computer systems and networks.
We also know that China has a relatively active, organized cybercriminal community, with large groups of people conducting phishing attacks against Americans. Of course, the People’s Republic of China (mainland China) isn’t the only China phishing on Americans, so is the Republic of China, better known these days as Taiwan.
But it’s the PRC that concerns us most. There are a few important things to keep in mind when you think about mainland China — and if you don’t think about Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó, it’s time you started.
The first thing to think about is the country’s amazing population. China has 1.3 billion people, more than four times America’s population. China gives birth to more babies each year than Canada has people — and that’s after China’s incredibly draconian jìhuà shengyù zhèngcè policy, the policy where China only allows one child per family.
The second thing you need to know is that China has become an economic powerhouse, growing its GDP by about 10% per year. This year, China blew past Japan to become the world’s second largest individual economy, after the U.S.
China also consumes a tremendous amount of energy. In How To Save Jobs I did some mathematical modeling and showed that China’s cows, alone, will be consuming more than one seventh of the world’s oil supplies within 10 years. Just their cows. That’s not counting what their 1.3 billion people need.
There’s more. I wrote:
China consumes slightly more than we do, at about 2.6 billion tons of go-juice. What makes China particularly interesting is that they’re consuming more and more each year. While our demand increases only 0.34% annually, China’s demand is increasing at 8.68%. Even the rate of increase is increasing. Back in 2000, China’s demand only increased by 2.46%.
I did a lot more math in How To Save Jobs, but one calculation stood out. China has made it a national priority to push more and more of its citizens into a middle class. But if China manages to “middle class” most of its citizens, China alone would then consume 10.1 billion tons of oil equivalent per year, or 78% of the world’s total output.
If India were to grow at the same rate (and India is growing fast, as well), China and India combined would consume 1.5 times the world’s total energy supply. In other words, those two countries, alone, will need more oil that the world actually has. This could be a problem.
The Chinese government is aware of all of this. The more they build, the more they consume. This is why China has become frenemies with the United States. We provide a market for their goods and a source of money for all that energy they consume.
But there’s one more important fact about China you should know. China absolutely hates that Taiwan isn’t part of the PRC. They absolutely, viscerally hate that the United States has been defending Taiwan and has been standing in their way to repatriate Taiwan, to bring Taiwanese citizens under mainland control.
In fact, to many PRC government minds, Taiwan is now part of mainland China. It’s just that America is blocking their rightful governance.
So, put it all together. China has four times our population. They have an economy going gangbusters, but will likely need more oil than exists on the planet, and they have an irrational anger at us for our role in keeping Taiwan out of their clutches. Plus, we owe them trillions of dollars.
It makes for a potent and volatile cocktail, doesn’t it? |
|
|
1041 |
10/11/2010 |
U.S. Alarmed by Harsh Tone of China’s Military |
BEIJING — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met his Chinese counterpart, Liang Guanglie, in Vietnam on Monday for the first time since the two militaries suspended talks with each other last winter, calling for the two countries to prevent “mistrust, miscalculations and mistakes.”His message seemed directed mainly at officers like Lt. Cmdr. Tony Cao of the Chinese Navy.
Days before Mr. Gates arrived in Asia, Commander Cao was aboard a frigate in the Yellow Sea, conducting China’s first war games with the Australian Navy, exercises to which, he noted pointedly, the Americans were not invited.
Nor are they likely to be, he told Australian journalists in slightly bent English, until “the United States stops selling the weapons to Taiwan and stopping spying us with the air or the surface.”
The Pentagon is worried that its increasingly tense relationship with the Chinese military owes itself in part to the rising leaders of Commander Cao’s generation, who, much more than the country’s military elders, view the United States as the enemy. Older Chinese officers remember a time, before the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 set relations back, when American and Chinese forces made common cause against the Soviet Union.
The younger officers have known only an anti-American ideology, which casts the United States as bent on thwarting China’s rise.
“All militaries need a straw man, a perceived enemy, for solidarity,” said Huang Jing, a scholar of China’s military and leadership at the National University of Singapore. “And as a young officer or soldier, you always take the strongest of straw men to maximize the effect. Chinese military men, from the soldiers and platoon captains all the way up to the army commanders, were always taught that America would be their enemy.”
The stakes have increased as China’s armed forces, once a fairly ragtag group, have become more capable and have taken on bigger tasks. The navy, the centerpiece of China’s military expansion, has added dozens of surface ships and submarines, and is widely reported to be building its first aircraft carrier. Last month’s Yellow Sea maneuvers with the Australian Navy are but the most recent in a series of Chinese military excursions to places as diverse as New Zealand, Britain and Spain.
China is also reported to be building an antiship ballistic missile base in southern China’s Guangdong Province, with missiles capable of reaching the Philippines and Vietnam. The base is regarded as an effort to enforce China’s territorial claims to vast areas of the South China Sea claimed by other nations, and to confront American aircraft carriers that now patrol the area unmolested.
Even improved Chinese forces do not have capacity or, analysts say, the intention, to fight a more able United States military. But their increasing range and ability, and the certainty that they will only become stronger, have prompted China to assert itself regionally and challenge American dominance in the Pacific.
That makes it crucial to help lower-level Chinese officers become more familiar with the Americans, experts say, before a chance encounter blossoms into a crisis.
“The P.L.A. combines an odd combination of deep admiration for the U.S. armed forces as a military, but equally harbors a deep suspicion of U.S. military deployments and intentions towards China,” David Shambaugh, a leading expert on the Chinese military at George Washington University, said in an e-mail exchange, referring to the People’s Liberation Army.
“Unfortunately, the two militaries are locked in a classic security dilemma, whereby each side’s supposedly defensive measures are taken as aggressive action by the other, triggering similar countermeasures in an inexorable cycle,” he wrote. “This is very dangerous, and unnecessary.”
From the Chinese military’s view, this year has offered ample evidence of American ill will.
The Chinese effectively suspended official military relations early this year after President Obama met with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan religious leader, and approved a $6.7 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which China regards as its territory.
Since then, the Chinese military has bristled as the State Department has offered to mediate disputes between China and its neighbors over ownership of Pacific islands and valuable seabed mineral rights. And when the American Navy conducted war games with South Korea last month in the Yellow Sea, less than 400 miles from Beijing, younger Chinese officers detected an encroaching threat. The United States “is engaging in an increasingly tight encirclement of China and constantly challenging China’s core interests,” Rear Adm. Yang Yi, former head of strategic studies at the Chinese Army’s National Defense University, wrote in August in the People’s Liberation Army Daily, the military newspaper. “Washington will inevitably pay a costly price for its muddled decision.” In truth, little in the American actions is new. Mr. Obama’s predecessors also hosted the Dalai Lama. American arms sales to Taiwan were mandated by Congress in 1979, and have occurred regularly since then. American warships regularly ply the waters off China’s coast and practice with South Korean ships.
But Chinese military leaders seem less inclined to tolerate such old practices now that they have the resources and the confidence to say no.
“Why do you sell arms to Taiwan? We don’t sell arms to Hawaii,” said Col. Liu Mingfu, a China National Defense University professor and author of “The China Dream,” a nationalistic call to succeed the United States as the world’s leading power.
That official military relations are resuming despite the sharp language from Chinese Army officials is most likely a function of international diplomacy. President Hu Jintao is scheduled to visit Washington soon, and American experts had predicted that China would resume military ties as part of an effort to smooth over rough spots before the state visit.
Some experts see increased contact as critical. A leading Chinese expert on international security, Zhu Feng of Peking University, says that the Chinese military’s hostility toward the United States is not new, just more open. And that, he says, is not only the result of China’s new assertiveness, but its military’s inexperience on the world stage.
“Chinese officers’ international exposure remains very limited,” Mr. Zhu said. “Over time, things will improve very, very significantly. Unfortunately, right now they are less skillful.”
Greater international exposure is precisely what American officials would like to see. Americans hope renewed cooperation will lead to more exchanges of young officers and joint exercises.
“It’s time for both militaries to reconsider their tactics and strategy to boost their friendship,” Mr. Zhu said. “The P.L.A. is increasing its exposure internationally. So what sort of new rule of law can we figure out to fit the P.L.A. to such new exposure? It’s a challenge not just for China, but also for the U.S.” |
|
|
1040 |
8/13/2010 |
Obama defends Mosque at Ground Zero Twin Towers |
While celebrating Ramadan at the White House on Friday, President Obama supported the building of a Mosque at Ground Zero. Most Americans feel that the building of a Mosque near the Twin Towers will be viewed as a monument to the success of Islam in defeating America. This is equivalent to building a memorial to the Kamikaze pilots at Pear Harbor or a monument to Hirohito on the Arizona. It is also liken to building a German Cultural center at Auschwitz to commemorate the Nazis for their extermination of six million Jews and prisoners.
Obama says we are not a Christian Nation. When he spoke at William and Mary, he had Jesus covered up. Obama was raised in Islam. He turns his back on our allies who are Christian and Jew.
By his fruits you will know him. He is killing America. |
|
|
1039 |
5/25/2010 |
Beijing’s ‘assertiveness’ |
The commander of US forces in the Pacific has warned that China’s military is more aggressively asserting its territorial claims in regional waters.
Admiral Robert Willard told the Financial Times: “There has been an assertiveness that has been growing over time, particularly in the South China Sea and in the East China Sea.”
He said China’s extensive claims to islands and waters in the region were “generating increasing concern broadly across the region and require address”.
The admiral’s remarks follow complaints by Japan in recent weeks about aggressive behaviour from a Chinese coastguard vessel in contested waters and a Chinese military helicopter in international waters.
Some of China’s neighbours have been watching the People’s Liberation Army’s modernisation and efforts at expanding the navy’s reach with unease, and defence experts see this expansion as one factor behind a developing arms race in south-east Asia.
Adm Willard said the US viewed China’s growing influence in Asia as positive. But Beijing needed to be more transparent, not only with the US but also with its neighbours.
Adm Willard was speaking ahead of talks with Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the PLA, the first meeting between senior US and Chinese military officers since Beijing suspended bilateral military-to-military dialogue in January after US arms sales to Taiwan.
“US-China military dialogue is officially still in suspension,” said Adm Willard, who visited Beijing at the invitation of Hillary Clinton, secretary of state, in the context of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the bilateral exchanges that concluded on Tuesday.
But he interpreted the fact that Beijing had agreed to his presence as a sign it viewed some high-level exchanges as beneficial.
“What was very striking yesterday was my impression of the very advanced, sophisticated and mature dialogue that’s occurring across a wide range of subjects between China and the US,” he said.
“That is in contrast with a very immature military-to-military relationship.” |
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0a97c53a-681a-11df-a52f-00144feab49a.html |
|
1038 |
4/28/2010 |
China seeks close military ties with Cuba |
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Tuesday called for close military ties with Cuba during talks with a senior Cuban military official here.
'To further develop China-Cuba friendly cooperation not only complies with the fundamental interests of the two countries, but also is of great significance for maintaining world peace and stability and boosting common development,' said Xi.
Xi made the remarks during his meeting with Alvaro Lopez Miera, vice minister and chief of the General Staff of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces, Xinhua reported.
Lopez expressed his admiration for China's rapid economic and social development in recent years, hoping military ties would further boost cooperation between the two countries.
Lopez, who arrived here April 24, will conclude his goodwill visit April 29. Earlier he met Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie and chief of the General Staff of People's Liberation Army Chen Bingde.
So close to the United States. Remember in 1964 when USSR tried to put missiles in Cuba. Why do you think this is any different? China is not our friend. |
|
|
1037 |
3/24/2010 |
Former Gitmo Detainee Gets a Promotion: Taliban |
Former Gitmo Detainee Gets a Promotion
March 23, 2010
Long War Journal|by Bill Roggio
Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar has named two new leaders to replace the head of its leadership council, who was detained in Pakistan earlier this year. One of the two new leaders was released from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in 2007.
Mullah Abdul Qayum Zakir and Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansur have been named by Omar to replace Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a Taliban operative named Abu Zabihullah told Newsweek.
Baradar was the second in command of the Afghan Taliban and served as the leader of the Taliban's top council, which is known as the Quetta Shura, before his capture in Karachi in February. Other members of the Quetta Shura detained in Pakistan this year in various raids include Maulvi Abdul Kabir, the leader of the Peshawar Regional Military Shura; Mullah Abdul Salam, the shadow governor of Kunduz; Mullah Mir Mohammed, the shadow governor of Baghlan province; and Mohammed Younis, the former shadow governor of Zabul province.
The appointments of Zakir and Mansur were made on March 19. According to Zabihullah, Omar replaced Baradar "to convey a good message that, despite our leader's arrest, the Taliban is back to business-as-usual operations without a problem."
Both Zakir and Mansur are well respected within the Taliban. Both men were considered top contenders to replace Baradar after his arrest. The Taliban appear to have divided Baradar's responsibilities, with Zakir taking on the role of military commander and Mansur the role of logistical and administrative leader.
Zakir is a former detainee at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility who was released by the US in December 2007 and sent to Afghanistan, where he was subsequently released by the Afghan government. Zakir, whose real name is Abdullah Ghulam Rasoul, quickly rejoined the Taliban and took over operations in the strategic Afghan South.
The Taliban welcomed Zakir back into the fold, and he was appointed the leader of the Gerdi Jangal Regional Military Shura, a regional military command that oversees operations in Helmand and Nimroz provinces.
The Taliban designated Zakir as their "surge commander"; he has been assigned the task of countering the Coalition and Afghan surge of forces and change of strategy to deny the Taliban safe haven in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. Zakir is considered to be one of the Afghan Taliban’s fiercest and most committed commanders and is believed to have close links with al Qaeda. [See LWJ report, "The Taliban's surge commander was Gitmo detainee" for more information on Zakir.]
The Taliban's appointment of Zakir to one of the top two leadership positions signals that the group is not interested in conducting negotiations. Zakir is considered a hardliner and close ally of al Qaeda. And, unlike Baradar, Zakir has spurned negotiations with the Afghan government.
The appointment of Zakir to this new leadership position also confirms that reports of his arrest in Pakistan were incorrect
Mullah Akhtar Mohammed Mansur served as the Minister of Civil Aviation and Transportation during Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001. He is known to be active in the narcotics trade in Khost, Paktika, and Paktia provinces, according to Interpol. In March 2007, Mansur was appointed the Taliban's shadow governor of Kandahar, one of the top Taliban leadership positions.
Mansur "is known be a key rear-echelon logistics man, helping to move financing, arms, and other equipment from Pakistan into the field and assisting in the evacuation of the wounded," Newsweek reported. "He also has important contacts with financial sources in the oil-rich Persian Gulf nations."
|
|
|
1036 |
3/21/2010 |
How to cyber attack US power grid written by Chinese student |
It came as a surprise this month to Wang Jianwei, a graduate engineering student in Liaoning, China, that he had been described as a potential cyberwarrior before the United States Congress. Larry M. Wortzel, a military strategist and China specialist, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 10 that it should be concerned because “Chinese researchers at the Institute of Systems Engineering of Dalian University of Technology published a paper on how to attack a small U.S. power grid sub-network in a way that would cause a cascading failure of the entire U.S.”
When reached by telephone, Mr. Wang said he and his professor had indeed published “Cascade-Based Attack Vulnerability on the U.S. Power Grid” in an international journal called Safety Science last spring. But Mr. Wang said he had simply been trying to find ways to enhance the stability of power grids by exploring potential vulnerabilities.
“We usually say ‘attack’ so you can see what would happen,” he said. “My emphasis is on how you can protect this. My goal is to find a solution to make the network safer and better protected.” And independent American scientists who read his paper said it was true: Mr. Wang’s work was a conventional technical exercise that in no way could be used to take down a power grid.
The difference between Mr. Wang’s explanation and Mr. Wortzel’s conclusion is of more than academic interest. It shows that in an atmosphere already charged with hostility between the United States and China over cybersecurity issues, including large-scale attacks on computer networks, even a misunderstanding has the potential to escalate tension and set off an overreaction.
“Already people are interpreting this as demonstrating some kind of interest that China would have in disrupting the U.S. power grid,” said Nart Villeneuve, a researcher with the SecDev Group, an Ottawa-based cybersecurity research and consulting group. “Once you start interpreting every move that a country makes as hostile, it builds paranoia into the system.”
Mr. Wortzel’s presentation at the House hearing got a particularly strong reaction from Representative Ed Royce, Republican of California, who called the flagging of the Wang paper “one thing I think jumps out to all of these Californians here today, or should.”
He was alluding to concerns that arose in 2001 when The Los Angeles Times reported that intrusions into the network that controlled the electrical grid were traced to someone in Guangdong Province, China. Later reports of other attacks often included allegations that the break-ins were orchestrated by the Chinese, although no proof has been produced.
In an interview last week about the Wang paper and his testimony, Mr. Wortzel said that the intention of these particular researchers almost did not matter.
“My point is that now that vulnerability is out there all over China for anybody to take advantage of,” he said.
But specialists in the field of network science, which explores the stability of networks like power grids and the Internet, said that was not the case.
“Neither the authors of this article, nor any other prior article, has had information on the identity of the power grid components represented as nodes of the network,” Reka Albert, a University of Pennsylvania physicist who has conducted similar studies, said in an e-mail interview. “Thus no practical scenarios of an attack on the real power grid can be derived from such work.”
The issue of Mr. Wang’s paper aside, experts in computer security say there are genuine reasons for American officials to be wary of China, and they generally tend to dismiss disclaimers by China that it has neither the expertise nor the intention to carry out the kind of attacks that bombard American government and computer systems by the thousands every week.
The trouble is that it is so easy to mask the true source of a computer network attack that any retaliation is fraught with uncertainty. This is why a war of words, like the high-pitched one going on these past months between the United States and China, holds special peril, said John Arquilla, director of the Information Operations Center at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.
“What we know from network science is that dense communications across many different links and many different kinds of links can have effects that are highly unpredictable,” Mr. Arquilla said. Cyberwarfare is in some ways “analogous to the way people think about biological weapons — that once you set loose such a weapon it may be very hard to control where it goes,” he added.
Tension between China and the United States intensified earlier this year after Google threatened to withdraw from doing business in China, saying that it had evidence of Chinese involvement in a sophisticated Internet intrusion. A number of reports, including one last October by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, of which Mr. Wortzel is vice chairman, have used strong language about the worsening threat of computer attacks, particularly from China.
“A large body of both circumstantial and forensic evidence strongly indicates Chinese state involvement in such activities, whether through the direct actions of state entities or through the actions of third-party groups sponsored by the state,” that report stated.
Mr. Wang’s research subject was particularly unfortunate because of the widespread perception, particularly among American military contractors and high-technology firms, that adversaries are likely to attack critical infrastructure like the United States electric grid.
Mr. Wang said in the interview that he chose the United States grid for his study basically because it was the easiest way to go. China does not publish data on power grids, he said. The United States does and had had several major blackouts; and, as he reads English, it was the only country he could find with accessible, useful data. He said that he was an “emergency events management” expert and that he was “mainly studying when a point in a network becomes ineffective.”
“I chose the electricity system because the grid can best represent how power currents flow through a network,” he said. “I just wanted to do theoretical research.”
The paper notes the vulnerability of different types of computer networks to “intentional” attacks. The authors suggest that certain types of attacks may generate a domino-style cascading collapse of an entire network. “It is expected that our findings will be helpful for real-life networks to protect the key nodes selected effectively and avoid cascading-failure-induced disasters,” the authors wrote.
Mr. Wang’s paper cites the network science research of Albert-Laszlo Barabasi, a physicist at Northeastern University. Dr. Barabasi has written widely on the potential vulnerability of networks to so-called engineered attacks.
“I am not well vested in conspiracy theories,” Dr. Barabasi said in an interview, “but this is a rather mainstream topic that is done for a wide range of networks, and, even in the area of power transmission, is not limited to the U.S. system — there are similar studies for power grids all over the world.”
|
|
|
1035 |
3/10/2010 |
Islam militants, Threat from within. Jihad Jane |
March 10, 2010
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA - The self-described "Jihad Jane" who thought her blond hair and blue eyes would let her blend in as she sought to kill an artist in Sweden is a rare case of an American woman aiding foreign terrorists and shows the evolution of the global threat, authorities say.
The suburban Philadelphia woman, Colleen R. LaRose, is accused in the indictment filed Tuesday of actively recruiting fighters, as well as agreeing to murder the artist, marry a terrorism suspect so he could move to Europe and martyr herself if necessary.
LaRose is "one of only a few such cases nationwide in which females have been charged with terrorism violations," said U.S. Department of Justice spokesman Dean Boyd.
LaRose, 46, of Pennsburg but with close ties to south Texas, has been held without bail since her Oct. 15 arrest in Philadelphia.
Authorities said the case shows how terrorist groups are looking to recruit Americans to carry out their goals.
"Today's indictment, which alleges that a woman from suburban America agreed to carry out murder overseas and to provide material support to terrorists, underscores the evolving nature of the threat we face," said David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security.
LaRose had targeted Swedish artist Lars Vilks and had online discussions about her plans with at least one of several suspects apprehended over that plot Tuesday in Ireland, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to discuss details of the investigation.
A U.S. Department of Justice spokesman wouldn't confirm the case is related to Vilks, who angered Muslims by depicting the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog. At least three Swedish newspapers published the cartoon Wednesday, arguing that it had news value or was a free-speech symbol.
The indictment charges that LaRose, who also used the name Fatima LaRose online, agreed to kill the target on orders from the unnamed terrorists she met online, and traveled to Europe in August to do so. Court documents don't say whether the person was killed, but LaRose was not charged with murder.
LaRose indicated in her online conversations that she thought her blond hair and blue eyes would help her move freely in Sweden to carry out the attack, the indictment said.
LaRose is a convert to Islam who actively recruited others, including at least one unidentified American, and her online messages expressed her willingness to become a martyr and her impatience to take action, according to the indictment and the U.S. official.
Killing the target would be her goal "till I achieve it or die trying," she wrote a south Asian suspect in March 2009, according to the indictment.
Her federal public defender, Mark T. Wilson, declined to comment Tuesday.
U.S. Attorney Michael Levy said the indictment doesn't link LaRose to any organized terror groups. He would not comment on whether other arrests were expected.
In recent years, the only other women charged in the U.S. with terror violations were lawyer Lynne Stewart, convicted of helping imprisoned blind Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman communicate with his followers, and Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist found guilty of shooting at U.S. personnel in Afghanistan while yelling, "Death to Americans!"
But neither case involved the kind of plotting attributed to LaRose - a woman charged with trying to foment a terror conspiracy to kill someone overseas.
Stewart has insisted she is "not a traitor," while Siddiqui has accused U.S. authorities of lying about her.
LaRose called herself JihadJane in a YouTube video in which she said she was "desperate to do something somehow to help" ease the suffering of Muslims, the indictment said. According to the 11-page document, she agreed to obtain residency in a European country and marry one of the terrorists to enable him to live there.
She moved to Europe in August with her boyfriend's stolen passport and intended to give it to one of her "brothers," the indictment said. She hoped to "live and train with jihadists and to find and kill" the targeted artist, it said.
LaRose also agreed to provide financial help to her coconspirators in Asia and Europe, the indictment charged.
LaRose had an initial court appearance on Oct. 16 but didn't enter a plea. No further court dates have been set.
Her boyfriend, Kurt Gorman, told the Philadelphia Daily News that the two met in Ennis, Texas, several years ago and that nothing seemed amiss until she packed up her clothes and moved out of their apartment in Pennsburg without warning in August, the day after his father's funeral.
"I was upset, worried. Maybe something happened to her," he said.
A few weeks later, two FBI agents visited him, and in November or December he was subpoenaed by a federal grand jury to testify, Gorman said.
"She never talked about international events, about Muslims, anything," he told the newspaper. "It's very strange. I still can't believe it."
|
|
|
1034 |
3/3/2010 |
India prepares for a two-front war. China is a major concern. |
India prepares for a two-front war
Dan Blumenthal
There is one country responding to China’s military build-up and aggressiveness with some muscle of its own. No, it is not the United States, the superpower ostensibly responsible for maintaining peace and security in Asia. Rather, it is India, whose military is currently refining a “two-front war” doctrine to fend off Pakistan and China simultaneously. Defending against Pakistan isn’t anything new, and Delhi has long viewed China with suspicion. But in recent years India has been forced to think more seriously about an actual armed conflict with its northern neighbour. Last year Beijing started a rhetorical clash over the Dalai Lama’s and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visits to Arunachal Pradesh state, which China claims as its own. In the two years before that, Chinese border incursions into India almost doubled. Not to mention China’s massive military build-up and concerted push for a blue-water navy.
In response, the Indian military is rewriting its so-called “Cold Start” doctrine. Cold Start’s initial intent was to provide the armed forces with more rapid and flexible response options to Pakistani aggression. The Indian military believed that its ground forces’ slow and lumbering mobilisation after the 2001 terrorist attacks on its parliament played to Pakistan’s advantage: International opinion turned against decisive Indian military action. Delhi also worried that its plan to send in heavy forces to weaken Pakistan was unrealistic and might well trigger a nuclear response.
So Indian strategists searched for military solutions that would avoid a nuclear response but still provide a rapid retaliatory punch into Pakistan. The resulting doctrine was built around eight division-sized “integrated battle groups”—a combination of mobile ground forces backed by air power and tied together through an advanced system of sensors and reconnaissance capabilities. The Indian Army would advance into Pakistan and hold territory to use as leverage to end terrorist attacks launched from Pakistani soil.
But as China has grown more aggressive, Delhi has begun planning to fight a “two-front war” in case China and Pakistan ally against India. Army Chief of Staff General Deepak Kapoor recently outlined the strategy: Both “fronts”—the north-eastern one with China and north-western one with Pakistan—would receive equal attention. If attacked by Pakistan and China, India will use its new integrated battle groups to deal quick decisive blows against both simultaneously. The two-front strategy’s ambitions go even further: In the long term China is the real focus for Indian strategists. According to local newspapers, Gen. Kapoor told a defence seminar late last year that India’s forces will “have to substantially enhance their strategic reach and out-of-area capabilities to protect India’s geopolitical interests stretching from the [Persian] Gulf to Malacca Strait” and “to protect our island territories” and assist “the littoral states in the Indian Ocean Region.”
Of course the existence of a new doctrine does not make it an operational reality. But a cursory glance at India’s acquisition patterns and strategic moves gives every indication that India is well on its way to implementation. Delhi is buying and deploying sophisticated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance networks; supersonic cruise missiles; lightweight towed artillery pieces; and new fighter aircraft with supporting electronic warfare and refuelling platforms. India has already bought C-130J aircraft from the US for rapid force deployment. The navy is planning to expand its submarine fleet, to acquire three aircraft carriers, and to deploy them with modernised carrier-based fighter aircraft. In addition India plans to deploy fighters and unmanned aerial vehicles at upgraded bases on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean. India is not looking for a fight with China: It simply understands it is prudent to develop a military that can deter Beijing. President Obama’s accommodating stance toward China and his apparent lack of interest in cementing partnership with Delhi have focused Indian minds, as have his failure to invest in resources his Pacific commanders need. While America has a strong interest in sharing the burdens of checking China’s expansionism, it should be concerned when its friends react in part to a perception of American weakness and Chinese strength.
Ultimately, the US is the only country with the power and resources to reassure its allies they need not engage in costly arms races with China. But first the US must identify Chinese military power for what Asian allies know it to be: a threat to peace in Asia. — The Wall Street Journal |
|
|
1033 |
3/2/2010 |
China should topple US Military |
BEIJING (Reuters) - China should build the world's strongest military and move swiftly to topple the United States as the global "champion," a senior Chinese PLA officer says in a new book reflecting swelling nationalist ambitions.
China
The call for China to abandon modesty about its global goals and "sprint to become world number one" comes from a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Senior Colonel, Liu Mingfu, who warns that his nation's ascent will alarm Washington, risking war despite Beijing's hopes for a "peaceful rise."
"China's big goal in the 21st century is to become world number one, the top power," Liu writes in his newly published Chinese-language book, "The China Dream."
"If China in the 21st century cannot become world number one, cannot become the top power, then inevitably it will become a straggler that is cast aside," writes Liu, a professor at the elite National Defense University, which trains rising officers.
His 303-page book stands out for its boldness even in a recent chorus of strident Chinese voices demanding a hard shove back against Washington over trade, Tibet, human rights, and arms sales to Taiwan, the self-ruled island Beijing claims as its own.
"As long as China seeks to rise to become world number one ... then even if China is even more capitalist than the U.S., the U.S. will still be determined to contain it," writes Liu.
Rivalry between the two powers is a "competition to be the leading country, a conflict over who rises and falls to dominate the world," says Liu. "To save itself, to save the world, China must prepare to become the (world's) helmsman."
"The China Dream" does not represent government policy, which has been far less strident about the nation's goals.
Liu's book testifies to the homegrown pressures on China's Communist Party leadership to show the country's fast economic growth is translating into greater sway against the West, still mired in an economic slowdown.
The next marker of how China's leaders are handling these swelling expectations may come later this week, when the government is likely to announce its defense budget for 2010, after a 14.9 percent rise last year on the one in 2008.
"This book represents my personal views, but I think it also reflects a tide of thought," Liu told Reuters in an interview. "We need a military rise as well as an economic rise."
Another PLA officer has said this year's defense budget should send a defiant signal to Washington after the Obama administration went ahead in January with long-known plans to sell $6.4 billion worth of arms to Taiwan.
"I think one part of 'public opinion' that the leadership pays attention to is elite opinion, and that includes the PLA," said Alan Romberg, an expert on China and Taiwan at the Henry L. Stimson Center, an institute in Washington D.C.
"I think the authorities are seeking to keep control of the reaction, even as they need to take (it) into account," Romberg said in an emailed response to questions.
Liu argues that China should use its growing revenues to become the world's biggest military power, so strong the United States "would not dare and would not be able to intervene in military conflict in the Taiwan Strait."
"If China's goal for military strength is not to pass the United States and Russia, then China is locking itself into being a third-rate military power," he writes. "Turn some money bags into bullet holders."
China's leaders do not want to jeopardize ties with the United States, a key trade partner and still by far the world's biggest economy and military power.
Yet Chinese public ire, echoed on the Internet, means policy-makers have to tread more carefully when handling rival domestic and foreign demands, said Jin Canrong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing.
"Chinese society is changing, and you see that in all the domestic views now on what China should do about the United States," said Jin. "If society demands a stronger stance, ignoring that can bring a certain cost."
Liu's book was officially published in January, but is only now being sold in Beijing bookstores.
LIGHTING A FIRE IN AMERICA'S BACKYARD
In recent months, strains have widened between Beijing and Washington over trade, Internet controls, climate change, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and President Barack Obama's meeting with Tibet's exiled leader, the Dalai Lama, who China reviles.
China has so far responded with angry words and a threat to sanction U.S. companies involved in the Taiwan arms sales. But it has not acted on that threat and has allowed a U.S. aircraft carrier to visit Hong Kong.
Over the weekend, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said he wanted trade friction with the United States to ease. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg is due to visit Beijing this week.
Liu and other PLA officers, however, say they see little chance of avoiding deepening rivalry with the United States, whether peaceful or warlike.
"I'm very pessimistic about the future," writes another PLA officer, Colonel Dai Xu, in another recently published book that claims China is largely surrounded by hostile or wary countries beholden to the United States.
"I believe that China cannot escape the calamity of war, and this calamity may come in the not-too-distant future, at most in 10 to 20 years," writes Dai.
"If the United States can light a fire in China's backyard, we can also light a fire in their backyard," warns Dai.
Liu said he hoped China and the United States could manage their rivalry through peaceful competition.
"In his State of the Union speech, Obama said the United States would never accept coming second-place, but if he reads my book he'll know China does not want to always be a runner-up," said Liu in the interview. |
|
|
1032 |
2/7/2010 |
Rising skill of Chinese cyberattacks alarms West |
BEIJING – Google’s accusation that its e-mail accounts were hacked from China landed like a bombshell because it cast light on a problem few companies will discuss: the pervasive threat from China-based cyberattacks.
The hacking that angered Google Inc. and hit dozens of other businesses adds to growing concern that China is a center for a global explosion of Internet crimes, part of a rash of attacks aimed at a wide array of targets, from a British military contractor to banks and chemical companies to a California software-maker.
The government denies it is involved, and it reiterated that last week. Speaking in Paris, China’s foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, said China itself “is the victim of pirate attacks” and the international community must fight the phenomenon together.
But experts say the highly skilled attacks suggest the Chinese military, a leader in cyberwarfare research, or other government agencies might be breaking into computers to steal technology and trade secrets to help state companies.
“Chinese hacking activity is significant in quantity and quality,” said Sami Saydjari, president of the consulting firm Cyber Defense Agency and a former U.S. National Security Agency official.
Officials in the U.S., Germany and Britain say hackers linked to China’s military have broken into government and defense systems. But attacks on commercial systems receive less attention because victims rarely come forward, possibly for fear it might erode trust in their businesses.
Google was the exception when it announced Jan. 12 that attacks hit it and at least 20 other companies. Google says it has “conclusive evidence” the attacks came from China but declined to say whether the government was involved.
Google cited the attacks and attempts to snoop on dissidents in announcing that it would stop censoring results on its China-based search engine and leave the country if the government does not loosen restrictions.
Only two other companies have disclosed they were targets in that attack – software-maker Adobe Systems Inc. and Rackspace Inc., a Web hosting service.
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at Finnish security software-maker F-Secure Corp., said his company has detected about two dozen attacks originating from China each month since 2005.
“There must be much more that go completely undetected,” he said.
Hypponen said a large British military contractor with which his company worked discovered last year that information had leaked for 18 months from one of its computers to an Internet address in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong. He said similar attacks on military contractors were found in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland.
Saydjari said other researchers have told him of dozens of U.S. companies that have been attacked from China but said he could not disclose their names or other details.
A key source of the skills required might be the military. China’s army supports hacker hobby clubs with as many as 100,000 members to develop a pool of possible recruits, according to Saydjari. |
|
|
1031 |
1/10/2010 |
Does Islam allow its followers to be Good Americans |
You decide. ....................................
Can a Muslim be a real American?
In light of the murders at Ft. Hood by a Muslim Officer (who had sworn to defend the people, our
Constitution and the United States) this article becomes more timely and real than ever;
Can a good Muslim be a good American?
Theologically - no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia .
Religiously - no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam.(Issue of the use of ALLAH by Indonesian Christians. Muslims there believe that only they have the right to use the name.
Scripturally - no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).
Geographically - no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca , to which he turns in prayer five times a day.
Socially - no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.
Politically - no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation
of Israel and Destruction of America, the great Satan.
Domestically - no. Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him.
Intellectually - no. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical
principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.
Philosophically - no. Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and
expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.
Spiritually - no. Because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran's 99 excellent
names.
Therefore after much study and deliberation....perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both "good" Muslims and good Americans.
Call it what you wish....it's still the truth.
If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above statements, perhaps you will share this with
your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future.
Pass it on Fellow Americans. The religious war is bigger than we know or understand. |
|
|
1030 |
12/14/2009 |
The veil, the Koran, and the Muslim women's movement |
Islamic women take on male vision of Islam. Could be hope? You decide.
In Islam, a woman who chooses not to wear a head scarf in public has a strong defense: the Koran. Nowhere does Islam’s primary text mandate that she cover her head.
A Muslim woman, then, should have the freedom to cover her hair – or not. But that is not the case in a country like Saudi Arabia. The Koran also supports a woman’s right to own and inherit property, to be educated, and to choose her husband – but not all societies in the Muslim universe of 1.5 billion people recognize these rights.
The disconnect lies in the interpretation of Islam, done for centuries by men. In the interest of achieving gender equality, Muslim women activists and scholars are challenging the male interpretation. Wisely, they are using the Koran to do it.
Much authority in the Muslim world stems from scholarship, and so Muslim women have become Islamic scholars. Their work of the past 20 years has shed a new light of equality on texts in the Koran. They challenge, for example, the patriarchal interpretation and enforcement of the idea that males are the guardians of females and responsible for their morality.
These scholars are spreading the word in books, in conferences, and on the Internet. Grass-roots groups in Islamic countries are turning to them for guidance – and learning to use the Koran themselves to argue for greater rights.
Slowly, “Islamic feminism” is producing results: a 2004 sea change in Moroccan family law that recognizes men and women as equal; female judges in sharia courts in Jordan, Syria, Malaysia, and Indonesia; women leaders in mosques and women teachers in Islamic religious institutions.
This may be the most intellectually active time for Islam since the Middle Ages. Scholars of both sexes are challenging controversial Islamic practices going back centuries.
For three years, for instance, a group of 80 Turkish scholars has been reexamining Muslim traditions in the hadith, which is based on the sayings and actions of the prophet Muhammad. The hadith governs behavior, from war to personal hygiene. The scholars plan to publish six volumes that reject many controversial practices in the hadith, including honor killings and the stoning of adulterers.
Earlier this year, a group of 250 activists and scholars from 47 countries gathered in Kuala Lumpur to launch Musawah (equality in Arabic). The group aims to bring equality and justice to Muslim family law in legal systems around the world. Their activism is based on rights found in the Koran.
Islamic feminism faces strong resistance from the faith’s conservatives who want to preserve the male interpretation of Islam. But the movement’s roots in the Koran give it a better chance at changing attitudes than a transplanted women’s liberation movement from the West. In the end, the Koran may be an Islamic woman’s most direct route to equal rights.
|
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2009/1213/The-veil-the-Koran-and-the-Muslim-women-s-movement |
|
1028 |
12/14/2009 |
US, Poland Sign Deal on Stationing GIs |
US, Poland Sign Deal on Stationing GIs
December 12, 2009
Associated Press
WARSAW, Poland - U.S. and Polish officials signed a deal Friday to regulate the stationing of American troops and military equipment in the eastern European country, paving the way for a U.S. military presence in the heart of the former Soviet bloc.
The step is a prerequisite for the deployment of U.S. Patriot missiles to Poland, which is expected early next year. It is also to serve as the legal framework for a possible future missile defense site.
Defense Minister Bogdan Klich hailed the so-called status of forces agreement, which he said will increase Poland's security and strengthen U.S.-Polish military cooperation.
"It's an important moment in the cooperation between the U.S. and Poland," Klich said, adding the deal "reflects our interests well."
The signing came after 15 months of negotiations, with the stickiest points revolving around issues of taxation and discussions over which country would have the right to try any U.S. soldiers who commit crimes off-base.
The two sides agreed that any wrongdoing committed by a U.S. soldier off base and off duty would fall under Polish jurisdiction, Poland's deputy defense minister, Stanislaw Komorowski, told The Associated Press. Polish courts would also decide on any U.S. request to transfer a case to American jurisdiction.
He said it is rare for the U.S. to grant such powers to a host nation and called it a success for Poland's negotiators.
However, U.S. companies supporting the base will only be subject to U.S. taxation, Komorowski said.
Wary of neighboring Russia, Poland welcomes stronger military ties with the U.S. Still, it's very sensitive about sharing jurisdiction over parts of its territory - a legacy of the stationing of Soviet troops in Poland during the communist era.
Washington plans to deploy a U.S. Patriot anti-missile battery that will be used for training the Polish military. The garrison, in a yet unnamed location, is to eventually have about 100 U.S. military personnel.
The Patriot garrison was a Polish condition for a 2008 deal to host long-range missile defense interceptors. The deal, which was struck by the Bush administration, angered Russia and was later reconfigured under President Barack Obama's administration.
Under the Obama plan, Poland would host a different type of missile defense interceptors as part of a more mobile system and at a later date, probably not until 2018.
|
http://www.military.com/news/article/us-poland-sign-deal-on-stationing-gis.html?ESRC=eb.nl |
|
1029 |
12/14/2009 |
Women Combat Vets Battle for Acceptance |
WASHINGTON -- Nobody wants to buy them a beer. Even near military bases, female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan aren't often offered a drink on the house as a welcome home.
More than 230,000 American women have fought in those recent wars and at least 120 have died doing so, yet the public still doesn't completely understand their contributions on the modern battlefield.
For some, it's a lonely transition as they struggle to find their place.
Aimee Sherrod, an Air Force veteran who did three war tours, said years went by when she didn't tell people she was a veteran. After facing sexual harassment during two tours and mortar attacks in Iraq, the 29-year-old mother of two from Bells, Tenn., was medically discharged in 2005 with post-traumatic stress disorder.
She's haunted by nightmares and wakes up some nights thinking she's under attack. She's moody as a result of PTSD and can't function enough to work or attend college. Like some other veterans, she felt she improperly received a low disability rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs that left her with a token monthly payment. She was frustrated that her paperwork mentioned she was pregnant, a factor she thought was irrelevant.
"I just gave up on it and I didn't tell anyone about ever being in the military because I was so ashamed over everything," Sherrod said.
Then Jo Eason, a Nashville, Tenn., lawyer working pro bono through the Lawyers Serving Warriors program, stepped in a few years later and Sherrod began taking home a heftier monthly disability payment.
"I've never regretted my military service, I'm glad I did it," Sherrod said. "I'm not ashamed of my service. I'm ashamed to try and tell people about it because it's like, well, why'd you get out? All the questions that come with it."
The Defense Department bars women from serving in assignments where the primary mission is to engage in direct ground combat. But the nature of the recent conflicts, with no clear front lines, puts women in the middle of the action, in roles such as military police officers, pilots, drivers and gunners on convoys. In addition to the 120-plus deaths, more than 650 women have been wounded.
Back home, women face many of the same issues as the men, but the personal stakes may be greater.
Female service members have much higher rates of divorce and are more likely to be a single parent. When they do seek help at VA medical centers, they are screening positive at a higher rate for military sexual trauma, meaning they indicated experiencing sexual harassment, assault or rape. Some studies have shown that female veterans are at greater risk for homelessness.
Former Army Sgt. Kayla Williams, an Iraq veteran who has written about her experience, said she was surprised by the response she and other women from the 101st Airborne Division received from people in Clarksville, Tenn., near Fort Campbell, Ky.
She said residents just assumed they were girlfriends or wives of military men.
"People didn't come up to us and thank us for our service in the same way. They didn't give us free beers in bars in the same way when we first got back," said Williams, 34, of Ashburn, Va. "Even if you're vaguely aware it, it still colors how you see yourself in some ways."
Genevieve Chase, 32, of Alexandria, Va., a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves, said the same guys who were her buddies in Afghanistan didn't invite her for drinks later on because their wives or girlfriends wouldn't approve.
"One of the hardest things that I had to deal with was, being a woman, was losing my best friends or my comrades to their families," Chase said.
It was that sense of loss, she said, that led her to get together with some other female veterans for brunch in New York last year. The group has evolved into the American Women Veterans, which now has about 2,000 online supporters, some of whom go on camping trips and advocate for veterans' issues. About a dozen marched in this year's Veteran's Day parade in New York.
"We just want to know that when we come home, America has our back," Chase said. "That's the biggest thing. Women are over there. You want to feel like you're coming home to open arms, rather than to a public that doesn't acknowledge you for what you've just done and what you just sacrificed."
Rachel McNeill, a gunner during hostile convoys in Iraq, said she was so affected by the way people treated her when they learned she fought overseas that she even started to question whether she was a veteran.
She described the attitudes as "Oh, you didn't do anything or you were just on base," said McNeill, who suffers from postconcussive headaches, ringing in her ears, and other health problems related to roadside bomb blasts. The 25-year-old from Hollandale, Wis., was a sergeant in the Army Reserves.
She said she seemingly even got that response when she told the VA staff in Madison, Wis., of her work. She said she was frustrated to see in her VA paperwork how what she told them had been interpreted.
"It would say like, 'the patient rode along on convoys,' like I was just a passenger in the back seat," McNeill said.
Other women have had similar complaints. The VA leadership has said it recognizes it needs to do more to improve care for these veterans, and as part of changes in the works, female coordinators are in place at each medical center to give women an advocate. The agency is also reviewing comments on a proposal to make it easier for those who served in noninfantry roles - including women - to qualify for disability benefits for PTSD.
Sen. Patty Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs committee, recently asked VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ensure that service members' combat experience is included on their military discharge papers, so later they can get benefits they are entitled to.
Research has shown that a lack of validation of a Soldier's service can make their homecoming more difficult.
"What worries me is that women themselves still don't see themselves as veterans, so they don't get the care they need for post-traumatic stress syndrome or traumatic brain injury or even sexual assault, which obviously is more unique to women, so we still have a long ways to go," said Murray, D-Wash.
Chase said one challenge is getting female veterans to ask for changes.
"Most of us, because we were women service members, are so used to not complaining and not voicing our issues, because in the military that's considered weak. Nobody wants to hear the girl whine," Chase said.
McNeill said that when she's been out at restaurants and bars with the guys in her unit, they make sure she gets some recognition when the free beers go around.
"They'll make a point ... usually to say, 'She was over there with us, she was right next to us,'" McNeill said.
AP Photo: Genevieve Chase, founder of American Women Veterans. |
http://www.military.com/news/article/women-combat-vets-battle-for-acceptance.html?ESRC=eb.nl |
|
1027 |
11/20/2009 |
Chinese cyber-spying grows against U.S: report |
By Jim Wolf
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China's government appears increasingly to be piercing U.S. government and defense industry computer networks to gather useful data for its military, a congressional advisory panel said on Thursday.
"A large body of both circumstantial and forensic evidence strongly indicates Chinese state involvement in such activities," the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its 2009 report to Congress.
The 12-member, bipartisan commission was set up in 2000 to analyze the implications of growing trade with China.
Beijing has begun to broaden its national security concerns beyond a potential clash across the Taiwan Strait and issues around its periphery, the 367-page report said.
China is the most aggressive country conducting espionage against the United States, focused on obtaining data and know-how to help military modernization and economic development, it added.
The amount of "malicious" computer activities against the United States increased in 2008 and is rising sharply this year, it said, adding, "Much of this activity appears to originate in China."
The Chinese Embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The commission said the Chinese government had placed many of its capabilities for computer network operations within elements of the People's Liberation Army.
"China's peacetime computer exploitation efforts are primarily focused on intelligence collection against U.S. targets and Chinese dissident groups abroad," it said.
The report cited conclusions of Northrop Grumman Corp, one of the Pentagon's top contractors, that implicated the Chinese government in extensive cyber activities against the United States.
Omitted was any thorough description of the techniques used for forensic analysis of such suspected cyber espionage.
A Northrop Grumman study was prepared for the commission and released in October. It said Beijing appeared to be conducting "a long-term, sophisticated, computer network exploitation campaign" against the government and U.S. defense industries.
(Reporting by Jim Wolf; Editing by Peter Cooney) |
|
|
1026 |
11/11/2009 |
China proves to be an aggressive foe in cyberspace |
By Ellen Nakashima and John Pomfret
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
One day in late summer 2008, FBI and Secret Service agents flew to Chicago to inform Barack Obama's campaign team that its computer system had been hacked. "You've got a problem. Somebody's trying to get inside your systems," an FBI agent told the team, according to a source familiar with the incident.
The McCain campaign was hit with a similar attack.
The trail in both cases led to computers in China, said several sources inside and outside government with knowledge of the incidents. In the McCain case, Chinese officials later approached staff members about information that had appeared only in restricted e-mails, according to a person close to the campaign.
American presidential campaigns are not the only targets. China is significantly boosting its capabilities in cyberspace as a way to gather intelligence and, in the event of war, hit the U.S. government in a weak spot, U.S. officials and experts say. Outgunned and outspent in terms of traditional military hardware, China apparently hopes that by concentrating on holes in the U.S. security architecture -- its communications and spy satellites and its vast computer networks -- it will collect intelligence that could help it counter the imbalance.
President Obama, who is scheduled to visit China next week, has vowed to improve ties with the Asian giant, especially its military. But according to current and former U.S. officials, China's aggressive hacking has sowed doubts about its intentions.
"This is the way they plan to thwart U.S. supremacy in any potential conflict we get into with them," said Robert K. Knake, a Council on Foreign Relations fellow. "They believe they can deter us through cyber warfare." Chinese officials deny that and dismiss American concern as a Cold War relic.
"Allegations that China is behind, or 'likely behind,' cyberattacks or cyber espionage against the United States are more frequent and more sensational," said Wang Baodong, the spokesman at the Chinese Embassy in Washington. "Such accusations are unwarranted, irresponsible and misleading and are intentionally fabricated to fan up China threat sensations."
With 360 million people online in China, Wang added, "China is more than ever integrated with and reliant on the Internet. As the U.S. serves as the hub of the international information highway, attacking the U.S. in cyberspace equals attacking one's own cyberspace assets. . . . What's the logic?"
Nonetheless, U.S. officials and experts of all political persuasions in the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill, in private industry and in think tanks are convinced that China is behind many of the most egregious attacks. A senior Air Force official estimated that, as of two years ago, China has stolen at least 10 to 20 terabytes of data from U.S. government networks -- the larger figure equal, by some estimates, to one-fifth of the Library of Congress's digital holdings.
Nuclear weapons labs, defense contractors, the State Department and other sensitive federal government agencies have fallen prey. What experts do not know is exactly what has been stolen or how badly U.S. systems have been exposed. "Given the intrusions into defense industry networks, multibillion-dollar weapons systems . . . may have already been compromised," said James Mulvenon, a China expert with Defense Group Inc.
Experts point to the late 1990s as the start of this undeclared war. Since then, cyber intrusions have run the gamut, including stealing files on political dissidents from the offices of Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) in 2006, disrupting the e-mail network of the defense secretary's office in 2007 and staging a spyware attack on electronic devices used by then-Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez and his delegation on a December 2007 trip to Beijing.Wolf said that the offices of 17 House members have been targeted. "Not a week doesn't go by when there's not a Chinese attack on our government," he said.
One day last spring, Capitol Hill security officials removed two computers from a congressional office that deals with foreign affairs. "There's a bug in your computer," one agent told an astonished staffer. "From China."
Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair said in February that Russia and China were able to "to target and disrupt elements of the U.S. information infrastructure" and that China was "very aggressive" in cyberspace.
Another problem is China's ability to leave behind malicious sleeper code that can one day be activated to alter or destroy information. In April, then-National Counterintelligence Executive Joel F. Brenner reported that the Chinese had penetrated "certain of our electricity grids" with malicious code and that "our networks are being mapped"
One challenge in countering the threat, experts say, is that the Chinese often contract out such work to experts in industry and academia and possibly even to freelance hackers, allowing officials to argue that while an attack might have originated from an Internet service provider in China, no one could prove it came from the government.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army has publicly embraced such outsourcing. In 2002, the PLA created information warfare units, comprising operators and analysts from the commercial sector and academia, according to a new report by defense contractor Northrop Grumman for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a congressionally chartered body.
A year later, China's Academy of Military Sciences published an account of a trial project in the Guangzhou Military Region to establish information-warfare militia units using local telecommunications companies as a source of talent, funding and technology. Subsequently, the academy directed the PLA to make creation of such units a priority.
"Information warfare is not just a theology," said Ming Zhou, a China specialist with VeriSign iDefense, a security intelligence firm. "They can integrate it into nation-state interests."
Some U.S. cyber policy experts such as James A. Lewis, a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, acknowledge that the problem cannot be solved without international engagement. At the same time, Lewis said, "I'm not going to get upset about China spying on us, because we spy on them."
"The only thing I'm going to get upset about," he said, "is if we don't do better than them." |
|
|
1024 |
11/11/2009 |
Iran says US (Obama) must select between Iran and Israel |
'Obama must choose - Israel or Iran'Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the US to choose between Israel and Iran on Tuesday night, according to Iranian state media. Ahmadinejad said that for a real change in relations to take place, a choice must be made.
Speaking in Istanbul at the 25th Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Iranian president said that it was up to US President Barack Obmaa to illustrate his motto of "Change."
"The support of both Israel and Iran can't go hand in hand," he was quoted as saying by IRNA. "No change is made unless great choices are made."
"We would welcome the changes, and wait for big and correct decisions to be made… We will clasp any hand that is extended sincerely toward us, but changes should be made in practice."
Addressing the same conference a day earlier, Ahmadinejad said that capitalist excesses caused the global economic meltdown and are un-Islamic, as leaders at a Muslim forum touted their religion's banking system a way to revive battered economies.
He also slammed investments that pay interest, deemed usury by Muslims, and said they had contributed to financial and social problems such as homelessness.
"Usury, which is entrenched in the capitalist system, is perhaps the main reason why the system has gone bankrupt," Ahmadinejad said. "It is a way of accumulating capital without working. Usury, according to the Koran, is fighting with Allah."
Ahmadinejad did not mention Iran's struggling economy, nor did he refer to its dispute with the West over its nuclear activities.
The Islamic forum held its meeting in a plush hotel on the banks of the Bosporus Strait that divides Istanbul between the Asian and European continents. Syrian President Bashar Assad and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan were also in attendance. |
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1257770037656&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull |
|
1022 |
11/1/2009 |
Russia 'simulates' nuclear attack on Poland |
Russia has provoked outrage in Poland by simulating an air and sea attack on the country during military exercises. The armed forces are said to have carried out "war games" in which nuclear missiles were fired and troops practised an amphibious landing on the country's coast.
Documents obtained by Wprost, one of Poland's leading news magazines, said the exercise was carried out in conjunction with soldiers from Belarus.
The manoeuvres are thought to have been held in September and involved about 13,000 Russian and Belarusian troops.
Poland, which has strained relations with both countries, was cast as the "potential aggressor".
The documents state the exercises, code-named "West", were officially classified as "defensive" but many of the operations appeared to have an offensive nature.
The Russian air force practised using weapons from its nuclear arsenal, while in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, which neighbours Poland, Red Army forces stormed a "Polish" beach and attacked a gas pipeline.
The operation also involved the simulated suppression of an uprising by a national minority in Belarus – the country has a significant Polish population which has a strained relationship with authoritarian government of Belarus.
Karol Karski, an MP from Poland's Law and Justice, is to table parliamentary questions on Russia's war games and has protested to the European Commission.
His colleague, Marek Opiola MP, said: "It's an attempt to put us in our place. Don't forget all this happened on the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland."
Ordinary Poles were outraged by news of the exercise and demanded a firm response fro the government.
One man, identified only as Ted, told Polskie Radio: "Russia has laid bare its real intentions with respect to Poland. Every Pole most now get of the off the fence and be counted as a patriot or a traitor."
Donald Tusk, Poland's prime minister, has tried to build a pragmatic relationship with the Kremlin despite widespread and vocal calls in Poland for him to cool ties with Moscow.
After spending 40 years under Soviet domination few in Poland trust Russia, and many Poles have become increasingly wary of a country they consider as possessing a neo-imperialistic agenda.
Bogdan Klich, Poland’s defence minister, said: “It is a demonstration of strength. We are monitoring the exercises to see what has been planned.
Wladyslaw Stasiak, chief of President Lech Kaczynski’s office, and a former head of Poland’s National Security Council, added: “We didn’t like the appearance of the exercises and the name harked back to the days of the Warsaw Pact.”
The Russian troop exercises will come as an unwelcome sight to the states nestling on Russia’s western border who have deep-rooted anxieties over any Russian show of strength.
With a resurgent Moscow now more willing to flex its muscles, Central and Eastern Europeans have warned of Russia adopting a neo-imperialistic attitude to an area of the world it still regards as its sphere of influence.
In July, the region’s most famed and influential political figures, including Lech Walesa and Vaclav Havel, wrote an open letter Barack Obama warning him that Russia “is back as a revisionist power pursuing a 19th-century agenda with 21st-century tactics and methods.”
Moscow and Minsk have insisted that Operation West was to help "ensure the strategic stability in the East European region". |
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/6480227/Russia-simulates-nuclear-attack-on-Poland.html |
|
1023 |
11/1/2009 |
US admiral concerned about China military buildup |
HONG KONG — A U.S. Navy admiral expressed new concern Friday over China's military buildup and urged Beijing to be clearer about its intentions.
With China's military growing at an "unprecedented rate," the U.S. wants to ensure that expansion doesn't destabilize the region, Rear Adm. Kevin Donegan told reporters on a visit to the Chinese territory of Hong Kong.
Donegan referred to China's expanded weaponry. His remarks echoed the concerns of other U.S. military leaders who have said the growth in China's military spending — up almost 15 percent in the 2009 budget — raises questions about how Beijing plans on deploying its new power.
"When we see a military growing at that rate, we're interested in transparency and the understanding of the uses of that military," said Donegan, commander of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier strike group, a key part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Donegan's comments come as a top Chinese general visits the United States on a mission to strengthen trust between the two militaries and dispel U.S. concerns about the growth of the People's Liberation Army.
Xu Caihou, the PLA's second-highest ranking officer, told President Barack Obama on Wednesday that ties between the two countries' militaries play "an important role in enhancing strategic mutual trust and deepening their pragmatic cooperation," according to Chinese media reports.
China has boosted military spending by more than 10 percent annually for almost two decades, and the official figure of $71 billion this year is thought by many analysts to represent only a portion of total defense spending. It still amounts to only a fraction of U.S. defense spending.
China says much of the increase is used to improve salaries and living conditions for soldiers, but it has also been adding sophisticated new warships, submarines, fighter jets and other weapons systems to its arsenal. PLA leaders have also said they are considering building an aircraft carrier, but such a development is thought to be years, if not decades, away.
Donegan acknowledged the possibility of a Chinese aircraft carrier, but also said he was concerned with anti-access weapons. This class of weapons includes missiles and submarines that can threaten U.S. forces in the region and prevent them responding in the event of a crisis.
"I am absolutely concerned," Donegan said.
He went on to say, "When a navy is doing that, we just want to make sure it's transparent enough so those in the region understand what they're doing."
At the same time, Donegan described positive exchanges between the two militaries that he said he hoped would continue, including a visit by five Chinese army generals aboard the George Washington during its call in Hong Kong this week.
Ties between the two militaries have been repeatedly roiled by China's objections to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as its own territory, as well as Chinese efforts to disrupt Navy surveillance missions off its shores.
A series of confrontations involving vessels from the two navies has raised concerns over China's rising determination to defend what it sees as its territorial interests in the South China Sea, where the U.S. has long operated as the major international power.
Donegan said the Navy would continue to operate in international waters — something that could come in defiance of Beijing's claims it has the right to bar surveillance work inside its exclusive economic zone.
"We are going to continue to operate in the South China Sea and international waters and not in territorial seas of another country," he said.
The visit of the George Washington, considered the crown jewel of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, is its first to Hong Kong in its 17-year history.
Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen contributed to this report from Beijing. |
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h4kq-860fCB0J11y73pGafA7SMTwD9BLD8AG0 |
|
1021 |
10/27/2009 |
Russia agrees to new doctrine of preemptive nuclear strikes. |
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik) – Russia’s new military doctrine, which is to come into force in 2010, has provoked a heated debate, first of all because it stipulates preemptive nuclear strikes.
Moreover, it says that nuclear weapons may also be used in local conflicts in case of critical threats to Russia’s national security.
The wording has encouraged some people to say that Russia intends to use nuclear weapons in conflicts with its closest neighbors – former Soviet republics.
A critical threat to Russia’s national security can come from different types of conflicts, including a large-scale war with a block of countries, or a hypothetical territorial conflict with one or several militarily developed countries.
Since the armed forces of the former Soviet republics are not very efficient, it can be assumed that only the Baltic countries, which are NATO members, can pose a critical threat to Russia. Although there is zero probability of a conflict with a Baltic country, if such a war does break out, it will immediately overgrow the scale of a local conflict, and it is not a Baltic territory that will be Russia’s target in this case.
A critical threat can also be created by an attempt by a more developed neighbor who is not a member of a NATO-type military alliance to use military force against Russia to settle a territorial dispute. Theoretically, such a conflict is possible with Japan if Japanese politicians seeking to use military force to solve the Kuril problem come to power there.
However, a critical threat to Russia is more probable in a larger war. Russia started speaking about the possibility of delivering preemptive nuclear strikes long ago, in the late 1990s after NATO bombed Yugoslavia. Russia subsequently held war games West 1999 simulating a military conflict with NATO similar to the one in Yugoslavia.
That war game showed that only nuclear weapons would save Russia in case of a Western aggression. The Russian government subsequently changed the schemes of using nuclear weapons, especially tactical ones.
The new provision was sealed in two fundamental documents – the military doctrine and the national security concept adopted in 2000. They read that the use of nuclear weapons is justified and necessary “to repel a military aggression when all other methods of settling the crisis have been used and proved ineffective.”
The decision looked logical at the time since NATO’s military power was superior to Russia, and the situation has not changed much since then. On the other hand, the possibility of a dispute – let alone a military conflict – with NATO has decreased because Russia has launched a new round of dialogue with the bloc. But military doctrines stipulate basic provisions that do not take into account the current tactical situation.
It should be said that other countries, including the United States, are also considering preemptive nuclear strikes.
Russia’s new military doctrine also has a clause on the use of military force to protect the lives and interests of Russian citizens abroad. This new addition to the Law On Defense was approved in the summer of 2009, and it will also be sealed in the new military doctrine.
On the whole, the new military doctrine reflects Russia’s gradual movement toward Western standards of the use of military force. The ideological provisions of the Soviet Union’s military doctrine – with the exception of the term “potential enemy” – have long been forgotten. Russia now intends to use its military force when and where necessary, and against any opponent.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti. |
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20091023/156567212.html |
|
1020 |
10/1/2009 |
Empire States Building turns Red to celibreate 60 years of Chinese Communism. WHY? |
NEW YORK – Red and yellow lights shone from the top of the Empire State Building at dusk Wednesday, a tribute to communist China's 60th anniversary that protesters labeled "blatant approval" of totalitarianism and criticized as inappropriate for an icon in the land of the free.
The building is routinely lit with different colors to mark holidays and big events, but opponents questioned whether it's right to commemorate a sensitive political issue, particularly when China has such a poor human rights record.
About 20 supporters of Tibet, which China has ruled since shortly after communists took over in 1949, protested outside the building during a ceremonial lighting of a scale model inside the lobby. They chanted "No to China's empire; free Tibet now," and held signs reading, "Empire State Building celebrating 60 years of China's oppression."
Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, called the lighting "outright, blatant approval for a communist totalitarian system."
"It's a great public relations coup for the Chinese state," Tethong said as tourists gawked at the protesters. "But on the other hand, it's sure to backfire because the American public and the global public will speak against it."
At the lobby ceremony, building manager Joseph Bellina called the lights a high honor and said he was proud of the relationship between "our countries and our people."
Chinese Consul General Peng Keyu, who pulled the switch on the glass-encased model, said he was "honored and delighted."
He said China's reforms of the past 30 years have led to greater openness and "tremendous change."
Keyu and Bellina didn't address critics and declined to answer questions.
Journalist and blogger Marc Masferrer questioned legitimizing a government that continues to repress its citizens' freedoms, including their access to media and the Internet.
"I don't think one of our great landmarks should be turned into a platform to honor a regime and a system responsible for as much tragedy and all the other things that come with a repressive system," he told The Associated Press.
Masferrer pointed out that this year is also the 20th anniversary of the violently crushed student-led movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The People's Liberation Army is believed to have killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of protesters.
Politicians united in their disdain.
Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York Democrat, said the lights should not be used to pay tribute to what he called "an oppressive regime" with a "shameful history on human rights."
Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, said it was "a sad day for New York."
"I am strongly opposed to it or any commemoration of the Communist Chinese revolution. It's one thing to acknowledge the government; it's totally immoral to honor it."
The lights atop the building, which is owned by W&H Properties, are often are changed. For example, Italian colors — red, white and green — commemorate Columbus Day, while green, white and orange are displayed for the India Day parade.
For the Chinese anniversary, the lights were to remain on through early Thursday.
___
Associated Press writer Deepti Hajela contributed to this report.
|
|
|
1019 |
9/29/2009 |
Iran Nuke Threat. We need to write more letters to them. |
Iran says that they can hit any target in the Middle East including US military bases. ******************************TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran tested its longest-range missiles Monday and warned they can reach any place that threatens the country, including Israel, parts of Europe and U.S. military bases in the Mideast. The launch capped two days of war games and was condemned as a provocation by Western powers, which are demanding Tehran come clean about a newly revealed nuclear facility it has been secretly building.
The tests Sunday and again Monday added urgency to a key meeting this week between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany - an international front seeking clear answers about the direction of its nuclear program.
Iran's missile program and its nuclear work - much of it carried out in secrecy - have long been a concern for the United States, Israel and its Western allies. They fear Tehran is intent on developing an atomic weapons capability and the missiles to deploy such warheads, despite Iran's assurances it is only pursuing civilian nuclear power.
In the latest exercise, the powerful Revolutionary Guard, which controls Iran's missile program, successfully tested upgraded versions of Iran's medium-range Shahab-3 and Sajjil missiles, state television reported. Both can carry warheads and reach up to 1,200 miles, putting Israel, U.S. military bases in the Middle East and parts of Europe within striking distance.
(AP) This satellite image taken Saturday Sept. 26, 2009, provided by GeoEye shows a facility under...
Full Image
The launchings were meant to display Iran's military might and demonstrate its readiness to respond to any military threat.
"Iranian missiles are able to target any place that threatens Iran," said Abdollah Araqi, a senior Revolutionary Guard commander, according to the semiofficial Fars news agency.
Iran conducted three rounds of missile tests in drills that began Sunday, two days after the U.S. and its allies disclosed the country had been secretly developing an underground uranium enrichment facility. The Western powers warned Iran must open the site to international inspection or face harsher international sanctions.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hasan Qashqavi, maintained the missile tests had nothing to do with the tension over the site, saying they were part of routine, long-planned military exercises.
That assertion was rejected by the United States and its European allies.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs called the tests "provocative in nature," adding: "Obviously, these were pre-planned military exercises."
French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Christine Fages agreed, saying "these tests constitute a provocation, even as we have multiplied our offers of dialogue with Iran."
The latest controversy comes days before a critical meeting Thursday in Geneva between Iran and six major powers trying to stop its suspected nuclear weapons program - the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.
The prospect of more U.N. sanctions on Iran is a possibility, targeting specific people and facilities. "We're prepared to take additional steps," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington.
Iran's new nuclear site is located in the arid mountains near the holy city of Qom and is believed to be inside a heavily guarded, underground facility belonging to the Revolutionary Guard, according to a document sent by President Barack Obama's administration to lawmakers.
Experts say they have found sites that appear to be military north of Qom, although there has been no confirmation from the U.S. government and Iran says the nuclear facility is south of the holy city.
A satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe and GeoEye shows a well-fortified facility built into a mountain about 20 miles northeast of Qom, with ventilation shafts and a nearby surface-to-air missile site, according to defense consultancy IHS Jane's, which did the analysis of the imagery. The image was taken in September.
However, Iran's Foreign Ministry has given a different location, saying Monday it was near the village of Fordo, which is about 30 miles south of Qom.
GlobalSecurity.org analyzed images from 2005 and January 2009 when the site was in an earlier phase of construction and believes the facility is not underground but was instead cut into a mountain. It is constructed of heavily reinforced concrete and is about the size of a football field - large enough to house 3,000 centrifuges used to refine uranium.
Allison Puccioni, a senior imagery analyst with Jane's, said Monday she could not reconcile the discrepancy between the location detailed in the satellite images and the site described by Iran's foreign ministry. But she said there was no question a massive facility was being hollowed out north of Qom.
"It's undergoing massive construction as we speak. The level of reinforcement and security is highly consistent with a strategic facility," she said in a telephone interview from Mountainview, Calif.
After strong condemnations from the U.S. and its allies, Iran said Saturday it would allow U.N. nuclear inspectors to examine the site.
The facility's military connection could undermine Iran's contention that the plant was designed for civilian purposes.
Israel has trumpeted the latest discoveries as proof of its long-held assertion that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons. By U.S. estimates, Iran is one to five years away from having nuclear weapons capability, although U.S. intelligence also believes that Iranian leaders have not yet made the decision to build a weapon.
Iran is also developing ballistic missiles that could carry a nuclear warhead, although a U.S. intelligence assessment in May says the country is focusing efforts on short- and medium-range missiles like the Shahab.
That assessment paved the way for Obama's decision to shelve the Bush administration's plan for a missile shield in Europe, which was aimed at defending against Iranian intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Iran is not expected to have such a missile until 2015 to 2020, according to the report, which was described by a U.S. government official on condition of anonymity because it is classified.
The Sajjil-2 missile is Iran's most advanced two-stage surface-to-surface missile and is powered entirely by solid-fuel, while the older Shahab-3 uses a combination of solid and liquid fuel in its most advanced form, known as the Qadr-F1.
Solid fuel increases a missile's accuracy in reaching targets and is seen as a technological breakthrough for any missile program.
Experts say the Sajjil-2 is more accurate and has a more advanced navigation system than the Shahab. |
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090929/D9B0L64G0.html |
|
1018 |
9/21/2009 |
President Obama Ready to Slash U.S. Nuclear Arsenal |
Barack Obama has demanded the Pentagon conduct a radical review of U.S. nuclear weapons doctrine to prepare the way for deep cuts in the country's arsenal. Obama has rejected the Pentagon's first draft of the "nuclear posture review" as being too timid, and has called for a range of more far-reaching options consistent with his goal of eventually abolishing nuclear weapons altogether, according to European officials. (guardian.co.uk) |
|
|
1017 |
6/9/2009 |
China Top military spender behind the US. They just bought Hummer. |
World governments spent $1.46 trillion on upgrading their armed forces last year despite the economic downturn, with China climbing to second place, behind the United States, as the top military spender, a Swedish research group said Monday. Global military spending was 4 percent higher in 2008 than in 2007, and 45 percent higher than a decade ago, the group, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said in its annual report. American military spending increased nearly 10 percent in 2008 to $607 billion and accounted for about 42 percent of global arms spending, the institute said. The United States was followed for the first time by China, which increased its military spending by 10 percent to an estimated $84.9 billion. |
|
|
1016 |
5/25/2009 |
North Korea tests nuclear weapon 'as powerful as Hiroshima bomb' |
North Korea today risked further international isolation after it claimed to have successfully tested a nuclear weapon as powerful as the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.
The test comes less than two months after the North enraged the US and its allies by test firing a long-range ballistic missile.
The KNCA news agency, the regime's official mouthpiece, said: "We have successfully conducted another nuclear test on 25 May as part of the republic's measures to strengthen its nuclear deterrent."
Officials in South Korea said they had detected a tremor consistent with those caused by an underground nuclear explosion. The country's Yonhap news agency reported that the North had test-fired three short-range missiles from a base on the east coast immediately after the nuclear test.
The underground atomic explosion, at 9.54am local time (0154 BST), created an earthquake measuring magnitude 4.5 in Kilju county in the country's north-east, reports said.
President Barack Obama called the test a matter of grave concern to all countries. "North Korea is directly and recklessly challenging the international community," he said in a statement. "North Korea's behaviour increases tensions and undermines stability in north-east Asia."
He added that North Korea's behaviour would serve only to deepen the country's isolation.
"It will not find international acceptance unless it abandons its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery," he said.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said he was "deeply worried" by the development.
The UN security council will hold an emergency meeting in New York later today to discuss its response to the latest escalation in the crisis. Obama and other leaders did not offer details on the council's possible response.
China, North Korea's key ally, said it was "resolutely opposed" to the test, urging its neighbor to avoid actions that would sharpen tensions and return to six-party arms-for-disarmament talks.
Japan, which considers itself high on the North's potential hit list, said it would seek a new resolution condemning the test.
Russian defense experts estimated the explosion's yield at between 10 and 20 kilotons, many times more than the 1 kiloton measured in its first nuclear test in 2006 and about as powerful as the bombs the US used against Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the second world war. One kiloton is equal to the force produced by 1,000 tonnes of TNT.
The force of the blast made the ground tremble in the Chinese border city of Yanji, 130 miles away.
The North Korean news agency said the test had been "safely conducted on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control. The test will contribute to defending the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism and ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and the region."
Gordon Brown described the test as "erroneous, misguided and a danger to the world". The prime minister added: "This act will undermine prospects for peace on the Korean peninsula and will do nothing for North Korea's security."
South Korea condemned the test, North Korea's second since it exploded its first nuclear device in October 2006 in defiance of international opinion. That test prompted the UN to pass a resolution banning Pyongyang from activities related to its ballistic missile program.
The South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak, convened a session of the country's security council after seismologists reported earthquakes in the Kilju region, site of the North's first nuclear test.
In Tokyo, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Takeo Kawamura, said the test was "a clear violation of the UN security council resolution and cannot be tolerated".
North Korea had warned of a second nuclear test after the UN condemned its test-launch of a ballistic missile on 5 April and agreed to tighten sanctions put in place in 2006.
Pyongyang insisted it had put a peaceful communications satellite in orbit, but experts said the technology and methods were identical to those used to launch a long-range Taepodong-2 missile.
After the UN refused to apologise for condemning the launch, North Korea expelled international inspectors, threatened to restart its Yongbyon nuclear reactor – which it had agreed to start dismantling in 2007 – and walked away from six-party nuclear talks.
Today's test will add to fears that the North is moving closer to possessing the ability to mount a nuclear warhead on long-range missiles that are capable, in theory, of reaching Hawaii and Alaska.
"This test, if confirmed, could indicate North Korea's decision to work at securing actual nuclear capabilities," Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Dongkuk University in Seoul, told Reuters.
"North Korea had been expecting the new US administration to mark a shift from the previous administration's stance, but is realising that there are no changes. It may have decided that a second test was necessary. [It] seems to be reacting to the US and South Korean administrations' policies."
Analysts believe the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, hopes to use the test to shore up support from the military amid mounting speculation that he is about to name one of his three sons as his successor.
Kim, 67, appears to be re-establishing his grip on power since reportedly suffering a stroke last August. Today's test is a direct challenge to attempts by Obama to engage the North and stem the spread of nuclear weapons.
Despite promising a fresh start to bilateral relations, Obama, who denounced last month's missile launch as "a provocation," has so far failed to persuade North Korean to enter into negotiations.
Kim Myong-chol, executive director of the Centre for Korean-American Peace in Tokyo, who is close to Pyongyang, said the test was a reminder that North Korea "is going it alone as a nuclear power".
"North Korea doesn't need any talks with America. America is tricky and undesirable," he said. "It does not implement its own agreements.
"We are not going to worry about sanctions. If they sanction us, we will become more powerful. Sanctions never help America; they are counter-productive … We don't care about America and what they say." |
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/25/north-korea-hiroshima-nuclear-test |
|
1015 |
4/21/2009 |
China displays resurgent naval strength |
By Ben Blanchard and Lucy Hornby
BEIJING (Reuters) - China will show off its resurgent naval strength this week at a parade marking 60 years since the founding of its navy, presenting its fleet of warships and nuclear submarines as a force for peace, not aggression.
The fleet parade marking the anniversary of the formation of the People's Liberation Army navy will feature newer vessels on show off the northern port city of Qingdao.
Chinese navy commander Admiral Wu Shengli said the celebrations will show his nation as a force for "peace, harmony and cooperation" at sea, the Liberation Army Daily reported on Tuesday.
But the gathering of ships and submarines may be taken as a disquieting sign of Chinese assertion by other governments worried about sea boundary disputes and rivalry for resources.
Chinese commentators have speculated the government will use the celebrations to announce firmer plans to build an aircraft carrier, seen by many here as the badge of a mature naval power.
"Now our country's economy has developed to this level, to protect national maritime rights and interests ... we must have an aircraft carrier," retired Chinese navy commander Shi Yunsheng, told Outlook Weekly, a Chinese current affairs magazine.
"The navy must continue developing in its current direction, expanding spending so that the navy corresponds to China's status as a great power."
DEEP-WATER POWER
U.S. Admiral Gary Roughead, one of the top guests at the parade, told reporters in Beijing before leaving for Qingdao he would use the visit to try and improve military relations, even as concerns over China's naval buildup remain.
"We can all look at the types of ships and the types of airplanes and the numbers of airplanes -- that's interesting and worthy of note," he said.
"But it is how countries elect to use those capabilities, and what the purposes are that they see, and how they will use them and how they will interact with other navies. That's important and that's why this dialogue is under way."
The military ritual comes while China has become increasingly confident and vocal about its hopes to become a deep-water power. For decades, China's military has been preoccupied with Taiwan, the self-ruled island off the mainland that Beijing says must accept reunification, by force if needed.
In China's farthest naval projection since the "treasure ships" of the Ming Dynasty, warships have sailed to far-away Somalia to guard against pirates attacking merchant vessels.
David Lai, a researcher at the United States Army War College, wrote recently that the anti-pirate mission was a small step in "China's march to become a fully-functional world power."
"The real test will come when China has to defend interests not covered by the United Nations or is in conflict with the United States," Lai wrote in the journal China Security.
Chinese boats last month tangled with a U.S. ship in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims as its exclusive economic zone, in a reminder of the risks behind Beijing's increasing military assertiveness and self-confidence.
This year's U.S. Defence Department annual report on Chinese military capabilities said China was making advances in denying outsiders access to offshore areas and was improving its nuclear, space and cyber warfare capabilities.
The United States has long complained that China's increased military spending lacks transparency, charges Beijing denies.
In the run-up to the parade, senior Chinese naval officials have promoted the country's ambitions on the seas. Admiral Wu has said China would accelerate development of warships, stealth submarines and long-range missiles.
(Additional reporting by Chris Buckley; Editing by Nick Macfie)
|
http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE53K11O20090421?sp=true |
|
1013 |
4/17/2009 |
China planning massive naval upgrade while US is planning reduction. |
China Planning Massive Naval Upgrade
4/17/2009 12:00 AM ET
(RTTNews) - Thursday, China unveiled a massive naval expansion plan that includes building new generation of combat warships including stealth submarines, supersonic cruise aircrafts and longer-range missiles that will provide its navy long-reach capabilities, reports say.
Proclaiming that sophisticated weapons were key to winning battles, the Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese navy, Admiral Wu Shengli said Beijing wanted to build futuristic weapon systems and platforms to give its Navy capability to operate far from its shores.
More accurate long-range missiles, deep-sea torpedoes and a general upgrade of information technology also were in the pipeline, according to Admiral Wu, who is also a member of the Chinese powerful Central Military Commission, which is headed by President Hu Jintao.
Asserting that the Navy will establish a maritime defense system that corresponds with the need to protect China's maritime security and economic development, the Admiral said the Navy would move faster in researching and building new-generation weapons to boost the ability to fight in regional sea wars using information technology.
Admiral Wu's comments came ahead of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Navy, next week and a month after Chinese defense minister Liang Guanglie's said China no longer wanted to be the only major global power without an aircraft carrier.
China announced in March that its defense budget would rise 15.3% this year to CNY472.9 billion (USD69 billion).
|
http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=914975&SMap=1 |
|
1012 |
4/17/2009 |
Conservative Right Wing radicals! |
I looks like the Homeland Security is concerned about Americans who have ex military experience, believe in God, believe in the US Constitution, believe in the Bill of Rights, follow the words of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Patrick Henry and other founding fathers of the US. I was at a gun show today in Reno, Nevada and every one had the same concern. Why are we being targeted? In history, during WW2, the Japanese were afraid to attack the US because American citizens were armed. They were concerned about the ability to conquer the country. Even the Dali Lama states. "it is good to have a gun when they are shooting at you."......................I took the oath to defend the Constitution both as a commissioned aux sheriff officer with search and rescue and as a Cadet at the United States Military Academy in the 70's. Am I now a target of my own country because I have been taught all my life to live by DUTY, HONOR and Country? ........................... I hope not.>>>>>>>> In God I do trust and place my faith. God Bless America. |
http://killingofamerica.com |
|
1014 |
4/17/2009 |
Russia Rearms while US is going to dis-arm |
Russia's leaders are getting used to cutting budgets this year. As the country sinks deeper into recession — unemployment, according to some estimates, is as high as 12% and the economy is predicted to shrink by about 4.5% in 2009 — the government is slashing spending at most of its ministries. The Energy Ministry's budget is down by 33%, and that of the Transport Ministry by 30%. But there is one hugely expensive project on which President Dmitri Medvedev has vowed to actually increase spending: transforming Russia's creaking Soviet-era defense industry into a modern technological power, and turning the 1.1-million-man Russian army into a leaner but more effective fighting force.
To get there Medvedev has increased government military spending this year by nearly 26% to about $37 billion, and given military producers of strategic weapons like missile systems and aircraft an extra $1.9 billion in 2009. In late March, just days before flying to the G-20 summit in London, the President donned a military pilot's helmet and uniform at an air base near Moscow for a ride in the back of a Sukhoi-34 fighter bomber, one of Russia's most sophisticated and deadly pieces of hardware. Afterwards he told reporters that it was time to modernize the country's entire air-force fleet. "We have the momentum and people who want to serve their country," he said. "Much is yet to be done." (See pictures of Russia on Victory Day.)
That's an understatement. Russia's military is still largely a remnant of the Soviet days, when the Red Army's millions were spread across a vast swath of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. When the Soviet empire began collapsing in 1989, Russia lost the bulk of its foot soldiers, as well as several key defense-related industries, ranging from shipbuilding in Ukraine to nuclear enrichment in Kazakhstan, according to an analysis of Russia's military in February by Stratfor, a U.S. company. The upheaval also forced many of Russia's finest engineers to quit for better-paid jobs abroad. Defense factories across Russia lumbered through the 1990s, many of them barely seeing a splash of paint. Meanwhile the Russian army filled its ranks with reluctant conscripts; recent Russian newspaper and government reports have found physical abuse, drug addiction and alcoholism rampant among the poorly trained, disaffected soldiers.
The limitations of both equipment and men became obvious during Russia's five-day war with Georgia last August. Despite Russia's superior firepower and its bigger army, its ground offensive was not the overwhelming success it should have been. Moscow's military arsenal lacked anything to match Georgia's Israeli-made spy drones, according to Paul Holtom, senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Indeed, Russian troops operated with no modern surveillance or night-vision equipment at all, according to Russian Duma hearings last October. Says Vadim Kozyulin, head of the conventional-arms program at the Center for Policy Studies in Moscow: "Our army was modern at the end of the 1980s. Since then it has been allowed to stagnate."
But there is one area where Russia's military has boomed during the past few years: arms exports. Moscow earned a record $8.3 billion in arms sales in 2008, second in the world to the U.S., which accounts for more than 40% of global defense spending. Moscow has been particularly good at targeting buyers in the developing world. Between 2004 and 2007 Russia sold $37.9 billion worth of military equipment — outstripping even the U.S. in that period — to more than 80 developing nations on every populated continent. Russian arms manufacturers have cut deals for everything from helicopters to tanks and rifles. Among eager customers have been North Korea, Iran, China and Venezuela, which are barred from buying Western weaponry under various sanction regulations. The embargoes have had the effect of recruiting new clients for Moscow. "Venezuela's jets used to be [American] F-16s," says Richard Grimmett, who tracks global arms sales for the Congressional Research Service in Washington. "Well guess what? We ain't selling squat to Venezuela."
Russia's strategy is twofold. It wants to use the huge profits it makes selling arms around the world as a platform on which to relaunch its own defense forces. But the arms sales are not only about money. Moscow hopes that as Venezuela and other countries grow more dependent on Russian weapons, political and economic ties will also grow, increasing Russia's global heft. "The West sees it as saber-rattling, but for Russia it is about retaking what it sees as its rightful position in the world," says Guy Anderson, editor of Jane's World Defence Industry in London.
Russia has crafted its role by using its two most valuable assets — vast energy resources and mountains of military hardware — to cut a series of clever deals. In 2006, for example, then President Vladimir Putin flew a delegation of oil, gas and defense executives to Algeria. Putin negotiated to sell $7.5 billion worth of combat jets, missiles and tanks to the government, while Russian energy giants Gazprom and Lukoil secured key oil and gas concessions in the North African nation. And Putin offered an extra sweetener: he wrote off Algeria's near $5 billion Soviet-era debt. Then there was the deal Putin cut with Libya just before he stepped down from the presidency to become Prime Minister: that one involved an agreement to sell $2.5 billion worth of arms, while cancelling Libya's $4 billion Soviet debt. Or there was last October's agreement with Venezuela in which Medvedev gave Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez a $1.1 billion credit line so the country could add to its arsenal of Russian weapons.
Funds and Talent Needed
For Russia's arms-export boom to continue, its defense industries need a huge infusion of fresh funds and talent. Russia's defense department buys only 15% of the weaponry the country's factories produce, while old customers such as India and China have begun producing their own weapons in the past decade or so. Unless Russia modernizes its factories, Moscow could lose more clients, says the Stratfor analysis. If that happens, the report states, "the Russian defense industry will be hard-pressed to keep from becoming irrelevant."
That's why Russian officials from the President on down have made it clear in the past few months that more money — and hence a modernization of defense-industry facilities — is on its way. And why much of the money is heading to companies that produce prized exports such as the Sukhoi fighter jets. But finding enough talent to overhaul Russia's rusting production lines may prove tough. Defense companies did not recruit and train engineers during the recessionary 1990s, leaving the average age of a worker in the industry at about 60, according to Kozyulin.
And finding engineers may actually prove easier than getting enough good recruits to bolster the army. The Kremlin plans to retire about half the army's 300,000 aging officers over the next three to six years, and train hundreds of thousands of fresh, paid soldiers in modern warfare. But today's high school graduates were born when Russia's birth rate hit an all-time low in the early 1990s, and were raised during the disastrous Chechen war. Near the decrepit train station of Vladimir, a military town near Moscow, an army-recruiting center promises a life of adventure for those who sign up. THE ARMY OF RUSSIA — AN ARMY OF PROFESSIONALS, says a billboard, showing a young man in a leather military helmet peering out of a tank scope. Not yet, it isn't. But money always helps.
With reporting by John Wendle / Moscow
|
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1891681,00.html |
|
1010 |
4/14/2009 |
Homeland Security on guard for 'right-wing extremists' |
WASHINGTON – A newly unclassified Department of Homeland Security report warns against the possibility of violence by unnamed "right-wing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty and singles out returning war veterans as particular threats.
The report, titled "Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," dated April 7, states that "threats from white supremacist and violent anti-government groups during 2009 have been largely rhetorical and have not indicated plans to carry out violent acts."
However, the document, first reported by talk-radio host and WND columnist Roger Hedgecock, goes on to suggest worsening economic woes, potential new legislative restrictions on firearms and "the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks."
Are you ready for a second Declaration of Independence? Sign the petition promoting true freedom once again!
The report from DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis defines right-wing extremism in the U.S. as "divided into those groups, movements and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups) and those that are mainly anti-government, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."
"[T]he consequences of a prolonged economic downturn – including real estate foreclosures, unemployment and an inability to obtain credit – could create a fertile recruiting environment for right-wing extremists and even result in confrontations between such groups and government authorities similar to those in the past," the report says
It adds that "growth in these groups subsided in reaction to increased government scrutiny as a result of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and disrupted plots, improvements in the economy and the continued U.S. standing as the pre-eminent world power."
"Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of right-wing extremist groups as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government," the report continues. "The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by right-wing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement."
Most notable is the report's focus on the impact of returning war veterans.
"Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to right-wing extremists," it says. "DHS/I&A is concerned that right-wing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize veterans in order to boost their violent capacities."
The report cites the April 4 shooting deaths of three police officers in Pittsburgh as an example of what may be coming, claiming the alleged gunman holds a racist ideology and believes in anti-government conspiracy theories about gun confiscations, citizen detention camps and "a Jewish-controlled 'one-world government.'"
It also suggests the election of an African-American president and the prospect of his policy changes "are proving to be a driving force for right-wing extremist recruitment and radicalization."
The report also mentions "'end times' prophecies could motivate extremist individuals and groups to stockpile food, ammunition and weapons. These teachings also have been linked with the radicalization of domestic extremist individuals and groups in the past, such as the violent Christian Identity organizations and extremist members of the militia movement."
"DHS/I&A assesses that right-wing extremist groups' frustration over a perceived lack of government action on illegal immigration has the potential to incite individuals or small groups toward violence," the report continues.
The report states the DHS will be working with state and local partners over the next several months to determine the levels of right-wing extremist activity in the U.S.
Last month, the chief of the Missouri highway patrol blasted a report issued by the Missouri Information Analysis Center that linked conservative groups to domestic terrorism, assuring that such reports no longer will be issued. The report had been compiled with the assistance of DHS.
The report warned law enforcement agencies to watch for suspicious individuals who may have bumper stickers for third-party political candidates such as Ron Paul, Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin.
It further warned law enforcement to watch out for individuals with "radical" ideologies based on Christian views, such as opposing illegal immigration, abortion and federal taxes.
Chief James Keathley of the Missouri State Patrol issued a statement that the release of the report, which outraged conservatives nationwide, prompted him to "take a hard look" at the procedures through which the report was released by the MIAC.
"My review of the procedures used by the MIAC in the three years since its inception indicates that the mechanism in place for oversight of reports needs improvement," he wrote. "Until two weeks ago, the process for release of reports from the MIAC to law enforcement officers around the state required no review by leaders of the Missouri State Highway Patrol or the Department of Public Safety."
"For that reason, I have ordered the MIAC to permanently cease distribution of the militia report," he said. "Further, I am creating a new process for oversight of reports drafted by the MIAC that will require leaders of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Department of Public Safety to review the content of these reports before they are shared with law enforcement. My office will also undertake a review of the origin of the report by MIAC."
|
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94803 |
|
1011 |
4/14/2009 |
Pirates attack U.S.-flagged ship, fail to board |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Pirates attacked a U.S.-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia with rockets and automatic weapons, but failed to board the craft, the ship's owner said on Tuesday.
The crew of the Liberty Sun was unharmed, but the vessel suffered damage, according to a statement from Liberty Maritime Corp of Lake Success, New York.
The ship immediately requested help from the U.S. Navy and was now under escort, the statement said.
"We are grateful and pleased that no one was injured and the crew and the ship are safe," it said.
Liberty Maritime said the pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the vessel, which was carrying U.S. food aid for African nations and was en route to Mombasa, Kenya, from Houston, it said.
A spokesman for U.S. Central Command had no immediate comment on the incident.
It was the second attack in a week on a U.S.-flagged ship in the region. On Sunday, U.S. snipers killed three Somali pirates and freed the American ship captain they had been holding hostage for five days.
Heavily armed pirates from lawless Somalia have been increasingly striking the busy Indian Ocean shipping lanes and strategic Gulf of Aden, capturing dozens of vessels, hundreds of hostages and making off with millions of dollars in ransoms.
Earlier on Tuesday, Somali pirates hijacked two more cargo vessels and opened fire on a third in attacks that showed a determination to go on striking at shipping on the region's strategic trade routes.
The attacks were a clear sign pirate gangs have not been deterred by two raids in recent days in which U.S. and French special forces killed five pirates.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Peter Cooney)
|
|
|
1008 |
4/12/2009 |
US ship captain is freed when snipers kill pirates |
US ship captain is freed when snipers kill pirates
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY and LARA JAKES, Associated Press Writers Elizabeth A. Kennedy And Lara Jakes, Associated Press Writers
26 mins ago
MOMBASA, Kenya – U.S. Navy snipers opened fire and killed three pirates holding an American captain at gunpoint, delivering the skipper unharmed and ending a five-day high-seas hostage drama on Easter Sunday.
The pirates were pointing AK-47s at Capt. Richard Phillips and he was in "imminent danger" of being killed when the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot, Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said.
Phillips' crew, who said they had escaped the pirates after he offered himself as a hostage, erupted in cheers aboard their ship docked in Mombasa, Kenya. Some waved an American flag and fired flares in celebration. A lawn sign in the captain's hometown of Underhill, Vermont that read "Pray for Captain Phillips' release and safe return home" was changed to read, "Capt. Phillips rescued and safe."
The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet said Phillips, 53, was resting comfortably after a medical exam on the San Diego-based USS Boxer in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia. Gortney said the captain had been "tied up inside the lifeboat" over much of the ordeal.
"I'm just the byline. The real heroes are the Navy, the Seals, those who have brought me home," Phillips said by phone to Maersk Line Limited President and CEO John Reinhart, the company head told reporters. A photo released by the Navy showed Phillips unharmed and shaking hands with the commanding officer of the USS Bainbridge.
U.S. officials said a fourth pirate had surrendered and was in military custody. FBI spokesman John Miller said that would change as the situation became "more of a criminal issue."
The rescue was a dramatic blow to the pirates who have preyed on international shipping and hold more than a dozen ships with about 230 sailors from a variety of nations. But it also risked provoking retaliatory attacks.
"This could escalate violence in this part of the world, no question about it," said Gortney, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
Jamac Habeb, a 30-year-old self-proclaimed pirate, told The Associated Press from one of Somalia's piracy hubs, Eyl, that, "our friends should have done more to kill the captain before they were killed. This will be a good lesson for us."
"From now on, if we capture foreign ships and their respective countries try to attack us, we will kill them (the hostages)," he said. France and India have both taken deadly military action against pirates in recent months and seen no significant retaliation, however.
The Defense Department twice asked President Barack Obama for permission to use military force to rescue Phillips, most recently late Friday evening, U.S. officials said. On Saturday morning, Obama signed off on the Pentagon's request, as he had a day earlier, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
"I share the country's admiration for the bravery of Capt. Phillips and his selfless concern for his crew," Obama said in his first comments on the situation. "His courage is a model for all Americans."
He added that the United States needs help from other countries to deal with the threat of piracy and to hold pirates accountable.
A spokeswoman for the Phillips family, Alison McColl, said Phillips and his wife, Andrea, spoke by phone shortly after he was freed.
"I think you can all imagine their joy and what a happy moment that was for them," McColl said outside of the Phillips home in Underhill. "They're all just so happy and relieved. Andrea wanted me to tell the nation that all of your prayers and good wishes have paid off because Capt. Phillips is safe."
The Navy said Phillips was freed at 7:19 p.m. local time.
When Phillips' crew heard the news aboard their ship in the port of Mombasa, they placed an American flag over the rail of the top of the Maersk Alabama and whistled and pumped their fists in the air. Crew fired two bright red flares into the sky from the ship.
"We made it!" said crewman ATM Reza, pumping his fist in the air.
"He managed to be in a 120-degree oven for days, it's amazing," said another of about a dozen crew members who came out to talk to reporters. He said the crew found out the captain was released because one of the sailors had been talking to his wife on the phone.
Crew members said their ordeal had begun Wednesday with the Somali pirates hauling themselves up from a small boat bobbing on the surface of the Indian Ocean far below.
As the pirates shot in the air, Phillips told his crew to lock themselves in a cabin and surrendered himself to safeguard his men, crew members said.
Phillips was then held hostage in an enclosed lifeboat that was closely watched by U.S. warships and a helicopter in an increasingly tense standoff.
Capt. Joseph Murphy, the father of second-in-command Shane Murphy, thanked Phillips for his bravery.
"Our prayers have been answered on this Easter Sunday," Murphy said. "If not for his incredible personal sacrifice, this kidnapping and act of terror could have turned out much worse."
Murphy said both his family and Phillips' "can now celebrate a joyous Easter together."
Talks to free Phillips began Thursday with the captain of the Bainbridge talking to the pirates under instruction from FBI hostage negotiators on board the U.S. destroyer. The pirates had threatened to kill Phillips if attacked.
Phillips jumped out of the lifeboat Friday and tried to swim for his freedom but was recaptured when a pirate fired an automatic weapon at or near him, according to U.S. Defense Department officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk about the unfolding operations.
Elsewhere off the Somali coast Friday, the French navy freed a sailboat seized off Somalia by other pirates, but one of the five hostages was killed.
Three U.S. warships were within easy reach of the lifeboat and early Saturday, the pirates holding Phillips in the lifeboat fired a few shots at a small U.S. Navy vessel that had approached, a U.S. military official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The official said the U.S. sailors did not return fire, the Navy vessel turned away and no one was hurt. He said the vessel had not been attempting a rescue.
The district commissioner of the central Mudug region said talks on freeing Phillips had gone on all day Saturday, with clan elders from his area talking by satellite telephone and through a translator with Americans, but collapsed Saturday night.
Phillips' crew of 19 American sailors reached safe harbor in Kenya's northeast port of Mombasa about the same time under guard of U.S. Navy Seals.
The U.S. Navy had assumed the pirates would try to get their hostage to shore, where they could have hidden him on Somalia's lawless soil and been in a stronger position to negotiate a ransom.
"The Somali government wanted the drama to end in a peaceful way, but any one who is involved in this latest case had the choice to use violence or other means," Abdulkhadir Walayo, the prime minister's spokesman, told the AP. "Any way, we see it will be a good lesson for the pirates or any one else involved in this dirty business."
Residents of Harardhere, another port and pirate stronghold, were gathering in the streets after news of the captain's release, saying they fear pirates may now retaliate against some of the 200 hostages they still hold.
"We fear more that any revenge taken by the pirates against foreign nationals could bring more attacks from the foreign navies, perhaps on our villages," Abdullahi Haji Jama, who owns a clothes store in Harardhere, told the AP by telephone.
Pirates are holding about a dozen ships with more than 200 crew members, according to the Malaysia-based piracy watchdog International Maritime Bureau. Hostages are from Bulgaria, China, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, the Philippines, Russia, Taiwan, Tuvalu and Ukraine, among other countries.
A spokesman for the German anti-piracy operation told the AP that the U.S. did not give any clue as to its plans in regard to the ship captain.
He had no details on the fate of the German freighter Hansa Stavanger, which was captured earlier this month or on the fate of its 24 crew of five Germans, three Russians, two Ukrainians, two Filipinos and 12 Tuvalu residents.
___
Jakes reported from Washington. Associated Press writers who contributed to this report include Mohamed Olad Hassan and Mohamed Sheikh Nor in Mogadishu, Somalia; Michelle Faul and Tom Maliti in Nairobi, Kenya; Matt Apuzzo in Washington, John Curran in Underhill, Vermont, Matt Moore in Berlin and Dena Potter in Norfolk, Virginia.
|
|
|
1009 |
4/12/2009 |
What Jefferson did. |
In 1804 President Thomas Jefferson said "Enough" to paying 20 percent of the US national budget as tribute to Barbary pirates. His response was clear and successful – build a strong naval task force, equip it with a sizeable contingent of Marines, and send it to attack and defeat the pirates in their lair. The sailors and Marines sent on that mission did just that – and in the process wrote a stirring page in our nation's early history.
The problem today is that we have refused to take the Jefferson model. We've confined our anti-piracy efforts to the open seas and left the pirates' home bases on land as a sanctuary. Thus, the pirates continue to operate with relative freedom and stealth. We and our allies only respond, never seizing the initiative.
The Jefferson model is a better answer: Take on the pirates where they are, rather than guessing where they will be. In short, attack them at their home bases.
|
|
|
1007 |
4/11/2009 |
France outshines US in Pirate actions |
I never thought I would see the day where France was more agressive than the US in dealing with terrorism. Bravo for them in taking back their ship. It is a shame that one person died. But if nothing is done, you only promote the action. "During the operation, a hostage sadly died," said French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office. But it said the president "confirms France's determination not to give in to blackmail and to defeat the pirates." [ID:nLA581500]
The US has been challanged may times since the inaugration. WE have not answered any challange with action. Only with words and a laugh from Sec of State Hillary Clinton. President Obama remains silent and says he is studying the situation.
|
|
|
1006 |
4/11/2009 |
Pirates: Defense Department have been frustrated by what they see as a failure to act. |
Senior Obama administration officials are debating how to address a potential terrorist threat to U.S. interests from a Somali extremist group, with some in the military advocating strikes against its training camps. But many officials maintain that uncertainty about the intentions of the al-Shabab organization dictates a more patient, nonmilitary approach.
Al-Shabab, whose fighters have battled Ethiopian occupiers and the tenuous Somali government, poses a dilemma for the administration, according to several senior national security officials who outlined the debate only on the condition of anonymity.
The organization's rapid expansion, ties between its leaders and al-Qaeda, and the presence of Americans and Europeans in its camps have raised the question of whether a preemptive strike is warranted. Yet the group's objectives have thus far been domestic, and officials say that U.S. intelligence has no evidence it is planning attacks outside Somalia.
An attack against al-Shabab camps in southern Somalia would mark the administration's first military strike outside the Iraq and Afghanistan-Pakistan war zones. The White House discussions highlight the challenges facing the Obama team as it attempts to distance itself from the Bush administration, which conducted at least five military strikes in Somalia. The new administration is still defining its rationale for undertaking sensitive operations in countries where the United States is not at war.
Some in the Defense Department have been frustrated by what they see as a failure to act. Many other national security officials say an ill-considered strike would have negative diplomatic and political consequences far beyond the Horn of Africa. Other options under consideration are increased financial pressure and diplomatic activity, including stepped-up efforts to resolve the larger political turmoil in Somalia.
The most recent discussion of the issue took place early this week, just before the unrelated seizure of a U.S. commercial ship in the Indian Ocean by Somali pirates who are holding the American captain of the vessel hostage for ransom.
The administration has not shied away from missile attacks, launched from unmanned aircraft, in Pakistan, targeting what U.S. intelligence says are top members of al-Qaeda. Evidence against al-Shabab in Somalia is far murkier and the argument in favor of a strike is based on the potential threat the group poses to American interests.
"There is increasing concern about what terrorists operating in Somalia might do," a U.S. counterterrorism official said. According to other senior officials, the camps have graduated hundreds of fighters.
The FBI and intelligence officials have said that at least 20 young Somali American men have left this country for Somalia in recent years to train and fight with al-Shabab against the Somali government and occupying Ethiopian military forces. In February, a naturalized American -- 27-year-old Shirwa Ahmed of Minneapolis -- killed himself and many others in a suicide bombing in Somalia.
The U.S., Canadian and European fighters at the al-Shabab training camps are, for now, being used primarily as cannon fodder in Somalia's chaotic internal wars, Philip Mudd, the No. 2 official at the FBI's National Security Branch, told Congress last month. "We do not have a credible body of reporting right now to lead us to believe that these American recruits are being trained and instructed to come back to the United States for terrorist acts," he said. "Yet, obviously, we remain concerned about that and watchful for it."
Some officials have said that those trained at the camps could leave Somalia, making their way through countries such as Yemen, where al-Qaeda has a stronger presence. But officials said there has been little movement outside Somalia.
Al-Shabab was formed from the remnants of an Islamist government overthrown in 2006 by a U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion. Many of its recruits joined to fight the Ethiopians, who have now largely withdrawn, and officials said U.S. intelligence believes most al-Shabab fighters have been drawn to the organization for nationalistic reasons rather than an interest in global terrorism.
The group has become the strongest force inside Somalia, holding a large swath of territory in the south and contesting the current government's hold on power.
Mudd compared al-Shabab to other nationalistic movements in places such as Chechnya and Bosnia that have drawn fighters from abroad. Foreign recruits raise the profile of the local militant groups and make it appear as though they are part of a broader struggle, Mudd said. "They're accepting non-Somali fighters. . . . I think it adds to their credibility. It's a public relations bonanza for them."
Some of the widespread anti-Ethiopia feeling in Somalia redounded on the United States. "Certainly the Ethiopians weren't very popular in Somalia, and the perception that anybody was helping them wasn't popular there," Dennis C. Blair, the director of national intelligence, said at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing last month.
The Bush administration asserted that some of al-Shabab's original leaders were responsible for the 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and maintained ties to al-Qaeda. Last year, it added the group to its list of terrorist organizations. "There are indications that al-Qaeda has provided support for training activity" in the camps, said a U.S. counterterrorism official.
American officials do not discount the threat of an attack on the United States or Europe. "To the extent that the al-Shabab leadership talks to the al-Qaeda leadership in Pakistan," the counterterrorism official said, "if that occurs with increasing frequency, then our concerns will grow even stronger."
For the moment, however, U.S. officials are more concerned about attacks in Somalia and in the region. "We're talking about . . . U.S. and Western interests, as well as potential attacks against other countries in Africa."
Similar debates over how to deal with perceived threats in countries where the United States is not at war occurred during the Bush administration, which on several occasions canceled strikes because of insufficient evidence or concern about inflaming the local population and making a politically explosive situation worse. The newness of the Obama administration, one senior military official, has slowed the decision process even more.
They are "walking slowly," the official said, "and for the players with continuity, the frustration continues to grow."
But many on the national security team insist that it is their caution and willingness to consider all aspects of the situation that differentiate them from the overly aggressive posture of the Bush administration that they say exacerbated the terrorist threat.
|
|
|
1005 |
4/11/2009 |
Priates take another American Boat.. Do something Mr. President |
Pirates seize 10 Italians in U.S.-owned tugboat 11 Apr 2009 17:32:31 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds Italian comment)
By Duncan Miriri
NAIROBI, April 11 (Reuters) - Pirates captured a U.S.-owned and Italian-flagged tugboat with 16 crew including 10 Italians on Saturday in the latest hijacking in the busy Gulf of Aden.
"We can confirm that 10 Italians were kidnapped but we have no further details," an Italian foreign ministry official said.
Andrew Mwangura, of the Mombasa-based East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme, said the crew were believed to be unharmed on the tugboat, which he added was operated from the United Arab Emirates.
He said the tugboat was towing two barges at the time of capture but there were no details on their cargo.
"This incident shows the pirates are becoming more daring and violent," Mwangura told Reuters by phone.
NATO alliance officials on board the Portuguese warship NRP Corte-Real, which is patrolling the Gulf of Aden, said a distress call came from the MV Buccaneer tugboat but communications were lost six minutes later.
Somali pirates have stepped up attacks in March after a lull at the start of 2009.
International interest has focused this week on the plight of an American hostage, Richard Phillips, held by four pirates on a lifeboat flanked by U.S. naval warships in a high seas standoff since Wednesday. (Additional reporting by Phil Steward in Rome, Andrew Cawthorne in Nairobi and Alison Bevege on the NRP Corte-Real)
|
|
|
1004 |
4/10/2009 |
Pirate Stategy to rescue pirates |
"Knowing that the Americans will not destroy this German ship and its foreign crew, they (the approaching pirates) hope they can meet their friends on the lifeboat," said the pirate, who has given reliable information in the past but asked for his name not to be used.
|
|
|
1003 |
4/10/2009 |
pirate strategy |
The pirates' strategy is to link up with their colleagues, who are holding Russian, German, Filipino and other hostages, and get Phillips to lawless Somalia, where they could hide the hostage and make it difficult to stage a rescue, the Somali said. That would give the pirates more leverage and a stronger negotiating position to discuss a ransom. Anchoring near shore also means they could get to land quickly if attacked......................................................We better not let them out of our sight. If we do it will be a devasting disaster to the foreign diplomacy policy of the US. President Obama will lose any respect he has in the world and he will have been tried, weight and found wanting on the level of leadership.
|
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090410/ap_on_re_af/piracy |
|
999 |
4/8/2009 |
a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China convicted of missle secrets to the China |
WASHINGTON - A Virginia physicist was sentenced to 51 months in prison for giving U.S. space-launch data to China and offering bribes to Chinese officials, the Justice Department said.
Shu Quan-Sheng, 68, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, pleaded guilty in November to two counts of violating the Arms Export Control Act and one count of bribery. U.S. District Judge Henry C. Morgan Jr. in Norfolk imposed the sentence yesterday.
Shu is president of AMAC International Inc., a high-tech company in Newport News, Va., the Justice Department said in a statement. The company's web site says it has received research grants from NASA and the Energy Department. China denies it bought U.S. military space technology from Shu. - Bloomberg News
|
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20090408_In_the_Nation.html |
|
1000 |
4/8/2009 |
Chavez in China says USA has collapsed |
BEIJING --Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his two-day visit to Beijing this week is part of the creation of a "new world order."
The frequent U.S. critic told reporters that power in the world is shifting from America to countries such as Iran, Japan and China.
"We are creating a new world, a balanced world. A new world order, a multipolar world," Mr. Chavez said on arriving in China the evening before a scheduled Wednesday meeting with China's president and Communist Party leader Hu Jintao.
"The unipolar world has collapsed. The power of the U.S. empire has collapsed," he said. "Everyday, the new poles of world power are becoming stronger. Beijing, Tokyo, Tehran .. It's moving toward the East and toward the South."
Mr. Chavez has made Beijing a frequent stop in his global travels to promote his agenda of anti-American world unity, stopping in the Chinese capital no less than six times since rising to power in 1998 elections.
His visit follows a sweep through the Middle East last week, including a stop in Iran where he said that he has little hope of better relations with Washington under President Barack Obama because the United States was still acting like an "empire" in his eyes.
China's communist leaders have been low-key in response to Mr. Chavez's political rhetoric. But Beijing's state-run industries have been eager to use Venezuela as a jumping-off point for their entry into South America. Chinese companies in the mining and petroleum sector have been especially keen on securing South American mineral resources.
Mr. Chavez said he plans to review with Chinese leaders a goal of boosting exports of Venezuelan oil to China from 380,000 barrels last year to 1 million barrels by 2013 – part of Venezuela's strategy of diversifying oil sales away from the United States, which buys about half the South American nation's heavy crude despite political tensions.
The strategy includes plans for China and Venezuela to build four oil tankers and three refineries in China capable of processing Venezuela's heavy, sulfur-laden crude.
China and Venezuela have also invested in a $12 billion fund to finance joint development projects in areas including oil production, infrastructure and agriculture.
|
|
|
1001 |
4/8/2009 |
China's ability for rapid deployment still not up to speed. |
“Insufficient air- and sealift capacity has also inhibited China’s ability to commit to the rapid deployment of significant numbers of troops over long distances. Moreover, China’s financial contribution to UN peacekeeping operations hovers at around 2% of the overall DPKO budget. This contribution would need to increase if China wants to play a larger role commensurate with its status as a permanent member of the Security Council and a rising global power. |
|
|
995 |
4/8/2009 |
Chinese and Russians hacked US Electrical Grid |
Cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, according to current and former national-security officials.
The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, these officials said, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls. The intruders haven't sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure, but officials warned they could try during a crisis or war.
"The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," said a senior intelligence official. "So have the Russians."
The espionage appeared pervasive across the U.S. and doesn't target a particular company or region, said a former Department of Homeland Security official. "There are intrusions, and they are growing," the former official said, referring to electrical systems. "There were a lot last year."
Many of the intrusions were detected not by the companies in charge of the infrastructure but by U.S. intelligence agencies, officials said. Intelligence officials worry about cyber attackers taking control of electrical facilities, a nuclear power plant or financial networks via the Internet.
Authorities investigating the intrusions have found software tools left behind that could be used to destroy infrastructure components, the senior intelligence official said. He added, "If we go to war with them, they will try to turn them on."
|
|
|
997 |
4/8/2009 |
President Obama on Iraq war 2002 speach |
Senator Barack Obama (D-Il), then an Illinois state senator, delivered these remarks in October 2002 at the Federal Plaza in Chicago.
(Also see Iraq War Statistics & Results, Updated.}
"I stand before you as someone who is not opposed to war in all circumstances. The Civil War was one of the bloodiest in history, and yet it was only through the crucible of the sword, the sacrifice of multitudes, that we could begin to perfect this union and drive the scourge of slavery from our soil.
I Don't Oppose All Wars
I don't oppose all wars. My grandfather signed up for a war the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, fought in Patton's army. He fought in the name of a larger freedom, part of that arsenal of democracy that triumphed over evil.
I don't oppose all wars. After September 11, after witnessing the carnage and destruction, the dust and the tears, I supported this administration's pledge to hunt down and root out those who would slaughter innocents in the name of intolerance, and I would willingly take up arms myself to prevent such tragedy from happening again.
Opposed to Dumb, Rash Wars
I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other armchair, weekend warriors in this administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne.
What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Rove to distract us from a rise in the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income, to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone through the worst month since the Great Depression.
That's what I'm opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics.
On Saddam Hussein
Now let me be clear: I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power.... The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.
But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors...and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history.
I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.
I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda.
I am not opposed to all wars. I'm opposed to dumb wars. So for those of us who seek a more just and secure world for our children, let us send a clear message to the president.
You Want a Fight, President Bush?
You want a fight, President Bush? Let's finish the fight with Bin Laden and al-Qaeda, through effective, coordinated intelligence, and a shutting down of the financial networks that support terrorism, and a homeland security program that involves more than color-coded warnings.
You want a fight, President Bush? Let's fight to make sure that...we vigorously enforce a nonproliferation treaty, and that former enemies and current allies like Russia safeguard and ultimately eliminate their stores of nuclear material, and that nations like Pakistan and India never use the terrible weapons already in their possession, and that the arms merchants in our own country stop feeding the countless wars that rage across the globe.
You want a fight, President Bush? Let's fight to make sure our so-called allies in the Middle East, the Saudis and the Egyptians, stop oppressing their own people, and suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and mismanaging their economies so that their youth grow up without education, without prospects, without hope, the ready recruits of terrorist cells.
You want a fight, President Bush? Let's fight to wean ourselves off Middle East oil through an energy policy that doesn't simply serve the interests of Exxon and Mobil.
Those are the battles that we need to fight. Those are the battles that we willingly join. The battles against ignorance and intolerance. Corruption and greed. Poverty and despair."
(See Rating Barack Obama - Debate Scoreboard for the 2008 Race and Barack Obama in 2008 Info Center Hub.)
|
http://usliberals.about.com/od/extraordinaryspeeches/a/Obama2002War.htm |
|
996 |
4/8/2009 |
US crewman: Somali pirates hold captain hostage |
NAIROBI, Kenya – The American crew of a hijacked U.S.-flagged ship retook control of the vessel from Somali pirates Wednesday but the captain was still being held hostage, according to Pentagon officials and a member of the crew.
The crew member told The Associated Press that the 20-member crew had managed to seize one pirate and then successfully negotiate their own release.
The man, who picked up the ship's satellite phone but did not identify himself, told the AP in a brief conversation that the crew had retaken control of the ship and the pirates were in a lifeboat. But the man also said that they were holding the ship's captain hostage.
The news came hours after Pentagon officials said the crew had retaken the vessel from the Somali pirates who seized it far off the Horn of Africa.
President Barack Obama was following the situation closely, foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough said.
The ship was carrying emergency food relief to Mombasa, Kenya, when it was hijacked, the Copenhagen-based container shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk said.
It was the sixth vessel seized within a week, a rise that analysts attribute to a new strategy by Somali pirates who are operating far from the warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden.
A U.S. official had said around noon Eastern time the crew had retaken control and had one pirate in custody.
"The crew is back in control of the ship," a U.S. official said at midday, speaking on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak on the record. "It's reported that one pirate is on board under crew control — the other three were trying to flee," the official said.
Another U.S. official, citing a readout from an interagency conference call, said: "Multiple reliable sources are now reporting that the Maersk Alabama is now under control of the U.S. crew. The crew reportedly has one pirate in custody. The status of others is unclear, they are believed to be in the water."
Maersk Line Limited CEO John F. Reinhart said the vessel's manifest showed it was carrying 401 containers of food aid bound for Africa from USAID, Serving God Ministries, the World Food Program and Catholic Relief.
He said the company received a call around 10:30 a.m. EDT from the crew that indicated the crewmen were safe. But the call got cut off, and the company could not ask any more questions.
"The crew member called to say, 'We are safe.' They did not say they had taken over the vessel. They did not say the pirates are off the vessel," Reinhart said.
Cmdr. Jane Campbell, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said that it was the first pirate attack "involving U.S. nationals and a U.S.-flagged vessel in recent memory." She did not give an exact timeframe.
Andrea Phillips, the wife of Capt. Richard Phillips of Underhill, Vermont., said her husband has sailed in those waters "for quite some time" and a hijacking was perhaps "inevitable."
Joseph Murphy, a professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, said his sons, second in command Capt. Shane Murphy, was a 2001 Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduate who recently talked to a class about the dangers of piracy.
The younger Murphy wrote on his Facebook profile that he worked in waters between Oman and Kenya.
"These waters are infested with pirates that highjack (sic) ships daily," Murphy wrote on the page, which features a photograph of him. "I feel like it's only a matter of time before my number gets called."
Joseph Murphy said his son was trained in anti-piracy tactics at the academy and received training with firearms and small-arms tactics.
Somali pirates are trained fighters who frequently dress in military fatigues and use speedboats equipped with satellite phones and GPS equipment. They are typically armed with automatic weapons, anti-tank rocket launchers and various types of grenades. Far out to sea, their speedboats operate from larger mother ships.
The U.S. Navy said that the ship was hijacked early Wednesday about 280 miles (450 kilometers) southeast of Eyl, a town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia.
U.S. Navy spokesman Lt. Nathan Christensen said the closest U.S. ship at the time of the hijacking was 345 miles (555 kilometers)away.
The Combined Maritime Forces issued an advisory Wednesday highlighting several recent attacks that occurred hundreds of miles off the Somali coast and stating that merchant mariners should be increasingly vigilant when operating in those waters.
Douglas J. Mavrinac, the head of maritime research at investment firm Jefferies & Co., noted that it is very unusual for an international ship to be U.S.-flagged and carry a U.S. crew. Although about 95 percent of international ships carry foreign flags because of the lower cost and other factors, he said, ships that are operated by or for the U.S. government — such a food aid ships like Maersk Alabama — have to carry U.S. flags, and therefore, employ a crew of U.S. citizens.
There are fewer than 200 U.S.-flagged vessels in international waters, said Larry Howard, chair of the Global Business and Transportation Department at SUNY Maritime College in New York.
___
Associated Press writers Barbara Surk in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Pauline Jelinek in Washington; Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen; Samantha Bomkamp in New York; and Tom Maliti and Anita Powell in Nairobi, Kenya contributed to this report.
|
|
|
998 |
4/8/2009 |
video: IGC Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati Mocks Obama And Wishes Someone Would Waste A Bullet On Livni. |
What the Islamic world thinks about Obama's actions. Muslims view of Obama. video |
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5ab_1232382185 |
|
994 |
4/6/2009 |
Big cuts seen for F-22, other big weapon programs |
WASHINGTON – The nation should stop pouring billions into futuristic, super-expensive F-22 jet fighters, pull the plug on new presidential helicopters and put the money into systems U.S. soldiers can use against actual foes, Defense Secretary Robert Gates declared Monday.
Major overhaul plans laid out by the Obama administration's Pentagon chief would slash several giant weapons programs — and thousands of civilian jobs that go with them. With recession unemployment rising, Congress may balk at many of the cuts in Gates' proposed $534 billion budget for the coming year.
Still, despite all the talk of cuts, the total figure would rise from $513 billion for 2009, and Gates spoke of using money more wisely, not asking for less.
Gates, a holdover from the Bush administration, said he is gearing Pentagon buying plans to the smaller, lower-tech battlefields the military is facing now and expects in coming years. He also said he hopes lawmakers will resist temptations to save outdated system that keep defense plants humming in their home districts.
The Pentagon, he said, wants to move away from both outdated weapons systems conceived in the Cold War and futuristic programs aimed at super-sophisticated foes.
Gates said he would expand spending on equipment that targets insurgents, such as $2 billion more on surveillance and reconnaissance equipment. That would include funding for 50 new Predator drones such as those that have rained down missiles on militants hiding along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
"We must rebalance this department's programs in order to institutionalize and finance our capabilities to fight the wars we are in today and the scenarios we are most likely to face in the years ahead," he said.
Major programs facing cuts include the F-22 Raptor, the military's most expensive fighter plane at $140 million apiece. An action movie come to life, sleek, fast and nearly invisible, the Raptor is ill-suited to deterring roadside bombs in Iraq or hunting insurgents who vanish into the Afghan mountains.
Gates says the Pentagon won't continue the F-22 program beyond 187 planes already planned. Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed, the nation's largest defense contractor, has said almost 95,000 jobs could be at stake.
Gates also said no to a new fleet of Marine One presidential helicopters — with a price tag of $13 billion, more than double the original budget. He said new helicopters would be needed at some point but he wants time to figure out a better solution.
A $160 billion Army system of combat vehicles, flying sensors and bomb-hunting robots would be reduced, too, as would plans to build a shield of missile interceptors to defend against attacks by rogue countries. The Navy would revamp plans to buy new destroyers.
A new communications satellite would be scrapped, and a program for a new Air Force transport plane would be ended.
Congress reacted cautiously.
Large defense contractors and their supporters on Capitol Hill scrambled to assess how the changes would affect them. Gates had demanded total secrecy during weeks of Pentagon discussions, even requiring senior military officers to swear in writing that they would not talk out of school.
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, called the proposals an important and overdue attempt to balance want and need at the Defense Department.
"However, the committee will carefully review the department's recommendations in the context of current and future threats when we receive the detailed fiscal year 2010 budget request," Murtha said.
Some programs would grow.
Gates proposed speeding up production of the F-35 fighter jet. That program could end up costing $1 trillion to manufacture and maintain 2,443 planes. The military would buy more speedy ships that can operate close in to land. And more money would be spent outfitting special forces troops who can hunt down insurgents.
The recommendations are the product of Gates' frustration at weapons systems that take on lives of their own, even when their missions are no longer relevant or costs balloon. The frustration extends to military services and defense contractors accustomed to measuring success by how big a piece of the budget pie they can claim.
The Pentagon said it could not predict how much money Gates' proposals might save, if any. Gates read off a hit list of programs to be canceled or trimmed, but the Pentagon did not release details
|
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/defense_budget |
|
993 |
4/6/2009 |
Defense to cut back? |
Why is the US going to cut back on defense when our enemies area gathering around us. Korea with a missle, Russia with a base in Cuba and Ven, China with the Panama Canal. Why are we disarming ourselves. Why? |
|
|
992 |
4/3/2009 |
al-Qaeda kidnapping and exploiting children to use as a source of income, Feb 6, 2008 Pentagon |
The training of children as terrorists by Al-Qaeda. |
http://www.dodvclips.mil/index.jsp?auto_band=x&rf=sv&fr_story=FRdamp246001 |
|
991 |
4/3/2009 |
Chavez of Venezuela says, "Capitalism needs to go down" |
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday ridiculed the G-20 summit's attempts to deal with the global financial meltdown, saying that capitalism is in crisis and must end.
Chavez criticized the G-20 nations' pledges of more than a trillion dollars for lending to struggling countries at Thursday's summit in London, calling it "the same medicine that's killing the patient—a trillion dollars ... more money for a bottomless pit." Speaking during a visit to Iran, the Venezuelan leader said the plans by the Group of 20 industrial and developing countries would strengthen "one of the great guilty ones behind the crisis: the International Monetary Fund."
The IMF and the World Bank are "tools of imperialism" and must be eliminated, Chavez said.
In earlier remarks, he also blamed the United States and Britain, calling them "the most guilty" for the financial crisis sweeping the globe because of the financial model "they've been imposing for years."
"It's impossible that capitalism can regulate the monster that is the world financial system, it's impossible," Chavez told Venezuela's state TV late Thursday. "Capitalism needs to go down. It has to end. And we must take a transitional road to a new model that we call socialism."
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, shared that critique, saying "some decisions by the world leaders cannot restore dead imperialism."
The two leaders, appearing Friday at the inauguration of joint commercial bank, referred to their nations as the "G-2." In recent years, Chavez and Ahmadinejad—both well-known for their anti-U.S. rhetoric—have boosted economic and political ties.
The G-20 leaders on Thursday promised $1.1 trillion for lending to struggling countries. They also vowed major efforts to clean up banks' tattered balance sheets, get credit flowing again, shut down global tax havens and tighten regulation over hedge funds and other financial high-flyers in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Chavez said the summit's efforts were not what the world needs "in the face of the great crisis of global capitalism."
Chavez's own economic program to institute socialism in Venezuela could slow as his country's oil-dependent economy suffers from falling crude prices. Inflation there has soared above 30 percent, eroding Venezuelans' salaries.
In his decade in power, Chavez has boosted state control over the economy and spent heavily on social programs meant to increase his popularity.
|
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D97B37LO0&show_article=1 |
|
989 |
4/2/2009 |
Saving the world or the killing of capitalism? |
France’s president Nicolas Sarkozy, meanwhile, said a the G 20's summit’s agreement on a new regulatory regime and crackdown on tax havens showed “a page has been turned” on an era of post-war “Anglo Saxon” capitalism. |
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/082652de-1fb0-11de-a1df-00144feabdc0.html |
|
990 |
4/2/2009 |
What the Koran says about true islamic warefare. |
The Qur'an lays out very clear rules about how to engage in warfare. No harming of innocents, women, children, or the elderly. No mistreatment of prisoners. Not even the use of fire to destroy nature. In short, a very intentional, limited warfare. True jihad must be conducted in a godly manner.
|
|
|
988 |
3/31/2009 |
Pakistani Taliban threatens attack on White House |
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan's Taliban chief claimed responsibility Tuesday for a deadly assault on a police academy, saying he wanted to retaliate for U.S. missile attacks on the militant bases on the border with Afghanistan. Baitullah Mehsud, who has a $5 million bounty on his head from the United States, also vowed to "amaze everyone in the world" with an attack on Washington or even the White House.
The FBI, however, said he had made similar threats previously and there was no indication of anything imminent.
Mehsud, who gave a flurry of media interviews Tuesday, has no record of actually striking targets abroad although he is suspected of being behind a 10-man cell arrested in Barcelona in January 2008 for plotting suicide attacks in Spain.
Pakistan's former government and the CIA consider him the prime suspect behind the December 2007 killing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. And Pakistani officials accuse him of harboring foreign fighters, including Central Asians linked to al-Qaida, and of training suicide bombers.
But analysts doubt that Taliban fighters carried off Monday's raid on the Lahore academy on their own, saying the group is likely working more closely than ever with militants based far from the Afghan frontier.
It's a constellation that includes al-Qaida, presenting a formidable challenge to the U.S. as it increases its troop presence in the region, not to mention nuclear-armed Pakistan's own stability.
Mehsud told The Associated Press that the academy and other recent attacks were revenge for stepped-up American missile strikes into Pakistan's border badlands.
"Soon we will launch an attack in Washington that will amaze everyone in the world," Mehsud said in a telephone interview with an Associated Press reporter. He offered few details, though in a separate recorded conversation with local Dewa radio station, he said the White House was a target.
FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said the bureau was not aware of any imminent or specific threat to the U.S., despite what the Pakistani Taliban leader said.
"He has made similar threats to the U.S. in the past," said Kolko.
State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said he had not seen any reports of Mehsud's comments but that he would "take the threat under consideration."
The ruthless attack on Lahore's outskirts Monday left at least 12 people dead, including seven police, and sparked an eight-hour standoff with security forces that ended when black-clad commandos stormed the compound. Some of the gunmen blew themselves up.
The siege-style approach using heavily armed militants came just weeks after the deadly ambush of Sri Lanka's visiting cricket team in the heart of Lahore. Both attacks were reminiscent of November's siege of Mumbai, India — also blamed on Pakistani militants.
A senior police investigator, Zulfikar Hameed, told Dawn News TV, that the men arrested for the attack have corroborated Mehsud's involvement.
Besides Mehsud, a little-known group believed linked to him also claimed credit. Mehsud declined to discuss the group, Fedayeen al-Islam, or any others who might have been involved.
Pakistan Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said one attacker who was captured was Afghan, and that the initial investigation suggested the conspiracy originated in South Waziristan tribal region, Mehsud's stronghold. But Malik also said the al-Qaida-linked group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi might have played a role. Officials have said three gunmen are in custody.
"In my view, it's not done by one group," said Mohammed Amir Rana, a Pakistani analyst well-versed in the intricacies of militant groups. "One group has the major role in providing the fighters or one group might be providing the logistics or intelligence. And one group provided the financing."
A variety of militant groups operate in Pakistan beyond al-Qaida and the Taliban, and officials and analysts say it appears the coordination among some of them is increasing. Of particular concern are violent groups based in Punjab, Pakistan's most populated province, which borders India.
Some Punjabi groups have their roots in the dispute with India over the Kashmir region. The Pakistani spy agency is believed to have helped set them up and maintain some links, a prospect that vexes U.S. officials.
Others have different origins.
Jhangvi, for instance, is a sectarian extremist group blamed for a stream of actrocities against minority Shiite Muslims. In recent years, it has evolved, Rana said, and is believed to provide foot-soldiers and suicide bombers for al-Qaida operations. Qari Hussein, a Jhangvi member, was named in Mehsud's Pakistani Taliban council in 2007.
The groups' membership is fluid and overlapping. They are riven with feuds. But analysts say they are finding a common cause in striking America and its allies, while also focusing on spreading Taliban-style rule over more and more of Pakistan.
Interviews in recent months with three Afghan and Pakistani Taliban operatives, who demanded anonymity for security reasons, suggest a Pakistani crackdown on some groups following the Mumbai assault has prompted many operatives of Punjab-based groups to seek sanctuary in the northwest.
The Mumbai attacks were specifically blamed on Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Punjab-based group fighting in Kashmir. Both Taliban and American military commanders have reported Taiba members even in Afghanistan's northeast. Masood Azhar, a Kashmiri militant leader wanted by India, is reportedly in South Waziristan with Mehsud.
The militant activity may also relate to American plans to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan, where the Taliban have roared back more than seven years after the U.S.-led invasion ousted their regime, said Shaun Gregory, an analyst at Britain's University of Bradford.
With more allies, the Taliban may feel more capable of taking on grander assaults like that in Lahore as opposed to suicide bombings favored when their resources are more depleted, he said.
Mahmood Shah, a retired military officer, voiced concern that the Taliban were embarking on a campaign of terror in Punjab similar to that employed in the northwest, where hundreds of police were killed before militants turned their attention to political leaders.
While the pro-West ruling party has been trying to persuade a skeptical public to close ranks against an increasingly powerful nexus of militant groups, it has been largely preoccupied with squabbles over power and privileges with a key opposition party.
In unveiling a new war strategy for Afghanistan last week, Obama urged Pakistanis to fight the "cancer" of extremism gripping their country and pledged more aid for them to do so. Still, his administration has resisted Pakistani pressure to halt the missile strikes, believed to be fired by unmanned CIA drones.
Doubts also remain about whether the powerful Pakistani military is committed to sidelining extremist groups it has used as proxies against India and Afghanistan.
Defense analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said Pakistan must evaluate its own links to some of these groups if it is to survive.
"We have to dig this out of our past," she said. "Unless we do that, unless we have a consensus on our strategy ... we aren't going to go anywhere."
___
Associated Press Writer Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan and Foster Klug in Washington contributed to this report.
|
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090401/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan |
|
987 |
3/30/2009 |
Korea to Launch Missle. US missle destroyer sent to monitor |
SEOUL, South Korea – Japanese, South Korean and U.S. missile-destroying ships set sail to monitor North Korea's imminent rocket launch, as Pyongyang stoked tensions Monday by detaining a South Korean worker for allegedly denouncing the North's political system.
North Korea says it will send a communications satellite into orbit between April 4 and 8. The U.S., South Korea and Japan suspect the regime is using the launch to test long-range missile technology, and warn it would face U.N. sanctions under a Security Council resolution banning the country from any ballistic activity.
North Korea has threatened to quit international talks on its nuclear disarmament if punished with sanctions. The communist regime's main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reiterated that warning Sunday, saying the talks will "completely collapse" if taken to the Security Council.
Further heightening tensions on the divided peninsula, North Korean authorities detained a South Korean worker at a joint industrial zone in the North for allegedly denouncing Pyongyang's political system and inciting female northern workers to flee the country.
North Korea assured Seoul it would guarantee the man's safety during an investigation, according to the South Korean Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North.
The detention came as two American journalists working for former Vice President Al Gore's Current TV media venture remained in North Korean custody after allegedly crossing the border illegally from China on March 17.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency said early Tuesday that the two reporters would be indicted and tried for illegal entry and "hostile acts." The report did not elaborate on what "hostile acts" the journalists allegedly committed and did not say when a trial might take place.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said Monday that a Swedish diplomat met with the detained journalists, Euna Lee and Lisa Ling, individually over the weekend. Sweden represents the U.S. in consular affairs in Pyongyang since the U.S. and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations.
South Korea has only been an observer to the Proliferation Security Initiative, a U.S.-led program aimed at halting the spread of weapons of mass destruction, but Seoul officials recently said they were considering fully joining the program after the North's rocket launch.
Seoul's participation would be treated as "a declaration of a war," Pyongyang's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
In preparation for the rocket launch, Japan deployed Patriot missiles around Tokyo and sent warships armed with interceptor missiles to the waters between Japan and the Korean peninsula as a precaution, defense officials said.
Two U.S. destroyers anchored at a South Korean port after holding military exercises with the South Korean navy also were believed to have departed for waters near North Korea to monitor the rocket launch.
The USS McCain and the USS Chafee left Busan on Monday, a U.S. military spokesman said. He declined to disclose their destination and spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he was not authorized to discuss the ships' routes.
South Korea also planned to dispatch its Aegis-equipped destroyer, according to a Seoul military official who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.
Those warships of the three nations are equipped with sophisticated combat systems enabling them to track and shoot down enemy missiles. However, leaders of the three countries indicated it was unlikely the warships would respond militarily to the North's launch.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said in an interview with the Financial Times published Monday that his government opposed any military response to the North's launch, saying that would be unhelpful in talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear program.
In Washington, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a TV interview aired Sunday that the U.S. had no plans to intercept the North Korean rocket but might consider it if an "aberrant missile" were headed to Hawaii "or something like that."
Japan initially hinted it might shoot down the rocket, but then said it would fire interceptors only if debris from a failed launch appeared likely to hit Japanese territory.
|
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090330/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_missile |
|
986 |
3/27/2009 |
Russia plans to create Arctic military force |
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia is planning to create a dedicated military force to help protect its interests in the disputed Arctic region.
The presidential Security Council has released a document outlining goverment policy for the Arctic that includes creating a special group of military forces. The report was released this week and reported by Russian media on Friday.
Russia, the United States, Canada and other northern countries are trying to assert jurisdiction over the Arctic.
The dispute has intensified amid growing evidence that the shrinking polar ice is opening up new shipping lanes and allowing natural resources to be tapped. |
|
|
985 |
3/25/2009 |
US report to Congress: MIlitary Power of China 2009 |
Executive Summary.................................China’s rapid rise as a regional political and economic power with growing global influence has significant implications for the Asia-Pacific region and the world. The United States welcomes the rise of a stable, peaceful, and prosperous China, and encourages China to participate responsibly in world affairs by taking on a greater share of the burden for the stability, resilience, and growth of the international system. The United States has done much over the last 30 years to encourage and facilitate China’s national development and its integration into the international system. However, much uncertainty surrounds China’s future course, particularly regarding how its expanding military power might be used.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is pursuing comprehensive transformation from a mass army designed for protracted wars of attrition on its territory to one capable of fighting and winning short-duration, high-intensity conflicts along its periphery against high-tech adversaries – an approach that China refers to as preparing for “local wars under conditions of informatization.” The pace and scope of China’s military transformation have increased in recent years, fueled by acquisition of advanced foreign weapons, continued high rates of investment in its domestic defense and science and technology industries, and far-reaching organizational and doctrinal reforms of the armed forces. China’s ability to sustain military power at a distance remains limited, but its armed forces continue to develop and field disruptive military technologies, including those for anti-access/area-denial, as well as for nuclear, space, and cyber warfare, that are changing regional military balances and that have implications beyond the Asia-Pacific region.
The PLA’s modernization vis-à-vis Taiwan has continued over the past year, including its build-up of short-range missiles opposite the island. In the near-term, China’s armed forces are rapidly developing coercive capabilities for the purpose of deterring Taiwan’s pursuit of de jure independence. These same capabilities could in the future be used to pressure Taiwan toward a settlement of the cross-Strait dispute on Beijing’s terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay, or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict. This modernization and the threat to Taiwan continue despite significant reduction in cross-Strait tension over the last year since Taiwan elected a new president.
The PLA is also developing longer range capabilities that have implications beyond Taiwan. Some of these capabilities have allowed it to contribute cooperatively to the international community’s responsibilities in areas such as peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counter-piracy. However, some of these capabilities, as well as other, more disruptive ones, could allow China to project power to ensure access to resources or enforce claims to disputed territories.
Beijing publicly asserts that China’s military modernization is “purely defensive in nature,” and aimed solely at protecting China’s security and interests. Over the past several years, China has begun a new phase of military development by beginning to articulate roles and missions for the PLA that go beyond China’s immediate territorial interests, but has left unclear to the international community the purposes and objectives of the PLA’s evolving doctrine and capabilities. Moreover, China continues to promulgate incomplete defense expenditure figures and engage in actions that appear inconsistent with its declaratory policies. The limited transparency in China’s military and security affairs poses risks to stability by creating uncertainty and increasing the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation. The United States continues to work with our allies and friends in the region to monitor these developments and adjust our policies accordingly. |
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Power_Report_2009.pdf |
|
984 |
3/24/2009 |
Russian Navy Looks to Tactical Nukes |
March 23, 2009
Associated Press
MOSCOW - The role of tactical nuclear weapons in the Russian navy may grow, a news agency quoted a senior Russian admiral as saying Monday.
Vice Adm. Oleg Burtsev told the state-run RIA-Novosti that the increasing range and precision of tactical nuclear weapons makes them an important asset.
"Probably, tactical nuclear weapons will play a key role in the future," said Burtsev, the navy's deputy chief of staff.
He added that the navy may fit new, less powerful nuclear warheads to the existing types of cruise missiles.
"There is no longer any need to equip missiles with powerful nuclear warheads," Burtsev said. "We can install low-yield warheads on existing cruise missiles."
Tactical nuclear weapons have a much shorter range compared to strategic nuclear weapons. They are intended for use within a theater of battle.
The United States and the Soviet Union decided in 1991 to eliminate some of their non-strategic nuclear weapons and withdraw others from duty, including those used by navy ships.
But in 2006 Russia signaled it no longer intended to abide by that decision when then-Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said that Russian submarines were carrying tactical nuclear weapons on patrol.
Last December, chief of the Russian military's general staff, Gen. Nikolai Makarov, said Russia will keep its arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons, which he said were necessary to counter a massive NATO advantage in conventional weapons.
Burtsev said the navy will also build six new nuclear submarines carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles. The first sub in the series, the Yuri Dolgoruky, already has been built and is undergoing tests.
However, the prospective Bulava missile designed to equip the new submarine has failed repeatedly in tests, making prospects of its deployment dim.
|
http://www.military.com/news/article/March-2009/russian-navy-looks-to-tactical-nukes.html?wh=news |
|
983 |
3/23/2009 |
China calls for new reserve currency |
By Jamil Anderlini in Beijing
Published: March 23 2009 12:16 | Last updated: March 24 2009 00:06
China’s central bank on Monday proposed replacing the US dollar as the international reserve currency with a new global system controlled by the International Monetary Fund.
In an essay posted on the People’s Bank of China’s website, Zhou Xiaochuan, the central bank’s governor, said the goal would be to create a reserve currency “that is disconnected from individual nations and is able to remain stable in the long run, thus removing the inherent deficiencies caused by using credit-based national currencies”.Analysts said the proposal was an indication of Beijing’s fears that actions being taken to save the domestic US economy would have a negative impact on China.
“This is a clear sign that China, as the largest holder of US dollar financial assets, is concerned about the potential inflationary risk of the US Federal Reserve printing money,” said Qu Hongbin, chief China economist for HSBC.
Although Mr Zhou did not mention the US dollar, the essay gave a pointed critique of the current dollar-dominated monetary system.
“The outbreak of the [current] crisis and its spillover to the entire world reflected the inherent vulnerabilities and systemic risks in the existing international monetary system,” Mr Zhou wrote.
China has little choice but to hold the bulk of its $2,000bn of foreign exchange reserves in US dollars, and this is unlikely to change in the near future.
To replace the current system, Mr Zhou suggested expanding the role of special drawing rights, which were introduced by the IMF in 1969 to support the Bretton Woods fixed exchange rate regime but became less relevant once that collapsed in the 1970s.
Today, the value of SDRs is based on a basket of four currencies – the US dollar, yen, euro and sterling – and they are used largely as a unit of account by the IMF and some other international organisations.
China’s proposal would expand the basket of currencies forming the basis of SDR valuation to all major economies and set up a settlement system between SDRs and other currencies so they could be used in international trade and financial transactions.
Countries would entrust a portion of their SDR reserves to the IMF to manage collectively on their behalf and SDRs would gradually replace existing reserve currencies.
Mr Zhou said the proposal would require “extraordinary political vision and courage” and acknowledged a debt to John Maynard Keynes, who made a similar suggestion in the 1940s.
|
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7851925a-17a2-11de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html |
|
982 |
3/17/2009 |
Obama want US Military wounded to pay for their treatment with their private health care providers. |
Toady a plan was announced by President Hussein Obama that he is looking at a plan to have our wounded soldiers/ Heros pay for their treatment with their own private health care insurance.
What crap is this? We pay for illegals and not for our defenders of freedom. This is just another nail in the coffin of our liberty and the United States as we know it. |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsPf1KrCf5A |
|
981 |
3/15/2009 |
Russia weight Cuba and Venezuela Bomber Bases |
Russia could use bases for its strategic bombers on the doorstep of the United States in Cuba and Venezuela to underpin long-distance patrols in the region, a senior air force officer said Saturday.
"This is possible in Cuba," General Anatoly Zhikharev, chief of the Russian air force's strategic aviation staff, told the Interfax-AVN military news agency.
The comments were the latest signal that Moscow intends to project its military capability in far-flung corners of the globe despite a tight defence budget and hardware that experts consider in many respects outdated.
Zhikharev indicated that Russia was looking only at occasional use of the facilities -- not setting up permanent bases in the region.
He noted that the Venezuelan constitution prohibited establishment of military bases of foreign states on Venezuelan territory and described the Russian possibile use of the facility there as "we land, we complete the flight, we take off."
Zhikharev said Cuba had a several air bases equipped with the long runways needed by the heavy bombers and said the facilities there were "entirely acceptable" for use by the Russian aircraft during long-distance patrols.
"If the will of the two states is there, the political will, then we are prepared to fly there" to the bases in Cuba, the agency quoted Zhikharev as saying.
The general also said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had offered to let Russian strategic bombers use a military airfield on La Orchila island, a military base off the west coast of the country.
"Yes, there has been such a proposal from the Venezuelan president," Zhikharev said.
"If a relevant political decision is made, this is possible," he added.
Russia resumed patrols by its long-distance strategic bombers in August 2007 after a 15-year hiatus, noting at the time that it was mirroring the United States which never suspended its global bomber patrols after the Cold War.
Last year, Russia temporarily based a pair of Tu-160 bombers at an airbase in Venezuela in a carefully-choreographed display of force regarded by as a warning message to the United States.
A Russian flotilla led by the nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great also joined Venezuelan navy vessels for manoeuvres in the Caribbean late last year, timed to coincide with a visit to the region by President Dmitry Medvedev.
The previous US administration of George W. Bush officially shrugged off the Russian aviation and naval moves in Latin America, characterising them as more for show than anything representing a military worry for the United States.
Last July however, a top US air force officer warned that Russia would cross "a red line" if it were to base nuclear capable bombers in Cuba.
"If they did, I think we should stand strong and indicate that is something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United States of America," said General Norton Schwartz said on July 23.
The Interfax report said there were three types of Russian aircraft capable of long-distance bomber patrols: The Tu-95MS, the Tu-160 and the Tu-22.
It was Tu-160 strategic bombers that were sent to Venezuela for temporary basing last year. Each aircraft of this type is capable of carrying 12 cruise missiles that can be fitted with nuclear warheads.
|
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.9776268a25e75ad5b44b4d87e8a32a02.4a1&show_article=1 |
|
980 |
3/11/2009 |
Is USA vurnable to missle attack? |
Video on USA's openess to attack. |
http://uscommando.com/videos/missle_attack.html |
|
979 |
3/9/2009 |
China says U.S. naval ship was breaking law: report |
By Chris Buckley
BEIJING (Reuters) - China accused a U.S. naval ship of carrying out an illegal survey off southern Hainan island, a Hong Kong TV website reported on Tuesday, after the Pentagon said Chinese vessels had harassed the ship in international waters.
Global oil prices rose 3 percent on Monday and held above $47 a barrel on Tuesday, partly on fears of geopolitical tension between the world's top oil consumers.
But the confrontation was unlikely to do lasting damage to ties between two countries closely involved in trying to end the global financial crisis, a Chinese analyst in Beijing said.
A U.S.-based expert on Asia-Pacific security said the confrontation did not appear accidental, but rather was China sending a message to Washington that it wanted respect for its growing military presence in the region.
Washington urged China to observe international maritime rules after the Pentagon said five Chinese ships, including a naval vessel, harassed the U.S. Navy ship in international waters on Sunday.
The Chinese vessels "shadowed and aggressively maneuvered in dangerously close proximity" to the USNS Impeccable, an unarmed ocean surveillance vessel, with one ship coming within 25 feet, a U.S. Defense Department statement said.
The tropical resort island of Hainan is the site of a Chinese naval base that houses ballistic missile submarines, according to independent analysts.
An unnamed spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington denied the Chinese ships had violated maritime rules and said U.S. ships had been conducting illegal surveying, the website of Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television (news.ifeng.com) reported.
"The U.S. claim about operating in high seas is out of step with the facts," the report quoted the spokesman as saying. "The U.S. navy vessel concerned has been consistently conducting illegal surveying in China's exclusive economic zone," the station quoted the spokesman as saying.
Chinese authorities had "repeatedly used diplomatic channels to demand that the U.S. side cease unlawful activities in China's exclusive economic zone," the report added.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry was unavailable for comment.
U.S. defense officials said the incident followed days of increasingly aggressive Chinese conduct in the area, including fly-bys by Chinese maritime surveillance planes.
It comes just weeks after the two sides resumed military talks, postponed in November after a U.S. announcement of arms sales to Taiwan, a self-ruled island China claims as its own.
And it echoes a stand-off in 2001 between U.S. and Chinese military forces after a U.S. spy plane made an emergency landing on Hainan after a collision with a Chinese fighter jet. China released 24 crew after a U.S. apology.
NO MAJOR FALLOUT TO TIES-ANALYST
The row is unlikely to derail Sino-U.S. ties when both sides are tackling the global economic slump -- Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi flew to the United States on Monday for talks ahead of next month's G20 summit -- but it suggests Beijing will take a tougher stance as its naval ambitions grow, said analyst Shi Yinhong.
"The United States is present everywhere on the world's seas, but these kinds of incidents may grow as China's naval activities expand," added Shi, an expert on regional security at Renmin University in Beijing.
The Impeccable is one of five ocean surveillance ships that serve with the U.S. 7th Fleet, which is based in Yokosuka, Japan. The ships use low-frequency sound to search for undersea threats including submarines, a U.S. military official said.
A U.S. Defense Department spokesman said the Chinese vessels had surrounded the Impeccable, waving Chinese flags and telling the U.S. ship to leave. The Pentagon also described accounts of half a dozen other incidents dating back to March 4.
Oil prices rose on news of the jostling on Monday and stayed high on Tuesday, although analysts said it was hard to see how the tension could threaten oil supplies or inflate prices.
"I can see the geopolitical risk between two producing countries. But the U.S. and China are two major consumers. I don't know why oil prices would rise on that," said Tony Nunan, risk management manager at Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Corp.
The confrontation coincides with two sensitive anniversaries in Tibet, making China especially sensitive to outside scrutiny of its affairs.
Analyst Shi said the seas off Hainan were important to China's projection of its influence with a modern naval fleet.
"The change is in China's attitude. This reflects the hardening line in Chinese foreign policy and the importance we attach to the strategic value of the South China Sea."
Denny Roy, an expert on Asia-Pacific security at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, said the confrontation appeared intended to send a message to Washington.
"I don't think this happened spontaneously," he said. "...No doubt it had the endorsement of central leaders in Beijing."
A recent study of China's rising power by a top People's Liberation Army thinktank said the country should seek to avoid confrontation with Washington but not shrink when pressed.
|
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK9458120090310?sp=true |
|
978 |
3/6/2009 |
Venezuelan leader calls on Obama to follow socialism and finish Capitalism. |
CHAVEZ CALLS ON OBAMA TO FOLLOW PATH OF SOCIALISM
Fri Mar 06 2009 17:13:48 ET
Caracas - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday called upon US President Barack Obama to follow the path to socialism, which he termed as the "only" way out of the global recession. "Come with us, align yourself, come with us on the road to socialism. This is the only path. Imagine a socialist revolution in the United States," Chavez told a group of workers in the southern Venezuelan state of Bolivar.
The controversial Venezuelan leader, who taunted the United States as a source of capitalistic evil under former president George W Bush, added that the United States needs a leader who can take it to a "higher" destiny and bring it out of "the sad role that it has been given, as a murderous, attacking power that is hated all around the world."
Chavez said that people are calling Obama a "socialist" for the measures of state intervention he is taking to counter the crisis, so it would not be too far-fetched to suggest that he might join the project of "21st century socialism" that the Venezuelan leader is heading.
"Nothing is impossible. Who would have thought in the 1980s that the Soviet Union would disappear? No one," he said.
"That murderous, genocidal empire has to end, and some day there has to come a leader ... who interprets the best of a people who also include human beings who suffer, endure, weep and laugh," the outspoken Chavez said.
|
|
|
976 |
3/4/2009 |
China to increase defence spending by 15 per cent US to decrease spending 10% |
China is to increase official military spending by almost 15 per cent this year as it seeks to upgrade its smart technology and improve the living standards of its soldiers. The 14.9 per cent rise to 480.7 billion yuan (£50 billion), up 62.5 billion yuan from 2008, was announced in advance of the annual meeting of the rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress.
It is slightly smaller than the increase in recent years, suggesting that the government is focusing its spending on boosting the wider economy.
But after rises of 17.8 per cent in 2007 and 17.6 per cent in 2008, it still amounts to a rise of more than half since 2006.
In addition, the United States claims that real spending is significantly higher, as many costs, including major arms purchases, are kept off the officially announced budget.
This claim was rejected by Li Zhaoxing, a former foreign minister acting as spokesman for the Congress.
He said that China had signed up to the United Nations code for reporting military expenditure in 2007.
"There is no such thing as the so-called hidden military expenditure in China," he said.
He said that this year military spending would be 6.3 per cent of the total budget, and 1.4 per cent of GDP, compared to four per cent in the United States and two per cent in Britain and France.
China is known to be upgrading its nuclear arsenal and has all but confirmed plans to build its first aircraft carrier, but it is unclear whether these heavy cost loads are included in the budget.
Mr Li said a major part of the expenditure was to improve the historically poor living standards of foot-soldiers in the People's Liberation Army. But he said money would also be spent on "informatisation" – the country has become fiercely aware in the last two decades of how far behind the United States it has fallen in "smart" technology.
The PLA also needed more money to play its share in reconstruction projects in the areas afflicted by the Sichuan earthquake in May last year, which killed at least 80,000 people.
The National People's Congress opens on Thursday with a speech by the prime minister, Wen Jiabao. Mr Li confirmed that the duration of the NPC had been cut to just eight and a half days, and would end on March 13.
Reducing the length of time the parliament sits is one of a number of cost-cutting measures put in place by the government.
Delegates are also being banned from staying in five-star hotels, and their daily living expenses will be just 100 yuan – £10.
|
|
|
977 |
3/4/2009 |
Obama pushes US toward Socialism. The killing of America has started. |
On The Road To Socialism? We've Arrived!
By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN | Posted Tuesday, March 03, 2009 4:20 PM PT
In his campaign and inaugural address, Barack Obama cast himself as a moderate man seeking common ground with conservatives.
Yet his budget calls for the radical restructuring of the U.S. economy, a sweeping redistribution of power and wealth to government and Democratic constituencies. It is a declaration of war on the right.
The real Obama has stood up and lived up to his ranking as the most left-wing member of the Senate.
Barack has no mandate for this. He was even behind John McCain when the decisive event that gave him the presidency occurred — the September collapse of Lehman Bros. and the market crash.
Republicans are under no obligation to render bipartisan support to this statist coup d'etat. For what is going down is a leftist power grab that is anathema to their principles and philosophy.
Where the U.S. government usually consumes 21% of gross domestic product, this Obama budget spends 28% in 2009 and runs a deficit of $1.75 trillion, or 12.7% of GDP. That is four times the largest deficit of George W. Bush and twice as large a share of the economy as any deficit run since World War II.
Add that 28% of GDP spent by the U.S. government to the 12% spent by states, counties and cities, and government will consume 40% of the economy in 2009.
We are not "headed down the road to socialism." We are there.
Since the budget was released, word has come that the U.S. economy did not shrink by 3.8% in the fourth quarter, but 6.2%. All the assumptions in Obama's budget about growth in 2009 and 2010 need to be revised downward, and the deficits revised upward. Look for the deficit for 2009 to cross $2 trillion.
Who abroad is going to lend us the trillions to finance our deficits without demanding higher interest rates on the U.S. bonds they are being asked to hold? And if we must revert to the printing press to create the money, what happens to the dollar?
As Americans save only a pittance and have lost — in the value of homes, stocks, bonds and other assets — $15 trillion to $20 trillion since 2007, how can the people provide the feds with the needed money?
In his speech to Congress, Obama promised new investments in energy, education and health care. Every kid is going to get a college degree. We're going to find a cure for cancer.
Who is going to pay for all this? The top 2%, the filthy rich who got all those Bush tax breaks, say Democrats. But the top 5% of income earners already pay 60% of income taxes, while the bottom 40% pay nothing.
Those paying a federal tax rate of 35% will see it rise to near 40% and will lose a fifth of the value of their deductions for taxes, mortgage interest and charitable contributions.
Two-thirds of small businesses are taxed at the same rate as individuals. Consider what this means to the owner of a restaurant and bar in Los Angeles open from noon to midnight, where a husband and wife each put in 80 hours a week.
At year's end, the couple find they have actually made a profit of $500,000 that they can take home in salary. What is the Obama-Schwarzenegger tax take on that salary? Their U.S. tax rate will have hit 39.6%. Their California income tax will have hit 9.55%.
Medicare payroll taxes on the proprietor as both employer and salaried employee will be $14,500. Social Security payroll taxes for the proprietor as both employer and employee will be $13,243.
In short, U.S. and state income and payroll taxes will consume half of all the pair earned for some 8,000 hours of work.
From that ravaged salary they must pay a state sales tax of 8.25%, gas taxes for the 50-mile commute, and tens of thousands in property taxes on both their restaurant and home.
And, after being pilloried by politicians for having feasted in the Bush era, they are now told the tax deduction they get for contributing to the church is to be cut 20%, while millions of Obama voters, who paid no U.S. income tax at all, will be getting a tax cut — i.e., a fat little check — in April.
Any wonder native-born Californians are fleeing the Golden Land?
Markets are not infallible. But the stock market has long been a "lead indicator" of where the economy will be six months from now. What are the markets, the collective decisions of millions of investors, saying?
Having fallen every month since Obama's election, with January and February the worst two months in history, they are telling us the stimulus package will not work, that Tim Geithner is clueless about how to save the banks, that the Obama budget portends disaster for the republic.
The president says he is gearing up for a fight on his budget.
Good. Let's give him one.
|
|
|
975 |
3/4/2009 |
Russian scholar say US will collapse _next year |
MOSCOW (AP) - If you're inclined to believe Igor Panarin, and the Kremlin wouldn't mind if you did, then President Barack Obama will order martial law this year, the U.S. will split into six rump-states before 2011, and Russia and China will become the backbones of a new world order.
Panarin might be easy to ignore but for the fact that he is a dean at the Foreign Ministry's school for future diplomats and a regular on Russia's state-guided TV channels. And his predictions fit into the anti-American story line of the Kremlin leadership.
"There is a high probability that the collapse of the United States will occur by 2010," Panarin told dozens of students, professors and diplomats Tuesday at the Diplomatic Academy—a lecture the ministry pointedly invited The Associated Press and other foreign media to attend.
The prediction from Panarin, a former spokesman for Russia's Federal Space Agency and reportedly an ex-KGB analyst, meshes with the negative view of the U.S. that has been flowing from the Kremlin in recent years, in particular from Vladimir Putin.
Putin, the former president who is now prime minister, has likened the United States to Nazi Germany's Third Reich and blames Washington for the global financial crisis that has pounded the Russian economy.
Panarin didn't give many specifics on what underlies his analysis, mostly citing newspapers, magazines and other open sources.
He also noted he had been predicting the demise of the world's wealthiest country for more than a decade now.
But he said the recent economic turmoil in the U.S. and other "social and cultural phenomena" led him to nail down a specific timeframe for "The End"—when the United States will break up into six autonomous regions and Alaska will revert to Russian control.
Panarin argued that Americans are in moral decline, saying their great psychological stress is evident from school shootings, the size of the prison population and the number of gay men.
Turning to economic woes, he cited the slide in major stock indexes, the decline in U.S. gross domestic product and Washington's bailout of banking giant Citigroup as evidence that American dominance of global markets has collapsed.
"I was there recently and things are far from good," he said. "What's happened is the collapse of the American dream."
Panarin insisted he didn't wish for a U.S. collapse, but he predicted Russia and China would emerge from the economic turmoil stronger and said the two nations should work together, even to create a new currency to replace the U.S. dollar.
Asked for comment on how the Foreign Ministry views Panarin's theories, a spokesman said all questions had to be submitted in writing and no answers were likely before Wednesday.
It wasn't clear how persuasive the 20-minute lecture was. One instructor asked Panarin whether his predictions more accurately describe Russia, which is undergoing its worst economic crisis in a decade as well as a demographic collapse that has led some scholars to predict the country's demise.
Panarin dismissed that idea: "The collapse of Russia will not occur."
But Alexei Malashenko, a scholar-in-residence at the Carnegie Moscow Center who did not attend the lecture, sided with the skeptical instructor, saying Russia is the country that is on the verge of disintegration.
"I can't imagine at all how the United States could ever fall apart," Malashenko told the AP.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96N3GCG0&show_article=1 |
|
974 |
2/5/2009 |
Moscow Moves to Counter U.S. Power in Central Asia |
By ALAN CULLISON and YOCHI J. DREAZEN
MOSCOW -- Russia is reasserting its role in Central Asia with a Kremlin push to eject the U.S. from a vital air base and a Moscow-led pact to form an international military force to rival NATO -- two moves that potentially complicate the new U.S. war strategy in Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, Russia announced a financial rescue fund for a group of ex-Soviet allies and won their agreement to form a military rapid reaction force in the region that it said would match North Atlantic Treaty Organization standards. That came a day after Kyrgyzstan announced, at Russian urging, that it planned to evict the U.S. from the base it has used to ferry large numbers of American troops into Afghanistan. Russia said the base may house part of the planned new force instead.
The steps mark Russia's most aggressive push yet to counter a U.S. military presence in the region that it has long resented. They pose a challenge for the administration of President Barack Obama, which sees Afghanistan as its top foreign-policy priority and is preparing to double the size of the American military presence there.
The developments also underscore the difficulties for Mr. Obama as he seeks to build a closer relationship with Moscow. Russia is signaling that it will be a tough defender of its interests, especially in its traditional backyard of the former Soviet Union. Though its huge cash reserves are rapidly draining because of falling oil prices, the greater needs of its poorer neighbors are still giving it an opening.
"Russia would like to reassert itself in the region, and it is using the financial crisis as an opportunity," said Nikolai Zlobin, senior fellow at the World Security Institute, a Washington think tank.
Russian paratroopers are to form the core of the new military force, which is planned to be about 10,000 men. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the force will be ready "to rebuff military aggression," fight terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, and handle natural and technological disasters.
"These are going to be quite formidable units," Mr. Medvedev said. "According to their combat potential, they must be no weaker than similar forces of the North Atlantic alliance."
When Kyrgyzstan said Tuesday that it intended to shut the base to U.S. troops, Moscow announced that it was extending the country $2 billion in loans plus $150 million in financial aid. That's a tidal wave of cash for Kyrgyzstan, whose budget is barely more than $1 billion, and whose populace has been harried by electric shortages, rising food prices and rampant unemployment.
The Kremlin also is discussing aid packages to Armenia and Belarus, other former satellites hit hard by the financial crisis.
The seriousness of the Kyrygz push to close the Manas air base stunned Pentagon officials, who noted Bishkek had made similar threats before. "Frankly, we thought it was a negotiating tactic, and we were ready to call their bluff," said a military official. "But it's becoming clearer that, no kidding, they want us out."
U.S. officials now say they expect the Kyrgyz parliament to formally approve ending the deal this weekend, which would give the U.S. six months to vacate under the countries' agreement.
The loss of the Manas base would be a major blow to the escalating U.S. war effort in Afghanistan. In 2008, 170,000 American personnel passed through Manas on their way in or out of Afghanistan, along with 5,000 tons of equipment.
"We have contingencies, and it's not fatal, but there's no way around the fact that this would be a real blow," said a senior Pentagon official. "It could also leave us more dependent on Russia, which is not a place we'd like to be."
The main U.S. supply route into Afghanistan runs through Pakistan, and militants have mounted a wave of attacks recently designed to prevent goods from entering Afghanistan. This week, militants demolished a key bridge on the route, forcing the U.S. to temporarily halt all shipments through Pakistan.
With Pakistan increasingly tenuous, U.S. officials have had to turn to Russia for help. The U.S. already ships large quantities of fuel through Russia, and senior military officials hope to start sending more supplies.
The Kremlin has long criticized the U.S. for maintaining bases in Central Asia, saying Washington initially promised a temporary move after the terrorist attacks of 2001.
On Wednesday Russia stressed that it supports the U.S.-led effort in Afghanistan, but that Washington needs to work more closely with Moscow and Central Asian countries.
Write to Alan Cullison at alan.cullison@wsj.com and Yochi J. Dreazen at yochi.dreazen@wsj.com
|
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123378027003448977.html |
|
973 |
1/31/2009 |
Iran thinks United States is week with Obama |
US President Barack Obama's offer to talk to Iran shows that America's policy of "domination" has failed, the government spokesman said on Saturday.
"This request means Western ideology has become passive, that capitalist thought and the system of domination have failed," Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency.
"Negotiation is secondary, the main issue is that there is no way but for (the United States) to change," he added.
After nearly three decades of severed ties, Obama said shortly after taking office this month that he is willing to extend a diplomatic hand to Tehran if the Islamic republic is ready to "unclench its fist".
In response, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a fresh tirade against the United States, demanding an apology for its "crimes" against Iran and saying he expected "deep and fundamental" change from Obama.
Iranian politicians frequently refer to the US administration as the "global arrogance", "domineering power" and "Great Satan".
Tensions with the United States have soared over Iran's nuclear drive and Ahmadinejad's vitriolic verbal attacks against Washington's close regional ally Israel.
Former US president George W. Bush refused to hold talks with the Islamic republic -- which he dubbed part of an "axis of evil" -- unless it suspended uranium enrichment, and never took a military option to thwart Tehran's atomic drive off the table.
The new administration of Obama has also refused to rule out any options -- including military strikes -- to stop Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Iran denies any plans to build the bomb and insists its nuclear programme is solely aimed at peaceful ends.
|
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.073ba2ee2f1f00668848a4655420fedc.411&show_article=1 |
|
972 |
1/4/2009 |
Russia wants to station warships around the world. |
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's military leaders approved a plan by the navy on Sunday to station warships permanently in friendly ports across the globe.
Underfunded since the 1991 break up of the Soviet Union , the Russian navy has been reasserting itself over the last year by chasing Somali pirates around the coast of east Africa and steaming across the Atlantic to visit allies in South America.
"The General Staff has given its position on this issue and it fully supports the position of the (Navy's) main committee," deputy chief of staff Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn told RIA Novosti news agency.
A resurgent navy has become central to a strategy for Russia -- which enjoyed a decade of economic revival from 1998 -- to project itself in foreign affairs.
In August a Russian diplomat said the navy was to make more use of a Syrian Mediterranean Sea port. Last month a Russian warship cruised off Cuba after visiting South America for the first time since 1991.
Nogovitsyn said Russia was directly negotiating with foreign governments to station warships at bases around the world permanently, although he declined to give exact details.
"Nobody can predict where problems could flare up," he said. "What we need are permanent bases, but these are very costly. They need to be considered very carefully."
RIA Novosti wrote that the Russian navy was already in negotiations to build a permanent Black Sea Port in the Russia-backed breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia.
(Writing by James Kilner; Editing by Charles Dick)
|
|
|
969 |
11/16/2008 |
China controls the Panama Canal |
Do not forget that the Chinese control the Panama Canal. This happened under Jimmy Carter. The chinese are developing a stronger influence in this hemisphere as well as the Russians. Watch out USA. |
|
|
967 |
11/16/2008 |
Chinese president to visit struggling ally Cuba |
Source: Reuters
By Marc Frank
HAVANA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - China's President Hu Jintao travels to Cuba on Monday for a close-up look at the government of new President Raul Castro, a fellow communist struggling to lead his island nation through the devastating effects of three hurricanes and the international financial crisis.
Hu visited Cuba in 2004 to oversee the signing of 16 cooperation agreements and was expected to sign more on the economy, trade, education and other areas during his two-day stop, the Chinese government said.
Hu, who attended Saturday's Group of 20 global economy summit in Washington, was to stop in Costa Rica on Sunday before starting his two-day visit to Cuba. He will go to Peru later in the week for the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, then on to Greece.
Cuba's economy was still suffering from the demise of the Soviet Union during Hu's last visit but has rebounded largely due to integration with oil-rich Venezuela and Chinese loans.
China is now Cuba's largest trading partner after Venezuela at $2.3 billion in 2007 -- four times what it was in 2004 -- despite stark differences in their economic policies and little direct Chinese investment.
China adopted market economics long ago while Cuba still has a Soviet-style command system where more than 90 percent of the economy is in state hands.
The Chinese loans are starting to come due at a time when Cuba has suffered $10 billion in damage from the three recent storms, prices of nickel, its main export, have dropped sharply and oil prices, which sustain ally Venezuela, have declined.
Restructuring those debts and future credits will certainly be on Hu's agenda, western diplomats said.
LONG-TERM PLAYER
The two countries' ruling parties have worked hard since the collapse of European communism to align their foreign policies and overcome a bitter heritage resulting from Cuba's backing of the Soviet Union against China during the Cold War.
Cuba has supported China's claim to Taiwan and Tibet.
"President Hu Jintao is signaling that Beijing plans to remain a long-term player in the Cuban transition and seeks to further bolster relations with the Raul Castro government," said Dan Erikson of the Inter-American Dialogue policy group in Washington.
Fidel Castro, Cuba's founding president, visited China twice before undergoing intestinal surgery in 2006 from which he never fully recovered.
Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother, also visited China before taking over as president in February, while the last three Chinese presidents have come to Cuba.
"Cuba is indispensable for China in its bid to strengthen links with Latin American and the Caribbean countries," the Chinese ambassador to Cuba, Zhao Rongxian Zhao, said of Hu's visit in an interview with China's Xinhua news agency.
China published a White Book on Latin America and Caribbean policy earlier this month, signaling the region's importance.
Chinese trade with the region topped $100 billion in 2007 and there is growing Chinese investment in energy and other resources.
Hundreds of future Chinese diplomats, translators and functionaries study Spanish at a special school on the outskirts of Havana.
Since 2004, Cuba has become a huge showroom for Chinese products bought on credit. Thousands of Chinese buses and trucks now ply Cuba's roads and Chinese locomotives ride its rails, while Chinese power-saving light bulbs and electric appliances adorn most homes. (Editing by Jeff Franks and John O'Callaghan)
|
|
|
970 |
11/16/2008 |
Chins's Beachhead at Panama Canal |
Reporting from Balboa, Insight uncovers China's most recent political and economic maneuverings to obtain effective control of the Panama Canal as the U,S, leaves,
At the Panama Canal's only Pacific port a dozen huge construction cranes work massive new containerized-cargo facilities behind mounds of sand and concrete. Workmen clad in orange uniforms emblazoned with "Panama Ports Company" -- the innocuous English-language name in a near century-old bastion of U.S. maritime might -- operate the cranes and earthmovers alongside what once was the U.S. military's Southern Command headquarters known as SOUTHCOM. But the construction crews don't work for the Americans anymore. The Panama Ports Company is controlled by Communist China.As U.S. forces pull out of Panama under the Carter-Torrijos treaties of 1977, Beijing's agents are moving in. And the Clinton administration is looking the other way, scrapping a 1995 plan to explore a continued U.S. military presence.
By all indications, China and its People's Liberation Army, or PLA, are building a beachhead to control the Panama Canal. Under the terms of a controversial lease, Panama gave Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. the right to build new port facilities in Balboa, the canal's only Pacific port, and a major Atlantic port in Cristobal, and to run them up to the next half-century. As Beijing increased its economic muscle in the country, Panama's politicians gave Hutchison Whampoa the right to control anchorages on both ends of the canal, to hire new pilots to guide ships through the waterway, to block all passage that interferes with the company's business, to take control of key public roads near the canal and to have right of first refusal for control of some former U.S. military bases.
"By most accounts, an unfair and corrupt contractual bidding process, which was protested by the U.S. ambassador to Panama, enabled the Chinese Hutchison Whampoa company to outmaneuver American and Japanese companies for the long-term lease on the canal ports," according to Al Santoli, an aide to Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California. Santoli has traveled the perimeter of the Pacific monitoring Chinese maritime encroachments from the Philippines to Panama.
U.S. Ambassador to Panama William Hughes nearly was declared persona non grata for protesting the Hutchison deal when it was exposed three years ago, a U.S. official tells Insight. President Clinton responded by appointing Robert Pastor, an architect of the 1977 canal giveaway and an advocate for left-wing revolutionary causes, to replace Hughes. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms of North Carolina, one of the few lawmakers watching the Panama powder keg, blocked the nomination.
The Chinese company has exclusive rights to the ports on both ends of the canal. Ironically, in 1996 Panama asked a Seattle-based company to withdraw its successful bid for Cristobal on the grounds that the U.S. firm would have a monopoly, in light of its existing business in Balboa. The following year, Panama awarded both Cristobal and Balboa to Hutchison Whampoa. Between the ports lies the shortest land route for containerized cargo to be sent between the Atlantic and the Pacific from and to ships too large to cross the canal.
Beijing is in Panama for the long haul. Hutchison Whampoa has the right to extend its leases until the year 2047 or to transfer them to a third party. Already a Chinese corporation called Great Wall Panama has secured a lease as long as 60 years for an export zone on the bank of the canal on the Atlantic side.
"I have a sense that the U.S. is edgy about Hutchison Whampoa," former Panamanian vice president Guillermo "Billy" Ford tells Insight. But Washington has done little to pressure the corrupt government of President Ernesto Perez Balladares to reopen the bidding. Last year, Balladares hired Clinton strategist James Carville as his personal consultant in a bid to keep power beyond his constitutional term, which expires this month. Balladares says he will step down, but he has packed the new Canal Commission with his pro-Beijing cronies.
Hutchison Whampoa is more than a Hong Kong shipping giant. Company chairman Li Ka-shing is an important cog in the economic machinery of the Chinese Communist Party and the PLA. Li is a board member of the Chinese government's main investment arm, the China International Trust and Investment Corp., or CITIC, run by official PLA arms marketeer and smuggler Wang Jun.
According to Santoli, Li "has invested more than a billion dollars in China and owns most of the dock space in Hong Kong." Additionally, "Li has served as a middle man for PLA business dealings with the West," financing some of the controversial Hughes Electronics Corp.-Loral Space & Communications deals found to have been conduits for weapons technology to Beijing. He also has been a powerful ally of the Mochtar Riady financial empire of Indonesia -- the Lippo Group family that according to sworn testimony paid off Clinton's friends and political allies on behalf of Chinese military intelligence.
|
|
|
971 |
11/16/2008 |
Panama Canal: China's gateway to Mexico? Chinese Defence Minister Chi Haotian who said that war with the United States is inevitable |
By Peter Zhang
web posted February 28, 2000
Chinese control of the Panama Canal has fueled wild speculation in the US as to Beijing's plans for this strategic piece of real estate. Though I am not party to Beijing's military intentions I do know that they do not include submarine bases or sabotage, both of which would be obviously self-defeating. On the contrary, the Chinese will, as Clinton inadvertently pointed out, bend "over backwards to make sure that they run it in a competent and able and fair manner." What matters, however, is not how the canal is managed but how Beijing will use the Hutchison Whampoa agreement to damage strategic US interests.
Irrespective of what some have asserted, Hutchison Whampoa is an arm of the Chinese government. The company's chairman, Li Ka Shing, is an unofficial government minister. This fact is well known to US intelligence and President Clinton. And still Clinton insisted on the canal passing into Beijing's hands, even though he knew Hutchison Whampoa had corruptly obtained the lease.
To get a clearer picture of what Clinton has let the US in for let us turn to Chinese Defence Minister Chi Haotian who said that war with the United States is inevitable. As Chi well knows there is more than one way to wage war — and this is where the canal comes in. It provides Beijing with a base from which to create enormous mischief for the US while piously claiming that its presence is merely a commercial one.
The word is out that acting through Castro's agents and Chinese crime lords, Beijing is already heavily involved in running drugs into the US. To Beijing drugs are merely another weapon in its unofficial war against the US. Two other weapons are terrorism and subversion. Drug revenues could be used to finance terrorists whose activities will, it is hoped, destabilise the region, particularly Mexico, thus tying up US military and intelligence resources. (Beijing also knows it can count on America's mainstream media to sympathetically report on left-wing terrorist activities). The emergence of the Zapatistas in the state of Chiapas could be a foretaste of things to come. It is no accident that this area is contiguous with Central America.
It is said in certain Beijing quarters that Mexico will play a central role in this strategy. These assume that encouraging political and social turmoil in Mexico would, for example, spur many more Mexicans to seek sanctuary in the US, forcing Washington to strengthen its southern boarder while antagonizing Mexico City in the process. Beijing believes that a flood of Mexicans immigrants would provoke a backlash which in turn would whip up anti-American feeling south of the border, never a difficult task.
Clearly the tactic is not one of establishing pro-Beijing regimes but of creating a massive running sore that will drain US political and military resources that will eventually help drive it out of the Pacific Asian region, leaving Hawaii as its only Pacific base.
This is not a fantasy. Why else does Beijing provide missile know-how and nuclear weapons technology to the likes of North Korea, Pakistan, Iran and Libya? Because it generates tensions and fuels conflicts that tie up US resources. Knowing all of this, why did Clinton allow the canal to fall into Beijing's hands? Because, incredible as this will seem, he does think of Beijing as a "strategic partner" of sorts and not a potential enemy. Clinton belongs to that peculiar school of thought that sees conflict, particularly war, as the tragic outcome of misunderstandings between basically decent and reasonable people — except for fascists, of course. Impervious to reality, those who cling to this suicidal-like vision accuse their critics of bad faith and dismiss their patriotic warnings as alarmist, ridiculous, hateful and so on.
The only thing Beijing's warlords understand and respect is power and the will to use it. America still has the power. Unfortunately, it still has Clinton and his clones — particularly in the media.
|
|
|
968 |
11/16/2008 |
Russian President to visit Cuba |
Russian president to visit Cuba on Latin America tour
www.chinaview.cn 2008-11-14 22:27:15 Print
MOSCOW, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will visit Cuba during a tour of Latin American countries this month, Russian news agencies reported Friday.
"The big Latin American tour is connected with the APEC summit in Lima, after which the president will visit Venezuela, Brazil and Cuba," presidential spokeswoman Natalya Timakova, who is attending a European Union-Russia summit in Nice, France, was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying.
Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque handed an invitation from President Raul Castro to Medvedev during his visit to Moscow this week.
The Russian government announced last week it had approved a state loan to Cuba of up to 335 million U.S. dollars to buy Russian goods and services.
|
|
|
965 |
11/6/2008 |
Day One: Obama faces a Cold War threat and a warning from Israel |
Barack Obama was confronting a looming international crisis just hours after his White House election triumph.
The U.S. President-elect faced a triple threat with Russia, Israel and Afghanistan all threatening to test his mettle.
Locked away in his Chicago home, Mr Obama received his first national security intelligence briefing yesterday as he wrestled with appointments for his Cabinet.He ventured out twice, once to visit his local gym and then his downtown offices.
Each time he was escorted by a convoy of black vehicles carrying heavily armed secret service agents. Aides said he planned no public appearances until later in the week.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was first to lay down a challenge to America's new leader - by increasing tension in a stand off reminiscent of the Cold War.
In a provocative speech from the Kremlin, he threatened to base warheads along the Polish border if Mr Obama goes forward with a Bush administration plan to create a missile shield in Eastern Europe.
Then Israel warned last night that the new U.S. Commander-in-Chief's campaign claim that he was ready to open talks with Iran could be seen in the Middle East as a sign of weakness.
After eight years of staunch support from President Bush, the Israelis are now watching Mr Obama closely - even though he does not take power until January - looking for indicators as to how he will handle the nuclear threat from Tehran.
'We live in a neighbourhood in which dialogue - in a situation where you have brought sanctions and you then shift to dialogue - is liable to be interpreted as weakness,' said Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.
Asked if she supported any U.S. talks with Iran, she quickly said: 'The answer is no.'
In a step that will further increase Israel's anxiety about Obama, Tehran announced last night that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had broken a 29-year tradition and sent his congratulations to the President-elect - the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Ahmadinejad congratulated the Democrat on 'attracting the majority of voters in the election'.
He said he hoped Obama will 'use the opportunity to serve the (American) people and leave a good name for history' during his term in office.
Iran and the U.S. have had no formal diplomatic relations since 1979 when militant Iranian students held 52 Americans captive 444 days.
President Bush has repeatedly clashed with Tehran over its nuclear program and its opposition to the U.S.-led invasions and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq.
In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai demanded that Mr Obama 'put an end to civilian casualties' by changing U.S. military tactics to avoid airstrikes in the war on the Taliban.
He spoke out after seven wedding party guests were accidentally killed by an American airstrike in the southern Kandahar province. Afghan officials said last night 13 gunmen were killed in the attack.
Mr Obama has vowed to switch the U.S. military focus from Iraq to Afghanistan and is reportedly planning to ask Britain to send 3,000 extra troops to bolster extra American forces in the region.
But his aides fear a public backlash if he moves swiftly in Afghanistan before acting on his pledge to start a withdrawal from Iraq. Gordon Brown became one of the first world leaders to congratulate Obama in a ten-minute telephone call last night. Aides said they discussed Obama's plans for a phased withdrawal from Iraq and his commitment to boost forces in Afghanistan.
Speaking from the South Lawn of the White House, President Bush said he would be meeting Mr Obama next week and is making 'unprecedented efforts' to make a smooth transition during his final 74 days in office.
As if the instant foreign policy tests were not enough, Mr Obama was also facing more economic problems with the Dow Jones Index dropping for a second successive day.
Wall Street greeted his election win by plunging nearly 500 points on Wednesday and it was down again by 274 points in afternoon trading.
While new presidents often take weeks before naming their Cabinet, Mr Obama was quick out of the blocks yesterday, offering the chief-of-staff job to tough-talking congressman Rahm Emanuel, a veteran of the Clinton administration, and more appointments are expected next week.
|
|
|
961 |
11/5/2008 |
Iran warns U.S. military after Obama win |
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran warned U.S. forces in Iraq on Wednesday that it would respond to any violation of Iranian airspace, a message analysts said seemed directed at the new U.S. president-elect more than neighboring American troops.
The Iranian army statement, reported by state radio, followed a cross-border raid last month by U.S. forces into Syria, a move that was condemned by Damascus and Tehran.
But an Iranian politician said the timing suggested it was directed at Barack Obama, who won Tuesday's U.S. vote, more than the U.S. military, and might reflect concern by hardliners in Iran who thrived on confrontation with Washington.
Obama has said he would toughen sanctions on Iran but has also held out the possibility of direct talks to resolve rows, which include a dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
"Recently it has been seen that American army helicopters were flying a small distance from Iraq's border with Iran and, because of the closeness to the border, the danger of them violating Iran's border is possible," state radio reported.
"Iran's armed forces will respond to any violation," radio said, citing a statement from Iran's army headquarters.
Washington, which has not had diplomatic ties with Tehran since 1980, has accused Iran of funding, equipping and training militants in Iraq. Iran denies this and says insecurity is due to the presence of U.S. troops who should quit Iraq.
"This is a clear message to the American president-elect because radicals are not very happy that Obama has been elected," said the Iranian politician, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject.
LOGGERHEADS
He said Iran could have chosen to pass such a message through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which handles U.S. interests in the absence of a U.S. mission. That route had been used in the past.
Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, the most senior official to comment on the U.S. election result so far, hoped Obama would distance himself from President George W. Bush's policies.
"The election of Barack Obama as America's president is a clear sign of the American people's wish and desire for fundamental changes in America's domestic and foreign policies," Mottaki told reporters, the IRNA news agency reported.
The two countries are at loggerheads over Iran's disputed nuclear work. Washington says Tehran is seeking an atomic bomb. Tehran says it wants the technology to make electricity and so it can export more of its vast oil and gas resources.
Obama, like Bush, has not ruled out military action although he has criticized the outgoing administration for not pushing for more diplomacy and engagement with Iran.
"Change of political figures is not important by itself. What is more important is a change of American policy," Ali Aghamohammadi, a close aide to Iran's most powerful figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told Reuters.
Iran has warned it would respond to any attack on its territory by targeting U.S. interests and America's ally Israel, as well as closing the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway at the mouth of the Gulf and vital route for world oil supplies.
Some Iranians were enthusiastic about the U.S. vote.
"I hope that our relations with (America) will improve as Obama has talked of direct negotiations with the Iran," said Mona Saremi, a 22-year-old student.
But some analysts were cautious, saying Obama had to show he was offering more than a change in style from Bush. "It is for the Americans to show that something has changed, not the Iranians," Tehran University professor Mohammad Marandi said.
|
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4A43PQ20081105?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10112 |
|
964 |
11/5/2008 |
President Dmitri Medvedev orders missiles deployed in Europe as world hails Obama |
Tony Halpin in Moscow
President Dmitri Medvedev took advantage of the euphoria in America today to order the deployment of missiles inside Europe as a response to US plans for a missile defence shield.
Speaking within hours of Barack Obama's election as the new US President, Mr Medvedev announced that Russia would base Iskander missiles in its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad next to the border with Poland.
He did not say whether the short-range missiles would carry nuclear warheads. Mr Medvedev also cancelled earlier plans to withdraw three intercontinental ballistic missile regiments from western Russia.
"An Iskander missile system will be deployed in the Kaliningrad region to neutralise if necessary the anti-ballistic missile system in Europe," Mr Medvedev said in his first state-of-the-nation address.
He added that Russia was also ready to deploy its navy and to install electronic jamming devices to interfere with the US shield, which involves the deployment of a radar station in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland.
His announcement prompted a burst of applause from government ministers and parliamentary deputies assembled in the Kremlin. The President failed to congratulate Mr Obama or even to mention him by name during his 85-minute state of the nation address televised live across Russia.
Instead, in a criticism directed at the US, Mr Medvedev declared: "Mechanisms must be created to block mistaken, egoistical and sometimes simply dangerous decisions of certain members of the international community."
He accused the West of seeking to encircle Russia and blamed the US for encouraging Georgia's "barbaric aggression" in the war over South Ossetia in August. He issued a warning that Russia would "not back down in the Caucasus".
"The August crisis only accelerated the arrival of the crucial moment of truth. We proved, including to those who had been sponsoring the current regime in Georgia, that we are strong enough to defend our citizens and that we can indeed defend our national interests," Mr Medvedev said.
"What we've had to deal with in the last few years - the construction of a global missile defence system, the encirclement of Russia by military blocs, unrestrained NATO enlargement and other 'gifts'... The impression is we are being tested to the limit."
Outgoing President George W. Bush insists that the missile shield is aimed at rogue states such as Iran. But the plan has infuriated Moscow, which argues that it threatens Russia's security and that the US is ignoring its concerns.
Mr Medvedev said that Russia had been forced to cancel its plans to withdraw the ballistic missiles, which have a range of 6,200 miles. He said: "We have told our partners more than once that we want positive cooperation, we want to act together to combat common threats, that we want to act together. But they, unfortunately, don't want to listen to us."
In his only reference to the US election, he said that he hoped the new administration would work to repair its relationship with Moscow. He said: "I stress that we have no problem with the American people, no inborn anti-Americanism. And we hope that our partners, the US administration, will make a choice in favour of full-fledged relations with Russia."
Mr Medvedev blamed the US for the global financial crisis, saying that the rest of the world had been "dragged down with it into recession". He claimed that the era of American domination after the collapse of the Soviet Union was now over.
"The world cannot be ruled from one capital. Those who do not want to understand this will only create new problems for themselves and others," he said.
Mr Medvedev, who was elected in March, also set out proposals to extend the presidential term from four years to six. He did not say whether the reform would apply to his current term.
|
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5090077.ece |
|
963 |
11/5/2008 |
Russia to base missiles on EU border: Medvedev |
Russia will place short-range missile systems on the EU's eastern border to counter planned US missile defence installations in Eastern Europe, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday.
"Iskander missile systems will be deployed in the Kaliningrad region to neutralise the missile defence system," Medvedev said.
"There will also be radio-electronic neutralisation of the new US missile defence installations from the Kaliningrad region," he added.
Kaliningrad is a Russian exclave with a large military base that is wedged between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coastline.
The Iskander are short-range missiles that use conventional warheads with a range of up to 400 kilometres (248 miles). Medvedev did not give any details on the type of scrambling devices that Russia would deploy in Kaliningrad.
The United States is pursuing plans to build a radar base in the Czec Republic and install interceptor missiles in Poland to counter what it describes as a missile threat from "rogue states" such as Iran.
Russia has said there is no such threat and that the installations are in fact a direct threat to its security. High-level negotiations between the US and Russia on the installations have ended with no compromise.
|
|
|
962 |
11/5/2008 |
World leaders' quotes on Obama election win |
LONDON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama won an extraordinary two-year struggle for the White House, beating Republican John McCain and becoming the first black president in U.S. history.
Following are quotes from world leaders:
YULIA TYMOSHENKO, UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER
"Your victory is an inspiration for us. That which appeared impossible has become possible."
FRANCO FRATTINI, ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
"Europe which is celebrating (the victory of) Obama must know that Europe be will be called on to be a producer of security and no longer merely a consumer. I think Obama will rightly call on us to take our responsibilities more seriously."
CELSO AMORIM, BRAZILIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
"In this case hope has won over prejudice -- this is good for the United States and the world as a whole."
GRIGORY KARASIN, RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
"The news we are receiving on the results of the American presidential election shows that everyone has the right to hope for a freshening of U.S. approaches to all the most complex issues, including foreign policy and therefore relations with the Russian Federation as well."
HOSHIYAR ZEBARI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER
"I think you will hear a lot of discussion and goals and slogans during the election campaigns. When there is a reality check I think any U.S. president has to look very hard at the facts on the ground."
TZIPI LIVNI, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER
"Israel expects the close strategic cooperation with the new administration, president and Congress will continue along with the continued strengthening of the special and unshakeable special relationship between the two countries."
MOHAMED MAHDI AKEF, LEADER OF THE EGYPTIAN MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, ONE OF THE LARGEST ISLAMIST GROUPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
"We congratulate (Obama) on the confidence of the American people in him and we hope that he will change the policy of the United States toward the Middle East and toward the crimes which are happening in Afghanistan and Somalia, in other words that he adopts a just policy that restores to America its natural position of respect for humankind and democracy."
REV, FEDERICO LOMBARDI, POPE BENEDICT'S SPOKESMAN
"Believers are praying that God will enlighten him and help him in his great responsibility, which is enormous because of the global importance of the United States...We hope Obama can fulfil the expectations and hopes that many have in him."
YOUSAF RAZA GILANI, PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER
"Your election marks a new chapter in the remarkable history of the United States. For long, the ideas of democracy, liberty and freedom espoused by the United States has been a source of inspiration...I hope that under your dynamic leadership, the United States will continue to be a source of global peace and new ideas for humanity."
MANMOHAN SINGH, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER
"Your extraordinary journey to the White House will inspire people not only in your country but also around the world."
ALI AL-SADIG, SUDANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN
"We don't expect any change through our previous experience with the Democrats ... When it comes to foreign policy there is no difference between the Republicans and the Democrats."
JAN PETER BALKENENDE, DUTCH PRIME MINISTER
"The necessity for cooperation between Europe and the United States is bigger than ever. Only by close transatlantic cooperation can we face the world's challenges."
NICOLAS SARKOZY, FRENCH PRESIDENT
"With the world in turmoil and doubt, the American people, faithful to the values that have always defined America's identity, have expressed with force their faith in progress and the future. At a time when we must face huge challenges together, your election has raised enormous hope in France, in Europe and beyond."
HAMID KARZAI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT
"I applaud the American people for their great decision and I hope that this new administration in the United States of America, and the fact of the massive show of concern for human beings and lack of interest in race and color while electing the president, will go a long way in bringing the same values to the rest of world sooner or later."
GORDON BROWN, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER
"Barack Obama ran an inspirational campaign, energizing politics with his progressive values and his vision for the future. I know Barack Obama and we share many values. We both have determination to show that government can act to help people fairly through these difficult times facing the global economy."
MWAI KIBAKI, KENYAN PRESIDENT
"We the Kenyan people are immensely proud of your Kenyan roots. Your victory is not only an inspiration to millions of people all over the world, but it has special resonance with us here in Kenya."
JOSE MANUEL BARROSO, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT
"We need to change the current crisis into a new opportunity. We need a new deal for a new world. I sincerely hope that with the leadership of President Obama, the United States of America will join forces with Europe to drive this new deal. For the benefit of our societies, for the benefit of the world."
HU JINTAO, CHINESE PRESIDENT
"The Chinese Government and I myself have always attached great importance to China-U.S. relations. In the new historic era, I look forward to working together with you to continuously strengthen dialogue and exchanges between our two countries."
ANGELA MERKEL, GERMAN CHANCELLOR
"I offer you my heartfelt congratulations on your historic victory in the presidential election.
"The world faces significant challenges at the start of your term. I am convinced that Europe and the United States will work closely and in a spirit of mutual trust together to confront new dangers and risks and will seize the opportunities presented by our global world."
TARO ASO, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER
"The Japan-U.S. alliance is key to Japanese diplomacy and it is the foundation for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. With President-elect Obama, I will strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance further and work toward resolving global issues such as the world economy, terror and the environment."
KGALEMA MOTLANTHE, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT
"Africa, which today stands proud of your achievements, can only but look forward to a fruitful working relationship with you both at a bilateral and multilateral levels in our endeavor to create a better world for all who live in it."
STEPHEN HARPER, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER
"I look forward to meeting with the President-elect so that we can continue to strengthen the special bond that exists between Canada and the United States."
KEVIN RUDD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER
"Senator Obama's message of hope is not just for America's future, it is also a message of hope for the world as well. A world which is now in many respects fearful for its future."
HELEN CLARK, NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER
"Senator Obama will be taking office at a critical juncture. There are many pressing challenges facing the international community, including the global financial crisis and global warming. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Obama and his team to address these challenges."
SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO, INDONESIAN PRESIDENT
Indonesia especially hopes that the U.S., under new leadership, will stand in the front and take real action to overcome the global financial crisis, especially since the crisis was triggered by the financial conditions in the U.S."
GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT
"We welcome his triumph in the same vein that we place the integrity of the US electoral process and the choices made by the American people in high regard. We likewise note the making of history with the election of Senator Obama as the first African-American president of the United States."
ALI AGHAMOHAMMADI, CLOSE AIDE TO IRAN'S MOST POWEFUL FIGURE
AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI
"The president-elect has promised changes in policies. There is a capacity for the improvement of ties between America and Iran if Obama pursues his campaign promises, including not confronting other countries as Bush did in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also concentrating on America's state matters and removing the American people's concerns."
SAEB EREKAT, AIDE TO PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS
"We hope the president-elect in the United States will stay the course and would continue the U.S. engagement in the peace process without delay. We hope the two-state vision would be transferred from a vision to a realistic track immediately."
|
|
|
960 |
10/28/2008 |
The NRA vs. Obama |
The NRA vs. Obama
by A.W.R. Hawkins
10/28/2008
With the 2008 presidential election upon us, the National Rifle Association is making their case against Barack Obama. They unflinchingly describe him as “the most anti-gun presidential candidate in American history” and have dedicated large sums of money to exposing his anti-gun agenda.
An in-depth look at his record justifies their position. Not only is Obama the economic socialist Rush Limbaugh has said he is, he is also a gun-banning associate of 1960s radicals who cannot wait to take away one of America’s greatest freedoms - - the right to keep and bear arms.
The NRA points out the fact that Obama supports handgun bans while Obama frequently excuses himself by saying he supports the Second Amendment but believes states, cities, and municipalities should be able to regulate types of handguns and implement local restrictions. (This convolution is an example of the type of reasoning he uses to explain how he can both find handgun bans and the Heller case, which banned handgun bans, to be “reasonable.”)
But Obama has missed the NRA’s point on this one. They are not simply saying he supports the kind of bans we’ve seen in D.C. and Chicago; they are saying he supports a complete ban on the manufacture, sale, and possession of a handgun. And they are right. On March 31, 2008, the Politico revealed that “Obama endorsed a complete ban on all handguns” in a general candidate questionnaire he filled out on September 9, 1995.
This is why the NRA keeps telling people that Obama talks out of both sides of his mouth. On one hand, he says, “I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to bear arms,” while on the other he supports a complete ban on the arms they would bear.
In the same questionnaire he said he supported mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. “Waiting periods” mean that when you go to buy a gun you have to fill out paperwork, go through an FBI background check, and then after passing that, return to the store five days later to pick up your new gun. If you’re a woman being pursued by a potential rapist, you just have to hope the would-be rapist will lie low for five days while you wait to pick up your new means of self-defense.
Speaking of self-defense, Obama is completely opposed to that as well. In the decades before the Heller decision, many parts of Chicago put handgun bans in place that necessitated making the use of a handgun for self-defense illegal. (Think about it -- how could you legally use an illegal tool to protect yourself?) Proving he meant it when he said states, cities, and municipalities should be able to regulate and restrict the Second Amendment, Obama supported these unconstitutional bans when a 2003 case in Wilmette, Ill. provided him the opportunity to stand up for the “individual right” he also claims to support.
What happened in Wilmette was simple: a citizen “used a handgun to defend himself from a dangerous repeat offender.” He killed the attacker, and although the killing was ruled an act of self-defense, the innocent man faced jail time for having used a handgun to defend himself. Many Illinois lawmakers realized that such a charge was illogical and moved to change the law so as to allow the use of a handgun for self-defense. And guess what? -- Obama opposed the change in legislation (four times). Did you get that? -- OBAMA OPPOSED LAWS THAT ALLOWED USING HANDGUNS FOR SELF-DEFENSE.
It appears Obama would have us rely upon the government, via the police force, for our protection. And this is why the pro-gun organization, “Students for Concealed Carry on Campus,” is concerned about an Obama presidency. While writing this article I talked to their president, Michael Guzman, who cited the Wilmette self-defense case and said: “Senator Obama’s time in the Illinois legislature has shown his belief in full reliance upon the government to provide for one’s protection against criminals. We hope he comes to the realization that the police cannot be everywhere at once and that the individual is his or her own first line of defense against a would-be assailant.”
But if Obama’s record is any indication of things, he’s not going to come to the realization Guzman hopes for. Just think about other aspects of his record as an Illinois senator: He supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park (which is tantamount to banning gun stores period); he supported H.B. 2579, which prohibited law-abiding individuals from purchasing more than one gun a month; he opposed laws that permitted law-abiding citizens to carry firearms for self-defense (i.e., he opposed concealed carry permits); he supported a ban on “junk guns” (cheaper guns that poor people could actually afford to buy and use for self defense); and he voted not to inform gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them (S.B. 1936).
His U.S. Senate record is just as dismal: He supports the reintroduction of the assault weapons ban; he favors a ban on high capacity magazines; he voted with Ted Kennedy on ammunition bans (that included hunting ammunition); and most troubling of all, he voted against the confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. Roberts and Alito are two of the five justices who upheld the Second Amendment in the Heller case. Just think, if Obama had gotten his way, they wouldn’t have been there, and the Second Amendment wouldn’t be there either.
The NRA is right to go after this gun grabber. And while political pundits continue to highlight Obama’s dangerous associations with vile humans like Jeremiah Wright and William Ayers, the NRA will be one of the few outlets reminding you that Obama has some equally dangerous anti-gun associations as well. They’ll trumpet the fact that “the Brady Campaign (formerly Handgun Control, Incorporated), [has] endorsed Obama for president.” Which means he can now boast of being endorsed by the same gun control organization that also endorsed “Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), John Conyers (D-N.Y.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), and, of course, John Kerry (D-Mass.), to name [but] a few.”
Those of us who love freedom need to vote McCain/Palin on November 4, and we need go to the NRA website and add our voices to that organization’s cause by joining today.
We have to remember that freedom is not just something others give us: it’s something that we sometimes have to defend individually.
|
|
|
958 |
10/27/2008 |
Obama a marxist |
Based upon Obama's past his background resembles more of a marxist than that of a capitalist. |
|
|
959 |
10/27/2008 |
Obama: US citizen or Not? |
ELECTION 2008
Obama's birth certificate sealed by Hawaii governor
Says Democratic senator must make request to obtain original document
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: October 26, 2008
9:54 pm Eastern
By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Gov. Linda Lingle, R-Hawaii
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Although the legitimacy of Sen. Barack Obama's birth certificate has become a focus of intense speculation – and even several lawsuits – WND has learned that Hawaii's Gov. Linda Lingle has placed the candidate's birth certificate under seal and instructed the state's Department of Health to make sure no one in the press obtains access to the original document under any circumstances.
The governor's office officially declined a request made in writing by WND in Hawaii to obtain a copy of the hospital-generated original birth certificate of Barack Obama.
"It does not appear that Dr. Corsi is within any of these categories of persons with a direct and tangible interest in the birth certificate he seeks," wrote Roz Makuala, manager of constituent services in the governor's office, in an e-mailed response to a WND request seeking the information.
Those listed as entitled to obtain a copy of an original birth certificate include the person born, or "registrant" according to the legal description from the governor's office, the spouse or parent of the registrant, a descendant of the registrant, a person having a common ancestor with the registrant, a legal guardian of the registrant, or a person or agency acting on behalf of the registrant.
WND was told the official reason for denial of access to Obama's birth certificate would be authority granted pursuant to Section 338-18 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, a provision the anonymous source claimed was designed to prevent identity theft.
Still, the source told WND confidentially the motivation for withholding the original birth certificate was political, although the source refused to disclose whether there was any information on the original birth certificate that would prove politically embarrassing to Obama.
The source also refused to answer WND's question whether the original document on file with the Department of Health was a hospital-generated birth certificate or a registration of birth that may have been filed subsequent to the birth.
The anonymous source made clear the Hawaii Department of Health would immediately release Obama's original birth certificate, provided Obama requested the document be released, but the Department of Heath has received no such request from the senator or from anyone acting officially on his behalf.
WND also found on microfilm in the Honolulu downtown public library a notice published under the "Births, Marriages, Deaths" section of the Honolulu Sunday Advertiser for August 13, 1961, on page B-6, noting: "Mr. and Mrs. Barack II Obama. 6085 Kalanianaole-Hwy, son, Aug. 4."
In searching through the birth notices of the Honolulu Advertiser for 1961, WND found many birth notices were published between one and two weeks after the date of birth listed.
The notice in the Honolulu Advertiser does not list the hospital where the Obama son was born or the doctor who delivered the baby.
In a startling development, Obama's Kenyan grandmother has reportedly alleged she witnessed Obama's birth at the Coast Provincial Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya.
Friday, U.S. Federal judge Richard Barclay Surrick, a Clinton appointee, dismissed a lawsuit brought by Pennsylvania attorney Phillip J. Berg who alleged Obama was not a U.S. "natural born" citizen and therefore ineligible for the presidency under the specifications of the U.S. Constitution, under Article II, Section 1.
Berg told WND last week he does not have a copy of a Kenyan birth certificate for Obama that he alleges exists.
In Kenya, WND was told by government authorities that all documents concerning Obama were under seal until after the U.S. presidential election on November 4.
The Obama campaign website entitled "Fight the Smears" posts a state of Hawaii "Certificate of Live Birth" which is obviously not the original birth certificate generated by the hospital where Obama reportedly was born.
"Fight the Smears" declares, "The truth is, Barack Obama was born in the state of Hawaii in 1961, a native citizen of the United States of America."
Although the Obama campaign could immediately put an end to all the challenges by simply producing the candidate's original birth certificate, it has not done so. And the "Fight the Smears" website offers no explanation as to why Obama has refused to request, and make public, an original hospital-generated birth certificate which the Hawaii Department of Health may possess.
|
|
|
73 |
7/6/2008 |
US removes uranium from Iraq |
AP Exclusive: US removes uranium from Iraq
Email this Story
Jul 6, 4:45 AM (ET)
By BRIAN MURPHY
(AP) In a Monday June 9, 2003 file photo, UN inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency...
Full Image
sponsored links
Voice Your Opinion - Take today's My Way Poll, featuring a new topic daily.
http://poll.myway.com
Play Free Online Games - Collapse, Bounce Out, Jigsaw, Crossword, Mah Jong and tons more.
http://games.myway.com
The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein's nuclear program - a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium - reached a Canadian port Saturday to complete a secret U.S. operation that included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a ship voyage crossing two oceans.
The removal of 550 metric tons of "yellowcake" - the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment - was a significant step toward closing the books on Saddam's nuclear legacy. It also brought relief to U.S. and Iraqi authorities who had worried the cache would reach insurgents or smugglers crossing to Iran to aid its nuclear ambitions.
What's now left is the final and complicated push to clean up the remaining radioactive debris at the former Tuwaitha nuclear complex about 12 miles south of Baghdad - using teams that include Iraqi experts recently trained in the Chernobyl fallout zone in Ukraine.
"Everyone is very happy to have this safely out of Iraq," said a senior U.S. official who outlined the nearly three-month operation to The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.
While yellowcake alone is not considered potent enough for a so-called "dirty bomb" - a conventional explosive that disperses radioactive material - it could stir widespread panic if incorporated in a blast. Yellowcake also can be enriched for use in reactors and, at higher levels, nuclear weapons using sophisticated equipment.
The Iraqi government sold the yellowcake to a Canadian uranium producer, Cameco Corp. (CCJ), in a transaction the official described as worth "tens of millions of dollars." A Cameco spokesman, Lyle Krahn, declined to discuss the price, but said the yellowcake will be processed at facilities in Ontario for use in energy-producing reactors.
"We are pleased ... that we have taken (the yellowcake) from a volatile region into a stable area to produce clean electricity," he said.
The deal culminated more than a year of intense diplomatic and military initiatives - kept hushed in fear of ambushes or attacks once the convoys were under way: first carrying 3,500 barrels by road to Baghdad, then on 37 military flights to the Indian Ocean atoll of Diego Garcia and finally aboard a U.S.-flagged ship for a 8,500-mile trip to Montreal.
And, in a symbolic way, the mission linked the current attempts to stabilize Iraq with some of the high-profile claims about Saddam's weapons capabilities in the buildup to the 2003 invasion.
Accusations that Saddam had tried to purchase more yellowcake from the African nation of Niger - and an article by a former U.S. ambassador refuting the claims - led to a wide-ranging probe into Washington leaks that reached high into the Bush administration.
Tuwaitha and an adjacent research facility were well known for decades as the centerpiece of Saddam's nuclear efforts.
Israeli warplanes bombed a reactor project at the site in 1981. Later, U.N. inspectors documented and safeguarded the yellowcake, which had been stored in aging drums and containers since before the 1991 Gulf War. There was no evidence of any yellowcake dating from after 1991, the official said.
U.S. and Iraqi forces have guarded the 23,000-acre site - surrounded by huge sand berms - following a wave of looting after Saddam's fall that included villagers toting away yellowcake storage barrels for use as drinking water cisterns.
Yellowcake is obtained by using various solutions to leach out uranium from raw ore and can have a corn meal-like color and consistency. It poses no severe risk if stored and sealed properly. But exposure carries well-documented health concerns associated with heavy metals such as damage to internal organs, experts say.
"The big problem comes with any inhalation of any of the yellowcake dust," said Doug Brugge, a professor of public health issues at the Tufts University School of Medicine.
Moving the yellowcake faced numerous hurdles.
Diplomats and military leaders first weighed the idea of shipping the yellowcake overland to Kuwait's port on the Persian Gulf. Such a route, however, would pass through Iraq's Shiite heartland and within easy range of extremist factions, including some that Washington claims are aided by Iran. The ship also would need to clear the narrow Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf, where U.S. and Iranian ships often come in close contact.
Kuwaiti authorities, too, were reluctant to open their borders to the shipment despite top-level lobbying from Washington.
An alternative plan took shape: shipping out the yellowcake on cargo planes.
But the yellowcake still needed a final destination. Iraqi government officials sought buyers on the commercial market, where uranium prices spiked at about $120 per pound last year. It's currently selling for about half that. The Cameco deal was reached earlier this year, the official said.
At that point, U.S.-led crews began removing the yellowcake from the Saddam-era containers - some leaking or weakened by corrosion - and reloading the material into about 3,500 secure barrels.
In April, truck convoys started moving the yellowcake from Tuwaitha to Baghdad's international airport, the official said. Then, for two weeks in May, it was ferried in 37 flights to Diego Garcia, a speck of British territory in the Indian Ocean where the U.S. military maintains a base.
On June 3, an American ship left the island for Montreal, said the official, who declined to give further details about the operation.
The yellowcake wasn't the only dangerous item removed from Tuwaitha.
Earlier this year, the military withdrew four devices for controlled radiation exposure from the former nuclear complex. The lead-enclosed irradiation units, used to decontaminate food and other items, contain elements of high radioactivity that could potentially be used in a weapon, according to the official. Their Ottawa-based manufacturer, MDS Nordion, took them back for free, the official said.
The yellowcake was the last major stockpile from Saddam's nuclear efforts, but years of final cleanup is ahead for Tuwaitha and other smaller sites.
The U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency plans to offer technical expertise.
Last month, a team of Iraqi nuclear experts completed training in the Ukrainian ghost town of Pripyat, which once housed the Chernobyl workers before the deadly meltdown in 1986, said an IAEA official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decontamination plan has not yet been publicly announced.
But the job ahead is enormous, complicated by digging out radioactive "hot zones" entombed in concrete during Saddam's rule, said the IAEA official. Last year, an IAEA safety expert, Dennis Reisenweaver, predicted the cleanup could take "many years."
The yellowcake issue also is one of the many troubling footnotes of the war for Washington.
A CIA officer, Valerie Plame, claimed her identity was leaked to journalists to retaliate against her husband, former Ambassador Joe Wilson, who wrote that he had found no evidence to support assertions that Iraq tried to buy additional yellowcake from Niger.
A federal investigation led to the conviction of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
|
|
|
72 |
7/5/2008 |
Indias view of world power. |
No nation can be a major power without three attributes: (a) a high level of autonomous and innovative technological capability; (b) a capacity to meet basic defense needs indigenously; and (c) a capability to project power far beyond its borders, especially through intercontinental-range weaponry. With its strategic vision deficit compounded by a leadership deficit, India’s deficiencies in all the three areas are rather nearly alarming.
|
http://agrasen.blogspot.com/2008/07/dr-kalams-statement-that-india-can.html |
|
71 |
7/3/2008 |
oil issues |
3 july 08 Dwindling reserves, a weak U.S. dollar, conflict in Iraq and Washington's ''threats'' against Iran, are also driving up prices, Chavez said Thursday, as oil prices reached a record US$145 (euro91) a barrel.
|
|
|
69 |
6/17/2008 |
Insite to Mr. Obama |
On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:48:04 -0400, 'LTG Bill Ginn' USAF ret.
> forwarded the
> following:
>
> Hot on the heels of his explanation for why he no longer wears a flag
> pin, presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama was forced to explain
> why he doesn't follow protocol when the National Anthem is played.
>
> According to the United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171,
> During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed,
> all present except those in uniform are expected to stand at attention
> facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.
>
> 'As I've said about the flag pin, I don't want to be perceived as
> taking sides,' Obama said. 'There are a lot of people in the world to
> whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression. And the anthem
> itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air
> and all. It should be swapped for something less parochial and less
> bellicose. I like the song 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.' If
> that were our anthem, then I might
> salute it.'
>
> Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this could possibly be our next president!! |
|
|
70 |
6/17/2008 |
Why is nothing being done? |
Here we are with rising gas price, rising oil while other countries around the world , China and India, are buying as much as they can get. Where does this leave us? We are weaking our economy by refusing to deal with the oil situation. The US taught the world how to use oil. It is one of our resources. WE have a lot of it however, due to our tree hugging countrymen, we have put these areas off limits to developement. Our adversaries are look for more oil. The Chinese have entered into a contract with Cuba to side drill into our oil deposits. Deposits our legislators have ruled envionmentally sensistive. The CHinese opperate the Panama Canal. (Thanks President Carter). Our environmental conservatism is making the US a target for attack by these other countries. Read the past posts on this web site. China is running out of resources and building up a war machine. Sounds like Japan in WW2. China is looking outward for energy and we are a ripe target. Our dollar is falling, our gas is rising and nothing is being done. Wake up America. Wake up Congress. American is arming themselves. WE are losing faith in you in protecting the common welfare of your citizens. |
|
|
68 |
6/4/2008 |
China computer hackers attack the US |
Computer hackers in China, including those working on behalf of the Chinese government and military, have penetrated deeply into the information systems of U.S. companies and government agencies, stolen proprietary information from American executives in advance of their business meetings in China, and, in a few cases, gained access to electric power plants in the United States, possibly triggering two recent and widespread blackouts in Florida and the Northeast, according to U.S. government officials and computer-security experts.
One prominent expert told National Journal he believes that China’s People’s Liberation Army played a role in the power outages. Tim Bennett, the former president of the Cyber Security Industry Alliance, a leading trade group, said that U.S. intelligence officials have told him that the PLA in 2003 gained access to a network that controlled electric power systems serving the northeastern United States. The intelligence officials said that forensic analysis had confirmed the source, Bennett said. “They said that, with confidence, it had been traced back to the PLA.” These officials believe that the intrusion may have precipitated the largest blackout in North American history, which occurred in August of that year. A 9,300-square-mile area, touching Michigan, Ohio, New York, and parts of Canada, lost power; an estimated 50 million people were affected.
Officially, the blackout was attributed to a variety of factors, none of which involved foreign intervention. Investigators blamed “overgrown trees” that came into contact with strained high-voltage lines near facilities in Ohio owned by FirstEnergy Corp. More than 100 power plants were shut down during the cascading failure. A computer virus, then in wide circulation, disrupted the communications lines that utility companies use to manage the power grid, and this exacerbated the problem. The blackout prompted President Bush to address the nation the day it happened. Power was mostly restored within 24 hours.
There has never been an official U.S. government assertion of Chinese involvement in the outage, but intelligence and other government officials contacted for this story did not explicitly rule out a Chinese role. One security analyst in the private sector with close ties to the intelligence community said that some senior intelligence officials believe that China played a role in the 2003 blackout that is still not fully understood.
|
|
|
66 |
5/24/2008 |
China buying up copper |
China is buying up as much copper as it can. Copper is also used in making the projectile part of a bullet. Maybe in the future they will give it back to us like the Japanese did in WW2. Our supplies are running short. Check you local bullet supplier. |
|
|
65 |
5/24/2008 |
China going to mine US oil through Cuba |
China has entered into an agreement with Cuba to side drill from Cuban waters into oil deposits belonging to the US in the Gulf of Mexico. We can not drill because the environmentalists
will not allow the United States to drill.
|
|
|
67 |
5/24/2008 |
China, Russia condemn US missile defense plans |
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer
Fri May 23, 2:33 PM ET
BEIJING - China and Russia sharply condemned U.S. missile defense plans Friday, taking a harder common line that reinforces an already strong strategic partnership during Dmitry Medvedev's first foreign trip as Russian president.
Pushing forward their robust energy cooperation, Russia also signed a $1 billion deal to build a uranium enrichment facility in China and supply low-enriched uranium for use in China's nuclear power industry over the next decade.
Rivals throughout much of the Cold War, Moscow and Beijing have forged close political and military ties since the Soviet collapse, seeking to counter the perceived U.S. global domination. They have spoken against the U.S. missile defense plans in the past, but Friday's declaration by Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao sounded tougher than before.
Without naming the United States, the two leaders said that "the creation of global missile defense systems and their deployment in some regions of the world ... does not help to maintain strategic balance and stability and hampers international efforts in arms control and nuclear nonproliferation."
They also warned against the deployment of arms in space — another clear reference to the United States. "The parties stand for the peaceful use of space and against the deployment of weapons in space and arms race in space," Medvedev and Hu said in the statement released after an afternoon of talks.
The joint position appears to raise the stakes for Washington, which has been trying to persuade Beijing and Moscow not to see the missile shields as threatening. At the same time, the cooperation on diplomatic issues masks deep Russian unease at China's growing power and differences over military and energy sales.
The White House said Friday that it is not disappointed that Medvedev has not changed the stance taken by his predecessor, Vladimir Putin.
"We're going to work with them to work through these concerns, and we think we can resolve any concerns that anyone has about this and the true nature of the program," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto.
Beijing has criticized U.S. plans for anti-missile defenses with Japan and Taiwan in the past, fearing that it would blunt China's large arsenal of missiles. But Beijing has mostly been content to let Russia take the lead publicly, knowing the planned deployment of missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic touch a core Russian interest.
"I think that now Russia has convinced China that it needs to speak out more clearly and take a position," said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs magazine. "And Russia has gotten what it wanted — I think Medvedev can be satisfied."
The declaration also reflected strong opposition to NATO's expansion to incorporate ex-Soviet states Georgia and Ukraine. "Security of nations can't be ensured at the expense of other countries through the expansion of military-political alliances," the two leaders said.
After signing the declaration with Medvedev, Hu praised the countries' commitment to tackling security issues. "The two sides have always agreed to take the development of strategic cooperation and partnership as a priority," Hu told reporters.
He also thanked Medvedev and Putin, now Russia's prime minister, for the mobile hospital and rescue teams Moscow sent after the deadly May 12 earthquake in central China.
"Between friends, there can be no other kind of relations," Medvedev said, offering more assistance.
After a slow warming in the 1990s, Beijing and Moscow have in recent years joined in opposing Kosovo's independence and agreed on how to manage the crisis over Iran's nuclear program. The two have held joint military maneuvers on each other's territory and created a regional security grouping to keep the West out of energy-rich Central Asia.
Statements of cooperation and support aside, there is friction and uncertainty over energy and the nations' shifting economic and diplomatic fortunes.
"China still sees Russia as an equal partner, but that view may change as China keep gaining economic and political weight," Lukyanov said. "In five or seven years, Russia may struggle to maintain parity in political relations with China."
But while Moscow and Beijing have pooled efforts in keeping the West out of Central Asia, they are rivals for control of the region's energy riches.
Medvedev's stop in Kazakhstan on his way to China was apparently intended to send a message to both Beijing and the West that Moscow continues to see the former Soviet Central Asia as its home turf.
Moscow and Beijing also have bickered over the price of Russian energy exports. Disagreements over pricing have slowed construction of an oil pipeline from Siberia and blocked plans for a natural gas pipeline. A separate pipeline to Russia's Pacific coast will force China to compete for Siberian crude with Japan.
China was a major customer for Russian weapons industries, buying billions of dollars worth of jets, missiles, submarines and destroyers. But the arms trade has slumped recently as China wanted more advanced weapons, which Moscow was reluctant to sell.
Media reports said Russian officials were concerned about China copying the Russian Su-27 fighter after producing them under license.
___
Associated Press writer Steve Gutterman in Moscow contributed to this report.
|
|
|
64 |
5/9/2008 |
China Govt |
China is not a giant machine — it is a giant human arrangement based on absolute power for some and on slavery for all others.
|
|
|
61 |
5/7/2008 |
Chinese building new naval base |
New satellite images released by the Jane's group of defense publications late last week indicate that the Chinese are building a major strategic naval base on Hainan island, south of the mainland.
|
|
|
62 |
5/7/2008 |
India concernd by Chinese Submarines |
India Troubled by Chinese Submarine Reports
Patrick Goodenough
International Editor
(CNSNews.com) - Revelations of advances in China's nuclear-powered submarine capabilities and naval expansion are having an impact in India, whose own plans for nuclear submarines have undergone lengthy delays.
New satellite images released by the Jane's group of defense publications late last week indicate that the Chinese are building a major strategic naval base on Hainan island, south of the mainland.
Jane's reported that commercially available satellite imagery from the DigitalGlobe Corp. confirmed reports circulating since 2002 about the existence of an underground submarine base. It said 11 tunnel openings were visible at the base near Sanya, on the island's southern tip.
Also visible at the port was China's new Type 094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), known by NATO as the Jin-class.
According to SinoDefence.com, an independent information source based in Britain, the Jin-class has 12 missile silos and will be equipped with Julang-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles with a reported maximum range of almost 5,000 miles.
Unlike conventional (diesel-electric) submarines, nuclear-powered submarines have the ability to remain submerged for long periods of time.
Jane's noted the Sanya base's proximity both to the Taiwan Strait and to major shipping routes to the south, including the Malacca Strait.
Around one-third of the world's sea-borne trade and half of its oil supply are carried each year through the narrow waterway, which runs between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
With its fast-growing economy dependent on energy imports, China has in recent years explored various options to expand and secure supplies, including energy deals with Central Asian republics, proposals for pipelines, and the financing of a deep-water a href=""port in Pakistan, near the entrance to the Persian Gulf.
But the vulnerability of the Malacca Strait remains of key concern: Eighty percent of China's oil supplies presently move through the channel before traversing the South China Sea to mainland ports.
According to Jane's, Beijing's concerns about defending its access to the vital sea lanes are a key factor driving its development of power-projection naval forces in the region.
In his evaluation of the satellite images, retired Indian Navy Vice-Admiral Arun Kumar Singh also noted the presence at the Sanya base of two jetties long enough to accommodate two 80,000 ton aircraft carriers or large amphibious ships.
China does not currently have aircraft carriers although there have been persistent reports since the mid-1980s about plans to acquire them (Beijing is notoriously secretive about its military buildup; the U.S. and some of its allies have for years been pressing the Chinese for greater transparency.)
In its annual report to Congress on China's military power, the Pentagon last year noted that at China's major air show in Zhuhai, Guangdong province in 2006, Chinese "military and civilian officials asserted China's interest in building an aircraft carrier."
The Pentagon report said China has about 58 attack submarines. Most are conventional but China is also building and testing Type 094 Jin-class SSBNs and Type 093 Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), it said.
Any developments in China's naval capability are closely watched in India, which boasts what is considered to be the world's fifth largest navy -- including a flagship carrier -- and has significant security interests in the Indian Ocean.
The Times of India said the extent of the Chinese progress as revealed in the satellite images "has jolted the Indian defense establishment."
Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, voiced concern about the latest reports, but said it was not the location of the base -- of which the Indian Navy was already aware -- as much as the number of submarines being built that was a worry.
"It is not the nuclear submarine bases that matter," he told reporters. "We are concerned over the number of nuclear submarines that are being built in our neighborhood."
Mehta said it was immaterial where the submarines were based, because "nuclear submarines have long legs and can operate over long distances."
The 2007 Pentagon report did not say how many SSBNs China is believed to have in operation or under construction, although the Office of Naval Intelligence in late 2006 said China would "probably" aim to build five Jin-class submarines in order to have "a near-continuous at-sea SSBN presence."
India has for years been pursuing indigenous nuclear-powered submarine capability, under what is known as the ATV (advanced technology vessel) project.
Mehta this week declined to talk about the sensitive project, although last January Indian media reported that the first ATV could be in the water in two years' time. Military analysts then speculated that concerns about the Chinese buildup may have accelerated the program.
If successful, India would become the sixth country -- after the U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China -- with a sea borne nuclear deterrent, the third leg of its long-planned "triad" of ground-based, sea-based and air-deliverable nuclear weapons.
Singh, the retired vice-admiral, said in an op-ed Tuesday that India was about 10 years behind China when it came to developing SSBNs and tactical nuclear powered submarines, and argued that "drastic measures" needed to be taken to reduce the strategic gap.
The U.S. and Indian navies have since 1992 carried out annual joint exercises codenamed Malabar. Last year, the exercise was expanded to include warships from Australia, Japan and Singapore, and focused on waters at the entrance to the Malacca Strait.
* The new revelations about the base on the southern tip of Hainan island recall an incident there in 2001, when a U.S. Navy EP-3 spy plane on what U.S. Pacific Command called a "routine surveillance mission" was involved in a mid-air collision with one of two Chinese F-8 fighter jets which were deployed to intercept the slow-moving aircraft. The Chinese pilot was killed.
Following the collision, the EP-3 issued a mayday warning and made an emergency landing at a military airfield on Hainan. The 24-person crew had held there for 11 days before being permitted to leave, although China only allowed the plane to be dismantled and airlifted home months later. The diplomatic row took relations to a low point. |
|
|
63 |
5/7/2008 |
Out sourcing US military secrets to China |
Hillary Clinton statement: "And let me just say this, I am deeply concerned about acceleration of the outsourcing of production for essential defense material. I was in Indiana the last couple of days of last week - everywhere I went talking to good hardworking Hoosiers, I heard about how company after company that used to do defense work had either lost the work or the company was gone. One specific example just stuck in my mind. All of you have seen those pictures of the precision guided missiles, right? Going down chimneys, hitting targets thousands of miles away. Well, the targeting is dependent upon these magnets and the magnets used to be made in Indiana, the company called Magnequest. The company was bought out, jobs were eliminated, production was moved to China. Not only did we lose jobs, we lost essential, valuable information because you’re not going to tell me that the Chinese military doesn’t have exactly what it takes to make those magnets...." |
|
|
60 |
4/22/2008 |
More US secrets given to China. |
10-year term for trying to bring military secrets to China
Associated Press - April 21, 2008 5:43 PM ET
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - The younger brother of an imprisoned Chinese-American engineer has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in a family conspiracy to export defense technology to China.
U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney sentenced Tai Mak (Tie Mak) on Monday in California. His 67-year-old brother Chi Mak (Chee Mak) was sentenced to 24 1/2 years in prison last month.
Tai Mak and his wife were arrested by FBI agents at Los Angeles International Airport in 2005 as they were heading to China with encrypted CDs that contained sensitive documents on U.S. naval technologies.
Prosecutors say Chi Mak stole the information from the Anaheim-based defense contractor where he worked.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
|
|
|
59 |
4/16/2008 |
Never surrender your weapons |
Think you have a better chance at surviving by listening to an assailant's orders? Think again. You have an 85% chance of surviving a handgun shooting if you are on the move. Gain some distance from the suspect - most hand gun shootings occur at less than 7 yards. Of those shootings, only 11% of an assailant's bullets actually hit the intended target. What if he appears to be a professional marksman? Surprisingly, only 25% of police bullets hit the intended target. And unlike the movies, most of these winners have little to no firearms training AT ALL. You want to give your gun up? What kind of chance do you stand when he turns your gun back around and manages to shoot you in the head? How do you react then? What form of protection will you be left with?
One of the hottest issues in law enforcement today is whether or not you should give your gun up to a suspect who has the drop on you, or is holding a hostage. You could be in the camp that considers the views of Officer Survival expert Ron McCarthy unjustified. You would argue that his views are biased, and outdated. You could even believe it is impossible to predict what you'd do unless you are faced with this situation. Well, do yourself a favor - don't wait until that time to decide whether or not you will surrender your gun. You wouldn't want to enter into a deadly situation unarmed, would you? So, why would you give that option up? If you ever plan on living through that deadly encounter - you'd better heed this warning and HOLD ONTO YOUR GUN.
Give up your gun?! You didn't earn a badge by being last in your class, so don't start acting that way now. If the suspect has you at gunpoint, or has taken a hostage, there are several other things you can do rather than give up your firearm.
BUT what if there are innocent hostages? If you give up your gun, you might as well add one more unarmed, underpowered, vulnerable individual to the group. This suspect is clearly intent on causing serious harm or death. What convictions are you acting upon if you believe by giving up your gun you are saving another's life? Are this thug's words something you would trust your LIFE with? Surrender your gun and you stand just as defenseless as those you are attempting to protect.
BUT what if you're not in a position to run? React decisively and forcefully. Force him to react to you. Get him to start talking and when he blinks, begins to reply to you, or is distracted in any way, use that as your opportunity. In the three-quarters of a second that it takes him to react to you, you could disarm him and shoot him. On the other hand, you hand over your weapon, and you stand in a position of attempting to protect yourself against an armed fugitive with what? A quick right and a left jab?? That's less than "tying with a suspect." The only thing more foolish would be if you took a time out to give him some shooting lessons, and THEN handed him your gun to use - on you.
BUT what about the cops who handed over their gun and made it? For all of those who have lived to tell their war stories when they surrendered their guns and lived - they're lucky. But what about those who didn't? If someone orders you to give up your gun or they will shoot - don't fall victim to this threat. If he's crazy enough to threaten an armed, trained, LE officer, he's probably stupid enough to try and shoot you either way. You only have 2 options in this situation: You must disarm him or shoot him. How can you expect to accomplish this without your gun?
Let's hope you never find yourself in this type of situation. If you do - we want you to do whatever you can to survive. Experts like Ron McCartney stress to NEVER give up your gun, and for good reason. There are too many better alternatives that have proven effective, time and again. And if you follow the fallow myths swirling around out there, you might end up as one - and that's probably not the legend you had in mind, is it?
|
|
|
58 |
2/16/2008 |
Could China's economy pass the US |
The old figures predicted that China would pass the U.S. and become the world's largest economy in 2012. The new figures put the Chinese economy at about half the size of the U.S. economy. If the World Bank is correct, China will not challenge the U.S. for global economic leadership for decades and perhaps even centuries. Economic leadership in the past has translated into political leadership.
|
|
|
56 |
2/16/2008 |
U.S. presses China on military intentions |
Adm. Roughead told reporters that China's navy has become more capable but "the question always comes down to what's their intent. ... That's why I am a proponent of being able to engage the leadership of the [Chinese] navy to get a better sense of what they are about."
Adm. Keating, who in his year as Pacific commander has made two trips to China and received Chinese leaders in Honolulu, said the question was: "Where does China expect to be and where do they want to be in 25 years? I believe they have a long view, but I don't know what it is."
He said his reception by the Chinese on his second trip was markedly different from the first. The atmosphere during his first trip, in May, was "chilly" and Chinese leaders were "more didactic, more preachy and a little more brittle."
On his latest trip, he found Chinese leaders "warmer, more collegial, friendly," he said.
"There was more willingness to listen to a different perspective, a U.S. military perspective, an issue that has implications for strategic relations between [China] and the U.S."
An underlying message, however, has not changed, Adm. Keating said. A predecessor, Adm. Dennis Blair, told a congressional committee in Washington in 1999 that he was trying to reassure the Chinese by asserting that his command was not planning to attack China, or contain China, or pick a fight with China.
The other half of that message, Adm. Blair said, was to warn the Chinese: "Don't mess with us."
Adm. Keating picked up on that point forcefully, saying, "It's still the message."
Adm. Keating said he told Chinese leaders, "We don't want to engage you in kinetic military activity."
At the same time, he cautioned them, "We're fully prepared to, we're trained to, we're ready to, and we want everybody to understand that we're not going to lose."
|
|
|
57 |
2/16/2008 |
Why China is looking outside at the rest of the world. |
Poor air quality, acute water shortages, pollution in major river systems: These are problems that require massive investments to eliminate or forestall environmental disasters. We will find it harder to get China (and India) to make domestic sacrifices to address world problems such as global warming.
|
|
|
55 |
12/14/2007 |
U.S. and China relations hit a rough patch |
But it was also obvious to the American side that relations with China were going through a difficult phase, with discord sometimes crowding out the areas of agreement, as Chinese threatened retaliations over U.S. actions that displease them. The irritations are not just in the economic sphere but in the military and political sphere as well.
"The wheels in the U.S.-China relationship are wobbly right now," said Michael Green, a professor of international relations at Georgetown and former Asia affairs director at the National Security Council under President George W. Bush. "They're not coming off, but they're wobbly."
"We have been working hard to tell the Chinese to trust us on Taiwan," said the senior official, referring to the U.S. support for Beijing's sovereignty over the island. "But they felt that the fact that the missile sales were not brought up during the Gates visit was a slap."
|
|
|
54 |
11/9/2007 |
Date rape drug could be a test on the American public by the Chinese? |
a portion of every dollar that goes to China gets invested into the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army), China's military, which is engaged in a great strategic expansion in anticipation of the coming conflict with the United States. Historically, China views the United States as an enemy. All of their military build-up is targeted at countering the United States -- anti-satellite weapons to target our communications, blue water navy and submarines to counter our aircraft carriers, hacking to disrupt our information infrastructure, anti-surface missiles to counter our navy, short and medium range missiles to target Taiwan and US bases in Asia, ICBM's to target American cities.
|
|
|
53 |
9/26/2007 |
Baiting the enemy |
Baiting: the act of placing targets of opportunity within your sites so that they can be eliminated. Boobytraps have been used through out history to destroy the enemy. This is not a exception. |
|
|
52 |
9/16/2007 |
China poisoning American consumers. War Tactic? |
SYDNEY, Australia - Chinese President Hu Jintao, on the defensive over recalls of tainted toothpaste, pet food and toys, told President Bush on Thursday that Beijing was stepping up product safety inspections.
|
|
|
51 |
9/12/2007 |
China uses lead paint against US |
The Chinese-made toys children receive for Christmas this year will be safe, the head of China's product safety agency said Wednesday, pledging that problems over the use of dangerous lead paint will be resolved in time for holiday exports.
|
|
|
50 |
9/12/2007 |
Chinese military machine has prepared plans for a military offensive against America |
According to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, the Chinese military machine has prepared plans for a military offensive against America that includes a two pronged engagement.
The first prong of attack would include a decisive blow against our Pacific Aircraft Carrier Fleet and simultaneously the second thrust would be the disruption of communications at Pearl Harbor headquarters with the Pentagon.
The Pentagon has apparently codenamed this military option as "Pearl Harbor II" which was uncovered by Britain's Government Communications Headquarters and at the National Security Agency in Menwith Hill.
Some may wonder why China would have plans such as this. On one hand it must be noted that governments across the globe are constantly working on new ways to defend the homeland as well as attack others. Some claim this is what times of peace are for... planning for war. The second reason for such a plan is so that the Chinese military can easily take out Taiwan with little interference from the U.S. military arm.
Personally I see China as a powerful dragon that can knock us down by dumping their dollar inventory into the market and soon their military will rival our own.
China's economic prowess and opportunity leaves deep levees of capital to be invested into the preparation for war. And their ability to take the technology of others and conform it to their own purposes is incredible.
So it doesn't surprise many who study the field of growing empires that China is gunning for us. Our time as the largest consumer nation is limited. And when other countries of consumption can keep China's product line afloat, our time for a confrontation with the dragon may arrive. It's all a matter of necessity. And then comes dominance.
The plans are there. And you can be certain that we have plans to combat their plans. That's the way of strategy. It is why we perform military training exercises. Although after Iraq and the soon head-to-head confrontation with Iran, I wonder how many disgruntled Americans of multiple viewpoints will want to join the volunteer army.
Times are tough. But they could get worse.
|
|
|
49 |
9/10/2007 |
Chinese military hackers have prepared a detailed plan to disable America’s aircraft battle carrier fleet |
Chinese military hackers have prepared a detailed plan to disable America’s aircraft battle carrier fleet with a devastating cyber attack, according to a Pentagon report obtained by The Times.
The blueprint for such an assault, drawn up by two hackers working for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is part of an aggressive push by Beijing to achieve “electronic dominance” over each of its global rivals by 2050, particularly the US, Britain, Russia and South Korea.
China’s ambitions extend to crippling an enemy’s financial, military and communications capabilities early in a conflict, according to military documents and generals’ speeches that are being analysed by US intelligence officials. Describing what is in effect a new arms race, a Pentagon assessment states that China’s military regards offensive computer operations as “critical to seize the initiative” in the first stage of a war.
The plan to cripple the US aircraft carrier battle groups was authored by two PLA air force officials, Sun Yiming and Yang Liping. It also emerged this week that the Chinese military hacked into the US Defence Secretary’s computer system in June; have regularly penetrated computers in at least 10 Whitehall departments, including military files, and infiltrated German government systems this year.
Cyber attacks by China have become so frequent and aggressive that President Bush, without referring directly to Beijing, said this week that “a lot of our systems are vulnerable to attack”. He indicated that he would raise the subject with Hu Jintao, the Chinese President, when they met in Sydney at the Apec summit. Mr Hu denied that China was responsible for the attack on Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary.
Larry M. Wortzel, the author of the US Army War College report, said: “The thing that should give us pause is that in many Chinese military manuals they identify the US as the country they are most likely to go to war with. They are moving very rapidly to master this new form of warfare.” The two PLA hackers produced a “virtual guidebook for electronic warfare and jamming” after studying dozens of US and Nato manuals on military tactics, according to the document.
The Pentagon logged more than 79,000 attempted intrusions in 2005. About 1,300 were successful, including the penetration of computers linked to the Army’s 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and the 4th Infantry Division. In August and September of that year Chinese hackers penetrated US State Department computers in several parts of the world. Hundreds of computers had to be replaced or taken offline for months. Chinese hackers also disrupted the US Naval War College’s network in November, forcing the college to shut down its computer systems for several weeks. The Pentagon uses more than 5 million computers on 100,000 networks in 65 countries.
Jim Melnick, a recently retired Pentagon computer network analyst, told The Times that the Chinese military holds hacking competitions to identify and recruit talented members for its cyber army.
He described a competition held two years ago in Sichuan province, southwest China. The winner now uses a cyber nom de guerre, Wicked Rose. He went on to set up a hacking business that penetrated computers at a defence contractor for US aerospace. Mr Melnick said that the PLA probably outsourced its hacking efforts to such individuals. “These guys are very good,” he said. “We don’t know for sure that Wicked Rose and people like him work for the PLA. But it seems logical. And it also allows the Chinese leadership to have plausible deniability.”
In February a massive cyber attack on Estonia by Russian hackers demonstrated how potentially catastrophic a preemptive strike could be on a developed nation. Pro-Russian hackers attacked numerous sites to protest against the controversial removal in Estonia of a Russian memorial to victims of the Second World War. The attacks brought down government websites, a major bank and telephone networks.
Linton Wells, the chief computer networks official at the Pentagon, said that the Estonia attacks “may well turn out to be a watershed in terms of widespread awareness of the vulnerability of modern society”.
After the attacks, computer security experts from Nato, the EU, US and Israel arrived in the capital, Tallinn, to study its effects.
Sami Saydjari, who has been working on cyber defence systems for the Pentagon since the 1980s, told Congress in testimony on April 25 that a mass cyber attack could leave 70 per cent of the US without electrical power for six months.
He told The Times that all major nations – including China – were scrambling to defend against, and working out ways to cause, “maximum strategic damage” by taking out banking systems, power grids and communications networks. He said that there were at least a thousand attempted attacks every hour on American computers. “China is aggressive in this,” he said.
|
|
|
47 |
9/9/2007 |
China's military has openly discussed using cyber attacks |
China Repeats Denial of Military Hacking
3 days ago
BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese official on Thursday repeated China's denial that it has hacked into other countries' government and military computer networks.
Reports in British and German newspapers this summer have cited unidentified intelligence and other officials saying government and military networks in Germany, the United States and Britain had been broken into by hackers backed by the Chinese army.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said the government "has all along been opposed to and forbidden any cyber crimes."
"To say that the military of China has made cyber attacks against foreign government networks is groundless and irresponsible and born out of ulterior motives," Jiang said at a regularly scheduled news conference.
China's military has openly discussed using cyber attacks as a means of harrying or defeating a more powerful conventional military. In a 1999 paper on unconventional strategies titled "Unlimited Warfare," two top Chinese military figures wrote that a hacker could have more power than a nuclear bomb.
Jiang indicated that, even when the issue came up during a meeting last month between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Merkel didn't demand an investigation.
"According to my knowledge, China's police have not received any requests from relevant countries for a joint investigation," Jiang said.
China's motives for hacking could include stealing secrets or confidential technology; probing for system weaknesses and placing hidden viruses that could be activated in a conflict, computer security experts said. But hackers in other countries also could use computers in China to disguise themselves.
The U.S. Defense Department confirmed on Tuesday that there was an international cyber attack on the Pentagon in June, but a spokesman wouldn't identify the country where it originated.
"It is often difficult to pinpoint the true origin of an intrusion into computer systems and even more difficult to tie the intrusion to a specific nation or government," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
In a report this year, security software maker Symantec Corp. listed China as having the second most malicious computer activity in the world, after the United States.
|
|
|
48 |
9/9/2007 |
Chinese army size |
the Chinese more than three million army is strongly opposed to any military provocation and threat from US, NATO or any other nation as China is powerfully emerging as a full-fledged superpower.
|
|
|
46 |
9/8/2007 |
Chinese military hackers have prepared a detailed plan to disable America. |
Chinese military hackers have prepared a detailed plan to disable America’s aircraft battle carrier fleet with a devastating cyber attack, according to a Pentagon report obtained by The Times.
The blueprint for such an assault, drawn up by two hackers working for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is part of an aggressive push by Beijing to achieve “electronic dominance” over each of its global rivals by 2050, particularly the US, Britain, Russia and South Korea.
China’s ambitions extend to crippling an enemy’s financial, military and communications capabilities early in a conflict, according to military documents and generals’ speeches that are being analysed by US intelligence officials. Describing what is in effect a new arms race, a Pentagon assessment states that China’s military regards offensive computer operations as “critical to seize the initiative” in the first stage of a war.
The plan to cripple the US aircraft carrier battle groups was authored by two PLA air force officials, Sun Yiming and Yang Liping. It also emerged this week that the Chinese military hacked into the US Defence Secretary’s computer system in June; have regularly penetrated computers in at least 10 Whitehall departments, including military files, and infiltrated German government systems this year.
Cyber attacks by China have become so frequent and aggressive that President Bush, without referring directly to Beijing, said this week that “a lot of our systems are vulnerable to attack”. He indicated that he would raise the subject with Hu Jintao, the Chinese President, when they met in Sydney at the Apec summit. Mr Hu denied that China was responsible for the attack on Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary.
Larry M. Wortzel, the author of the US Army War College report, said: “The thing that should give us pause is that in many Chinese military manuals they identify the US as the country they are most likely to go to war with. They are moving very rapidly to master this new form of warfare.” The two PLA hackers produced a “virtual guidebook for electronic warfare and jamming” after studying dozens of US and Nato manuals on military tactics, according to the document.
The Pentagon logged more than 79,000 attempted intrusions in 2005. About 1,300 were successful, including the penetration of computers linked to the Army’s 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions and the 4th Infantry Division. In August and September of that year Chinese hackers penetrated US State Department computers in several parts of the world. Hundreds of computers had to be replaced or taken offline for months. Chinese hackers also disrupted the US Naval War College’s network in November, forcing the college to shut down its computer systems for several weeks. The Pentagon uses more than 5 million computers on 100,000 networks in 65 countries.
Jim Melnick, a recently retired Pentagon computer network analyst, told The Times that the Chinese military holds hacking competitions to identify and recruit talented members for its cyber army.
He described a competition held two years ago in Sichuan province, southwest China. The winner now uses a cyber nom de guerre, Wicked Rose. He went on to set up a hacking business that penetrated computers at a defence contractor for US aerospace. Mr Melnick said that the PLA probably outsourced its hacking efforts to such individuals. “These guys are very good,” he said. “We don’t know for sure that Wicked Rose and people like him work for the PLA. But it seems logical. And it also allows the Chinese leadership to have plausible deniability.”
In February a massive cyber attack on Estonia by Russian hackers demonstrated how potentially catastrophic a preemptive strike could be on a developed nation. Pro-Russian hackers attacked numerous sites to protest against the controversial removal in Estonia of a Russian memorial to victims of the Second World War. The attacks brought down government websites, a major bank and telephone networks.
Linton Wells, the chief computer networks official at the Pentagon, said that the Estonia attacks “may well turn out to be a watershed in terms of widespread awareness of the vulnerability of modern society”.
After the attacks, computer security experts from Nato, the EU, US and Israel arrived in the capital, Tallinn, to study its effects.
Sami Saydjari, who has been working on cyber defence systems for the Pentagon since the 1980s, told Congress in testimony on April 25 that a mass cyber attack could leave 70 per cent of the US without electrical power for six months.
He told The Times that all major nations – including China – were scrambling to defend against, and working out ways to cause, “maximum strategic damage” by taking out banking systems, power grids and communications networks. He said that there were at least a thousand attempted attacks every hour on American computers. “China is aggressive in this,” he said.
|
|
|
44 |
9/5/2007 |
China Trains Youth for Military Service |
Liheng, who starts middle school this week, got a taste of life in the barracks over eight days last month. He and other 12-year-olds were rousted from their bunks before 6 a.m. and ran 1,500 meters before breakfast each day. Dressed in green camouflage uniforms, they split time between physical training and classes.
The highlights, he says, included singing army songs, learning self-defense and studying advanced weaponry, such as U.S. Black Hawk helicopters and aircraft carriers. The low point came when he was forced to stand rigid at attention for 20 minutes in the broiling sun because of his poor marching form.
|
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-09-04-bootcamp_N.htm |
|
45 |
9/5/2007 |
'Chinese hackers attacked UK Parliament, foreign office websites' |
Chinese attackers have launched online assaults against the network at Britain's Parliament and the Foreign Office, The Guardian said, citing unnamed government officials. It added that some of the hackers were believed to be from the Chinese military, without citing sources.
The British government refused to comment on the claim. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence referred questions to the Foreign Office, and a spokesman there said he would not comment on security matters. |
|
|
42 |
9/3/2007 |
Chinese military hacked into Pentagon |
Chinese military hacked into Pentagon
By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington and Richard McGregor in Beijing
Published: September 3 2007 19:00 | Last updated: September 3 2007 20:53
The Chinese military hacked into a Pentagon computer network in June in the most successful cyber attack on the US defence department, say American officials.
The Pentagon acknowledged shutting down part of a computer system serving the office of Robert Gates, defence secretary, but declined to say who it believed was behind the attack.
Current and former officials have told the Financial Times an internal investigation has revealed that the incursion came from the People’s Liberation Army.
One senior US official said the Pentagon had pinpointed the exact origins of the attack. Another person familiar with the event said there was a “very high level of confidence...trending towards total certainty” that the PLA was responsible. The defence ministry in Beijing declined to comment on Monday.
Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, raised reports of Chinese infiltration of German government computers with Wen Jiabao, China’s premier, in a visit to Beijing, after which the Chinese foreign ministry said the government opposed and forbade “any criminal acts undermining computer systems, including hacking”.
“We have explicit laws and regulations in this regard,” said Jiang Yu, from the ministry. “Hacking is a global issue and China is frequently a victim.”
George W. Bush, US president, is due to meet Hu Jintao, China’s president, on Thursday in Australia prior to the Apec summit.
The PLA regularly probes US military networks – and the Pentagon is widely assumed to scan Chinese networks – but US officials said the penetration in June raised concerns to a new level because of fears that China had shown it could disrupt systems at critical times.
“The PLA has demonstrated the ability to conduct attacks that disable our system...and the ability in a conflict situation to re-enter and disrupt on a very large scale,” said a former official, who said the PLA had penetrated the networks of US defence companies and think-tanks.
Hackers from numerous locations in China spent several months probing the Pentagon system before overcoming its defences, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Pentagon took down the network for more than a week while the attacks continued, and is to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. “These are multiple wake-up calls stirring us to levels of more aggressive vigilance,” said Richard Lawless, the Pentagon’s top Asia official at the time of the attacks.
The Pentagon is still investigating how much data was downloaded, but one person with knowledge of the attack said most of the information was probably “unclassified”. He said the event had forced officials to reconsider the kind of information they send over unsecured e-mail systems.
John Hamre, a Clinton-era deputy defence secretary involved with cyber security, said that while he had no knowledge of the June attack, criminal groups sometimes masked cyber attacks to make it appear they came from government computers in a particular country.
The National Security Council said the White House had created a team of experts to consider whether the administration needed to restrict the use of BlackBerries because of concerns about cyber espionage.
|
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9dba9ba2-5a3b-11dc-9bcd-0000779fd2ac.html |
|
43 |
9/3/2007 |
We are under attack by the Chinese. Read Sun Tzsu!!! |
“The Communist Chinese are poisoning our food, killing our people and pets with bio-toxins, trying to destroy our economy any way they can, learning how to destroy our satellites, and now they are directly attacking our Military Defenses!
How long will our leaders sit idly by while the Chinese figure out how to destroy us ? The Chinese Military are actively engaged in this battle for supremacy and the United States is asleep at the wheel thinking that just because they trade with us that they are our friend. bzzzzzz…Wrong!
|
|
|
41 |
8/21/2007 |
China prints military dictionary with latest US forces' terms |
BEIJING: China, as part of its ambitious defence modernisation, has published a new bilingual military dictionary including more than 2,50,000 entries of military terms, mostly from American armed forces publications.
The major sources of 'An English-Chinese Military Dictionary', compiled by linguists and military experts teamed by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) University of Foreign Languages, include the DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, which was published by the Pentagon in 2002.
The military dictionary compilation work, among others, "reflects efforts of the PLA to keep abreast of the new ideas and technologies of the globally prevailing revolution in military affairs," said the publisher, the Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
The new military dictionary covers the latest words, phrases and terms currently used by the US armed forces, while previously published dictionaries were obsolete, which hardly satisfy need of Chinese service people at modern times, the publisher said.
Many entries of the dictionary, explain new ideas and concepts in military science, diplomacy, engineering, meteorology, communication and intelligence.
The PLA University has also compiled four new foreign-Chinese military dictionaries, including Russian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese.
The Chinese armed forces have launched a revolution in military affairs since the 1990s, with a core mission of building digitalised armed forces in order to win a regional war at the information age.
|
|
|
40 |
8/8/2007 |
China threatens 'nuclear option' of dollar sales |
The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress.
Shifts in Chinese policy are often announced through key think tanks and academies.
Described as China's "nuclear option" in the state media, such action could trigger a dollar crash at a time when the US currency is already breaking down through historic support levels.
It would also cause a spike in US bond yields, hammering the US housing market and perhaps tipping the economy into recession. It is estimated that China holds over $900bn in a mix of US bonds.
Xia Bin, finance chief at the Development Research Centre (which has cabinet rank), kicked off what now appears to be government policy with a comment last week that Beijing's foreign reserves should be used as a "bargaining chip" in talks with the US.
"Of course, China doesn't want any undesirable phenomenon in the global financial order," he added.
He Fan, an official at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, went even further today, letting it be known that Beijing had the power to set off a dollar collapse if it choose to do so.
"China has accumulated a large sum of US dollars. Such a big sum, of which a considerable portion is in US treasury bonds, contributes a great deal to maintaining the position of the dollar as a reserve currency. Russia, Switzerland, and several other countries have reduced the their dollar holdings.
"China is unlikely to follow suit as long as the yuan's exchange rate is stable against the dollar. The Chinese central bank will be forced to sell dollars once the yuan appreciated dramatically, which might lead to a mass depreciation of the dollar," he told China Daily.
The threats play into the presidential electoral campaign of Hillary Clinton, who has called for restrictive legislation to prevent America being "held hostage to economic decicions being made in Beijing, Shanghai, or Tokyo".
She said foreign control over 44pc of the US national debt had left America acutely vulnerable.
Simon Derrick, a currency strategist at the Bank of New York Mellon, said the comments were a message to the US Senate as Capitol Hill prepares legislation for the Autumn session.
"The words are alarming and unambiguous. This carries a clear political threat and could have very serious consequences at a time when the credit markets are already afraid of contagion from the subprime troubles," he said.
A bill drafted by a group of US senators, and backed by the Senate Finance Committee, calls for trade tariffs against Chinese goods as retaliation for alleged currency manipulation.
The yuan has appreciated 9pc against the dollar over the last two years under a crawling peg but it has failed to halt the rise of China's trade surplus, which reached $26.9bn in June.
Henry Paulson, the US Tresury Secretary, said any such sanctions would undermine American authority and "could trigger a global cycle of protectionist legislation".
Mr Paulson is a China expert from his days as head of Goldman Sachs. He has opted for a softer form of diplomacy, but appeared to win few concession from Beijing on a unscheduled trip to China last week aimed at calming the waters.
|
|
|
39 |
7/11/2007 |
China Shuts down Western Run Newsletter |
China Shuts Down Western-Run Newsletter
By JOSEPH KAHN
Published: July 11, 2007
BEIJING, July 11 — A popular Western-run newsletter that has written about Chinese social and economic development issues for more than a decade has been ordered to cease operations by the Chinese police, the newsletter’s British editor said today.
The newsletter, China Development Brief, has a staff of 11 people in Beijing who monitor a wide range of news related to poverty alleviation, environmental protection, family planning, international aid programs, and Chinese civil organizations. It publishes Chinese and English editions in print and on the Internet.
Nick Young, who founded the publication in 1995 and edits its English-language edition, said a dozen officials representing the Beijing police and the local statistical bureau told him last week that the newsletter had conducted “unauthorized surveys,” which they deemed a violation of a 1983 law on gathering statistics.
Mr. Young said the authorities provided no specific reason for issuing the order, after allowing the publication to operate for 12 years. He said the newsletter does not conduct polls or surveys, and that the 1983 order is vague enough to prohibit almost any kind of information-gathering that involves interacting with ordinary citizens.
The decision to shut down China Development Brief may reflect China’s growing sensitivity to the role of local and foreign-financed civil organizations, which have proliferated in recent years. Some civic groups have helped people in the lower rungs of Chinese society to defend their legal rights, and some Chinese officials have argued that they have contributed to a surge in social unrest.
China’s central government has generally tolerated such groups, so long as they affiliate themselves with a government sponsor and do not engage in overtly political activities. Officials say that such organizations can provide crucial assistance in detecting and combating corruption, labor abuses and violations of environmental laws.
But President Hu Jintao has also warned that the nation’s security forces must be on guard against the emergence of a “color revolution,” referring to Western-backed social movements that have helped bring about political change in parts of Central Asia and the Middle East.
China Development Brief did not have a license to publish in China, and its staff members were not registered as news correspondents, meaning that the newsletter had long operated without obtaining the permits that are required for larger publications. But Mr. Young said the local authorities had closely monitored his business for years, and that he felt they understood that providing objective information to foreign aid agencies would serve China’s interests.
He said the newsletter frequently defends China against what he says are stereotypes perpetrated by the American government and by Western reporters who write about the country.
“I have spent the last decade telling foreigners that China is not as repressive and totalitarian as the Western media often portray it to be,” Mr. Young said. “At the end of the day, I hoped that if we had an open, intelligent conversation, we would be accepted.
“But I think we miscalculated, or they miscalculated.”
|
|
|
38 |
7/6/2007 |
Who will feed China |
China is a country with a large population but less arable land. With only 7 percent of the world's cultivated land, China has to feed one fifth of the world's population. Therefore, China's agriculture is an important issue and draws wide attention of the world. Some foreigners once raised the question, " Who will feed China?" China's leaders and agriculture experts' reply was, "We Chinese will feed ourselves."
This sector has developed rapidly since reforms in the rural areas began in 1978. The major reforms were: the household contract responsibility system, which restored to the farmers the right to use land, arrange farm work, and to dispose of their output; canceling the state market monopoly of agricultural products, and of price controls over most of agricultural and ancillary products; abolishing many restrictive policies, allowing farmers to develop diversified business and set up township enterprises so as to fire their enthusiasm for production. The reforms emancipated and developed rural productive forces, promoted the rapid growth of agriculture - particularly in grain production - and the optimization of agricultural structure. The achievements have been remarkable.
In the 1990s, China's agriculture and rural economy faced unprecedented difficulties and challenges. But development momentum maintained fairly good nonetheless, with most products in surplus and supply and demand basically in balance every year. The year 2004 was a turning point, with grain production of 469.47 million tons, reversing a five-year decline. Now China leads the world in output of grain, cotton, oil plants, fruit, meat, eggs, aquatic products and vegetables.Output per capita has risen significantly. In 2004, grain output was 362 kg per capita; per capita figures for meat (pork, beef, and mutton), milk, and aquatic products were above world averages, reaching 44.6 kg, 17.4 kg, and 37.8 kg, respectively.Source: China.org.cn
|
|
|
37 |
5/29/2007 |
China lashes out at US on 'China threat theory' |
China expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to a report by the US Defence Department on the nation's build-up of its military strength.
Describing itself as a "peace loving country," China today lashed out at the United States for "exaggerating" Beijing's military strength and interfering in the nation's internal affairs.
China expresses "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to a report by the US Defence Department on the nation's build-up of its military strength, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Jiang Yu said in a statement.
"The report exaggerates China's military strength and expenditure with ulterior motives," she said.
"It disseminates the 'China threat' theory, severely violates norms of international relations and wantonly interferes with China's internal affairs," she said.
As a peace-loving country, China sticks to a path of peaceful development and adopts a defensive national defence policy, Jiang said.
"The international community has a fair judgment that China is an important force in promoting peace in the Asia-Pacific and the world," she said.
|
|
|
35 |
5/27/2007 |
China's quiet military buildup |
WASHINGTON - China is improving its capacity for launching surprise military attacks along its border areas, reflecting its view that preemption is necessary when confronting a more powerful enemy, the Pentagon said yesterday. the Pentagon also said China's recent success at destroying a satellite in low Earth orbit was a threat to the interests of all space-faring nations and posed dangers to human space flight. a long-term strategy to build up China's power to maximize options for the future," the Pentagon report said. Chinese military training that focuses on no-notice, long-range air strikes "could also indicate planning for preemptive military options in advance of regional crises," the report said.China has purchased UHF-band satellite-communications jammers and is developing other technologies and concepts for weapons with anti-satellite missions, the report said.
|
|
|
34 |
5/27/2007 |
Chinese military 'cause for concern' |
China's deployment of long-range ballistic nuclear missiles is causing concern in Washington, according to a Pentagon report on China's military that was to be published on Friday. The 2007 Pentagon China military power report highlights “the surprising pace of development of a new Jin-class submarine equipped to carry a nuclear ballistic missile with a range of more than 5,000 miles,” according to the Financial Times.The United States is also concerned about the strategic implications of China's preparations to start deploying a new mobile, land-based DF-31A intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching reach U.S. soil. China is “devoting substantial resources to the military and developing...some very sophisticated capabilities,” said U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday. The report also takes note of the build-up of Chinese missiles across the Taiwan Strait, a recent anti-satellite missile test and its development of technologies to deny access in space.
|
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=74186 |
|
36 |
5/27/2007 |
The Chinese Espionage Style |
reports how the case provides an inside look at the methods the Chinese use in the United States to acquire cutting-edge technology and the U.S. government's efforts. While the FBI's limited FCI programs run up against the espionage efforts of dozens of foreign countries, no country poses a more aggressive or widespread intelligence threat to the United States than China. o counter them.Due to China's size and the communist government's control of society, the Chinese can devote immense manpower to gathering intelligence. For example, the U.S. State Department issued 382,000 nonimmigrant visas and 37,000 immigrant visas to Chinese citizens in 2006.Additionally, more than 62,000 Chinese students were studying at U.S. universities last year. Additionally, in many cases, the activities of Chinese agents do not fit the legal definition of espionage. Scouring open-source material for new and emerging technologies, attending technology conferences and trade shows and hiring firms to look at new technologies are all legal activities -- and U.S. companies do this all the time. Some Chinese agents, then, are engaging much more in business intelligence than in true espionage. Given the blurred lines between civilian and government/military technology in China, however, the information gleaned can easily find its way into military applications.The Chinese are renowned for their patient and persistent espionage methods, and for their technological reverse-engineering capabilities. They also are noted for taking an extremely long view of their political and military needs and of the intelligence required to meet them.
|
|
|
32 |
5/19/2007 |
Chinese threat in Africa AFRICOM |
The Bush administration announced in February the formation of a new military command system in Africa, the United States African Command (AFRICOM), couched in the usual combination of humanitarian and anti-terrorist terminology.In an ominous development mirroring the explosive expansion of US militarism, the Bush administration has designated Africa as a continent of “strategic national concern,” and has initiated a new military policy to coincide with this new classification.AFRICOM was not being set up in “response to Chinese presence” or to “secure resources,” such as oil. “While some of these may be part of the formula,” he acknowledged, the real is reason is that Africa “is emerging on the world scene as a strategic ‘player,’ and we need to deal with it as a continent.”
|
http://www.countercurrents.org/porter190507.htm |
|
33 |
5/19/2007 |
Group sees China military rise as a threat |
The growing power of China's military poses a fundamental challenge to existing order in East Asia, the Rand Corp. said Thursday in proposing wide-ranging changes in strategy for U.S. forces around the world. In reviewing security threats, the U.S. government-financed research group identified foremost a need to promote stability in such remote areas as Afghanistan, Central Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines. In Asia, where the report said China poses military and strategic challenges, U.S. air and naval firepower and support would come to the defense of Taiwan if attacked. And the status of Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province, is the touchiest item in the U.S.-Chinese relationship "and one of the most dangerous flashpoints in the world," the report said.
|
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/front/2007519/110011.htm |
|
29 |
5/9/2007 |
China moving from defensive to attack capability |
Between 2001 and 2004, China is known to have spent $US10.4 billion importing weapons systems. Clearly, China is moving from a defensive capability to an attack capability. |
|
|
31 |
5/9/2007 |
China Navy and Merchant ships |
China is upgrading its submarines. The Romeo and Ming class conventionally powered submarines are being augmented or replaced by the more capable Song class submarines that are produced in China, and Kilo class submarines China has acquired from Russia. Its small force of nuclear-powered submarines is being upgraded. The old Han class submarines are being replaced by the indigenously produced Type 093-class SSN.
Three new classes of Chinese-made destroyers are being brought into commission; the Luyang I, the Luyang II and the Luhau will enable a single ship to provide anti-aircraft defence not just for itself but for a formation of ships. China is also considering building its own aircraft carrier.
China is also emerging as the world's most important builder of merchant shipping. It will overtake South Korea by 2015 to become the world's biggest producer of all classes of ships, by which time it will have no less than 21 dry docks. As it is, the shipping arms of South Korea's Daewoo and Samsung have set up shipbuilding facilities in China to save costs.
|
|
|
30 |
5/9/2007 |
India building up Naval forces |
India is beefing up its naval capabilities too. But it's doing so largely because China is. It is developing its own aircraft carrier that will be capable of operating a fleet of 30 aircraft, including naval light combat aircraft and Sea Harrier aircraft. India is also working on its own nuclear submarine.
It announced last year that a naval base would be established on its east coast, near Visakhapatnam. The base is expected to berth two aircraft carriers, support ships and submarines. Part of the rationale for the new base is to counter China's emerging naval power in the Bay of Bengal. And like China, India is very dependent on the Malacca Straits. About half its international goods trade passes through the straits.
In many respects it is more advanced than China, particularly when it comes to sea power. But it's China that attracts all the attention.
|
|
|
28 |
5/9/2007 |
Largest army in the world |
China has the world's largest military, with 2.3 million active personnel. |
|
|
27 |
5/4/2007 |
China expected to expand navy: US military |
China will likely expand its navy and send its ships further out on the high seas to take a more active role in securing global sea lanes vital to its burgeoning economy, the US naval commander in Japan said yesterday.Rear Admiral James Kelly said " China is thinking that they need to have a blue water navy to protect their interests around the globe."Kelly predicted that Beijing was planning to protect global sea lanes, such as those that bring iron ore and natural gas from Australia and have helped China become the world's biggest economy after the US and Japan.Relations have been improving recently, however, as US leaders cautiously seek to increase exchanges and better understand China's rapidly modernizing People's Liberation Army, the world's largest.
|
|
|
26 |
5/4/2007 |
the largest military build-up the world has witnessed since the end of the Cold War |
Once thought of as the “sick man of Asia” with land confiscated by the British, Dutch, Germans and Japanese, the newly reborn Asian Giant is extending its diplomatic networks and pursuing its military objectives without any real opposition. China maintains its primary focus is isolated to Taiwan, but it has quietly been expanding its aircraft, ship and missile capabilities signaling a direct challenge to United States interests.The United States has done little to safeguard the nation against the Asian Giant.According to a report by the Rand Corporation the Chinese have assembled advanced strategies confrontation with the United States which includes “massive missile attack, computer network sabotage, and radical technological advances to build, a networked military loosely paralleling American initiatives to fuse intelligence and communications.”A recent Pentagon report reads “the United States remains the central focus of China's military, with emphasis on "attacking stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and helicopters, while defending against precision strikes, electronic warfare, and enemy reconnaissance". The study notes that "China does not face a direct threat from another nation. |
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/24805.html |
|
24 |
4/25/2007 |
Maintaining Our Military Might |
On Feb. 27, Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell warned the Senate that China is building its military "to reach some state of parity with the United States" and "would become an increasing threat over time."That threat could develop quickly.
China plans to slide under our navy. It already boasts a fleet of 29 modern submarines, including 13 super-quiet Russian-made Kilo class subs and 14 Chinese-made Song and Yuan class diesel electric submarines. At least 10 more of these subs are in China's shipyards, together with five new nuclear ballistic missile and attack subs.In the skies, China's once-dilapidated air force already contains hundreds of Russian-made fighters, and reportedly plans to acquire at least 250 more. Meanwhile, China adds more than 100 short-range ballistic missiles to its arsenal annually. Virtually all are aimed at America's ally, the democratic island of Taiwan, which China has long insisted it will annex someday.
|
|
|
23 |
4/25/2007 |
U.S. Air Force general says China expanding air capabilities |
WASHINGTON: U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley said Tuesday China was rapidly expanding its long-range air force abilities and was becoming "very capable.""They're getting the ability to go beyond just a 'Taiwan scenario,'" he said, referring to the island 100 miles (160 kilometers) off its coast that China regards as part of its territory.China's motives remain unclear, but demonstrating that it can shoot down one of its own satellites also suggests it could knock another nation's satellites out of the sky if it chose, which Moseley said would be widely seen as "an act of war."
|
|
|
25 |
4/25/2007 |
We will fire missiles at China, says Taiwan |
TAIWAN has said for the first time it would fire missiles at Chinese airfields and missile launch sites if its archrival ever attacked the island.
The details emerged as Taiwan military leaders discussed the results of simulated attack scenarios, part of the island's annual military exercises that began last month and which the defence ministry said showed Taiwan could successfully repel a Chinese attack.Analysts and Taiwan military officers say the likely targets would be in areas adjacent to Taiwan along China's west coast where Beijing has deployed nearly 1000 short-range cruise missiles, according to Taiwan government estimates.
China also has 700 fighter and bomber aircraft within strike range, along with 400,000 ground troops, according to a Pentagon report on China's military power.By comparison, Taiwan has 130,000 ground forces and 330 combat aircraft, according to the Pentagon.
|
|
|
22 |
4/23/2007 |
Air Force Reviewing Military Satellite Vulnerabilities |
The Air Force's top general has ordered a wide-ranging review of the vulnerabilities of U.S. military satellites. The review was ordered last month by Gen. T. Michael “Buzz” Moseley. China's secrecy has led to concerns that Beijing is attempting to perfect a wide array of anti-satellite weapons, including jammers for navigation and communications satellites, and possibly the deployment of small “space mines” that could disable U.S. military satellites in the event of a conflict. Both U.S. and Russia have demonstrated the ability to knock down satellites. Marine Gen. Peter Pace questioned Chinese officials during a visit there last month, but said he received no explanation about why they conducted the test that destroyed the weather satellite.“Space is a bad place to fight,” Alston aid. “I want to solve this problem someplace else.”
|
|
|
20 |
3/24/2007 |
Chairman Observes Chinese Land Combat Exercise |
Chairman Observes Chinese Land Combat Exercise
Posted By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton @ 2:19 pm. Filed under Politics, Middle East/Terrorism
Courtesy of Defense Link:
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
DALIAN, China, March 24, 2007 - Artillery and mortar fire poured in on one impact area, while attack helicopters launched strikes that absolutely pulverized another.
Tanks and armored personnel carriers raced down tank trails, firing main guns and disgorging soldiers who immediately went on the attack with small arms.
All this - and more - went on under the watchful eyes of Gen. Peter Pace. As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a Marine for 40 years, Pace has participated in countless exercises like this one.
But this one was different for the chairman. The troops, tanks, aircraft and armored vehicles were Chinese. Pace observed the exercise at the Dalian Training Area here at the invitation of the leaders of the People’s Liberation Army.
Pace came here to increase understanding and military-to-military cooperation between the United States and China. He met with senior Chinese defense and foreign affairs leaders in Beijing March 22 and 23. After the meetings, he flew to Shenyang, China and was hosted by soldiers of the Military Region. Today, he visited airmen of the 1st Air Division at Anshan Air Base and then flew in a PLA Air Force Boeing 737-300 here to observe the exercise conducted by soldiers of the 39th Army Corps.
Fog on the peninsula jutting out into the Yellow Sea almost cancelled the trip. But it cleared enough to continue. Pace and his staff ate lunch with the leaders of the unit and then climbed a steep hill to observe the exercise. A Chinese senior colonel described what would take place through an interpreter.
And then the crack of artillery began.
The Chinese military ran the exercise without mistake or mishap, even though banks of fog sometimes obscured the terrain. Pace watched as state-of-the-art T-99 tanks rumbled into view and he could hear the squeal of the tracks as they went over the roadwheels.
Chinese soldiers ran out of BMPs - armored personnel carriers - to open lanes through simulated minefields. Some vehicles were “hit” and large clouds of red smoke billowed from them. The follow on forces drove on to the battlefield in older T-80 tanks.
The sights, the noise, the smells, the orders pouring over the radio net were familiar to seasoned U.S. military professionals observing the exercise. Even the feeling as the overpressure of an explosion a mile away reaches the observation point seemed normal. One difference was that in the United States, the friendly forces are called the “blue forces.” In China, the friendly forces are called “red forces.”
Following the exercise, Pace spoke with PLA leaders and then met with the soldiers who put on the demonstration. Pace thanked the soldiers for the extra work they had to put in to make the demonstration so successful. He told them he was honored to be with them, and said the free and truthful exchange of ideas by military professionals can make the world a safer place.
After a group photo, Pace and Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey shook hands with each of the soldiers involved. if(typeof(dstb)!= “undefined”){ dstb();}
[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32573]
|
|
|
19 |
3/24/2007 |
China‘s military proposes cooperation |
China‘s military proposes cooperation
Staff and agencies
24 March, 2007
By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press Writer Fri Mar 23, 5:50 PM ET
BEIJING - China‘s military is proposing officer exchanges and other confidence-building measures with the U.S. Army and may be inching closer to setting up a "hotline" for emergency communication with Washington, the top U.S. general said Friday. However, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he received no new information in meetings with Chinese military chiefs about Beijing‘s test of an anti-satellite weapon in January that raised concern in Washington. He said he continued to press China‘s generals for more transparency about the aims of their military buildup.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Pace said he immediately agreed to study the proposals put forward Friday by Gen. Liang Guanglie, chief of the PLA‘s General Staff Department. Liang‘s move suggested a departure from the skepticism with which the highly secretive People‘s Liberation Army has long regarded cooperation with the U.S. military.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Liang‘s proposals included sending Chinese cadets to the Army academy at West Point as well as participating in joint exercises and humanitarian and relief-at-sea operations "that might be able to build trust and confidence amongst our forces." >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
During that crisis, communication between the sides was spotty and at times nonexistent, largely because Washington had no direct channel of communications with the Chinese leadership. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"The Chinese military understands as well as I do that the opportunity to pick up the phone and talk to somebody you know and smooth out misunderstandings quickly is a very important part of relations between two countries," Pace said. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
China has complained about U.S. plans to sell a batch of more than 400 missiles to Taiwan, but Pace said he had no details and didn‘t indicate whether the deal was mentioned in discussions. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The general didn‘t say how the Chinese officers responded to his calls for more transparency. China raised its military budget by 17.8 percent this year to about $45 billion — the biggest jump since 1995. The Pentagon says actual Chinese defense spending could be twice as high.
|
|
|
21 |
3/24/2007 |
Chinese Leaders Welcome Pace to Beijing |
Chinese Leaders Welcome Pace to Beijing
March 24th, 2007 by Raymond
By Jim GaramoneAmerican Forces Press Service
March 22, 2007 – Chinese leaders today warmly welcomed Marine Gen. Peter Pace here as he began a visit intended to expand military-to-military contacts between the United States and the world’s most populous nation. ”Our military, economic and political ties are important to peace in Asia and the world,” Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said. “This visit is very important to the militaries of both nations. I truly believe the future is very bright for U.S.-Chinese cooperation.”
Pace was beaming as his walked down the steps of his C-40B aircraft upon arrival. It is the chairman’s first visit to China after many years of military service in Asia.
Chinese military leaders honored Pace with a troop review at the Defense Ministry’s Bayi Building, near Tiananmen Square. His counterpart, People’s Liberation Army Gen. Liang Guanglie, hosted the event and held the first meeting with the chairman. Vice Chairman of the Chinese Military Commission Gen. Cao Gangchuan held the second meeting with Pace. Finally the chairman called on Gen. Guo Boxiong, roughly the equivalent to the national security advisor, who visited Pace last year in Washington.
|
|
|
17 |
3/14/2007 |
China Threat |
“The East Wind shall prevail over the West Wind,” prophesied Mao Zedong. Lest you think Mao’s successors have departed from his philosophy, consider that the latest Chinese long-range nuclear missiles are called the “East Wind” series. |
|
|
15 |
3/14/2007 |
Chinese have ability to sink a US carrier |
Ability to sink a U.S. carrier: China has publicly stated that it intends to be able to sink an American aircraft carrier. Among the technologies that could allow China to do this are anti-ship cruise missiles, which China could fire from land across long distances, and which it is now developing. China is also developing an over-the-horizon radar network with which to track surface ships.................China has reportedly bought from Russia eight new Kilo-class diesel subs. China, which already has four of the subs, is to take delivery of the eight beginning in 2007. |
|
|
16 |
3/14/2007 |
Chinese look for US vunlerabilities. |
Focus on asymmetrical warfare: China's President Jiang Zemin in 1999 called for the People's Liberation Army to develop weapons with which a technologically inferior Chinese military might defeat a technologically superior U.S. one. More specifically, China seeks to develop "assassin's mace" weapons -- what Americans might call a "magic bullet" -- with which to attack U.S. vulnerabilities. This focus on "asymmetrical warfare" draws on two millennia of Chinese strategic tradition. The congressional report says China focuses on such weaknesses as U.S. reliance on computer networks and dependency on satellites for military reconnaissance, navigation and communications. The Chinese also plan to target business communications, and specific systems such as the New York Stock Exchange computers or the communications and computers of airbases and carriers.
|
|
|
18 |
3/14/2007 |
Future Naval Encounter with China |
In any naval encounter China will have distinct advantages over the United States, even if it lags in technological military prowess. It has the benefit, for one thing, of sheer proximity. Its military is an avid student of the competition, and a fast learner. It has growing increments of "soft" power that demonstrate a particular gift for adaptation. While stateless terrorists fill security vacuums, the Chinese fill economic ones. All over the globe, in such disparate places as the troubled Pacific Island states of Oceania, the Panama Canal zone, and out-of-the-way African nations, the Chinese are becoming masters of indirect influence—by establishing business communities and diplomatic outposts, by negotiating construction and trade agreements. Pulsing with consumer and martial energy, and boasting a peasantry that, unlike others in history, is overwhelmingly literate, China constitutes the principal conventional threat to America's liberal imperium.
|
|
|
14 |
3/12/2007 |
Chinese test could be aimed at taking out US satellite systems |
Earlier Wednesday, the top U.S. commander in the Pacific, Admiral William Fallon, told a congressional committee some of China's military buildup is aimed at countering U.S. capabilities. He said China's military has apparently been told to develop the ability to take Taiwan by force, if necessary, and to deal with any U.S. military help that would be provided to the island.
He said China's recent test of an anti-satellite weapon is "clearly" aimed at countering U.S. military systems, which rely heavily on satellites for surveillance and communications. But other U.S. officials have said the U.S. military has plenty of back-up systems, and more are being developed, some of which do not rely on satellites. - VOA News
|
|
|
9 |
3/7/2007 |
Car Bomb Kills at Least 15 Iraqi Pilgrims |
BAGHDAD, March 7 — At least 25 people were killed in bomb and shooting attacks today, including a suicide car bomb attack directed against Shiite religious pilgrims, according to interior-ministry and hospital officials.The attacks followed a day of carnage on Tuesday when at least 109 pilgrims were killed and more than 200 were wounded on the road to the southern city of Karbala.Sunni Arab militants are suspected of carrying out the attacks against the Shiites, as a demonstration that they can still inflict grave damage inside or outside the capital as the American-backed Baghdad security plan persists in its fourth week. |
|
|
5 |
3/7/2007 |
China Army Builds for Defense |
This is the same story that Germany used to start WW1 and WW2. Taiwan is only just one of the goals of China. Chinas wants Taiwan.Taiwan represents the government that the Communists overthrew in the 1940's. This desire wold be simular if England wanting to have the 13 colonies returned. No way in hell. We will have war with China in the future if we do not watch out. |
|
|
10 |
3/7/2007 |
China confirms Moon probe in 2007 |
China will launch its first lunar probe this year, and expects to be able to land a man on the Moon within 15 years, a senior space official has confirmed.China became the third nation to place a human in space in October 2003.The Moon exploration programme includes a planned lunar fly-by in 2007, a "soft landing" in 2012, return of lunar samples by 2017, and landing an astronaut on the Moon within 15 years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6423323.stm
|
|
|
12 |
3/7/2007 |
China to issue human rights record of the United States |
China to issue human rights record of the United States
The Information Office of China's State Council, the cabinet, is scheduled to issue the Human Rights Record of the United States in 2006 on Thursday.
Sources with the office said this is in response to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006 issued by the U.S. Department of State on March 6.
It is the eighth consecutive year that China has issued human rights record of the United States to answer the U.S. State Department annual report, which willfully distorted and groundlessly criticized China's human rights situation.
Source: Xinhua
|
http://english.people.com.cn |
|
7 |
3/7/2007 |
North Korea Says Talks With Japan Canceled |
Japan and North Korea will resume talks on Thursday on normalizing ties after the negotiations stalled Wednesday over the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by the communist regime decades ago, Japan's chief negotiator said.North Korea admitted in 2002 that it kidnapped 13 Japanese citizens from their homeland in the 1970s and 1980s. Pyongyang sent five of them home later that year but insisted that the rest were dead. Japan has demanded proof and says more of its citizens may have been taken. Pyongyang has claimed the abduction issue is finished.
|
http://www.nytimes.com |
|
11 |
3/7/2007 |
President Hu's visit to Russia to further strategic partnership |
Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Russia will further boost the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination, China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said in Beijing Tuesday.
This year marks the Year of China in Russia, and the two countries will hold about 200 activities to promote bilateral exchanges, deepen traditional friendship and further boost China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination, Li said. Top leaders, governments, relevant departments and the peoples of the two countries are working "hand in hand" to deepen the traditional friendship, raise the level of China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination so as to boost the common development of the two countries and to make new contributions to world peace and development, Li said. http://english.people.com.cn/200703/06/eng20070306_354763.html
|
http://english.people.com.cn |
|
13 |
3/7/2007 |
This little piggy's just weird. China |
In the odd animals hall of fame, this little piggy takes the cake.
Pigs are a sign of fertility in China, and in the Year of the Pig, this piglet got more than his fair share, being born with two mouths, two noses and three eyes.
Liu Shuping, a farmer specialising in raising pigs, presented the new-born piglet in Xi an, in north-west China's Shannxi province yesterday.
But it's not unique. Only last month there were reports of a pig being born in Quanzhou in East China's Fujian province with two mouths and four eyes.
smh.com.au
|
|
|
2 |
3/6/2007 |
Water shortage for China |
China is running out of water. They will be looking in other areas to fix this problem. War maybe the only solution. |
|