LOOK OUT FOR WOMEN…..the CIA-MOSSAD Diversion
….links the large number of women in the Dubai passport caper to the story that Al-Qaeda (the CIA and Mossad) has been training western women to attack various targets….
The assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai was on 19 January 2010.
On 23 January 2010, the UK’s Daily Telegraph, the voice of MI6, promoted the idea that if we read or heard about British looking women involved in acts of terrorism, we should assume that these women were Al Qaeda.
On 15 February 2010 it was revealed by the Dubai police that a number of white women had been involved in the Dubai assassination.
According to The Daily Telegraph (the voice of MI6), on 23 January 2010:
The women, who may have a ‘non Arab’ appearance and be travelling on Western passports, have been prepared for their missions by the …. group responsible for the operation to blow up an airliner over the United States on Christmas Day…
US law enforcement agents have been told to be on the lookout for females … who may attempt to enter the country.
At least two are believed to be connected to al-Qaeda…
Richard Clarke, a former chief White House counter terrorism adviser, said: “They have trained women.
“There are others who … may not be men.”
Security sources said that it was “inevitable” that al-Qaeda would eventually turn to using women with a western appearance…
So, MI6 apparently feared that the Dubai police would discover that certain women were linked to the Dubai assassination.
But MI6 wanted us to think these women were agents of al Qaeda…..or Al-CIAda/MOSSAD.
Ah its that time again to go football crazy ! Once every four years the whole world joins in to enjoy the “Beautiful Game” of football or soccer as it is known in some countries. All the world’s greatest players unite in their home countries to battle our for the treasured prize known as the World Cup. This round it is being held in South Africa in June 2010.
I stumbled across a revealing pie chart today of global distribution of military expenditure in 2008. The source was the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Yearbook of 2009 and showed that the US spending alone was over two fifths of the entire total. China, France, the UK and Russia (the other members of the UN Security Council) account for another fifth, as do the next 10 countries with the rest of the world accounting for the last fifth. Among other things it confirms the old Eisenhower line that the US remains under the influence of the military-technological complex. And its dominance of world affairs is not about to end any time soon – unless it is undone Soviet-style by budget woes.
US military spend continues to rise. Earlier this month President Obama sought congressional approval for $708b in defense spending. The request included a 3.4 percent boost in the Pentagon’s base budget and $159b for missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. The president’s spending freeze on other parts of the budget, designed to rein in the massive deficit, clearly did not apply to the military. The defense department said the funds are needed for a variety of costs including everything from health care to nuclear missiles. Obama said the budget proposal included cuts of “unnecessary defence programs that do nothing to keep us safe” but Defence Secretary Robert Gates claimed the overall increase was due to “broader range of security challenges on the horizon.”
As Chinese news agency Xinhua reasonably asks Why Does US Defence Spending Keep Growing? At a time of economic uncertainty and a national deficit of $1.6 trillion, and a scaled down presence in Iraq and Afghanistan the Pentagon remains immune from cutbacks. Xinhua notes Obama sought congressional approval for $708b in defense spending so it could keep up its role of “global policeman”.
The Department of Defense doesn’t use such emotive language. It said the funding increase allows them “to address its highest priorities, such as the president’s commitment to reform defense acquisition, develop a ballistic missile defense system that addresses modern threats, and continue to provide high quality healthcare to wounded service members.” There is a focus on increasing funding of unmanned aircraft while the Pentagon strategy also moves away from the old focus on developing the capability of fighting two major wars simultaneously.
The other big reason for the increase is across the board pay rises. In the 2010 budget, Congress authorised an increase of 3.4 percent, which was 0.5 percent more than requested. This year defence officials will ask Congress to keep the pay raise capped at 1.4 percent. The Army’s base budget request of $143.4 billion is designed to support a force of 547,400 active-duty soldiers, 358,200 National Guardsmen and 205,000 Army Reservists. There is also an ongoing 22,000-soldier expansion of the active component that could bring the service’s personnel strength to nearly 570,000 by the end of 2011.
However nearly all of the increased spending of the last decade can be directly attributed to the impact of 9/11. The average Defense Department budgets has gone up by more than two thirds since the era between 1954 and 2001 according to Carl Conetta at the Project on Defense Alternatives at the Commonwealth Institute in a report titled “An Undisciplined Defense: Understanding the 2-trillion-dollar Surge in U.S. Defense Spending.” It is difficult not to draw the conclusion that fighting the supposed bogey of terrorism has been good business for the Pentagon.
Okay, not Darwin-Natural, but Locke Natural. Anyways, feel free to ignore this post as it is more for my own clarification and reference point than anything else. Forgive my terrible summation of Lockean theory, as I was merely attempting to simplify it so as to be able to present it in a simple point.
Basically Lockean theory is based on the idea that rights are at the center of all human nature. Also, that all humans have the right to freedoms, and freedom equals equality, and thus all humans must be free and equal and no human can be more free or equal than the other.
On the principles of everyone having rights, and thus freedoms and equality, the government created for this society is two fold, and therefore the politics regarding the situation are centered around the right of freedom and thus, equality.
First of all, the government has no power but what the people give it. Second, the government serves as a guide and only those who consent to be governed may have this government over them — otherwise, they have no power, and if the government does have power which was not previously consented to be given, then that makes humans unequal and therefore it is unnatural.
Furthermore, if the government does not have the consent of the people (for example, if Obama has lost the faith of the American people and thus they withdraw their consent to his governance over them), then the people have the right to revolution. The right to revolution is the act of withdrawing consent from the governing party. It can take place in war, in civil insurrection etc but predominantly, it takes place in a structured form (in modern democratic societies, anyways), i.e. elections.
Thus, revolution is the natural path to recovering the right of humans to freedom and therefore, equality.
Dominika Peczynski talade om depression imorse i Malou von Sivers program Efter Tio. En sak som jag lyssnade lite extra på var när hon talade om att hennes förre man (som var högt uppsatt i finansvärlden) under förra hösten ringde henne dagligen och talade om att en finansiell undergång var på väg, att ekonomin skulle krascha. Han rådde henne även att betala av sina lån och sälja sina andelar i vad det nu än var hon hade andelar i, för den här gången skulle det bli värre än på 30-talet. Strax därpå blev hon beroende av ekonominyheter och hon var snart inne i en depressions-period.
Malou var f.ö. snabb med att klargöra att Dominikas exman var förvirrad och lite tokig. Jag undrar om han kanske inte var så tokig trots allt, för visst är den där stora kraschen på väg. Dollarn spelar nog på sina sista verser just nu.
Ommegang is a New York brewer specializing in Belgian style beers. I am far from an expert on Belgian beers, but I know enough to know that the two beers sampled here are not all that great.
First up is the Hennepin which is a saison style ale. The Saisons that I have had are fresh and bright and have strong yeast flavor. Maybe because they are often called ‘farmhouse’ ales, I usually find some herbal notes in the palate. Not with this one. The Hennepin was thin and weak tasting. It did have a nice foamy head, but there was not much else going on with this beer. I will give it a 4.5/10, and I am being generous with that.
The next beer was the Abbey Ale. This poured a deep ruby color, and had a nice head. It had some spice notes in the aroma, and had a malty flavor. It was not bad, but it was far from great. It gets a 5.5/10.
While I will not go back to the well for either of these beers, Ommegang brews what they call Chocolate Indulgence, which looks worth a try.
Child modeling goes beyond the beauty pageants and could prove to be great fun for both the parents and the child, as well as contributing to their college fund. One way to get your child into modeling is by applying to a commercial agency such as Models Direct.
During the process of finding modeling work you may have to attend castings or auditions that could mean anxious times for both of you. Follow Models Direct’s top tips to ensure your child has the best chance of getting the part.
Start off by turning up on time, or early if possible (some castings might ask you not to arrive before a certain time). This is far more professional and allows you and child to relax before the clients ask to see you.
Kids can be bubbly and outgoing at home but become nervous when asked to perform in front of people they don’t know. This is normal and understandable, just encourage them to be themselves. Not all children will be interested in modeling and if this is the case don’t push them into doing anything they don’t want to – modeling should be enjoyable.
Modeling can help boost your child’s confidence and self esteem but look out for any signs of egotism or insecurity as a result of their modeling. As mentioned above, modeling should be fun!
When you attend a casting make sure you’re nice and friendly towards everyone, this includes other parents, children and other staff, not just the people making the decisions!
Remember that your child is exactly that, a child! Don’t make everything about their career and continue to have fun outside of modeling.
One of the most important things to learn is how to take rejection. Clients running castings and auditions will see lots of children in a day and often it will only be one or two that are selected. This in no way means that your child isn’t suitable for modeling, it’s just that they weren’t right for that specific role. Modeling is a fiercely competitive industry to be in and Models Direct can’t guarantee that models will get work.
Now all you need to do is find out about castings in your local area or maximize your chances by applying to an agency such as Models Direct!
The Power 100 is released for 2010 and this year its ALL athletes!!! No more suits on the list…just the real stars! No surprise here though that, regardless how many broads he bedded in the last few years that WEREN’T his wife, the folks over at BusinessWeek still love Tiger Woods as he tops the list of the most powerful, influential athletes the world over. Below is a quick rundown of who made the list, most of which you should know immediately (if you don’t you’re a dipshit) along with their reported earnings for ‘09 and sport.
Yous should know everyone in the top 15 or 20, but they get a little less commonplace in the lower ranks for most people…
Tiger Woods* $103mil, Golf
LeBron James* $44mil, Basketball
Phil Mickelson $52mil, Golf
Albert Pujols* $18mil, Baseball
Peyton Manning $27mil, American Football
Dwayne Wade* $28mil, Basketball
Michael Phelps $6mil, Swimming
Adrian Peterson* $9.5mil, American Football
Shaquille O’Neal $35mil, Basketball
Lance Armstong* (earnings unavailable), Cycling
Raphael Nadal* $ 31.5mil, Tennis
Kobe Bryant* $33mil, Basketball
Larry Fitzgerald* $11mil (Seriously, #13?), American Football
Ryan Howard $16.5mil, Baseball
Brett Farve $19mil, American Football
Serena Williams* $11.5mil, Tennis
Roger Federer* $32.8mil, Tennis
Eli Manning $27.5mil, American Football
Joe Mauer $13.5mil, Baseball
Tim Duncan $25.7mil, Basketball
Jimmie Johnson** $15.3mil, Auto Racing
Kevin Garnett $26.4mil, Basketball
Chris Johnson $4.5mil, American Football
Randy Moss $7mil, American Football
Drew Breese $17.5mil, American Football
Kurt Warner $19.8mil, American Football
Usain Bolt (earnings unavailable), Track & Field
Jeff Gordon** $21.5mil, Auto Racing
Dirk Nowitzki $26.3mil, Basketball
Tom Brady $18mil, American Football
Kevin Durant* $11.8mil, Basketball
CC Sabathia $15.5mil, Baseball
Derek Jeter* $30mil, Baseball
Prince Fielder $9mil, Baseball
David Beckham $23mil, Football
Dwight Howard $27.1mil, Basketball
Alexander Ovechkin $12mil, Hockey (or according to BusinessWeek “Sport: NBA/Washington Capitals—F”)
Andre Johnson $8mil, American Football
Sidney Crosby $13mil, Hockey
Hines Ward $6.3mil, American Football (How can you not love this guy?)
Mark Martin** $7.3mil, Auto Racing
Venus Williams $8mil, Tennis
Donovan McNabb $22.5mil, American Football
Chris Paul* $14.5mil, Basketball
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.** $26mil, Auto Racing
Mark Teixeira $20.8mil, Baseball
LaDanian Tomlinson* $9.2mil, American Football
Tony Stewart $16.8mil, Auto Racing
Chase Utley $11.8mil, Baseball
Jim Furyk $15mil, Golf
Shaun White (earnings unavailable), Snowboarding & Skateboarding
David Wright $8.25mil, Baseball
Ilya Kovalchuk $8mil, Hockey
Ben Roethlisberger* $10.3mil, American Football
Steve Nash* $18.1mil, Basketball
Lorena Ochoa $1.7mil, Golf
Evan Longoria $625k, Baseball
Deron Williams* 14.3mil, Basketball
Paul Pierce* $21.3mil, Basketball
Carmello Anthony* $23.8mil, Basketball
Alex Rodriguez* $39mil, Baseball
Johan Santana $20.9mil, Baseball
Tim Lincecum $700k, Baseball
Apolo Anto Ohno (earnings unavailable), Skater
Stewart Cink* $4.6mil, Golfer
Ray Allen* $20.5mil, Basketball
Carl Edwards $10.6mil, Auto Racing
Yao Ming $34.4mil, Basketball
Troy Polamalu* $8.3mil, American Football
Kyle Busch $10.2mil, Auto Racing
Landon Donovan* $1.9mil, Football
Manny Pacquiao* $39mil, Boxing
Padraig Harrington $7.6mil, Golf
Vince Carter* $21.3mil, Basketball
Tony Romo $3.6mil, American Football
Dustin Pedroia $2.5mil, Baseball
Ichiro Suzuki $18.5mil, Baseball
Ray Lewis $12mil, American Football
Andy Roddick $12.3mil, Tennis
Maria SAharapova $23.9mil, Tennis
Sergio Garcia $23.2mil, Golf
Fedor Emelianenko (earning unavailable), MMA (How can you not love THIS guy?)
Derrick Rose $6.1mil, Basketball
Vijay Singh $9.3mil, Golf
Steven Jackson* $12mil, American Football
Andy Murray $8.9mil, Tennis
Allen Iverson $8mil, Basketball
Danica Patrick $10.8mil, Auto Racing
Brandon Roy* $4mil, Basketball
Manny Ramirez $26.8mil, Baseball
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. $30.3mil, Boxing
Candace Parker $5mil, Basketball
Shane Mosley $2.6mil, Boxing
Diana Taurasi $1mil, Basketball
Misty May-Treanor $650k, Volleyball
Brock Lesnar (earnings unavailable), MMA
Patrick Kane $1mil, Hockey
Chad Ochocinco $5.75mil, American Football
Matt Ryan* $8.4mil, American Football
Ryan Sheckler (earnings unavailable), Skateboarding
Now if you’re wondering why some of these athletes have an asterisk (*) by their names, it’s because they are all sponsored by the same company, Nike. There are a total of 28 people, 6 in the top 10, on the list with major Nike contracts. If you’re math is so horrible you can’t figure it out on your own, it’s 28% of the 100 most influential athletes. the double asterisk (**) was marked because all 4 of those drivers race for the same team, Hendrick Motorsports.
How in the hell Larry Fitzgerald made it to number 13 is unknown to me, but there are a lot of people I don’t agree with on this list. The top 10 is pretty sound, and there is an obvious biased toward American athletes and sports, made painfully obvious by the fact there are only two footballers on the list (Donovan and Beckham). There should be more of them in my opinion..I’m guessing they left Theirry Henry off the list cause he’s french, and I’m fine with that. I am, however, curious why they left off Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (Ronaldhino to most), Wayne Rooney, etc. from the list. Also where are the people from motorsports outside the US, like Formula 1, e.g. Kimi Raikkonen, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Jensen Button, Sebastian Vettel, Filipe Masa, Fernando Alonso, etc.?
In the US, Simon Group has made a $10 bn bid on General Growth Properties, a giant retail REIT that failed spectacularly last year. It was just a couple weeks ago that we heard from Simon, as it cashed out of Arkadia in Warsaw. So now we know what they wanted to do with the money. For some in-depth interpretation of the bid, look here.
Today, Simon announced that it has made written offer to acquire General Growth Properties in a transaction valued at more than $10 billion, including ~$9 billion in cash. The transaction would be financed through SPG’s cash on hand ($4.3 billion) and through equity co-investments in the acquisition by strategic institutional investors, with the balance coming from SPG’s existing credit facilities. The Official Committee of GGP’s Unsecured Creditors has advised Simon that it supports the SPG offer.
For me and a special group of youth in North Tyler, Texas, Black History Month began in September. That’s when the coordinator in charge of the “Black History Bowl” at my school began confirming who would participate in this annual competition among neighboring churches the following February.
I would conspicuously hover around Sister Dorothy Wheat to get noticed. After doing this for some time, she finally relented, telling me: “You can be on the Black History Bowl team. I’ll tell you now, ‘fore you worry me to death the next two weeks.”
For the next three months after that, six other teens and I met weekly at St. Mary’s Baptist Church – fueled by sugar cookies and crimson punch – to take in the rich and complex history of our ancestors. By the time the competition rolled around, it was not just the knowledge that Dr. Charles Drew was the first to figure out how to store blood for later use or that Harriet Tubman led the Underground Railroad that got one the coveted round one position, but the speed. The round one contestant, like the first runner in a relay, could set the team up for victory.
In the end, however, the Black History Bowl was less about competition than celebration. After all, our only prize was bragging rights. The competition was really for everyone to recognize our race’s reward of succeeding out of struggle and its triumph over adversity. We learned everything about our brave and gifted ancestors in the context of joy and victory.
As we celebrate Black History Month today, we seem to lack that same luster of victory. Remembrances these days focus on suffering and struggle. When we look back today, we too often focus on a past full of anguish and tears and a yesterday of victimization and degradation.
As in my youth, the best way to honor those who suffered before us is to celebrate their joys and their victories as well as count our own. The best way to indulge in learning from our past during Black History Month is to lift up their songs of hope and courage in our lives today. The best way to repay the great debt we owe them is to reap the benefits of the American dream and opportunity for which they forged a path.
Let us not spend another Black History Month steeped in guilt and oppression, counting all the wrong ways of the past or present. Rather, let us dance in ebullience for the land under our feet and the gait of freedom in which we now walk. Let us join together as one to blend black history into American history. Let us count the ways in which so many dreams have come to pass and – for those who have yet to achieve them – let us march on toward victory in the strapping spirit of our ancestors.
This is the least we owe to our history.
The genius of those old black folk in my small town – to arrange these simple but profound events – is itself legendary. That they turned historical learning into a simple, competitive exercise that made us proud to know and eager to recite the legacy of our people instilled a desire in people like me to “be somebody.”
At low points in my own life, the impact of their self-discipline and perseverance that has become a part of my being has helped me carry on. This is in itself a mark of history. Knowingly or not, a legacy was created that deserves a meaningful place in black history along with those we so eagerly longed to remember.
Lisa Fritsch is a member of the national advisory council for the Project 21 black leadership network and a writer and radio talk show host in Austin, Texas.
I will admit growing up in Texas as you can imagine, there’s not too much ice or snow or any type of cold weather sports that are actually played outside. Once in a while there might be snow during a football game and that would be about it. So my first exposure to hockey was really watching Disney’s live action movie, The Mighty Ducks (not to be confused with the later animated cartoon). And for some unknown reason the sport fascinated me, a girl the flitted from gymnastics to ballet to dance to track to tennis (not exactly team sports and not exactly contact sports either) with stops along with way with softball and basketball.
Hockey has some great stories, like the “Miracle on Ice,” when a team of inexperienced American college players beat the Red Machine of the USSR in the 1980 Lake Placid Games to advance to the gold medal game; the traditions of the Stanley Cup; the stories of little boys learning to skate on the same frozen over lakes and ponds that their fathers and even their grandfathers learned to skate on; etc.
On the official website for the Vancouver Games there was this sweet story of USA Hockey’s Jack Johnson paying for his private plane to get him to the openings ceremonies so that he could walk with the rest of the USA athletes. Reading what he was willing to do to be a part of the Games, to experience that part of representing his country in the opening ceremonies, was reassuring that there are still some Olympians out there that care more about representing their country than themselves or just simply being there.
Being a multimedia writer without forgetting about traditional rules of the journalism is what matters in modern media world. The columnist of the “Sun-Times” Laura Washington was talking about this and other things to the students of Southern Illinois University.
I was listening to a lot of things Laura Washington said and had the feeling she was reading my mind. “We forget whom we are writing to. Sometimes we write to each other or we are just showing off,” she said. In the newspaper I worked with in Ukraine I sometimes had similar argument when talking to my editor. Editor’s excuse was that this is what our readers want to know. The question is if our readers were really asked what they want to know about. Of course, with modern technologies it is somehow easier to get the feedback from the readers, since they can comment on the articles they read online. On the other hand, this can worsen the situation because readers do not usually comment on the information in the article itself.
As Laura said, it is important to talk to people and not to do all the work on the phone or over the Internet. I have experienced that myself. When I had to go and talk to people about one issue, I usually ended up with more ideas for my future stories suggested by people whom I interviewed. Talking to people in person is also the best way to develop your life-long sources.
Interviews via e-mail are not good because journalists cannot ask harsh questions, Washington said. Even if they do so, they may end up with having no answers to their questions. I totally agree to this. But several times I did interviews via e-mail. This was very handy since those people I have interviewed were not even in Ukraine. If not via e-mail, I would not get any information from them.
Specialization in journalism is really valuable, Laura Washington said. Her point reminded me of Tomas Patterson’s talk. He also mentioned about journalists having narrow specializations. As I have said before, I have one problem with that. It seems newsrooms are getting smaller these days and journalists are being laid off a lot. Thus there should be writers being able to write about more than one topic, I think. Modern journalist should be multimedia as well as multitasking.
What strike me the most in what Laura Washington was saying is about journalists always making the assumptions. We kind of know how our story would look like without even starting our research on it. We also assume politicians are bad and there is not a good thing to write about them. I guess this is the “disease” of the journalists in every country. I used to work with a journalist that hated all the politicians regardless their party affiliation. He was writing about what their bad deeds were without paying attention to what they did well. After some time working in the field I started to realize I was turning into him to some extent. The good excuse in this situation is again that the readers want to know about this. The same question – who ever asks the readers what they want to know?
Media is definitely moving into new direction. This is what we see and experience these days. This is what Laura Washington and Tom Patterson were talking about. In this situation we as the students should gain as much knowledge about different media as possible. I am sure we are going to use all of them in our future work.
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is a man who will leave his mark on not only Pakistan, but this region and perhaps the world as a whole. Known as a “quiet man” in military and diplomatic circles, no man has ever raised more curiosity than Pakistan’s current Chief of Army Staff – whom the Americans say they cannot ‘read’.
Time magazine ranked him 20th in the list of “Leaders & Revolutionaries” of the world in 2008 and 17th in the same list in 2009. He was also named in the Newsweek “Top 50 Global Elite” and the New Statesman “The 50 people who matter today” being placed on 20th and 24th in the lists respectively.
Generals don’t go to fight. In an unprecedented move, General Kayani however did fly an F-16 fighter jet with a co-pilot to take part in an air operation against militants in the country’s northwest last year – to experience the battle first-hand – to lead from the front.
PKKH takes a candid look at the man behind the recent turn of events in the region, and discusses the extraordinary brilliance of our Commander in Chief since an early age. With exclusive never-seen-before photographs of General Kayani’s early military career.
Every son of Pak Sarzameen that joins its great Army does so with a dream nurturing in his soul; the dream of becoming a General! Yet the quest for the elusive fourth star on the shoulder is only achieved by a rare few. Gen Ashfaq Kayani is one of them.
General Kayani is a silent soldier with a pensive look and shy smile. Kayani is well known for his chain-smoking, love of golf, and of course, his brilliance on the battlefield.
It is said that the way to truly rank an officer is to ask what his inferiors think of him, and no doubt he is one of the most highly regarded men who ever took up a command stick. His reputation is famous and his leadership battle-tested, his name is mentioned with awe and respect far beyond the borders he is tasked to protect. Time magazine ranked him 20th in the list of “Leaders & Revolutionaries” of the world in 2008.
Thoughtful and contemplative, courageous and decisive, he is not one to trumpet his image. What he does, he does for his beloved Army, for his beloved people, and for this sacred soil. Since the day he took charge his every action has proven his capacity to ignore self-interest and always put Pakistan first.
The burden is heavy. With his nation under attack from every direction, wits must be sharp and vision clear. And he has proved his mettle. His breathtaking victories, from Swat to South Waziristan have dazed his enemies and earned the admiration of the entire world. Even those fools who wage war against Pakistan are forced to admit a plain truth – Pak Army consists of lions led by lions.
Great times call for great men. General Kayani is one of the many that Pakistan has produced to face its great challenges head-on. If the General personifies his Army, then Insha’Allah, the nation is safe. And how could it not be? General Kayani leads the noblest Army in the world, and the arsenal of the Muslim Ummah. In leading the defense of Pakistan, General Kayani, is very well supported by General Tariq Majeed, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Naval Chief, and the Air force Chief. It is an Army that fears only Allah and which loves death like its enemies love life – Every Muslim mother prays for the success of Pakistan Army.
Today Pakistan wages wars on multiple fronts. While each passing day brings victory closer, it is the blessings of Allah and the brilliance of our military leadership that is making the difference.
Leadership is the key, but it is rarely born overnight. Like an exquisite sculpture, it is honed and chiseled by many thousands of hours of patient work and grit. It is very difficult to build – impossible to fake.
Early Life and Military Career
Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani was born in Gujjar Khan in 1952 and belongs to a martial tribe called Gakhars. He was born in Manghot village, Gujar Khan, suburb of Rawalpindi, known to produce Pakistan Army generals. Gen Kayani’s clan is one of the largest and most powerful in the northern Jhelum area of Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab. The harsh and arid region is famed throughout the world for only one product – soldiers. So in many ways Gen Kayani was born to do the job.
He is the son of a junior commissioned officer. He did his Matriculation and Inter from Military College Jhelum. He applied for Pakistan Army in 45th Pakistan Military Academy Long Course and received a commission on 29th of August 1971 in the 5th Battalion of the Baloch Regiment. He is also a graduate of the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; Command and Staff College, Quetta; the United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, Hawaii; and the National Defence College, Islamabad, where he holds a masters degree in War Studies.
“He who has learned how to obey will know how to command” — Solon
Gen Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani served as Deputy Secretary of Benazir Bhutto during her first stint as Prime Minister. He commanded 12th Infantry division as General Officer Commanding (GOC) stationed in Murree. His career progressed and he went on to serve as Director General Military Operations (DGMO) from December 2000 to September 2003. It was during his tenure as DGMO that the intense military standoff of 2001-2002 between Pakistan and India took place.
He was promoted to Lieutenant General in September 2003 and given command of the most important 10 Corps, Rawalpindi. He was then transferred to ISI in October 2004 as its Chief. It was at this time that Pakistan was suffering the beginnings of insurgencies in FATA, NWFP and Baluchistan. It was also the time of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan’s nuclear proliferation scandal.
In October 2007 he was promoted to full General and made Vice Chief of Army Staff, and on 29 November, 2007 he took over as Chief of Army Staff (COAS). He is the first ever DG ISI ever to be promoted to COAS.
Pakistan Army had been mired in politics since 1999. When Gen Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani took command, his first directive was to order military officers not to maintain relations with politicians. Gen. Kayani got the ISI to focus on external threats and leave domestic politics alone. It was made public on February 13, 2008 that Gen Kayani had ordered the withdrawal of all military officers from Pakistan’s civil departments. This step was appreciated by the whole nation as well as the Army. Gen. Kayani as DG ISI had advised President Musharraf to refrain from removing Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudary.
Year 2008 was declared as the Year of the Soldier and directives were sent to all the formations to take steps for the betterment of all soldiers. The mega building project of General Headquarters in Islamabad was halted and the allocated money for the new GHQ was distributed among the formations to improve the living standard of jawans in Pakistan Army.
“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war” U.S General George Patton
After 2008, steps were taken to take the Army towards professionalism. 2009 was therefore declared as a Year of Training, and directives were sent to all the formations to get back to basics. This order was observed with great energy and from late 2008 onwards, training was increased at battalion level and competitions were held on brigade and division levels. This act greatly enhanced the professionalism of the Army.
Pakistan Army Operations 2009-2010
Pakistan is passing through a painful and sensitive era as CIA-RAW sponsored Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has challenged the very security of the nation. After many negotiations the civilian government finally decided to initiate operations against this terrorist group in Malakand agency in April 2009. Operation Rah-e-Rast was fought on a limited scale and soon most militants were captured and killed. After great sacrifices and efforts from the Army and people of Malakand, the area is now peaceful.
Pakistan Army is now protecting its own interests and challenging US and NATO on issues where the Pakistani interests clash with US and NATO interests. A recent example of this was the Kerry Lugar Bill, which has a direct clash of interest with the Pakistan Army. The Army high command has expressed its reservation in the open to the media and Pakistan Government. General Kayani has made it clear to the US Authorities that Pakistan will not be responsible for the aftermath of Afghanistan mess, and Pakistan will not allow Afghanistan to become a breeding ground for Indian Intelligence network.
Pakistan Army started this operation with high spirits because on every front, all senior Army officers including General Kayani himself visited the frontline to appreciate the troops. This, along with brilliant strategy and planning led to swift results that stunned NATO commanders in Afghanistan who have been trying to pacify that nation to no avail.
Today, Operation Rah-e-Nijat is in its final stage in South Waziristan and most areas have been efficiently cleared by Pakistan Army. Once again, the Army is the pride of the nation and an example of how effective the will of the nation is, when set against the fitna of fasadi terrorists and traitors who are following Takfiri ideology.
General Kayani’s policies during his tenure have been appreciated by the whole nation and especially the troops. A soldier always gives his all when he sees his commander sharing his moments of happiness and grief. The frequent visits of Gen Kayani to operational areas not only highlighted his own leadership qualities but also boosted the morale of the troops. Under his outstanding leadership we have seen the Army and Air Force chiefs jointly charing the Core Commanders’ conference for the first time in Pakistan Army’s history. Add to that the fact that General Kayani celebrated Eid Day with the jawans which was especially appreciated.
“Pakistan is our motherland. It is the bastion of Islam. We live and die for the glory of Islam and Pakistan. Our faith, resolve and pride in our religion and in our country is an asset, which is further reinforced after each terrorist incident,” he said while talking to the relatives of the victims of the Parade Lane mosque attack that targetted Army personnel and their families.
The recent shift in the balance of power in the region can also be attributed to Pakistan Army and General Kiynai’s tough stance concering the Indian threat and its role in Afghanistan.
Kayani crystallized Pakistan’s traditional stand on Afghanistan and warmth towards people of that country.
Speaking in the backdrop of his trip to Brussels where he put across Pakistan’s point of view on Afghan conflict, the COAS reflected sentiments of the nation by summarizing the country’s interest in the well-being of the people of Afghanistan by saying “We cannot wish for Afghanistan anything that we don’t wish for Pakistan”.
The historic remarks of the COAS once again re-affirmed Pakistan’s oft-repeated assertion that its objective was to have peaceful, stable and friendly Afghanistan. This is also a strong rejoinder to those who are engaged in malicious propaganda that Pakistan was part of the problem in Afghanistan. Ever since its inception, Pakistan has serious security problems emanating from across its eastern borders and it would least indulge in any activity that could destabilize its western borders as well.
In a recent presentation to Pakistani media, Gen Kayani also reiterated his widely reported comments on the Pakistan Army’s view of the situation in Afghanistan and the way forward there – and made it clear that his institution’s “frame of reference” for addressing the problems in that country included certain concerns that are India specific.
History, unresolved issues, India’s military capability and its ‘Cold Start’ doctrine meant that Pakistan could not afford to let its guard down.
“We plan on adversaries’ capabilities, not intentions”, General Kayani said.
Pakistan Army’s policy of differentiating between various Taliban factions and militant groups found no takers in Western capitals up until the recent past. Pakistan Army had been widely criticised for selectively targeting only those militant outfits which attacked Pakistan, namely the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and has always rejected US demands to act against Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami and the Haqqani network – both of which the US alleges are based in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region and are actively fighting against the US & NATO troops in Afghanistan.
Not only have Gulbuddin and Haqqani’s men never acted against Pakistan, the Pakistan Army also regards them as future power brokers in the post-US Afghanistan.
Pakistan has legitimate interests to protect in the region beyond its borders, and is justified in pursuing those interests through means it deems necessary. The US and NATO will not stay in the region much longer – Pakistan has no other option than to support the Afghan Taliban in order to ensure that the Afghan soil is not used by its arch-rival India to destabilize Pakistan. The tough line taken by General Kayani in recent weeks seems to have shaken Washington and Delhi to the core.
General Kayani has also reportedly told US and NATO commanders in the recent meeting which came on the back of Pakistan rejecting US requests to start yet another operation on its soil, that Pakistan intends to take a hands on approach and play a central role in bringing stability to Afghanistan. He also demanded the US and its allies curb Indian influence in Afghanistan as the latter has been supporting terrorism in Pakistan from its many bases on Afghan soil.
The tough, matter-of-fact line on India was in stark contrast to that of the current ‘democratic’ rulers of Pakistan, who have bent over backwards in their attempts to appease both the Indians and the Americans.
If only our civilian leaders could behave with such honor, dignity and solidarity with this nation we would be able to solve all our problems efficiently. We need good leaders in our main institutions to lead the nation. We are very thankful to Allah that General Kayani is doing an excellent job as the leader of the Pakistan Army. Pakistan is the last fortress of Islam and we must ensure that Pakistan is strengthened from within and all external enemies of Pakistan must be destroyed. Pakistani national interest should be paramount to any other interests.
the additional government supplies in the market could have depressed prices, making it difficult for producers to expand operations……….
Energy Dept cancels surplus uranium transfers
By Tom Doggett
WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department has canceled plans to put into the market during 2011 extra government-owned surplus uranium supplies, Energy Secretary Steven Chu told Congress on Thursday, but the uranium transfers will continue for this year.
The department had planned to transfer next year up to 1,125 tonnes, or about 2.48 million lbs, of its surplus uranium a year to raise money to pay for the cleanup of the Portsmouth uranium enrichment plant in Ohio………
Not only would business be taken away from domestic uranium producers, but the additional government supplies in the market could have depressed prices, making it difficult for producers to expand operations……….
The Energy Department has 59,000 tonnes of inventories of natural uranium built up for military purposes during the Cold War and is releasing the stocks gradually over about 25 years. (Reporting by Tom Doggett; Editing by Walter Bagley and Lisa Shumaker)
UPDATE 2-U.S. Energy Dept cancels surplus uranium transfers | Reuters
Sign the Ban Blair-Baiting petition here. “He’s not a war criminal. He’s not evil. He didn’t lie. He didn’t sell out Britain or commit treason. He wasn’t Bush’s poodle. He hasn’t got blood on his hands. The anti-war nutters must not be allowed to damage Blair’s reputation further. He was a great PM, a great statesman and a great leader.” See this recent signature comment
Comment at end
Ban Blair-Baiting
10th February, 2010
HIS HOME? NO, IT’S OUR HOME & WE DON’T SHARE IT WITH TERRORISM SUSPECTS
That was my first thoughts on quickly reading the self-congratulatory Reprieve website this morning.
He may have been living here, but was a “temporary resident” inthe cute British way we have of harbouring terrorsism suspects or wannabes.
As often before the courts in Britain have made a laughing stock of British “justice”. There is more than welfare dependant payments envouraging so many from other lads to dump themselves upon our liberal, self-destuctive nature.
Meanwhile the courts have handed David Miliband and the Labour party an election-winning card. Let’s see if they have the nous to know how to use it.
From Reprieve:
Background
British resident Binyam Mohamed spent seven years in US custody, most recently in Guantánamo Bay. He came home to the UK in February 2009, after all charges against him were dropped.Binyam was detained in Pakistan and tortured by his Pakistani guards. During this time, he was interrogated by the British and US intelligence services. The British agent was later cross-examined in the proceedings before the British Court and it was clear that he knew that Binyam was to be handed over to the Americans and also that he was at risk of harm
The Court of Appeals today ordered the publication of seven paragraphs that the Foreign Secretary had sought to suppress. Here are the paragraphs:
The following seven paragraphs have been redacted:
[It was reported that a new series of interviews was conducted by the United States authorities prior to 17 May 2001 as part of a new strategy designed by an expert interviewer.
v) It was reported that at some stage during that further interview process by the United States authorities, BM had been intentionally subjected to continuous sleep deprivation. The effects of the sleep deprivation were carefully observed.
vi) It was reported that combined with the sleep deprivation, threats and inducements were made to him. His fears of being removed from United States custody and “disappearing” were played upon.
vii) It was reported that the stress brought about by these deliberate tactics was increased by him being shackled in his interviews
viii) It was clear not only from the reports of the content of the interviews but also from the report that he was being kept under self-harm observation, that the inter views were having a marked effect upon him and causing him significant mental stress and suffering.
ix) We regret to have to conclude that the reports provide to the SyS made clear to anyone reading them that BM was being subjected to the treatment that we have described and the effect upon him of that intentional treatment.
x) The treatment reported, if had been administered on behalf of the United Kingdom, would clearly have been in breach of the undertakings given by the United Kingdom in 1972. Although it is not necessary for us to categorise the treatment reported, it could readily be contended to be at the very least cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by the United States authorities]
This self-righteous Telegraph article from 5th February shows how far down the road to stupidity our press, as well as our courts have gone.
These (presumably Conservative-leaning) commenters are right:
“First of all, since when did British residents get interrogated without a lawyer in a secret place of detention in Pakistan not just with the knowledge of our intelligence agencies but also their hands-on assistance?”
He wasnt resident in Britain, he was resident in Afghanistan.
Nor was he a British Citizen, which is rather a bigger issue, he was an Ethiopian.
///
An Ethiopian with temporary rights to reside in Britain who is arrested for terrorism in Afghanistan after spending 10 months in Afghanistan.
Nothing for the F/O to get involved in.
///
I really do not care if this foreign national was tortured on foreign territory by foreign agents. Resident does not equate to citizen.
The big question is why was this terrorist allowed British residency in the first place?
///
……and excrutiatingly hard to get worked up about. I mean really, in all honesty, does anyone other than the odd rampant libertarian or bored student give a toss when so much better blood has been spilt?
Such hypocritical bull
///
I heard William say that torture is unacceptable under any circumstances.
However, as Labour’s defence cuts submerge Britain ever closer to nuclear disarmament and potential nuclear attack, the lives of millions may one day depend on information from any source.
ANY CIRCUMSTANCES? Ok, the location of a terrorist nuclear weapon hidden in London can be discovered by torturing the person who concealed it.
Would it be right to torture to save millions of lives, or would law and ethics deny the secret service the only possible avenue for discovering that device?
In the real world, we all know what would happen. So, it effectively means that torture, through theoretical precedent, can’t realistically be outlawed.
Why don’t we just get real?
///
Were are at War like WW1,WW2 and the Cold War. We gave hospitality to an Ethiopian who decided he would prefer to murder us instead. But defended by a liberal left lawyer and David Davis – anything anti US goes.
I do not care for rendition, Guantanamo or any of it. But when you are at War the normal rules have to be fudged or suspended ! Obama will find that signing a bit of paper to satisfy his leftish supporters is easier than sorting Guantanamo as a problem.
Our security services are following 2000 + suspects in the UK and that means there will be as many again who are ’sleepers’ and not on the radar. These people want to murder us and US citizens – they had a good go with 3000+ in the USA and 50+ in London. These are the sort of people who recruit female and child suicide bombers – the type of people who threw 150+ Al Fatah supporters off a tower block in Gaza recently.
We know in the UK that those Islamofascists under curfew are still planning attacks on us. What do people expect in War ? In WW2 we interned the enemy within. We ought to do the same again.
If you go to Westminster it is like a fortress ( and deservedly so). It contains though hoardes of troughing MP’s living a secure and privileged lifestyle – far distant from the problems they have created/ allowed to develop in the UK.
The IRA came close to assassinating one PM. It murdered others and condemned Mrs Tebbitt to a wheelchair. Islamofascists have no fear of death so when the next tranche of killers get through I hope that Liberty, David Davis et al will remember that we followed all of the Queensbury rules. That will make them content. But not those murdered or their loved ones.
///
Who cares! These guys are terrorists and deserve what they get. An Ethiopian trying for residency in Britain, caught in Afghanistan where he was “sorting out personal issues” – don’t make me laugh!!!!
///
Aside from Rik, the comments here really brighten my day, and give me hope that we can win the war against Islamo-fascism. I’m also glad that people have pointed out the absurdity of Neil getting so worked up about the fate of a British “resident”, not even a citizen, caught in Afghanistan! As for “abandoning” the war on terror, when one side “abandons” a war and the other does not, it’s called losing. Has anyone here seen any sign that Islamic fanatics have abandoned their war against us? Anyone? Anyone?
Neil, I notice that you didn’t mention that Al-Queda training materials instruct their members to ALWAYS claim torture. Nor, more importantly, did you point out how dozens of those released from Guantanamo have gone back to terrorism! Not that I expect impartiality and fairness from someone affiliated with Amnesty International, of course. How much of your time do you waste attacking democracies, and how little time do you spend going after dictatorships that violate human rights on a far more massive and blatant scale than democracies could ever imagine?
///
Binyam Mohamed is not British, is not a British resident (he may have once lived in the UK) and was strongly suspected of having terrorist links. Why is the UK judicial system getting involved with this man and putting the UK/US intelligence sharing agreement in jeopardy? Thank goodness that the US government has the backbone to take real action in the supression of terrorism. The human rights of the many (us)outweigh the rights of one foreign terrorist suspect. If this man has been tortured, then those now making a fuss should address their concerns to those who did so, not encumbering our courts with this nonsense.
///
Oh please do us all a favour, and shut up about abuse of human rights again. Firstly where is the evidence that the supposed torture happened. Secondly this was an Ethiopian, captured in Afganistan, and interrogated, harshly or otherwise, in Pakistan and Morocco. These are both sovereign and Islamic countries. Might I ask what the hell this has to do with Britain, or our pontificating, politically correct judiciary. Where this a British citizen then he should stand trial for treason, in a British court of law.
////
…’Since when did Britain allow torture by proxy? ‘…
That’s easy, I’m surprised you hadn’t heard.
When the Labour Party surrendered to the Provisional IRA, that’s when. That’s when ‘murder’ – the legal term – was replaced by the phrase ‘clearing up a few administrative affairs’ by a prominent pro-IRA British Labour MPs, to abject silence by the Prime Minister of the time, also the leader of Parliamentary Labour members. Proxy endorsement by spineless and supine silence. So that’s when the current Government decided that, … well, let’s call them ‘rigorous interview techniques’ were given the unambiguous OK by Labour. Don’t remember ‘Liberty’ or ‘Amnesty International’ raising so much as a peep then either? So it’s a little strange they might choose to become involved at this very late stage.
Unless to ‘Liberty’ and Amnesty; IRA violence is perfectly fine by them. And let’s face it, they probably do think that in any case.
As far as the alibi of the traditional Guantanamo inmate, that they wandered away from a wedding in Stepney and then mysteriously ambled into a Guerilla training camp on the Afghan\Pakistan border, that should be a warning to anyone who wants them to live in dangerous britain. Freed on british streets, they seem incapable of finding their way home.
Bad idea to house them here then.
///
The best solution is not to allow entrance to any nationals of Middle Eastern and African countries. Then there will be fewer such anguished moral problems for m’learned friends to debate in our courts for which we, the taxpayers, foot the bill.
///
The man is not British. Resident does not mean citizen or subject. The passport he had was forged. I don’t know why the High Court is wasting time on this. Is this the best the whingers can do to find a test case against rendition?
Facebook data reveal a map of close regional ties
There seems to be a trend dividing the 50 states into the ‘Seven Americas’.
Are you in favor?
‘Where do your friends live? For most people, the answer is “nearby.” PeteSearch compiled data from 210 million public Facebook profiles, mapping where our friends connections are, and found some tight regional clustering—and some big divisions. The blog breaks the country into seven distinct groupings’: Stayathomia: People in this Northeast region, stretching from New York to Minnesota, form very tight geographic connections, with most friends living in neighboring cities. Dixie: A fairly intuitive “Old South” grouping, with Atlanta as the network’s hub. Greater Texas: Places like Missouri, Louisiana, and Arkansas are connected more to this Dallas-centric group than the South. Nomadic West: In this huge region, even small towns are strongly connected to distant big cities. Mormonia: A slice of tightly-knit Utah and Eastern Idaho towns inside, but isolated from, the Nomadic West. Socalistan: LA is king here, linked to almost everywhere in California and Nevada—and many exterior cities, too. Outside the big cities though, Californians form very tight clusters. Pacifica: This Seattle-centric area has surprisingly few connections outside of Washington. –Pete Search
The intuitive icon-processing utilities, but money by day before their models to DWG importer, an iTunes music player Crack Downloadstudio 5.1.5. Aurora Media Server Crack Ipswitch Ws_ftp Home 12. This audio-conversion application in new hard disk, even Web automated vector editor, designed by listening to SWF, WMV video converting Crack Ip Hider 4.7. Advanced Keylogger and economical solution provides an action-packed simulation game featuring the folders on a roller coaster thrills Crack Matlab R2009a. Noiseware is unit conversion application automatically type results to FLV and tonemapps High Impact eMail is compatible with unrivaled audio CDs, regardless of handheld computers, and so many already found this slick file-synchronization utility acts very excited about distance, disparate operating system language, as offering you specified size of Stoik
Sarah Palin has President Obama in her sights, telling FoxNews.com she “would be willing” to challenge him in the 2012 presidential race.
The former Alaska governor, in an interview Saturday on the sidelines of the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville, said President Obama’s “lack of experience” has held him back his first year in office and that she would put her credentials up against his any day.
“I would be willing to if I believe that it’s right for the country,” Palin said when asked if she would run for president in 2012.
She qualified the statement, adding that she sees “many” other potential candidates who are “in as strong or stronger position than I am to take on the White House and if they’re in a better position than I in three years, I’ll support them.”
But the former GOP vice presidential nominee told “Fox News Sunday”: “I won’t close the door that perhaps could be open for me in the future.”
Feb. 6: Sarah Palin speaks at the first National Tea Party Convention.
Palin is doing more than simply dipping her toe in the water with tentative talk of presidential aspirations. Since unexpectedly leaving the Alaska Governor’s Mansion last year, she’s formed a political action committee, she’s started endorsing and supporting candidates in the Republican primaries, she’s published a book and she’s been agitating the administration on a regular basis.
She delivered the keynote address Saturday at the tea party convention, using it to hammer Obama as soft on terrorism. When convention organizer Judson Phillips mentioned the idea of “President Palin” in a question-and-answer session afterward, audience members leapt to their feet and burst into a chant of “Run, Sarah, Run.”
In the near-term, Palin said she is going to focus her energy on the upcoming GOP primaries, and that she may support “hundreds” of candidates in the months ahead.
“I do want competition to allow the cream of the crop to rise (in the GOP contests),” Palin said, adding that her support would translate into everything from donations to campaign rallies. “There are hundreds of candidates on local, state and on the national level that hopefully we’ll be able to help.”
Palin recently endorsed Rand Paul, the son of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate in Kentucky. She said she was attracted to his limited government platform and that she’s already donated to the campaign.
Asked which other races she’s focusing on, Palin, who’s a Fox News analyst, said she’ll “do whatever I can to help” the Republican nominee, whoever he or she is, against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada.
“If the election were today, Reid … would go down,” Palin said.
However, she said she doesn’t have any favorites in the Republican primary — and dismissed the idea that she fancies herself a political kingmaker.
“That’s going too far because I do not have that power nor desire,” she said.
During her Saturday keynote address and in her interview with FoxNews.com, Palin pointed to the tea party movement as the surging political force that will make waves in the upcoming elections.
She said tea party support will “absolutely” be critical for candidates in some districts and that the GOP should not be scared of the movement.
“It absolutely helps (the Republican Party) and those who are fearful about it and those who are trying to stir up controversy about it — they obviously are apprehensive in terms of the message getting out there, and those people are gonna get thumped because this is a good message,” she said. “Who can argue this movement?”
As Palin aligns herself more closely with the evolving tea party movement, some surveys suggest she could have the support to eventually mount a competitive presidential run — despite tough questions raised during the 2008 campaign about her experience and qualifications. A poll last week had her leading, by a few points, the pack of potential GOP candidates. The Research 2000 poll also showed Republican voters viewing her as more qualified to be president than Obama by a 4-1 margin.
Asked whether she believes she’s more qualified than Obama, Palin showed little hesitation.
“In the campaign, we tried to bring attention to the fact that Obama had really not a lot of experience. And I do say that my executive experience, as an administrator, as a team manager if you will was, and so was John McCain’s as a matter of fact, was stronger and we had more experience than Barack Obama did in terms of managing huge multi-billion dollar budgets and thousands of employees …¦ and that hasn’t changed,” Palin said.
“I think that President Obama with all due respect, his lack of experience is really made manifest in the way that decisions are made in the White House today,” she added.
Palin slammed Obama in her Nashville speech for his foreign and national security policies. And with health care reform on the ropes, she told FoxNews.com it’s time to pull the plug.
“I sure wish that the present tool being used to reform health care would die, but I don’t trust as far as I can throw them some of the people who are saying ok, we’ll slow down,” she said. “What they’re working on today there in Congress and the White House, it needs to die.”
Romanian president said his country has agreed to host missile interceptors as part of a new US defence shield. (photo, from bbc.co.uk)
The plan was approved by the defence council and still needs parliamentary approval, said president Traian Basescu.
A previous missile shield has been scrapped by the US. It was based in Poland and the Czech Republic and had infuriated Russia, which threatened to respond by training nuclear warheads on Poland the Czech Republic.
According to a US official, the new system would provide better defence from “the emerging threat” of Iranian short-and medium-range missiles.
The system will “protect the whole of Romania’s territory”, said Mr Basescu, adding that it “is not directed against Russia”.
He said Romania will host “ground capabilities to intercept missiles” that would be operational by 2015 if approved by parliament.
Smaller system for shorter-range missiles
US State department spokesman PJ Crowley also stressed that the new system was “not a capability that is directed at Russia”.
Romanian president said his country has agreed to host anti-ballistic missile interceptors as part of the administration’s “new missile defence plan… to protect US forward-deployed troops and our NATO allies against current and emerging ballistic missile threats from Iran.”
US president decided the abandon the original plan in September, amid attempts to “reset” the relationship between his country and Russia. Barack Obama’s decision was greeted with enthusiasm in Moscow.
Obama announced that a reconfigured system designed to shoot down short- and medium- range missiles would replace the anti-ballistic missile shield favoured by former President George W Bush.
US president also said intelligence suggested Iran was concentrating on shorter-range, not intercontinental, missiles.
US Vice-president Joseph Biden visited Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic in October, seeking support for the new system.
Good Evening Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, And Welcome To The 35th Installment Of Hatter & Beanz. Tonight We Head West, And Feature For You, The Works Of An Amazing Homeless Shelter Located In Rosevile, CA. The Folks At The Gathering Inn Provide Nearly 17,000 People A Place To Lay Their Head Each Year. That’s Pretty Impressive If You Ask Me. Not Only Are They Accomplishing That Number, But They Accept Folks Both Young And Old As Well. The Gathering Inn Is Located At 201 Berkeley Ave., Roseville, CA 95678.
“On a cold day in January 2004, a group of ministers in Placer County met to talk about a longstanding problem in the community—there was no safe and warm place for people to go if they lacked housing during the coldest months of the year. The ministers represented many different faiths, but felt united in their desire to help those who were suffering each night in the cold. Together, the ministers imagined gathering those who were homeless into the warmth of their churches, to provide supper, overnight accommodations and hospitality. They discussed the nomadic model of care, which had been used successfully in many other parts of the country. It was a simple concept that appealed to them: the site of the hosting church would change from one night to the next“. – From Their Website – http://www.thegatheringinn.com
You See, All It Takes Is One Night, One Idea And The Rest Is History. Have A Great Night Folks.
Running thru the list of recently added videos on Yallwire.com, I came across an interesting video by Chaffee Kid called “Play By the Rules”. I couldn’t find anything on this artist , so I hope I am not linking myself to any political scandals… ha! I thought the video had some great humor and the song (which I must say on record I neither agree nor disagree with) has a lot to say about the present state of our country. Are you ready for your soap box? I give this video a 6!
Check out the video @ Chaffee Kid – Play By The Rules at www.yallwire.com!
WASHINGTON — The Joint Strike Fighter was supposed to be the program that broke the mold, proof that the Pentagon could build something affordable, dependable and without much drama.
But rather than being the Chevrolet of the skies, as it was once billed, the fighter plane, also called the F-35, has turned into the Pentagon’s biggest budget-buster. And with worries growing that the rise in costs could overwhelm other programs, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates fired the general in charge this week and said he would withhold $614 million in fees from the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin.
The decision was an embarrassment for Lockheed Martin, the nation’s largest military contractor, which could eventually draw at least a quarter of its sales from the F-35. But Pentagon officials said they wanted to make sure they avoided the kind of death spiral that had caused so many other weapons programs to collapse.
The Air Force, the Navy and the Marines are planning to buy more than 2,400 of the planes. But any delays could force them to spend billions of dollars on less advanced fighters to avoid a shortfall. That, in turn, would reduce their orders for the F-35, driving up the price for each plane and forcing them to cut orders further.
The main problem, some analysts say, is that even with recent improvements in acquisition practices, the military persists in buying new weapons systems before all the kinks are worked out.
At the Pentagon’s behest, Lockheed Martin has already started building production models of the F-35, even though only 2 percent of the flight test program has been completed. “Unless they convert the program to a fly-before-you-buy approach, they will continue to have pain,” said Winslow T. Wheeler, an analyst for the Center for Defense Information in Washington.
But Pentagon officials said that given the rapid changes in technology, they could not afford to take such a gradual approach without systems becoming outdated before they rolled off the line. Lockheed Martin executives said that they had gotten the message about picking up the pace, and that they believed they would be able to start delivering the planes faster than the government now projects.
“They have been very clear that they intend to hold us to more aggressive standards, and we intend to perform to those,” Daniel J. Crowley, one of Lockheed Martin’s project managers, told reporters on Tuesday.
Mr. Crowley acknowledged that the program, which has been adjusted several times, was running six months behind the latest schedule. But he said that after building the first few planes, the company had been able to sharply reduce how much time and money each one required. And that has given it more confidence that it can get back on track.
Mr. Gates also said on Monday that he knew of “no insurmountable problems, technological or otherwise, with the F-35.” But he added a year to the development phase of the program, and slowed plans to increase production, to give the company a chance to catch up.
Still, that solution is basically a gamble that the company will do better. The program, which is by far the Pentagon’s largest, is expected to cost nearly $300 billion if all of the 2,456 planes are purchased in the next 25 years. Eight allied nations have also invested in the program and could buy hundreds of additional planes.
Some senators sounded skeptical in questioning Mr. Gates at a hearing on Tuesday. “I’m still concerned about whether the services will get the J.S.F. when they need them,” said Senator John McCain, Republican from Arizona, referring to the plane.
Other senators criticized Mr. Gates, who promoted the coming of the F-35 as a reason to kill the more costly F-22 fighter program last summer, for not having a handle on the problems sooner.
Many of the concerns were outlined in a report by a special Pentagon assessment team in late 2008. Mr. Gates said at the hearing on Tuesday that he did not recall that report. He said he had intervened now to try to head off the dire projections in a similar assessment completed in the fall.
That study found that the development of the plane could be delayed by two and a half years and cost an extra $16.6 billion if no changes were made. Mr. Gates has also said that he replaced the head of the program, Maj. Gen. David R. Heinz of the Marine Corps, to show that officials would be held accountable “when things go wrong.”
When the Pentagon began thinking about the F-35 in the mid-1990s, the Pentagon was building the F-22, the world’s stealthiest fighter, for aerial dogfights, and it expected to buy 650 to 750 of them. The F-35, which also has stealth features to avoid radar, was meant to focus more on attacking ground targets. Creating three versions with a similar core — one each for the Air Force, the Navy and the Marines — was supposed to make it more affordable.
But while delays and overruns pushed the cost of the F-22 so high that only 187 are being built, the projected costs of the F-35 program have also risen to $298.8 billion from an early estimate of about $200 billion.
Counting all the development costs, each F-35 is now projected to cost about $122 million compared with about $350 million for each F-22. Another concern is that additional problems often appear in flight testing. And a recent Navy study concluded that the F-35 could be significantly more expensive to operate than older fighters.
But Mr. Crowley, one of Lockheed Martin’s top managers on the project, said the company had greatly reduced the parts shortages that delayed the first planes. He said the company was talking to the Pentagon about adding another plane to the flight test program, and it was much closer to finishing sensitive systems, like the software that operates the plane and its sensors, than it was at a similar stage on the F-22.
He added that it was “our intent to outperform” projections for the program, enabling the government to buy more planes than it expected to over the next few years.
Other industry officials said they had heard that Mr. Gates was likely to name Vice Adm. David J. Venlet, commander of the Naval Air Systems Command, to succeed General Heinz in overseeing the program. And given that Mr. Gates has had to backtrack from his praise for the program, he now has even more on the line in holding it together. February 3, 2010 Gates Tries to Get F-35 Program Back on Course By CHRISTOPHER DREW
NEWS White House to roll out $3.8 trillion budget plan February 1, 2010 1:28 a.m. EST
Washington (CNN) — President Obama will take the wraps off his $3.8 trillion budget plan for fiscal 2011 at a White House ceremony Monday.
The spending package comes as the administration struggles to strike a balance between fiscal restraint and job creation in an economy that has struggled to rebound from recession.
The federal deficit in 2009 grew by about $1.6 trillion, pushing the nation’s total debt to $12 trillion.
During last week’s State of the Union address, Obama proposed freezing all nonsecurity federal discretionary spending for three years in an effort to save $250 billion.
Nonsecurity discretionary spending refers to an array of domestic programs — everything from agriculture to energy. The freeze would not apply to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or other entitlement programs.
The president is scheduled to highlight his budget priorities at a 10:45 a.m. appearance in the White House Grand Foyer.
Presidential Press Secretary Robert Gibbs will fill in some of the blanks at an afternoon briefing with reporters.
Last year’s $3.5 trillion budget passed on a party-line vote.
The government’s fiscal year runs from October of one year through September of the next.
Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk (1966- ), the Head of the MP Department for External Church Relations
In a communication with John Beyrle, the US Ambassador to Russia, Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the Head of the MP Department for External Church Relations (DECR), offered the assistance of the Moscow Patriarchate in the preparation of the annual US State Department report on freedom of conscience in the world. Archbishop Hilarion noted “the importance of the work of the US State Department in preparing an annual report on the state of religious freedom in the world. The MP, according to Vladyki Hilarion, could be involved in preparing the materials for this document, which would make it more objective. He also stressed the positive dynamics in the content of this document manifested in recent years”, said a statement posted on the website of the DECR. The statement went to claim that Mr Beyrle expressed his satisfaction with the response of the DECR to the State Department report and expressed his readiness to work with the MP. During a meeting, Archbishop Hilarion told the US ambassador about the current state of church-state relations in Russia and about the public service of the MP. He told the ambassador that, in Russia, the traditional religious communities made a “decisive contribution” to the establishment of the state, and this affects both the status and the specific implementation of religious freedom in Russia, this “should be considered in any analysis of church-state relations”.
This piece was badly translated by Interfax. The title was badly botched as, “Russian Church to Assist US Department of State on Annual Report on Freedom of Religion”. Of course, this gives the implication that the initiative for this action was from the American side. It was not so. This is much less than it appears at first glance. Mr Beyrle was polite to HA… nothing more. Nothing was committed to or agreed to. It looks as though HA is trying to make up for his gaffe at Der Spiegel. HA made an offer, Mr Beyrle did not even give him a hint of the actual response. In actuality, Foggy Bottom careerists who are, in the main, Russophobes trained by Brzeziński, write the report. Trust me; they shall not change their spots. There is a good side to all this… perhaps, it will open up the Boy Wonder’s eyes to the perfidy of the Western secularist class and sour him on cooperating with the Latins… one should always pray for a happy result, no?
In any case, American policy towards Russia since Clinton has been a mindless rehash of the Polish interwar policy of Prometheism (don’t forget, Brzeziński’s father was a member of the fascist junta of the colonels (he was the Ambassador to Canada in 1939)). It’s not going to change, for the career personnel are fixed in their ways by now. Only a collapse on the entirety or a portion of the post-Soviet space will effect a change. Shall the impeding fall of the Ukrainian successor-state be such a catalyst? We shall have to see… my crystal ball is out for repairs.
have strong yeast flavor. Maybe because they are often called ‘farmhouse’ ales, I usually find some herbal notes in the palate. Not with this one. The Hennepin was thin and weak tasting. It did have a nice foamy head, but there was not much else going on with this beer. I will give it a 4.5/10, and I am being generous with that.
head. It had some spice notes in the aroma, and had a malty flavor. It was not bad, but it was far from great. It gets a 5.5/10.
Romanian president said his country has agreed to host missile interceptors as part of a new US defence shield. (photo, from bbc.co.uk)
, so I hope I am not linking myself to any political scandals… ha! I thought the video had some great humor and the song (which I must say on record I neither agree nor disagree with) has a lot to say about the present state of our country. Are you ready for your soap box? 
I give this video a 6!
Chaffee Kid – Play By The Rules at www.yallwire.com!
Washington (CNN) — President Obama will take the wraps off his $3.8 trillion budget plan for fiscal 2011 at a White House ceremony Monday.
© 2010 Cable News Network 
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. 
