News & News In Spanish
Feb 5
Officials Explain President's Defense Budget Request
The defense budget requests President Bush
submitted to Congress today will "make the necessary strategic
investments to modernize and recapitalize key capabilities in the armed forces,"
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said at a Pentagon news conference.
Gates said the fiscal 2008 defense budget request and the 2007
emergency supplemental request for funding the global war on terror will help
sustain the all-volunteer military by reducing stress on the force and
improving quality of life for U.S. troops and their families.
The $481.4 billion budget request will improve readiness through
additional training and maintenance and by resetting forces following
overseas deployments, Gates said. The $93.4 billion supplemental measure will
help fund U.S. forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the
campaign against violent jihadist networks around the globe.
Gates said that since he last served in government, DoD has taken a
relatively smaller share of U.S. gross domestic product. In 1993, the
Defense Department consumed 4.4 percent of GDP. Today, the percentage is
3.8 percent. This is occurring while the "world is getting more
complicated and more dangerous," Gates said.
"The resources we devote to defense," he said, "should be at the level
to adequately meet the challenges of the global strategic environment."
Pentagon Comptroller Tina W. Jonas told reporters that DoD has
delivered more than 38,000 pages of explanation to members of Congress and
their staffs to justify the issues in the defense budget request. She said
the request is aimed at fulfilling the mission to prevail in the global
war on terror, increase combat capability of U.S. forces, improve force
readiness and improve quality of life for U.S. troops and their
families.
Jonas said DoD's "straight-line projection" for fiscal 2008 has pegged
the cost of the global war on terror at $141.7 billion. She said
whether the president ascends up asking for this money depends on situations
around the world.
The 2008 "base budget" invests in four primary areas, Jonas said:
readiness and support at $146.5 billion, strategic modernization at $176.8
billion, military pay and health care at $137 billion and family housing
and facilities at $21.1 billion.
Jonas broke the military pay and benefits portion of the budget down
further. The department's request provides a 3 percent pay raise for 2.1
million active-duty and reserve-component personnel. It provides $15
billion for the basic allowance for housing and $4.3 billion for the
basic allowance for subsistence. It also provides $38.7 billion for
military health care. The military health program provides care to 9.2 million
beneficiaries, she said.
Civilian pay - while not covered in this request - also is set for a
3-percent increase in fiscal 2008.
Troops going to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility are
fully trained to handle counterinsurgency activities, said Navy Vice Adm.
Steve Stanley, the Joint Staff's director for force structure,
resources and assessment. The $146.5 billion in the readiness and support
section of the budget fully funds training for troops to be able to handle
all contingencies, he said. The number of troops being assigned to duty
in Afghanistan and Iraq has increased the risks the military takes, the
admiral noted.
"There are three issues that are driving the risk," Stanley said. "The
first is the number of forces deployed forward. Second, equipment
utilization and wear on the equipment - the operational tempo that is
affecting the risk. What we're challenged with is maintaining the
full-spectrum training capability that our nation requires for our forces."
In strategic modernization, the Navy's ship and aviation budget
supports the 30-year shipbuilding plan by funding eight ships.
Ground capabilities are funded at $37.9 billion, and the Missile
Defense Agency will receive $8.8 billion under the proposal.
Fiscal 2008 Department of Defense Budget Released
President George W. Bush today sent to Congress his defense budget for
fiscal 2008. The budget requests $481.4 billion in discretionary
authority for the Department of Defense base budget, an 11.3 percent increase
over the projected enacted level for fiscal 2007, for real growth of
8.6 percent; and $141.7 billion to continue the fight in the Global War
on Terror (GWOT) in fiscal 2008.
The fiscal 2008 Defense base budget sustains the President's
commitment to ensure a high state of military readiness and ground force
strength; to enhance the combat capabilities of the United States Armed
Forces; to continue the development of capabilities that will maintain
traditional U.S. superiority against potential threats; and to continue the
Department's strong support for service members and their families.
The fiscal 2008 Global War on Terror request funds urgent needs
associated with Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and other costs
of the Global War on Terror; including the costs of repairing,
replacing or replenishing equipment lost in combat by both the Active and
Reserve Components.
The fiscal 2008 Global War on Terror request is consistent with the
direction of Congress to include the cost of ongoing operations in the
Global War on Terror with the fiscal 2008 Department of Defense Base
Budget.
Accompanying the fiscal 2008 Defense base budget and the President's
GWOT request is a request for $93.4 billion in emergency supplemental
funding to cover equipment reconstitution and the cost of operations in
the Global War on Terror for the remainder of fiscal 2007.
La lista indispensable: En el Día de San Valentín, hay romance en el aire con la música de Verizon Wireless
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., 5 de febrero /PR Newswire/ -- En este Día de San Valentín, los clientes de Verizon Wireless pueden entrar en clima con sus canciones de amor preferidas, en el formato que elijan: configurar una canción romántica como tonos de llamada o tonos de ringback, bajarla a través de V CAST Music o mirar ese especial vídeo musical por V CAST. Con más de 1.5 millón de canciones en la biblioteca de V CAST Music, y más de 20,000 tonos de llamada para elegir, los clientes de Verizon Wireless pueden encontrar melodías de todos los tiempos y algunos de los éxitos más importantes de la actualidad para el día más romántico del año.
Los siguientes tonos de llamada, tonos de ringback, canciones completas para descarga de V CAST Music y vídeos musicales V CAST están a su disposición en Verizon Wireless:
Tonos de llamada * "Sexual Healing", por Marvin Gaye, SonyBMG * "Crazy In Love", por Beyonce, SonyBMG * "Love Song", por 311, SonyBMG * "I Wanna Love You", por Akon, UMG * "Hello I Love You", por The Doors, WMG * "My Funny Valentine", por Chet Baker, EMI * "How Sweet It Is", por The Temptations, UMG * "Valentine's Day", por Happy Valentine's Day Beautiful, Airborne * "Cupid's Chokehold", por Gym Class Heroes, WMG * "My Love", por Justin Timberlake, SonyBMG * "Sexy Love", por Ne-Yo, UMG * "You're Beautiful", por James Blunt, WMG * "I Want Your Sex", por George Michael, SonyBMG * "Calling Dr. Love", por Kiss, UMG * "Your Body Is A Wonderland", por John Mayer, SonyBMG * "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", por Stevie Wonder, UMG * "Tu Amor", por RBD, EMI * "Valentine's Day", por Death Metal Valentine, Airborne * "Always On My Mind", por Elvis Presley, SonyBMG * "Sexy Back", por Justin Timberlake, SonyBMG * "Happy Valentine's Day", por Outkast, SonyBMG * "Wicked Game", por Chris Isaak, WMG * "I'm Still In Love With You", por Al Green, EMI * "Tonight's The Night", por Rod Stewart, SonyBMG * "I Want To Know What Love Is", por Foreigner, WMG * "Let's Get It On", por Marvin Gaye, UMG * "Love Shack", por The B-52s, WMG * "Come Away With Me", por Norah Jones, EMI * "My Boo", por Usher, SonyBMG * "Ain't No Other Man", por Christina Aguilera, SonyBMG * "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)", por Louis Armstrong, UMG * "My Valentine", por Rhett Miller, UMG * "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", por Aretha Franklin, WMG * "The One I Love", por REM, EMI * "Promise", por Ciara, SonyBMG * "Shortie Like Mine", por Bow Wow, SonyBMG * "Unfaithful (I Don't Wanna)", por Rihanna, UMG * "Addicted To Love", por Robert Palmer, UMG * "Crazy", por Gnarls Barkley, WMG * "Love Song", por Tesla, UMG * "Oye Mi Amor", por Maná, WMG * "Lonely No More", por Rob Thomas, WMG * "Give Me All Your Love", por Whitesnake, UMG * "More Than A Feeling", por Boston, SonyBMG * "I Got You Babe", por Sonny & Cher, WMG * "Iris (Chorus)", por Goo Goo Dolls, WMG * "Can't Help Falling In Love With You", por UB40, EMI * "Everybody Loves Somebody", por Dean Martin, EMI * "You Save Me", por Kenny Chesney, SonyBMG * "S.E.X.", por Lyfe Jennings, SonyBMG * "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", por Michael Jackson, SonyBMG * "Valentine's Day", por Bitter Cupid, Airborne * "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)", por Stevie Wonder, UMG * "Sowing the Seeds Of Love", por Tears for Fears, UMG * "A La Primera Persona", por Alejandro Sanz, WMG
* "(When You Gonna) Give It Up To Me (con Keyshia Cole)", por Sean Paul, WMG
* "L-O-V-E", por Nat King Cole, EMI * "Me & U", por Cassie, WMG * "Foxy Lady", por Jimi Hendrix, UMG * "Baby, I Love Your Way", por Peter Frampton, UMG * "I'll be There", por Jackson 5, UMG * "Tengo Un Amor", por Toby Love, SonyBMG * "L.O.V.E.", por Ashlee Simpson, UMG * "I Need More Love", por Robert Randolph, WMG * "In Your Eyes", por Peter Gabriel, UMG * "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe", por Barry White, UMG * "He Said, She Said", por Ashley Tisdale, WMG * "Booty Call Voice Message", por T-Pain, SonyBMG * "Wanna Love You Girl", por Robin Thicke, UMG * "My Girl", por Smokey Robinson, UMG * "No One Like You", por Scorpions, UMG * "If You Want My Love", por Cheap Trick, SonyBMG * "Don't Stop Believing", por Journey, SonyBMG * "Happy Weird Valentine's Day", por Weird Al, SonyBMG Tonos de Ringback * "Sexual Healing", por Marvin Gaye, SonyBMG * "Crazy In Love", por Beyonce, SonyBMG * "Love Song", por 311, SonyBMG * "I Wanna Love You", por Akon, UMG * "My Funny Valentine", por Chet Baker, EMI * "Valentine's Day", por Happy Valentine's Day Beautiful, Airborne * "Cupid's Chokehold", por Gym Class Heroes, WMG * "My Love", por Justin Timberlake, SonyBMG * "Sexy Love", por Ne-Yo, UMG * "You're Beautiful", por James Blunt, WMG * "I Want Your Sex", por George Michael, SonyBMG * "Calling Dr. Love", por Kiss, UMG * "Tu Amor", por RBD, EMI * "Valentine's Day", por Death Metal Valentine, Airborne * "Always on My Mind", por Elvis Presley, Sony BMG * "Sexy Back", por Justin Timberlake, SonyBMG * "Happy Valentine's Day", por Outkast, SonyBMG * "Wicked Game", por Chris Isaak, SonyBMG * "I'm Still In Love With You", por Al Green, EMI * "Let's Get It On", por Marvin Gaye, UMG * "Love Shack", por The B-52s, WMG * "Come Away With Me", por Norah Jones, EMI * "Who's Calling\Main Squeeze", por Ball and Chain, Airborne * "My Boo", por Usher, SonyBMG * "Ain't No Other Man", por Christina Aguilera, SonyBMG * "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)", Louis Armstrong, UMG * "My Valentine", Rhett Miller, UMG * "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", por Aretha Franklin, WMG * "The One I Love", por REM, EMI * "Promise", por Ciara, SonyBMG * "Shortie Like Mine", por Bow Wow, SonyBMG * "Unfaithful (I Don't Wanna),", por Rihanna, UMG * "Addicted To Love", por Robert Palmer, UMG * "Crazy", por Gnarls Barkley, WMG * "Lonely No More", por Rob Thomas, WMG * "Give Me All Your Love", por Whitesnake, UMG * "More Than A Feeling", por Boston, SonyBMG * "I Got You Babe", por Sonny & Cher, WMG * "Iris (Chorus)", por Goo Goo Dolls, WMG * "Can't Help Falling In Love With You", por UB40, EMI * "Everybody Loves Somebody", por Dean Martin, EMI * "You Save Me", por Kenny Chesney, SonyBMG * "S.E.X.", por Lyfe Jennings, SonyBMG * "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", por Michael Jackson, SonyBMG * "Valentine's Day", por Bitter Cupid, Airborne * "Sowing the Seeds Of Love", por Tears for Fears, UMG * "A La Primera Persona", por Alejandro Sanz, WMG * "L-O-V-E", por Nat King Cole, EMI * "Me & U", por Cassie, WMG * "Foxy Lady", por Jimi Hendrix, UMG * "Baby, I Love Your Way", por Peter Frampton, UMG * "I'll Be There", por Jackson 5, UMG * "Tengo Un Amor", por Toby Love, SonyBMG * "L.O.V.E.", por Ashlee Simpson, UMG * "Tru Love", por Faith Evans, EMI * "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe", por Barry White, UMG * "He Said She Said", por Ashley Tisdale, WMG * "Wanna Love You Girl", por Robin Thicke, UMG * "My Girl", por The Temptations, UMG * "No One Like You", por Scorpions, UMG * "If You Want My Love", por Cheap Trick, SonyBMG * "Don't Stop Believing", por Journey, SonyBMG Canciones completas de V CAST Music * "Sexual Healing", por Marvin Gaye, SonyBMG * "Crazy In Love", por Beyonce, SonyBMG * "Love Song", por 311, SonyBMG * "I Wanna Love You", por Akon, UMG * "Hello I Love You", por The Doors, WMG * "My Funny Valentine", por Chet Baker, EMI * "How Sweet It Is", por James Taylor, WMG * "Cupid's Chokehold", por Gym Class Heroes, WMG * "My Love", por Justin Timberlake, SonyBMG * "Sexy Love", por Ne-Yo, UMG * "You're Beautiful", por James Blunt, WMG * "I Want Your Sex", por George Michael, SonyBMG * "Calling Dr. Love", por Kiss, UMG * "Your Body Is A Wonderland", por John Mayer, SonyBMG * "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", por Stevie Wonder, UMG * "Tu Amor", por RBD, EMI * "Babe", por Styx, UMG * "Always On My Mind", por Elvis Presley, SonyBMG * "Sexy Back", por Justin Timberlake, SonyBMG * "Happy Valentine's Day", por Outkast, SonyBMG * "Wicked Game", por Chris Isaak, WMG * "I'm Still In Love With You", por Al Green, EMI * "Tonight's The Night", por Rod Stewart, SonyBMG * "I Want to Know What Love Is", por Foreigner, WMG * "Let's Get It On", por Marvin Gaye, UMG * "Love Shack", por The B-52s, WMG * "Come Away With Me", por Norah Jones, EMI * "My Boo", por Usher, SonyBMG * "Ain't No Other Man", por Christina Aguilera, SonyBMG * "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)", por Louis Armstrong, UMG * "My Valentine", por Rhett Miller, UMG * "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", por Aretha Franklin, WMG * "The One I Love", por REM, EMI * "Promise", por Ciara, SonyBMG * "Shortie Like Mine", por Bow Wow, SonyBMG * "Unfaithful (I Don't Wanna)", por Rihanna, UMG * "Addicted To Love", por Robert Palmer, UMG * "Crazy", por Gnarls Barkley, WMG * "Love Song", por Tesla, UMG * "Oye Mi Amor" por Maná, WMG * "Lonely No More", por Rob Thomas, WMG * "Valentine's Day With Ciara", por Ciara, SonyBMG * "Give Me All Your Love", por Whitesnake, UMG * "More than A Feeling", por Boston, SonyBMG * "I Got You Babe", por Sonny & Cher, WMG * "Iris (Chorus)", por Goo Goo Dolls, WMG * "Can't Help Falling In Love With You", por UB40, EMI * "Everybody Loves Somebody", Dean Martin, EMI * "You Save Me", por Kenny Chesney, SonyBMG * "S.E.X.", por Lyfe Jennings, SonyBMG * "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", por Michael Jackson, SonyBMG * "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)", por Stevie Wonder, UMG * "Sowing the Seeds Of Love", Tears for Fears, UMG * "A La Primera Persona", por Alejandro Sanz, WMG * "(When You Gonna) Give It Up To Me (con Keyshia Cole)", Sean Paul, WMG * "L-O-V-E", por Nat King Cole, EMI * "Me & U", por Cassie, WMG * "Foxy Lady", por Jimi Hendrix, UMG * "Baby, I Love Your Way", por Peter Frampton, UMG * "I'll Be There", por Jackson 5, UMG * "Tengo Un Amor", por Toby Love, SonyBMG * "L.O.V.E.", por Ashlee Simpson, UMG * "Tru Love", por Faith Evans, EMI * "I Need More Love", por Robert Randolph, WMG * "In Your Eyes", por Peter Gabriel, UMG * "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe", por Barry White, UMG * "He Said She Said", por Ashley Tisdale, WMG * "Booty Call Voice Message", por T-Pain, SonyBMG * "Wanna Love You Girl", por Robin Thicke, UMG * "My Girl", por The Temptations, UMG * "No One Like You", por Scorpions, UMG * "If You Want My Love", por Cheap Trick, SonyBMG * "Don't Stop Believing", por Journey, SonyBMG * "Happy Weird Valentine's Day", por Weird Al, SonyBMG V CAST Video, Vídeos Musicales * "Cupid's Chokehold", por Gym Class Heroes, WMG * "Lips Of An Angel", por Hinder, UMG * "Lost In Love", por Air Supply, SonyBMG * "Sexy Love", por Ne-Yo, UMG * "Like You", por Bow Wow con Ciara, SonyBMG * "My Love", por Justin Timberlake con T.I., SonyBMG * "Ain't No Other Man", por Christina Aguilera, SonyBMG * "Always Be My Baby", por Mariah Carey, SonyBMG * "Let Me Love You", por Mario, SonyBMG * "Girl", por Paul Wall, WMG * "You're The Inspiration", por Chicago, WMG * "With You", por Jessica Simpson, SonyBMG * "Crazy In Love", por Beyonce con Jay-Z, SonyBMG * "When We Make Love", por Ginuwine, SonyBMG * "She Will Be Loved", por Maroon 5, SonyBMG * "Like I Love You", por Justin Timberlake, SonyBMG * "You're Beautiful", por James Blunt, WMG * "The One I Love", por David Gray, SonyBMG * "I Love You", por Cheri Dennis con Jim Jones and Yung Joc, WMG * "Your Body Is A Wonderland", por John Mayer, SonyBMG * "Stickwitu", por Pussycat Dolls, UMG * "Every Time I Hear Your Name", por Keith Anderson, SonyBMG * "Amazed", por Lonestar, SonyBMG * "You'll Always Be My Baby", por Sara Evans, SonyBMG
Acerca de Verizon Wireless
CQ Budget Tracker to Provide In-Depth Coverage of the President's Proposed 2008 Federal Budget
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 Congressional Quarterly Inc. today announced that CQ Budget Tracker, Capitol Hill's definitive resource for real-time intelligence on the federal budget and appropriations process, will offer in-depth, comprehensive coverage of the president's budget proposal.
"Today, President Bush will submit his fiscal 2008 budget proposal," said Robert W. Merry, CQ's president and editor-in-chief. "CQ Budget Tracker provides a complete overview of the budget. Subscribers can also drill into the spending initiatives that matter most to them."
Throughout this week, CQ Budget Tracker will offer: * The entire budget proposal and relevant documents within hours of their release. * Agency statements about their sections of the budget. * Congressional reactions to the budget proposal from key members. * Transcripts of hearings with the OMB director and original reporting on all major agency proposals.
In the coming weeks, CQ Budget Tracker will also cover appearances by administration officials as they visit Capitol Hill to defend their agency's budget.
CQ Budget Tracker provides the complete package of original source documents, CQ's exclusive news coverage and behind-the-scenes analysis from CQ experts. CQ Budget Tracker organizes the budget by subject area, offers the departments' and agencies' responses, and provides a CQ story on each area.
CQ Budget Tracker allows you to monitor: * Decisions -- Hearings on draft bills, markups, amendments and conference coverage. * Deals -- Continuous news updates plus schedules, transcripts and testimonies. * Documents -- Track and compare bill language and related documents. * Dollars -- Find historical dollar amounts in customizable spreadsheet- style charts. For more information or a free trial, visit http://www.cq.com/. About Congressional Quarterly Inc.
With more than 125 reporters, editors and researchers covering Capitol Hill and Washington, CQ keeps its readers updated in print and online on a weekly, daily and real-time basis. With a readership that includes nearly every member of Congress, as well as Executive Branch officials, leaders in business and associations, top academic institutions and important media outlets, Congressional Quarterly provides opinion leaders comprehensive, credible, current and objective information on Congress, politics and public policy. CQ's award-winning product line includes: CQ Weekly, CQ Today, CQ.com, CQ Homeland Security, CQ Budget Tracker, CQ HealthBeat, CQ Green Sheets, CQPolitics.com, PoliticalMoneyLine.com, Governing Magazine and a line of books and directories under the CQ Press imprint. CQ is owned by the Times Publishing Co. of St. Petersburg, Fla., publisher of the St. Petersburg Times and other publications.
Source: Congressional Quarterly Inc.
NOAA Announces 2008 Budget Request
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 Retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, today announced highlights of President Bush's proposed 2008 budget for the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Lautenbacher said NOAA's request totals $3.8 billion or an increase of 3.4 percent over the administration's 2007 request.
"The President's budget makes a substantial investment in our oceans that will pay dividends for years to come," said Lautenbacher. "We will be able to make great progress in the goals laid out in the President's Ocean Action Plan of ensuring sustainable use of ocean resources, protecting and restoring marine and coastal areas and enhancing ocean science and research."
Budget priorities for this year and key program increases include: * Support for the President's U.S. Ocean Action Plan -- Protection and restoration of marine and coastal areas + $38 million - Enforcement and management of the newly designated Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. - Funding to restore nearly 1,000 stream miles for endangered Atlantic salmon and other species. - Klamath River salmon recovery. - Competitive grant programs focused on the Gulf of Mexico Alliance coastal resource priorities. -- Sustainable use of ocean resources + $25 million - Establish the regulatory framework for environmentally sustainable commercial aquaculture opportunities. - Improvements for better management of aquaculture harvests. - Support of the new and expanded requirements of the Magnuson- Stevens Management Reauthorization Act of 2006. - Additional funding for observer programs and market-based approaches to fisheries management. -- Advancement of ocean science and research + $60 million - New investments for the Integrated Ocean Observing System. - Additional research funding addressing the national Ocean Research Priorities Plan. * Improving Weather Warnings and Forecasts -- Hurricane intensity forecast research + $2 million. -- Operations and maintenance for hurricane data buoys + $3 million. -- Additional deployments of deep-ocean buoys for the U.S. Tsunami Warning Program + $1.7 million. * Climate Monitoring and Research -- Support for the National Integrated Drought Information System + $4.4 million. -- Support for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System + $0.9 million. -- Research to understand the link between ocean currents and rapid climate change + $5 million. -- Enhance computational support for assessing abrupt climate change + $1.0 million. * Critical Facilities Investment -- Design of replacement facility for the NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, Calif. + $3.0 million. -- Continued construction of the NOAA Pacific Region Center in Hawaii + $20.3 million. * Sustaining Critical Operations -- Workforce inflation factors including salaries and benefits + $44.9 million and non-labor related issues such as fuel costs + $6.6 million. -- Support for marine operations and equipment + $8.3 million. -- Support for aviation operations including costs associated with operations of NOAA's third P-3 aircraft + $5.5 million. -- Support for use of unmanned vehicles; autonomous underwater vehicles + $0.7 million, unmanned aircraft systems + $3.0 million. -- Continued development and acquisition of polar-orbiting satellites + $25 million.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is celebrating 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA.
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.
On the Web:
NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov/
The President Delivers His Budget...America's Seniors Will Receive the Bill, Says National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
Former Congresswoman Kennelly Says Congress Should Consider This Budget Dead on Arrival
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 -- President Bush is asking older Americans to foot the bill for the administration's economic policy of tax cuts for the wealthy and deficit spending. The White House's proposed budget includes billions of dollars in Medicare cuts, increased costs for seniors through means testing and Social Security private accounts.
"Once again, President Bush has offered a budget with deep cuts in entitlement programs, subsidies for industry and tax cuts for the wealthy. Seniors and their families can not continue to be expected to foot the bill for record debt, an unfunded war and tax cuts," said Barbara B. Kennelly, President/CEO.
Following are some of the provisions in the President's 2008 Budget harmful to seniors:
-- $78 billion in cuts from Medicare and Medicaid over 5 years -- Social Security Private Accounts established in 2012 and price indexing of benefits -- Medicare means-testing will continue to target seniors. More than 30,000 seniors are predicted to be driven out of Medicare in the first year alone. At the same time: -- Medicare will continue to provide billions in industry subsidies. -- $1.9 trillion in tax cuts are proposed over the next decade, a significant amount going to wealthy Americans. -- The Congressional Budget Office, using alternate economic assumptions, predicts the budget deficit would remain at $328 billion in 2012.
"America's seniors support returning budget discipline to Congress, because they know this massive federal debt threatens critical programs like Medicare and Social Security. But this is not a budget crafted with an eye toward bipartisanship, fairness or even common sense. As baby-boomers retire we should be strengthening, not dismantling, the programs they'll depend on."
The National Committee, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization acts in the interests of its membership through advocacy, education, services, grassroots efforts and the leadership of the Board of Directors and professional staff. The work of the National Committee is directed toward developing better- informed citizens and voters.
Source: National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
DeSmogBlog.com: IPCC Criticism Fits into Canadian Climate Change Denial Campaign
Big-Oil Funded Fraser Institute Not Credible on the Science of Global Warming, IPCC Author says
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- February 05, 2007 -- A Canadian think tank's attack on the recently released report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is one of several recent initiatives by Canadian groups to block action on global warming, DeSmogBlog.com President, James Hoggan, said Monday. The latest attack, by the Exxon-funded Fraser Institute, is scheduled to be released today, Feb. 5 at a press conference in the United Kingdom.
"These people are an embarrassment to Canadians," Hoggan said. Two industry front groups (the Natural Resources Stewardship Project and the Friends of Science) have popped up in Canada the last couple of years, spreading doubt about climate change at every turn. And a scientist associated with those groups put together a petition of skeptical "experts" last spring, a petition that was quoted in U.S. Senate committee hearings.
Now the Fraser Institute, a right-wing think tank that has received annual grants from oil-giant ExxonMobil, is issuing what it calls an independent summary of the report of the IPCC. The Institute claimed that the IPCC's own summary is a political document "neither written by nor reviewed by the scientific community".
Andrew Weaver, the Canada Research Chair in Climate Modelling and Analysis and a lead IPCC author called the Fraser Institute's effort "highly ideological". The IPCC summary was written and reviewed by some of the most senior climate scientists in the world, without political or bureaucratic input, Weaver said.
The Fraser Institute team "experts", on the other hand, was led by an economist and included several scientists with direct connections to industry front groups.
"It's this type of activity that prompted Britain's Royal Society to demand in September 2006 that ExxonMobil stop funding climate change denying think tanks," says Jim Hoggan, DeSmogBlog.com founder.
Hoggan said this kind of industry-funded denial is just like the big tobacco campaigns of the 1990s. "For example, in 1999, the Fraser Institute published an industry-friendly book without admitting that one author had either been on staff at the U.S.-based Tobacco Institute and the other had taken large payments from big tobacco for previous work."
"There is no credibility in this kind of politicized science, and I personally would like to apologize to the people of Britain that Canada has brought this fight to London."
More information on the Fraser Institute and other thinktanks being paid by the oil and fossil fuel industry can be found at www.DeSmogBlog.com.
Background Information on Selected Authors of the Fraser Institute Review
Ross McKitrick (lead author)
McKitrick has been a "Senior Fellow" at the ExxonMobil funded Fraser Institute since October, 2002. Also listed as an "expert" with the George C. Marshall Institute, a US think tank that has received $630,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998.
William Kininmonth
Kininmonth is a frequent writer for a climate change skeptic organization called the "Lavoisier Group," and in Nov. 2004, the Lavoisier Group helped launch Kinimonth's book Climate Change; a natural hazard. According to Nov. 27, '04 news article , the Lavoisier Group was founded by Hugh Morgan the former CEO of Western Mining Corporation, a uranium mining company recently taken over by BHP Billiton.
Andrei Illarionov (not an author, but will be attendance at the press conference) Touted as a former advisor to Russian president, Vladimir Putin. When Russia ratified the Kyoto Protocol, Illarionov claimed that the Protocol was killing off the world economy like an "international Auschwitz".
Illarionov is currently a "senior fellow" at the Cato Institute, a US-based think tank that has received $90,000 from ExxonMobil since1998. According to sources the Cato Institute has also received from Shell Oil Company, Chevron and the American Petroleum Institute.
Ian Clark
Currently sits on the "scientific advisory board" of a Canadian organization called the "Natural Resource Stewardship Project" (NRSP). The NRSP is an organization founded by the president of a Toronto-based energy industry lobby firm called High Park Group. The NRSP refuses to disclose it's funding sources.
Tad Murty
Listed as an "allied expert" for the "Natural Resource Stewardship Project" (NRSP). Until recently, Murty was listed as member of a global warming "skeptic" organization called "The Friends of Science" (FOS). In a January, 2007 newspaper article, the president of the FOS admitted that about three-quarters of their funding comes from the oil and gas sector.
Joseph D'Aleo
A retired meteorologist, D'Aleo has a Master's in Science and worked as the "Director of Meteorology" for the Weather Channel. D'Aleo is a contributing author for Tech Central Station Daily, a news site set up by DCI Group, a Washington, DC, lobbying company who's client list includes ExxonMobil. Tech Central Station has also received $95,000 directly from ExxonMobil.
Feb 3
Para los sureños, mientras más grande la televisión mejor es el juego; los clientes de Wal-Mart de la región sudeste compraron más televisiones de alta definición antes del Super Bowl que las demás regiones estadounidenses
BENTONVILLE, Ark., 2 de febrero Aunque dos equipos del medio oeste serán el centro de la atención en los hogares de millones de personas este domingo, estados como Mississippi son los que más están aprovechando los excelentes precios de esta temporada para las televisiones de alta definición (HDTV) de gran formato. En las cuatro semanas previas al Super Bowl, Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) comenta que los clientes de los estados del sur compraron más televisores LCD y de plasma de 42 pulgadas que en ninguna otra región de los Estados Unidos.
"Hemos notado un marcado aumento en el interés de los clientes, especialmente este año, por pasarse al formato HDTV, impulsado por la financiación especial de los artículos, una mejor selección y precios más bajos", comentó Kevin O'Conner, vicepresidente de productos generales para Electrónica, en Wal-Mart.
En las mismas cuatro semanas, Wal-Mart comenta que vendió una cantidad de televisores de gran formato suficiente para bordear el campo de fútbol del estadio de los Dolphins ¡90 veces!
Entre los estados, California lleva las mayores cifras de compra de TV de alta definición de 32 pulgadas, el más popular entre todos los tamaños y formatos de televisores HDTV. Pero por región, el sur aún mantiene el primer puesto para la mayoría de los televisores HDTV de 32 pulgadas, y supera a cualquier otra región en el último mes, según los datos de Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart recientemente presentó un programa especial de financiación para clientes que usan su tarjeta de crédito Wal-Mart para la compra de artículos de US$ 599 o más, que ofrece planes sin interés hasta 2009. Wal-Mart también publicitó un retroceso en los precios de diversos televisores HDTV. La compañía espera que el movimiento en sus recientemente ampliados departamentos de Electrónica sea igual de intenso este fin de semana, a medida que se acumula el entusiasmo entre los aficionados al deporte.
Acerca de Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Cada semana, más de 127 millones de clientes visitan las tiendas Wal-Mart, los Supercenters, los Neighborhood Markets y los Sam's Clubs en todo Estados Unidos. La compañía y su Fundación están comprometidas con la filosofía de devolver en forma local. Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) se enorgullece de apoyar las causas importantes para sus clientes y asociados en sus propias áreas de residencia, y el año pasado donó más de $245 millones a comunidades locales de los Estados Unidos. Para conocer más, visite http://www.walmartfacts.com/, http://www.walmart.com/ o http://www.walmartfoundation.org/.
Source: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Feb 2
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2007 - The United States has no plans to go to war
with Iran, but it won't tolerate Iranian activities that are
endangering U.S. troops in Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told reporters
today during a Pentagon news conference.
"The president has made clear, the secretary of state has made clear,
I've made clear ... we are not planning for a war with Iran," Gates said
in response to a reporter's question.
Rather, he said, the United States is working "to counter what the
Iranians are doing to our soldiers," most significantly their activities
related to explosively formed projectiles, or EFPs, that are killing U.S.
troops. EFPs are far more lethal than more traditional improvised
explosive devices, Gates said, noting they are capable of taking out an
M1-A2 Abrams tank.
"And so our effort is aimed at uprooting the networks that are
providing these EFPS," as well as IEDs, to al Qaeda and other groups, Gates
said. "These darn things account for about 70 percent of our casualties.
And so there's a huge effort under way to try and uproot these networks
and try to stop this."
"We are working day and night to disassemble these networks" that do
everything from providing materials to construct these explosives to
building them to delivering them and the firing devices," Pace told
reporters. "And we do that without regard to nationality, but just with regard
to who our enemies are."
Pace called it "instructive" that twice during the last month to 40
days, while "going after the networks, we have picked up Iranians."
"They happened to be policed up amongst the bad guys," he said.
Gates said he doesn't know at this point if the Iranian government or
rogue elements within Iran are involved.
Multinational Force Iraq officials are preparing a briefing that will
provide specifics about how Iranians supply these weapons, but Gates
said he, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Advisor
Steve Hadley asked them to delay it.
"(We) want to make sure that the briefing that is provided is
absolutely accurate and is dominated by facts - serial numbers, technology and
so on," he said. "And so we just want to make sure that the briefing
that is provided is completely reliable."
The secretary declined to discuss if Iranians played any role in the
Jan. 20 attack on the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala,
Iraq, telling reporters the incident remains under investigation. In that
incident, enemy fighters dressed in U.S. Army-style combat uniforms and
carrying U.S.-type weapons penetrated Iraqi checkpoints, then went on
to capture and kill four soldiers.
The secretary emphasized that deploying a second aircraft carrier, the
USS John C. Stennis, to the Persian Gulf isn't a direct response to
Iran. Rather, he said, it's designed to send a message to friends and
potential adversaries alike.
"The purpose of that is simply to underscore to our friends, as well as
to our potential adversaries in the region, that the United States has
considered the Persian Gulf and that whole area - the stability in that
area - to be a vital national interest," he said.
This policy has remained constant for decades and under numerous
presidential administrations, he noted. "We simply want to reinforce to our
friends, in particular, that they can count on us having a presence and
being strong in their area in protecting our interests and in
protecting theirs," he said.
As it addresses the immediate issue of potential Iranian support for
activities endangering U.S. troops, Gates said another U.S. concern -
about Iran's nuclear-enrichment program - is being addressed "strictly
through the diplomatic process."
"It seems to be showing some progress," he said.
Statement of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao on January Employment Numbers
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 -- U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement on the January employment situation released today:
"Today's report shows payroll employment at 137.3 million, which is about one million more total new jobs than previously reported in December. This shows that the economy is strong and continues to produce jobs at a steady rate. And the unemployment rate of 4.6 percent is more than a full point lower than the average unemployment rate of the 1990s."
U.S. Labor Department releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov/. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.
Web site: http://www.dol.gov/
Feb 1
SR Telecom anuncia la venta de su filial chilena
MONTREAL, QC -- -- February 01, 2007 -- SR Telecom (TSX: SRX), proveedora líder de soluciones OFDM bajo licencia para redes de acceso de banda ancha mediante su línea de productos symmetry(MR), anunció hoy la venta de su filial chilena Comunicación y Telefonía Rural (CTR), empresa de servicios de telecomunicaciones, a Chile.com, proveedora de servicios de comunicaciones integrales. Como parte de esta operación, SR Telecom ha sido totalmente liberada de sus obligaciones con respecto a CTR, incluido un pasivo por préstamos que asciende a un monto aproximado de US$29 millones. Si bien la operación no le reporta ningún producto en efectivo neto, mejora significativamente el balance general de SR Telecom y es otro paso importante en el plan de fortalecer su situación financiera y concentrarse en su estrategia sobre WiMAX.
"Nos complace mucho cerrar esta operación que nos permite lograr uno de nuestros objetivos anunciados y a la vez seguir brindando servicio a los clientes de CTR", comentó Serge Fortin, Presidente y Director General de SR Telecom. "Aunque CTR alcanzó un nivel de desempeño estable, claramente no era uno de los activos principales de SR Telecom. Su venta nos permite mejorar aún más la eficiencia de nuestro balance general, simplificar nuestra estructura financiera y, lo más importante, concentrarnos en nuestro sector de actividad de WiMAX."
En los últimos meses, SR Telecom ha emprendido acciones dinámicas a fin de convertirse en una organización que crea valor para sus accionistas, empleados, socios y clientes. Hace poco anunció un avance sustancial en sus iniciativas de reestructuración y solidificó su situación financiera con el apoyo de sus accionistas. La Compañía mantiene su dedicación al mercado global de alto crecimiento de WiMAX, donde espera adquirir un papel importante a medida que este mercado se desarrolle.
Acerca de Chile.com
Chile.com es un proveedor de servicios integrales de telecomunicación, alojamiento en Internet, larga distancia, y comercio electrónico con operaciones en Chile, Peru, Brasil, Colombia y Miami (EUA). La casa matriz de Chile.com se encuentra en Santiago de Chile. Esta inició sus operaciones hace 7 años y se ha convertido en una de las compañías con más éxito de Chile.
Acerca de SR Telecom
SR Telecom (TSX: SRX) es una empresa mundial líder en el ámbito de soluciones de acceso inalámbrico de banda ancha (BWA) innovadoras que permiten implementar con eficiencia servicios de voz, Internet y siguiente generación en zonas urbanas, suburbanas y remotas. Precursora en el ámbito tecnológico, con más de 25 de años de experiencia en redes inalámbricas, SR Telecom es la única compañía proveedora de BWA con una amplia pericia real en la implementación de las características avanzadas de la norma WiMAX, y como miembro principal del Foro WiMAX promueve activamente las redes BWA basadas en normas.
SR Telecom es una organización ágil, centrada en el cliente y con una trayectoria comprobada. Tiene sus oficinas principales en Montreal, la Ciudad de México y Bangkok, y actualmente sus productos se usan en más de 120 países. Para más información sobre esta compañía, visite www.srtelecom.com.
DECLARACIONES PROSPECTIVAS
Parte de la información contenida en este comunicado de prensa, diversos documentos presentados a las autoridades reguladoras de Canadá y Estados Unidos, informes a los accionistas y otras comunicaciones es de carácter prospectivo conforme a cierta legislación sobre valores, está sujeta a importantes riesgos, incertidumbres y supuestos e incluye, entre otros, información sobre los objetivos de la Compañía y sus estrategias para lograrlos, así como sus creencias, planes, expectativas, previsiones, estimaciones e intenciones, que se denota con ciertas palabras y expresiones tales como los verbos "poder", "deber","prever", "creer", "anticipar","estimar", "esperar", "pretender" y "planear", y los sustantivos "perspectiva", "objetivo", "expectativa" y "estimación", entre otros. En este comunicado, la información prospectiva describe las expectativas de la Compañía al 1 degrees de febrero de 2007.
Es posible que los resultados o sucesos previstos en dicha información prospectiva difieran sustancialmente de la realidad. Los inversionistas y demás personas que utilicen la información prospectiva de la Compañía para tomar decisiones, previamente deben considerar con cuidado los factores anteriores y otras incertidumbres y sucesos posibles. Con esta información, la Compañía no está suponiendo ninguna adquisición, enajenación u otra operación importante, pero sí la renovación de los contratos de ciertos clientes. Por otra parte, supone cierto avance que podría no realizarse y que los factores sustanciales mencionados en el párrafo anterior no causarán que tal información prospectiva difiera sustancialmente de los resultados o sucesos reales. Sin embargo, la lista de factores no es exhaustiva y está sujeta a cambios, y no hay ninguna certeza de que los supuestos reflejen los resultados reales de los factores. Para más información con respecto a éstos y otros factores, consulte los riesgos e incertidumbres divulgados en el Informe Anual 2005 y el Formulario Informativo Anual 2005 (riesgos e incertidumbres) presentados por la Compañía a las autoridades reguladoras de Canadá y Estados Unidos.
La información prospectiva que contiene este comunicado de prensa representa las expectativas de sr telecom al 1 degrees de febrero de 2007 y por lo tanto está sujeta a cambios. No obstante, sr telecom se descarga expresamente de toda intención u obligación de revisar cualquier parte de la misma, independientemente de que se derive de información, sucesos u otros factores nuevos, sujeto a las salvedades previstas en las leyes aplicables.
SR TELECOM, symmetry, symmetryONE y symmetryMX son marcas comerciales de SR Telecom Inc. Todos los derechos reservados 2007. El resto de las marcas comerciales mencionadas son propiedad de sus titulares.
Jan 30
Democrats unveil $463.5B spending bill
Democrats say they are making the best of a bad situation as they bring to the House floor a massive bill cobbling together $463.5 billion in unfinished budget business.
The bill, combining the budgets of 13 Cabinet agencies, won praise Tuesday from Democratic Party allies such as activists pressing the fight against AIDS overseas and advocates for boosting education funding.
Lawmakers in both parties hailed the bill for freeing highway construction funds, even as the White House complained that the bill will slow aid to communities harmed by a 2005 round of military base closings and cut a request for basic scientific research.
Still, the White House signaled that President Bush would sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk.
The House debate on Wednesday promises to be bitter, and the measure appears likely to pass on a largely party-line vote. But Republicans in the Senate appear unlikely to place procedural hurdles in its path.
The harshest criticism came from House Republicans, who complained that they were shut out of any chance to offer changes to the bill — and had barely any time to read it.
Alma de Mexico Boosts Bombardier CRJ200 Fleet by Leasing Five More Aircraft
January 30, 2007 -- Bombardier Aerospace announced today that AeroLineas MesoAmericanas, "Alma de Mexico" will lease five additional previously owned 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 regional jets. Alma currently operates a fleet of eight previously owned CRJ200 aircraft.
Alma de Mexico was established as a full-service regional airline in 2006. It is based in Guadalajara, from where it serves domestic routes.
"These five additional CRJ200 regional jets will further our expansion in accordance with our business plan," said Guillermo Heredia, President and Founder of Alma. "Judging by our experience with our eight aircraft, we made the correct decision in acquiring the Bombardier CRJ200 for our fleet."
"Given the outstanding economics and performance of previously owned CRJ200 aircraft, they will continue to be vital assets for regional airlines," said Rod Sheridan, Vice-President, Asset Management Group, Bombardier Regional Aircraft.
Almost 1,400 Bombardier CRJ Series regional jets, including more than 1,000 CRJ100/200/440 aircraft are in operation worldwide.
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2006, were $14.7 billion US and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.
Bombardier, CRJ, CRJ100, CRJ200 and CRJ440 are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries
Jan 29
McDonald's Corp. has finally selected a new trans-fat-free oil for cooking its famous french fries after years of testing, the fast-food chain said Monday.
While it has developed a healthier new oil, the company is still not saying when it will be used in all 13,700 U.S. restaurants. It already trails competitors in committing to a zero-trans fat oil.
Spokesman Walt Riker said the oil is currently in more than 1,200 U.S. restaurants after extensive testing, but declined to provide details on timing or locations.
"We can confirm that we've got the right oil," he said. "We're phasing it in."
The choice of a new oil comes as McDonald's and others face a July 1 deadline to begin complying with an ordinance passed by New York City last month making it the first U.S. city to ban all restaurants from using artificial trans fats.
Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's has said for months it would comply with such a ban, and said it would introduce any new oil nationwide rather than have a separate oil for its New York restaurants. But it had not confirmed that testing was complete.
Riker said the new oil is canola-based and includes corn and soy oils.
Addressing long-held concerns that changing the oil could jeopardize the popular taste of its fries, he said: "We're very confident in our test and taste results. ... We're very confident in what we're hearing back from our customers."
The Chicago Tribune, which first reported McDonald's decision on a new oil Sunday, said the company has tested 18 varieties of oil in more than 50 blends during the last seven years.
McDonald's had been under pressure for moving more slowly than smaller rivals Wendy's International Inc. and Yum Brands Inc.'s KFC and Taco Bell to rid its oil of the artery-clogging trans fats.
A public health advocate who has criticized McDonald's fries as nutritionally "disastrous" applauded its move toward a new oil.
"So many people eat there that making this change can really provide a significant benefit to the public's health," said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. "It also reconfirms with the restaurant industry that trans fat is a real problem and now even the biggest chain is beginning to deal with it. Hopefully now the smaller chains and mom-and-pops will also get rid of it."
The $22 billion company was especially cautious after reneging within months on a September 2002 pledge to introduce a new oil, citing concerns about changing the taste of its fries.
"It's just taking a little bit of time because as we move forward we don't want to jeopardize the iconic nature of the french fry, which as you know is so very important to our brand," Chief Executive Jim Skinner told an investor conference in New York two months ago.
The company uses a healthier oil blend in some countries overseas but says regional differences in agricultural production require development of different blends.
McDonald's has not identified the test markets the latest oil was used in. Riker denied that Phoenix was among them, as the Tribune report said.
Jan 27
Insurgents who attacked the Provincial
Joint Coordination Center in Karbala, Iraq, were dressed in U.S.
Army-styled combat uniforms and carried U.S.-type weapons, convincing Iraqi
checkpoints to allow them passage, military officials released today.
During the Jan. 20 attack, the enemy fighters captured and killed four
U.S. soldiers. Another soldier was also killed and three others wounded
in the attack on the center, located about 30 miles south of Baghdad.
Local officials and Iraqi and coalition security forces meet at the
center to address security needs.
"The precision of the attack, the equipment used and the possible use
of explosives to destroy the military vehicles in the compound suggests
that the attack was well rehearsed prior to execution," said Army Lt.
Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for Multinational Division Baghdad.
"The attackers went straight to where Americans were located in the
provincial government facility, bypassing the Iraqi police in the compound."
At about 5 p.m. that day, a convoy consisting of at least five sport
utility vehicles entered the Karbala compound and about 12 armed
militants attacked the American troops with rifle fire and hand grenades,
officials said.
One soldier was killed and three others wounded by a hand grenade
thrown into the center's main office. Other explosions within the compound
destroyed three Humvees.
The attackers withdrew with four captured U.S. soldiers and drove out
of the Karbala province into the neighboring Babil province. Iraqi
police began trailing the assailants after they drew suspicion at a
checkpoint.
Three soldiers were found dead and one fatally wounded, along with five
abandoned vehicles, near the town of Mahawil. Two were found handcuffed
together in the back of one of the vehicles. The other two were found
nearby on the ground. One soldier was found alive but died en route to a
nearby hospital. All suffered from gunshot wounds.
Also recovered at the site were U.S. Army-type combat uniforms, boots,
radios and a non-U.S. made rifle, officials said.
Officials are investigating the breach in security at the center. "We
are looking at all the evidence to determine who or what was responsible
for the breakdown in security at the compound and the perpetration of
the assault," Bleichwehl said. "Our hearts go out to the families of the
fallen warriors from Karbala. They were true heroes who fought to the
last."
The names of four of the soldiers have been released. The fifth name is
being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Killed were:
-- Army 1st Lt. Jacob N. Fritz, 25, of Verdon, Neb.;
-- Army Spc. Johnathan B. Chism, 22, of Gonzales, La.;
-- Army Pfc. Shawn P. Falter, 25, of Cortland, N.Y.; and
-- Army Pvt. Johnathon M. Millican, 20, of Trafford, Ala.
The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field
Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division,
Fort Richardson, Alaska.
Jan 26
The Senate today confirmed Army Lt. Gen.
David H. Petraeus for promotion to general and assignment as commander of
Multinational Force Iraq.
At a photo opportunity following a meeting with Petraeus, Defense
Secretary Robert M. Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Peter Pace
about the way forward in Iraq, President Bush expressed gratitude to the
Senate for acting quickly on the nomination.
"The Senate confirmed this good man without a dissenting vote," the
president said. "I appreciate the quick action of the United States
Senate. I appreciate them giving General David Petraeus a fair hearing, and I
appreciate the vote."
Bush said he wants Petraeus to report to Iraq quickly to "implement a
plan that we believe will yield our goals."
The president said that despite criticism of his plan to increase U.S.
troop presence in the Iraqi capital and in the country's troublesome
Anbar province, he has to do what needs to be done. Most members of
Congress, he said, recognize that failure in Iraq "would be a disaster for
the United States."
"I'm the decision maker," Bush said. "I had to come up with a way
forward that precluded disaster. In other words, I had to think about what's
likely to work. And so I worked with our military, and I worked with
Secretary Gates to come up with a plan that is likely to succeed."
Critics of his plan have an obligation to propose a plan they think
will work, Bush said. "I've listened to lots of members of Congress; I've
listened carefully to their suggestions," he said. "And I have picked
the plan that I think is most likely to succeed, because I understand,
like many in Congress understand, success is very important for the
security of the country."
Petraeus expressed his appreciation to the president, the Senate and
his family. He also thanked "the great soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines
and civilians who are out there on the front lines of the global war on
terror."
No date has been set for Petraeus to succeed Gen. George W. Casey Jr.,
who has commanded coalition forces in Iraq since July 2004. Bush has
nominated Casey to become Army chief of staff.
Jan 24
Bush Urges Congress to Support Victory Strategy in Iraq
Citing freedom's progress in the Middle
East, the ambitions of a thinking and determined enemy and the
consequences of failure in Iraq, President Bush tonight urged Congress in his
State of the Union Address to support a strategy of victory in Iraq.
"On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the
outcome of this battle," Bush told members of the Senate and the House
of Representatives. "So let us find our resolve and turn events toward
victory."
Bush cited a thirst for freedom that has grown in the Middle East.
"In the last two years, we have seen the desire for liberty in the
broader Middle East, and we have been sobered by the enemy's fierce
reaction," he said. "In 2005, the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon
raised the banner of the Cedar Revolution, drove out the Syrian occupiers
and chose new leaders in free elections. In 2005, the people of
Afghanistan defied the terrorists and elected a democratic legislature."
Also in 2005, Bush said, the Iraqi people chose a transitional
government, adopted the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab
world, and then elected a government under that constitution. "Despite
endless threats from the killers in their midst, nearly 12 million Iraqi
citizens came out to vote in a show of hope and solidarity we should
never forget," he said.
Enemies of freedom saw all this and adjusted their tactics, the
president said. "In Lebanon, assassins took the life of Pierre Gemayel, a
prominent participant in the Cedar Revolution," he said. "And Hezbollah
terrorists, with support from Syria and Iran, sowed conflict in the region
and are seeking to undermine Lebanon's legitimately elected
government."
Taliban and al Qaeda fighters have regrouped in Afghanistan and tried
to regain power by engaging Afghan and NATO forces, and al Qaeda and
other Sunni extremists in Iraq blew up the Golden Mosque of Samarra, one
of Shiia Islam's holiest shrines, almost a year ago. The Golden Mosque
attack was intended to provoke reprisals, Bush said, and the resulting
sectarian violence has continued.
"This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we are
in," Bush said. "Every one of us wishes that this war were over and won.
Yet it would not be like us to leave our promises unkept, our friends
abandoned and our own security at risk."
Bush said that while it's the Iraqi government's responsibility to put
an end to the sectarian violence, he's sending more than 20,000 U.S.
soldiers and Marines to help Iraqi security forces that aren't yet up to
the task. "We did not drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven in
Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in a free Iraq," he said.
"If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi
government would be overrun by extremists on all sides," Bush said. "We
could expect an epic battle between Shiia extremists backed by Iran and
Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A
contagion of violence could spill out across the country. And, in time,
the entire region could be drawn into the conflict."
Bush called this a "nightmare scenario" for America and the objective
of the enemy.
"Chaos is their greatest ally in this struggle," he said. "And out of
chaos in Iraq would emerge an emboldened enemy with new safe havens, new
recruits, new resources and an even greater determination to harm
America."
Success in the war on terror often is measured by the things that did
not happen, Bush said.
"We cannot know the full extent of the attacks that we and our allies
have prevented," he said, "but here is some of what we do know:
"We stopped an al Qaeda plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the
tallest building on the West Coast.
"We broke up a Southeast Asian terrorist cell grooming operatives for
attacks inside the United States.
"We uncovered an al Qaeda cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks
against America.
"And, just last August, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up
passenger planes bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean."
Bush said every success "is a reminder of the shoreless ambitions of
this enemy."
"The evil that inspired and rejoiced in 9/11 is still at work in the
world," he said. "And so long as that is the case, America is still a
nation at war."
Terrorists have made their intentions clear, he said. "They want to
overthrow moderate governments and establish safe havens from which to
plan and carry out new attacks on our country," he said. "By killing and
terrorizing Americans, they want to force our country to retreat from
the world and abandon the cause of liberty. They would then be free to
impose their will and spread their totalitarian ideology."
Bush said the United States is not in the struggle alone, noting
international cooperation in various troubled areas of the world.
"In Iraq, multinational forces are operating under a mandate from the
United Nations, and we are working with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and
the Gulf States to increase support for Iraq's government," he said.
"The United Nations has imposed sanctions on Iran and made it clear that
the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear
weapons."
With the U.N., the European Union and Russia, the United States is
working to establish a democratic Palestinian state living side by side
with Israel, Bush said.
"In Afghanistan," he continued, "NATO has taken the lead in turning
back the Taliban and al Qaeda offensive -- the first time the Alliance has
deployed forces outside the North Atlantic area. Together with our
partners in China, Japan, Russia and South Korea, we are pursuing intensive
diplomacy to achieve a Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons."
Jan 23
The text of President Bush's State of the Union address, as prepared for delivery, as provided by the White House:
Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests and fellow citizens:
This rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour -- when decisions are hard and courage is tested. We enter the year 2007 with large endeavors underway, and others that are ours to begin. In all of this, much is asked of us. We must have the will to face difficult challenges and determined enemies -- and the wisdom to face them together.
Some in this Chamber are new to the House and Senate — and I congratulate the Democratic majority. Congress has changed, but our responsibilities have not. Each of us is guided by our own convictions — and to these we must stay faithful. Yet we are all held to the same standards, and called to serve the same good purposes: To extend this nation's prosperity ... to spend the people's money wisely ... to solve problems, not leave them to future generations ... to guard America against all evil, and to keep faith with those we have sent forth to defend us.
We are not the first to come here with government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences, and achieve big things for the American people. Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on — as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done. Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and help them to build a future of hope and opportunity -- and this is the business before us tonight.
A future of hope and opportunity begins with a growing economy -- and that is what we have. We are now in the 41st month of uninterrupted job growth — in a recovery that has created 7.2 million new jobs ... so far. Unemployment is low, inflation is low, and wages are rising. This economy is on the move — and our job is to keep it that way, not with more government but with more enterprise.
Next week, I will deliver a full report on the state of our economy. Tonight, I want to discuss three economic reforms that deserve to be priorities for this Congress.
First, we must balance the federal budget. We can do so without raising taxes. What we need to do is impose spending discipline in Washington, D.C. We set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009 — and met that goal three years ahead of schedule. Now let us take the next step. In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget that eliminates the federal deficit within the next five years. I ask you to make the same commitment. Together, we can restrain the spending appetite of the federal government, and balance the federal budget.
Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour — when not even C-SPAN is watching. In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over 90 percent of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House and Senate — they are dropped into Committee reports that are not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You did not vote them into law. I did not sign them into law. Yet they are treated as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice. So let us work together to reform the budget process ... expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session.
Finally, to keep this economy strong we must take on the challenge of entitlements. Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid are commitments of conscience — and so it is our duty to keep them permanently sound. Yet we are failing in that duty — and this failure will one day leave our children with three bad options: huge tax increases, huge deficits, or huge and immediate cuts in benefits. Everyone in this Chamber knows this to be true — yet somehow we have not found it in ourselves to act. So let us work together and do it now. With enough good sense and good will, you and I can fix Medicare and Medicaid — and save Social Security.
Spreading opportunity and hope in America also requires public schools that give children the knowledge and character they need in life. Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass the No Child Left Behind Act — preserving local control, raising standards in public schools, and holding those schools accountable for results. And because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap.
Now the task is to build on this success, without watering down standards ... without taking control from local communities ... and without backsliding and calling it reform. We can lift student achievement even higher by giving local leaders flexibility to turn around failing schools ... and by giving families with children stuck in failing schools the right to choose something better. We must increase funds for students who struggle — and make sure these children get the special help they need. And we can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future, and our country is more competitive, by strengthening math and science skills. The No Child Left Behind Act has worked for America's children — and I ask Congress to reauthorize this good law.
A future of hope and opportunity requires that all our citizens have affordable and available health care. When it comes to health care, government has an obligation to care for the elderly, the disabled, and poor children. We will meet those responsibilities. For all other Americans, private health insurance is the best way to meet their needs. But many Americans cannot afford a health insurance policy.
Tonight, I propose two new initiatives to help more Americans afford their own insurance. First, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income. With this reform, more than 100 million men, women, and children who are now covered by employer-provided insurance will benefit from lower tax bills.
At the same time, this reform will level the playing field for those who do not get health insurance through their job. For Americans who now purchase health insurance on their own, my proposal would mean a substantial tax savings — $4,500 for a family of four making $60,000 a year. And for the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans.
My second proposal is to help the states that are coming up with innovative ways to cover the uninsured. States that make basic private health insurance available to all their citizens should receive federal funds to help them provide this coverage to the poor and the sick. I have asked the Secretary of Health and Human Services to work with Congress to take existing federal funds and use them to create "Affordable Choices" grants. These grants would give our Nation's governors more money and more flexibility to get private health insurance to those most in need.
There are many other ways that Congress can help. We need to expand Health Savings Accounts ... help small businesses through Association Health Plans ... reduce costs and medical errors with better information technology ... encourage price transparency ... and protect good doctors from junk lawsuits by passing medical liability reform. And in all we do, we must remember that the best health care decisions are made not by government and insurance companies, but by patients and their doctors.
Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America — with laws that are fair and borders that are secure. When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country. To secure our border, we are doubling the size of the Border Patrol — and funding new infrastructure and technology.
Yet even with all these steps, we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border — and that requires a temporary worker program. We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won't have to try to sneak in — and that will leave border agents free to chase down drug smugglers, and criminals, and terrorists. We will enforce our immigration laws at the worksite, and give employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers — so there is no excuse left for violating the law. We need to uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals. And we need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country — without animosity and without amnesty.
Convictions run deep in this Capitol when it comes to immigration. Let us have a serious, civil, and conclusive debate — so that you can pass, and I can sign, comprehensive immigration reform into law.
Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy that keeps America's economy running and America's environment clean. For too long our Nation has been dependent on foreign oil. And this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes, and to terrorists — who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments ... raise the price of oil ... and do great harm to our economy.
It is in our vital interest to diversify America's energy supply — and the way forward is through technology. We must continue changing the way America generates electric power — by even greater use of clean coal technology ... solar and wind energy ... and clean, safe nuclear power. We need to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles, and expand the use of clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol — using everything from wood chips, to grasses, to agricultural wastes.
We have made a lot of progress, thanks to good policies in Washington and the strong response of the market. Now even more dramatic advances are within reach. Tonight, I ask Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal. Let us build on the work we have done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent in the next ten years — thereby cutting our total imports by the equivalent of three-quarters of all the oil we now import from the Middle East.
To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory Fuels Standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 — this is nearly five times the current target. At the same time, we need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars the way we did for light trucks — and conserve up to eight and a half billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.
Achieving these ambitious goals will dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but will not eliminate it. So as we continue to diversify our fuel supply, we must also step up domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways. And to further protect America against severe disruptions to our oil supply, I ask Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
America is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that will enable us to live our lives less dependent on oil. These technologies will help us become better stewards of the environment — and they will help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate change.
A future of hope and opportunity requires a fair, impartial system of justice. The lives of citizens across our Nation are affected by the outcome of cases pending in our federal courts. And we have a shared obligation to ensure that the federal courts have enough judges to hear those cases and deliver timely rulings. As President, I have a duty to nominate qualified men and women to vacancies on the federal bench. And the United States Senate has a duty as well — to give those nominees a fair hearing, and a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.
For all of us in this room, there is no higher responsibility than to protect the people of this country from danger. Five years have come and gone since we saw the scenes and felt the sorrow that terrorists can cause. We have had time to take stock of our situation. We have added many critical protections to guard the homeland. We know with certainty that the horrors of that September morning were just a glimpse of what the terrorists intend for us — unless we stop them.
With the distance of time, we find ourselves debating the causes of conflict and the course we have followed. Such debates are essential when a great democracy faces great questions. Yet one question has surely been settled — that to win the war on terror we must take the fight to the enemy.
From the start, America and our allies have protected our people by staying on the offense. The enemy knows that the days of comfortable sanctuary, easy movement, steady financing, and free flowing communications are long over. For the terrorists, life since Nine-Eleven has never been the same.
Our success in this war is often measured by the things that did not happen. We cannot know the full extent of the attacks that we and our allies have prevented — but here is some of what we do know: We stopped an al-Qaida plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We broke up a Southeast Asian terrorist cell grooming operatives for attacks inside the United States. We uncovered an al-Qaida cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks against America. And just last August, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up passenger planes bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean. For each life saved, we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave public servants who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping them.
Every success against the terrorists is a reminder of the shoreless ambitions of this enemy. The evil that inspired and rejoiced in 9/11 is still at work in the world. And so long as that is the case, America is still a nation at war.
In the minds of the terrorists, this war began well before September 11th, and will not end until their radical vision is fulfilled. And these past five years have given us a much clearer view of the nature of this enemy. Al-Qaida and its followers are Sunni extremists, possessed by hatred and commanded by a harsh and narrow ideology. Take almost any principle of civilization, and their goal is the opposite. They preach with threats ... instruct with bullets and bombs ... and promise paradise for the murder of the innocent.
Our enemies are quite explicit about their intentions. They want to overthrow moderate governments, and establish safe havens from which to plan and carry out new attacks on our country. By killing and terrorizing Americans, they want to force our country to retreat from the world and abandon the cause of liberty. They would then be free to impose their will and spread their totalitarian ideology. Listen to this warning from the late terrorist Zarqawi: "We will sacrifice our blood and bodies to put an end to your dreams, and what is coming is even worse." And Osama bin Laden declared: "Death is better than living on this Earth with the unbelievers among us."
These men are not given to idle words, and they are just one camp in the Islamist radical movement. In recent times, it has also become clear that we face an escalating danger from Shia extremists who are just as hostile to America, and are also determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah — a group second only to al-Qaida in the American lives it has taken.
The Shia and Sunni extremists are different faces of the same totalitarian threat. But whatever slogans they chant, when they slaughter the innocent, they have the same wicked purposes. They want to kill Americans ... kill democracy in the Middle East ... and gain the weapons to kill on an even more horrific scale.
In the sixth year since our nation was attacked, I wish I could report to you that the dangers have ended. They have not. And so it remains the policy of this government to use every lawful and proper tool of intelligence, diplomacy, law enforcement, and military action to do our duty, to find these enemies, and to protect the American people.
This war is more than a clash of arms — it is a decisive ideological struggle, and the security of our nation is in the balance. To prevail, we must remove the conditions that inspire blind hatred, and drove 19 men to get onto airplanes and come to kill us. What every terrorist fears most is human freedom — societies where men and women make their own choices, answer to their own conscience, and live by their hopes instead of their resentments. Free people are not drawn to violent and malignant ideologies — and most will choose a better way when they are given a chance. So we advance our own security interests by helping moderates, reformers, and brave voices for democracy. The great question of our day is whether America will help men and women in the Middle East to build free societies and share in the rights of all humanity. And I say, for the sake of our own security ... we must.
In the last two years, we have seen the desire for liberty in the broader Middle East — and we have been sobered by the enemy's fierce reaction. In 2005, the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon raised the banner of the Cedar Revolution ... drove out the Syrian occupiers ... and chose new leaders in free elections. In 2005, the people of Afghanistan defied the terrorists and elected a democratic legislature. And in 2005, the Iraqi people held three national elections — choosing a transitional government ... adopting the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world and then electing a government under that constitution. Despite endless threats from the killers in their midst, nearly 12 million Iraqi citizens came out to vote in a show of hope and solidarity we should never forget.
A thinking enemy watched all of these scenes, adjusted their tactics, and in 2006 they struck back. In Lebanon, assassins took the life of Pierre Gemayel, a prominent participant in the Cedar Revolution. And Hezbollah terrorists, with support from Syria and Iran, sowed conflict in the region and are seeking to undermine Lebanon's legitimately elected government. In Afghanistan, Taliban and al-Qaida fighters tried to regain power by regrouping and engaging Afghan and NATO forces. In Iraq, al-Qaida and other Sunni extremists blew up one of the most sacred places in Shia Islam — the Golden Mosque of Samarra. This atrocity, directed at a Muslim house of prayer, was designed to provoke retaliation from Iraqi Shia — and it succeeded. Radical Shia elements, some of whom receive support from Iran, formed death squads. The result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and reprisal that continues to this day.
This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we are in. Every one of us wishes that this war were over and won. Yet it would not be like us to leave our promises unkept, our friends abandoned, and our own security at risk. Ladies and gentlemen: On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle. So let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory.
We are carrying out a new strategy in Iraq — a plan that demands more from Iraq's elected government, and gives our forces in Iraq the reinforcements they need to complete their mission. Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides them security, and is an ally in the war on terror.
In order to make progress toward this goal, the Iraqi government must stop the sectarian violence in its capital. But the Iraqis are not yet ready to do this on their own. So we are deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down terrorists, insurgents, and roaming death squads. And in Anbar province — where al-Qaida terrorists have gathered and local forces have begun showing a willingness to fight them — we are sending an additional 4,000 United States Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear them out. We did not drive al-Qaida out of their safe haven in Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in a free Iraq.
The people of Iraq want to live in peace, and now is the time for their government to act. Iraq's leaders know that our commitment is not open ended. They have promised to deploy more of their own troops to secure Baghdad — and they must do so. They have pledged that they will confront violent radicals of any faction or political party. They need to follow through, and lift needless restrictions on Iraqi and Coalition forces, so these troops can achieve their mission of bringing security to all of the people of Baghdad. Iraq's leaders have committed themselves to a series of benchmarks to achieve reconciliation — to share oil revenues among all of Iraq's citizens ... to put the wealth of Iraq into the rebuilding of Iraq ... to allow more Iraqis to re-enter their nation's civic life ... to hold local elections ... and to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province. But for all of this to happen, Baghdad must be secured. And our plan will help the Iraqi government take back its capital and make good on its commitments.
My fellow citizens, our military commanders and I have carefully weighed the options. We discussed every possible approach. In the end, I chose this course of action because it provides the best chance of success. Many in this chamber understand that America must not fail in Iraq — because you understand that the consequences of failure would be grievous and far-reaching.
If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al-Qaida and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country — and in time the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.
For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, this is the objective. Chaos is their greatest ally in this struggle. And out of chaos in Iraq, would emerge an emboldened enemy with new safe havens ... new recruits ... new resources ... and an even greater determination to harm America. To allow this to happen would be to ignore the lessons of September 11th and invite tragedy. And ladies and gentlemen, nothing is more important at this moment in our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East ... to succeed in Iraq ... and to spare the American people from this danger.
This is where matters stand tonight, in the here and now. I have spoken with many of you in person. I respect you and the arguments you have made. We went into this largely united — in our assumptions, and in our convictions. And whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure. Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq — and I ask you to give it a chance to work. And I ask you to support our troops in the field — and those on their way.
The war on terror we fight today is a generational struggle that will continue long after you and I have turned our duties over to others. That is why it is important to work together so our Nation can see this great effort through. Both parties and both branches should work in close consultation. And this is why I propose to establish a special advisory council on the war on terror, made up of leaders in Congress from both political parties. We will share ideas for how to position America to meet every challenge that confronts us. And we will show our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory.
One of the first steps we can take together is to add to the ranks of our military — so that the American Armed Forces are ready for all the challenges ahead. Tonight I ask the Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next five years. A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. And it would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.
Americans can have confidence in the outcome of this struggle — because we are not in this struggle alone. We have a diplomatic strategy that is rallying the world to join in the fight against extremism. In Iraq, multinational forces are operating under a mandate from the United Nations — and we are working with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Gulf States to increase support for Iraq's government. The United Nations has imposed sanctions on Iran, and made it clear that the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. With the other members of the Quartet — the UN, the European Union, and Russia — we are pursuing diplomacy to help bring peace to the Holy Land, and pursuing the establishment of a democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. In Afghanistan, NATO has taken the lead in turning back the Taliban and al-Qaida offensive — the first time the Alliance has deployed forces outside the North Atlantic area. Together with our partners in China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea, we are pursuing intensive diplomacy to achieve a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. And we will continue to speak out for the cause of freedom in places like Cuba, Belarus, and Burma — and continue to awaken the conscience of the world to save the people of Darfur.
American foreign policy is more than a matter of war and diplomacy. Our work in the world is also based on a timeless truth: To whom much is given, much is required. We hear the call to take on the challenges of hunger, poverty, and disease — and that is precisely what America is doing. We must continue to fight HIV/AIDS, especially on the continent of Africa — and because you funded our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the number of people receiving lifesaving drugs has grown from 50,000 to more than 800,000 in three short years. I ask you to continue funding our efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. I ask you to provide $1.2 billion over five years so we can combat malaria in 15 African countries. I ask that you fund the Millennium Challenge Account, so that American aid reaches the people who need it, in nations where democracy is on the rise and corruption is in retreat. And let us continue to support the expanded trade and debt relief that are the best hope for lifting lives and eliminating poverty.
When America serves others in this way, we show the strength and generosity of our country. These deeds reflect the character of our people. The greatest strength we have is the heroic kindness, courage and self-sacrifice of the American people. You see this spirit often if you know where to look — and tonight we need only look above to the gallery.
Dikembe Mutombo grew up in Africa, amid great poverty and disease. He came to Georgetown University on a scholarship to study medicine — but Coach John Thompson got a look at Dikembe and had a different idea. Dikembe became a star in the NBA, and a citizen of the United States. But he never forgot the land of his birth — or the duty to share his blessings with others. He has built a brand new hospital in his hometown. A friend has said of this good hearted man: "Mutombo believes that God has given him this opportunity to do great things." And we are proud to call this son of the Congo our fellow American.
After her daughter was born, Julie Aigner-Clark searched for ways to share her love of music and art with her child. So she borrowed some equipment, and began filming children's videos in her basement. The Baby Einstein Company was born — and in just five years her business grew to more than $20 million in sales. In November 2001, Julie sold Baby Einstein to the Walt Disney Company, and with her help Baby Einstein has grown into a $200 million business. Julie represents the great enterprising spirit of America. And she is using her success to help others — producing child safety videos with John Walsh of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Julie says of her new project: "I believe it's the most important thing that I've ever done. I believe that children have the right to live in a world that is safe." We are pleased to welcome this talented business entrepreneur and generous social entrepreneur — Julie Aigner-Clark.
Three weeks ago, Wesley Autrey was waiting at a Harlem subway station with his two little girls, when he saw a man fall into the path of a train. With seconds to act, Wesley jumped onto the tracks ... pulled the man into a space between the rails ... and held him as the train passed right above their heads. He insists he's not a hero. Wesley says: "We got guys and girls overseas dying for us to have our freedoms. We got to show each other some love." There is something wonderful about a country that produces a brave and humble man like Wesley Autrey.
Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence, Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. In December 2003, he was on a reconnaissance mission in Iraq when his team came under heavy enemy fire. From his Humvee, Sergeant Rieman returned fire — and used his body as a shield to protect his gunner. He was shot in the chest and arm, and received shrapnel wounds to his legs — yet he refused medical attention, and stayed in the fight. He helped to repel a second attack, firing grenades at the enemy's position. For his exceptional courage, Sergeant Rieman was awarded the Silver Star. And like so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and gratitude of our whole country.
In such courage and compassion, ladies and gentlemen, we see the spirit and character of America — and these qualities are not in short supply. This is a decent and honorable country — and resilient, too. We have been through a lot together. We have met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go forward with confidence — because the State of our Union is strong ... our cause in the world is right ... and tonight that cause goes on.
New National Defense Exemption to Marine Mammal Protection Act
Authorized for Navy
Following consultation with the Department of Commerce, the Department
of Defense today announced authorization of a two-year national defense
exemption from requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
for naval activity involving mid-frequency active sonar use, and a new
sensor that uses small explosive charges, during major training
exercises and on established ranges and operating areas.
This period provides the Navy time necessary to continue coordination
with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
and the public as the Navy continues its analysis of activities on major
range complexes and obtains any necessary authorizations from NOAA.
The Navy's position is that continued training with active sonar is
absolutely essential in protecting the lives of our sailors and defending
the nation.Increasingly quiet diesel-electric submarines continue to
proliferate throughout the world.
"The Navy has worked closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration on our long-term compliance strategy, and the national
defense exemption is an agreed upon part of the strategy.It allows both
agencies to apply resources to the long-term plan," said Navy Rear Adm.
James Symonds, director of environmental readiness.
"We will continue to employ stringent mitigation measures, developed
with NOAA's concurrence, to protect marine mammals during all sonar
activities," said Symonds.
In 2002, the Navy began implementation of a comprehensive, fully
funded strategy to ensure we comply with applicable federal laws.In
coordination with the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Navy will continue
execution of that plan, and this limited exemption enables us to do
that.In 2006, in close coordination with the National Marine Fisheries
Service, an execution plan was finalized that will result in completion of
full environmental documentation of all major Navy training and
exercise areas. The process of completing this documentation, including the
required analysis and public comment periods, is a multi-year effort.
This limited exemption provides a bridge as this plan is executed. The
provisions of the exemption apply only during the period required to
complete each area's environmental documentation. As each is completed, the
exemption will no longer apply in that area.
The Navy's compliance plan will ultimately cover all major U.S. Navy
ranges and operating areas with environmental impact statements under
the National Environmental Policy Act, and any necessary letters of
authorization under the MMPA and consultation under the Endangered Species
Act as required.Navy policy mandates that all its ranges and operating
areas be covered by overarching compliance actions by the end of fiscal
2009.Several of the operating area projects have notices of intent to
prepare an environmental impact statement already published in the
Federal Register, the beginning step in the comprehensive procedure which
will involve public participation.
Authority for the exemption was included by Congress in the National
Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2004.
Bush Wants Moonshine: Analyst
January 23, 2007 -- At 9 p.m. EST, millions will gather to watch the President's 2007 State of the Union Address. Surrounded by Democrats and sporting an approval rating that rivals Nixon at his nadir, you can be sure the President will be the most uncomfortable man in the room.
But it's what you'll hear tonight that will catch everyone off guard.
According to Renewable Energy Analyst Jeff Siegel of GreenChipStocks.com, tonight's speech will go down in history as "the biggest endorsement the renewables industry, specifically ethanol, has ever experienced."
Siegel explains that, among the main items in tonight's address, President Bush will call for a massive increase in ethanol production through government mandates and initiatives.
He goes on to explain how there's no better evidence of the world's dwindling fossil fuel supplies than to hear George W. Bush, former oil man, tell our nation that we need to find other sources of energy.
The announcement tonight, Siegel believes, is going to be the match that sets the ethanol industry alight.
Late last year we saw dozens of tiny ethanol companies lose steam. But after tonight's speech, Siegel warns, there's going to be a lot more support for ethanol stocks as the Republicans and the Democrats compete to be the first to pass a new energy law. However, Siegel says, "you have to know what ethanol stocks to buy, and which to avoid."
In his latest report he explains how it's more than just making some moonshine in your back yard. "It's as much a transportation technology business as it is a manufacturing one."
Siegel's advice in the renewables industry has already steered thousands to some of the renewables industry's most explosive companies. And tonight's speech is going to set a few select companies on fire the following morning.
Jeff Siegel is the managing editor of "Green Chip Stocks," an investment advisory service that focuses on stocks in the renewable energies markets. Green Chip Stocks is published by Angel Publishing.
This report was filed by James McAndrews, a frequent contributor to the e-letter Green Chip Review. Readers may receive a free copy of Green Chip Review and Siegel's most recent research report, "Renewable Profits: The Next Generation" here: http://www.greenchipstocks.com/subscribe/482
Jan 22
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thanked Colombia's leaders here yesterday for using their country's long experience in its counter-drug effort to help the Afghan government fight a similar battle.
"I should thank President (Alvaro) Uribe and the entire government here in Colombia for the way that he and his leaders have reached out to (Afghan) President (Hamid) Karzai and his government to provide experience, to provide teams of experts, to go sit and talk with President Karzai and the folks he has working the counter-drug (issue)," Marine Gen. Peter Pace said. "It's been a very helpful contribution by the Colombian government." Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manual Santos, who joined Pace and Gen. Freddy Padilla, commander of the Colombian armed forces, at a joint news conference, pledged continued support for Afghanistan. The Colombians have sent National Police members to train Afghan army and police forces in both counter-drug and counter-insurgency operations. Pace said Colombia has set a model for countering drug trafficking and narcoterrorism that could work for Afghanistan, too. Under that model, Colombia's armed forces have cleared specific areas of terrorists, and the government has followed in those areas with projects that have brought electricity, water and jobs to the people, Pace said. But another important part of the model is an amnesty program for members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, to leave terrorist activity behind, the general said. Under that program, FARC members can come forward, lay down their weapons and, with the help of a government-supported education process, become productive members of society. "I think those kinds of outreach programs by the Colombian government are a good model for President Karzai to consider as he looks at how to reduce the amount of drug trafficking in his country and to provide stability and jobs for his citizens," Pace said. The chairman expressed optimism that U.S. Ambassador to Colombia William Wood, who was nominated Dec. 18 to become the ambassador to Afghanistan, will lend his experience to helping further the two countries' cooperation. "I know you will bring the same strength and determination to that position that you have here in Colombia," he said in congratulating Wood.
Jan 21
CEOs de Corporaciones Locales e Internacionales Debaten sobre el Futuro Económico y Político de México
Luis Téllez, director de comunicaciones y transporte de México; Boris Otto, socio administrativo de Thatcher Proffitt & Wood S.C.; Alejandro Rivero, CEO de Genworth Financial; Alberto Gómez, director de investigación económica de Banamex; Rodrigo Treviño, CFO de Cemex; y Adolfo Cerezo Pérez, CFO de Telmex, se reunirán en la Ciudad de México para debatir sobre los desenvolvimientos en el sistema financiero de rápida evolución de México el jueves, 8 de febrero en la Segunda Cumbre Financiera Mexicana. Organizada por LatinFinance, el foro unirá a sectores de finanzas de consumo, comercio minorista, hipotecario, seguros, vivienda y préstamos para abordar las interminables oportunidades generadas por el impulso de la estructura económica de México.
La Segunda Cumbre Financiera Mexicana se centrará en las oportunidades que el auge del consumidor trae a todos los sectores de la economía local, creando un México más estable y un mercado más lucrativo para los inversores extranjeros. Entre los temas a ser explorados en esta cumbre financiera internacional, dedicada a la inversión directa e indirecta en México, están: el nuevo ambiente político y económico bajo el liderazgo de Felipe Calderón; cómo y dónde el auge del consumidor está creando oportunidades para el sector financiero; capitalizando en el auge de crédito; e innovaciones en financiamiento, incluyendo la nueva ola de productos derivados y otras técnicas de gestión de riesgo.
Los conferencistas adicionales confirmados son Guillermo Jasson, director de Morgan Stanley para América Latina; Tonatiuh Rodriguez, CIO de Afore; Jacques Rogozinski, gerente general de Inter-American Investment Corporation; David Sánchez-Tembleque, CEO de Homex; y Guillermo Babatz Torres, CEO de Sociedad Hipotecaria Federal (SHF), entre otros.
La Segunda Cumbre Financiera Mexicana tendrá lugar en el Four Seasons Hotel en Ciudad de México el 8 de febrero.
Para obtener información adicional o para consultar la agenda de la conferencia, visite http://www.latinfinance.com/mexicana .
