The US Air Force just landed in Poland, very quietly, accounting for a missile defense roll-out with little announcement in the local press. Military staff failed to arrive on schedule to boost the local economy. Reportedly, only ten Air Force officials landed. “Yeah, but they came with 10 F-16s fighter planes,” said one Polish-American security official.

Of course, the US Airforce isn’t storming Poland while their citizens continue to be denied Visas to the Land of Opportunity. The Poles, after all, are NATO allies serving in the War on Terror through a decade of two wars.

Besides the 10 F-16s and some 250 support staff expected in the town of Łask, the towns of Krzesiny and Powidz have also signed up to support the Yanks, welcoming a boost to the local economy. What are Poles expecting in addition to the F-16 fighter-planes and happy-go-lucky Americans? The Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane to be stationed East – close to Russia.

After all, it is Russia that vocally disagreed with the need for a missile defense shield in NATO Poland. And despite Polish petitions to install missile defense, and despite US promises to add the valuable deterrent, the US has sided with Russia, drawing stinging criticism from Polish President Komorowski in August of 2012.

But the US is not concerned with drawing flattery from its NATO allies; its concern, as always, is preparing against the worst case scenario – here in Poland, even in 2012 - a Russian invasion.

In 2011, Russia staged aggressive wargames in neighboring Lithuania in tandum with strong rebukes to the Polish minority. It called for the abolishment of the Polish language teaching in the country. The wargames simulated an invasion. The Polish minority in Lithuania has pressed its cause. It is important to remember that for Russia, Eastern Europe is just another satellite state at least as much as Georgia (which it recently invaded in 2008) or Afghanistan (1979-1988). Boasting a population of some 40 million, Poland, separated from Russia by Ukraine and Belarus, might believe that it’s not counted as an extension of the Soviet states – especially as it is a loyal and productive NATO member. Perhaps Poles forget they share a border with Russia, playing host to the naval port of Kalingrad.

Since August of 2012, Visa-free travel between Russia’s Kalingrad Oblast and it’s EU neighbors has been offered. Polish residents on the Baltic Seaboard as far as Gdask may take advantage of the liberties; and Russians may travel a few kilometers into Poland.

Maybe that’s why the Americans reneged the missile defense shield – too close to Russia to secure.

Whatever the case, as this picture suggests, the Airforce sure is here now. Pay close attention, the plane marked ‘Polish Air Force’ is the Hercules C-130 cargo plane predicted to land by the Polish Press in July. The Hercules, a descendant of the famous C-54 which in 1949 broke the Soviet blockade of Berlin, serves as a gruesome reminder of the backbreaking potential of a rugged cargo-plane in Eastern Europe. In addition to paratroopers, the turboprop military transport can fulfill wildfire fighting duties as well as reconnaissance. It’s ideal for insulting the enemy; and serves as a sobering reminder that the US can invade Russia with far greater finesse than Russia may ever invade Europe.

The US Congress last week passed legislation against Russians suspected in the torture of Andrei Magnitsky. Russia promised offense, taking issue with American legislators who keep prisoners locked away in GITMO Cuba as subjects of terror. In the time being, a botched arms deal to the tune of some 4 billion with normally compliant Syria preceded the ousting of General Nikolai Makarov for corruption charges, dumping valuable military assets without recouping their value. Which, all in all, signals that Russian officials are dealing with having to tighten their belts and conserve cash. After all, that is what the Magnitsky legislation calls for: asset redistribution.

In the last couple of weeks, we have seen botched Russian arms deals in Syria, corruption rattling top Russian brass, American legislators declaring war on suspicious Russians, and the Air Force showing off its plan of attack – a CARGO plane. Then Thanksgiving and the day after that when the Polish Press announced that the Congress building nearly averted a 4 ton TNT attack; that LGBTA websites across the land have been hacked and that Gays and Lesbians should change their passwords; and that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposes to arrange a State Tribunal for the twin brother of fallen President Lech Kaczyński for suspicions of corruption. Mr. Kaczyński served as his brother’s Prime Minister and is still a leading candidate against Tusk power in Poland. This is despite an ostentatious grieving period that has seen the former Prime Minister concoct conspiracy after conspiracy to atone for the death of his brother and some 90 serving senior cabinet ministers in a Tupolev 154 in Smolensk, Russia, on April 10 of 2010.

Whatever will happen next?

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Rome, Italy — “Horror and indignation.” This was the initial reaction of Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi on hearing of the killing of the US Ambassador in Libya, Chris Stevens, and his three colleagues during an attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi. “I wish to offer my heartfelt condolences to the USA”, said Terzi during his mission to Malta. The Minister added that Italy “condemns most firmly this terrible attack which must be investigated in full as soon as possible.

My thoughts go out to the families of the victims of a dreadful act that has struck the people engaged in a front line role in restoring hope and support to a people who wish to build their own future of freedom and democracy.”

Terzi sent a message to the American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing his “dismay and deep sadness” over the death of Chris Stevens and his colleagues in this “cowardly attack.” In his own name and that of the Italian Government, he offered his heartfelt condolences.

“In recent months”, commented Terzi, “we have all appreciated the notable professional and human qualities of Ambassador Stevens, with whom we established a close and fruitful collaboration right from the start of the Libyan crisis. With his sensitivity and his deep knowledge of Libya and the Maghreb, Ambassador Stevens made a highly important contribution to the success of the rebellion against the Gaddafi regime and the new Libya’s democratic stabilisation process.

“Italy’s firm intention is to insist with the authorities in Tripoli,” added Terzi. “We also wish to offer, if necessary, every possible help to ensure that all the facts are brought to light and that those responsible for this brutal crime against the US mission in Benghazi are brought to justice.”

Image Courtesy of  Italian Embassy

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Washington, U.S.A. — The United States congratulates Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud on winning the support of Parliament and becoming Somalia’s new president, and the Somali people for completing this momentous political transition. Their vote represents an important milestone for the people of Somalia, and a crucial step forward along the path of building a representative government.

With leadership comes tremendous responsibility. The United States calls on Somalia’s leaders to usher in a new era of governance that is responsive, representative, and accountable. We encourage President Hassan and all members of Parliament to be inclusive and collaborative, and to build on today’s vote by continuing to strengthen democratic institutions, improving stability and security, and bringing tangible improvements to the lives of Somalia’s citizens.

The United States stands with the people of Somalia during this historic moment, and will continue to be a committed partner moving forward. Their achievement would not have been possible without the contributions of the African Union, United Nations, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and regional stakeholders. While today’s vote marks the end of the transition period, much work remains to be done. The United States calls on the international community to reaffirm its commitment to Somalia, and to help realize a more secure and prosperous future for the Somali people.

Image Courtesy of  Talk Radio News Service

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Washington, U.S.A. – The U.S. ambassador in Libya, Christopher Stevens, and three other employees of the diplomatic mission of the United States have died after being attacked on Tuesday, in the city of Benghazi as reported on Wednesday the Interior Ministry from Libya.

Hillary Rodham Clinton made an statement condemning the violent act:

It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the death of four American personnel in Benghazi, Libya yesterday. Among them were United States Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and Foreign Service Information Management Officer, Sean Smith. We are still making next of kin notifications for the other two individuals. Our hearts go out to all their families and colleagues.

A 21 year veteran of the Foreign Service, Ambassador Stevens died last night from injuries he sustained in the attack on our office in Benghazi.

I had the privilege of swearing in Chris for his post in Libya only a few months ago. He spoke eloquently about his passion for service, for diplomacy and for the Libyan people. This assignment was only the latest in his more than two decades of dedication to advancing closer ties with the people of the Middle East and North Africa which began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco. As the conflict in Libya unfolded, Chris was one of the first Americans on the ground in Benghazi. He risked his own life to lend the Libyan people a helping hand to build the foundation for a new, free nation. He spent every day since helping to finish the work that he started. Chris was committed to advancing America’s values and interests, even when that meant putting himself in danger.

Sean Smith was a husband and a father of two, who joined the Department ten years ago. Like Chris, Sean was one of our best. Prior to arriving in Benghazi, he served in Baghdad, Pretoria, Montreal, and most recently The Hague.

All the Americans we lost in yesterday’s attacks made the ultimate sacrifice. We condemn this vicious and violent attack that took their lives, which they had committed to helping the Libyan people reach for a better future.

Image Courtesy of   Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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Washington, U.S.A. — The U.S. State Department has announced the launch this Thursday in Washington of the Morocco-US Strategic Dialogue, one of less than two dozen such agreements in existence, and the only one in North Africa. The Strategic Dialogue, years in the making, is the result of focused, comprehensive leadership and cooperation by King Mohammed VI with three US Administrations to strengthen Morocco-U.S. relations and implement the two countries’ shared vision for the Middle East and North Africa.

In April 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signaled the creation of the Strategic Dialogue, recognition of more than a decade of peaceful reforms and stability under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. At that time Secretary Clinton announced, “We also look forward with great optimism to further deepening our strong and strategic partnership in working with Morocco on so many issues.” With the signing by the two countries on Thursday, September 13, the Strategic Dialogue officially begins and builds on bilateral advances already achieved, including the Morocco-US Free Trade Agreement, the Millennium Challenge Compact, and Morocco’s designation as a major non-NATO ally.

The Strategic Dialogue is a formal institutionalized framework that establishes an ongoing collaboration on issues of importance between both countries concerning global and regional issues as well as bilateral interests.  It will not be affected by changes in administration, leadership or personnel. It will allow the US to coordinate its foreign policy interests and values more closely with Morocco. This milestone comes as the Arab Spring uprisings demonstrate an even greater need for a strong, reliable, and influential US ally in the region.

“What has not changed [over the last two years] is our commitment to our partnership and friendship, which goes back to 1777 when Morocco became the very first country to recognize our new nation,” said Secretary Clinton during a visit to Rabat in February. “And the United States and Morocco have been allies and partners ever since. We collaborate on everything from trade and economic development to joint military exercises and counter terrorism efforts.”

Image Courtesy of Xiquet ([1]) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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London, U.K. — Defence IQ, the leading online resource for military and defence news and analysis, has announced the release of its Social Media in Defence 2012 Report. The report explores the use of social media in the defence industry and is primarily focused on the commercial sector, considering what benefits, if any, social media offers to defence contractors and organisations.

A full copy of the report can be accessed here: Social Media in Defence 2012.

“The use of social media in the defence industry, particularly on the commercial side, has been limited to date,” said Andrew Elwell, Editor in Chief, Defence IQ. “While the report indicates that there is still resistance from industry, these perceptions are changing. The majority of survey respondents said that they will make significant changes to their social media policy over the next few years because it offers many advantages in terms of brand awareness and thought leadership.”

The report also examines the use of social media within a wider context, looking at how the defence media and journalists are utilizing social media as a tool to learn more about the industry and engage with suppliers.

“As with the advent of many new technologies, they are often viewed with suspicion until the benefits of using them become clearer,” said Elwell. “However, all indications are that in five or ten years the very premise of this report may seem bizarre to the leaders of the future because having a robust online presence and an engaging social media strategy will be fundamental, regardless of which industry you are in.”

For more information, please visit http://www.defenceiq.com

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New York, U.S.A. — U.S. designation of Hezbollah as a primary supporter of the Assad regime’s brutality “is another important step in efforts to confront the murderous Syrian regime,” said David Harris, executive director of AJC, the global advocacy organization. The U.S. government announced the new designation of Hezbollah in a conference call with reporters.

Ambassador Daniel Benjamin, the State Department’s Coordinator for Counterterrorism, one of the U.S. officials announcing the new designation, said “it serves the very, very important purpose of making clear to parties around the world – both domestically and internationally – the true nature of Hezbollah’s activities.”

The U.S designation states that Hezbollah has been training Syrian government personnel inside Syria, facilitating training of regime forces by Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and actively helping to expel Syrian opposition forces from some areas of Syria.”Hezbollah’s actions in Syria are particularly egregious, extending and prolonging this deadly conflict,” said Ambassador Benjamin.

“The Syrian people are suffering and dying at the hands of this unholy alliance of Hezbollah, Iran and the Assad regime,” said Harris. “State terrorism at its worst is playing out on the streets of Aleppo, Damascus and many other Syrian cities and towns.” The U.S. designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in 1999. Canada, the United Kingdom and Israel have similarly labelled the group.

Several years ago, an attempt to secure European Union designation came close, but ultimately failed because a few European leaders maintained that Hezbollah, with representatives in the Lebanese Cabinet and Parliament, was a “legitimate” political organization.

“Serving at the highest levels of a government does not facto legitimize a terrorist organization,” said Harris. “Hezbollah should not be allowed to have it both ways — on the one hand, maintain its own militia and global terrorist apparatus, while, on the other hand, being recognized as a legitimate political force.”

Hezbollah, created with Iran’s aid nearly 30 years ago, is one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations with a record of deadly attacks and foiled attempts in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Most recently, Hezbollah has been implicated in terrorist plots in two EU countries — Bulgaria andCyprus — as well as in other attempts from Kenya to Thailand.”

AJC last week sent letters to the foreign ministers of all 27 EU member states, the first step in a renewed campaign to encourage the EU to formally designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.”European nations should be among the very first to understand the true nature of Hezbollah and the regional and global threat it continues to pose,” said Harris. “It’s deadly involvement in Syria, as underscored by the new U.S. designation, only further underscores the point.”

Image Courtesy of   homeros / Shutterstock.com

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Alexandria, U.S.A. — Riki Ellison, Chairman and Founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) commented on the announcement of the first U.S. Navy nomination for director of the Missile Defense Agency, Rear Adm. James D. Syring for appointment to the rank of Vice Admiral.

“The Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced that the President of the United States, has nominated Navy Rear Admiral James D. Syring for appointment to the rank of Vice Admiral and for assignment as Director, Missile Defense Agency to replace the current, Lt. General Patrick O’Reilly who is currently under investigation by the Defense Department’s Inspector General’s office whom have recommended the Pentagon leadership take corrective action against him.

This marks the first time in history that the United States Navy will have the Directorship and Command of the Missile Defense Agency and its predecessor organizations since the initiation of the Strategic Defense Initiative proposed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. The United States Air Force, the United States Army and a Presidential appointed civilian have overseen and commanded the development, acquisition and research of missile defense since 1983.

The United States Navy is the main service and platform for U.S. sea based missile defense around the world which will have 28 current Ballistic Missile Defense Capable Aegis Ships in its fleets by the end of 2012 and the President’s planned European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) is dependent on the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense systems both on land and sea. The United States Navy is focusing on Directed Energy, Electronic Magnetic Force, in the Electric Rail Gun for future technologies and developments, all of which are applicable to missile defense.

Rear Admiral Syring is currently serving as program executive officer for Integrated Warfare Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.

Image Courtesy of  jim.greenhill

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Washington, U.S.A. — Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to Zhang Yesui, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in the United States, regarding recent reports detailing how individuals can obtain high quality counterfeit driver’s licenses from websites operated by companies based in China.

Brian Zimmer, President of the Coalition for a Secure Driver’s License applauded the Senators’ letter:

“Senators Grassley, Kirk, Harkin, and Durbin took an important step for national security today. Counterfeit driver’s licenses pose many risks to public safety and national security. It’s extremely important that the highest levels of the Chinese government be made aware that criminal entrepreneurs operating from their country are undermining the counter terrorism security apparatus of the United States. China faces its own threats from terrorism, and has previously pledged to be a responsible partner in the global war against terrorism.”

Over the past few years, several Chinese-based websites have begun to profit from providing counterfeit driver’s licenses. These websites allow an individual to insert a digital photo and biographic information that typically includes a false age and often a false name into the current state-issued driver’s license or identification card template. The individual then wires $200.00 to the Chinese company and receives two counterfeit driver’s licenses a few weeks later (prices are lower for orders made in bulk). One website contains templates for driver’s licenses for more than 20 states. Mr. Zimmer stated:

The identity card counterfeiting industry in China has expanded exponentially to produce highly sophisticated counterfeits of the driver’s licenses in more than twenty states, and is also producing immigration and work permit documents for customers intending to use them for illegal purposes. The terrorist who blew up a tourist bus in Bulgaria used a fake Michigan driver’s license to hide his real identity, so the risks inherent in exporting thousands of fake driver’s licenses should be self-evident to Chinese security officials.”

The Coalition for a Secure Driver’s License is a non-partisan, not for profit, crime prevention education public charity, supported by donor contributions from across the United States.

The CSDL slogan, “Working to protect the identity of every American”, embodies our commitment to higher standards for both government and private entities that issue identity credentials, especially state agencies that issue driver’s licenses and ID cards. CSDL undertakes research projects addressing best practices for DMVs, compliance with federal laws and regulations, identity fraud prevention and related identity management topics. CSDL provides research results and educational programs to the public and to state and federal officials and is a member of the Document Security Alliance and the American.

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Washington, U.S.A. — In the course of research on Iranian dissidents, the Iran Policy Committee (IPC) reviewed letters sent by a Senator and Members of the House of Representatives to the Secretary of State on the status of Iranian dissidents in Iraq. IPC also participated in a briefing by Members of the House. IPC research is consistent with views expressed in these letters and at the briefing.

In a June 12, 2012 letter, Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to express his dismay over the lack of action by the Department of State to reach a decision on the status of a revocation petition filed by the main Iranian opposition group that rejects clerical rule, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq.

Senator Levin wrote: “I have requested repeatedly that the Department of State proceed expeditiously to make a determination regarding the designation of the Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK) as a foreign terrorist organization…” The Senator is the latest among U.S. lawmakers to criticize the delay by the Department on the status of the MEK. The Senator also questioned the process that the State Department pursues to determine the status of the petition by the MEK.

A letter of August 2, 2012 from Members of the House spearheaded by Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA), ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade stated, “We respectfully request that the Department of State seek the Iraqi government’s agreement to and implementation of a number of humanitarian measures.

Until these measures are implemented, further voluntary relocation of Camp Ashraf residents would only exacerbate the current dreadful living conditions in Camp Liberty.” A bipartisan group of 79 Members of Congress signed the letter.

During a briefing by Members of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington on August 1, 2012, Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), a senior member of Committee on Homeland Security blamed Baghdad for “lack of clean water” at Camp Liberty. Also at the briefing, Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, called for removal of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), a group to which the Iranian dissidents belong, from the U.S. terrorist list to facilitate their speedy resettlement outside of Iraq, without relocation from Ashraf to Liberty.

Through independent research, the IPC determines that residents of Liberty are only seeking minimum humanitarian improvements in their quality of life.These include ensuring satisfactory access to clean water via measures to connect Liberty to the Baghdad water network and transfer of water purification equipment from Ashraf to Liberty or acquisition elsewhere of such items; improved electrical equipment to operate air conditioners, potentially through transfer of large generators from Ashraf to Liberty; authority to construct adequate ramps and related safety infrastructure for residents of Liberty, including those who are suffering from disabilities; and transfer of forklifts from Ashraf to Liberty to facilitate handling of heavy items.

Three former U.S. military officers of the IPC issued a statement on implications of diplomatic maneuvering about the status of the Iranian dissidents in Iraq. Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney (Ret), former Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force; Maj.

Gen. Paul Vallely, (U.S. Army (Ret), former Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army, Pacific; and Captain Charles “Chuck” Nash, U.S. Navy (Ret) said, “We are concerned that statements implying Iranian dissidents in Iraq are responsible for any delay in relocating play into the hands of those in the Government of Iraq intent on forcible relocation; on the contrary, our research finds that Baghdad is responsible for such delays because of failure to provide minimum humanitarian assistance to the dissidents.

In this respect, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Ambassador Martin Kobler, told the Security Council on July 19, 2012 that, “Time is running out to find a sustainable situation,…[and he urged] the Camp Ashraf residents to cooperate with the Iraqi authorities and to relocate.”

Founder and President, Global Initiative for Democracy and former Freedom House Executive Director, Bruce McColm commented on a statement of August 1, 2012 by Patrick Ventrell, Department of State Acting Deputy Spokesperson. Ventrell called on “…the Ashraf leadership to immediately resume cooperation with the relocation of residents to Camp…[Liberty].

The continued intransigence of the residents’ leadership in placing preconditions and making demands prior to any agreement to relocate…[additional] Ashraf residents is unacceptable…” McColm said “Ventrell’s statement blames the victim rather than the cause of the delay—Baghdad.”

Professor Raymond Tanter, President of the IPC and former member of the National Security Council staff in the Reagan administration, inferred Baghdad’s hidden agenda for denying minimum humanitarian life support: ”

1) Provide a rationale for forcible relocation within Iraq of remaining Ashraf residents by the Iraqi military;

2) Wear down resolve of Liberty residents so they ‘voluntarily’ repatriate to Iran rather than resettle to friendly third countries where they can continue as a political force that threatens survival of the clerical regime in Tehran; and

3) Evacuate Ashraf but keep former residents at Liberty to give space and time for the Iraqi military to place weapons in Ashraf to reinforce the false claim the MEK maintains an intent to commit terrorism and justify its continuation on the U.S. terrorist list. Such a hidden agenda based on fabricated premises is an illegitimate basis for denying minimum humanitarian life support to individuals listed as asylum seekers by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.”

Image Courtesy of  Elvert Barnes

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New York, U.S.A. – The World Jewish Congress has applauded the introduction of bi-partisan legislation by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Howard Berman (D-CA), Ted Poe (R-TX), Joe Crowley (D-NY), and Bob Turner (R-NY) that seeks to recognize the fact that 850,000 Jewish refugees were expelled from Arab countries during the past 60 years.

Among other actions, the bill would require the President and members of the administration to raise this issue with all relevant international organizations and other parties in discussions of the Middle East and to report to Congress that they have done so.

Evelyn Sommer, Chair, World Jewish Congress, North America, said “For a long time, the plight of the Jews who were forced to flee Arab countries has been ignored by the international community. Since 1948, in many countries across the Middle East and North Africa, Jews were persecuted, their property stolen, and ancient Jewish synagogues and cemeteries were destroyed. Banished and impoverished, most of these Jewish refugees came to Israel where they were welcomed with open arms, became citizens, and today thrive in the Jewish state.”

“Yet, the injustices done to these Jewish communities that existed for many hundreds of years and that were brutally uprooted have not been recognized or addressed. There are no United Nations resolutions to be found acknowledging this fact. We praise Representatives Nadler, Ros-Lehtinen, Berman, Poe, Crowley, and Turner for introducing this initiative in the House to help raise awareness of this history of intolerance and to demand an honest reckoning of this repression. We strongly urge the members of the United States Congress to pass this legislation,” said Sommer.

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Washington, U.S.A. — This week, Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) and Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) introduced the Economic Growth and Development Act (H.R. 6178/S.3495) to strengthen alignment and coordination between U.S. development programs and the private sector.

“I applaud efforts of Rep. Chabot and Sen. Isakson to promote a sustainable poverty reduction that could benefit millions of lives,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. “This bill is consistent with Bread for the World’s work to improve poverty-focused development assistance, making it more effective in meeting the needs of local people.”

The Economic Growth and Development Act calls for the U.S. government to establish more effective relationships with companies that are making critical investments in alleviating poverty, fighting disease, and bolstering economic growth in developing countries.

Both the Senate and House versions comprise a bipartisan effort to reform foreign assistance. Through better coordination among U.S. development efforts, the bill will ensure that U.S. companies participating in the fight against poverty have a designated point of engagement.

The Obama and Bush administrations have made positive changes in U.S. global development policy to leverage the private sector’s expertise, resources, and impact. However, more needs to be done to fully realize the promise of a closer and better coordinated partnership. For several years, Bread for the World has pushed for reform that encourages more productive coordination between the private sector and U.S. development agencies.

“We welcome reform that enables accountable coordination between the private sector and U.S. development agencies,” added Beckmann. “In these tough fiscal times, all of those working to end poverty must be at the table.  By cutting red tape, the Economic Growth and Development Act would allow for thoughtful partnerships that can fuel inclusive, sustainable economic growth and combat extreme poverty.”

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging the nation’s decision-makers to end hunger at home and abroad.

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Washington D.C., U.S.A. — Survivors of Iran-backed bombings in Beirut in 1983, at the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996, and families who lost loved ones in these attacks praised the House and Senate for coming to agreement on an Iran sanctions bill, especially for including language that clarifies and strengthens current law governing collection of court awarded judgments against Iran for its role in the two terrorist events.

The survivors and families from across the United States said they are now closer to being able to hold Iran responsible for murdering 241 American service men in Beirut and 19 at the Khobar Towers and for maiming many others at both locations.

“This legislation is a major step in making sure that Iran understands that it will have to face responsibility for killing and injuring Americans. No legislation or legal judgment can repair the awful damage Iran did to all of our families, but at least we can all know that our country stands behind us in seeking justice forIran’s murderous rampages,” said Lynn Smith Derbyshire National Spokesperson for the Beirut Families and whose brother, Marine Captain Vincent Smith, was killed in the bombing.

The American victims of Iranian terrorism groups commended Congress for taking a strong stand in an array of sanctions areas. They said they were particularly grateful to the Senate Banking Committee, especially Senators Robert Menendez (D-NY) and Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL); the House Foreign Affairs Committee; especially the Chair, Representative Ileana Ross-Lehtinen (R-FL); the House Financial Services Committee and Chair, Spencer Bachus; the House Judiciary Committee and Chair, Lamar Smith(R-TX); and Representative Robert Turner (R-NY) as well as the tireless efforts of House and Senate staffers for their collective efforts in assuring that provisions that will make it easier to make Iran pay for its terrorism were included in the omnibus bill.

The groups urged expeditious passage of a final bill and expressed hopes that President Obama will sign it into law promptly.

Image Courtesy of    Official U.S. Air Force

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New York, U.S.A. – AJC praised President Barack Obama for imposing additional sanctions on Iran’s energy and banking sectors.

Two Executive Orders signed this week will further restrict access to Iran’s energy and petrochemical sectors, as well as impose sanctions on China’s Bank of Kowlun and Iraq’s Elaf Islamic Bank.

“Today’s action makes it clear that we will expose any financial institution, no matter where they are located, that allows the increasingly desperate Iranian regime to retain access to the international financial system,” the White House said in an earlier statement.

The new sanctions follow measures taken earlier this year against any institution that deals with Iran’s Central Bank. They also are the latest round in increasingly punitive measures targeting companies worldwide that do business with Iran’s oil and energy businesses.

“This is no time to relent,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “New U.S. sanctions are essential in the global effort to convince the Iranian regime of our resolve to end its quest for nuclear-weapons capability.”

The Obama Administration’s move follows the failed P5+1 talks with Iran in Moscow, which came after similarly fruitless negotiations in Baghdad and Istanbul. No date has been set for more high-level talks between Iran and the U.S., Russia, Britain, France, China and Germany. At the same time, Tehrancontinues defiantly to proclaim progress in its nuclear program.

“The Iranian regime’s rejection of UN appeals to stop its nuclear weapons program, and fully open its existing facilities to IAEA inspectors, leaves concerned governments no choice but to impose ever-tighter sanctions,” said Harris.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress, with strong bipartisan support, is expected to approve this week another round of sanctions.

“The onus is on Iran to abide by its international obligations,” said Obama. “If the Iranian government continues its defiance, there should be no doubt that the United States and our partners will continue to hold Iran accountable.”

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Washington, U.S.A. — The following is being released by the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy – The FBI partially declassified and released files linking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a nuclear technology smuggling ring that targeted the United States. The declassified files are now publicly available online at http://www.IRmep.org/ila/krytons/06272012_milco_mdr.pdf

FBI agents interviewed indicted American smuggler Richard Kelly Smyth on April 16-17, 2002, at the U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles. The secret interview report details how during trips to Israel Smyth’s handler placed him in contact with Benjamin Netanyahu at Heli Trading Company. The FBI report suggests that “Smyth and [Netanyahu] would meet in restaurants in Tel Aviv and in [Netanyahu's] home and/or business. It was not uncommon for [Netanyahu] to ask Smyth for unclassified material.”

Smyth was indicted in the mid-1980s for smuggling 800 dual use “krytrons” without proper export licenses through a multi-front company network. Smyth fled the U.S. and lived abroad, supported by unknown means, until he was captured by Interpol and returned to the U.S. in 2001. He was convicted in 2002.

During the 2002 Smyth counterintelligence debriefing, the FBI learned that the Israeli Ministry of Defense ordered and paid an Israeli company called Heli Trading for krytrons. Heli in turn sourced them fromCalifornia-based MILCO in a clandestine operation codenamed “Project Pinto.” The report reveals how MILCO illegally shipped other prohibited military articles under general Commerce Department export licenses rather than smuggling them out via Israeli diplomatic pouches.

Released on the Internet on July 4, 2012, the files have been the subject of reporting in the Israeli press, including Israeli National News, Ma’ariv and The Marker. Some U.S. alternative media also explored the implications of the formerly secret files including Antiwar.com, Tikkun Olam, Mondoweiss and CounterPunch. WBAI radio and the Scott Horton Show have hosted interviews.

Although the FBI report has now been sent to the New York Times, Washington Post, all members of Congress and United Nations members, no top-tier establishment news coverage, Congressional or UN investigations have been made public. On Friday, National Public Radio syndicated host Diane Rehmimmediately disconnected IRmep Research Director Grant F. Smith when he asked her reporter roundtable to assess the implications of the Netanyahu espionage ring. An audio clip of the brief exchange is available at: http://www.IRmep.org/NPR.mp3

IRmep is a private nonprofit that studies how warranted law enforcement and civil action can improve U.S. Middle East policy.

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Washington, U.S.A.  – A new poll commissioned by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum finds that 67 years after the Holocaust, Americans believe genocide is still very possible, yet preventable, and they would like to see the US government play a major role in stopping it from happening around the world.

Americans expressed support for a range of strategies for preventing genocide, especially education about the Holocaust and other past atrocities. They are supportive of military action in cases like Syria and Sudan but they want the US to work in concert with other nations, according to the new telephone survey of 1000 people, conducted by Penn Schoen Berland between June 30 and July 10, 2012.

The poll was released in conjunction with the symposium “Imagine the Unimaginable: Ending Genocide in the 21st Century” held at the Museum, which featured a keynote address by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Presented in cooperation with the Council on Foreign Relations and CNN, the symposium examined the challenges of preventing genocide in years to come, and the opportunities and risks posed by new technologies, demographic changes and other trends.  Results of the poll helped guide the discussion during two panels that featured leading foreign policy experts, authors, academics and business leaders including Chairman of the US National Intelligence Council Christopher Kojm, Peter Schwartz,Timothy Snyder, Sarah Sewall, Arwa Damon, Richard Williamson and Strive Masiyiwa. The panels were moderated by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer and Washington Post investigative reporter Dana Priest.

“Sixty seven years after the Holocaust, after which the world vowed ‘Never Again,’ it is unacceptable that genocide persists,” said Museum Chairman Tom Bernstein. “We are heartened by the results of this poll which show that the American people understand the danger that genocide still poses today, and that they believe that the US should be a leader in helping to prevent it, working together with other countries and international organizations.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum hopes this poll, today’s symposium and our ongoing efforts will make a substantial contribution to understanding and preventing genocide and other mass atrocities in the future.”

“The results are striking in that they show a deep American concern for genocide and a strong desire for global action to face this threat,” said Mark Penn, former presidential pollster and CEO of Burson-Marsteller and Penn Schoen Berland.  “Americans believe they have a moral responsibility to prevent or stop genocide around the world, even if it means putting boots on the ground. But they view multilateral action as the most effective military strategy for prevention. They are well educated on the correct definition of genocide, especially young Americans, and believe education plays an important role in preventing this threat.”

The results of the poll are based on telephone interviews of 1,000 American respondents.  It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.   The symposium and poll were made possible in part by a generous pro-bono contribution from Burson-Marsteller and Penn Schoen Berland.

Americans believe genocide is very possible but also preventable.

• 94% of Americans believe that genocide is still very much a concern and could occur today.
• 66% of Americans believe that it is preventable.

Americans believe the US government has a major role to play in stopping genocide.

• 69% think the US should prevent or stop genocide or mass atrocities from occurring in another part of the world.
• 78% support the US taking military action to stop genocide or mass atrocities.

Americans support a range of strategies for preventing genocide and are supportive of military action, but want the US to work in concert with other nations.

• 53% say multilateral action is the most effective military strategy, while only 10% say unilateral action by the U.S. is most effective.
• 76% believe that education about the history of genocide can help prevent future atrocities.
• Fewer than 1 in 10 Americans say the US is most responsible for preventing genocide; most believe international bodies or the countries involved in a conflict are more responsible.

Americans believe the international community is not effective at genocide prevention.

• 55% believe the international community is not effective at preventing civilians from genocide or mass atrocities.
• One in two Americans believes that the International Criminal Court is not effective at preventing genocide.

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New York, U.S.A. – ”President Obama’s endorsement of an Olympic games moment of silence in honor of slain Israelis is a welcome boost to the global campaign,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected public commemoration of the 11 Israeli Olympians murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. In 1972 members of the Israeli Olympic team were kidnapped and then killed by the Palestinian group, the Black September. The Palestinians demanded that 234 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails be released and that all the members of Germany’s Red Army Faction be put into prison. The Palestinians killed eleven Israeli victims including coaches and athletes. Five of the eight Palestinians were killed when they tried to flee after the killings and the other three were captured.

However, West German officials released the three and Israel launched ‘Operation Wrath of God’ in order to track down all of those associated with the killings and kill them. The operation was successful but also resulted in the death of an innocent Norwegian man and four bystanders.

“We (the Obama administration) absolutely support the campaign for a minute of silence at the Olympics to honor the Israeli athletes killed in Munich,” National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor told Yahoo News by email.

Obama joins the growing outcry for IOC President Jacques Rogge to reconsider its longstanding opposition to the memorial before the London Olympic Games open on July 27. The Canadian and Australian parliaments, the U.S. Senate, the German Bundestag, and others have passed resolutions urging the IOC to hold a moment of silence. In addition,140 members of the Italian parliament expressed their support for the global campaign.

“The 11 victims in 1972 were Israeli, but the Palestinian terror attack in Munich was an assault on all who came to participate peacefully in the spirit of the Summer Olympics,” Harris added. “Is a minute of silence too much to ask, given the tragedy that befell the Israeli contingent and, indeed, the entire Olympic movement?”

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China is presently the second largest economy in the world, only surpassed by the United States. But some economic annalists believe that in five years China will overtake the United States. China has also made moves to become an important player in world politics, underlined by the Chinese Veto over U.N. action in Syria this past February. But how are the U.S.-China diplomatic relations these days?

In the diplomatic relation with China and with the rest of the countries, Obama has tried to follow the so called Obama Doctrine by trying to make negotiation his priority. China is the United States’ second largest trading partner, but since China opened its economy in the 1980s, the U.S. has imported more Chinese goods than it has exported to the Asian giant.

This phenomenon has helped China to industrialize and to start creating jobs. This is causing the United States an enormous problem because the manufacturing sector can’t compete with cheaper wages abroad, and the American market doesn’t have any trouble accepting the cheaper Chinese products.

Also China is the U.S. third biggest market for exports after Canada and Mexico. In 2011, the country exported almost $104 billion in goods, but President Obama is sure the country can export more. That’s why by 2015 he plans to double the exports, a strategy he is sure will create more jobs at American manufacturers.

But President Obama’s relationship with China has had its ups and downs. It has lacked in constancy during specific periods. For example, in February, during his State of the Union speech, he announced the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that would have the responsibility to investigate unfair trading practices in countries like China.

This changing relationship has not been ignored by the Chinese. Shen Dingli, who is in charge of the Center of American Studies at Fudan University in Shangai, described Obama’s diplomacy as “unstable.” Although U.S.-China relations might be problematic in certain aspects, Dingli explained that at least both Presidents, Obama and Jintao, have something clear: no matter how bad things are, a rupture in their trade relationship is not an option, because it would be a disaster for both nations.

A new protagonist has recently appeared in U.S.-China relations named Chen Guangcheng. He is a blind human rights defender who escaped from house arrest and took shelter in the U.S. embassy in Bejing. After his escape, all the world’s eyes were concentrated on him, and this left the United States in a very delicate situation. They could grant him asylum and endanger their relations with China or give him back, betraying a basic principle that the U.S. supports: human rights worldwide.

The story ended with the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson of China, Liu Weimin, demanding the United States government an apology for intervening in China’s domestic issues. In the end, Chen was able to leave China because he was offered a visiting scholar position at New York University. The Chen issue was the last big struggle between the U.S. and China.

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In the last months, the diplomatic relation between Russian and the United States has become tense and unstable, mainly because Russia and China vetoed the U.N. intervention on Syria. This really angered the United States, but Vladimir Putin’s recent election to the Russian presidency has not helped to solve the problem and calm things down.

Russia is the U.S.’ 20th largest trading partner in goods. The goods trade between the two countries is reported as $42.9 billion USD in total. U.S. exports to Russia were $8.3 billion dollars. U.S. goods imports from Russia totaled $34.6 billion last year. Compared to China, Russia is a small economic partner to the United States, but a very important one in other areas.

In the 19th century, Russia sold Alaska to the United States. Russia also supported the U.S. during the civil war. In fact, the 19th  century was a golden period for U.S.-Russian diplomatic relations. But the  20th century told us a completely different story. It witnessed the worst  case scenario in the diplomatic relations between the two countries: the Cold War, which was a mainly political conflict between the Soviet Union, a union of countries in which Russia was the biggest, and the United States. Even though the Cold War was going on, the U.S. and Soviet astronauts went to space together in the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission.

The Soviet Union didn’t last forever, ending in 1991. After this, relations between the two countries got better, but, like with every country, there are a lot of aspects in which both governments do not agree. This is completely normal considering both countries come from two totally different backgrounds.

Vladimir Putin returned to the Russian presidency in March, which will definitely affect the good relations that President Obama had with his precursor, Dmitri Medvedev, who was in power from 2008 to 2012. Medvedev even declared once that “these were perhaps the best three years of relations between Russia and the United States over the last decade.”

But now Putin, a former K.G.B officer, is back on the game. The man became President for the first time in 2000 and remained so until 2008 when he gave power to his chosen one, Medvedev. Yet, most analysts agree he never stopped ruling.

The first problems between the U.S. and Russia have already reappeared, and the Syria issue has been the trigger. The State Secretary Hillary Clinton accused Putin in June of shipping attack helicopters to Syria that President al-Assad could use to continue with his massacre of civilians. The Russian government responded that they only have sent weapons that can be used for self-defense.

But the problematic relations between both countries really started in February, when Russia and China vetoed the United Nations’ action on Syria. This action caused fury on the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. The U.S. ambassador Susan Rice told CNN that “those that have blocked potentially the last effort to resolve this peacefully … will have any future blood spill on their hands.”

But President Obama made an announcement in June to try to calm things down. After a meeting with President Putin, he expressed the tensions can be solved although they have disagreements. Concerning the Syria issue he declared that President Putin agreed that a political process should be created in Syria in order to avoid a civil war.

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As of July 1, new sanctions against Iran are taking effect, effectively banning crude oil imports to the EU, which accounts for some 18% of Iranian crude oil exports. These new sanctions are coming into play as talks between the Iranian regime and the so called P5+1 nations (the U.S., U.K., China, Russia, and France plus Germany) are not making much headway.

Neither the May 23 meeting in Bagdad nor the June 23 meeting in Moscow resulted in anything substantial. Arguably, Iran is moving closer to the “point of no return” with threats being handed out on all sides and the rhetoric growing fiercer. Although a military solution seems to become more and more likely, there are compelling reasons why an air strike should be avoided at all costs.

An air strike on Iran is neither going be as easy as the Israeli strike on Iraq’s Osirak reactor in 1981, nor the strike on Syria’s reactor near al-Kibar in 2007. Iran, having learned a lesson or two from history, has gone to great lengths to protect their enrichment plants – spread out all over Iran – composing at least a dozen different sites. A top US air-force planner estimates that at least 400 targets would have to be hit, and that at least 75 would require the use of penetrating munitions (such as so called “bunker buster bombs”).

Furthermore, these sites are buried deep under ground, (such as the enrichment plant at Fordow which is located under a mountain), and are protected by sophisticated Russian-made air defence systems.

The air strike would have to be massive, continuous and surgical – and the problem is, it would do nothing but postpone the Iranian nuclear venture, (with some 2-5 years according to analysts). And detriment to the whole cause, a strike would naturally add enormous incentive for Iran to actually acquire the bomb, instead of keeping to peaceful uranium enrichment.

Following an Israeli strike, the Iranians would undoubtedly counterattack. Such a strike would be delivered both by means of conventional weapons such as ballistic missiles towards Israel (Iran has got the biggest stock of ballistic missiles in the Middle East), and also by the use of proxy forces such as Hezbollah who could target Israel with rocket strikes from the neighbouring Lebanon.

Other notable proxy strikes would come from the powerful warlord Moqtada al-Sadr, commander of the Shiite Mahdi Army, who’s openly promised to strike back at U.S. coalition forces in Iraq in the case of a U.S./Israeli strike against Iran.

If such a scenario unfolds, the U.S. would undoubtedly launch its own strike against Iran. The U.S., having built up a presence of some 125,000 troops in close proximity to Iran according to recent CENTCOM figures have the ability to hit some 10,000 targets inside Iran overnight.

However, the aftermath of a potential U.S. strike could prove to be very dangerous, as it would galvanize the other pro-Iranian powerhouses China and Russia, active in the region, and, in a worst case scenario, spark a new cold war.

Furthermore, a U.S. strike would have to be continuous and conducted over a long time span, in order to quell any resumed Iranian nuclear efforts, putting further strain on an already badly overstretched U.S. army, not to mention its economy. And all the while, soaring global oil prices would put the final nail in the coffin of an already badly beaten Western economy.

This is simply a scenario, but makes a rather convincing case why a military strike should be avoided at all costs. But amidst the threats and the gloomy outlooks, there are some positive notions.

Although the conflict has seen some escalations, such as cyber attacks on Iranian enrichment plants, as well as several mysterious and dramatic deaths of leading Iranian nuclear scientists, it has mostly been a war of words up to this point.

Historically, Israel has shown that when they are really intent on striking, such as in the cases of Iraq and Syria, it was done in the quiet, without any warning. The current amount of warnings and threats is thus a sign that Israel is content at keeping it “a war of words,” at least for now. But this rather precarious stalemate is not going to last forever.

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Despite the portentous threat of extradition hanging over his head, Julian Assange has managed to use his credentials to interview some of the most controversial figures across the world. In the ninth episode of Julian Assange show, he takes his viewers inside the tumultuous world of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In this segment, Assange cross examines infamous Pakistani politician Imran Khan and gains perception into country’s foreign relations, its ongoing internal warfare , pending corruption and the status-quo of power structure in the society.

Imran Khan is one of the most recognized figures ever to come out of Pakistan. He will always be remembered for bringing the 1992 world cup trophy to his homeland, for his marriage to British socialite Jemima Goldsmith and for his philanthropic contributions to Pakistani society. He joined politics in 1996 and formed a party called ‘Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf’ (PTI) to fight injustice and corruption. His political voyage has been full of endearing hardships, multiple incarcerations and heartbreaks.

“Pakistan is changing fast, over the last two years US drone attacks and corrupt political dynasties have driven millions to this cause” said Assange. This is another glimpse of Arab Spring that has crossed over to Pakistan.

According to Khan, “Well, the battle in Pakistan, just like in the Middle East, is of a status quo, an entrenched status quo ‒ what you call the power structure ‒ benefited from the system, and the majority of the population wanted a change. ”

Khan has faced severe criticism from home and abroad for his docile political career. In 2007, US cables referred to him as “Pakistan’s one man party” He boycotted the 2008 elections over the protest of the National Reconciliation Ordinance deal that the Bush administration brokered between General Perveez Musharraf and Benazir Butto. The following deal gave amnesty to Bhutto and her party members over corruption cases.

Khan explains that in Pakistan there is a political mafia. According to Khan, “First of all, I boycotted the elections in 2008, um, because, you know, these elections were manipulated by the Bush administration. His party alongside other political parties boycotted 2008 elections over their fear of pre-poll rigging.” Khan argued that Musharraf allowed criminals to contest elections.

In the aftermath of 2008 elections, his party’s popularity decreased. But for past two years things have changed. As opinion polls in Pakistan reflect, Khan’s popularity has increased in the last six months to 60-80%. With over 306846 followers on Twitter, Khan and his party have risen to prominence. His popularity has come with a hefty price tag, as many political parties turned against him. His party is no longer actively seeking coverage in media, due to money being poured into channels by opposition parties.

But despite the setbacks, he has been holding mass rallies with over 100,000 people and as he puts it: “Now, since the big rallies, the whole political scene has changed. We have seen now politicians rushing to me. So people who are electables, realizing that the vote bank now belongs to me, they are coming to join me.” Khan compares his ardent following in Pakistan to one in former Middle East, where demand for change and a protest against anti-status quo movement saw fall of many governments. According to Khan, Pakistan has not experienced such mass turn out in rallies since the death of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Assange quizzed Khan over the challenging and oft confusing relations between the US and Pakistan. In the aftermath of 9/11 and under the governance of General Musharraf, Pakistan became America’s key ally on its war on terror. Over time, the War on Terror has changed and evolved by transcending the Afghan boundaries and crossing into mainland of Pakistan. Khan said “no country has ever been bombed by its own ally, as we have been bombed in this country.” There is a mounting anger in Pakistan over American drone attacks on its soil. People of Pakistan are still coming to terms with the fact that certain factions of intelligence services aided Bin Laden in using Pakistan as his hide out. The war on terror has bore horrific consequences for Pakistan, 40,000 Pakistanis have been killed and in the last 4 years it has cost Pakistan $50 billion.

Khan holds Musharraf accountable for all the mess in contemporary Pakistan from growing corruption to country’s mounting debts to the war on terror. “Julian, it’s so shameful. You know, never has a country’s ruling elite, for personal benefits, never have they betrayed their people as much as this elite under Musharraf and the current elite”, Khan said.

Imran Khan provides another well known glimpse into a world of darkness, where corruption is rife, civil liberties are eroded and money and power has become an instrument of governance and military to exploit and exercise dominance over the poor population of a country. However, things are changing fast across the Pakistan’s political spectrum, with the recent eviction of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani from his office, judiciary maintaining its status, and the current President losing support fast amongst general public. With mounting debt of $12 trillion, an army killing its own people, and over 14 hours of power cuts in a day, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is in a dire need of miraculous savior. Now, whether Khan’s popularity in opinion polls will take him towards becoming a next leader of the troubled Pakistan remains to be seen.

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Washington, U.S.A — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) have welcomed a decision by the U.S. military to stop using a target depicting a Muslim woman wearing a religious head scarf (hijab) and verses from the Quran to train Navy SEALs at the new close quarters combat range at Joint Base Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Va.

The Navy made that announcement after the Washington-based Muslim civil rights organization sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Friday asking that the target and the religious text be removed from the training facility, referred to as a “kill house.”

Lt. David Lloyd, a spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group 2, told the Virginian-Pilot: “We have removed this particular target and Arabic writing in question from the range in the near term, and will explore other options for future training.”

“We welcome the Navy’s prompt action to address community concerns and hope this incident serves as a reminder that credible scholars and experts need to be consulted when designing training materials relating to Islam and Muslims for our nation’s military personnel,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “This is a welcome first step, but a serious and comprehensive review is needed to deal with the issue of Islamophobia in military training.”

Awad noted that CAIR recently called on the Department of Defense to dismiss an instructor at the nearby Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., who taught fellow officers that only a “total war” on Islam would protect America, that they should use “Hiroshima” tactics, target civilian populations, and abandon the Geneva Conventions.

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In a positive step for U.S.-Iraq relations, the two countries have reached a deal in which the United States will sell Iraq unmanned aerial drones and other military equipment. Iraq’s navy will use the drones to protect its oil reserves within the country’s territory in the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, headed by Gen. Robert Caslen, hopes that this sale will enable Iraq to be a dependable source of oil, a valuable asset given the recent sanctions on neighboring Iran. A steady outflow of oil should lessen the pressure on oil prices both in the United States and in Europe. The sale of the drones was confirmed by the office but no other details were provided.

Iraqi oil must travel through a number of straits and passageways that are susceptible to terror and other criminal activities or acts of war. Iran has threatened to blockade the area in the past. Ali al-Moussawi, an adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, believes that “Iraq should have the ability to protect itself against outside aggression.”

Iraq has stated that it is not concerned whether or not Iran will view the move as a threat. The drones will enable Iraq to keep 24 hour surveillance of its precious resources. Iraq is currently training engineers to man the drones and plans to be ready to use the drones late this year.

Gen. Caslen has said that “They understand the importance of the mission to protect its oil platforms.”Iraq has been responsible for securing the oil reserves since 2005, but had the help of the United States until American troops withdrew in late 2011.

Since the U.S. pulled out of Iraq, the OPEC country has increased its oil production to 3 million barrels a day from about 2.5 million barrels a day. Its oil industry was previously crippled due to long wars and harsh sanctions against ousted dictator Saddam Hussein. Iraq’s deputy prime minister for energy, Hussain al-Shahristani, estimates that production will grow to 10 million barrels per day within the decade. Iraq has the world’s fourth largest oil reserve infrastructure.

The sale of the drones is meant to strengthen U.S.-Iraqi relations. The ties have been in a fragile state since the United States entered Iraq in 2003. Iraq has already agreed to purchase more than $15 billion worth of American military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets, tanks, and armored personnel carriers. Iraq maintains that all of its purchases are to be used for defensive purposes.

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Last month Propublica told the unlikely story of how Eni Faleomavaega, the congressional delegate from American Samoa, had become one of Bahrain’s most reliable friends on Capitol Hill.

Faleomavaega had traveled to the Gulf Nation and made a series of statements in support of the government and criticizing popular protests that broke out there early last year. As we documented, he was turned on to the issue by the Bahrain American Council, a group created by a Washington lobby shop run by a close friend and campaign contributor of Faleomavaega’s.

But something unexpected happened after the publication of the story: Faleomavaega’s view of the situation in Bahrain shifted dramatically.

Since the protest movement began in February 2011, Faleomavaega had repeatedly criticized protesters as pawns or agents of Iran who were violently destabilizing an important U.S. ally. In comments submitted to the Congressional Record last March, for example, Faleomavaega argued that the monarchy that rules Bahrain had met all of the protesters’ demands, and added, “I have to ask why the demonstrators returned to protesting again, even after all their demands were agreed to.”

Human rights groups, meanwhile, have consistently criticized the government for suppressing protests with sometimes deadly force and for prosecuting activists and those that aided them.

Propublica’s story was published April 2, which happened to coincide with the start of a trip  Faleomavaega and two other Democratic members of Congress took to Bahrain (paid for by the government there).

On April 3, the group met with Bahrain’s human rights minister. During that meeting, Faleomavaega called on the government to implement reforms that were recommended by a commission of inquiry last year. He also raised the case of Jaffar Salman, a man detained for allegedly participating in an illegal assembly who had complained he was not getting medical treatment after being shot in the face with birdshot.

Salman was subsequently brought to the hospital, according to a letter Faleomavaega received thanking him from opposition party Al-Wefaq published on his congressional website last week.

In a statement accompanying the letter, Faleomavaega called for reconciliation, adding that “after the government crackdown on government protestors, the situation in Bahrain is alarming.”

This kind of rhetoric is an about face for the congressional delegate. On his last trip to Bahrain in October, Faleomavaega delivered a speech vigorously defending the government’s response to the protests. He worried about “the prospect of anarchy or the violent overthrow of a peaceful government by infiltrators from another country” — Iran.

Faleomavaega also met with Al-Wefaq officials on that October trip but they had expressed disappointment after the meeting, complaining that he did “not show enough understanding for the legitimate demands for reform.”

What caused Faleomavaega to change his view of the situation? He did not respond to requests for comment.

by Justin Elliott, ProPublica, May 2, 2012, 4:03 p.m.

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Tuesday night, President Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit to sign a strategic partnership agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The key agreement signed in Kabul by the two presidents defines the relations between United States and Afghanistan and the US military presence in the country after 2014, when the last NATO-led troops are due to leave.

Obama’s surprise visit comes exactly on the one-year anniversary of the raid that led to the killing of Al Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden in the city of Abbottabad, Pakistan.

“Together, we’re now committed to replacing war with peace,” Obama said after signing the agreement. “With this agreement I am confident that the Afghan people will understand that the United States will stand by them,” he added.

“I’m here to affirm the bond between our two countries and to thank Americans and Afghans who have sacrificed so much over these last ten years,” the U.S. President stated after the signing ceremony. “Neither Americans nor the Afghan people asked for this war yet for a decade we’ve stood together.”

The occasion was called as “a historic moment for our two nations”.

By signing the agreement after months of negotiations, the United States guarantees to Afghanistan its sovereignty, assuring also their support after the withdrawal of the military force from the country.

During his visit to Bagram Air Field, addressing to U.S. troops President Obama said, “I know the battle’s not yet over. Some of your buddies are going to get injured. And some of your buddies may get killed. And there’s going to be heartbreak and pain and difficulty ahead. But there is a light on the horizon because of the sacrifices you made.”

At 7.30 p.m. EST, 4 a.m. in Afghanistan, Obama delivered a live address to the Nation.

“My fellow Americans, we have traveled through more than a decade under the dark cloud of war. Yet here, in the pre-dawn darkness of Afghanistan, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon.” he said in speech excerpts released in advance of his televised delivery by the White House.

“The Iraq War is over,” he added. “We have a clear path to fulfill our mission in Afghanistan, while delivering justice to al-Qaida.”

“Last year, we removed 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Another 23,000 will leave by the end of the summer. After that, reductions will continue at a steady pace, with more of our troops coming home. And as our coalition agreed, by the end of 2014 the Afghans will be fully responsible for the security of their country.”

Referring to the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, he added, “As we emerge from a decade of conflict abroad and economic crisis at home, it is time to renew America … a united America of grit and resilience, where sunlight glistens off soaring new towers in downtown Manhattan, and we build our future as one people, as one nation.”

This visit to Afghanistan and the signature of the U.S. Afghanistan agreement, emphasized by the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death, are aimed to underline the commitment  of the Obama administration for ending the war and supporting democracy in Afghanistan. Just the right move at a crucial time for a president who wishes to be re-elected, but how this event might affect the voters is yet to be seen.

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As the United States has removed itself from one extended military conflict in the Middle East – in Iraq – another one possibly looms on the horizon, brought on by Iran’s suspected nuclear program and, among other things, Israel’s desire to abolish it. The U.S. has a tricky and nuanced road to navigate, made only more complicated by Israel’s role, the rising price of oil, and the presidential election in November. When Americans were asked about various items related to the potential conflict with Iran, the responses reflect the complicated nature of the issue.  Seven in ten Americans agree that Iran’s nuclear capabilities pose a threat to the United States (72%), yet what action the United States should take in response is less clear.

Over half of U.S. adults say that if Israel takes action against Iran’s nuclear program that the U.S. should support Israel (56%), yet fewer than half of Americans say Israel should take action to destroy Iran’s nuclear program (45%) and fewer believe that the U.S. should take this action themselves.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,451 adults surveyed online between March 12 and 19, 2012 by Harris Interactive .

While a majority of all U.S. adults agree that Iran’s nuclear capabilities pose a threat to the United States this belief is stronger among older generations; 77%-79% of Baby Boomers (ages 48-66) and Matures (ages 67+) agree, compared to 63%-71% of Echo Boomers (ages 18-35) and Gen X (ages 36-47) who do.  The older generations are in similar agreement about the U.S. supporting Israel if Israel takes action against Iran’s nuclear program: over three in five Baby Boomers (63%) and Matures (68%) say the U.S. should support Israel, yet just 55% of Gen X and 45% of Echo Boomers respectively say the same.  There is a less strong opinion on whether Israel should take military action to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities.  Approximately half (47%-51%) of Gen X, Baby Boomers and Matures say Israel should, although just 38% of Echo Boomers agree.  If Americans are uncertain about how Israel should act, they are even more uncertain about what the U.S. should do:

• Overall 45% of U.S. adults agree that the United States should NOT take military action to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, 39% disagree and 16% are not at all sure;
• Matures (aged 67+) are most likely to say that the U.S. should not take action against Iran and Gen X is least likely to say this (40%).

Political Differences
Military engagements and involvement with Israel are usually politically charged issues, but that sense is even more escalated in an election year. Republicans, Democrats and Independents show a different mind when considering Iran’s nuclear situation:

• While a majority of all political parties say that Iran’s nuclear capabilities pose a threat to the United States and that if Israel takes action against Iran the U.S. should support Israel, Republicans are the most likely to say these things (83% say Iran poses a threat and 70% want the U.S. to support Israel). Democrats and Independents agree that Iran poses a threat (70% and 73% say so respectively), yet these groups are less strongly in favor of supporting Israel taking action (51%-57% agree the U.S. should do so);
• When asked directly if Israel should take military action against Iran’s nuclear program Republicans agree they should (59%), yet significantly fewer Democrats and Independents say the same (40% and 45%);
• On the other hand, a majority of Democrats say that the U.S. should not take military action to destroy Iran’s nuclear program (52%), yet fewer than half of Independents (46%) and Republicans (37%) agree.

Taking a more philosophical look, interestingly a majority of Americans — in all political parties — disagree that Iran has the right to continue working on its nuclear program (65%-71% of Republicans, Democrats and Independents say this).

So What?
Although most reports indicate that neither Israel nor the U.S. is likely to take immediate military action against Iran – the results of which could be enormous and costly — the continued discussion and analysis on what each country should do might have consequences of its own, particularly if Iran sees the ongoing discussion as provocation unto itself.  It will be interesting to see how President Obama handles the discussions and decisions moving forward — it seems unlikely that he would want to enter into a new military engagement, yet the potential threat from Iran is felt by Americans, the pro-Israel lobby is strong, and the U.S. demand for oil continues to be pervasive.

Methodology
This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between March 12 and 19, 2012 among 2,451 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The Harris Poll  #39, April 10, 2012
By Samantha Braverman, Sr. Project Researcher, Harris Interactive

Image Courtesey of  Steve Rhodes

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On April 2, the U.S. government offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Hafeez Saeed, the spiritual chief of Pakistan’s Lashkar-i-Taiba militant group and an alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

A yearlong investigation by ProPublica and PBS’ Frontline explored the role of American David Coleman Headley in planning the three-day raid by gunmen of Lashkar-i-Taiba supported by Pakistan’s intelligence service, the ISI.

As Propublica reported, Headley revealed that Saeed helped plan the Mumbai attacks. He credited Saeed for inspiring him to jihad and, after his arrest, told interrogators about Saeed’s ties to Pakistani intelligence. “He is very close to ISI,” Headley said of Saeed. “He is well protected.” (For more, see the complete coverage.) The U.S. State Department also offered a reward for Hafiz Abdul Rahman Makki, another senior Lashkar boss.

The announcements show how much U.S-Pakistani relations have deteriorated as the Obama administration has taken a harder line with Islamabad. When Headley was indicted in late 2009 for conducting reconnaissance for the attacks that killed 166 people, U.S. authorities tried to avoid diplomatic tensions by refraining from publicly identifying Lashkar masterminds involved in the deaths of six Americans and other Westerners as well as Indians in Mumbai.

Last year, U.S. prosecutors indicted midlevel Lashkar chief Sajid Mir, an ISI officer named Major Iqbal and two other accused plotters. Prosecutors detailed the ISI’s central role in the attacks during a federal trial in Chicago of an accomplice of Headley.

The case, along with the discovery of Osama bin Laden in a military garrison town, raised alarming questions about the ISI’s support for terrorism and escalated tensions with Pakistan.Although U.S. prosecutors have not indicted Saeed, the offer of the reward is clearly intended to increase pressure on Lashkar, the ISI and the Pakistani government.

Saeed is a powerful public figure in Pakistan and has held mass rallies in recent months in which he denounced the West and India.Pakistani authorities have occasionally placed him under brief house arrest, but Western and Indian counterterror officials say he continues to run Lashkar with the support and protection of the Pakistani government.

Pakistani authorities have also refused to arrest Mir, Major Iqbal and other suspects despite abundant evidence against them. Their whereabouts, like Saeed’s, are well-known.

The trial in Pakistan of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Lashkar’s military chief, and a few others charged in the Mumbai case has stalled. As ProPublica reported last year, Lakhvi continues to lead the group from jail and authorities have refused to confiscate his cell phone despite a direct appeal from a senior U.S. official to the director of the ISI.

“This is a name-and-shame tactic directed at two of the most public figures in Lashkar,” said Stephen Tankel, an American University professor and author of the book “Storming the World Stage” about the group. “It appears to be part of a long-term effort to exert pressure on the Pakistani government.”

by Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, April 3, 2012, 2:22 p.m.

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A Kashmiri-American accused of funneling money from Pakistan’s main spy agency to American politicians in a scheme to influence U.S. policy on Kashmir was sentenced to two years in federal prison Friday.

Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, 62, of Fairfax, Va., had pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy and tax violations in connection with moving at least $3.5 million from Pakistan’s government and the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, or ISI, mostly through his charity, the Kashmiri American Council. For more than 20 years, the charity had been the highest profile Kashmiri nonprofit in the U.S. As its leader, Fai had taken his case to top U.S. officials, rubbing shoulders with people like Bill Clinton and Bob Dole.

Although Fai had publicly called for “self-determination” for the Indian side of Kashmir, the FBI insisted that he was privately working on behalf of Pakistan. Kashmir is the disputed Himalayan territory that has sparked two of the three wars between India and Pakistan and almost led to a fourth.

The sentencing capped a bizarre case, replete with twists and turns, including the death of Fai’s co-defendant in Pakistan. According to the FBI, dozens of emails between Fai and his handlers featured code words, such as “Brylcreem” for money, and “the library in Islamabad” for an ISI office.

Fai was initially charged with failing to register as a foreign agent in July, at the height of tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan. An FBI affidavit laid out how Fai had allegedly been a tool of the ISI and how he used Pakistan’s money to try to influence U.S. politicians, whether through campaign contributions or by hosting conferences.

It’s not clear where the ISI’s millions went. According to campaign finance records, Fai had given $28,165 to federal candidates and political parties since 1990, including $10,290 to Rep. Dan Burton, the Republican from Indiana. Others connected to Fai, his co-defendant and the Kashmiri American Council’s board donated at least $93,000. There’s no indication that either Fai’s board members or the politicians knew where Fai got his money.

In October, ProPublica documented Fai’s improbable rise from a poor villager in Indian Kashmir to Washington insider. Fai, who emigrated to the U.S. for graduate school in the 1980s, is one of the only people in recent history to be criminally charged with failing to register as a foreign agent.

The plea agreement reached in December did not mention that charge, and Fai never admitted to operating as an unregistered agent. Fai’s alleged accomplice, Zaheer Ahmad, a Pakistani-American doctor who ran one of the nicest hospitals in Pakistan, died in early October after apparently suffering a stroke in Islamabad.

The two men were accused of mounting an elaborate plot: Ahmad was accused of funneling money from the ISI to 13 straw donors, mostly Pakistani-American doctors and businessmen, who then gave the money to the Kashmiri American Council, claiming tax deductions. Ahmad then allegedly reimbursed the straw donors.

As part of his plea agreement, Fai admitted making false statements to U.S. officials about his ties to Pakistan’s government and that the Internal Revenue Service had lost as much as $400,000 in his scheme.

Fai had faced a maximum of eight years in prison. In filings with the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., Fai’s lawyer argued that the seriousness of his offenses was mitigated by “the unspeakable suffering of the Kashmiri people that motivated his crimes, as well as his demonstrated remorse.”

U.S. prosecutors had asked for Fai to be sentenced to four years in prison, saying that he showed no remorse. “The opposite is true,” argued Gordon Kromberg, the assistant U.S. attorney on the case, in filings with the court. He said Fai was only sorry for the damage he had caused to the Kashmiri movement by linking his group with the ISI.

Fai had sent a seven-page, single-spaced letter to the court, outlining the history of Kashmir but mentioning nothing about his dealings with the ISI.

“In fact, nowhere is the ISI even mentioned,” Kromberg wrote, outlining the U.S. position. “Nowhere is any mention of a single lie that Fai made to the American people and Government in the course of innumerable lies over a period of decades.”

by Kim Barker ProPublica, March 30, 2012, 6:09 p.m.

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With the Obama administration, U.S. Congress and the world’s governments now united in their opposition to the application of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to international aviation, Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, appropriately ended its private lawsuit against the EU ETS and urged the administration to accelerate its work to reverse this unilateral tax.

“Our legal action was critical in bringing to light that the EU ETS violates international law and is an exorbitant money grab, which are now key points in the governments’ unified opposition to the scheme,” said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “There is a clear path for the United States to force the EU to halt the scheme and protect U.S. sovereignty, American consumers, jobs and international law.”

A4A and its members remain steadfastly opposed to the application of this cap-and-trade tax scheme to U.S. airlines and aircraft operators, and are committed to seeing it overturned. A4A has long maintained that world governments, as signatories to the Chicago Convention, are best situated to enforce international laws and obligations and drive to a global solution within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

ICAO has authority to address violations of the Chicago Convention under Article 84 of that treaty, and also is working to complete the global framework for aviation greenhouse gas emissions provisionally agreed at its 2010 Assembly.

A4A and its member airlines are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from aviation and, with fuel-efficiency improvements saving over 3.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide since 1978, have a strong record of improvement.

A4A maintains that the unilateral and extraterritorial approach taken under the EU ETS not only violates international law, but imposes costly policies that siphon away funds the airlines need to continue to invest in technology, operations and infrastructure improvements that bring real environmental benefit.

Image Courtesy of   Walter G Arce / Shutterstock.com

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The aftermath of last week’s killing of 16 Afghans has prompted a flurry of speculation into the mind of 38-year old U.S. combat staff sergeant Robert Bales. In particular, the injuries to it.

Traumatic brain injuries are so common among today’s troops that the military has spent over $42 million for a test to detect them, a test that Bales most likely took before his final deployment to Afghanistan. The problem is, that test has failed miserably.

More than a million soldiers have taken the 20 minute computerized test, known as the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, or ANAM test. But as we reported last year in a ProPublica investigation, the test has been heavily criticized as an ineffective tool to detect brain injuries.

Many news outlets, including the New York Times, have cited military officials saying Bales was treated for a traumatic brain injury during his past deployments in Iraq. Bales was reportedly injured in Iraq when his vehicle rolled over. The Army Medical Command would not comment on any specifics of Bales’ medical history or testing, but spokeswoman Maria Tolleson said that Joint Base Lewis McChord, where Bales was stationed, was fully operational with the ANAM testing program.

“It would be expected that a deploying Army service member from that base would have a pre-deployment cognitive baseline completed,” said Tolleson.

Problems have plagued the test since its introduction. Critics charge the military chose the test through a biased selection process and then ignored years of warnings that the test was fraught with problems. They also say the military has not administered the test properly.

Soldiers are meant to take the test twice 2013 once before deployment and then again after a suspected head injury. Soldiers must answer a series of questions that score basic thinking abilities such as reaction time, short-term memory and learning speed. In theory, the initial test serves as a baseline to compare the results of the second test; a discrepancy signals a possible injury and the need for more evaluation.

But the test 2013 which a former Army surgeon general has called no better than a “coin flip” 2013 is rarely implemented that way. The Army was so unconvinced of the test’s accuracy that it issued an order not to send soldiers with a troublesome score for further medical evaluation.

While there is no scientific consensus on the best test for traumatic brain injuries, alternatives do exist. Both the Army Special Forces and the National Hockey League chose a different test, called ImPact. Researchers are also developing new technologies to detect brain injuries, but right now the ANAM test remains the prime military TBI test.

The precise nature of Robert Bales’ brain injuries and subsequent testing is one issue, but linking his injuries to his outburst of violence is another matter altogether.

Scientists have not established any clear-cut connection between traumatic brain injures and later violence. This article from Wired explores some of the most recent studies on the topic, while the Los Angeles Times breaks down the many interacting factors that make drawing a clear line from injury to violence nearly impossible.

by Lena Groeger ProPublica, March 20, 2012, 6 a.m.

Image Courtesy of  aceshot1 / Shutterstock.com

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