No Change In Argentina's Approach To The Falklands With Cristina Kirchner's Victory As President

Cristina Kirchner's Increasingly Combative Falklands Stance -- The Telegraph

When she was first elected as president of Argentina in 2007 Cristina Kirchner said that her country's "sovereignty" over the Falkland Islands was non-negotiable.

In the four years since she has been given no encouragement by the governments of Gordon Brown or now David Cameron to believe that Britain's position on the issue is anything other than similarly steadfast.

However, the crushing manner of her re-election is only likely to bolster her government's efforts to try to force Britain to the negotiating table through international pressure.

Read more ....

My Comment: I expect Argentina to focus on the diplomatic front to influence Britain on what to do with the Falklands .... especially with the 30th anniversary of the Falkland's invasion next year. But I also expect nothing is going to happen .... especially since most Falklanders (and Brits) have no interest in negotiating with Argentina on this issue.

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- October 24, 2011

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Seven Billion -- Joel E. Cohen, New York Times

ONE week from today, the United Nations estimates, the world’s population will reach seven billion. Because censuses are infrequent and incomplete, no one knows the precise date — the Census Bureau puts it somewhere next March — but there can be no doubt that humanity is approaching a milestone.

The first billion people accumulated over a leisurely interval, from the origins of humans hundreds of thousands of years ago to the early 1800s. Adding the second took another 120 or so years. Then, in the last 50 years, humanity more than doubled, surging from three billion in 1959 to four billion in 1974, five billion in 1987 and six billion in 1998. This rate of population increase has no historical precedent.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

How Do You Get to 7 Billion People? -- Carl Bialik, Wall Street Journal

Gaddafi's evil was never banal: it was utterly ridiculous -- Michael Weiss, The Telegraph

The Rights of a Deposed Despot: Libyans Don't Really Give a Hoot -- Vivienne Walt, Time

An ignominious end, a ghoulish celebration -- David Warren, The Ottawa Citizen

Confronting the threat from Iran -- Joel C. Rosenberg, The Washington Times

Iraqi Rivalries Spell End for U.S. Troops -- Ned Parker, Council on Foreign Relations

Obama's Iraq Failure -- James S. Robbins, Washington Times

Asia’s Giants Colliding at Sea? -- Jaswant Singh, Project Syndicate

Change in Saudi Arabia could come from conservative view -- Rasheed Abou-Alsamh, The National

Why Europe's Latest Debt-Crisis Agreement Could Be DOA -- Michael Schuman, Time

Answering Burma -- Washington Post editorial

Mosque And State -- Doyle McManus, L.A. Times

Irony Alert: WikiLeaks Thinks System It Attacks Should Help Finance It -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary

World News Briefs -- October 24, 2011 (Evening Edition)

Islamist Party Appears Victorious in Tunisia's Election -- Voice of America

Tunisia's moderate Islamist party appears headed for victory in Sunday's election, the first free election resulting from the Arab Spring, which has seen despotic governments topple across North Africa and the Middle East.

Although official results have yet to be announced, provisional results give the Ennahdha party about 40 percent of the vote.
Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Thousands of Egyptian police go on strike.

Egypt to free Israeli American as part of prisoner swap.

Turkey earthquake: Hundreds dead as rescue workers dig out. More than 230 dead in Turkey quake; 1,300 more hurt.

U.S. scales back diplomacy in Iraq amid fiscal and security concerns. Iraqi speaker warns of meddling after US pullout. Iraq can deal with Iran-backed militants: Panetta.

U.S. withdrawal plans draw suspicion, fear in Iraq.

U.S. pulls out ambassador from Syria: diplomats.

Twelve killed in heavy fighting in Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Jordan swears in new reform government.

Prince Sultan's death fuels debate about who will succeed to the Saudi throne.

ASIA

Flooding devastates Thailand, Burma.

Karzai backtracks on controversial Pakistan remarks. Afghanistan to back Pakistan if wars with U.S.: Karzai.

US defense chief calls North Korea ‘reckless,’ criticizes China military secretiveness.

US-North Korea nuclear talks start in Geneva.

Philippine military launches first air strikes on Muslim rebels since 2008.

Up to 20 million tons of debris from Japan’s tsunami moving toward Hawaii.

China arrests two accused in hit-and-run toddler's death.

AFRICA

Secular party concedes defeat in landmark Tunisian election.

Gaddafi still on show, rotting as wrangling goes on. Libya declares liberation from 42-year Gadhafi rule.

Libya's liberation: interim ruler unveils more radical than expected plans for Islamic law.

Many in Sub-Saharan Africa mourn Qaddafi’s death.

Delays threaten elections in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Moroccans protest polls, violence in the capital.

Rebel base struck in south Somalia, Kenya troops advance. France to help supply Kenyan troops fighting Al-Qaeda linked militants in Somalia.

'Dead people' voted in Cameroon election.

EUROPE

UK rioters came from abroad: 1 in 7 jailed after summer of violence was a foreign national.

Nicolas Sarkozy tells David Cameron: 'We’re sick of you telling us what to do'.

Swiss voters choose moderate, center parties over far right.

UK lawmakers say they'll defy gov't over Europe.

Medvedev clashes with Putin... on the badminton court.

AMERICAS

Mexico’s drug war is giving growers a break.

Boom times fuel Argentine president's re-election.

Survey: Economists more bleak about US economy.

Weak U.S. economy forces cuts, squeezes police departments.

Laser attacks on cockpits continue.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

ISI maintains ties with, supports Haqqani network: US senator.

Suspect pleads not guilty in Saudi assassination plot.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Swiss banks may pay billions, disclose names.

German officials: Bailout fund will top $1.4 trln.

Vatican calls for global authority on economy, raps “idolatry of the market”.

Population growth taxing planet’s resources.

Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson on the Apple CEO's polarizing persona.

A Look At the Cocaine Route Form Colombia To North America

The Cocaine Road - From Colombia To Columbus -- Ledger Enquirer

From tunnels to ships, manufacturers come up with new ways to get drug into states

It’s a long way from Colombia to Columbus.

But cocaine finds a way, from the farmer’s field to the dealer’s corner. And between the farmer trying to feed his family and the crackhead feeding his addiction, a lot of people make a lot of money.

It’s a multinational trade, ranging the Western Hemisphere as far as from Peru to Canada, as not all the cocaine that comes into the United States stops here. Some keeps going.

Read more ....

My Comment: Bottom line .... people, monies, resources, users .... a good section of our society is involved in this business, and will continue to be involved as long as our current policy to combat drug addition and supply continues.

Is France The Next Sick Economy In Europe?

(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Graphic: France's struggling economy. Spiegel Online

France Stares Into The Euro-Crisis Chasm -- Spiegel Online

Falling productivity, a stagnating economy and growing debt: France's economic health leaves plenty of room for improvement. Markets have begun to notice and the country threatens to become mired in the ongoing European debt crisis.

When it comes to French economic competitiveness, Guy Maugis has a front row seat. The 58-year-old is president of the German-French Chamber of Commerce and head of Bosch France. Some 8,400 people work in the French subsidiary of the German electronics giant and Bosch France long enjoyed a cost advantage over its parent company. "But we've completely lost it in the last 10 years," says Maugis.

Read more ....

My Comment: Everyone is taking notice .... and French President Sarkozy is not amused with the "lecturing" that he is now receiving.

U.S. And North Korea Begin Nuclear Talks

North Korea And US Nuclear Talks Begin In Geneva -- BBC

The US and North Korea are holding direct talks in Geneva over restarting stalled nuclear negotiations.

It is the second such meeting between the two sides in under three months.

Six-party discussions involving North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and the US broke down in April 2009 when North Korea walked out.

A month later, North Korea tested its second nuclear weapon, which was followed by increased tension on the Korean peninsula.

Read me ....

More News On U.S. - North Korean Nuclear Talks

U.S. and North Korea hold "useful" talks in Geneva -- Reuters
Nuclear Talks With North Korea Begin in Geneva -- New York Times
US-North Korea Begin Talks on Nuclear Disarmament -- Voice of America
US-North Korea talks over Pyongyang’s nuclear program start in Geneva -- Washington Post/AP
N Korea and US begin nuclear negotiations -- Al Jazeera

My Comment: I have read and posted on this pony and tail story so many times over the years that I find it hard to believe that supposedly intelligence human beings actually believe that North Korea would bend on their nuclear arsenal in this round of "negotiations". Two days of talks .... what a waste of time.

U.S. Ambassador Flees Syria Amid Security Threats

U.S. Ambassador To Syria Leaves Damascus Amid Threats To Safety -- New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Robert S. Ford, the American ambassador to Damascus who has emerged as an outspoken critic of Syria’s crackdown on a seven-month uprising, has left the country after receiving what American officials called threats to his safety.

The departure Saturday was the latest turn in the tumultuous tenure of Mr. Ford, whose visits to restive cities like Hama and attendance of a funeral for a slain activist made him a visible and controversial figure. Since the uprising erupted in March, he has stayed vocal in his criticism of government repression, taking to his Facebook page and the embassy’s web site to castigate the government or offer his version of events there.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Ambassador Leaving Iraq

U.S. ambassador leaves Syria after 'credible threats' to safety -- L.A. Times
U.S. pulls ambassador from Syria after 'credible threats' against safety -- CNN
U.S. pulls ambassador out of Syria, citing threats -- Washington Post
Obama pulls envoy from Syria amid threats -- USA Today
US pulls ambassador Robert Ford out of Syria over security concerns -- The Guardian
U.S. withdraws envoy to Syria, southern strike spreads -- Reuters
Syria and US withdraw ambassadors -- The Guardian

U.S. State Department Plans For Iraq Are Starting To Unravel

U.S. Scales Back Diplomacy In Iraq Amid Fiscal And Security Concerns -- New York Times

BAGHDAD — Beyond the final withdrawal of troops that President Obama announced Friday, America’s fiscal troubles are dictating a drastic scaling back of plans for diplomatic, economic and cultural programs once deemed vital to steadying Iraq, building a long-term alliance and prying the country from Iran’s tightening embrace.

As recently as this summer, the State Department had planned to establish a 700-person consulate in the still-restive northern city of Mosul. And as recently as the spring, the United States was moving ahead with plans for a consulate in the ethnically divided and potentially explosive city of Kirkuk.

Read more ....

My Comment: Poor planning. Lack of resources. Where is the leadership (i.e. Hillary Clinton)? The list of snafus are growing .... and with the US military departure date fast approaching .... I doubt that they will be ready.

U.S> Training Of Iraq's Police Forces Slammed By Watchdog

'Bottomless pit': New police graduates march during a graduation ceremony in Baghdad

Iraq Police Training Programme A 'Bottomless Pit' That Threatens To Swallow Millions In U.S. Tax Dollars, Watchdog Warns -- Daily Mail

* Iraqi authorities suggest the money would be better spent on something for the American people

The programme to train Iraqi police could end up with U.S. tax dollars being thrown into a 'bottomless pit', a government watchdog warned today.

The State Department's flagship Iraq programme lacks focus and may not even be wanted by Iraqis, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has found.

The report comes at a crucial time for the department, as it assumes the burden for securing U.S.-Iraqi ties as American forces leave by the end of this year.

Read more ....

More News On The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Condemning US Training of Iraq's Police Forces

US Iraqi police funding condemned -- BBC
Review slams US training of Iraqi police -- CBS/AP
Inspector General: U.S. wasting cash in Iraq -- Politico
US police training lacks Iraq backing: watchdog -- AFP
Watchdog slams U.S. Iraqi police training -- UPI

My Comment: Training Iraq's police forces falls under the purview of the US State Department .... the same organization that is suppose to replace the US military when they are gone at the end of this year. Hmmmm .... this is already not looking good.

More Women Veterans Are Joining The Ranks Of The Homeless

More Women Falling Into Ranks Of Homeless Veterans -- L.A. Times

Though they didn't have direct combat roles in Iran and Afghanistan, they suffer many of the stresses that plague male vets — often while trying to raise children alone.

Reporting from Fayetteville, N.C. — As a soldier, Ruth Donaldson was an accomplished ammunition specialist. As a civilian, she became a stressed-out single mother struggling to find a job and raise her child.

After a five-year stint in the Army, Donaldson lost her job at a gas station. She couldn't pay her rent. She and her 6-year-old son ended up living in a Pontiac Grand Am, hungry, homeless and exhausted.

Women make up a growing number of homeless veterans, a group usually associated with combat-hardened men unable to cope with civilian life. Homelessness among female veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has increased every year for the last six years — from 150 in 2006 to 1,700 this year — according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Read more ....

My Comment: Women who have children and are homeless ... that gets to me everytime. This news article explains the problem that women vets have in finding work.

Both Russia And China Do Not Want The UN To Release It's Intelligence Report On Iran's Nuclear Program

Central Bank Of Iran (Wikipedia)

U.N. Report Seen Worsening Fear Over Iran Nuclear Plans -- Reuters

he U.N. nuclear watchdog is expected to publish intelligence soon pointing to military dimensions to Iran's nuclear activities but stopping short of saying explicitly that Tehran is trying to build atom bombs, Western diplomats say.

Russian and Chinese reluctance may frustrate any Western bid to seize on next month's report by the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to press for expanded United Nations sanctions on Iran, a major oil producer.

Read more ....

Update: Document shows Chinese-Russian push UN nuke agency to ease up on Iran -- Washington Post/AP

My Comment: That must be one damning UN report for both the Russians and Chinese to bend over backward to not have it released. In the interim, both the U.S. and the Eu are now coordinating to impose sanctions on Iran's Central Bank. Of all the sanctions that have been imposed on Iran over the past 30 years .... it will be this one that will hurt the Iranians the most.

Is This Woman The KGB's Best Spy In Thirty Years?

Suspected: Former parliamentary researcher Katia Zatuliveter, 26, has been accused of being a Russian spy

Russian 'Spy' Who Had Affair With Lib Dem MP 'Was Our Best Agent In 30 Years,' Claims Former KGB Colonel -- Daily Mail

* The 73-year-old double agent hails 'heroine'*
* Miss Zatuliveter facing deportation from Britain

The Russian blonde accused of being a secret agent left Britain ‘disarmed’ against Russia, according to a prominent KGB defector.

Katia Zatuliveter, 26, is fighting a deportation hearing over allegations she spied for Moscow while having affairs with bearded Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock, 65, and a senior Nato official.

Miss Zatuliveter is battling a court case against at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission - which was considering evidence against her in a secret ‘closed’ session today.

Read more ....

My Comment: She is in her 20s, he in his 60s. I do not think she was sleeping with him because of his money .... if he has any. Was it because of his personality .... hmmm .... something tells me no.

U.S. Military Intervention In Syria?

Photo: Sen. John McCain addresses the second day of the World Economic Forum meeting by the Dead Sea in Jordan on Sunday. Credit: Khalil Mazraawi / AFP/Getty Images

U.S. Sen. John McCain: Could It Be Time To Intervene In Syria? -- L.A. Times

REPORTING FROM BEIRUT -- With NATO bombing of Libya set to end, U.S. Sen. John McCain on Sunday raised the possibility of some kind of military attack on Syria, where the government of Bashar Assad has been accused of brutally cracking down on protesters.

“Now that military operations in Libya are ending, there will be renewed focus on what partial military operations might be considered to protect civilian lives in Syria,” McCain (R-Ariz.) said at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Jordan. “The Assad regime should not consider that it can get away with mass murder. Kadafi made that mistake and it cost him everything.”

Read more ....

My Comment: What is my take on the unrest and violence in Syria as well as on Senator McCain's comments .... do not approach that conflict with a hundred foot pole. As bad as Libya was .... Syria has the potential to be far more worse, and reconciliation after such a conflict would make Iraq's reconciliation after the U.S. invasion look like a peaceful get together.

New Video Emerges Of Gaddafi Being Beated Before Being Shot By Rebels

'I Killed Gaddafi', Claims Libyan Rebel As Most Graphic Video Yet Of Dictator Being Beaten Emerges -- Daily Mail

* WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
* 'Killer' brandishes bloodied shirt and ring purportedly taken from Gaddafi
* New footage shows dictator being beaten in the moments after his capture
* Graphic footage from Freedom Group TV, a Libyan 'citizen journalist' outfit
* Videos emerge after new Libyan leader says he wanted Gaddafi taken alive
* Libyans spend a fourth day filing past tyrant's battered body
* NTC form committee to investigate killing after pressure from allies
* Human rights groups claim to have found 53 loyalists in mass grave

A Libyan revolutionary fighter has bragged in a leaked video that he was the man who killed Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, that country's despotic former ruler.

The young man, who is pictured but has not yet been identified, said he killed the fallen dictator because he could not bear the thought of taking him alive.

Read more ....

More News On The Death Of Gaddafi And It's Aftermath

Libya bows to calls for investigation into Gaddafi death -- The Guardian
Libyan authorities announce Gaddafi death investigation -- BBC
Libya’s Interim Leaders to Investigate Qaddafi Killing -- New York Times
Libya’s NTC under fire over loyalist killings -- Financial Times
Libya ends public showing of Gaddafi's body -- Reuters
Gaddafi’s body taken off display, but burial dispute continues -- National Post
Libya "liberated," but Gaddafi still unburied -- Reuters
On liberation day, Libyans flock to see Qaddafi – for proof, closure -- Christian Science Monitor
Why does it matter how Gaddafi died? -- Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, Washington Post

Afghanistan War News Updates -- October 24, 2011

NATO: 200 Insurgents Killed Or Captured In Eastern Afghanistan -- L.A. Times

REPORTING FROM KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — Pitched battles in eastern Afghanistan over the last week have left about 200 insurgents captured or dead, a NATO official said Monday.

The U.S.-led offensive has primarily targeted the Haqqani network, blamed for a string of deadly attacks against American troops and high-profile targets including the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

Airstrike Destroys IED Facility in Afghanistan -- US Department of Defense
ISAF Joint Command morning operational update -- Dvids
FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, Oct 24 -- Alertnet
Marine-led Operation Eastern Storm takes shape in Afghanistan -- Marine Times

Afghan, NATO forces kill or capture 200 militants -- Boston.com/AP
200 Taliban rebels killed or captured in Afghanistan: NATO -- Vancouver Sun/AFP
200 killed or held in Afghanistan -- Press Association
NATO: 200 Afghan Militants Killed or Captured -- Voice of America
Afghanistan: Haqqani Network Operation Killed Or Captured 200 Militants, NATO Says -- Huffington Post

3 soldiers killed by IED in Afghanistan -- Army Times
2 NATO service members killed in Afghanistan -- Khaama Press
2 Washington-based soldiers die in Afghanistan -- SFGate/AP
Army Ranger from San Diego killed in Afghanistan on 14th combat deployment -- L.A. Times
Afghan Interior Minister Survives Assasination Attempt -- Voice of America
Afghan interior minister escapes assassination attempt -- BBC

Afghan President Says His Country Would Back Pakistan in a Clash With the U.S. -- New York Times
Karzai: Afghan Backs Pakistan if US Attacks It -- Washington Post
Karzai Says Afghanistan Would Back Pakistan if U.S. Attacks -- FOX News/AP
Afghanistan would back Pakistan in war with US, claims Hamid Karzai -- The Telegraph
Afghanistan to back Pakistan if wars with U.S.: Karzai -- Yahoo News/Reuters

U.S. Could Send More Supplies Through Uzbekistan -- Defense News/AFP
Afghans cannot afford to set up security force: former U.S. envoy -- Xinhuanet
British troops offer glimpse of life in Afghanistan -- AFP

Is US policy in Afghanistan a contradiction? -- Claire Truscott, AFP
Afghanistan must open up about its tragedies -- Nushin Arbabzadah, The Guardian

World News Briefs -- October 24, 2011

Libyan NTC Leader: New Government In 2 Weeks -- Voice of America

Libya's transitional leader says decisions for a new interim government should be in place in about two weeks.

National Transitional Council head Mustafa Abdel Jalil's announcement in the eastern city of Benghazi Monday comes a day after he declared the country liberated from Moammar Gadhafi's 42-year rule at a ceremony attended by tens of thousands of people.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Turkey earthquake: Hundreds dead as rescue workers dig out. More than 230 dead in Turkey quake; 1,300 more hurt.

U.S. scales back diplomacy in Iraq amid fiscal and security concerns. Iraqi speaker warns of meddling after US pullout. Iraq can deal with Iran-backed militants: Panetta.

U.S. withdrawal plans draw suspicion, fear in Iraq.

U.S. pulls out ambassador from Syria: diplomats.

Twelve killed in heavy fighting in Yemeni capital Sanaa.
Jordan swears in new reform government.

Prince Sultan's death fuels debate about who will succeed to the Saudi throne.

ASIA

Afghanistan to back Pakistan if wars with U.S.: Karzai.

US defense chief calls North Korea ‘reckless,’ criticizes China military secretiveness.

US-North Korea nuclear talks start in Geneva.

Philippine military launches first air strikes on Muslim rebels since 2008.

China arrests two accused in hit-and-run toddler's death.

AFRICA

Gaddafi still on show, rotting as wrangling goes on. Libya declares liberation from 42-year Gadhafi rule.

Libya's liberation: interim ruler unveils more radical than expected plans for Islamic law.

Many in Sub-Saharan Africa mourn Qaddafi’s death.

Rebel base struck in south Somalia, Kenya troops advance. France to help supply Kenyan troops fighting Al-Qaeda linked militants in Somalia.

'Dead people' voted in Cameroon election.

EUROPE

Nicolas Sarkozy tells David Cameron: 'We’re sick of you telling us what to do'.

Swiss voters choose moderate, center parties over far right.

UK lawmakers say they'll defy gov't over Europe.

Medvedev clashes with Putin... on the badminton court.

AMERICAS

Boom times fuel Argentine president's re-election.

Survey: Economists more bleak about US economy.

Weak U.S. economy forces cuts, squeezes police departments.

Laser attacks on cockpits continue.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

ISI maintains ties with, supports Haqqani network: US senator.

Suspect pleads not guilty in Saudi assassination plot.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

German officials: Bailout fund will top $1.4 trln.

Vatican calls for global authority on economy, raps “idolatry of the market”.

Population growth taxing planet’s resources.

Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson on the Apple CEO's polarizing persona.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 24, 2011

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta addresses U.S. and Japanese troops stationed on Yokota Air Base, Japan, Oct. 24, 2011. Panetta thanked the troops for their service and individually presented them with coins after his remarks. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

U.S. To Sustain Military Power In The Pacific, Panetta Says -- New York Times

BALI, Indonesia — Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said on Sunday that despite hundreds of billions of dollars in expected cuts to the Pentagon budget, the United States would remain a Pacific power even as China expanded its military presence in the region.

Mr. Panetta, who is on his first trip to Asia as defense secretary, made the comments at a meeting of Southeast Asian nations on this Indonesian resort island. He sought to reassure Pacific nations that are concerned about China’s assertiveness that the United States, as he put it, would be “a force for peace and prosperity” here.

Read more ....

MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

SecDef: We’ll stay committed to the Pacific -- DoD Buzz

ISI maintains ties with, supports Haqqani network: US senator -- Express Tribune

Foreign hackers 'putting UK firms out of business' -- The Telegraph

Japan cyber attackers may have military info -- Defense News

Iron Dome in Action: A Preliminary Evaluation -- Defense Update

Syria using American software to censor Internet, experts say -- Washington Post

Iranian Experts Develop Electromagnetic Gun (Railgun) -- Fars News Agency

Iraq can deal with Iran-backed militants: Panetta. -- Yahoo News

US defense chief calls North Korea ‘reckless,’ criticizes China military secretiveness. -- Washington Post

After setbacks, U.S. military tries to rebuild ties with Pakistani military -- Washington Post

Canada's first F-35s won't have built-in ability to communicate in Arctic -- Winnipeg Free Press

F-22s Grounded Again, F-35s Can’t Talk in the Arctic -- Defense Tech

JBER pauses F-22 flights over oxygen supply concern -- Anchorage Daily News

LCS PEO Updates -- Information Dissemination

U.S. Military Sees JLTV Development Gain Speed -- Defense News

Flight Control Software to Help Pilots Stick Landings Aboard Carrier Decks -- ONR

Last Nuclear ‘Monster Weapon’ Gets Dismantled -- Danger Room

Mobile military means 'anywhere, any time, any device' -- Federal News Radio

Panetta’s Pentagon, Without the Blank Check -- New York Times

Aiming for a leaner, meaner military -- Politico

U.S. military boosts clean energy, with startup help. -- NPR

ROTC programs return to Ivy League universities -- Stars and Stripes/AP

Deployment Nightmares of the US Navy -- Mellow Jihadi

Gaddafi dead: our Armed Forces did us proud in Libya -- Gen Sir David Richards, The Telegraph

McCain says U.S. should consider use of military action against Syria’s regime -- The Hill

Why Obama Sent Troops to Africa -- Mia Farrow and John Pendergast, Wall Street Journal

Iraq war costs may mark shift in U.S. approach -- CBS/AP

The End Of Wikileaks

WikiLeaks' Money Woes Brings End To Leak Of Secrets -- The Telegraph

WikiLeaks is to stop publishing state secrets because it is running out of money, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

The whistleblowing website set up by Julian Assange said that it is temporarily suspending publication of leaks to fight a “blockade” by credit card companies.

The refusal to accept donations has cost the website “tens of millions of dollars” in lost funding, the website said.

Mr Assange was due to make the announcement at a press conference in London at 1pm today , and appeal for donations to help flight the blockade.

Read more ....

My Comment: By effectively cutting off their money .... Wikileaks will die. Fortunately, others have now taken its place.

Mass Execution Of Gaddafi Supporters Reported In Libya

Volunteers prepare to carry a corpse found in the city of Sirte October 23, 2011 Photo: REUTERS

Libya: Human Rights Watch Calls On NTC To Probe Mass 'Executions' As 53 Bodies Are Found -- The Telegraph

Human Rights Watch are calling for an investigation after 53 decaying bodies were found in Sirte, the final bastion of Libya's ousted dictator Muammar Gaddafi, suggesting some of his loyalists were executed.

"We found 53 decomposing bodies, apparently Gaddafi supporters, at an abandoned hotel in Sirte," said Peter Bouckaert of Human Rights Watch (HRW), who investigated the killings.

"Some had their hands bound behind their backs when they were shot," he added.

In a statement, the group said: "If the NTC fails to investigate this crime it will signal that those who fought against Gaddafi can do anything without fear of prosecution."

Read more ....

My Comment: Goodbye to the old boss .... hello to the new boss. Gaddafi and his supporters were brutal for almost 40 years, I expect a lot of retribution and an "eye for an eye" in the next few months.

Islamists Poised To Take Over In Tunisia's After Yesterday's Elections

Early Signs In Tunisian Election Point To Strong Islamist Showing, Monitors Call The Vote Fair -- Washington Post/AP

TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisian authorities counted votes Monday in the first free election in the nation’s history, with early signs that a once-banned Islamist party is leading in the country that unleashed uprisings across the Arab world.

Radio Mosaique FM posted results from polling stations around the country Monday, with many showing a commanding lead for the moderate Islamist party Ennahda. An Ennahda victory in a comparatively secular society like Tunisia could have wide implications for similar religious parties across North Africa.

Read more ....

More News On Tunisia's Elections

Tunisian elections live blog -- The Guardian
Officials Count Votes After Tunisia's First Democratic Polls -- Voice of America
Islamists set for power after strong vote for Muslim parties in Tunisia's first democratic elections since revolution -- Daily Mail
Tensions rise after Tunisia's first poll -- Sydney Morning Herald
Huge turnout in Tunisia's Arab Spring election -- Reuters
Tunisia Vote Heeded Across Mideast -- Wall Street Journal
Tunisia's First Free Election Deemed Success -- NPR (Audio)
Tunisians Vote in a Milestone of Arab Change -- New York Times
Harvesting the Arab Spring: Tunisia Goes to the Polls -- Time
UN chief congratulates Tunisians on peaceful holding of ‘historic’ polls --UN News Centre

President Obama's National Security Record Will Not Help Him In His Re-Election

Obama's National Security Record Not Much Political Help For Him -- Christian Science Monitor

The White House sees the death of Muammar Qaddafi and the end to US war in Iraq as major successes for the US and, not incidentally, for President Obama. But most Americans are more interested in the economy than foreign policy.

From the White House point of view, this week’s major foreign policy developments – the death of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi and the announced end to US war in Iraq – should be seen as major successes for the United States and, not incidentally, for President Obama.

Obama said as much in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday. The two events were, he said, “powerful reminders of how we’ve renewed American leadership in the world.”

Read more ....

Update: Successes Overseas Are Unlikely to Help Obama at Home -- New York Times

My Comment: It did not help George H.W. Bush when he ended this war even though he did record an 89% approval rating from the American public after the cessation of hostilities.

More Problems With America's F-22s

F-22 Raptors taxi April 10 during an operational readiness inspection at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. Airman 1st Class Teresa Zimmerman / Air Force

Wing Commander Decides To Ground Langley F-22s -- Air Force Times

Air Force F-22 Raptors at the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., have once again been grounded, service officials confirmed Friday.

Air Force spokesman Maj. Chad Steffey said that the grounding decision is limited to the Virginia base. A spokesman for Air Combat Command confirmed that the wing’s commander, Col. Kevin Robbins, made the decision after an incident.

While details were not immediately available, Air Force officials confirmed that one of the wing’s pilots appeared to have suffered an oxygen-related problem.

Read more ....

More News On Langley-Eustis AF Base Grounding it's Fleet Of F-22s

Oxygen Losses Ground Stealth Fighters, Again -- Danger Room
F-22 Raptors at Langley Grounded After Oxygen Problem -- FOX news
Langley's F-22 Raptors temporarily grounded -- PilotOnline/AP
F-22s Grounded in Virginia Over O2 issues-Again -- Examiner
F-22 Raptors grounded at Langley AFB -- again -- Daily Press

Update: Another US Air Force Base has grounded it's F-22s

Panetta: Negotiating A Future US Military Role In Iraq Is Still On The Table

Panetta: Military's Role to be Discussed With Iraq -- Military.com

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT -- Once all U.S. troops in Iraq have left by year's end, Washington will negotiate with the Iraqi government on a possible American role in training the country's land and air forces, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Friday.

Speaking to reporters aboard his plane en route to Bali, Indonesia, Panetta said the U.S. and Iraq have not yet agreed even on the number of U.S. military personnel who would be assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad to facilitate Iraqi arms purchases and to conduct initial training.

Read more ....

My Comment: Panetta certainly sounds optimistic .... but if I may quote Hillary Clinton from a few years back .... "hope is not a strategy". As for my take .... we are now going to get out of that god-forsaken country .... the goal now for every US soldier is to make sure that they are not the last soldier to die in Iraq.

The Future Of War: Unmanned Drone Attacks And Shape-Shifting Robot

Pakistanis hold up a burning mock drone aircraft during a May rally against drone attacks in Peshawar. In 2009, the Brookings Institution estimated that unmanned drone attacks were killing about 10 civilians for every 1 insurgent in Pakistan. K. Pervez/Reuters

Unmanned Drone Attacks And Shape-Shifting Robots: War's Remote-Control Future -- Christian Science Monitor

The Pentagon already includes unmanned drone attacks in its arsenal. Next up: housefly-sized surveillance craft, shape-changing 'chemical robots,' and tracking agents sprayed from the sky. What does it mean to have soldiers so far removed from the battlefield?

In the shadow of a heavily fortified enemy building, US commanders call in a chemical robot, or what looks like a blob. They give it a simple instruction: Penetrate a crack in the building and find out what's inside. Like an ice sculpture or the liquid metal assassin in "Terminator 2," the device changes shape, slips through the opening, then reassumes its original form to look around. It uses sensors woven into its fabric to sample the area for biological agents. If needed, it can seep into the cracks of a bomb to defuse it.

Read more ....

My Comment: This CSM report is a comprehensive one. For those who are interested on what are the future of drones/war/weapon systems/etc., read it all.

Editor's Note

My internet connection was down this morning (thank you Bell Canada). It has now returned, but I am a few hours behind in my posting. I should be caught up in the next few hours.

Picture Of The Day

VIDEO TELECONFERENCE
President Barack Obama talks with Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki during a secure video teleconference in the Situation Room at the White House, Oct. 21, 2011. Prime Minister al-Maliki, Vice President Joe Biden, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commanding general of U.S. Forces Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq James J. Jeffrey are on screen. White House photo by Pete Souza

Is America Coming Back?

World Power Swings Back To America -- Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, The Telegraph

The American phoenix is slowly rising again. Within five years or so, the US will be well on its way to self-sufficiency in fuel and energy. Manufacturing will have closed the labour gap with China in a clutch of key industries. The current account might even be in surplus.

Assumptions that the Great Republic must inevitably spiral into economic and strategic decline - so like the chatter of the late 1980s, when Japan was in vogue - will seem wildly off the mark by then.

Telegraph readers already know about the "shale gas revolution" that has turned America into the world’s number one producer of natural gas, ahead of Russia.

Read more ....

My Comment: I am not that optimistic. The U.S. still has a huge budgetary deficit, and it is this government addition to spending, regulate, and imposing their will on the American public that is making America's entrepreneurs hesitant or downright hostile to implement the resources and time necessary to develop and grow their businesses. Until America gets its fiscal house in order .... both in government and in private lives .... any talk of America "coming back' and reversing our decline is premature.

French Military Forces Have Now Joined The Fight Against Militants In Somalia

French Forces Join Fight Against Militants In Somalia; Thousands Flee Camp, Fearing Clash -- Washington Post

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Kenya on Sunday said that France’s navy bombed a town in Somalia near a stronghold of al-Shabab, the first confirmation that a Western military force is involved in the latest push against the Islamist militia.

Thousands of people, meanwhile, fled a camp for the displaced near Somalia’s capital on Sunday, fearing an imminent clash between African Union peacekeepers and the al-Qaida-linked militants who are trying to demonstrate their strength amid an assault on two fronts.

Read more ....

Update: Kenya Says Western Nations Join Fight in Somalia, as U.S. Denies Role -- New York Times

My Comment: The French are denying that their military has become involved in the conflict in Somalia .... and the Americans are saying that their forces are not involved .... but someone's advanced military jets and drones are doing the bombing .... and no one in eastern Africa has that capability.

What is my take .... the French have air assets in the region .... my money is on them for doing this bombing campaign.

Libya's Interim Government To Adopt Islamic Law

Libya's Liberation: Interim Ruler Unveils More Radical Than Expected Plans For Islamic Law -- the Telegraph

Libya's interim leader outlined more radical plans to introduce Islamic law than expected as he declared the official liberation of the country.

Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the chairman of the National Transitional Council and de fact president, had already declared that Libyan laws in future would have Sharia, the Islamic code, as its "basic source".

But that formulation can be interpreted in many ways - it was also the basis of Egypt's largely secular constitution under President Hosni Mubarak, and remains so after his fall.

Mr Abdul-Jalil went further, specifically lifting immediately, by decree, one law from Col. Gaddafi's era that he said was in conflict with Sharia - that banning polygamy.

Read more ....

Update: Sharia law will be basis for governing Libya, leader says. -- Kansas City

My Comment: My prediction .... after the interim government is established and elections called 7-8 months from now .... like what happened today in Tunisia's parliamentary elections .... it will be the Islamists who will come on top. Secularism, tolerance of other religions, and Western ideals of democracy .... I doubt that this will be a priority for the next Libyan government. As for the White House and their reaction .... nothing but praise for the new Libyan government while being in denial of what Libya's leaders are bluntly indicating the type of laws that they are going to implement.

Is This The Man Who Executed Gaddafi?

Libyan Rebel: I Killed Gaddafi -- Ynet News

Man confesses on camera to shooting Libyan leader twice in head and chest.

However, following his death videos began to surface showing Gaddafi bleeding while being held by rebels, which raised the suspicion he was executed.

The rebel, who identified himself as Senad el Sadık el Ureybi, said: "We grabbed him, I hit him in the face. Some fighters wanted to take him away and that's when I shot him twice, in the head and in the chest."

Read more ....

My Comment: Libya's Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril regrets the death of Gaddafi, wishing instead that he lived long enough to be answerable to a court of law. I concur with this point of view .... but unfortunately there are too many people .... both inside and outside of Libya .... who could not accept the idea of Gaddafi living one more day.

Is The Iraq Pullout Plan A Disaster?

Photo: Gen. John M. Keane

Key General Calls Iraq Pullout Plan A ‘Disaster’ -- Washington Times

Others echo call for strength against Iran.

President Obama’s decision to pull all U.S. forces out of Iraq by Dec. 31 is an “absolute disaster” that puts the burgeoning Arab democracy at risk of an Iranian “strangling,” said an architect of the 2007 troop surge that turned around a losing war.

Retired ArmyGen. John M. Keane was at the forefront of persuading President George W. Bush to scuttle a static counterinsurgency strategy and replace it with 30,000 reinforcements and a more activist, street-by-street counterterrorism tactic.

Read more ....

My Comment: The General is right .... the Iraqis are still a few years away from being able to operate at an effective and professional level against Al Qaeda affiliated terrorists and the various militias. As for the Obama administration, they disagree with the General with Secretary of State Clinton being the most vocal one.

As to what is my take .... let's face it .... the final decision rested with the Iraqi government, and their intentions were made very clear at the beginning .... they want U.S. troops out. And if things go to hell .... the Iraqis now have no one to blame but themselves.