By Meredith Buel
Washington
15 September 2009
U.S. Navy Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday that the United States probably will need to send more troops to Afghanistan to win the war against Taliban and al-Qaida insurgents.
U.S. military officials say they are in a race against time and mounting opposition from the American public to reverse the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, where violence has reached its highest level since the Taliban was ousted from power in 2001.
Mullen discussed the troop levels in testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. "A properly resourced counter-insurgency probably means more forces and without question, more time and more commitment to the protection of the Afghan people and to the development of good governance," he said.
Mullen did not say how many more soldiers would be needed, but he said he expects a request for additional troops in the next two weeks from U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal, the top American and NATO commander in Afghanistan.
The United States now has about 62,000 troops in Afghanistan, nearly double the number from last year. The number of American forces in Afghanistan is slated to reach 68,000 by year's end.
Despite President Barack Obama's earlier decision to send an additional 17,000 combat troops and 4,000 trainers for Afghan forces, U.S. officials say the security in areas infiltrated by the Taliban continues to worsen.
Admiral Mullen says that if the Taliban retake control of Afghanistan, the country will again be a safe haven for terrorist groups like al-Qaida. "It is the epicenter of terrorism right now. It is very clear that in fact al-Qaida is diminished while it is living in Pakistan, and this is a Pakistan-Afghanistan issue. They are by no means dead. It is a very serious threat," he said.
Mullen called for patience with U.S. and NATO efforts in Afghanistan as the American public and some members of Congress are becoming increasingly uneasy about the conflict.
A recent CNN survey shows that 58 percent of Americans oppose the war, while 39 percent support it.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, Democrat Carl Levin says the Pentagon should not send any additional troops to Afghanistan until the United States takes more aggressive action to expand Afghanistan's armed forces. "Providing the resources needed for the Afghan Army and Afghan police to become self-sufficient would demonstrate our commitment to the success of a mission that is in our national security interest, while avoiding the risks associated with a larger U.S. footprint," he said.
Some members of Congress are urging the Obama administration to learn from the Iraq War, where a surge in U.S. forces helped to quell violence.
"Every day we delay in implementing this strategy and increasing the number of troops there - which we all know is vitally needed - puts more and more young Americans who are already there, their lives in danger," said
Republican Senator John McCain, who says more troops should be deployed quickly.
Admiral Mullen says the situation in Afghanistan will continue to deteriorate without a renewed U.S. commitment.
He says General McChrystal found conditions worse than he expected when he took command a few months ago.
This year has been the deadliest for foreign forces in Afghanistan since the conflict began nearly eight years ago.
Source: VOA News
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Obama: 'Learn lessons of Lehman'
In speech on Wall Street, president says bailouts are working and economy is stabilizing, but regulatory reform is needed to prevent future collapses.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The bailouts have largely stabilized the financial system, but regulatory reform is needed to prevent a similar crisis from happening again, said President Obama in a speech delivered Monday on Wall Street.
Marking the anniversary of the Lehman Brothers collapse, which set off a series of events that led to last fall's financial crisis, Obama cautioned Wall Street to step lightly as the economy and financial sector recover.
"Normalcy cannot lead to complacency," Obama said. "Unfortunately, there are some in the financial industry who are misreading this moment. Instead of learning the lessons of Lehman and the crisis from which we are still recovering, they are choosing to ignore them."
"They do so not just at their own peril, but at our nation's," the president added.
Step up regulation. Economists said the president offered no new proposals, but instead used the bully pulpit to get Congress and regulators on board.
Lawmakers and some regulators have been resistant to some of the changes the administration has proposed. For instance, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has opposed a new consumer regulator, arguing that it's the Fed's job to protect consumers.
"The president needs to create enough of a groundswell to get this done," said Dan Seiver, professor of finance at San Diego State University. "Right now he's encountering resistance from regulators like the Fed .. but they were the ones asleep at the switch."
Obama said much more work is left to be done. The president called for more stringent rules to prevent the domino-effect if one large firm collapses. He said an overhaul of regulation must be done in a way that does not smother innovation, but "the old ways that led to this crisis cannot stand."
"We will not go back to the days of reckless behavior and unchecked excess at the heart of this crisis, where too many were motivated only by the appetite for quick kills and bloated bonuses," he said. "Those on Wall Street cannot resume taking risks without regard for consequences, and expect that next time, American taxpayers will be there to break their fall."
Obama reiterated a number of proposals that the administration has previously made, including a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, closing loopholes and gaps in the regulatory system, and putting an end to "too big to fail" by creating resolution authority for non-bank financial institutions. Obama also called on foreign economies to join the United States in its regulatory effort for a coordinated response to the financial crisis.
"Restoring a willingness to take responsibility -- even when it is hard -- is at the heart of what we must do," said Obama. "Here on Wall Street, you have a responsibility. The reforms I've laid out will pass and these changes will become law. But one of the most important ways to rebuild the system stronger than before is to rebuild trust stronger than before -- and you do not have to wait for a new law to do that."
Bailout era not over. "Although I will never be satisfied while people are out of work and our financial system is weakened, we can be confident that the storms of the past two years are beginning to break," said Obama. "In fact, while there continues to be a need for government involvement to stabilize the financial system, that necessity is waning."
Taxpayers have lent hundreds of billions of dollars to systemically significant financial institutions and trillions more in lending programs aimed at easing the tight grip on lending. Obama said bailout money is flowing back to taxpayers, but "that doesn't mean taxpayers will escape the worst financial crisis in decades unscathed," he said.
First Published: September 14, 2009: 12:16 PM ET
Source: money.cnn.com
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The bailouts have largely stabilized the financial system, but regulatory reform is needed to prevent a similar crisis from happening again, said President Obama in a speech delivered Monday on Wall Street.
Marking the anniversary of the Lehman Brothers collapse, which set off a series of events that led to last fall's financial crisis, Obama cautioned Wall Street to step lightly as the economy and financial sector recover.
"Normalcy cannot lead to complacency," Obama said. "Unfortunately, there are some in the financial industry who are misreading this moment. Instead of learning the lessons of Lehman and the crisis from which we are still recovering, they are choosing to ignore them."
"They do so not just at their own peril, but at our nation's," the president added.
Step up regulation. Economists said the president offered no new proposals, but instead used the bully pulpit to get Congress and regulators on board.
Lawmakers and some regulators have been resistant to some of the changes the administration has proposed. For instance, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has opposed a new consumer regulator, arguing that it's the Fed's job to protect consumers.
"The president needs to create enough of a groundswell to get this done," said Dan Seiver, professor of finance at San Diego State University. "Right now he's encountering resistance from regulators like the Fed .. but they were the ones asleep at the switch."
Obama said much more work is left to be done. The president called for more stringent rules to prevent the domino-effect if one large firm collapses. He said an overhaul of regulation must be done in a way that does not smother innovation, but "the old ways that led to this crisis cannot stand."
"We will not go back to the days of reckless behavior and unchecked excess at the heart of this crisis, where too many were motivated only by the appetite for quick kills and bloated bonuses," he said. "Those on Wall Street cannot resume taking risks without regard for consequences, and expect that next time, American taxpayers will be there to break their fall."
Obama reiterated a number of proposals that the administration has previously made, including a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, closing loopholes and gaps in the regulatory system, and putting an end to "too big to fail" by creating resolution authority for non-bank financial institutions. Obama also called on foreign economies to join the United States in its regulatory effort for a coordinated response to the financial crisis.
"Restoring a willingness to take responsibility -- even when it is hard -- is at the heart of what we must do," said Obama. "Here on Wall Street, you have a responsibility. The reforms I've laid out will pass and these changes will become law. But one of the most important ways to rebuild the system stronger than before is to rebuild trust stronger than before -- and you do not have to wait for a new law to do that."
Bailout era not over. "Although I will never be satisfied while people are out of work and our financial system is weakened, we can be confident that the storms of the past two years are beginning to break," said Obama. "In fact, while there continues to be a need for government involvement to stabilize the financial system, that necessity is waning."
Taxpayers have lent hundreds of billions of dollars to systemically significant financial institutions and trillions more in lending programs aimed at easing the tight grip on lending. Obama said bailout money is flowing back to taxpayers, but "that doesn't mean taxpayers will escape the worst financial crisis in decades unscathed," he said.
First Published: September 14, 2009: 12:16 PM ET
Source: money.cnn.com
Friday, September 11, 2009
Remembering Sept. 11th, 2001
NEW YORK -- Vowing to never falter in the pursuit of al Qaeda and its allies, President Barack Obama placed a wreath under rainy skies at the Pentagon in memory of the victims of 9/11 on the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
"Let us renew our resolve against those who perpetrated this barbaric act and who plot against us still," Mr. Obama said. "In defense of our nation, we will never waver."
Mr. Obama said the strongest rebuke against the terrorist attackers is the nation's renewal of a common purpose. Following the ceremony, the president and First Lady Michelle Obama, along with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, greeted families of the victims of the Pentagon, where 184 people died.
The Obamas attended the ceremony after observing a White House moment of silence at precisely 8:46 a.m. EDT, the moment the first jetliner struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. About 150 White House staffers stood in silence around the Obamas.
Skies were also gray in New York City, and at the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 in a Shanksville, Pa., field, where now-familiar ceremonies honored the nearly 3,000 people who were lost in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Friday was also the first time the anniversary was observed as a national day of service, following an order signed this year by Mr. Obama.
"From this day forward, we will safeguard the memories of those who died by rekindling the spirit of service that lit our city with hope and helped keep us strong," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a ceremony in lower Manhattan.
At a plaza adjacent to Ground Zero in New York City, families gathered in the rain, with their umbrellas whipping inside out, while the names of the Trade Center victims were read, pausing for moments of silence at the minutes the jetliners crashed into the towers.
People involved in volunteer work across the nation joined relatives of victims to read the names of those lost in the twin towers. One reader represented a group called New York Says Thank You, which sends volunteers from New York City each year on the attacks anniversary to help rebuild communities around the country affected by disasters as a way to send thanks for the help that came to New York City after Sept. 11.
Other readers were from local soup kitchens, advocacy groups and well-known service organizations including the American Red Cross and the United Way.
As has become tradition, relatives who read names called out greetings and messages of love to the lost. "We miss you; life will never be the same without you. This is not the rain," said Vladimir Boyarsky, whose son, Gennady Boyarsky, was killed. "This is the tears."
In New York City, Vice President Joe Biden spoke during a pause in the reading of the names, telling the several hundred victims' relatives gathered that "there's a special fraternity for those of us who've lost spouses and children." Mr. Biden's daughter and first wife died in a 1972 automobile accident.
Before he spoke, Mr. Biden joined families who were laying flowers in a reflecting pool on the site where the towers once stood.
Relatives and friends of victims were allowed Friday to visit the plaza for the Sept. 11 memorial that is under construction. It is expected to be partially complete and open for the 10th anniversary.
Former President George W. Bush had no public appearances planned Friday, and a spokesman said he would be working in his office during the morning. In a brief statement, he said he and his wife, Laura, were thinking of the victims and their families.
"We honor those who volunteer to keep us safe and extend the reach of freedom -- including members of the armed forces, law enforcement officers, and intelligence and homeland security professionals," the statement said. "Their courage, service, and sacrifice is a fitting tribute to all those who gave their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. On this day, let us renew our determination to prevent evil from returning to our shores."
Across the country, a fund-raiser to repair storm damage at Central Park, beach cleanups and repairs of homeless shelters were among the efforts organized to give back.
A Cleveland service organization planned to paint pies cooling, flower vases and sleeping cats resting on windowsills on boarded-up, abandoned properties in a Slavic neighborhood.
A Boston group founded by victims' family members -- two of the four planes left from Boston -- planned to write letters to U.S. soldiers overseas and pack care packages. Over 100 volunteers in San Jose, Calif., planned to plant fruit and vegetable gardens for low-income families.
This year, one new name will be read -- a victim added to New York's death toll in January. The medical examiner's office ruled that Leon Heyward, who died last year of lymphoma and lung disease, was a homicide victim because he was caught in the toxic dust cloud just after the towers collapsed. It's the second time the city has added to the victims' list someone who died long after Sept. 11, ruling that exposure to toxic dust caused lung disease.
American troops in Afghanistan donned shorts and sneakers Friday to run in memory of the attacks, as they fight a war that was born of that day but now faces waning public support.
About 1,000 service members ran 5.5 miles at the main U.S. base, both to commemorate the anniversary and remember troops who have died in nearly eight years of fighting.
The U.S. and its allies first invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 to oust the Taliban regime for sheltering al Qaeda leaders who planned the attacks.
Organizers of Friday's race, which also was held at two other bases, called it an act of defiance against insurgents who have killed more American troops this year than in any other since the beginning of the conflict. August was the deadliest month for U.S. troops so far, with 51 killed.
"Our soldiers are running in the heart of Taliban territory, where the attacks on America were planned," a military statement said.
Copyright © 2009 Associated Press
Source: Wall Street Journal/Associated Press
More on the healthcare issue
Obama and the Democrats Will Pay Later if They Don’t Hit Reset on Healthcare Now
By Peter Roff, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
In his speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday President Barack Obama doubled down in his support for nationalized healthcare. Hardly a game changer, as Democrats have claimed, Obama reiterated his support for the so-called public option while proposing little that would actually improve the quality of healthcare in the United States.
It's not likely it is going to make much of a difference. CNBC's Larry Kudlow, in an op-ed that appeared Friday, remarked that Wall Street is now betting heavily against the president.
In a strong stock market on Thursday ... health-insurer shares advanced significantly. Cigna increased 5 percent; Health Net almost 5 percent; Humana 3.5 percent; and UnitedHealth Group 1.5 percent. Hospital shares like Community Health Systems and Tenet Healthcare also rallied smartly, climbing about 5 percent each. Drug company Pfizer rose more than 1 percent.
These healthcare stocks would not have rallied the day after the speech if investors believed Obama would get his way on public option. Moreover, any of the plans being presented by the Democrats, even conceptually, will add to the deficit, increase taxes and force many Americans to give up the private insurance they currently have.
Obama's reliance on rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the existing Medicare program to find the money is little more than a talking point in the same class as the "magic asterisk" invented by Reagan-era OMB Director David Stockman. It's not where the money is. As Kudlow puts it, "There are taxes galore for this $900 billion baby. It includes a 35 percent excise tax on high-end insurance policies, plus billions more in taxes on insurers, drug companies and medical-device makers. Government boards will determine value, quality and quantity for doctors, hospitals and clinical laboratories. Folks who opt out could face a $3,800 tax (based on a family of four)."
It's time to hit the reset button. Congressional Democrats ignore this reality at their own peril.
Source: USnews.com
By Peter Roff, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
In his speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday President Barack Obama doubled down in his support for nationalized healthcare. Hardly a game changer, as Democrats have claimed, Obama reiterated his support for the so-called public option while proposing little that would actually improve the quality of healthcare in the United States.
It's not likely it is going to make much of a difference. CNBC's Larry Kudlow, in an op-ed that appeared Friday, remarked that Wall Street is now betting heavily against the president.
In a strong stock market on Thursday ... health-insurer shares advanced significantly. Cigna increased 5 percent; Health Net almost 5 percent; Humana 3.5 percent; and UnitedHealth Group 1.5 percent. Hospital shares like Community Health Systems and Tenet Healthcare also rallied smartly, climbing about 5 percent each. Drug company Pfizer rose more than 1 percent.
These healthcare stocks would not have rallied the day after the speech if investors believed Obama would get his way on public option. Moreover, any of the plans being presented by the Democrats, even conceptually, will add to the deficit, increase taxes and force many Americans to give up the private insurance they currently have.
Obama's reliance on rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the existing Medicare program to find the money is little more than a talking point in the same class as the "magic asterisk" invented by Reagan-era OMB Director David Stockman. It's not where the money is. As Kudlow puts it, "There are taxes galore for this $900 billion baby. It includes a 35 percent excise tax on high-end insurance policies, plus billions more in taxes on insurers, drug companies and medical-device makers. Government boards will determine value, quality and quantity for doctors, hospitals and clinical laboratories. Folks who opt out could face a $3,800 tax (based on a family of four)."
It's time to hit the reset button. Congressional Democrats ignore this reality at their own peril.
Source: USnews.com
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