He did not say this. He said this? The man with the Cabal.

The man that never looked for bin Laden while paying Pakistan to board and feed him. A Cabal doesn't come close to a Status of Forces Agreement.

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (click here) said a "trained ape" could get a status of forces agreement with Afghanistan, which the Obama administration has yet to do.
Rumsfeld on Monday night asserted the Obama administration has engaged in "terrible" diplomacy and damaged its relationship with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai....

Published on Thursday, October 20, 2005 by Inter Press Service 
by Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON - As top officials (click here) in the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney's office await possible criminal indictments for their efforts to discredit a whistleblower, a top aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Wednesday, accused a ''cabal'' led by Cheney and Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld of hijacking U.S. foreign policy by circumventing or ignoring formal decision-making channels.

Lawrence Wilkerson, who served as Powell's chief of staff from 2001 to 2005 and when Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces during the administration of former president George H.W. Bush, also charged that, as national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice was ''part of the problem'' by not ensuring that the policy-making process was open to all relevant participants....

WASHINGTON March 12, 2014 (AP)
 By DEB RIECHMANN Associated Press 

...Legally, (click here) the 33,600 U.S. forces still deployed are covered by an existing status-of-forces document that took effect shortly after 9/11 and the start of America's engagement in Afghanistan. The existing agreement has no expiration date and prevents U.S. military personnel from being prosecuted under Afghan law — a must-have for status-of-forces agreements the U.S. signs with countries around the world.

"Unless the Afghans or the United States cancel the existing SOFA, it remains in effect," said retired Col. Manuel Supervielle, who was the lead lawyer for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in 2005 and 2006, worked on such agreements for U.S. troops stationed across the globe and advised on the drafting of the current bilateral security agreement that Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he won't sign....

There are real reasons why Karzai won't sign anything.


By Hamid Shalizi and Maria Golovnina

KABUL Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:21am EDT

(Reuters) - Taliban suicide bombers (click here) and gunmen attacked an election commission office in Kabul next to the home of presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday, rattling nerves in the Afghan capital less than two weeks before an important election.

Kabul is on high alert ahead of the April 5 presidential vote that Taliban insurgents have threatened to derail with a campaign of bombings and assassinations.
Ghani, a former World Bank official and frontrunner in the vote, was not at home at the time of the attack, for which the Taliban claimed responsibility....

Dr. Ghani has worked hand in hand with Karzai. What happened to Dr. Abdullah Abdullah. I thought for sure he would be elected this time.

 (Tasvir Afghanistan): Dr Ashraf Ghani (click here) grew up in Afghanistan before pursuing his education abroad. Like so many Afghans, foreign invasion and civil war led to the persecution of his family and forced him to remain in exile.
 
Whilst abroad he became a leading scholar of Political Science and Anthropology and then worked at the World Bank where he learned the tools of international development assistance.
 
Following the fall of the Taliban in 2001 he returned to Afghanistan seeking to devote his unique skills and knowledge to the task of rebuilding the country.
He advised interim President Karzai and served as the Finance Minister in the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan until December 2004.

During his tenure as Finance Minister, he designed a package of reforms and initiated several public investment programs that led to significant improvements in the livelihoods of ordinary Afghans across the country....

Exactly. If there is a copy of Karzai in leadership of the country the corruption will never end.

Afghan presidential hopeful Abdullah warns supporters over fraud (click here)

By Katharine Houreld and Hamid Shalizi

CHARIKAR, Afghanistan
Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:58am EDT

...Abdullah, (click here) a frontrunner in Afghanistan's April 5 election, promised to create jobs and stability, seeking to give a sense of stability to Afghans worried about NATO withdrawing most of its troops after 13 years of fighting a stubborn insurgency.

The election he is contesting should mark the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan's history, since incumbent President Hamid Karzai is barred from running again.

But, burned by the widespread fraud that marred the previous presidential election in 2009, some in Afghanistan are already raising questions over the vote's legitimacy.

"There must be a fair decision. We are tired of fighting," said a 47-year-old voter, Omid Khan. Old men in traditional flat caps nodded vigorously as the young waved Abdullah flags....

Go, Mr. Khan, Go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Ya have to know the Karzai Copy is paying off everyone for his election. There is just no doubt. 

Without a living wage, the USA supports Wall Street Welfare and there is no getting them off the roles.

Jolie Lee
USA TODAY Network  
EDT March 25, 2014

Minimum-wage (click here) employees must work on average 2.6 full-time jobs to afford a decent two-bedroom apartment in the USA without paying more than 30% of their income, according to a report released Monday from the National Low Income Housing Coalition based on federal data.

Perhaps more surprising is that the inability to afford rent is not limited to big cities with high housing costs.

A full-time minimum-wage earner can't afford even a one-bedroom unit — except in a handful of counties in Washington and Oregon. A worker would have to make $18.92 an hour to be able to afford renting a two-bedroom apartment.

The low-income housing advocacy group's report shows a state-by-state breakdown of the number of hours a week a minimum-wage employee would have to work to afford rent in their state's fair market value as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Development....

There is validity to this claim. The United Kingdom was a far larger colonist nation.

Evidently, the door swings both ways on the topic of sovereign rights. This is primarily a protest (At least I hope it is.), but, they have a point. This is what I have been writing about. These entire region can be sliced and diced into little areas of ethnicity. This march toward ethnic domination of Eastern Europe is a very slippery slope. Here we go again with Yugoslavia.

This is exactly the hazard these people are facing when the trend is elevating one ethnic group over another begins. Just as a point of interest, "Russian speaking people" live in the USA, too. Ask the Russian Orthodox Church. I am sure they have member roles that can validate that fact. Why RT media at all if there weren't Russians in the USA? 

What a mess. The current Ukraine government should recognize these ethnic divisions of the country as effective protests while they are also talking to the upcoming elections. 

The country has to decide on political parties and not small ethnic divisions that define their political party system. Politics is not about ethnicity, it is about sovereignty, citizen rights within their constitution and the freedoms Ukrainians seek in their lives. 

Elections are about economics, jobs and all those problems that currently are the reality of the Ukrainian people. The nation has to be a unified country embracing all ethnic identities without conflict and hatred of each other. The Ukraine's strength will come from unity and not divisions. 

There is also danger in estranging the right wing groups. They cannot be rejected by the very government they helped instill. These folks got rid of the corrupt Russian opportunists and revealed the assault on the sovereign state of the country. They have a right to be heard at the very least and be embraced as people that care about their nation.

This is John James Hughes (click here). The Ukraine city of Donestk was founded in the 19th century by John Hughes, a Merthyr Tydfil steel worker who had landed a contract from the Tsarist government.

24 March 2014  
Last updated at 08:10 ET
 
"Donetsk residents! (click here) English brothers! The decisive moment has come!" says the online appeal (which makes no distinction between England and Wales), according to Novosti Donbassa website. The campaign appears to parody Crimea's recent referendum on joining Russia, which has resonated across eastern Ukraine.

The heavily industrialised city was established in the late 19th Century as a foundry run by John Hughes, a native of Wales. Locals called him John Yuz, so the town was initially named Yuzovka.

"We demand a referendum on returning Yuzovka to its historical fold as part of the UK! Glory to John Hughes and his city! God save the Queen!" the campaign adds.

These lawsuits are about Plan B. It isn't about contraception. It is about abortion.

Where this lawsuit should fail. The companies involved have in many ways contradicted their own lawsuits for a couple of reasons. These companies are 'for profit' companies. 

It doesn't matter if they have non-profit educational arms, the companies make money and support their core stockholders, namely families that began them. These companies are no different than Koch Industries. They were started by families, grew and now employ people within and outside of the family. They are also politically active companies. They seek to educate a right wing agenda. They are not listed on Wall Street, but, if they were they would align with most major companies carrying non-profit arms that offer educational monies in foundations.

September 13, 2012
Steve Olafson 
Reuters

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - Hobby Lobby, (click here) an arts and crafts retailer founded by evangelical Christians, sued the Obama administration on Wednesday to stop a mandate under the federal healthcare reform law to provide drugs such as the morning-after pill to employees through their health insurance.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Oklahoma, seeks a permanent injunction against the government on behalf of Hobby Lobby and other companies that have religious convictions against abortion....

In the Washington Post is an interesting article:

By Jaime Fuller 
March 24 at 6:30 am

...Hobby Lobby officials say religious participation is optional (click here) for its 28,000 employees. "If they don't believe in God, we love them where they are," says Dianna Bradley, the company's director of chaplain services....

This company doesn't discriminate according to religious beliefs in their employment of Americans and can hire atheists. Why then employ the idea that religious precepts govern the company. These are not religious organizations. They don't have ministers in every store and hold congregational meetings to pray together. There is no way they can be viewed as a religious organization. There are employees that can object to be forced to practice religious standards in their employment.

...Norman and his wife, Elizabeth, for example, oversee a family foundation that contributed more than $1.1 million to 20 nonprofits between 2010 and 2012. The Pennsylvania Relief Sale, benefiting Mennonite Central Committee, was the top recipient, receiving $150,000 over those three years. Three organizations received $125,000 during those years: Christian Aid Ministries of Berlin, Ohio, Clinic for Special Children of Strasburg, and Wycliffe Bible Translators of Locust Grove. ... Separately, the Hahns have financially supported the political campaigns of a handful of Republicans. Norman, for example, contributed $10,000 to Lynn Swann's race for governor in 2006, $2,500 to Rick Santorum's race for the presidency in 2011, and $1,000 to Gordon Denlinger's race for state House in 2006....

They are very active political contributors. To be perfectly frank, the family involved with this company are Southern Baptists from Oklahoma. There isn't anything else to say. The Southern Baptists of Oklahoma and Texas are among the most extremist religious nut cases in the USA. The reason Texas has such poor quality of life for their citizens and high levels of teen pregnancy is because of companies exactly like this. They are oppressive to social status of women and girls.

There are exactly four types of contraception involved with these lawsuits. The FDA classifies these four medications as contraceptives.

Plan B is an emergency contraceptive (click here) intended to reduce the possibility of pregnancy following unprotected sexual intercourse or a known or suspected contraceptive failure.

Either the USA has valid classification of medications according to it's governmental authority or it hands over classification to the churches in the country. Ain't no way. Do you know how oppressive the health conditions of Americans would become? There is too much danger is the capacity of the Supreme Court to continue to cause oppressive circumstances to over at least half the population of the USA and their families.

This is about defining when life begins. It really isn't about contraception. Within these lawsuits lies the idea that life begins at conception. These companies are identifying these medications as 'abortion inducing drugs.' Not even close.

How can the USA provide abortion to women while stating at least four pills on the USA market cause the fertilized ovum the opportunity to implant into the uterine wall. That's nuts.

There is suppose to be a clearly defined wall between church in the USA. and state and these companies are on a crusade to completely destroy it. 

In order to present the SBC as true Americans their convention has broken down their positions on abortion into areas of racism and military status while opposing abortion. It is an amazing read that never recognizes the USA Constitutions demand for separation of church and state.

The SBC doesn't even recognize the diversity of the USA and the right of other RELIGIONS to allow decisions about families to the individuals themselves. The SBC demands the USA to favor their rights over those of any other person or religion in this country. 

Southern Baptist Convention Resolutions on Abortion (click here)

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, June 23-24, 2009, share our nation's pride in our continuing progress toward racial reconciliation signaled by the election of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That we commend President Obama for his evident love for his family, displayed so clearly by his commitment to our First Lady Michelle Obama and his determination to spend meaningful time with their two daughters, Malia and Sasha; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That we commend President Obama for his decisions to retain many foreign policies that continue to keep our nation safe from further terrorist attacks; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That we urge President Obama to keep intact our strong military and national security defense measures in order to assure the ongoing security of America and our allies; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That we deplore the President's decision to expand federal funding for destructive human embryo research; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That we decry the President's decision to increase funding for pro-abortion groups and to reduce funding for abstinence education; and be it further 

Abstinence education has been proven to be dangerous to our young people.

SIECUS affirms (click here) that sexuality is a fundamental part of being human, one that is worthy of dignity and respect. We advocate for the right of all people to accurate information, comprehensive education about sexuality, and sexual health services. SIECUS works to create a world that ensures social justice and sexual rights.

Federal Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Proven Ineffective in Delaying Sexual Activity among Young People (click here)

...funded under the 1996 federal welfare reform law (click here) has proven the programs ineffective in changing teens’ sexual behavior.  The report, released on April 13, 2007 and conducted by Mathematica Policy Research Inc. on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found no evidence that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs increased rates of sexual abstinence. In addition, students in the abstinence-only-until-marriage programs had a similar number of sexual partners as their peers not in the programs, as well as a similar age of first sex....

This is how crazy this mess is. A 1996 federal welfare reform law wanted to seek to end dependency on welfare with a completely ineffective method of contraceptive. These people are crazy.The USA funded a completely ineffective method of contraception. Why? Because of political dependency in the south on religious dogma.

Our money. Our federal dollars were spent on 'junk science' behind the idea that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs were an effective way of preventing pregnancy. JUNK. Our money! Enough already.

RESOLVED, That we oppose the President’s determination to strip pro-life healthcare professionals of their conscience protections, punishing them for refusing to participate in or facilitate abortions and other activities that violate their pro-life convictions; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That we strongly urge the President to nominate strict constructionist judges who seek to make decisions based on the original intent of the United States Constitution and, therefore, faithfully interpret rather than make law or impose their political views on the nation; and be it further.

This religious convention invokes it's OWN interpretation of the USA Constitution without recognizing over two centuries of Supreme Court precedent.

 RESOLVED, That we strongly protest any effort by the President or his administration to eradicate the symbols of our nation's historic Judeo-Christian faith from public or private venues; and be it further

Judeo-Christian faith is used as if these religions are absolutely the same faith. They aren't. The ONLY Jewish faith this convention recognizes as legitimate Hebrew faiths are the fundamentalists/orthodox. This convention ignores the religious standards of Jewish Conservatives and Reformists. They don't exist in the minds of Southern Baptists. Judeo-Christian is rhetoric to this conventions political ambitions.

RESOLVED, That we express our strong opposition to the President’s declaration concerning his decision to declare June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month; and be it further.

RESOLVED, That we earnestly pray for the President (1 Timothy 2:1-2) that he will use the constitutional authority assigned to his office to promote liberty and justice for all people, including the unborn; and be it finally.

RESOLVED, That we will join hands with President Obama and his administration to advance causes of justice insofar as those efforts are consistent with biblical principles.

This should be good news to the IMF. It should create some confidence in Ukraine's credit worthiness.

By Kelly Bit  
March 25, 2014

...The markets in Russia and Ukraine (click here) are deeper than other countries where there’s been political tension and “also extraordinarily cheap,” said Peter Rup, chief investment officer at New York-based Artemis Wealth Advisors LLC, which oversees $800 million and invests in hedge funds.... 

...Andrey Popel, is paying particularly close attention to the conflict in Ukraine.

The 29-year old director at New York-based Greylock helped the hedge-fund firm invest in the sovereign debt of the country last year and is now backing company debt from his homeland. He also has family in eastern Ukraine, from where he emigrated to the U.S. 15 years ago. 

“Ukraine has the unique opportunity to get rid of kleptocracy (AKA Viktor Yanukovych) and cronyism and emerge as one of the least corrupt, pro-human rights, pro-business, pro-West countries in Eastern Europe,” Popel said in a telephone interview. “Unfortunately the Crimean situation diverts attention from this cleansing process and makes it a lot more difficult.” 

Greylock, which manages $850 million and invests globally, started buying Ukrainian sovereign debt late last year, said Popel, who joined in 2008 after working at Bear Stearns Cos. as an analyst and focuses on Central, Eastern and peripheral European debt....

There is no lie in the statement the Ukraine can be a leading human rights country. It's 2004 constitution is an incredible testament to the desire of the people of the Ukraine's priorities. That constitution should be an example to all other nations in prioritizing rights of their citizens. 

It is so very unfortunate all these border issues have beset the Ukraine. It poses not just a threat, but, a burden to the people to make those constitutional priorities a reality. That is why the treaties and memos regarding the Ukraine were so impressive and important. It was suppose to allow the country an existence without threat to foster their priorities.

Investments need to support the values of these incredible people to mold the nation they seek.

Oil pipeline inspectors need to be checking the viscosity of the substance in the pipeline.

There are regulations that control the viscosity of the substance in any pipeline. Why? Because otherwise the pipeline will rupture. If there are no overt reasons for a pipeline rupture, the viscosity of the substance has to fall into suspicion.

If the Canadian crud is making it's way into any pipelines in the USA there is a real problem with two issues primarily surrounding the chemical naphtha. Naphtha on two counts is an egregious chemical in pipelines. It is known to be corrosive to pipelines and with Canadian crud there is at least four times higher amounts of naphtha in the substance. 

The other aspect to the Canadian crud mixture of bitumen and naphtha is the fact naphtha on a global basis can be limited at any one time. So, there are shortage problems with naphtha. The cost of obtaining the naphtha can change the ratio mixture making the substance thicker and ultimately will cause rupture. The other aspect is that the production process isn't correctly mixing the naphtha and bitumen to create a safe viscosity for the pipeline. 

There is also a human health problem with this mess, too. No one ever wants to talk about the fact naphtha carries carcinogens into the human environment when spills occur. That is with any oil spill. But, the significantly higher naphtha levels mixed with bitumen makes the danger of carcinogen exposure that much higher with any spill. 

As of significant concern, the workers cleaning up the mess need to be protected from exposure and their personal protection equipment should be tested for effectiveness of the higher naphtha levels mixed with bitumen. This is NOT crude oil.

By Bowdeya Tweh
Cincinnati Enquirer and Brenna R. Kelly
Cincinnati Enquirer 3:37 p.m. EDT 
March 24, 2014

A broken pipeline (click here) that spilled thousands of gallons of crude oil into a Colerain Township nature preserve has been fixed and is flowing again, officials said Monday.

Pipeline safety investigators have not yet determined what caused the interstate pipeline to burst, but a temporary repair was made Sunday and the pipeline began carrying oil again about 5 p.m., said Colerain Township Fire Department Capt. Steve Conn.

The clean up from the spill that was discovered March 17 continued Monday with 35,000 gallons of an oil-water mixture recovered from the Hamilton County-owned Oak Glen Nature Preserve, at 7584 Thompson Road. Officials now say that 17,000 gallons of oil spilled from the line in an area about 500 feet from the Great Miami River. Initial estimates put the spill at 10,000 gallons.

Ah, oh. Harry is angry again.

Go get 'em, Harry.

By Ed O'Keefe 
March 24 at 6:24 pm

...But the vote came after Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) suggested that Republicans may have helped Russia annex Crimea by delaying the vote.

Reid made the comments in remarks that reopened the Senate after a week-long break. He urged GOP senators to consider how their decision affects U.S. national security and that further delay "sent a dangerous message to Russian leaders."

"Since a few Republicans blocked these important sanctions last work period, Russian lawmakers voted to annex Crimea and Russian forces have taken over Ukrainian military bases," Reid said. "It's impossible to know whether events would have unfolded differently if the United States had responded to Russian aggression with a strong, unified voice."

The comments came just a few hours before senators voted 78 to 17 to proceed with debate on the aid package. All the votes in opposition came from Republicans, most of whom are concerned that the package includes changes to how the U.S. provides money for the International Monetary Fund....

The Republicans really don't care about this? Seriously there are members that voted against aid to the Ukraine? That is like sending defense forces to Europe. I am surprised.

Politics and the President. The Republicans are playing with the USA's national security.

...But the deal also includes changes long-sought by the White House that would shift about $63 billion in IMF money from a crisis fund to a general account. Doing so would make good on a 2010 pledge by the Obama administration and ensure greater U.S. influence over the world body.... 

The Huffington Post
by  Sabrina Siddiqui

Posted: 03/13/2014 2:33 pm EDT 

Updated: 03/13/2014 3:59 pm EDT 

 

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) (click here) reiterated his opposition Thursday to a Senate Ukraine aid bill that includes a U.S. quota increase at the International Monetary Fund.
Boehner told reporters at his weekly briefing that the IMF boost, which was requested by the Obama administration, was irrelevant to the current crisis in Ukraine.
"Let's make sure we all understand something: The IMF money has nothing to do with Ukraine," he said....

Here we go, the precious military spending. 

...Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, called the Senate proposal "looney."...

Buck McKeon needs to go back to the drawing board and stop the assault on American troops and end some pork military projects. By out the contracts for 10% of their face value in one lump sum and end the stupidity of the military spending that should be spent on troops. By doing that the USA will be saving huge amounts of money because contracts are never brought in under the appropriation of the contract. The cost overruns are ridiculous.

The problem with the military budgets is that a lot of money has already been wasted on projects the military never wanted. The military needs to seriously examine the integration of computerization into it's forces. While some closed systems are necessary, the larger deployment of computerized combat vehicles simply aren't a good idea. Placing computerized weaponry where it needs to be would trim acquisition costs and leave more room for personnel.

By OTTO KREISHER, Special Correspondent
Posted: March 5, 2014 10:23 AM

...In ground systems, (click here) the budget would fund, at a lower level, planned improvements to the aged AAV7 assault amphibious vehicles, which must remain in service because of the cancelation of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) and delays in its planned replacement, the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). It would provide $106 million to continue research on the ACV, as the Corps looks for a vehicle with the high water speed promised by EFV but at an affordable price....

The personnel needed can't be that controversial. There is such a thing as military science which provides principles for combat engagement and national security. The question I have is what missions the Marine Corp is engaged in are not truly necessary?

Not saying any commander is wrong, what I am saying is President Obama has been seeking more spending by allies to provide their own military infrastructure 'on site' for better preparedness to disasters as well as a heightened national security for their sovereign country. How much of that movement to autonomy can contribute to better missions for our Marines? Is there a good chance the USA military can trim back their forces in foreign theaters by empowering allies with stronger and better prepared forces and I am not thinking Afghanistan either. These are major allies of the USA that are taking on more and more of their own national security strategies. Where does the USA require presence and where can the USA cut back with the increased competence of allies?

...On the personnel side, the budget would continue the slow reduction in Marine Corps end strength, proposing a drop from the 190,200 Marines expected by the end of this fiscal year, to 184,100 by October 2015, with a projected drop to 175,000 by fiscal 2017. That number, which is well below the 182,000 Gen James F. Amos, the Marine Corps commandant, said was the minimum needed for the Corps to carry out all of its missions,...

Our military leaders should never be a part of politics within any country. Our deployments should always make sense to our commanders all the way up to the Joint Chiefs. These people have been in our national defense infrastructure for a long time, they have knowledge of how best to place our assets to protect our country and allies. I would think of allies accepting more of their own national security as an expansion of potential, not a decrease in it. I don't think NATO is going anywhere. If anything NATO will be more vital than ever.

With allies like France taking on their own initiatives, that is an enhancement to USA capacity. It means competency within the French military that no USA military has to worry about so much as count on to be a strong ally. That level of comfort has to spell relief, not just to the USA military budget but also to the military leadership that can turn their attentions to areas sacrificed for policing in the past.

If I can be so bold, part of what I think Harry is upset about is that of 'allied potential.' The best example is the current needs in the Ukraine. How is the Ukraine to develop better national military competency if their hands are tied because of debt. The IMF is a vital area where these nations can resolve their debt to a reasonable and prudent levels and build their military competencies to sustain border tensions.

If the IMF doesn't have the funds it needs to move these nations along, what good is USA emergency funds doing? That isn't where the need exists. So, while the GOP likes it's political rhetoric about the USA military budget, the actual application of policies at the IMF is nearly more important in expanding the USA's best interests.

The USA military likes to have control and I realize that is a matter of sincere and sustained trust between allies and other nations and the USA. In part that is what is so disappointing about Russia's agenda for the Crimea and why it does not need to be part of the G8 anymore. If a country is seeking to violate the 'trust standards' the USA what good are they to our national strategy and TO THEIRS. 

The reality of the agenda of Russia in the Crimea has compromised the national security of Russia even if it doesn't want to admit it. Russia's nationalism with the Crimea has destroyed or diminished more relationships than Putin will ever admit. Begin first with the post soviet nations and work out from there. Russia, in it's "Friendship Pact" with China can no longer provide reassurances it enjoyed as part of the G8. There is a lot Russia lost with this agenda. 

But, with this new movement to build competencies of allies, the USA military has every right to set standards for sincere trust relationships in order to be assured of national security of the USA. That, after all, is what allies are for. Allies sincerely aren't allies if the USA is doing all the policing. That is a weaker military profile than having a global structure of strong allies. Part of that movement is also allowing cultural difference to act as strengths to that relationship. The USA allies don't have to be "Little America." They do have to be strong countries with strong economies and citizens that appreciate their importance in the larger picture.

Basically, the USA military have to be good listeners to the people of our allies as well as their friend in military strength. It is called 'feeling safe.'

Today in the world of terror.

By Tina Susman

March 25, 2014, 5:00 a.m.

NEW YORK - Jurors on Tuesday (click here) begin deliberating the fate of a former Al Qaeda spokesman portrayed by lawyers as either a hardened terrorist buoyed by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks or an innocent cleric accidentally drawn into Osama bin Laden's orbit....

The defense attorneys don't actually expect any sane person to believe this guy was an unwilling participant, do they? It sounds like an ethical issue to me, but, "The Anything Defense" might work. Who knows? Stranger things have happened......Then again, maybe not.

"This man was not Osama bin Laden's puppet," said Cronan, an assistant U.S. attorney, as he pointed his finger at Abu Ghaith. "He was not a robot."
Instead, Cronan said, Abu Ghaith was a high-ranking Al Qaeda leader who was summoned to Bin Laden's cave in the mountains outside Kabul, Afghanistan, on the evening of Sept. 11, 2001. There, Abu Ghaith was asked to deliver a rousing speech heralding the killings and urging young Muslims to stage more attacks, Cronan said....

I suppose if I were a defense attorney for an al Qaeda member I wouldn't worry about ethical issues either. I wonder what they are getting paid. Public defender wages with body guards as an employee benefit.

Today in the Southern Hemispehre.

China is stirring the pot and trying to discredit Malaysia and the satellite data which brought Malaysia to conclude the status of the jet. There were many Chinese passengers, so China is worried about unrest. It is all communist politics. I tell you what, the Chinese government can come up shining if they use this event to end the one child policy. May two would bring calm in the country.

Today in the Ukraine.

Defence minister dismissed (click here)

Also Tuesday, Ukraine’s parliament dismissed acting Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh in a second vote, having earlier rejected his offer to resign over his handling of Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Many Ukrainian servicemen complained they were left with no guidance as pro-Russian forces blocked them in their own bases, before seizing the facilities. Kyiv recalled its troops from Crimea on Monday, telling to come back to protect mainland Ukraine from any further potential incursion.

The repeat vote followed consultations between party faction leaders and Ukraine's acting president and parliamentary speaker.

Lawmakers elected Mykhailo Koval, head of the Ukrainian border guard, to replace Tenyukh. 

There is also reports a Maidan protester considered a right wing extremists in some of the media, Aleksandr Muzychk, is dead. The reasons for his death are everything from assassination to confrontation with police. The only reason not given is suicide. There are no real answers to his death, but, he was wanted by Russia for everything from breathing to murder. This death is all over the map and there is no real way of determining what occurred.