Provocateurs in charge or differently said, "Kerry go home."

It is interesting, isn't it? There are so many in the Middle East not even moved by these events and the USA Congress is spastic over the moment. If they cannot capture the 'cult of fear' of the Republicans party soon, the moment might get away.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) speaks with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Robert S. Beecroft (L) and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Brett McGurk before departing from Arbil International Airport June 24, 2014. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool


June 25, 2014
The Daily Star

After suffering from a decade of foreign occupation, (click here) Iraq entered a new phase of its 21st century history this month when a multipronged insurgency seized large parts of the country from the central government.
Signs of a recovery on the part of the Iraqi state aren’t encouraging. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to the Kurdish region to talk with Massoud Barzani, and was informed that a “new Iraq” had already emerged. The Kurdish authorities have begun to strike out on their own, seizing the city of Kirkuk, lying outside their regional government zone, and ignoring the central authorities to export oil, with one of the buyers being Israel.
Amid these worrying indications of the direction a “new Iraq” will take, there is the performance of the central government – Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has agreed to give legal protection to U.S. military personnel who are being sent to salvage the situation.
This is the same Maliki who opposed such a move on principle a few years ago, when Washington and Baghdad were negotiating the future of the American military presence. It’s obvious that his objections weren’t based on principle, if one looks to the rapid acceptance of what was so unpalatable before.
Yet another Baghdad decision – no pay for state employees in insurgent-held areas until “hostilities” end – signals only retreat and expediency, instead of vision and resolve.
As American and Iraqi officials discuss ways to help the “new Iraq” move forward, people should remember that many of the players being asked to fix things are actually responsible for the current mess.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on June 25, 2014, on page 7.

And what is especially tragic in this edition of the Morning Star is that if you don't act quickly DISH might not be yours at $10.00 per month of the Arabic Elite Super Pack.

With politics a hot issue these days, all the government officials both domestic and foreign are condemning the suicide bombing in recent days.

June 25, 2014 12:25 AM
By Nizar Hassan

The Daily Star

BEIRUT: Lebanese politicians and foreign officials (click here) Tuesday condemned the suicide bombing that killed one and wounded 25 in a southern suburb of Beirut, the second such attack in less than a week.
Hezbollah, whose party headquarters is located in the oft-targeted suburbs south of Beirut, issued a statement condemning “this cowardly action and whoever is responsible for it,” adding that the party “hails the recent achievements by the relevant military and security forces, calling on them to keep up their blessed efforts in order to topple the criminal conspiracies and plans against Lebanon.”...

...“The security situation is dangerous in light of what is happening in Iraq and the Saudi-Iranian alienation,” Berri was quoted as saying, referring to the rift between the Sunni Gulf kingdom and Shiite Iran.
Prime Minister Tammam Salam also condemned the bombing, saying: “This criminal action ... is a clear attempt to undermine Lebanon’s stability and strike at its national unity.”
Hezbollah condemned “this cowardly action and whoever stood behind it,” calling on the military and security forces to continue their efforts “to thwart criminal conspiracies and plans against Lebanon and the Lebanese.”...

Here is an interesting clue to what is occurring. If one recalls Hezbollah responded well to border talks with Assad, Syria and Lebanon. Hezbollah was causing a great deal of problems at the Syrian border. When Assad made movements toward securing the border between Syria and Lebanon with him as President in Syria, Hezbollah immediately took up the fight to support his presidency. Things quieted at the border. Now, with Hezbollah fighting for Assad in Syria, there are elements that don't like it. Hezbollah is Shi'ite just like Assad, but, the elements in Syria they are fighting are Sunni and evidently like to call themselves a Qaeda affiliate. 

...Meanwhile, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group warned Hezbollah of more attacks in the southern suburbs in what appeared to be an indirect claim of responsibility for Monday’s suicide bombing in Tayyouneh.
Sirajeddine Zuraiqat, the religious guide of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, said the explosions were part of a series of attacks in response to Hezbollah’s military intervention in Syria. “[Hezbollah] will not be living safely, until security is returned to the people of Syria and Lebanon,” he wrote on Twitter....

As much as The West wants to label this simply a problem for Iraq in it's central government, it is larger than that. It is sectarian. It is hatred between the religions and ethnicities. There is nothing The West can do to remedy this. There really isn't.

...Meanwhile, a French national who was detained during a police raid on a hotel in Beirut last week said the Al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) recruited him to carry out a suicide attack in Lebanon, a source close to the investigation said. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal confirmed Tuesday that a French national had been arrested in Lebanon on suspicion of planning a terror attack.
The man, originally from the Comoros islands, confessed “to having been recruited by ISIS from abroad, tasking him to move to Lebanon and prepare himself for a suicide operation that would be scheduled later,” the judicial source told The Daily Star....

The Comoros Islands are off Mozambique. ???? This is a holy war and the jihadists are coming from everywhere. The West is best to stay out of it and be hypervigilant to Homeland Security. 

That is 'the thing' about The West being involved. The attacks by ISIL is retaliation for attacks on them. The more involvement, as Prime Minister Hariri stated, the more problems will result. When The West was in Iraq before, setting aside the illegality and immorality of it, the military was viewed as simply more fighters. The West are the infidels and the playground so to speak just added more contestants.

...adding that the detainee said he arrived in Beirut a week before his arrest accompanied by another person tasked with a similar mission.
According to the source, the suspect told investigators that a room was reserved for him and the other man, who then changed his mind and decided to leave Beirut two days before the ISF raided the hotel.
The detainee claimed that people he did not know used to come to the hotel and give him money to pay for his residence and food, the source said.

This is a holy war. People from all over the world will come to fight in it. There will be Saudis that will give money to them and all sorts of messy involvement The West would never appreciate. The West has no place in this. It is very messy and it has resulted because of the Iraq War, their JUSTIFIED view of the world through the deaths of so many and the continued tensions between the ethnicities and religions. It isn't going to end on a happy note. 

The ONLY suggestion I have is for the United Nations to continue to insist on small arms reduction and nations need to convene a pact that completely eliminates shipments of any form of munitions into the area. Every potential shipment of arms, munitions and bomb making components should be stopped at borders and/or within ship routes and prevented from making port or the destination by land.

And by all means, those in Lebanon should get DISH and watch The World Cup. Absolutely. 

Unisys Infrared GOES East Satellite (click here for 12 hour loop)

June 24, 2014

2030z

By Kevin Byrne

Staff Writer

AccuWeather.com 

June 24, 2014; 2:52 PM

A dangerous tornado (click here) situation unfolded near Indianapolis this afternoon, after a destructive tornado touched down in the area.

Parts of Indiana and Ohio should remain on alert for isolated tornadoes throughout the afternoon and evening hours.

I noticed a turbulent region around Panama in this 12 hour loop. I am hoping there will be some defined circulation centers soon to bring Tropical Depressions/Storms, to alleviate the incredible heat forcing tornadoes in the USA.

The TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) costs the USA plenty of jobs, but, also quality.

This is a case in point. A family member thought they would send me a gift for my birthday and knowing I am outdoors a lot they sent emergency lanterns. They work on batteries. They came in the mail the other week.

AmeriMark Catalog Number 027509 (click here)

Not bad, 2 for $19.99. Member price 2 for $18.99

The outside of the box is stamped, "Made in China." It came with directions in English and stated in the small print "Lights are not replaceable, do not open light assembly it will damage product."

This are basically disposable lanterns. They do a good job. I tried one out, 4 D batteries and the entire room is lit. But, there is something missing. 

One of the first things I look for in any equipment I purchase is CERTIFICATION that the item is safe, RENEWABLE/REUSABLE and easy to use and understand.

The lanterns are completely missing a certification of environmentally safe Underwriter's Laboratories Certified.

Using UL-certified components (click here) during production helps reduce costs and time to market. If the components have already been found to be in compliance with the applicable component requirements, costly redesign issues that may be identified during the certification process relating to components can be minimized. Certification also adds a valuable product differentiator; manufacturers know that UL’s component certification program drives supply chain and product integrity through rigorous examinations and follow-up surveillance.

Just like my family member who is young with a lower paying job, but, important enough to purchase something for my birthday, others purchasing this item never checked for the quality of the item. They trusted the sale catalog to provide some of the nicest gifts imaginable for a thrifty price.

This product takes advantage of the vast possibilities of the American market place. If the USA weren't open to China's products China could never have moved as fast as it did in building an economy or moving citizens into a Middle Class. That isn't the issue. What is the issue is the continued circumventing of USA product standards. 

The Free Trade or Partnership agreements are contracts between countries. They eliminate requirements for product quality to allow cheaper goods into the American market place. What these agreements don't do is dissolve the same product requirements for American made products, so the cost of American made products are far higher than is possible for competition with foreign made products. These lanterns are perfect examples. They are junk. They will work for as long as they will work and then they are put in the trash and not recycled because there is no indication on them as to the type of plastic they are. They will go into a land fill with plastics that last forever along with electrical components.

This is my government at work? Heck, no. This is Wall Street CEOs finding cheap foreign labor at immorally run factories that practice human rights abuses. That is exactly what this is. 

I want quality like I am used to to the standards in USA LAW. I want all the items coming into the USA to meet the EXACT same environmental standards of USA products. I want a level playing field for USA products that provide for FAIR market value and good wages. By the way the 'good wages' part can be enforced by the Chinese government through union organizing, too.

There is to be NO child labor with any product I purchase in Americans stores or through delivery of USPS or FedEx or UPS. 

The contracts are to be EQUITABLE. They are to be based in introducing American products in competition with foreign products in THEIR markets, too. The contracts are not to ever provide such market pressures in the USA that forces the American Middle Class into poverty. NEVER.

The USA is fully capable of producing any product a consumer needs or wants. It has that capacity. Or should I say, it did have that capacity. But, if the USA closed it's borders today, there would be factories to reopen or rebuild and refurbish to produce every item an American would need or want and people 'learned enough' to work in those plants and receive a good wage. People that receive good wages can afford items that are safe, certified and meet regulations for consumer confidence.

Trade agreements between countries, be they Trans Pacific or Trans Atlantic or South America or otherwise; are suppose to ENHANCE the market place not destroy it. These partnerships and free trade agreements are promises to Wall Street they can make higher profits regardless of whether or not it puts human beings anywhere in the world, including the USA, into poverty and poor working conditions. 

When the USA opens it's doors to foreign products it is a wealth for that country's markets. Why? Because there are over 300 million Americans to purchase those products, that's why. The other country can provide the same dynamic to the USA if it has a Middle Class and not simply the wealthy and the poor as their population.

But, trade agreements can also levy tariffs to make imported products EQUITABLE to those in the American market place. Never should a substandard product make the American market place as these lanterns have. 

The FAST TRACK is out of the question. Trade agreements need to meet the standards set in law in the USA and are REQUIRED to elevate the standard of living of the people in the partnered country to MEET MIDDLE CLASS populous requirements. They need to meet environmental, child labor law and working condition requirements OTHERWISE they don't trade with the USA.

Having Wall Street in one's back pocket for elections is not the reason a free trade agreement or partnership should be written. THAT is a form of treason to the sovereignty of the USA when it's people are forced into substandard quality of life.

24 June 2014

A free trade agreement (click here) between all 12 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries is still possible despite problems that have come up during negotiations, Prime Minister John Key says.

Mr Key discussed the TPP with US President Barack Obama in Washington at the weekend, and says he's "pretty confident" outstanding issues will be resolved.

"Every country in there has some sensitivity, New Zealand's is agriculture, America's is intellectual property, everyone is a bit different," he said.

"There's always an arm wrestle, there's always give and take... but in the end, the preference is that the 12 can find a way through."...

Let the "give and take" begin with a USA in a strong position to leverage the best outcomes for both countries. Bring them up to standard, don't bring the USA down!

Everyone knows the name Rebekah Brooks, but, Andy who?

24 June 2014

..."I am extremely sorry I employed him. (click here) It was the wrong decision," he said.

He spoke after the ex-News of the World editor was found guilty at the Old Bailey of conspiring to hack phones between 2000 and 2006.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "This isn't just a serious error of judgement, it taints David Cameron's government."

Mr Cameron appointed Coulson as his media chief in July 2007 - six months after he had quit as NoW editor on the day the paper's former royal editor was jailed for four months for phone hacking....

It is always the way, find the nearest woman and blame her.

...In a statement to the media after Tuesday's verdicts, Mr Cameron said he took "full responsibility for employing Andy Coulson"....

What would Romney do?

It must be nice to have so much attention paid to any wealth gap the Clintons experience. Could it be the Clintons need to release their past two income tax returns to settle this speculation about Rich or Poor? 

By Catalina Camina
...Bill Clinton (click here) says his wife, Hillary, is “not out of touch” despite her recent comments that drew negative attention to their personal wealth....

Could it be we have the first woman President that sincerely understands income inequality? She needs to write another book about how money changed my life.

That's better. The Kurds. They know the deal.

And one of the reasons Mosul fell was because any and all actions had to come from Baghdad. The other reason is the Iraqi military had no clue what they were doing. "Here is my gun and I pull the trigger." Not exactly.

A central government will not work for Iraq. The government has to be decentralized. The Kurds know what they are doing and leave them alone. The Shia know what they are doing and leave them alone. Now it has to be determined if Saudi Arabia is actively interested in the insurgents in al Anbar and what is going to be done to stop any killing, if anything. If there is nothing Saudi Arabia can do to influence the vicious killings then decisions lie ahead about bombing, where and how.

June 24, 2014
VOA News

...In Kurdistan, (click here) Kerry thanked the Kurdish leader for helping battle the militants during their meeting. He went on to stress that resolving the current conflict revolves around forming an inclusive new government in Baghdad.

“As everybody knows, this is a very critical time for Iraq as a whole and the government formation challenge is the central challenge that we face," Kerry said. "In recent days the security cooperation between the forces here in the Kurdish area has been really critical in helping to draw a line with respect to ISIL and also to provide some support to the Iraqi security forces.”

But Barzani was cautious about cooperating with the Baghdad forces, saying it was impossible to fight the militants, "without a clear future, a complete agreement and a complete political solution."

Kerry told U.S. broadcaster CBS that President Barack Obama is not planning to help the government of Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki with air support, due to the lack of political consensus among Iraqi leaders.  He said it would be a "total act of irresponsibility" for the president to order air strikes when the current Iraqi government is not unified.

Fly by wire. No different than depending on driverless cars and trucks. It will be a nightmare.

I told you so. I told you so. I told you so.

June 24, 2014
Bart Jansen
...Contributing factors (click here) included the complexities of the Boeing 777's autothrottle, which were inadequately described in the manufacturer's documents, along with inadequate pilot training and monitoring, the board said.

The board agreed to the cause and contributing factors by a series of 4-0 votes. To avoid future crashes. the board agreed to recommendations including enhancing training for the autothrottle and requiring pilots to land flights manually more often to remain familiar with it....

I am grateful for the endorsement by business regarding scientific findings. But, I may or may not have new insight regarding compliance.

By Meagan Clark - Global warming (click here) if unchecked could ruin businesses from tourism to construction, according to a report, Risky Business, released Tuesday by slew of politicians and economic figures from left, right and center political leanings, including former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hedge-fund billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer and former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson....

Compliance to the EPA regulations regarding greenhouse gases is needed to achieve relief and reversal of this deadly warming trend on Earth. I am sure everyone would agree.

I have a source within the petroleum industry and this is the 'entire' of the petroleum industry which states the regulations are made mute by those within the industry scouring them for loopholes.

Here is just one. The petroleum industry uses a lot of ancillary equipment such as huge compressors to force air into drill sites to push all the oil out of any crack and crevasse and to push fracking materials into the deep recesses of Earth's crust to extract whatever they choose.

Perhaps, one might recall Catepillar shut down it's production of some of their engines. Well, it goes like this. The industry does not want to hire technicians to make field visits to monitor or maintain any of their equipment. See, to modify the ancillary equipment used in the oil and gas field it requires technological changes. Changes that would probably increase the USA work force. But, the industry doesn't want to hire anymore personnel they want to simply set up the equipment, drill the hole and let it run all by itself. No human beings needed.

So, let's just say the oil fields need an air compressor (value about a quarter million) with about 600 horsepower. The industry is making the decision to abandon the 600 horsepower engines and circumvent the regulations to use a 720 horsepower engine. The 720 isn't impacted by required technology. 

So, the petroleum industry is not only circumventing any regulations of greenhouse gases, they are producing more than it did before. I suggest those with a conscience divest of the petroleum stocks and instead invest those monies into...let's say..."Tesla" who is sharing their technology with other auto producers to increase the number of electric cars in use. Tesla absolutely has proven itself to be a 'high moral' content partner to defeat global warming. I can't thank them enough. To me it was enough they found the technology and never gave up on producing cars, but, to share the technology they developed is a commit to 'moral concept cars' I can not repay.

It is amazing the willingness the Western Media will go to propagate war.

by Taylor Luck and Omar Obeidat and Khetam Malkawi

Jun 23, 2014 | 23:22 

Extremist group ‘does not control Iraq border post’ sources (click here)

AMMAN — The Kingdom on Monday continued sending military reinforcements to the country’s border with Iraq, where business was as usual regarding the flow of passengers and goods, sources said.

Meanwhile, Iraqi tribal leaders based in Jordan confirmed reports that the western Iraq towns adjacent to the border with Jordan are controlled by fighters from Sunni tribes that are “on good terms with Jordan”, contradicting reports that the radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took over the border zone.

Officials said that despite the military build-up on the border, no threatening development has been reported up to Monday afternoon.

An informed source told The Jordan Times there had been no infiltration attempts recorded so far.

“However, we beefed up border defences to be prepared to deal with any emergency or any attempt to penetrate the borderline,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani, who is also government spokesperson, told The Jordan Times that “there is no decision to close the border yet, but traffic is limited”.

The Agriculture Ministry reported on Monday that Iraq reopened its market to Jordan’s vegetable and fruit produce, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

Even on the Iraqi side, the situation is normal, according to an Iraqi driver who arrived in Amman from Iraq earlier Monday (see separate story)....

On the lighter side The Jordan Times is reporting:

AMMAN — HRH Princess Sumaya on Monday (click here) called for creating a strict system to monitor the production and transboundary transport of hazardous waste in the Kingdom to protect public health and the environment.

The princess, president of the Royal Scientific Society, highlighted the growing global concern over the need for strict control of the movement of hazardous waste and goods, as well as for building the capacity of developing countries in the management of this type of waste.

Princess Sumaya made the remarks at a scientific day organised by the Jordanian Engineers Association (JEA) to discuss the impact of hazardous waste on the country’s environment...

Students with their principal at School 3 in the Zaatari Refugee Camp (Photo courtesy of UNICEF)

AMMAN — The end of the school term (click here) brought smiles to more than 10,000 Syrian children at the Zaatari Refugee Camp as they were awarded certificates on Monday for successfully completing the scholastic year, according to a UNICEF statement.

At a graduation ceremony in School 3, certificates were handed out by Northwest Badia Education Director Sayel Khreisheh, First Counsellor of the European Union Delegation to Jordan Ibrahim Laafia and UNICEF Deputy Representative Michele Servadei.  Sixty of the most distinguished students, aged six to 16, were recognised for their performance during the school year, the statement said.

At the event, Khreisheh noted that Jordan has opened its doors to Syrian children to ensure their future.

“In Zaatari, as well as at schools in Mafraq and across the country, we are committed to welcoming Syrian children and providing the best quality education possible.”...