tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35774231206466569362024-03-13T18:37:33.349-10:00The White OwlThe White OwlGary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.comBlogger457125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-7479080350683107432011-10-26T14:59:00.000-10:002011-10-26T14:59:14.639-10:00Obama and Gaddafi: Old Pals I would hate to be his Good friend!!<h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 22px;">Obama and Gaddafi: </span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><img alt="obama-gaddafi.jpg" src="http://www.moonbattery.com/obama-gaddafi.jpg" /></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Some have expressed amazement at how much quicker Obama was to condemn America's unsavory ally Hosni Mubarak than the far more unsavory enemy Muammar Gaddafi, who has killed Americans in terror attacks. After all, Gaddafi has used the military to suppress resistance far more brutally than Mubarak, who even in extremis only resorted to rough-em-up tactics comparable to those employed by the SEIU. But others are aware than Qaddafi and Obama are old friends. In September 2009, WaPo reported on a Gaddafi speech at the United Nations:</span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><img src="http://sheikyermami.com/wp-content/uploads/Obummel-in-Afrika_small-11.jpg" /></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">[W]hen it came to America's 44th president, Gaddafi offered only warm words, calling him "our son" and "our Obama," and saying, "The election of Obama is the beginning of change."</span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">"We are content and happy if Obama can stay forever as the president," Gaddafi said during a rambling, 95-minute speech during which he read from notes, exhausted at least one of his interpreters, threw the U.N. schedule into disarray, and put much of his audience to sleep.</span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Replace the notes with a teleprompter and you can see why they hit it off.</span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Another reason is that they have close friends in common. In 1984 Jeremiah Wright — Obama's spiritual mentor for over 20 years — traveled to Libya to kiss Gaddafi's ring as part of an anti-American propaganda junket that also included radical pal Louis Farrakhan.</span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">If America's foreign policy appears to make no sense whatsoever, just keep in mind that people like this are running the country now.</span></span></h3><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="article-2051361-0E75D1A400000578-315_306x423.jpg" src="http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/uploadedimages/1/3/0/9/2/5/311586.thumb?d=1319209271" /><img alt="article-2051361-0E75D33900000578-484_634x457.jpg" src="http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/uploadedimages/1/3/0/9/2/5/311592.thumb?d=1319209294" /><img alt="article-2051361-0E75D43100000578-327_634x447.jpg" src="http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/uploadedimages/1/3/0/9/2/5/311594.thumb?d=1319209305" /><img alt="article-2051361-0E785C0200000578-270_634x464.jpg" src="http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/uploadedimages/1/3/0/9/2/5/311598.thumb?d=1319209346" /><img alt="article-2051361-0E7592D800000578-446_306x423.jpg" src="http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/uploadedimages/1/3/0/9/2/5/311599.thumb?d=1319209350" /><img alt="article-2051361-0E78C06000000578-678_634x495.jpg" src="http://www.documentingreality.com/forum/uploadedimages/1/3/0/9/2/5/311597.thumb?d=1319209339" /></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-60133066001127570742011-10-26T14:29:00.000-10:002011-10-26T14:29:49.151-10:00Libya truly is a foreign policy disaster<span class="pub_date" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; display: block; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">October 26, 2011</span></span><span class="pub_date" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; display: block; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
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<h3 style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; line-height: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="url entry-title" href="http://times-news.com/opinion/x783643444/Libya-truly-is-a-foreign-policy-disaster" rel="bookmark" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #343f4f; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Libya truly is a foreign policy disaster</span></a></h3><div class="story_meta" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="author vcard" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="story_credit fn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dr. Judith Weller</span></span><span class="source-org vcard story_source" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://times-news.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cumberland Times-News</a></span></span></div><div class="entry-content" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Out of Moammar’s tyrannical frying pan and soon into Muhammed’s totalitarian Islamic fire.</i></b></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 1.5em; 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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVqxiibqMA5ybN0k5DD52sR8jwYBfOcs4fA_7hWtqbv1bmkiYqcFPChkoB88NPgVqnPUoKJsNEie83JM3r6HWUgB-_g7mDTi-1ShmaTxUwF_cw6KrrneEEz5USk1QCIYTfSumAVPj-IQ/s1600/g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVqxiibqMA5ybN0k5DD52sR8jwYBfOcs4fA_7hWtqbv1bmkiYqcFPChkoB88NPgVqnPUoKJsNEie83JM3r6HWUgB-_g7mDTi-1ShmaTxUwF_cw6KrrneEEz5USk1QCIYTfSumAVPj-IQ/s1600/g.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3iaULmF0-STLqMhxtKsKPaHuKyUq7rJbO2byNi1y7gnkyDQpDu8VDhcKE4WCnT1Zb09RM9uzmh6Bo6gM7P08lrTLUJYeYiJS9R0QBQFO0_5qj-vEBnAzKSjn3bd7wC_X6uzu7UAyjBA/s1600/peace-prize-prez-strikes-again-drudge-oct-20-2011-gaddafi-dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3iaULmF0-STLqMhxtKsKPaHuKyUq7rJbO2byNi1y7gnkyDQpDu8VDhcKE4WCnT1Zb09RM9uzmh6Bo6gM7P08lrTLUJYeYiJS9R0QBQFO0_5qj-vEBnAzKSjn3bd7wC_X6uzu7UAyjBA/s400/peace-prize-prez-strikes-again-drudge-oct-20-2011-gaddafi-dead.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #111111; font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our adventures in Libya are another foreign policy disaster for Obama. Many are cheering the death of Gadhafi and hailing his death as a foreign policy success. But if you dig deeper and look at the Middle East as a whole, anyone can see that it is in reality a disaster of great magnitude.<br />
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Our adventures in Libya cost the taxpayer $1.1 billion. We ended up having to do most of the intelligence gathering missions as our NATO allies lack the technical expertise for modern warfare. We have the drones, the GPS packages for smart bombs and the mid-air refueling capacity. The U.S. supplied all that! No NATO campaign is possible without the U.S. And in the end Libya required “boots on the ground” to win — granted those were Libyan boots but they would still be sitting in Benghazi without lots of foreign assistance, supplies, money and training. The Libyan military was hardly up to the standards of Quds Force or Syria’s elite army.<br />
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In the end Gadhafi’s death will hurt our foreign policy — something Obama and Clinton do not understand. In 2006 after the capture of Saddam Hussein, Gadhafi an-nounced that Libya would surrender its weapons of mass destruction and submit to international inspections. He was hailed and welcomed back to the community of nations. He was received in Britain by Tony Blair and in the U.S. by Obama.<br />
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Since February, a series of uprising known as the Arab Spring broke out in the Middle East. Gadhafi moves to crush a handful of Islamist rebels in Benghazi. France and Britain, who buy oil from Libya, rushed to call for Intervention under a fig leaf supplied by the U.N. It was not in our national security interest but Obama let the U.S. get sucked into a war which he said on March 18 would last “days not weeks.” It lasted eight months and it turned out to be a lot harder than anyone thought.<br />
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But the real importance is the lessons other leaders have learned from U.S. Libyan War. The main lesson is: Never give up your WMD or the U.S. will bomb you and kill you. So anyone who thinks that Iran or North Korea will give up WMD is truly naïve. Those countries saw what happened when one leader gave up his WMD and they will not let it happen to them. Our negotiations over WMD with Iran and North Korea or Pakistan are DOA — dead on arrival.<br />
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Also, since NATO exceeded the terms of the U.N. mandate, Russia and China will be exercising their veto in the Security Council to ensure NATO never against gets U.N. authority to carry out regime change under the fig leaf of “responsibility to protect.”<br />
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Our Arab allies watched us throw our ally of 35 years, Hosni Mubarak, “under the bus.” What did we get for not supporting Mubarak or at least granting him asylum in the U.S.? We got Iranian warships sailing through Suez and into the Mediterranean — something never allowed by Mubarak. The barrier on Gaza was ripped down in support of Hamas. It is looking more and more as if we will either get a military dictatorship or an Islamist government in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group, looks set to gain power in those countries where our allies have been booted out.<br />
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They will not be friendly to the U.S.<br />
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What is happening is an unparalleled set of diplomatic failures in the Middle East under Obama which will hurt this country for decades to come.<br />
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Dr. Judith Weller</span></div></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-76313189897859117292011-10-26T12:43:00.000-10:002011-10-26T12:43:25.349-10:00Bo, the Portuguese water dog for President<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSJ2Gje_6djciuG-8jvdHSgPA0IyUXiR0J-Kfo34K-RqY9xz1xHcMqNVpNYzpr94ZBdTlmbeTWgWZOUQGO18KJxIAsaVQX_TtSGKkQI918Mv8wgDbLFB3Wf9be-8dE6__weYv0e0U7W8/s1600/101903270_10_374984s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSJ2Gje_6djciuG-8jvdHSgPA0IyUXiR0J-Kfo34K-RqY9xz1xHcMqNVpNYzpr94ZBdTlmbeTWgWZOUQGO18KJxIAsaVQX_TtSGKkQI918Mv8wgDbLFB3Wf9be-8dE6__weYv0e0U7W8/s400/101903270_10_374984s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d453d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d453d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Leaders of men he may be but when it comes to inspiring the loyalty of their canine constituents, the president often fall short.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d453d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Mr Millan, who has built a strong following for his television series on taming even the fiercest of Fidos, has offered his own approval rating for President Obama and it is not impressive. When it comes to the relationship between the Prez and his dog, Bo, the title of Commander-in-Chief should be conferred upon the one with four legs not two.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d453d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">This, apparently, is all to do with Mr Millan’s belief that dogs should always follow their owners when they are on the lead and not the other way around. Bo, a Portuguese water dog, seemingly sees things differently. He is a puller.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d453d; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">“I’ve seen them day one, and definitely day one was not a good scene,” Mr Millan, who is doing the rounds to sell a book, told an interviewer on CBS TV. “The dog, Bo, was in front of the President of the United States.</span>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-49675678166841314942011-08-24T22:41:00.000-10:002011-08-24T22:41:06.456-10:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2z2RiaKrVKWMqS6R1PYxNpAsexCbcuaCUYNC0P5YJNHLexfLcFtrVtNCWqqeNedBhyphenhyphenlLKGeT-ovLqOYTO-Rd_6R_9wVmcntxRzH5CKvbd5bvHFbCWY1V5lHgPXiDjR9GKOvI938a7EA/s1600/obama_money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Obama taxpayer funded battleground state listening tour/campaign bus tour –FAIL.</span><br />
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<blockquote style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2011/08/23/obama-new-low-of-38-presidential-approval-index-rating-at-26/" target="_blank">Obama has lost 14 percentage points in the Gallup poll in the last three months</a>. With the economy continuing to list and unemployment hovering around 9%, it is not difficult to imagine the slide continuing.</span></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31635" height="309" src="http://ironicsurrealism.com/files/2011/08/gallup-lowest-ever-august-2011.jpg" width="501" /></a></div><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll" target="_blank">The Rasmussen Reports</a> daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that <i>[only --Ed.]</i> <b>19% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve</b> of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-five percent (45%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of <b>-26</b> (<a href="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history" target="_blank" title="http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_cont">see trends</a>).</span></blockquote><blockquote><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31634" height="286" src="http://ironicsurrealism.com/files/2011/08/obama-rasmussen-aug-23-2011-ALLTIME-LOW.jpg" width="401" /></blockquote><br />
<blockquote style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is the <b>lowest Approval Index rating yet</b> measured for President Obama. The<b> previous low was -24 reached yesterday and also in September 2010</b>. <b>Additionally, the level of Strong Approval matches the lowest yet recorded</b>. By way of comparison, President Bush had ratings near the end of his second term in the minus 30s.</span></b></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2z2RiaKrVKWMqS6R1PYxNpAsexCbcuaCUYNC0P5YJNHLexfLcFtrVtNCWqqeNedBhyphenhyphenlLKGeT-ovLqOYTO-Rd_6R_9wVmcntxRzH5CKvbd5bvHFbCWY1V5lHgPXiDjR9GKOvI938a7EA/s1600/obama_money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2z2RiaKrVKWMqS6R1PYxNpAsexCbcuaCUYNC0P5YJNHLexfLcFtrVtNCWqqeNedBhyphenhyphenlLKGeT-ovLqOYTO-Rd_6R_9wVmcntxRzH5CKvbd5bvHFbCWY1V5lHgPXiDjR9GKOvI938a7EA/s400/obama_money.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">In 31 months of Barack Obama’s presidency, according to the Treasury and CBS News, the US has added $4 trillion to its national debt. That approaches the presidential record set by George W. Bush of $4.9 trillion, but there’s a catch to that. Bush set that record in two terms — in 96 months:</span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">The latest posting by the Treasury Department shows the national debt has now increased $4 trillion on President Obama’s watch.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">The debt was $10.626 trillion on the day Mr. Obama took office. The latest calculation from Treasury shows the debt has now hit $14.639 trillion.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s the most rapid increase in the debt under any U.S. president.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">The national debt increased $4.9 trillion during the eight-year presidency of George W. Bush. The debt now is rising at a pace to surpass that amount during Mr. Obama’s four-year term.</span></blockquote><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Let’s cast this by month rather than by year. Bush added an average of $51 billion a month to the national debt. In his 31 months in office, Obama has added to the national debt at an average monthly rate of $129 billion. That is 152% more per month than Obama’s predecessor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Mark Knoller lists Obama’s excuses for the debt buildup on his watch, which not surprisingly all get blamed on Bush:</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;">“Two wars we didn’t pay for”</span></li>
</ul><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;">“A prescription drug program for seniors…we didn’t pay for.”</span></li>
</ul><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;">“Tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 that were not paid for.”</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-size: large;">Well, there are big problems with these excuses, chief among them that none of this explains the sharp difference between the rate of debt under Bush and under Obama. After all, the wars all started early in Bush’s tenure. So too did the tax cuts and the Medicare Part D program. Yet not only did deficit spending remain under control throughout almost all of the Bush years, deficit spending actually <i>declined</i> in Bush’s second term until the economic collapse occurred.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So what changed? We’re spending more on entitlements, for one thing, but not <i>that</i> much more. Byron York argues that while conservatives are rightly focused on entitlements to solve the long-term structural deficit, the rapid short-term increase in deficit spending is the result of a Democratic spending spree:</span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">There’s no doubt federal spending has exploded in recent years. In fiscal 2007, the last year before things went haywire, the government took in $2.568 trillion in revenues and spent $2.728 trillion, for a deficit of $160 billion.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"> In 2011, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates, the government will take in $2.230 trillion and spend $3.629 trillion, for a deficit of $1.399 trillion.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">That’s an increase of $901 billion in spending and a decrease of $338 billion in revenue in a very short time. Put them together, and that’s how you go from a $160 billion deficit to a $1.399 trillion deficit.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">But how, precisely, did that happen? Was there a steep rise in entitlement spending? Did everyone suddenly turn 65 and begin collecting Social Security and using Medicare? No: The deficits are largely the result not of entitlements but of an explosion in spending related to the economic downturn and the rise of Democrats to power in Washington. While entitlements must be controlled in the long run, Washington’s current spending problem lies elsewhere. …</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">Spending for Social Security and Medicare did go up in this period — $162 billion and $119 billion, respectively — but by incremental and predictable amounts that weren’t big problems in previous years. “We’re getting older one year at a time, and health care costs grow at 7 or 8 percent a year,” says Holtz-Eakin. If Social Security and Medicare were the sole source of the current deficit, it would be a lot smaller than it is.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">The bottom line is that with baby boomers aging, entitlements will one day be a major budget problem. But today’s deficit crisis is not one of entitlements. It was created by out-of-control spending on everything other than entitlements. The recent debt-ceiling agreement is supposed to put the brakes on that kind of spending, but leaders have so far been maddeningly vague on how they’ll do it.</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">Finally, let’s recall that Congress passes budgets, not the President. The proper measure of deficits and debt should be allocated on the basis of Congressional control as well as control of the White House.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2010/10/19/obama-adds-3-trillion-to-national-debt-in-less-than-2-years/" target="_blank">Ten months ago</a>, when Obama blasted through the $3 trillion debt mark, I calculated the true allocation of debt along those lines:</span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">First, let’s break down the last 10 years of the Bush/Obama era by control of Congress, starting on January 1, 2001. The starting point for the national debt was $5.662 trillion. On January 6, 2007, when Democrats took over, Republicans in total control had added <b>$3.011 trillion</b> in debt in six years, just slightly less than Obama has added since taking office less than two years ago. Since taking control of Congress less than four years ago, Democrats have added <b>$4.992 trillion</b>to the national debt.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps it would be more fair to look at the entirety of Republican control of the House, which lasted 12 years and bridged the Clinton and Bush administrations. In that entire span, Republican budgets added <b>$3.873 trillion</b> to the national debt. That is not only far below what Democrats have added in just one-third of the time, it’s also far below the Obama administration’s own projections of how much they will add to the national debt in just one term.</span></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">We can also do the same calculations by fiscal year, from October 1 to September 30 each year, matching the budgets. Using that guide, we find the following scenarios:</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: large;">Republicans in control for 12 years: Added $4.034 trillion (avg $336.17 billion per year)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Republicans in control during Bush era: Added $3.201 trillion (avg $533.5 billion per year)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Democrats in control of Congress during Bush/Obama era: Added $4.603 trillion (avg 1.48 trillion per year)</span></li>
</ul></blockquote><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now, with an extra $1 trillion in ten months, we can change that last line to $5.6 trillion for Democrats in less than 4 years. It’s an <b style="background-color: red; color: yellow;"> astonishing explosion of federal spending</b>, much of it in the increased regulation that’s strangling job growth. It’s no coincidence, after all, that this massive expansion in federal size and power accompanies an extended economic slump and a refusal of investors to put their capital to work.</span></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-62829653611359579492011-07-17T13:11:00.001-10:002011-08-24T22:39:56.429-10:00The Pigfords, Farmers, and waste, fraud, and abuse<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 18pt;">REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4R-8spPDaTZi8vKwCcpESRWlw7BVWxofZfaHroUkQ5o5kWsOfExs6MmxPmQBEHbk_fd9h8Qv9HbqtCdc0X4lE9UsB1bsbmsqVzq2gh-k8dvFQH2v5vrTGZoy4UrEqHnxWv4GmfNJDy0/s1600/ss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4R-8spPDaTZi8vKwCcpESRWlw7BVWxofZfaHroUkQ5o5kWsOfExs6MmxPmQBEHbk_fd9h8Qv9HbqtCdc0X4lE9UsB1bsbmsqVzq2gh-k8dvFQH2v5vrTGZoy4UrEqHnxWv4GmfNJDy0/s400/ss.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2a4dQq5pgKXsGNVIvCtF4JNOg1hAjleeWevgAvT3V-NvAnqyu1z2Ng08IhSMpJsKGSuNufzmTSBAZWSHHznPKZz84-epvpSmt1fzy8di_EpbMlhAYEHCFow3jKRYErwWTZjaBDrIPQs/s1600/black-farmers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2a4dQq5pgKXsGNVIvCtF4JNOg1hAjleeWevgAvT3V-NvAnqyu1z2Ng08IhSMpJsKGSuNufzmTSBAZWSHHznPKZz84-epvpSmt1fzy8di_EpbMlhAYEHCFow3jKRYErwWTZjaBDrIPQs/s400/black-farmers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 27pt;">Pigford vs. Glickman</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">"In 1997, 400 African-American farmers sued the United States Department of Agriculture, alleging that they had been unfairly denied USDA loans due to racial discrimination during the period 1983 to 1997."<br />
<br />
The case was entitled "Pigford vs. Glickman" and in 1999, the black farmers won their case.<br />
<br />
The government agreed to pay each of them as much as $50,000 to settle their claims.<br />
<br />
But then on February 23, 2010, something shocking happened in relation to that original judgment: In total silence, the USDA agreed to release more funds to "Pigford ".<br />
<br />
The amount was a staggering...... $1.25 billion. This was because the original number of plaintiffs - 400 black farmers had now swollen, in a class action suit, to include a total of <u>86,000</u> black farmers throughout America ..<br />
<br />
There was only one teensy problem:<br />
<br />
The United States of America doesn't have 86,000 black farmers!!!!<br />
<br />
According to accurate and totally verifiable Official USDA 2007 Census census data, the total number of black farmers throughout America is only 39,697.<br />
<br />
Hmmm... by the Official USDA 1992 Census data the US had only 18,816 black farmers!!<br />
Oops!!<br />
<br />
Well, gosh - how on earth did 39,697 explode into the fraudulent 86,000 claims??<br />
<br />
And how did $50,000 explode into $1.25 billion??<br />
<br />
Well, folks, you'll just have to ask the woman who not only spearheaded this case because of her position in 1997 at the "Rural Development Leadership Network", but whose family recei ved the highest single payout (approximately $13 million) from that action - <b>Shirley Sherrod.</b><br />
Oops again!!<br />
<br />
Yes, folks it appears that Ms. Sherrod had just unwittingly exposed herself as the perpetrator of one of the biggest fraud claims in the history of the United States - - a fraud enabled solely because she screamed racism at the government and cowed them into submission.<br />
<br />
And it gets even more interesting...<br />
Ms. Sherrod has also exposed the person who aided and abetted her in this race fraud.<br />
<br />
As it turns out, the original judgment of "Pigford vs. Glickman" in 1999 only applied to a total of about 16,000 black farmers.<br />
But....in 2008, a junior US Senator got a law passed to reopen the case and allow more black farmers to sue for funds.<br />
<br />
The Senator was Barack Hussein Obama..<br />
<br />
Because this law was passed in dead silence, and because the woman responsible fo r spearheading it was an obscure USDA official, American taxpayers did not realize that they had just been forced in the midst of a worldwide recession to pay out more than $1.25 billion to settle a race claim.<br />
<br />
But Andy Breitbart knew. And on Monday, July 22, 2010, he cleverly laid a trap which Sherrod - - and Obama + his cronies - - stumbled headfirst into which has now resulted in the entire world discovering the existence of this corrupt financial judgment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">As for Ms. Sherrod?? Well, she's discovering too late that her cry of 'racism' to the media which was intended to throw the spotlight on Breitbart has instead thrown that spotlight on herself and the huge corruption.<br />
Sherrod has vanished from public view.<br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8TESstyPGqaN9Rh2onZnaqpcme1pSTsIKLrYdj_Q2tqUDqUXwX3bPurcuRHelXTelZ7lRhZ2R1jEW_5Rt4dMpFHLMV9hOu9IH-bJY1DhNu2toXHUCi9YRm2ZsfPRBh1qp3Q2aZgVmkc/s1600/Obama_Pigford_120910-thumb-640xauto-1752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8TESstyPGqaN9Rh2onZnaqpcme1pSTsIKLrYdj_Q2tqUDqUXwX3bPurcuRHelXTelZ7lRhZ2R1jEW_5Rt4dMpFHLMV9hOu9IH-bJY1DhNu2toXHUCi9YRm2ZsfPRBh1qp3Q2aZgVmkc/s400/Obama_Pigford_120910-thumb-640xauto-1752.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><h1>Obama Signs Bill To Pay Black and Native Farmers</h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">But the perpetrator of that law passed in dead silence leading to unlawful claims & corruption..... is still trying to fool all of US.<br />
<br />
Go to Google and read for yourself "Pigford vs. Glickman", or "Pigford Obama".<br />
<br />
As some have said, "The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their President."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://mydd.com/users/nancy-scola/posts/pigford-black-farmers-and-obama" target="_blank" title="http://mydd.com/users/nancy-scola/posts/pigford-black-farmers-and-obama"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 18pt;">http://mydd.com/users/nancy-<wbr></wbr>scola/posts/pigford-black-<wbr></wbr>farmers-and-obama</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://frontpagemag.com/2011/01/10/obama-carries-on-the-pigford-fraud/" target="_blank" title="http://frontpagemag.com/2011/01/10/obama-carrie
s-on-the-pigford-fraud/"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 18pt;">http://frontpagemag.com/2011/<wbr></wbr>01/10/obama-carries-on-the-<wbr></wbr>pigford-fraud/</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt;">..... there are many more ....</span></div><h1>Shirley Sherrod, Said ex-USDA worker: "White House forced me to resign over fabricated racial controversy"</h1><div id="mod-article-image-box" style="height: 200px; width: 138px;"><ul class="main-image"><li><a class="thickbox" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/img/2010/07/21/amd_sherrod.jpg" id="mod-article-image-link" target="_blank" title="Shirley Sherrod, the former Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the USDA, resigned on Monday after making racial remarks. > (USDA)"><img alt="Shirley Sherrod, the former Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the USDA, resigned on Monday after making racial remarks. >" src="http://www.nydailynews.com/img/2010/07/21/amd_sherrod.jpg" style="height: 200px; width: 138px;" title="Shirley Sherrod, the former Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the USDA, resigned on Monday after making racial remarks. >" /></a></li>
</ul></div><div class="mod-nydailynewsarticlebyline mod-articlebyline" id="mod-article-byline" style="margin-right: 138px;"><div class="byline-author">BY ALIYAH SHAHID</div><div class="byline-byline">DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER</div><div class="byline-publication-date"><br />
</div></div>One strike and she was out.<br />
A black employee who resigned from the Agriculture Department on Monday said the White House forced her out after remarks that she says have sparked a fabricated racial controversy.<br />
Shirley Sherrod, the former Georgia director of Rural Development, said she received a phone call from the USDA's deputy undersecretary Cheryl Cook on Monday while she was in a car. Cook told her that the White House wanted her to call it quits.<br />
"They called me twice," Sherrod told the Associated Press. "The last time they asked me to pull over the side of the road and submit my resignation on my Blackberry and that's what I did."<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: black;">The Black (by the way why is negro used some times, African, </span></b><b>African-American</b></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: black;">some time, and Black now?) Farmers Side! Why haven't we heard more about this??</span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlXPquKqI8EewH4QcmE8qDTCatfwsTtU6yBZvBCcczxV-0fgu3dK3IH5RPoHvJYrGMmpi91E6bLwdf-knkc3iqzEDcKZzsoqu18vaP-6chzu4tMomnLmTmsXPWzvrs8DL-C5Ae_5JpKc/s1600/farmers_settle_120910.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlXPquKqI8EewH4QcmE8qDTCatfwsTtU6yBZvBCcczxV-0fgu3dK3IH5RPoHvJYrGMmpi91E6bLwdf-knkc3iqzEDcKZzsoqu18vaP-6chzu4tMomnLmTmsXPWzvrs8DL-C5Ae_5JpKc/s400/farmers_settle_120910.gif" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The U.S. Senate has been criticized for <a href="http://www.bvblackspin.com/2010/07/29/black-farmers-1-25-billion-discrimination-settlement-halted-by/" target="_blank">dragging its feet on compensation for black farmers</a> based on the famous Pigford discrimination case. The case was supposedly settled by an alliance between black farmers and Tom Vilsack, the secretary of agriculture. The Obama administration has promised an extra $1.25 billion to settle the claims of the lawsuit. <br />
<br />
Although a settlement had been reached, the Senate failed to move forward with the authorization to release the funds. That has led to a tremendous amount of frustration on the part of black farmers, who've been patiently waiting for the first black president and his colleagues to make amends for the discrimination they've suffered for decades.</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: large;">t’s about time. After <a href="http://colorlines.com/archives/2009/04/black_farmers_urge_obama_to_ke.html">decades of legal</a> wrangling and <a href="http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/09/the_latest_casualty_of_midterm_elections_black_farmers.html">several stalled attempts</a> in the Senate, a payout of $4.5 billion has been approved to settle longstanding claims of government discrimination against black and Native American farmers. </span> <br />
<span style="font-size: large;">On Friday, the Senate approved $1.5 billion to settle claims with black farmers in the Pigford II case. That decision was followed by the upper chamber approving a separate amount of $3.4 billion to settle with aggrieved Native American farmers who alleged that the Department of Interior had badly mismanaged money accounts.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Senator Harry Reid is already claiming this as one of his big lame duck victories.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">“Black farmer and Native American trust account holders had to wait a long time for justice, but now it will finally be served,” Reid said in a statement according to <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/130193-senate-approves-long-delayed-115-billion-settlement-for-black-farmers">The Hill</a>. “I am hearted that Democrats and Republicans were able to come together to deliver the settlement that these men and women deserve for the discrimination and mismanagement they faced in the past.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The payout has been a long time coming. Black farmers had accused the government in a lawsuit of favoring white farmers for loans. That case was settled way back in 1999, and the deal was, and remains, among the largest civil rights settlements in history. But it’s taken over a decade — and nine failed attempts before the Senate — for lawmakers to actually approve the funds and begin the long process of paying the debt.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The money was finally approved as part of an extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">In an interview on <a href="http://blogs.essence.com/obamawatch/2010/11/black-farmers-president-speaks-on-discrimination-payment.php#ixzz163ZBX99k">Essence.com</a>, Dr. John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association talked about how the Shirley Sherrod fiasco actually helped bring attention to the case. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">It gave validation to what we had been saying for years—how the USDA had mistreated Black farmers, and also Black employees. We still have an employee problem at USDA. She’s an example of that because we have nearly 80,000 Black farmers that said they were discriminated against, and no one’s been fired. Yet they fired this woman on the spot because they thought she’d mistreated a White farmer. I call that a triple standard. We have a long way to go with the Department of Agriculture. The fact is, there’s a terrible distrust between the Black farmers and the USDA—they treated us worse than the dirt on the ground—and that’s not going to go away tomorrow. But paying the farmers will certainly put us a step further in the healing process.</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians, spoke to <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131515164">NPR</a> on Monday about the ordeal.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">“It’s been such a long time coming and such a painful process,” Keel said on “Tell Me More.” “We’re just happy that we’re finally at a point where we can work with Congress and I’m happy to say that Congress has finally moved these things forward.”</span><br />
<div class="pane-node-title"><h1><span style="font-size: large;">Shirley Sherrod's Disappearing Act: Not So Fast</span></h1></div><div class="clearfix"><div class="byline"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="by">By:</span> <span class="author"><a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/people/tom-blumer">Tom Blumer</a></span> | <span class="date">07/20/10 3:00 AM</span></span> </div></div><div class="content field-field-body"><span style="font-size: large;">My oh my, that happened quickly. Perhaps too quickly.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Until yesterday, Shirley Sherrod was Georgia Director of Rural Development for the USDA. Earlier in the day <a href="http://biggovernment.com/abreitbart/2010/07/19/video-proof-the-naacp-awards-racism2010/">at Big Government</a>, Andrew Breitbart put up a video that exposed Ms. Sherrod as someone all too willing to discriminate based on race.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Within hours of the video's release, USDA Director Tom Vilsack <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/19/clip-shows-usda-official-admitting-withheld-help-white-farmer/">announced Sherrod's resignation</a>, and in the process issued an exceptionally strong condemnation ("We are appalled by her actions ... Her actions were shameful ... she gave no indication she had attempted to right the wrong she had done to this man").</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The NAACP, at whose Freedom Fund Banquet Sherrod spoke of her discriminatory posture, and at which the audience seemed to indicate approval of her outlook, <a href="http://biggovernment.com/publius/2010/07/20/naacp-statement-on-resignation-of-shirley-sherrod/">followed a short time later</a>, virtually echoing Vilsack.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So I guess we're supposed to forget about Shirley Sherrod from this point forward.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Not just yet. Luckily, she's not going away quietly, and is complaining about Fox News and the Tea Party <a href="http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/07/20/disgraced-usda-official-blames-fox-news-and-tea-party-her-dismissal">causing her dismissal</a>. Keep it up, ma’am, because you and the USDA both deserve further scrutiny.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ms. Sherrod's previous background, the circumstances surrounding her hiring, and the USDA's agenda may all play a part in explaining her sudden departure from the agency. These matters have not received much scrutiny to this point.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">An announcement of Ms. Sherrod's July 2009 appointment to her USDA position <a href="http://www.ruraldevelopment.org/shirleydirector.html">at ruraldevelopment.org</a> gives off quite a few clues:</span><br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">RDLN Graduate and Board Vice Chair Shirley Sherrod was appointed Georgia Director for Rural Development by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on July 25. Only days earlier, she learned that New Communities, a group she founded with her husband and other families (see below) has won a thirteen million dollar settlement in the minority farmers law suit Pigford vs Vilsack.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">What?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The news that follows at the link, which appears to pre-date the announcement of Ms. Sherrod's appointment, provides further details:</span><br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Minority Farm Settlement</b></span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Justice Achieved - Congratulations to Shirley and Charles Sherrod!</span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have wonderful news regarding the case of New Communities, Inc., the land trust that Shirley and Charles Sherrod established, with other black farm families in the 1960's. At the time, with holdings of almost 6,000 acres, this was the largest tract of black-owned land in the country.</span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">... Over the years, USDA refused to provide loans for farming or irrigation and would not allow New Communities to restructure its loans. <b>Gradually, the group had to fight just to hold on to the land and finally had to wind down operations.</b></span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">... The cash (settlement) award acknowledges racial discrimination on the part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the years 1981-85. ... <b>New Communities is due to receive approximately $13 million ($8,247,560 for loss of land and $4,241,602 for loss of income; plus $150,000 each to Shirley and Charles for pain and suffering). There may also be an unspecified amount in forgiveness of debt.</b> This is the largest award so far in the minority farmers law suit (<i>Pigford vs Vilsack</i>).</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">The Pigford matter goes back a long way, and to say the least has a checkered history, as <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vEvlGEqiwOYJ:www.agri-pulse.com/uploaded/20100527%20Pigford.pdf+pigford+suit+dismissed&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari">this May 27, 2010 item</a> at <i>Agri-Pulse</i> demonstrates (bolds are mine):</span><br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">As part of a April 14, 1999 class action case settlement, commonly known as the Pigford case, U.S. taxpayers have already provided over $1 billion in cash, non-credit awards and debt relief to almost 16,000 black farmers who claimed that they were discriminated against by USDA officials <b>as they “farmed or attempted to farm.”</b> In addition, USDA’s Farm Service Agency spent over $166 million on salaries and expenses on this case from 1999-2009, according to agency records.</span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Members of Congress may approve another $1.15 billion this week to settle cases from what some estimate may be an additional 80,000 African-Americans who have also claimed to have been discriminated against by USDA staff.</span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">... <b>Settling this case is clearly a priority for the White House and USDA.</b> Secretary Vilsack described the funding agreement reached between the Administration and advocates for black farmers early this year as “an important milestone in putting these discriminatory claims behind us for good and in achieving finality for this group of farmers with longstanding grievances."</span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, confronted with the skyrocketing federal deficit, more officials are taking a critical look at the billion dollars spent thus far and wondering when these discrimination cases will ever end. <b>Already, the number of people who have been paid and are still seeking payment will likely exceed the 26,785 black farmers who were considered to even be operating back in 1997, according to USDA.</b> That’s the year the case initially began as Pigford v. (then Agriculture Secretary) Glickman and sources predicted that, at most, 3,000 might qualify.</span></div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: large;">At least one source who is extremely familiar with the issue and who asked to remain anonymous because of potential retribution, says there are a number of legitimate cases who have long been denied their payments and will benefit from the additional funding. <b>But many more appear to have been solicited in an attempt to “game” the Pigford system.</b></span></div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here are just a few questions about Ms. Sherrod that deserve answers:</span></div><ul style="color: red;"><li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Was Ms. Sherrod's USDA appointment an unspoken condition of her organization's settlement?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">How much "debt forgiveness" is involved in USDA's settlement with New Communities?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why were the Sherrods so deserving of a combined $300,000 in "pain and suffering" payments -- amounts that far exceed the average payout thus far to everyone else? ($1.15 billion divided by 16,000 is about $72,000)?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Given that New Communities wound down its operations so long ago (it appears that this occurred sometime during the late 1980s), what is really being done with that $13 million in settlement money?</span></li>
</ul><div style="color: red;"><br />
</div><div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here are a few bigger-picture questions:</span></div><ul style="color: red;"><li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Did Shirley Sherrod resign so quickly because the circumstances of her hiring and the lawsuit settlement with her organization that preceded it might expose some unpleasant truths about her possible and possibly sanctioned conflicts of interest?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Is USDA worried about the exposure of possible waste, fraud, and abuse in its handling of Pigford?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-large;">Did USDA also dispatch Sherrod hastily because her continued presence, even for another day, might have gotten in the way of settling Pigford matters quickly?</span></li>
</ul><br />
The media and the blogosphere shouldn't be so quick to forget about Shirley Sherrod.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
Read more at the Washington Examiner: <a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/examiner-opinion-zone/shirley-sherrod039s-disappearing-act-not-so-fast#ixzz1SPHw5rqb" style="color: #003399;">http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/examiner-opinion-zone/shirley-sherrod039s-disappearing-act-not-so-fast#ixzz1SPHw5rqb</a></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-51472872757549937492011-07-17T12:00:00.000-10:002011-07-17T12:00:58.660-10:00Arizona did the right thing!! USA BANKRUPT<div> <b><span style="color: black; font-size: 24.0pt;">Bankruptcy 101...why Arizona did the right</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: black;">thing!!</span></span></b> </div><div><span style="color: #002dfd; font-size: 24.0pt;">It's easy to dismiss individual programs that</span><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: #002dfd;">benefit non-citizens until they're put together</span> <span style="color: #002dfd;">and this picture emerges.. Someone did a lot</span> <span style="color: #002dfd;">of research to put together all of this data.</span> <span style="color: #002dfd;">Often these programs are buried within other</span> <span style="color: #002dfd;">programs making them difficult to find.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #51602a; font-size: 36.0pt;">A Real Eye Opener</span></i></b><span style="color: #51602a; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">WHY is the USA BANKRUPT?</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #00167f; font-size: 36.0pt;">Informative,</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #00167f; font-size: 24.0pt;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #00167f; font-size: 36.0pt;">and mind</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #00167f; font-size: 24.0pt;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #00167f; font-size: 36.0pt;">boggling!</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">You think the war in Iraq</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">was costing us to much?</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">Read this</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">:</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">We have been hammered with the propaganda that it was the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us.</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">I now find that to be RIDICULOUS.</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">I hope the following </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">14</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> reasons are forwarded over and over again until they are read so many times that the reader gets sick of reading them. </span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">I also have included the URL's for verification</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: #837d0d;">of all the following facts...</span></span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">1.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: #837d0d;">to illegal aliens each year by state governments.</span></span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at</span><span style="color: #837d0d;">: </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8" target="_blank" title="http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8">http://www.fairus.org/site/<wbr></wbr>PageServer?pagename=iic_<wbr></wbr>immigrationissuecenters7fd8</a> </span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> <</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8" target="_blank" title="http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters7fd8">http://www.fairus.org/site/<wbr></wbr>PageServer?pagename=iic_<wbr></wbr>immigrationissuecenters7fd8</a></span><span style="color: black;">> </span></div><div> <b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">2.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> $22 Billion dollars a year is spent on food</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: #837d0d;">assistance programs such as food stamps,</span> <span style="color: #837d0d;">WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.</span></span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at: </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML">http://www.cis.org/articles/<wbr></wbr>2004/fiscalexec.HTML</a></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> <</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML">http://www.cis.org/articles/<wbr></wbr>2004/fiscalexec.HTML</a></span><span style="color: black;">> </span> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">3.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">$2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at</span><span style="color: #837d0d;">: </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML">http://www.cis.org/articles/<wbr></wbr>2004/fiscalexec.HTML</a></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><<a href="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.HTML">http://www.cis.org/articles/<wbr></wbr>2004/fiscalexec.HTML</a>></span><span style="color: black;"> </span> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">4.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> $12 Billion dollars a year is spent </span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">on primary</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English!</span></i></b></div><div> <b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at</span><span style="color: #837d0d;">: </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://transcrip/" target="_blank" title="http://transcrip/">http://transcrip</a> <a href="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt..0.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt..0.HTML">ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/<wbr></wbr>01/ldt..0.HTML</a></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> <</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://transcrip/" target="_blank" title="http://transcrip/">http://transcrip</a><a href="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt....0.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt....0.HTML">ts.cnn.com/<wbr></wbr>TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt....0.<wbr></wbr>HTML</a></span><span style="color: black;">> </span> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">5.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: #837d0d;">$17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.</span></span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://transcrip/" target="_blank" title="http://transcrip/">http://transcrip</a> <a href="http://ts..cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML">ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/<wbr></wbr>01/ldt.01.HTML</a></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> <</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://transcrip/" target="_blank" title="http://transcrip/">http://transcrip</a><a href="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt...01.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt...01..HTML">ts.cnn.com/<wbr></wbr>TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt...01.<wbr></wbr>HTML</a></span><span style="color: black;">> </span></div><div> <b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">6.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. </span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at: </span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://transcrip/" target="_blank" title="http://transcrip/">http://transcrip</a> <a href="http://ts.cnn.com/%20TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://ts.cnn.com/ TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML">ts.cnn..com/%20TRANscriptS/<wbr></wbr>0604/01/ldt.01.HTML</a></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #002aec;"><<a href="http://transcri/" target="_blank" title="http://transcri/">http://transcri</a><a href="http://pts.cnn.com/%20TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://pts.cnn.com/ TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML">pts.cnn.com/%<wbr></wbr>20TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.<wbr></wbr>HTML</a>> </span> </div><div> <b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">7. </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at: </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://transcrip/" target="_blank" title="http://transcrip/">http://transcrip</a> ts.CNN..com/TRANscriptS/0604/<wbr></wbr>01/ldt.01.HTML</span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><<a href="http://transcri/" target="_blank" title="http://transcri/">http://transcri</a><a href="http://pts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01..HTML" target="_blank" title="http://pts.cnn.com/TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.HTML">pts.cnn.com/<wbr></wbr>TRANscriptS/0604/01/ldt.01.<wbr></wbr>HTML</a>></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></div><div> <span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">8.</span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">illegal Aliens</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: #837d0d;">for Welfare & social</span></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">services by the American taxpayers.</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at: </span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.HTML">http://premium.cnn.com/<wbr></wbr>TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.HTML</a></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><<a href="http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.HTML" target="_blank" title="http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.HTML">http://premium.cnn.com/<wbr></wbr>TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.HTML</a><wbr></wbr>></span> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">9.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 24.0pt;"> <span style="color: #837d0d;">$200 Billion dollars a year in suppressed</span> <span style="color: #837d0d;">American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.</span></span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at: </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://transcrip/" target="_blank" title="http://transcrip/">http://transcrip</a> <a href="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANSCRI" target="_blank" title="http://ts.cnn.com/TRANSCRI">ts.cnn.com/TRANSCRI</a></span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> <</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute/" target="_blank" title="http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute/">http://www.<wbr></wbr>nationalpolicyinstitute</a></span><span style="color: black;">..org/<wbr></wbr>PDF/deportationPDF> </span> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">13.</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> In 2006, illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances to their countries of origin.</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at: </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://www/" target="_blank" title="http://www/">http://www/</a></span><span style="color: #00167f;">.</span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> <</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://www/" target="_blank" title="http://www/">http://www</a></span><span style="color: black;">/...</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://rense.com/general75/niht.htm" target="_blank" title="http://rense.com/general75/niht.htm">rense.com/<wbr></wbr>general75/niht.htm</a></span><span style="color: black;">> </span><b><i><span style="color: #00167f;"> </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://rense.com/general75/niht.htm" target="_blank" title="http://rense.com/general75/niht.htm">rense.com/general75/niht.htm</a></span><span style="color: #00167f;"> </span></i></b><span style="color: black;"><wbr></wbr><</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://www/...rense.com/general75/niht..htm" target="_blank" title="http://www/...rense.com/general75/niht.htm">http://www/...rense.com/<wbr></wbr>general75/niht.htm</a></span><span style="color: black;">> </span><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span></div><div> <span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">14.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #336488; font-size: 24.0pt;">The Dark Side</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;"> of Illegal Immigration:</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Nearly One million sex crimes committed</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">by Illegal Immigrants In The United States.</span></i></b> </div><div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">Verify at: </span><span style="color: black;">http: // </span><span style="color: #002aec;"><a href="http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml" target="_blank" title="http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml">www.drdsk.com/articleshtml</a> </span></i></b><span style="color: black;"><</span><span style="color: #336488;"><a href="http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml" target="_blank" title="http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml">ht<wbr></wbr>tp://www.drdsk.com/<wbr></wbr>articleshtml</a></span><span style="color: black;">>;</span><b><i><span style="color: #002dfd;"> </span></i></b></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: #00167f; font-size: 24.0pt;">The total cost is a whopping</span> </div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">$338.3 BILLION DOLLARS</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">A YEAR AND IF YOU'RE LIKE ME,</span></i></b><span style="color: black;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY; IT IS</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">$338,300,000,000.00</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;"> WHICH</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">WOULD BE ENOUGH TO STIMULATE</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">THE ECONOMY FOR THE CITIZENS OF</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 24.0pt;">THIS COUNTRY.</span></i></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: 26.0pt;">Now for a drop in the bucket that you do not have to to Snope. The U.S. State Dept. spent $55,000,000.00 for wood stoves for <i>other </i>third world countries.</span><span style="color: red;"></span></b><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The U.S. is to fund $50 million over five years to provide clean cooking stoves to developing countries. Clinton says it’s in order to reduce deaths from smoke inhalation and fight climate change.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Led by the United Nations Foundation, the alliance aims to have 100 million homes using clean stoves and fuels by 2020. “Our long term goal is to have universal adoption all over the world,” said Clinton.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The new alliance gathers U.S. government agencies with the United Nations Foundation, Germany, Norway, Peru the World Health Organization and corporate backers including Morgan Stanley and Shell.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This isn't the first time Clinton has pushed for market standards in industry. While Senator in 2007, Hillary Clinton pushed for new energy standards phasing out incandescent light bulbs. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/07/AR2010090706933.html" target="_blank">Reports now claim</a> that measure has forced American jobs to go overseas.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.mrctv.org/public/checker.aspx?v=hdkUkU8zDk" target="_blank">http://www.mrctv.org/public/<wbr></wbr>checker.aspx?v=hdkUkU8zDk</a></span></div><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 24.0pt;">$823,200 out of a $12,000,000.00 grant to a UCLA college was spent to teach African men how to wash their genitals after sex. Yes ladies NOT BEFORE ……. AFTER. </span></b></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Paying for this from Stimulus Funds probably is truth in advertising. I bet the field researcher found it highly stimulating.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), spent $823,200 of economic stimulus funds in 2009 on a study by a UCLA research team to teach uncircumcised African men how to wash their genitals after having sex. The genitalia-washing program is part of a larger $12-million UCLA study examining how to better encourage Africans to undergo voluntary HIV testing and counseling – however, only the penis-washing study received money from the 2009 economic stimulus law. The washing portion of the study is set to end in 2011... </span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Because AIDS researchers have been unsuccessful in convincing most adult African men to undergo circumcision, the UCLA study proposes to determine whether researchers can develop an after-sex genitalia-washing regimen that they can then convince uncircumcised African men to follow...</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The study’s lead investigator Dr. Thomas J. Coates was the fourth highest-funded researcher in the country in 2002 and is currently conducting HIV research on three continents. CNSNews.com asked both Coates and NIMH the following question: “The Census Bureau says the median household income in the United States is $52,000. How would you explain to the average American mom and dad -- who make $52,000 per year -- that taxing them to pay for this grant was justified?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Coates, who was unavailable for comment, directed CNSNews.com to ask grant-related questions of his assistant, Darya Freedman, who did not respond. The NIMH also declined to respond to CNSNews.com’s question. If Clinton wants to wash African men’s genitals I have no problem with it I just don’t want to pay for it.</span></i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.recovery.gov/Transparency/RecipientReportedData/pages/RecipientProjectSummary508.aspx?AwardIdSur=12567&AwardType=Grants" target="_blank">http://www.recovery.gov/<wbr></wbr>Transparency/<wbr></wbr>RecipientReportedData/pages/<wbr></wbr>RecipientProjectSummary508.<wbr></wbr>aspx?AwardIdSur=12567&<wbr></wbr>AwardType=Grants</a><br />
</span><i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 13.5pt;">You put your right hand in,<br />
You take your right hand out,<br />
You put your right hand in<br />
Then you shake it all about…..</span></i></div><u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">What about the “jobs created” part of the stimulus? Think of all the penis washing jobs that could be created. Does a person need teaching credentials to do this job? Would Barney even be qualified? Or could he by pass the educational requirements with “life experience” credits?</span></u><span></span><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 18.0pt;">Are we THAT Stupid?</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">YES, FOR LETTING THOSE</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">IN THE U.S. CONGRESS</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">GET AWAY WITH LETTING</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">THIS HAPPEN </span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">YEAR AFTER</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #fe1600; font-size: 36.0pt;">YEAR!!!!!</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span> </div><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">If this doesn't bother you, then just</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">delete the message.. If, on the other</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">hand, it does raise </span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">the hair on the back</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">of your neck, I hope you forward it to every</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">legal resident in the </span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: #837d0d; font-size: 24.0pt;">United States ..</span></i></b><span style="color: #002aec;"> </span>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-81791544635711210542011-07-17T11:57:00.000-10:002011-07-17T11:57:40.627-10:00Obama Birth Thinking Critically<h3><span style="font-size: large;">WHY WILL CONGRESS DO NOTHING ABOUT CREEPING SHARIA, OBAMA’S INELIGIBILITY, AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION?</span></h3><i>by One Pissed-off Vietnam Vet</i><br />
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_43343" style="width: 675px;"><a class="highslide" href="http://www.thepostemail.com/2011/07/17/we-stand-together-or-fall-together/muslims-praying/" rel="attachment wp-att-43343"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-43343" height="480" src="http://www.thepostemail.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Muslims-Praying.jpg" title="Muslims Praying" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text"></div>Are Muslims receiving preferential treatment in the U.S. because Obama occupies the Whtte House?</div>How many Muslims has Obama brought to America via executive orders?<br />
Where has our national culture gone?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Jul. 17, 2011) — So this guy says “I wouldn’t vote for a Republican if my life depended upon it. I’d vote for a two-headed Democrat first.” And this other guy says, “Don’t you get it? Doesn’t mean a hill of beans, they all belong to the same private club that’s run by the Federal Reserve.” Look, it doesn’t have to be this way, understand? What we got here now, Chicago politics on a national level? Afraid so, but we can fix it, we gotta fix it, ‘cause if we don’t, we’re toast.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why are we toast? Why are we sliding down the precipice to a footnote? And, tell me, where is the rock that people like Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi crawled out from under, to scheme to make the descendants of slaves slaves themselves, forcing dependency upon them in the form of welfare, thereby assuring their vote for the government handout unabated, continuing from generation to generation, paid for by the sweat of working Americans who paid into the kitty that Congress so aptly steals from? Where is this rock that these politicians hide under when questioned about Obama’s eligibility?</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Look, I’m sorry, but you can live your life any way you want, but as soon as it touches the life of my children, and me, and my neighbors, and my country, I’m coming after you. You think you have the right of free speech? You think that it’s okay to say “Death to Israel” and that I’m just going to sit back and let you have your “free speech?“ You think you can say anything you want and expect no repercussions, then you’re in line for a rude awakening. If you’re my next-door neighbor and think that it’s “free speech” to hold up a banner that says “ISLAM WILL RULE THE WORLD,” then I will explain the facts of life to you, and you don’t get to talk back, because, by your blatant stupidity, you just forfeited any rights you may have thought you had.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m personally giving notice that the members of Congress better get with the program in telling the truth, and you government law-enforcement types reading this, if you’d done your jobs in the first place I wouldn’t be writing about illegals and Sharia and eligibility issues, now would I, or any number of like-minded patriots. So what’s your sorry excuse, “Just following orders?” You make me sick.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m just one of millions of Americans who have had it up to here, and you know what? In the end, the truth always comes out on top. Take your best shot, but I’m for keeps.. Just remember One Pissed-off Vietnam Vet. If you hate America, you better start running. If you don’t have the legal papers to be in my country, run. If you have been hiding the facts from the American people, run. If you are a Muslim, you better run. If you are a Muslim in the United States Military, quit while you still can. And if you are currently serving in Congress, speak up, or run, because if you don’t, we’re going to turn over every rock until we find you, then you’ll know you should’ve run.</span></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-34976030315262993562011-07-09T10:59:00.001-10:002011-07-09T11:00:55.602-10:00Obama stimulus funded 'guns-to-drug-lords' plan<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="postbody"><span style="line-height: normal;">"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors" </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-Plato</span></span></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="postbody"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Obama stimulus funded 'guns-to-drug-lords' plan</b> Just a day after U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., called for Attorney General Eric Holder's removal, alleging a White House connection to the "Project Gunrunner" that allowed weapons to be delivered to Mexican drug lords, confirmation has come that the program originated at the highest levels of the Obama administration. <br />
<br />
The link is the $10 million in taxpayer dollars designated to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for Project Gunrunner in Obama's 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, otherwise known as the Stimulus Bill.</span> <span style="font-size: large;"><br clear="all" /></span> <br />
<div class="post-28399 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-politics" id="post-28399"><div class="entry"><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Someone in Congress knew about Gunrunner, and Obama signed funding for it into law</span></h2><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"> “Only time “gun” or “firearm” appears is in the part that give $10,000,000 to the ATF for Project Gunrunner. That was H.R. 495, asking for 15,000,000 for Gunrunner”.<br />
H.R. 495 that I mentioned never made it out of committee, but it looks as it was to specifically fund Gunrunner.<br />
Instead portions of it were rolled into the stimulus package a month later. That text found in H.R.1 is:<br />
For an additional amount for ‘State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance’, $40,000,000, for competitive grants to provide assistance and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border, of which $10,000,000 shall be transferred to ‘Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Salaries and Expenses’ for the ATF Project Gunrunner.<br />
Notice that’s $40,000,000 for Southern border enforcement, $10,000,000 of which specifically for Project Gunrunner. What does $10 million pay for here? It didn’t hire any new agents.</span></blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">So Obama didn’t know anything about this, but he signed $10,000,000 in funding for the program. This thing would stink on a dung pile. It’s time for indictments.</span></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-size: large;">The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) began a pilot program in Laredo, Texas in 2005 with the intention to interdict the flow of weapons from the Southwest border into Mexico. As an aside, since the majority of arms traffic across the U.S. border into Mexico is being driven by drug trade, it was believe that the program would also help to stem the flow of drugs from Mexico into the United States.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Project Gunrunner, as it was dubbed, was directed at Mexican cartels and involved numerous U.S. government agencies as well as the government of Mexico. Cooperatively, the eTrace firearms tracking system, intended to allow law enforcement in the U.S. to trace firearms movements both domestically and internationally became a key component to the program.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By early 2008, Project Gunrunner had expanded rapidly in border states and into nine U.S. consulates in Mexico. What started as a weapons tracking program became a profitable arms sales business. $2 million in revenue was garnered through the Merida Initiative, which was hidden in a war supplemental bill. The Merida Initiative was a program to create a partnership between U.S. law enforcement organizations and Mexican law enforcement. The Department of Justice Inspector General began to question the growth in the programs when payrolls exploded from 25 employees to more than 200 by 2009.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Under the Obama administration ATF received an additional $21.9 million to expand Project Gunrunner, half of which was hidden in the 2009 Obama Stimulus Bill. Nearly $12 million more was requested in fiscal year 2011 appropriations.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Project Gunrunner went nearly undetected through the latter half of the Bush administration, but the program began to unravel when Mexican gangs murdered Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry last December. After Terry’s murder, ATF agents and officials stepped forward to expose the sale of hundreds of high-powered rifles and pistols to Mexican drug cartels, despite protests from private gun shops being drawn into the sordid affair. These are the same private business often taken to task by the Obama administration for selling weapons to criminals, while they were selling them to the worst-of-the-worst.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText Text-Dateline" id="id2424316"><span style="font-size: large;">WASHINGTON — The tainted "Operation Fast and Furious" has dealt the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms its worst blow since the agency's botched 1993 raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco that left four ATF agents dead.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2424583"><span style="font-size: large;">With federal agents testifying against their commanders, members of Congress calling for the top man's ouster and accusations that ATF is fudging its gun smuggling numbers, the political fallout itself has become fast and furious.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2424589"><span style="font-size: large;">The operation, conducted jointly with agents from ATF, FBI, DEA and other agencies was aimed at reaching beyond the low-level "straw purchasers" of weapons and building a complex case against Mexican traffickers and their weapons brokers.</span></div><h3 class="Text-TextSubhed BoldCond PoynterAgateZero" id="id2423802"><span style="font-size: large;">Firearms reach cartels</span></h3><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425394"><span style="font-size: large;">But the weapons purchased in gun stores in and around Phoenix, as many as 2,500, got away from ATF surveillance and eventually reached the cartels in Mexico. Two of them were recovered in December at the site in Southern Arizona where smugglers killed Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425401"><span style="font-size: large;">At his news conference Wednesday, President Barack Obama said letting guns go to Mexico "would not be an appropriate step by the ATF, and we've got to find out how that happened. ... As soon as the investigation is completed, appropriate actions will be taken."</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425408"><span style="font-size: large;">On Capitol Hill, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, have been demanding answers from Department of Justice officials.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425413"><span style="font-size: large;">ATF defenders, some of them retired agents, say the problem of guns from U.S. sources winding up in Mexico is a border-wide phenomenon, and Fast and Furious is just an operation gone wrong in a sea of other cases that ended in convictions.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2421628"><span style="font-size: large;">"The problem of guns from the U.S. ending up in Mexico goes well beyond Fast and Furious, and it was there well before Fast and Furious got started," said Michael Bouchard, the ATF's assistant director for field operations from 2004 until his retirement in 2007.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2421635"><span style="font-size: large;">The operation yielded an indictment in January that named 20 defendants, all low-level purchasers. The indictment identified purchases of 681 guns, including 589 AK-47s. </span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2421640"><span style="font-size: large;">The political uproar is just the latest battle line in the long war over gun rights versus gun control. Issa and Grassley are widely considered folk heroes to gun-rights advocates who fear liberal Democrats using U.S. guns in Mexico as fodder for more firearms restrictions.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2421648"><span style="font-size: large;">"We've been involved in this issue ever since various folks - the president of Mexico (Felipe Calderon) and President Obama - accused firearms dealers operating legally under the Second Amendment of being the source of violence in Mexico,“ said Andrew Arulanandam, spokesman for the National Rifle Association. "They're the ones advocating more gun control as a means of addressing the problem across the border."</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425083"><span style="font-size: large;">Today, Democrats are sponsoring a forum focused on stopping the weapons flow through gun law "improvements."</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425088"><span style="font-size: large;">Senators Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., issued a report earlier this month, "Halting U.S. Firearms Trafficking to Mexico" that called for reinstatement of the assault weapons ban and an ATF-proposed requirement that firearms dealers report multiple purchases of assault-type weapons to the agency. They based the report on ATF data claiming 20,504 of 29,284 guns recovered in Mexico in 2009 and 2010 and submitted for tracing were U.S. sourced firearms.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425099"><span style="font-size: large;">That's 70 percent of the total 29,284 guns traced those years.</span></div><h3 class="Text-TextSubhed BoldCond PoynterAgateZero" id="id2424979"><span style="font-size: large;">Ongoing investigations</span></h3><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425005"><span style="font-size: large;">According to ATF, 1,573 defendants faced charges related to firearms trafficking from 2006 to 2010 under Project Gunrunner, the ATF's five-year effort to combat weapons trafficking to Mexico. The agency has 4,600 on-going Gunrunner investigations in border jurisdictions, an ATF spokesman said.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425495"><span style="font-size: large;">Gun rights advocates who say ATF data is suspect point out that officials last year said 90 percent of guns traced from Mexico originated in the U.S., then downgraded it to 70 percent this year. Grassley wrote to ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson challenging the 70 percent calculation. </span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425502"><span style="font-size: large;">"Unfortunately, this information paints a grossly inaccurate picture of the situation," he said, citing ATF figures he has showing only a quarter of weapons were traceable to the U.S.</span></div><div class="Text-TextBody HoustonText" id="id2425508"><span style="font-size: large;">A Hearst Newspapers survey last month of 44 gun prosecutions in Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma and New Mexico pinpointed a total of 1,600 U.S.-purchased guns by brand name that were recovered in Mexico or intercepted en route.</span></div></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-15073251554875457352011-07-09T10:29:00.000-10:002011-07-09T10:29:35.099-10:00Project Gunrunner<span class="postbody"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: normal;">West calls for Eric Holder's removal <br />
If attorney general given pass, 'it appears President Obama is complicit'</span> <br />
<br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br />
Posted: July 08, 2011 <br />
1:00 am Eastern <br />
<br />
<br />
By Michael Carl <br />
© 2011 WND <br />
<br />
<br />
<img border="0" height="552" src="http://www.wnd.com/images/misc/070711west.jpg" width="640" />U.S. Rep. Allen West <br />
</span><span class="postbody"><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">West is not only a reason for the African American community to feel proud <br />
<br />
all Americans should feel lifted up by this man <br />
<br />
He is a Veteran <br />
<br />
He is a Statesman <br />
<br />
He is an American First <br />
<br />
He is everything that Obama is Not</span></span><br />
<span class="postbody"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="postbody"> <span style="font-size: large;">A new member of Congress who rode into office during the 2010 American rejection of Washington's business-as-usual practice today said that a special prosecutor needs to review the actions of Attorney General Eric Holder regarding the "Fast and Furious" gun scandal where weapons were sold to carriers known to supply Mexican drug lords, and the circumstances make it appear that President Obama could have dirty hands in the deal. <br />
<br />
During an appearance on the Steve Gill Show, U.S. Rep. Allen West said the roads that appear to lead to those responsible for the botched program that was supposed to trace guns to high-ranking drug lords are alarming. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">"This is just another sad chapter in the Eric Holder book of ineptness and incompetence," West said. "Eric Holder needs to be brought before an investigative committee and if those charges are warranted he needs to be held accountable. <br />
<br />
"At least the president needs to realize that Eric Holder needs to be removed from the Department of Justice … or else it appears President Obama is complicit and in approval of the actions of his attorney general," he said. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">The comments: <br />
on video on link above.</span> <br />
<br />
West's comments came in the wake of word from Acting Director Kenneth Melson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that the DOJ blocked him and other senior agency officials from cooperating with members of Congress who were investigating the scandal. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">West, R-Fla., said the solution is an independent special prosecutor who would be assigned to look into the roles of top DOJ officials, such as Holder, regarding the "Fast and Furious" gun-running scheme. <br />
<br />
"If all roads lead to him as far as obstructing justice, then we've got to have that special investigation," West said. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Those revelations by Melson are fueling the outrage among members of Congress who have had concerns about the situation, especially because it appears at least one of the weapons dispatched by the federal government to a drug gang was used in an attack that killed a U.S. Border Patrol agent. <br />
<br />
Officials with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform have been looking into the circumstances, but were tight-lipped today in light of the new developments. <br />
<br />
"I can say that this is an ongoing investigation and that when details become available, Mr. [Darrell] Issa [Republican from California] will make them public," the committee's press office explained. <br />
<br />
It was in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder that Committee Chairman Issa and Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley said after Melson's Monday testimony, they were disturbed to learn that guns may have been taken across the border by known criminals and that they're determined to learn more. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">"The evidence we have gathered raises the disturbing possibility that the Justice Department not only allowed criminals to smuggle weapons but that taxpayer dollars from other agencies may have financed those engaging in such activities. While this is preliminary information, we must find out if there is any truth to it," Issa and Grassley wrote. <br />
<br />
The letter also said that Melson only learned about the charge of criminals carrying the guns to Mexico after the fact. </span>" <br />
<br />
According to Acting Director Melson, he became aware of this startling possibility only after the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and the indictments of the straw purchasers, which we now know were substantially delayed by the U.S.," Issa and Grassley wrote. <br />
<br />
Firearms law analyst and writer David Codrea believes that even if there is evidence to prove that known criminals took the guns to Mexico with taxpayer money, nothing is likely to be done with the evidence. <br />
<br />
"If left to Holder's Justice Department, nothing, because it shows this had to be top-level DoJ-authorized. That's probably a question for Issa's office, although I doubt they'd be inclined to respond and we'll need to see how things play out with them as further hearings are held," Codrea said. <br />
<br />
According the committee report, other federal agencies have also been drawn into the operation. The DEA, FBI and upper-level DOJ officers, including the U. S. attorney's office in Phoenix have been named. <br />
<br />
The Issa-Grassley letter also says Melson was surprised about the depth of the operation <br />
<br />
Once the Fast and Furious operation was made public, several agents and supervisors were reassigned from the Phoenix office. Melson allegedly made the reassignments but was told by DOJ officials not to report the reassignments to Issa's committee. <br />
<br />
Spokeswoman Becca Watkins of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said there was pressure being applied. <br />
<br />
"He [Melson] didn't say anything to the committee because the ATF operates under the DOJ," Watkins said. <br />
<br />
Codrea said the explanation for Melson's silence is something the DOJ will have to tell under oath, but he has his own suspicion. <br />
<br />
"That is a question for DOJ officials – under oath. My sense is because any shared information provides another thread to pull, and they don't want the fabric to unravel, so they're keeping a lid on all information and only providing bare minimal responses that have been carefully vetted for damage control," Codrea said. <br />
<br />
There is also speculation about whether Melson will resign, something that Issa and Grassley address in their letter to Holder. <br />
<br />
"In the last few weeks, unnamed administration officials have indicated to the press that Acting Director Melson would be forced to resign. According to Mr. Melson, those initial reports were untrue. Regardless of what we might have thought before about how he should handle a request to resign, we now know he has not been asked to resign," the letter stated. <br />
<br />
"We also now have the benefit of hearing his side of the story and will have a chance to examine what he said and compare it to the other evidence we are gathering. However, that will take some time," the letter added. <br />
<br />
The Issa-Grassley letter asserts that Melson is being pressured to leave, even though Melson knew that the appointment was supposed to be temporary. <br />
<br />
"In 2009, he said he was asked to take over as acting director of the ATF. Acting director of the ATF is by its nature a temporary job. According to Mr. Melson, he was willing to serve the department with the understanding that after a short tenure as acting director, he would return to a position as a career senior executive elsewhere within the department," the letter read. <br />
<br />
"However, two days after he told Acting Deputy Attorney General Cole about serious issues involving lack of information sharing, the Wall Street Journal reported that unnamed sources said that Melson was about to be ousted," the letter added. <br />
<br />
Codrea agrees with that assessment and says the administration has a political motive. <br />
<br />
"They wanted him to go quietly and they'd get their preferred anti-gun advocate Andrew Traver to bring the Chicago Way to the Bureau – either as acting or through a recess appointment as he's already pretty much been rejected through normal channels," Codrea said. <br />
<br />
Melson's admissions were made public in a "Tweet" posted by Issa on his Twitter account. <br />
<br />
The Tweet said, ATF Acting Director Melson spilling the beans to Darrell Issa! Issa Tweet! Darrell Issa
#AskObama: who is right on #fastandfurious: Eric Holder or #ATF Dir.Melson, whom we just interviewed? INFO: <a href="http://1.usa.gov/pvqXJQ" target="_blank">http://1.usa.gov/pvqXJQ</a></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> #2nd.
PDF File letter by Issa & Grassley <a href="http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Letters..." target="_blank">http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Letters...</a>" </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Holder needs to be fired and IMMEDIATELY Charged with the murder of Mexican and American Citizens.<br />
<br />
Obama needs to be IMPEACHED and IMMEDIATELY Charged with the murder of Mexican and American Citizens. <br />
<br />
This is no joke these are Rogue Officials that did the unconscionable this cannot be allowed to go much longer with out actions taken to remove these criminal Thug's.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody"> </span><span class="postbody">BATFE ~ Busted <br />
<br />
ATF ~ Busted <br />
<br />
DHS ~ Busted <br />
<br />
Obama and his Small Arms Treaty ~ Busted</span><span class="postbody"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody">"That's good right?"`stopping these guys, and blowin' the lid off! T</span><span class="postbody">his is Bizzarro World Blowing up in the Federal Governments new face.<br />
<br />
The ends "DO NOT" Justify the means to get a North American Perimeter <br />
<br />
You cannot give weapons to a cartel that has killed over 30,000 Mexicans <br />
<br />
This is the New Water Gate</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A journalist's guide to 'Project Gunwalker'</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="color: red;"> many, many links on this post; go to the link below to view them </span> </span> <br />
<br />
The following is a summary and time line of articles appearing on the Sipsey Street Irregulars blog and Gun Rights Examiner, reflecting original reporting on the developing "Project Gunwalker" story by Mike Vanderboegh and myself. That's the purposely ironic name I assigned it, a parody of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive's "Project Gunrunner," and it refers to allegations by whistleblowing ATF insiders that: <br />
<br />
* ATF management was allowing potentially hundreds of semiautomatic firearms to be walked across the Mexican border in order to pad statistics used to further budget and power objectives. <br />
* Mexican authorities were kept in the dark, and protests that they should be informed were overridden, first by the Phoenix ATF office, and ultimately by higher-ups in Washington, DC. <br />
* A gun used in this operation was involved in a December 2010 incident in which a Border Patrol agent was killed. <br />
<br />
The original allegations were posted on CleanUpATF.org. Vanderboegh and I, who have a history going back years of documenting allegations posted there, and pressing for congressional hearings to investigate the claims, were both contacted independently by various ATF insiders claiming to have corroborating information and documentation. Mike vetted his sources and I used my contacts to help validate that my informant was who he represented himself to be. Mike and I did what we could throughout our separate and coordinated investigations to test and corroborate what was being told. We also had a small circle of behind-the-scenes consultants, including firearms designer Len Savage, and a few other knowledgeable advisors, all with contacts and informed insights of their own, and all of whom have earned our trust over the years. <br />
<br />
Our primary goal was to help arrange for protection for our sources, and quickly, as retaliation was feared. Because the allegations involved higher ups within the Justice Department, the added protection afforded by separation of powers was sought. Through various contacts and machinations that are documented in the following timeline, the whistleblowers came under the protective umbrella of Sen. Charles Grassley, a senior member of the Committee of the Judiciary. <br />
<br />
Our secondary goal was to push this story outside our limited spheres of influence and into the "mainstream press," so that it would be problematic to ignore or bury things. Again, making this happen has been an ongoing struggle, but we've seen the first cracks in the dam. The following time line will bring journalists just getting involved with this story up to speed by walking them though it, from its genesis to where we are today as major media outlets finally begin to take notice and get involved. <br />
<br />
By way of a FAQ, two seem to be recurrent: <br />
<br />
Will you have your sources contact us? <br />
<br />
and <br />
<br />
Will you provide us with copies of documentation? <br />
<br />
The answer to both is "No." The reason is one of protection. You will need to observe official proceedings and develop/consult sources of your own. <br />
<br />
Here's what's happened so far, at least what I can publicly disclose: <br />
<br />
Dec. 28: <br />
<br />
* Border Patrol agent killed with ATF-smuggled AR? Some ATF agents seem to think so. <br />
<br />
Jan. 3: <br />
<br />
* So the DOJ comes to visit, worried about the ATF-smuggled gun that may have killed the Border Patrol officer last month, and their exit page is CUATF. <br />
<br />
Jan. 5: <br />
<br />
* "Pure fact verified." The ATF scandal that's going to guarantee oversight hearings. <br />
* ATF source confirms ‘walking’ guns to Mexico to ‘pad’ statistics <br />
<br />
Jan. 6: <br />
<br />
* More information on ATF ‘walking’ guns across Mexican border <br />
<br />
Jan. 7: <br />
<br />
* Walk Don't Run <br />
* White House now in decision making loop on ATF "Walking Gun-gate" scandal. The ghost of Vince Foster to walk the corridors of the fifth floor? <br />
* This just in on the Mexican end of what David Codrea has called "Project Gunwalker." <br />
<br />
Jan. 10: <br />
<br />
* The Curious Case of the Walking M-16s by L. Neil Smith <br />
<br />
Jan. 12: <br />
<br />
* Following the various threads of Project Gunwalker -- "Gun Dealer: 'ATF Approved Sales to Mexican Gun Runners'" <br />
<br />
Jan. 13: <br />
<br />
* Does Texas gun shop tie in with ‘Project Gunwalker’? <br />
<br />
Jan. 18: <br />
<br />
* Is ‘Project Gunwalker’ about to bust wide open? <br />
* "Project Gunwalker" scandal story at a tipping point this morning, though it may take a short while for you to see it. <br />
* Senators crawfish on helping agents in Project Gunwalker scandal. See if you can't help concentrate their minds. <br />
<br />
Jan. 19: <br />
<br />
* Open Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee staff on 'Project Gunwalker' <br />
* Sources, Timeline and Summary of the ATF "Project Gunwalker" scandal and the death of BP agent Brian Terry. <br />
* We have movement on the Senate side of the Project Gunwalker scandal. <br />
* Outstanding idea from Kurt Hofmann on ratcheting up the pressure on the Project Gunwalker scandal! <br />
<br />
Jan. 20: <br />
<br />
* Mayors Against Illegal Guns issues new graphic in light of ATF's "Project Gunwalker" scandal! <br />
* Yogi Berra was right. Rumor of a big, bad ATF bust early next week. <br />
<br />
Jan. 21: <br />
<br />
* ‘Project Gunwalker’ sources talking to Senate staffers <br />
* The shadow war for the truth. "Management culture of ATF holds no regard for the life and/or safety of front line agents." STAND DOWN THE ATF! <br />
* Will the Mexican reporter who called last night about Project Gunwalker please contact me? <br />
* Senators now in contact with ATF agents about Project Gunwalker scandal. <br />
<br />
Jan. 22: <br />
<br />
* Knox reports on ‘Project Gunwalker’ <br />
* Jeff Knox and World Net Daily pick up on the Project Gunwalker scandal. <br />
* Brian Terry memorial service marred by insincere promises and pious platitudes <br />
<br />
Jan. 23: <br />
<br />
* ‘Project Gunwalker’ investigators: Watch for smears, focus on leads <br />
* David Codrea on Liberty Watch Radio about Project Gunwalker. <br />
<br />
Jan. 25: <br />
<br />
* ATF Project Gunrunner dog and pony show in Phoenix today. Are they ready to spin the "modified limited hangout" on the death of BPA Terry? <br />
* Here's the dog and pony show -- "Gun Running Operation Uncovered in Arizona." Yeah? Did they arrest the Phoenix ATF SAC as the mastermind? <br />
<br />
Jan. 26: <br />
<br />
* Hans von Spakovsky asks "Is the fix in at Justice? Appointing Robin Ashton to oversee ethical standards is like choosing a fox to guard the henhouse." <br />
* More on the Project Gunrunner dog and pony show in Phoenix. <br />
<br />
Jan. 27: <br />
<br />
* One question for ‘Project Gunwalker’ skeptics <br />
* This just in: Senate is now referring to "Project Gunwalker" as the "Brian Terry Whistleblower Case" plus a question for ‘Project Gunwalker’ skeptics. <br />
<br />
Jan. 30: <br />
<br />
* Phoenix ATF reportedly retaliating against ‘Project Gunwalker’ whistleblower <br />
* Mexican press picks up on 'Project Gunwalker' <br />
* David Codrea: "Phoenix ATF reportedly retaliating against ‘Project Gunwalker’ whistleblower." <br />
* "Torpedo . . . LOS!" MEXICAN PRESS PICKS UP ON 'PROJECT GUNWALKER'!! ATF brass headed for lifeboats? <br />
<br />
Jan. 31: <br />
<br />
* Why does link for Mexican newspaper redirect to the FBI’s website? <br />
* A Sipsey Street Exclusive: Senator Grassley is on the Project Gunwalker scandal case -- big time. <br />
* BREAKING NEWS: Grassley Writes Melson on Project Gunwalker <br />
* "We do not permit the exit of arms to Mexico." Riiight. El Diaro translation, cleaned up by, ironically enough, Avatar at CleanUpATF.org <br />
* ATF execs' ululations of agony -- Not-so-instant Karma at the tipping point of the perpetual scandal that is ATF -- and David Olofson's revenge. <br />
* There's going to be a lot more of this before it is over. <br />
* Plumbing the considerable depths of ATF spokesman "Baghdad Tom" Mangan's 'unawareness.' <br />
<br />
Feb. 1: <br />
<br />
* Media begins noticing ‘Project Gunwalker’ <br />
* Three Examiner Columns on "Project Gunwalker": Two from David and one from Kurt <br />
* Burning the midnight oil at DOJ over Project Gunwalker. <br />
* If it is on television, it must be true. <br />
* Actions louder than words. Eric Holder just told the President of Mexico and Senator Charles Grassley to go fornicate themselves. <br />
<br />
Feb. 2: <br />
<br />
* Has ATF Phoenix SAC been transferred to Mexico? <br />
* Late to the story, Pravda (WaPo) Parrots Kremlin Cover Up Line. <br />
* "Heer there be Dragones." My letter to the Pravda reporters. "Welcome to the Project Gunwalker Scandal story." <br />
* Washington Post ‘Project Gunwalker’ piece lets key claim go unchallenged <br />
* FOX News picks up the Project Gunwalker story. <br />
<br />
Feb. 3: <br />
<br />
* Irrational exuberance <br />
* Putting their money where their cover-up is. Did Project Gunwalker Scandal cause the Obama administration to double down on ATF? <br />
* Mainstream press reports shed additional light on ‘Project Gunwalker’ <br />
* Of Whistleblowers and Watchdogs <br />
* InfoWars on Gunwalker <br />
* My letter to Consul General Salvador De Lara, Consul General in Atlanta of the Republic of Mexico. <br />
* So where are the "authorized journalists" asking sharp questions of the State Dept. about the violation of treaty & protocol in Project Gunwalker? <br />
* Chris Dumm, writing at The Truth About Guns, has an interesting observation. . . <br />
* Alex Jones' "DisInfo Wars" finally finds the "Gunwalker" scandal, but of course they can't mention Sipsey Street. <br />
* TTAG picks up my letter to the Mexican Consul General in Atlanta. "If there is justice in this world castration's too good for them." <br />
<br />
Feb. 4: <br />
<br />
* Need good Spanish translation of my letter to the Consul General ASAP <br />
* ATF Deputy Director Melson doing the French Mistake in Lyon. <br />
* I Accuse! Meet the Assistant Attorney General at the center of the Project Gunwalker Cover-up: Lanny Breuer. <br />
* A word about our Project Gunwalker scandal icon. <br />
* Death in the Desert: Project Gunwalker and the ATF Cover-Up <br />
* WaPo Reporter: "Help! I'm trapped in my Weltanschauung and I can't get out!" <br />
<br />
Feb. 5: <br />
<br />
* The Project Gunwalker Scandal in a nutshell. <br />
* ‘American Thinker’ narrates development of ‘Project Gunwalker’ story <br />
* Did Lanny Breuer play a role in ‘Project Gunwalker’? <br />
* BP agent Brian Terry's own valediction is an indictment of the government-paid cowards who are covering up the circumstances of his death. <br />
<br />
Feb. 6: <br />
<br />
* On the Obama Death Star, The Project Gunwalker scandal continues as the Empire Strikes Back in the form of evil eminence Darth Breuer. <br />
* ATF Agent: "Unfortunately the objectives usually have nothing to do with the best interest of the Government or the public." <br />
* No answers yet about guns found at Border Patrol agent death scene <br />
* Profiles in Cover-up. When is some big media type going ask Janet Napolitano what the meaning of "swift justice" is? Plus a calendar to keep track. <br />
<br />
Feb. 7: <br />
<br />
* Big Week for Gunwalker Scandal -- Agents Suggest Witness List. "God have mercy on our agency but please don't give the bad guys another free pass." <br />
* My letter to the Consul General of the Estados Unidos Mexicanos in Atlanta -- In English AND Spanish. <br />
* ‘Project Gunwalker’ allegations bolstered by Project Gunrunner indictments <br />
* Open Source Analysis of "Fast & Furious" Bust Confirms It As An Integral Part of the Project Gunwalker Cover-up. <br />
<br />
This post will be regularly updated with new links, so those interested in having a one-stop resource to keep up with Mike and my posts should bookmark it and return to keep apprised of new developments. <br />
<br />
From other Gun Rights Examiners: <br />
<br />
Sean McClanahan/Des Moines: <br />
<br />
* Senator Grassley pushes BATFE on Project Gunwalker <br />
<br />
Kurt Hofmann/St. Louis: <br />
<br />
* 'Project Gunwalker': Another angle from which to bring the heat <br />
* Cutting BATFE's funding sounding better and better <br />
* Are more tax dollars to be spent facilitating arms trafficking to Mexico? <br />
* Where is the 'gun control' movement's outrage over 'Project Gunwalker'? <br />
<br />
Dave Workman/Seattle: <br />
<br />
* Selective Seattle coverage: Bloomy gun show sting v. alleged ATF 'negligence' <br />
* Silence in Seattle: Why is Brady Campaign defending ATF operation? <br />
<br />
<br />
Continue reading on Examiner.com: A journalist's guide to 'Project Gunwalker' - National gun rights | Examiner.com <a href="http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/a-journalist-s-guide-to-project-gunwalker#ixzz1DMYmKfyw" target="_blank">http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/a-journalist-s-guide-to-project-gunwalker#ixzz1DMYmKfyw</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/a-journalist-s-guide-to-project-gunwalker" target="_blank">http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/a-journalist-s-guide-to-project-gunwalker</a><br />
_________________<br />
I'm a Conservative ~ "BOO" and According to Obama and Napolitano I am (AKA) the "Boogieman"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody"><img border="0" src="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_full_width/hash/53/f2/53f22cd8588c85e0d55f46123d271077.jpg" /> <br />
Two in Rio Rico (see 'firearms recovered' link at end of column) Photo: BATFE <br />
<br />
Continue reading on Examiner.com: ‘Project Gunwalker’ allegations bolstered by Project Gunrunner indictments - National gun rights | Examiner.com <a href="http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/project-gunwalker-allegations-bolstered-by-project-gunrunner-indictments#ixzz1DMY0lPVV" target="_blank">http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/project-gunwalker-allegations-bolstered-by-project-gunrunner-indictments#ixzz1DMY0lPVV</a> <br />
<br />
<br />
“Grand juries have returned multi-count indictments in five cases against 34 defendants accused of assisting Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations with illegally trafficking firearms from the United States to Mexico,” a Jan. 25 press release from the District of Arizona Office of the United States Attorney announced. <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/PR_01252011_Press%20Conference.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/PR_01252011_Press%20Conference.pdf</a> It was accompanied by a press conference, one Mike Vanderboegh of the Sipsey Street Irregulars blog and I had been tipped off to in advance, and then contacted reporters urging them to attend and suggesting questions to ask, particularly about guns recovered at the murder scene of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry. <br />
<br />
One of the confidential sources that has given us consistently reliable information in the investigation we have come to call “Project Gunwalker” has performed an analysis of the indictments and connected some dots, all of which bolster allegations raised to date, including corroborative evidence that there was high level involvement at the Justice Department. Vanderboegh and I agree that the best way to throw maximum light on this is to simultaneously post it at our respective sites. <a href="http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/02/open-source-analysis-of-fast-furious.html" target="_blank">http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/02/open-source-analysis-of-fast-furious.html</a> <br />
<br />
Our source’s observations follow: <br />
<br />
OK, I can’t believe this is even necessary but since no one else seems to have done it? Let us examine what we know through open source material… <br />
<br />
On January 25th, 2011, ATF Phoenix and the United States Attorney’s Office – District of Arizona held a press conference where they proudly displayed their 53 count “Jaime Avila Indictment” as a trophy to their exhaustive efforts in combating the flow of U.S. weapons to Mexico. (A copy of the press release and the indictment is available at: <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/</a> - “Press Room” under “2011 Archives.”) <br />
<br />
Some of ATF’s sworn assertion in the case: <br />
<br />
“15. Between September of 2009 and through December of 2010, defendants fraudulently and knowingly exported and sent firearms from the United States to Mexico contrary to the laws and regulations of the United States.” <br />
<br />
“16. Between September of 2009 and through December of 2010, defendants fraudulently and knowingly received, concealed, bought, sold, and facilitated the transportation, concealment, and sale of firearms prior to exportation, knowing the firearms were intended for exportation contrary to the laws and regulations of the United States.” <br />
<br />
Further: “As part of the conspiracy, members of the conspiracy both known and unknown to the grand jury shipped, transported, and exported firearms from the United States to Mexico.” <br />
<br />
As we all know, the life of the conspiracy does not automatically reflect when ATF’s investigation began. So when did it? <br />
<br />
“28. On or about November 19, 2009, prior to being pulled over by police, HECTOR ROLANDO CARLON attempted to dispose of an FN Herstal 5.7mm pistol purchased on November 17, 2009, by JOSE ANGEL POLANCO.” <br />
<br />
“99. On December 8, 2009, SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD purchased forty AK-47 type rifle from FFL Lone Wolf Trading Company, Glendale, Arizona, and during the course of such purchases falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. On December 9,2009, nine of the AK-47 type rifles were found by Douglas, Arizona, police officers in the course of a vehicle stop, concealed in the bumper of a car.” <br />
<br />
Perhaps, but it may have just have been a couple of good road officers doing their job? But what about… <br />
<br />
“36. On December 8, 2009, a male caller using a telephone number utilized by MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA called FFL Lone Wolf Trading Company, Glendale, Arizona, to inquire as to the number ofAK-47 type rifles in stock. Forty-five minutes after this call, on the morning of December 8, 2009, SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD arrived at Lone Wolf and purchased twentyAK-47 type rifles which he transported to an auto auction business in Phoenix, Arizona, and loaded into another vehicle or vehicles. <br />
<br />
“37. On the evening of December 8, 2009, SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD returned to Lone Wolf Trading Company and purchased an additional twenty AK-47 type rifles. SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD loaded the rifles into a white Nissan Titan in which MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA was a passenger. This vehicle was driven to CELIS ACOSTA's residence where the rifles were unloaded.” <br />
<br />
Sounds like active investigation to me. How else do we learn the locations, phone calls, times, vehicles, passengers and the drivers? It doesn’t read like statements from a CI or even an historical account from someone directly involved. And remember, the FFL has already released a statement declaring that he was fully cooperating with ATF in this investigation. So at least by November, 2009, this was an active investigation. <br />
<br />
Was the ATF doing active surveillance on members of this conspiracy? <br />
<br />
“51. On or about August 19, 2010, JONATHAN EARVIN FERNANDEZ purchased nine AK-47 type rifles from Lone Wolf Trading Company, and during the course of such purchase falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. After purchasing the firearms, FERNANDEZ and DANNY CRUZ MORONES, riding with FERNANDEZ, attempted to evade agents and officers conducting surveillance.” <br />
<br />
Although this is the only time that it appears in the affidavit, we can be certain that it is not the only time it was done. What else was going on… <br />
<br />
“81. On or about May 28, 2010, URIEL PATINO received a .308 caliber rifle from FFL Gunnet, Peoria, Arizona, at MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA's instruction, and during the course of such transfer falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. After receiving the rifle, URIEL PATINO spoke with MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA by phone and MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA instructs URIEL PATINO to deliver the rifle to MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA's residence.” <br />
<br />
“67. On or about July 2, 2010, in a telephone conversation with ALFREDO CELIS, MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA directed ALFREDO CELIS to take steps to recover twenty AK-47 type rifles seized by police on or about June 30, 2010.” <br />
<br />
“93. On or about July 8, 2010, MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA and FRANCISCO JAVIER PONCE spoke on the telephone and MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA arranged an additional straw purchase for FRANCISCO JAVIER PONCE by URIEL PATINO.” <br />
<br />
Can anyone say “T-III”?* (Interesting note: Every agent knows that only Main Justice (DOJ – Criminal) is the final authorization hurdle for any T-III, spin-off, or renewal. They have to be briefed on the case and no affidavit can be submitted to the court without their review and authorization.) <br />
<br />
Now, what about the person whose name titles this indictment, Jaime Avila? <br />
<br />
“55. On or before November 24, 2009, JUAN JOSE MARTINEZ-GONZALEZ and URIEL PATINO introduced JAIME AVILA Jr. into the conspiracy to purchase firearms. On or about November 24, 2009, PATINO accompanied JAIME AVILA Jr. into Lone Wolf Trading Company while AVILA Jr. purchased firearms for the conspiracy.” <br />
<br />
“25. On or about January 16, 2010, JAIME AVILA, Jr. purchased three AK-47 type firearms from FFL Lone Wolf Trading Company, Glendale, Arizona, and during the course of such purchase falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms.” <br />
<br />
Avila is in no way the most culpable for firearms purchased according to the indictment. Many others have him beaten in both the number of purchases and amount of firearms trafficked. Why? Avila isn’t even charged in the most serious counts of the indictment. Why? Most striking is that on January 25th, 2011, while the ATF was serving the “Avila Indictment” and preparing for the press conference to follow – Avila wasn’t even arrested in the big roundup. Why? Well, a simple Pacer search (the Federal Courts electronic document system / available to anyone via the internet) reveals that Jaime Avila Jr. was already in jail. The court records clearly show how Avila was arrested during the early morning (just after midnight) of Dec. 16th, 2010, by Phoenix ATF agents for lying on 4473’s. So why on Dec 15th, 2010 did ATF feel the need to rush out and arrest Avila, on a hurried criminal complaint (as opposed to the proper method of indictment) after knowing of his trafficking activities, watching him and his coconspirators, listening to their phones, and investigating them for nearly the past 14 months? What happened on Dec. 15th, 2010? Why was Avila arrested on a criminal complaint, indicted on January 11th, 2011, and then re-indicted on January 19th, 2011? (2-10-MJ-00629MHB, 2-11-CR-00065-GMS, and 2-11-CR-00126-JAT) Why was an indictment and round-up named after him when he had already been in jail for over a month? <br />
<br />
And lastly, what about the indictment in general? Although in no way does it have to state everything known in or about the case, it does raise some interesting questions. There are 81 Overt Acts that occurred “Between September of 2009 and through December of 2010” which are specifically detailed: <br />
<br />
“110. The factual allegations in paragraphs 24 to 105 of the Indictment are incorporated by reference and re-alleged as though fully set forth herein.” <br />
<br />
The last one listed is for August 19th, 2010. What, if anything has been done between then and the January 25th round-up? Why wait so long to indict? In the indictment’s money laundering section, albeit in no way all inclusive, it list $104,251.00 as being spent by conspirators at the one FFL on record for cooperating with the investigation. Nowhere in the indictment nor the press releases is there mentioned any seizure of that money? Furthermore, contained in the 81 overt acts there is detailed the many firearms purchases which, when read and added together, total 717 firearms. The same 81 acts only describe the recovery of 123 firearms. (Note, I may have missed one here or there for both sales and/or recoveries. My numbers are quick tallies; feel free to check my math.) Of special note is the USAO press release (again - <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/</a> - “Press Room” under “2011 Archives.”, titled “Fast & Furious – Map of Recoveries”) It states the Recovery Totals as U.S. – 372, Mexico – 195. (Totaling 567 / still shy of the 717 listed as purchased in the indictment.) It makes no mention of the circumstances surrounding these recoveries, but it does show… <br />
<br />
“Rio Rico 2”. What happened in Rio Rico where 2 firearms were recovered? <br />
<br />
Indeed. What happened? <a href="http://www.kvoa.com/news/breaking-news-border-patrol-agent-shot-and-killed-near-rio-rico/" target="_blank">http://www.kvoa.com/news/breaking-news-border-patrol-agent-shot-and-killed-near-rio-rico/</a> <br />
<br />
Related information: <br />
<br />
* US v. Avila et al. <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Avila_Indictment.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Avila_Indictment.pdf</a> <br />
* US v. Flores et al. <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Flores_Indictment.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Flores_Indictment.pdf</a> <br />
* US v. Broome et al. <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Broome_Indictment.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Broome_Indictment.pdf</a> <br />
* US v. Aguilar <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Aguilar_Indictment.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Aguilar_Indictment.pdf</a> <br />
* US v. Abarca <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Abarca_Indictment.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/US_v_Abarca_Indictment.pdf</a> <br />
* Map of Firearms Recovered in Avilas Investigation <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/Fast_Furious_Map_ATF.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/Fast_Furious_Map_ATF.pdf</a> <br />
<br />
*TIII = Title III Electronic Surveillance <a href="http://ilt.eff.org/index.php/Privacy:_Wiretap_Act" target="_blank">http://ilt.eff.org/index.php/Privacy:_Wiretap_Act</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody"><span style="font-weight: bold;">BLOCKBUSTER: Open Source Analysis of "Fast & Furious" Bust Confirms It As An Integral Part of the Project Gunwalker Cover-up. </span> <br />
<br />
This analysis came to David Codrea and Mike Vanderboegh from a current or retired ATF agent and is being released simultaneously here at Sipsey Street Irregulars and David's War on Guns and National Gun Rights Examiner column. The original document has been copied into this form to prevent it being traced. <br />
<br />
Note: "TIII" referenced in the text is shorthand for Title III Electronic Surveillance. <br />
<br />
The Wiretap Act regulates the collection of actual content of wire and electronic communications. Codified in 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2522, the Wiretap Act was first passed as Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and is generally known as "Title III". Prior to the 1986 amendment by Title I of the ECPA, it covered only wire and oral communications. Title I of the ECPA extended that coverage to electronic communications. <br />
<br />
More at: <a href="http://ilt.eff.org/index.php/Privacy:_Wiretap_Act" target="_blank">http://ilt.eff.org/index.php/Privacy:_Wiretap_Act</a> <br />
<br />
Analysis begins: <br />
<br />
OK, I can’t believe this is even necessary but since no one else seems to have done it? Let us examine what we know through open source material… <br />
<br />
On January 25th, 2011, ATF Phoenix and the United States Attorney’s Office – District of Arizona held a press conference where they proudly displayed their 53 count “Jaime Avila Indictment” as a trophy to their exhaustive efforts in combating the flow of U.S. weapons to Mexico. (A copy of the press release and the indictment is available at: <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/</a> - “Press Room” under “2011 Archives.”) <br />
<br />
Some of ATF’s sworn assertion in the case: <br />
<br />
“15. Between September of 2009 and through December of 2010, defendants fraudulently and knowingly exported and sent firearms from the United States to Mexico contrary to the laws and regulations of the United States.” <br />
<br />
“16. Between September of 2009 and through December of 2010, defendants fraudulently and knowingly received, concealed, bought, sold, and facilitated the transportation, concealment, and sale of firearms prior to exportation, knowing the firearms were intended for exportation contrary to the laws and regulations of the United States.” <br />
<br />
Further: <br />
<br />
“As part of the conspiracy, members of the conspiracy both known and unknown to the grand jury shipped, transported, and exported firearms from the United States to Mexico.” <br />
<br />
As we all know, the life of the conspiracy does not automatically reflect when ATF’s investigation began. So when did it? <br />
<br />
“28. On or about November 19, 2009, prior to being pulled over by police, HECTOR ROLANDO CARLON attempted to dispose of an FN Herstal 5.7mm pistol purchased on November 17,2009, by JOSE ANGEL POLANCO.” <br />
<br />
“99. On December 8, 2009, SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD purchased forty AK-47 type rifle from FFL Lone Wolf Trading Company, Glendale, Arizona, and during the course of such purchases falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. On December 9,2009, nine of the AK-47 type rifles were found by Douglas, Arizona, police officers in the course of a vehicle stop, concealed in the bumper of a car.” <br />
<br />
Perhaps, but it may have just have been a couple of good road officers doing their job? But what about… <br />
<br />
“36. On December 8, 2009, a male caller using a telephone number utilized by MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA called FFL Lone Wolf Trading Company, Glendale, Arizona, to inquire as to the number ofAK-47 type rifles in stock. Forty-five minutes after this call, on the morning of December 8, 2009, SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD arrived at Lone Wolf and purchased twentyAK-47 type rifles which he transported to an auto auction business in Phoenix, Arizona, and loaded into another vehicle or vehicles. <br />
<br />
37. On the evening of December 8, 2009, SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD returned to Lone Wolf Trading Company and purchased an additional twenty AK-47 type rifles. SEAN CHRISTOPHER STEWARD loaded the rifles into a white Nissan Titan in which MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA was a passenger. This vehicle was driven to CELIS ACOSTA's residence where the rifles were unloaded.” <br />
<br />
Sounds like active investigation to me. How else do we learn the locations, phone calls, times, vehicles, passengers and the drivers? It doesn’t read like statements from a CI or even an historical account from someone directly involved. And remember, the FFL has already released a statement declaring that he was fully cooperating with ATF in this investigation. So at least by November, 2009, this was an active investigation. <br />
<br />
Was the ATF doing active surveillance on members of this conspiracy? <br />
<br />
“51. On or about August 19, 2010, JONATHANEARVIN FERNANDEZ purchased nine AK-47 type rifles from Lone Wolf Trading Company, and during the course of such purchase falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. After purchasing the firearms, FERNANDEZ and DANNY CRUZ MORONES, riding with FERNANDEZ, attempted to evade agents and officers conducting surveillance.” <br />
<br />
Although this is the only time that it appears in the affidavit, we can be certain that it is not the only time it was done. What else was going on… <br />
<br />
“81. On or about May 28, 2010, URIEL PATINO received a .308 caliber rifle from FFL Gunnet, Peoria, Arizona, at MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA's instruction, and during the course of such transfer falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. After receiving the rifle, URIEL PATINO spoke with MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA by phone and MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA instructs URIEL PATINO to deliver the rifle to MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA's residence.” <br />
<br />
“67. On or about July 2, 2010, in a telephone conversation with ALFREDO CELIS, MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA directed ALFREDO CELIS to take steps to recover twenty AK-47 type rifles seized by police on or about June 30, 2010.” <br />
<br />
“93. On or about July 8, 2010, MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA and FRANCISCO JAVIER PONCE spoke on the telephone and MANUEL FABIAN CELIS-ACOSTA arranged an additional straw purchase for FRANCISCO JAVIER PONCE by URIEL PATINO.” <br />
<br />
Can anyone say “T-III”? (Interesting note: Every agent knows that only Main Justice (DOJ – Criminal) is the final authorization hurdle for any T-III, spin-off, or renewal. They have to be briefed on the case and no affidavit can be submitted to the court without their review and authorization.) <br />
<br />
Now, what about the person whose names titles this indictment, Jaime Avila? <br />
<br />
“55. On or before November 24, 2009, JUAN JOSE MARTINEZ-GONZALEZ and URIEL PATINO introduced JAIME AVILA Jr. into the conspiracy to purchase firearms. On or about November 24, 2009, PATINO accompanied JAIME AVILA Jr. into Lone Wolf Trading Company while AVILA Jr. purchased firearms for the conspiracy.” <br />
<br />
“25. On or about January 16, 2010, JAIME AVILA, Jr. purchased three AK-47 type firearms from FFL Lone Wolf Trading Company, Glendale, Arizona, and during the course of such purchase falsely represented on ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms.” <br />
<br />
Avila is in no way the most culpable for firearms purchased according to the indictment. Many others have him beaten in both the number of purchases and amount of firearms trafficked. Why? Avila isn’t even charged in the most serious counts of the indictment. Why? Most striking is that on January 25th, 2011, while the ATF was serving the “Avila Indictment” and preparing for the press conference to follow – Avila wasn’t even arrested in the big roundup. Why? Well, a simple Pacer search (the Federal Courts electronic document system / available to anyone via the internet) reveals that Jaime Avila Jr. was already in jail. The court records clearly show how Avila was arrested during the early morning (just after midnight) of Dec. 16th, 2010, by Phoenix ATF agents for lying on 4473’s. So why on Dec 15th, 2010 did ATF feel the need to rush out and arrest Avila, on a hurried criminal complaint (as opposed to the proper method of indictment) after knowing of his trafficking activities, watching him and his co-conspirators, listening to their phones, and investigating them for nearly the past 14 months? What happened on Dec. 15th, 2010? Why was Avila arrested on a criminal complaint, indicted on January 11th, 2011, and then re-indicted on January 19th, 2011? (2-10-MJ-00629MHB, 2-11-CR-00065-GMS, and 2-11-CR-00126-JAT) Why was an indictment and round-up named after him when he had already been in jail for over a month? <br />
<br />
And lastly, what about the indictment in general? Although in no way does it have to state everything known in or about the case, it does raise some interesting questions. There are 81 Overt Acts that occurred “Between September of 2009 and through December of 2010” which are specifically detailed: <br />
<br />
“110. The factual allegations in paragraphs 24 to 105 of the Indictment are incorporated by reference and re-alleged as though fully set forth herein.” <br />
<br />
The last one listed is for August 19th, 2010. What, if anything has been done between then and the January 25th round-up? Why wait so long to indict? In the indictment’s money laundering section, albeit in no way all inclusive, it list $104,251.00 as being spent by conspirators at the one FFL on record for cooperating with the investigation. Nowhere in the indictment nor the press releases is there mentioned any seizure of that money? Furthermore, contained in the 81 overt acts there is detailed the many firearms purchases which, when read and added together, total 717 firearms. The same 81 acts only describe the recovery of 123 firearms. (Note, I may have missed one here or there for both sales and/or recoveries. My numbers are quick tallies; feel free to check my math.) Of special note is the USAO press release (again - <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/</a> - “Press Room” under “2011 Archives.”, titled “Fast & Furious – Map of Recoveries”) It states the Recovery Totals as U.S. – 372, Mexico – 195. (Totaling 567 / still shy of the 717 listed as purchased in the indictment.) It makes no mention of the circumstances surrounding these recoveries, but it does show… <br />
<br />
(Link: <a href="http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/Fast_Furious_Map_ATF.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press_releases/2011/Fast_Furious_Map_ATF.pdf</a> ) <br />
<br />
“Rio Rico 2”. What happened in Rio Rico where 2 firearms were recovered? <br />
<br />
________________________ <br />
<br />
Mike Vanderboegh answers: The murder of Brian Terry. Note that the origins of the scandal begin at least back in 2009. Note also the Justice Department approval of wiretaps. Do you recall what Senator Grassley wrote in his first letter of 27 January to Acting Director Melson about if the ATF had prior contact with straw purchasers that it would raise a number of serious questions? The fact is that coupled with the decision (by Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer) to get rid of Attache Gil and keep the Mexicans in the dark, this is where the cover-up began. It explains why the FBI has been mum on the murder investigation. They CAN'T give us details without the whole sordid tale coming out. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/02/open-source-analysis-of-fast-furious.html" target="_blank">http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/02/open-source-analysis-of-fast-furious.html</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody">ATF Project Gunrunner May Have “Lost” 3000 Firearms <br />
<br />
<img border="0" src="http://thetruthaboutguns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/13706931_BG1.jpg" /> <br />
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent Brian Terry ( courtesy littlebytesnews.amplify.com ) <br />
<br />
February 6, 2011 <br />
by Robert Farago <br />
<br />
The “Gunwalker” scandal started at cleanupatf.org. Well it actually started at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (and Really Big Fires), where someone had the bright idea to allow rifles to travel from the U.S. to Mexico. Or maybe even “walk” them into Mexico themselves. All so the ATF could justify federal funding and garner kudos by busting said smugglers. Eventually. But not before a Mexican drug gang used two ATF-enabled weapons to murder Brian Terry, an agent for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Hang on; two weapons? What are the odds? Either the ATF was extremely unlucky in this firearms fiasco or . . . they must be responsible for a large number of deadly weapons falling into the hands of criminals. Now that I’ve had a little time to poke around the site, I’ve discovered the possibility that there may be 3000 smoking guns . . . <br />
<br />
Have any of you non-ATF employees reading these posts ever ask yourselves ‘where is the adult supervision in that organization?’ [ED: TTAG's Chris Dumm's exact words.] As ‘gunwalker’ continues to gain attention, the guys in the Phoenix Division rumored that the number of ‘waked’ [sic] guns could be as high as 3,000. <br />
<br />
So, where is the adult supervision that says ‘this case is not going anywhere and we are doing more harm than good so STOP?’ These cases were approved by the RAICS, ASIC, SAIC and HQ managers. [ED: anyone know what they're talking about?] So the question is why?” <br />
<br />
And the answer is . . . <br />
<br />
Well the word from Phoenix is that the SAIC Newell wanted to be able to track where these guns were going in Mexico. As such, the analysts have made pretty charts with lines showing where these guns have turned up. I am not sure how that stems the flow of guns South, especially considering these guns usually get recovered alongside dead bodies. <br />
<br />
Let’s stop and think about that. A branch of the United States government was supplying weapons to Mexican criminals who used them to murder Mexican citizens. Why are we only outraged in the usual myopic sense (i.e. if a plane crashes in an African forest and no Americans died did it really happen)? At the risk of stating the obvious, this is madness. The ATF should be shuttered before they start setting fires to clear up those crimes. Madness. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/02/robert-farago/atf-project-gunrunner-may-have-lost-3000-firearms/" target="_blank">http://thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/02/robert-farago/atf-project-gunrunner-may-have-lost-3000-firearms/</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="postbody">Tuesday, January 25, 2011 <br />
<br />
ATF Project Gunrunner dog and pony show in Phoenix today. Are they ready to spin the "modified limited hangout" on the death of BPA Terry? <br />
<br />
President Richard Nixon: "You think, you think we want to, want to go this route now? And the--let it hang out, so to speak?" <br />
<br />
White House Counsel John Dean: "Well, it's, it isn't really that--" <br />
<br />
Bob Haldeman: "It's a limited hang out." <br />
<br />
Dean: "It's a limited hang out." <br />
<br />
John Ehrlichman: "It's a modified limited hang out." <br />
<br />
Nixon: "Well, it's only the questions of the thing hanging out publicly or privately." <br />
<br />
-- Watergate Tapes, 22 March 1973 meeting between Richard Nixon, John Dean, John Ehrlichman, John Mitchell, and H.R. Haldeman. <br />
<br />
<br />
A limited hangout, or partial hangout, is a public relations or propaganda technique that involves the release of previously hidden information in order to prevent a greater exposure of more important details. It takes the form of deception, misdirection, or coverup often associated with intelligence agencies involving a release or "mea culpa" type of confession of only part of a set of previously hidden sensitive information, that establishes credibility for the one releasing the information who by the very act of confession appears to be "coming clean" and acting with integrity; but in actuality, by withholding key facts, is protecting a deeper operation and those who could be exposed if the whole truth came out. In effect, if an array of offenses or misdeeds is suspected, this confession admits to a lesser offense while covering up the greater ones. -- Wikipedia. <br />
<br />
Confirmed with two reporters that there will be a press conference at 10 a.m. at ATF in Phoenix. It will be all about how Project Gunrunner is protecting us from the evil American gun dealers. Presumably they won't be bragging about "walking" the rifle south that killed BPA Terry. Whether they have a "modified limited hangout" ready remains to be seen. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/01/atf-project-gunrunner-dog-and-pony-show.html" target="_blank">http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/01/atf-project-gunrunner-dog-and-pony-show.html</a></span><span class="postbody"> </span><span class="postbody"> </span><span class="postbody"> </span></span><span class="postbody"> </span>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-54572779461041050332011-07-08T14:24:00.000-10:002011-07-08T14:24:22.268-10:00The U.S. is ranked No. 1 in the world when it comes to external debt.<span style="font-size: large;">The U.S. is not at the bottom of every CIA list. In fact, it's ranked No. 1 in the world when it comes to <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2079rank.html">external debt</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">With a whopping $13.98 trillion as of June 2010, the U.S. holds the dubious distinction of top debtor, just ahead of the European Union, whose debt is listed at $13.72 trillion. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The top 20 countries with the highest debt can be seen in this CIA chart:</span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#f8f8e7" height="25" valign="middle"><th align="center" scope="col" style="padding-left: 5px;" width="50"><div class="smalltext"><b>Rank</b></div></th> <th align="center" class="smalltext" scope="col" style="padding-left: 5px;" width="215">country</th> <th align="center" class="smalltext" height="25" scope="col" width="160">Debt - external </th> <th align="center" class="smalltext" height="25" scope="col" width="155">Date of Information</th> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="us" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="us"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">1</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html"><b>United States</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 13,980,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ee" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="ee"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">2</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ee.html"><b>European Union</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 13,720,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="uk" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="uk"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">3</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html"><b>United Kingdom</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 8,981,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="gm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">4</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html"><b>Germany</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 4,713,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="fr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="fr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">5</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html"><b>France</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 4,698,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ja" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="ja"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">6</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html"><b>Japan</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,441,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 September 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ei" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="ei"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">7</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ei.html"><b>Ireland</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,253,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 September 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="no" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="no"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">8</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/no.html"><b>Norway</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,232,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="it" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="it"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">9</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/it.html"><b>Italy</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,223,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sp" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="sp"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">10</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp.html"><b>Spain</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,166,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="lu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="lu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">11</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lu.html"><b>Luxembourg</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,892,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="be" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="be"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">12</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.html"><b>Belgium</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,241,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="sz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">13</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sz.html"><b>Switzerland</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,200,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 September 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="as" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="as"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">14</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html"><b>Australia</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,169,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">31 December 2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ca" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="ca"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">15</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html"><b>Canada</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,009,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sw" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="sw"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">16</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sw.html"><b>Sweden</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 853,300,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="au" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="au"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">17</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/au.html"><b>Austria</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 755,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hk" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="hk"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">18</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hk.html"><b>Hong Kong</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 750,800,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">31 December 2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="da" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="da"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">19</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/da.html"><b>Denmark</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 559,500,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="gr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">20</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html"><b>Greece</b></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 532,900,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div><span class="category_data">30 June 2010</span> </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">The U.S. ranks second only to the European Union when it comes to <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html">gross domestic product, or GDP</a>. The U.S. GDP is estimated at $14.66 trillion for 2010. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When it comes to <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2129rank.html">unemployment</a>, the U.S. is about in the middle of the pack, ranking 106 out of 200, with a jobless rate of 9.7 percent. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Central Intelligence Agency notes on its website that it's "an independent U.S. government agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior U.S. policymakers."</span><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=316773#ixzz1RYwcUFAi" style="color: #003399;">CIA: U.S. finances at bottom of planet</a> <a href="http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=316773#ixzz1RYwcUFAi" style="color: #003399;">http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=316773#ixzz1RYwcUFAi</a></span></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-72688685363102558682011-07-08T14:13:00.000-10:002011-07-08T14:13:21.486-10:00United States ranks last among all nations in the world<span style="font-size: large;">The United States ranks last among all nations in the world when it comes to its current account balance, astronomically lower than every other economy, the CIA reports. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">According to the most recent figures in the CIA World Factbook, America sits at the bottom of 191 nations, with a listed <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2187rank.html">account balance of an astonishing negative $561 billion</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The CIA defines current account balance as "a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Topping the list on the positive side is China, with an account balance of $272 billion. It's followed by Japan, Germany, Russia and Norway. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Rounding out the top ten are Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Singapore and Taiwan. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Besides the U.S. and Spain at the bottom of the list, the remainder of the worst ten are Italy, France, Brazil, United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Australia and India. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Greece, which has been making headlines for its financial problems for months and has seen economic-related violence escalate in recent days, is ranked at 180 with an account balance of negative $17 billion.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
</div><br />
The chart from the CIA can be seen here:<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#f8f8e7" height="25" valign="middle"><th align="center" scope="col" style="padding-left: 5px;" width="50"><div class="smalltext"><strong>Rank</strong></div></th> <th align="center" class="smalltext" scope="col" style="padding-left: 5px;" width="215">country</th> <th align="center" class="smalltext" height="25" scope="col" width="160"> Current account balance </th> <th align="center" class="smalltext" height="25" scope="col" width="155">Date of Information</th> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ch" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ch"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">1</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html"><strong>China</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 272,500,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ja" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ja"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">2</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html"><strong>Japan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 166,500,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">3</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html"><strong>Germany</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 162,300,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="rs" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="rs"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">4</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html"><strong>Russia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 68,850,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="no" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="no"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">5</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/no.html"><strong>Norway</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 60,230,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sa" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sa"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">6</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html"><strong>Saudi Arabia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 52,030,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">7</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sz.html"><strong>Switzerland</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 49,350,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="nl" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="nl"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">8</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nl.html"><strong>Netherlands</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 46,690,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sn" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sn"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">9</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sn.html"><strong>Singapore</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 44,080,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tw" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tw"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">10</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tw.html"><strong>Taiwan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 39,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ku" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ku"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">11</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ku.html"><strong>Kuwait</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 38,200,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ks" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ks"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">12</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html"><strong>Korea, South</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 36,350,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="my" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="my"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">13</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/my.html"><strong>Malaysia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 34,140,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ni" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ni"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">14</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ni.html"><strong>Nigeria</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 27,770,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ve" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ve"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">15</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ve.html"><strong>Venezuela</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 22,070,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sw" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sw"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">16</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sw.html"><strong>Sweden</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 21,680,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="qa" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="qa"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">17</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/qa.html"><strong>Qatar</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 20,110,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hk" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="hk"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">18</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hk.html"><strong>Hong Kong</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 18,070,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="aj" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="aj"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">19</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/aj.html"><strong>Azerbaijan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 15,960,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ly" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ly"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">20</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ly.html"><strong>Libya</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 15,530,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="da" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="da"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">21</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/da.html"><strong>Denmark</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 14,350,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="th" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="th"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">22</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/th.html"><strong>Thailand</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 12,290,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="au" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="au"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">23</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/au.html"><strong>Austria</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 9,900,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ir" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ir"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">24</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html"><strong>Iran</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 9,760,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="rp" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="rp"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">25</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html"><strong>Philippines</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 9,510,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="id" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="id"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">26</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html"><strong>Indonesia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 8,532,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bx" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bx"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">27</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bx.html"><strong>Brunei</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 7,024,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2008 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="kz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="kz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">28</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html"><strong>Kazakhstan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 6,993,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ar" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ar"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">29</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html"><strong>Argentina</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 6,976,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="is" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="is"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">30</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/is.html"><strong>Israel</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 6,269,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mc" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mc"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">31</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mc.html"><strong>Macau</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 6,230,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="uz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="uz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">32</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uz.html"><strong>Uzbekistan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 5,588,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="fi" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="fi"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">33</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fi.html"><strong>Finland</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 4,696,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ag" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ag"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">34</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ag.html"><strong>Algeria</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 3,959,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">35</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bg.html"><strong>Bangladesh</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 3,734,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ae" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ae"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">36</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ae.html"><strong>United Arab Emirates</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 3,409,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="lu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="lu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">37</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lu.html"><strong>Luxembourg</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 3,396,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="td" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="td"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">38</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/td.html"><strong>Trinidad and Tobago</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 3,363,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tx" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tx"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">39</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tx.html"><strong>Turkmenistan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 3,081,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">40</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mu.html"><strong>Oman</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,724,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="iz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="iz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">41</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/iz.html"><strong>Iraq</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,715,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ao" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ao"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">42</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ao.html"><strong>Angola</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 2,089,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="lg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="lg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">43</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lg.html"><strong>Latvia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,620,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="lh" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="lh"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">44</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lh.html"><strong>Lithuania</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,231,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tt" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tt"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">45</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tt.html"><strong>Timor-Leste</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,161,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ci" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ci"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">46</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ci.html"><strong>Chile</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 1,033,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bl" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bl"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">47</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bl.html"><strong>Bolivia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 690,200,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">48</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bm.html"><strong>Burma</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 652,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sy" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sy"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">49</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sy.html"><strong>Syria</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 649,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="up" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="up"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">50</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/up.html"><strong>Ukraine</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 603,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gb" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gb"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">51</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gb.html"><strong>Gabon</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 591,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ba" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ba"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">52</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ba.html"><strong>Bahrain</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 589,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="iv" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="iv"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">53</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/iv.html"><strong>Cote d'Ivoire</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 534,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="eg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="eg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">54</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html"><strong>Egypt</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 270,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="en" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="en"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">55</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/en.html"><strong>Estonia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 265,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bt" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bt"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">56</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bt.html"><strong>Bhutan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 164,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2008 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="vi" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="vi"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">57</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vi.html"><strong>British Virgin Islands</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 134,300,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">1999</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cw" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cw"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">58</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cw.html"><strong>Cook Islands</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 26,670,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2005</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ns" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ns"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">59</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ns.html"><strong>Suriname</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 24,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ps" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ps"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">60</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ps.html"><strong>Palau</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 15,090,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">FY03/04</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cn" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cn"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">61</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cn.html"><strong>Comoros</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ 8,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="pu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="pu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">62</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pu.html"><strong>Guinea-Bissau</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -6,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tv" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tv"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">63</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tv.html"><strong>Tuvalu</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -11,680,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2003</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">64</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bu.html"><strong>Bulgaria</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -12,800,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="kr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="kr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">65</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kr.html"><strong>Kiribati</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -21,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tn" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tn"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">66</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tn.html"><strong>Tonga</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -23,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ws" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ws"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">67</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ws.html"><strong>Samoa</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -24,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="fm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="fm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">68</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fm.html"><strong>Micronesia, Federated States of</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -34,300,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">FY05 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ic" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ic"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">69</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ic.html"><strong>Iceland</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -42,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="av" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="av"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">70</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/av.html"><strong>Anguilla</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -42,870,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2003 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="nh" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="nh"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">71</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nh.html"><strong>Vanuatu</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -60,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sl" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sl"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">72</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sl.html"><strong>Sierra Leone</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -63,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="do" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="do"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">73</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/do.html"><strong>Dominica</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -72,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tp" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tp"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">74</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tp.html"><strong>Sao Tome and Principe</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -73,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ct" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ct"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">75</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ct.html"><strong>Central African Republic</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -77,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">76</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html"><strong>Cuba</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -87,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ga" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ga"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">77</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ga.html"><strong>Gambia, The</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -90,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="za" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="za"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">78</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html"><strong>Zambia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -99,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="pp" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="pp"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">79</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pp.html"><strong>Papua New Guinea</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -99,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="lt" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="lt"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">80</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lt.html"><strong>Lesotho</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -125,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="by" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="by"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">81</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/by.html"><strong>Burundi</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -136,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gj" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gj"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">82</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gj.html"><strong>Grenada</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -138,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bp" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bp"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">83</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bp.html"><strong>Solomon Islands</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -143,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="vc" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="vc"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">84</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vc.html"><strong>Saint Vincent and the Grenadines</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -149,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bh" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bh"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">85</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bh.html"><strong>Belize</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -151,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sc" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sc"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">86</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sc.html"><strong>Saint Kitts and Nevis</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -163,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">87</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mr.html"><strong>Mauritania</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -184,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="wa" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="wa"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">88</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wa.html"><strong>Namibia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -187,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="la" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="la"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">89</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/la.html"><strong>Laos</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -195,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="st" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="st"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">90</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/st.html"><strong>Saint Lucia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -199,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="kg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="kg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">91</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kg.html"><strong>Kyrgyzstan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -210,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ac" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ac"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">92</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ac.html"><strong>Antigua and Barbuda</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -211,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="er" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="er"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">93</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/er.html"><strong>Eritrea</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -212,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="li" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="li"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">94</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/li.html"><strong>Liberia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -224,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bb" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bb"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">95</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bb.html"><strong>Barbados</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -254,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bf" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bf"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">96</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bf.html"><strong>Bahamas, The</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -283,200,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2009 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cv" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cv"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">97</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cv.html"><strong>Cape Verde</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -286,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gy" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gy"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">98</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gy.html"><strong>Guyana</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -311,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mi" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mi"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">99</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mi.html"><strong>Malawi</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -315,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ng" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ng"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">100</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ng.html"><strong>Niger</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -321,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mk" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mk"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">101</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mk.html"><strong>Macedonia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -328,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ti" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ti"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">102</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ti.html"><strong>Tajikistan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -330,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="to" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="to"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">103</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/to.html"><strong>Togo</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -339,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="se" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="se"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">104</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/se.html"><strong>Seychelles</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -351,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="dj" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="dj"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">105</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/dj.html"><strong>Djibouti</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -352,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2009 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mt" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mt"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">106</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mt.html"><strong>Malta</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -362,800,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="wz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="wz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">107</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wz.html"><strong>Swaziland</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -374,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="uy" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="uy"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">108</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uy.html"><strong>Uruguay</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -377,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">109</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mg.html"><strong>Mongolia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -378,800,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="pa" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="pa"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">110</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pa.html"><strong>Paraguay</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -391,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gv" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gv"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">111</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gv.html"><strong>Guinea</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -434,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ml" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ml"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">112</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ml.html"><strong>Mali</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -446,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="np" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="np"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">113</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/np.html"><strong>Nepal</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -449,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mv" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mv"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">114</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mv.html"><strong>Maldives</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -463,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="uv" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="uv"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">115</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uv.html"><strong>Burkina Faso</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -486,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="rw" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="rw"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">116</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rw.html"><strong>Rwanda</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -489,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="fj" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="fj"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">117</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fj.html"><strong>Fiji</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -507,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bc" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bc"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">118</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bc.html"><strong>Botswana</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -552,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="md" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="md"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">119</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/md.html"><strong>Moldova</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -565,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cf" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cf"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">120</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cf.html"><strong>Congo, Republic of the</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -569,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bn" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bn"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">121</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bn.html"><strong>Benin</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -582,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="si" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="si"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">122</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/si.html"><strong>Slovenia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -598,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ma" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ma"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">123</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ma.html"><strong>Madagascar</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -600,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ec" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ec"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">124</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ec.html"><strong>Ecuador</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -692,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ha" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ha"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">125</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html"><strong>Haiti</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -781,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ug" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ug"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">126</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html"><strong>Uganda</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -784,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="nu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="nu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">127</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.html"><strong>Nicaragua</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -819,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">128</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cm.html"><strong>Cameroon</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -826,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="es" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="es"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">129</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/es.html"><strong>El Salvador</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -907,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cb" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cb"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">130</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cb.html"><strong>Cambodia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -918,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mp" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mp"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">131</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mp.html"><strong>Mauritius</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -949,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="jo" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="jo"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">132</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jo.html"><strong>Jordan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -975,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">133</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mz.html"><strong>Mozambique</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,028,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ri" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ri"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">134</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ri.html"><strong>Serbia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,046,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">135</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sg.html"><strong>Senegal</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,046,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ho" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ho"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">136</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ho.html"><strong>Honduras</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,048,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mj" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mj"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">137</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mj.html"><strong>Montenegro</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,102,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2007 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="be" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="be"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">138</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.html"><strong>Belgium</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,129,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="am" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="am"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">139</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/am.html"><strong>Armenia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,138,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bk" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bk"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">140</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bk.html"><strong>Bosnia and Herzegovina</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,175,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="al" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="al"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">141</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/al.html"><strong>Albania</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,245,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gt" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gt"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">142</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gt.html"><strong>Guatemala</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,345,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cs" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cs"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">143</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.html"><strong>Costa Rica</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,349,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="jm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="jm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">144</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jm.html"><strong>Jamaica</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,382,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ts" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ts"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">145</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html"><strong>Tunisia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,389,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">146</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gg.html"><strong>Georgia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,404,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ke" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ke"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">147</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html"><strong>Kenya</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,414,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cg" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cg"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">148</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html"><strong>Congo, Democratic Republic of the</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,470,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ek" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ek"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">149</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ek.html"><strong>Equatorial Guinea</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,477,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="zi" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="zi"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">150</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html"><strong>Zimbabwe</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,503,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">151</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tz.html"><strong>Tanzania</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,523,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ce" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ce"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">152</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html"><strong>Sri Lanka</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,784,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gh" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gh"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">153</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html"><strong>Ghana</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,871,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="lo" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="lo"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">154</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lo.html"><strong>Slovakia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -1,930,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="hu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">155</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hu.html"><strong>Hungary</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,128,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ym" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ym"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">156</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ym.html"><strong>Yemen</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,181,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="et" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="et"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">157</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html"><strong>Ethiopia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,232,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="hr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">158</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/hr.html"><strong>Croatia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,312,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="pe" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="pe"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">159</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pe.html"><strong>Peru</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,315,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="af" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="af"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">160</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html"><strong>Afghanistan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,475,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2009 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cy" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cy"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">161</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cy.html"><strong>Cyprus</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,500,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="pm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="pm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">162</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pm.html"><strong>Panama</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,523,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="su" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="su"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">163</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/su.html"><strong>Sudan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,595,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="cd" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="cd"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">164</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cd.html"><strong>Chad</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,600,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="pk" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="pk"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">165</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html"><strong>Pakistan</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,641,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="kv" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="kv"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">166</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kv.html"><strong>Kosovo</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -2,716,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ei" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ei"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">167</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ei.html"><strong>Ireland</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -3,191,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="dr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="dr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">168</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/dr.html"><strong>Dominican Republic</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -3,862,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="nz" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="nz"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">169</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nz.html"><strong>New Zealand</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -4,504,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="bo" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="bo"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">170</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html"><strong>Belarus</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -5,062,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="co" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="co"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">171</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/co.html"><strong>Colombia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -5,946,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ez" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ez"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">172</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ez.html"><strong>Czech Republic</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -5,956,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="le" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="le"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">173</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/le.html"><strong>Lebanon</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -6,972,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mx" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mx"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">174</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html"><strong>Mexico</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -7,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="mo" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="mo"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">175</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html"><strong>Morocco</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -7,922,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ro" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ro"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">176</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ro.html"><strong>Romania</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -7,934,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="vm" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="vm"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">177</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vm.html"><strong>Vietnam</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -12,220,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="pl" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="pl"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">178</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pl.html"><strong>Poland</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -12,330,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sf" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sf"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">179</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html"><strong>South Africa</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -16,510,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="gr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="gr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">180</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html"><strong>Greece</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -17,100,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="po" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="po"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">181</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/po.html"><strong>Portugal</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -19,030,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="in" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="in"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">182</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html"><strong>India</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -26,910,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="as" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="as"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">183</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html"><strong>Australia</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -35,230,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tu" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="tu"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">184</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html"><strong>Turkey</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -38,820,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="ca" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="ca"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">185</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html"><strong>Canada</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -40,210,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="uk" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="uk"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">186</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html"><strong>United Kingdom</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -40,340,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="br" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="br"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">187</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html"><strong>Brazil</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -52,730,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="fr" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="fr"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">188</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fr.html"><strong>France</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -53,290,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="it" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="it"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">189</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/it.html"><strong>Italy</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -61,980,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="sp" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="sp"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">190</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp.html"><strong>Spain</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -66,740,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="us" style="width: 638px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="4"><a href="" name="us"></a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td align="center" class="currentRow" width="65">191</td> <td align="left" class="region" style="padding: 8px 0px 8px 5px; text-transform: none;" width="215"><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html"><strong>United States</strong></a></td> <td align="center" class="category_data" style="padding-right: 5px;" width="160"><div>$ -561,000,000,000</div></td> <td align="right" style="padding-left: 8px;" width="155"><div> <span class="category_data">2010 est.</span> </div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The next closest nation to the U.S. is Spain, and though it's ranked at No. 190, its account balance is negative $66 billion, far less than the American figure. <br />
<em><a href="http://www.nomoreredink.com/">Join the "No More Red Ink" campaign today and send letters to all 240 House Republicans on the issue of outrageous American debt today.</a></em><br />
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<div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">Read more: <a href="http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=316773#ixzz1RYtxZx8P" style="color: #003399;">CIA: U.S. finances at bottom of planet</a> <a href="http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=316773#ixzz1RYtxZx8P" style="color: #003399;">http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=316773#ixzz1RYtxZx8P</a></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-17642386719997208012011-07-01T13:37:00.000-10:002011-07-01T13:37:43.795-10:00Operation Wetback<h1><img alt="" height="320" 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" width="228" /><a href="http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/images/S/Swing_Joseph_M.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/images/S/Swing_Joseph_M.jpg" border="0" height="320" src="http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/images/S/Swing_Joseph_M.jpg" width="293" /></a></h1><h1><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Gen. Joseph "Jumpin' Joe" Swing</span><br />
<span class="normalloose"><img align="right" alt="11th Airborne Division Patch" height="125" src="http://www.ww2-airborne.us/18corps/11abn/11images/11_patch_sm.jpg" width="85" /> <img align="left" height="30" hspace="0" src="http://www.ww2-airborne.us/images/t_capltr.gif" width="30" />he 11th Airborne Division was activated at Camp Mackall North Carolina on February 25, 1943 under the command of Major General Joseph M. Swing <span class="smallprompt"><span style="color: #990000;"> (picture left). </span></span>The division was manned primarily with former glider troops and some veteran Airborne troops. Immediately after activation, the Division began an intensive training cycle to get all of the glider troops jump qualified. Many of the troops were simply sent up in an aircraft with little formal training on the ground. The new Airborne soldiers performed above expectations and the Division was ready for overseas movement barely a year later.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="NG"></a> <span class="normalloose">In early 1944, the "Angels" were ordered to prepare for embarkation and the Division moved to San Francisco California. They boarded troop transports and in May they were on their way to New Guinea in the South Pacific. Upon arrival they were ordered into an intensive training cycle to learn jungle warfare in preparation for the invasion of the Pilippines. For 5 months the 11th Airborne sweated in the jungles and mountains of New Guinea and had several training jumps. FInally on November 11th, the Division boarded transports for their objective.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="normalloose">On November 18, 1944, the Angels landed at Leyte Beach Philippines. After consolidating their equipment, they moved inland to relieve they weary 24th Infantry and 37th Infantry Divisions. The 11th's objective was to clear a mountain pass from Burauen to Ormoc. It took 3 months of bitter fighting, often hand-to-hand to drive the Japanese defenders from the pass and surrounding heights. In the end the 11th Airborne had killed almost 6,000 enemy soldiers. When the Division arrived in Ormoc they were given a much needed rest and resupply.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="SP"></a> <span class="normalloose">On January 26, 1945 the 11th went back into action having rested only a few days. The Division landed at Nasgubu Beach, Luzon some 70 miles from the capitol city of Manila. Their mission was simple, clear all enemy opposition from a major highway and link up with the Allied forces attacking Manila. In just 5 days, the Division had eliminated all enemy resistance along Highway 17 and had pierced the main line of resistance at Tagayatay Ridge. Here the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment conducted a combat parachute drop to reinforce the 11th and the Division continued north.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3577423120646656936" name="L"></a> <span class="normalloose">After capturing Fort McKinley and Nichols field, the 11th launched their assult on Manila joining the 1st Cavalry Division and the 37th Infantry Division who were attacking from the North. Once the capitol was liberated, the 11th made a daring raid behind enemy lines and liberated 2,147 Allied POWs from the Los Baños Internment Camp. Once that mission was cleared the 11th Airborne spent the next few weeks mopping up resistance in the southern areas of Luzon.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="normalloose">In May of 1945, the Division moved into a reserve area in the Philippines to rest, resupply and take in new troops. They began preparations for the next big operation. Operation Olympic, the invasion of the Japanese home islands. Those plans were cancelled after the Japanese surrender in August 1945. On Aug. 10, 1945, the division moved to Okinawa to escort Gen. Douglas MacArthur into Japan and to spearhead the occupation. The 11th Airborne landed at Atsugi Airdrome, near Tokyo, on Aug. 30, 1945, and occupied an initial area in and around Yokohama. They remained there until mid-September 1945, when they moved to northern Japan and assumed responsibility for Akita, Yamagata, Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures. The division later took over control of Amori, Hokkaido, Fukushima and Prefectures to control of almost half the island of Honshu and all the island of Hokkaido.</span><br />
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<span class="normalloose">Legend has it that when the 1st Cavalry Division, whose motto is "1st in Manila, 1st in Tokyo" arrived in Tokyo, they were met by the 11th Airborne Division band. The band played a special song for the Cavalry; <i style="background-color: #33ff33;">"The old gray mare ain't what she used to be"</i>. General Swing left the division, which he had formed and led through combat, in January 1948, to assume command of 1st Corps, 8th Army and Maj. Gen. William M. Miley, the former commander of the 17th Airborne Division, assumed command. The 11th Airborne Division remained on occupation duty until 1949 when they were relieved and sent to Camp Campbell Kentucky.</span></h1><table cellspacing="5" class="infobox vcard"><tbody>
<tr class=""><th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Place of birth</th> <td class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_City,_New_Jersey" title="Jersey City, New Jersey">Jersey City</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey" title="New Jersey">New Jersey</a></td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Resting place</th> <td class=""><span class="label"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington_National_Cemetery" title="Arlington National Cemetery">Arlington National Cemetery</a></span></td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Allegiance</th> <td class=""><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_of_America" title="United States of America">United States of America</a></td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Service/branch</th> <td class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army" title="United States Army">United States Army</a></td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Years of service</th> <td class="">1915–54</td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Rank</th> <td class=""><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_General_%28United_States%29" title="Lieutenant General (United States)">Lieutenant General</a></td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Commands held</th> <td class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Airborne_Division_%28United_States%29" title="11th Airborne Division (United States)">11th Airborne Division</a></td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Battles/wars</th> <td class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a></td> </tr>
<tr class=""> <th scope="row" style="padding-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Awards</th> <td class=""><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distinguished_Service_Cross_%28United_States%29" title="Distinguished Service Cross (United States)">Distinguished Service Cross</a><br />
<a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Distinguished_Service_Medal" title="Army Distinguished Service Medal">Army Distinguished Service Medal</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Star" title="Silver Star">Silver Star</a> (3)<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_Merit" title="Legion of Merit">Legion of Merit</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Star_Medal" title="Bronze Star Medal">Bronze Star</a> (3)<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Medal" title="Air Medal">Air Medal</a> (2)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><pre id="line122"> <i>The President of the United States takes pleasure
in presenting the <span style="background-color: yellow;">Distinguished Service Cross to Joseph May Swing</span> (0-3801),
Major General, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with
military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding
General, 11th Airborne Division, in action against enemy forces from 15
to 17 April 1945, at Luzon, Philippine Islands.</i></pre><pre id="line122"><i> </i></pre><pre id="line122"><i>Major General Swing displayed superior tactical
knowledge and inspiring leadership while personally leading repeated attacks
against the strong Japanese defense position at Mt. Macolod, Batangas,
Luzon. </i></pre><pre id="line122"><i> </i></pre><pre id="line122"><i>He flew many dangerous flights in liaison airplanes
at low altitudes over the heavily defended ridges in order to make a thorough
estimate of the enemy positions and of the terrain. </i></pre><pre id="line122"><i> </i></pre><pre id="line122"><i>Despite the protest of subordinates, he personally,
and on foot, led tank destroyers forward through intense enemy machine-gun
and mortar fire to place them in more advantageous positions, and directed
their fire so effectively that the enemy-held ridge was taken without further
delay. He then moved to the south flank where he found the front lines
stalemated and weapons unmanned because of heavy enemy fire.</i></pre><pre id="line122"><i> </i></pre><pre id="line122"><i>With heroic disregard for his personal safety,
General Swing strode fearlessly between tanks and machine guns, calling
upon his troops to man their weapons and attack. Inspired by his fearlessness
and heroic action, the troops attacked, silenced the Japanese fire, and
seized and held the main enemy positions.</i></pre><pre id="line122"><i> </i></pre><pre id="line122"><i>Through his inspiring courage and valiant leadership,
General Swing made a distinguished contribution to the liberation of the
Philippine Islands. His gallant leadership, personal bravery and zealous
devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces
of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 11th Airborne
Division, and the United States Army. </i></pre><h1><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a_12m4Qe7Ic?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br />
</h1><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Operation Wetback</span></div><h1> </h1><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://rasica.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/image0011.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-20188" height="290" src="http://rasica.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/image0011.jpg?w=477&h=290" title="image0011" width="477" /></a></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.</i></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>‘In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American….There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.’</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Theodore Roosevelt 1907</i></span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 1949 the Border Patrol seized nearly 280,000 illegal immigrants. By 1953, the numbers had grown to more than 865,000, and the U.S. government felt pressured to do something about the onslaught of immigration. What resulted was Operation Wetback, devised in 1954 under the supervision of new commissioner of the Immigration and Nationalization Service, Gen. Joseph Swing.</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Swing oversaw the Border patrol, and organized state and local officials along with the police. The object of his intense border enforcement were "illegal aliens," but common practice of Operation Wetback focused on Mexicans in general. The police swarmed through Mexican American barrios throughout the southeastern states. Some Mexicans, fearful of the potential violence of this militarization, fled back south across the border. In 1954, the agents discovered over 1 million illegal immigrants.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In some cases, illegal immigrants were deported along with their American-born children, who were by law U.S. citizens. The agents used a wide brush in their criteria for interrogating potential aliens. They adopted the practice of stopping "Mexican-looking" citizens on the street and asking for identification. This practice incited and angered many U.S. citizens who were of Mexican American descent. Opponents in both the United States and Mexico complained of "police-state" methods, and Operation Wetback was abandoned.</span></div><br />
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<div class="sByline" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> By <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/About/Contact-Us-Feedback">John Dillin</a> / </span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <span class="sLoc">WASHINGTON</span> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">George W. Bush isn't the first Republican president to face a full-blown immigration crisis on the US-Mexican border.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, America's southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="http://www.generals.dk/content/portraits/Eisenhower_Dwight_David.jpg" src="http://www.generals.dk/content/portraits/Eisenhower_Dwight_David.jpg" /><span style="font-size: large;">President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents – less than one-tenth of today's force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although there is little to no record of this operation in Ike's official papers, one piece of historic evidence indicates how he felt. In 1951, Ike wrote a letter to Sen. William Fulbright (D) of Arkansas. The senator had just proposed that a special commission be created by Congress to examine unethical conduct by government officials who accepted gifts and favors in exchange for special treatment of private individuals.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">General Eisenhower, who was gearing up for his run for the presidency, said "Amen" to Senator Fulbright's proposal. He then quoted a report in The New York Times, highlighting one paragraph that said: "The rise in illegal border-crossing by Mexican 'wetbacks' to a current rate of more than 1,000,000 cases a year has been accompanied by a curious relaxation in ethical standards extending all the way from the farmer-exploiters of this contraband labor to the highest levels of the Federal Government."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Years later, the late Herbert Brownell Jr., Eisenhower's first attorney general, said in an interview with this writer that the president had a sense of urgency about illegal immigration when he took office.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">America "was faced with a breakdown in law enforcement on a very large scale," Mr. Brownell said. "When I say large scale, I mean hundreds of thousands were coming in from Mexico [every year] without restraint."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although an on-and-off guest-worker program for Mexicans was operating at the time, farmers and ranchers in the Southwest had become dependent on an additional low-cost, docile, illegal labor force of up to 3 million, mostly Mexican, laborers.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">According to the Handbook of Texas Online, published by the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas State Historical Association, this illegal workforce had a severe impact on the wages of ordinary working Americans. The Handbook Online reports that a study by the President's Commission on Migratory Labor in Texas in 1950 found that cotton growers in the Rio Grande Valley, where most illegal aliens in Texas worked, paid wages that were "approximately half" the farm wages paid elsewhere in the state.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Profits from illegal labor led to the kind of corruption that apparently worried Eisenhower. Joseph White, a retired 21-year veteran of the Border Patrol, says that in the early 1950s, some senior US officials overseeing immigration enforcement "had friends among the ranchers," and agents "did not dare" arrest their illegal workers.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Walt Edwards, who joined the Border Patrol in 1951, tells a similar story. He says: "When we caught illegal aliens on farms and ranches, the farmer or rancher would often call and complain [to officials in El Paso]. And depending on how politically connected they were, there would be political intervention. That is how we got into this mess we are in now."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bill Chambers, who worked for a combined 33 years for the Border Patrol and the then-called US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), says politically powerful people are still fueling the flow of illegals.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">During the 1950s, however, this "Good Old Boy" system changed under Eisenhower – if only for about 10 years.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In 1954, Ike appointed retired Gen. Joseph "Jumpin' Joe" Swing, a former West Point classmate and veteran of the 101st Airborne, as the new INS commissioner.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Influential politicians, including Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson (D) of Texas and Sen. Pat McCarran (D) of Nevada, favored open borders, and were dead set against strong border enforcement, Brownell said. But General Swing's close connections to the president shielded him – and the Border Patrol – from meddling by powerful political and corporate interests.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of Swing's first decisive acts was to transfer certain entrenched immigration officials out of the border area to other regions of the country where their political connections with people such as Senator Johnson would have no effect.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then on June 17, 1954, what was called "Operation Wetback" began. Because political resistance was lower in California and Arizona, the roundup of aliens began there. Some 750 agents swept northward through agricultural areas with a goal of 1,000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Another 488,000, fearing arrest, had fled the country.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">By mid-July, the crackdown extended northward into Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and eastward to Texas.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unlike today, Mexicans caught in the roundup were not simply released at the border, where they could easily reenter the US. To discourage their return, Swing arranged for buses and trains to take many aliens deep within Mexico before being set free.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tens of thousands more were put aboard two hired ships, the Emancipation and the Mercurio. The ships ferried the aliens from Port Isabel, Texas, to Vera Cruz, Mexico, more than 500 miles south.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The sea voyage was "a rough trip, and they did not like it," says Don Coppock, who worked his way up from Border Patrolman in 1941 to eventually head the Border Patrol from 1960 to 1973.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mr. Coppock says he "cannot understand why [President] Bush let [today's] problem get away from him as it has. I guess it was his compassionate conservatism, and trying to please [Mexican President] Vincente Fox."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are now said to be 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens in the US. Of the Mexicans who live here, an estimated 85 percent are here illegally.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="csmclass,divvy" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Border Patrol vets offer tips on curbing illegal immigration</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One day in 1954, Border Patrol agent Walt Edwards picked up a newspaper in Big Spring, Texas, and saw some startling news. The government was launching an all-out drive to oust illegal aliens from the United States.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The orders came straight from the top, where the new president, Dwight Eisenhower, had put a former West Point classmate, Gen. Joseph Swing, in charge of immigration enforcement.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">General Swing's fast-moving campaign soon secured America's borders – an accomplishment no other president has since equaled. Illegal migration had dropped 95 percent by the late 1950s.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Several retired Border Patrol agents who took part in the 1950s effort, including Mr. Edwards, say much of what Swing did could be repeated today.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Some say we cannot send 12 million illegals now in the United States back where they came from. Of course we can!" Edwards says.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Donald Coppock, who headed the Patrol from 1960 to 1973, says that if Swing and Ike were still running immigration enforcement, "they'd be on top of this in a minute."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">William Chambers, another '50s veteran, agrees. "They could do a pretty good job" sealing the border.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Edwards says: "When we start enforcing the law, these various businesses are, on their own, going to replace their [illegal] workforce with a legal workforce."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While Congress debates building a fence on the border, these veterans say other actions should have higher priority.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. End the current practice of taking captured Mexican aliens to the border and releasing them. Instead, deport them deep into Mexico, where return to the US would be more costly.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Crack down hard on employers who hire illegals. Without jobs, the aliens won't come.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. End "catch and release" for non-Mexican aliens. It is common for illegal migrants not from Mexico to be set free after their arrest if they promise to appear later before a judge. Few show up.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Patrol veterans say enforcement could also be aided by a legalized guest- worker program that permits Mexicans to register in their country for temporary jobs in the US.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Eisenhower's team ran such a program. It permitted up to 400,000 Mexicans a year to enter the US for various agriculture jobs that lasted for 12 to 52 weeks.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><ul><li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>John Dillin is former managing editor of the Monitor.</i></span></li>
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>OPERATION WETBACK</b>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Operation Wetback was a repatriation project of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service to remove illegal Mexican immigrants ("wetbacks") from the Southwest. During the first decades of the twentieth century, the majority of migrant workers who crossed the border illegally did not have adequate protection against exploitation by American farmers. As a result of the Good Neighbor Policy, Mexico and the United States began negotiating an accord to protect the rights of Mexican agricultural workers. Continuing discussions and modifications of the agreement were so successful that the Congress chose to formalize the "temporary" program into the <a class="qv" href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/omb01">Bracero program</a>, authorized by Public Law 78.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In the early 1940s, while the program was being viewed as a success in both countries, Mexico excluded Texas from the labor-exchange program on the grounds of widespread violation of contracts, discrimination against migrant workers, and such violations of their civil rights as perfunctory arrests for petty causes. Oblivious to the Mexican charges, some grower organizations in Texas continued to hire illegal Mexican workers and violate such mandates of PL 78 as the requirement to provide workers transportation costs from and to Mexico, fair and lawful wages, housing, and health services.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a class="qv" href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/npwnj">World War II</a> and the postwar period exacerbated the Mexican exodus to the United States, as the demand for cheap agricultural laborers increased. Graft and corruption on both sides of the border enriched many Mexican officials as well as unethical "coyote" freelancers in the United States who promised contracts in Texas for the unsuspecting Bracero. Studies conducted over a period of several years indicate that the Bracero program increased the number of illegal aliens in Texas and the rest of the country. Because of the low wages paid to legal, contracted <i>braceros</i>, many of them skipped out on their contracts either to return home or to work elsewhere for better wages as wetbacks.</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Increasing grievances from various Mexican officials in the United States and Mexico prompted the Mexican government to rescind the <i>bracero</i> agreement and cease the export of Mexican workers. The United States Immigration Service, under pressure from various agricultural groups, retaliated against Mexico in 1951 by allowing thousands of illegals to cross the border, arresting them, and turning them over to the <a class="qv" href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/mdt13">Texas Employment Commission</a>, which delivered them to work for various grower groups in Texas and elsewhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Over the long term, this action by the federal government, in violation of immigration laws and the agreement with Mexico, caused new problems for Texas. Between 1944 and 1954, "the decade of the wetback," the number of illegal aliens coming from Mexico increased by 6,000 percent. It is estimated that in 1954 before Operation Wetback got under way, more than a million workers had crossed the Rio Grande illegally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Cheap labor displaced native agricultural workers, and increased violation of labor laws and discrimination encouraged criminality, disease, and illiteracy. According to a study conducted in 1950 by the President's Commission on Migratory Labor in Texas, the <a class="qv" href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ryr01">Rio Grande valley</a> cotton growers were paying approximately half of the wages paid elsewhere in Texas. In 1953 a McAllen newspaper clamored for justice in view of continuing criminal activities by wetbacks.</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The resulting Operation Wetback, a national reaction against illegal immigration, began in Texas in mid-July 1954. Headed by the commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization Service, Gen. Joseph May Swing, the United States Border Patrol aided by municipal, county, state, and federal authorities, as well as the military, began a quasimilitary operation of search and seizure of all illegal immigrants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Fanning out from the lower Rio Grande valley, Operation Wetback moved northward. Illegal aliens were repatriated initially through Presidio because the Mexican city across the border, Ojinaga, had rail connections to the interior of Mexico by which workers could be quickly moved on to Durango. A major concern of the operation was to discourage reentry by moving the workers far into the interior. Others were to be sent through El Paso. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On July 15, the first day of the operation, 4,800 aliens were apprehended. Thereafter the daily totals dwindled to an average of about 1,100 a day. The forces used by the government were actually relatively small, perhaps no more than 700 men, but were exaggerated by border patrol officials who hoped to scare illegal workers into flight back to Mexico. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Valley newspapers also exaggerated the size of the government forces for their own purposes: generally unfavorable editorials attacked the Border Patrol as an invading army seeking to deprive Valley farmers of their inexpensive labor force. While the numbers of deportees remained relatively high, the illegals were transported across the border on trucks and buses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> As the pace of the operation slowed, deportation by sea began on the <i>Emancipation</i>, which ferried wetbacks from Port Isabel, Texas, to Veracruz, and on other ships. Ships were a preferred mode of transport because they carried the illegal workers farther away from the border than did buses, trucks, or trains. The boat lift continued until the drowning of seven deportees who jumped ship from the <i>Mercurio</i> provoked a mutiny and led to a public outcry against the practice in Mexico. Other aliens, particularly those apprehended in the Midwest states, were flown to Brownsville and sent into Mexico from there. The operation trailed off in the fall of 1954 as INS funding began to run out.</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is difficult to estimate the number of illegal aliens forced to leave by the operation. The INS claimed as many as 1,300,000, though the number officially apprehended did not come anywhere near this total. The INS estimate rested on the claim that most aliens, fearing apprehension by the government, had voluntarily repatriated themselves before and during the operation. The San Antonio district, which included all of Texas outside of El Paso and the <a class="qv" href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ryt02">Trans-Pecos</a>, had officially apprehended slightly more than 80,000 aliens, and local INS officials claimed that an additional 500,000 to 700,000 had fled to Mexico before the campaign began. Many commentators have considered these figure to be exaggerated. Various groups opposed any form of temporary labor in the United States.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> The <a class="qv" href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/voa01">American G.I. Forum</a>, for instance, by and large had little or no sympathy for the man who crossed the border illegally. Apparently the <a class="qv" href="http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/oct01">Texas State Federation of Labor</a> supported the G.I. Forum's position. Eventually the two organizations coproduced a study entitled <i>What Price Wetbacks?</i>, which concluded that illegal aliens in United States agriculture damaged the health of the American people, that illegals displaced American workers, that they harmed the retailers of McAllen, and that the open-border policy of the American government posed a threat to the security of the United States. Critics of Operation Wetback considered it xenophobic and heartless.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-handbook-bibliography" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><div class="field-label-inline-first"><span style="font-size: large;"> <i><span style="font-size: small;">BIBLIOGRAPHY: </span></i></span></div><i><span style="font-size: small;">Carl Allsup, The American G.I. Forum: Origins and Evolution (University of Texas Center for Mexican American Studies Monograph 6, Austin, 1982). Arnoldo De León, Mexican Americans in Texas: A Brief History (Arlington Heights, Illinois: Harlan Davidson, 1993). Juan Ramon Garcia, Operation Wetback: The Mass Deportation of Mexican Undocumented Workers in 1954 (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1980). Eleanor M. Hadley, "A Critical Analysis of the Wetback Problem," Law and Contemporary Problems 21 (Spring 1956). Saturday Evening Post, July 27, 1946. Julian Samora, Los Mojados: The Wetback Story (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1971).</span></i></div></div></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-83508005995306233822011-06-13T11:50:00.000-10:002011-06-13T11:50:03.136-10:00Gov. Neil Abercrombie says Hawaii needs to get its priorities in order.<h1 class="factcheck">The Governor's planned three-day gay soccer tournament will feature disco lighting and nude matches.</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LeNY4BsnZws35vp5fR_Hc8_2ssgJK6w9P4nG0GhRpI-8lSXxSYwnaGQbhX0j7IuX4yhVc6jqrTJZMF9yCnF8-ZENPVi4jGrKnY0pAkgUgp0tbvyQNCd189UYLz8us5iTfxXP86zW4uQ/s1600/gayfootball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LeNY4BsnZws35vp5fR_Hc8_2ssgJK6w9P4nG0GhRpI-8lSXxSYwnaGQbhX0j7IuX4yhVc6jqrTJZMF9yCnF8-ZENPVi4jGrKnY0pAkgUgp0tbvyQNCd189UYLz8us5iTfxXP86zW4uQ/s1600/gayfootball.jpg" /> </a></div><h1 class="factcheck" style="text-align: center;">Atomic Monkey</h1><h1 class="factcheck" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://atomicmonkey.wordpress.com/about/">http://atomicmonkey.wordpress.com/about/</a> </h1><div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_665" style="text-align: center; width: 310px;"><a href="http://atomicmonkey.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/gasbag.gif"><img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-665" height="300" src="http://atomicmonkey.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/gasbag.gif?w=300&h=300" title="Gasbag" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="wp-caption-text">Neil's supporters point out his "great oratory skills," but to the rest of us he's pretty much a bombastic blowhard.</div></div><h1 class="factcheck">FACT CHECK — Governor: Weekend of Civil Unions Will Bring in More Cash Than Pro Bowl</h1><div class="poster_frame"><a href="http://www.civilbeat.com/fact_checks/2011/06/09/11632-fact-check-abercrombie-weekend-of-civil-unions-will-bring-in-more-cash-than-pro-bowl/" title="Former U.S. Congressman Neil Abercrombie is running for governor of Hawaii."> </a><span class="credit"></span> </div>Gov. <a class="topic_link" href="http://www.civilbeat.com/topics/neil-abercrombie/">Neil Abercrombie</a> says Hawaii needs to get its priorities in order. <br />
At a Thursday <a href="http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2011/06/09/11629-hawaii-governor-says-nfl-bribes-state-to-hold-pro-bowl-scrimmage/">press conference</a>, the governor took aim at state support for the Pro Bowl.<br />
"You can't do things like give $4 million bucks to a $9 billion football industry and not give any money to children," Abercrombie <a href="http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2011/06/09/11629-hawaii-governor-says-nfl-bribes-state-to-hold-pro-bowl-scrimmage/">said</a> "That's the kind of decision we've got to make....they come and ask us to bribe them for $4 million to have a scrimmage in paradise. We need to get our values and priorities straight."<br />
As if to add an exclamation point to his <a href="http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2011/06/09/11629-hawaii-governor-says-nfl-bribes-state-to-hold-pro-bowl-scrimmage/">lambasting</a> of the Pro Bowl, the governor downplayed the economic impact of the game on state taxes and tourism. <br />
"We'll get more money out of civil unions in a weekend than we'll get out of those guys," he said. <br />
Is Abercrombie right that Hawaii would make more money from civil unions than from the Pro Bowl?<br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget"> </span><br />
<div id="factcheck_member_content"><h2 id="the-nfl-pro-bowl"><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">The NFL Pro Bowl</span></h2><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">Honolulu had hosted the Pro Bowl every year since 1980, until 2010 when it was played in Miami. In 2011, the game returned to Hawaii.</span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">The Hawaii Tourism Authority pays <a class="external-link" href="http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/2011/02/nfl-pro-bowls-economic-impact-drops.html" target="_blank">$4 million</a> to host the Pro Bowl.</span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">"Visitor spending and state tax collections due to the Pro Bowl were on par with previous years," HTA President and CEO Mike McCartney said in a <a class="external-link" href="http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/default/assets/File/news/11-02-2011-Pro-Bowl-Impact-NR.pdf" target="_blank">February press release</a> after the 2011 game. "Although there was a decrease in the number of visitors who came specifically for the game, the results show an increase in average length of stay and state tax revenue collection."</span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">The tourism authority conducted a <a class="external-link" href="http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/default/assets/File/news/11-02-2011-Pro-Bowl-Impact-NR.pdf" target="_blank">visitor research survey</a> after the Jan. 30 Pro Bowl. Among the authority's findings:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">49,311 people watched the Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Of those, 17,048 were visitors to Hawaii, coming specifically for the Pro Bowl.<br />
</span></li>
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">
<li>The 17,048 visitors accounted for $28.15 million in spending, which generated about $3 million in tax revenue.<br />
</li>
<li>The average Pro Bowl visitor stayed in Hawaii for more than 10 days. </li>
<li>86 percent of the visitors at the Pro Bowl chose to attend the game before coming to Hawaii. </li>
<li>89 percent of the visitors at the Pro Bowl said they planned to take part in activities like golf, tennis, biking, swimming and fishing.</li>
<li>80 percent of the visitors at the Pro Bowl said they planned to visit sites like Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, the Polynesian Cultural Center, Sea Life Park and Waimea Valley.</li>
</span></ul><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">It should also be noted that viewers of the game on the mainland see images of Hawaii during the winter. Presumably, this can't hurt Hawaii's appeal as a tourist destination. </span><br />
<h2 id="civil-unions-in-hawaii"><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">Civil Unions in Hawaii</span></h2><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">Abercrombie in February <a href="http://www.civilbeat.com/posts/2011/02/23/9233-hawaii-civil-unions-signed-into-law/">signed</a> into law <a class="external-link" href="http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/lists/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=232" target="_blank">SB 232</a>, making same-sex and opposite-sex couples eligible for civil unions beginning Jan. 1, 2012. </span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">A 2010 <a href="http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2010/05/20/1252-study-civil-unions-could-bring-millions-to-state/">report</a> on the possible economic impact of civil unions for Hawaii showed small upticks in visitors and state tax revenue could be expected. The report was released before then-Gov. <a class="topic_link" href="http://www.civilbeat.com/topics/linda-lingle/">Linda Lingle</a> vetoed a civil unions bill last year.</span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">The 12-page report (updated from a <a class="external-link" href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3919518/Sumner%20La%20Croix%20Civil%20Unions%20study.pdf" target="_blank">2009 report</a>) was authored by Sumner La Croix, an economics professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Kimberly Burnett, with the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO). The report compared Hawaii with other states, like Vermont, which allow civil unions. Among its <a href="http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2010/05/20/1252-study-civil-unions-could-bring-millions-to-state/">findings</a>:</span><br />
<ul><li><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">Over six years, 1,962 couples in Hawaii would be likely to get a civil union. </span></li>
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">
<li>Tourism expenditures could increase between $5 million and $7 million annually. </li>
<li>Registration fees from civil unions could generate between $240,000 to $480,000 over a six year period. (Note: Figure from 2009 report.)</li>
</span></ul><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">La Croix pointed out that same-sex marriages would have had a greater financial impact on the state than civil unions. “Neil Abercrombie has been a stalwart advocate and friend of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community for decades," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign.</span><br />
<h2 id="conclusion"><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">Conclusion</span></h2><span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">The Pro Bowl is a money maker for Hawaii, directly and indirectly. So, too, will civil unions be, according to La Croix's analysis. </span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">However, the governor is plain wrong when he says civil unions would generate more money in a weekend than the state gets from the Pro Bowl. </span><br />
<span class="xhr_content" id="factcheck_content_widget">Civil Beat asked the governor if he had figures to back up his claim regarding civil unions. An Abercrombie spokeswoman emailed: "I am not aware of any estimations projected regarding civil union revenue."</span></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-64649207818275739922011-06-13T10:51:00.000-10:002011-06-13T10:51:51.106-10:00Key dates in the Anthony Weiner scandal<h1>Key dates in the Anthony Weiner scandal</h1><div class="cnn_stryathrtmp"><div class="cnnByline">By <b>the CNN Wire Staff</b></div><div class="cnn_strytmstmp">June 12, 2011 10:02 p.m. EDT</div></div><b>(CNN)</b> -- Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York Democrat, has been under fire ever since a lewd photo appeared on his Twitter account last month. Considered one of the leading liberal voices in the House, the seven-term congressman is now battling for his political life.<br />
Here are key dates in the snowballing scandal:<br />
-- May 27, 2011: A lewd photo appears briefly on Weiner's Twitter account. Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart is first to report the image, which shows the bulging crotch of a man in his underwear. The story goes viral.<br />
-- May 30, 2011: The congressman tells reporters a hacker got control of his social networking account. "Look, this is a prank and not a terribly creative one," Weiner says. A spokesman says the congressman has retained an attorney to look into the situation, but Capitol Police and the FBI tell CNN they are not investigating.<br />
-- May 31, 2011: Weiner repeatedly dodges reporters' questions about the Twitter post, saying the matter is a distraction and undeserving of further attention. "I'm going to get back to the conversation I care about," he says. Weiner declines to answer whether he is the man in the photo.<br />
-- June 1, 2011: Weiner tells CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he did not post the picture and says he has hired a law firm to investigate. He continues to evade the question as to whether the now-notorious photo is of him.<br />
-- June 3, 2011: Weiner cancels a speech he was scheduled to make at the Wisconsin Democratic Party convention. Privately, members of the House Democratic leadership begin to push Weiner to end what many now see as an unwelcome diversion.<br />
-- June 6, 2011: In an abrupt about-face, a tearful Weiner apologizes for falsely claiming that his Twitter account was hacked and admits to having engaged in inappropriate relationships with several women he met online. He tells reporters he will not resign, nor does he plan to separate from his wife. "To be clear, the picture was of me, and I sent it," Weiner says.<br />
-- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi calls for an ethics committee investigation to determine if government resources were used or House rules violated in Weiner's online relationships. The congressman claims he does not believe he used any government resources, but says he would "welcome and fully cooperate" with a probe.<br />
Earlier in the day, conservative blogger Breitbart published new images that purportedly showed Weiner shirtless.<br />
-- June 7, 2011: Democratic leaders begin to turn on Weiner. "I wish there was some way I could defend him, but I can't," says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada. Two House Democrats say they will donate campaign contributions from the embattled congressman to charity.<br />
-- June 8, 2011: Tim Kaine, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, calls on Weiner to resign, becoming the first prominent Democrat to publicly demand his resignation. A photo that blogger Breitbart claims shows the naked genitals of Weiner finds its way to the Internet.<br />
-- June 9, 2011: Sen. Patrick Leahy adds his voice to calls for Weiner to resign from his seat in the House. Weiner says he has no plans to step down and that his wife wants him to stay in Congress, according to a Democratic source. A Marist College poll shows that a majority of registered voters in Weiner's district -- 56% -- don't believe he should resign.<br />
CNN learns that Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, are expecting their first child.<br />
-- June 11, 2011: The head of the Democratic National Committee calls for Weiner's resignation, as does House Democratic leader Pelosi and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Steve Israel.<br />
Weiner decides to seek treatment "to focus on becoming a better husband and healthier person" and will ask for a "short leave of absence" from Congress, his spokeswoman says. It was not clear what type of treatment he would undergo.<br />
-- June 12, 2011: TMZ publishes photos of Weiner, in various states of undress, which he apparently took of himself in a locker room. TMZ reports that they were taken in the House members' gym and sent to at least one woman. Weiner's office had no immediate comment, and CNN could not confirm the details as reported by TMZ.<br />
<div class="cnnInline">The heads of both major political parties battle over the handling of Weiner's scandal, with the Republican Party boss accusing Democrats of inaction and the Democratic Party leader accusing Republicans of a "double standard."</div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-74783423739868569272011-06-06T20:52:00.003-10:002011-06-06T21:15:45.043-10:00Weiner New Car photo, Anthony Weiner, Anthony Weiner lied, Anthony Weiner pictures, Anthony Weiner photos, Weiner Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOu3krNUm5gbz1UUOnm9hQNEgb-IFNDpkE8qd2nYnNGoWeNDq0cqKJQGK0BhLC4HK7jkHmVf9vvekYCKeOGaDa4Hc3kTn3af8-WP3DHgFOJUMpDCABwFMUSa96gjS613MoTkzGu_dYNfU/s1600/AFB-Weinergate-485x351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOu3krNUm5gbz1UUOnm9hQNEgb-IFNDpkE8qd2nYnNGoWeNDq0cqKJQGK0BhLC4HK7jkHmVf9vvekYCKeOGaDa4Hc3kTn3af8-WP3DHgFOJUMpDCABwFMUSa96gjS613MoTkzGu_dYNfU/s400/AFB-Weinergate-485x351.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqg6FNFusar17rzRlEiZIVC5fP26gH-4_96MBYvJphb5_Uht0dGJM3Kk-OxFtMmjM30QpVU-BmnqyUxCF3MegO_bLK79s8jYArz4yiRVa5UCAoo1EwTHbZIN24DylPJgTuLN9VdBDbkOQ/s1600/WeinerLineUp-485x379.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqg6FNFusar17rzRlEiZIVC5fP26gH-4_96MBYvJphb5_Uht0dGJM3Kk-OxFtMmjM30QpVU-BmnqyUxCF3MegO_bLK79s8jYArz4yiRVa5UCAoo1EwTHbZIN24DylPJgTuLN9VdBDbkOQ/s400/WeinerLineUp-485x379.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="390" width="540"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XOF8IieL-QQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XOF8IieL-QQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="540" height="390"></embed></object></div><br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title"></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlWuBcb4aq0uZHeVku6sa_jnuGPgIfPYCAc8Wj6l8jdlBgsCQCDjJA5RfGWVROlUqvJluDvr-ba2uZncS9s14h7N-DNEULJzsxeOXwZAAjZsa_OoApT_giWq3HLNUffAT3JMQQVtHad8/s1600/Wienermobile-Bologna.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlWuBcb4aq0uZHeVku6sa_jnuGPgIfPYCAc8Wj6l8jdlBgsCQCDjJA5RfGWVROlUqvJluDvr-ba2uZncS9s14h7N-DNEULJzsxeOXwZAAjZsa_OoApT_giWq3HLNUffAT3JMQQVtHad8/s640/Wienermobile-Bologna.jpeg" width="540" /></a></div><h1 class="headline"> </h1><h1 class="headline"> </h1><h1 class="headline"> </h1><h1 class="headline">Pelosi calls for investigation of Weiner</h1><h3 class="deck">Fallout from the New York congressman's admission continues as Democratic leader calls for ethics inquiry</h3><div class="art l"><img alt="Pelosi calls for investigation of Weiner" class="md_horiz" id="img_mps2046179" src="http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/06/06/us_pelosi_weiner/md_horiz.jpg" /> <br />
<div class="credit">AP/Harry Hamburg</div><div class="caption"><span style="font-size: large;">House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. gestures while speaking during her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 26. </span></div></div><span style="font-size: large;">House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is calling for an ethics committee investigation of Rep. Anthony Weiner. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pelosi, the former speaker of the House, said Monday the committee should determine whether any official resources were used in Weiner's Twitter postings, and whether any House rules were violated. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pelosi said, "I am deeply disappointed and saddened about this situation; for Anthony's wife, Huma, his family, his staff and his constituents. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">She said she was calling for an Ethics Committee investigation to determine whether any official resources were used or any other violation of House rules occurred. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Weiner denied at a news conference in New York on Monday that he used any official resources.</span> <br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2011/06/weiner-leaving-forest-hills.html">Weiner leaving Forest Hills?</a> </h3><div class="post-header"></div>Reader sent in this tip:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RBpV32nWA4DDC0BqAHg7mNvt6LnPokx6cIH8ll2ISj5ujatHSy1u2M64c8Ag1wrgSo_J7IaPsaF9wPeHa7N4QgndNIcRRom9r2K6YPAJrf10gzEJWrZCWDYhknbPYguTVKLWKXGY_UY/s1600/weiner.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615302787093639346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RBpV32nWA4DDC0BqAHg7mNvt6LnPokx6cIH8ll2ISj5ujatHSy1u2M64c8Ag1wrgSo_J7IaPsaF9wPeHa7N4QgndNIcRRom9r2K6YPAJrf10gzEJWrZCWDYhknbPYguTVKLWKXGY_UY/s400/weiner.jpg" style="height: 300px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a></div>Here Mr. Weiner is posing with his "pussys". Take a look at the brown one.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF4giCo1e9Qa5_-ezB91DSYcZYGwhYQMokFXgOLbyk1TRxK7qBS5G_DNy4SIg0FPtc6EI9KieaJx5CMJ29aIHcJvFkQFAlXjZfI7XfArkx-vMPnO96YNfy6ng5Ewj4TNM28OIPVzYy18/s1600/2377000_4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615302532245162722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdF4giCo1e9Qa5_-ezB91DSYcZYGwhYQMokFXgOLbyk1TRxK7qBS5G_DNy4SIg0FPtc6EI9KieaJx5CMJ29aIHcJvFkQFAlXjZfI7XfArkx-vMPnO96YNfy6ng5Ewj4TNM28OIPVzYy18/s400/2377000_4.jpg" style="height: 300px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a></div>Now take a look at this photo from MLSLI.com. That same cat is in this bedroom photo, which also contains pillows with the initials "H" (Huma) and "A" (Anthony). Together, they spell "HA" which is exactly what a lot of people said yesterday during his press conference. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKOT38ps9l2FRroSl9OTpnk-CidzyJb34CtKENhOqYG1jXHns8z_ub9V2TYvezqlKjwV6x5hOjraBqSATAvSIaJxc6A1F0RzDDGhvWSZ96h5a_-qFBcjUkD1M2WWcBXmDfAbJDtjqaj8/s1600/IMG00134-20101106-01261.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615302521533911042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKOT38ps9l2FRroSl9OTpnk-CidzyJb34CtKENhOqYG1jXHns8z_ub9V2TYvezqlKjwV6x5hOjraBqSATAvSIaJxc6A1F0RzDDGhvWSZ96h5a_-qFBcjUkD1M2WWcBXmDfAbJDtjqaj8/s400/IMG00134-20101106-01261.jpg" style="height: 300px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a></div>Try to look past the disturbing naked torso in the foreground and notice the background.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfjOlKGMihdZNQZoHijT5dNmad1OvIhdxrAiCS45tbXmOmteXFKe9iDFQk-AUvuoixH82eWDZZ5jxBcQIkNJfcZlshjM4PYJlv-x9Ihi_ce2WgfpQC20WVoM264RJWnU5wXwKzj1QFgA/s1600/2377000_8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615302528249583554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfjOlKGMihdZNQZoHijT5dNmad1OvIhdxrAiCS45tbXmOmteXFKe9iDFQk-AUvuoixH82eWDZZ5jxBcQIkNJfcZlshjM4PYJlv-x9Ihi_ce2WgfpQC20WVoM264RJWnU5wXwKzj1QFgA/s400/2377000_8.jpg" style="height: 300px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a></div>Here is the same room sans photos.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMDc*MjQ2MTIwNDYmcHQ9MTMwNzQyNDY*NjA2MiZwPTEyNTg*MTEmZD1BQkNOZXdzX1NGUF9Mb2NrZV9FbWJlZCZn/PTMmbz*wYTk*MzYyZjdkNWI*Y2UzYjNjZTYzZTk5ODY1ZWYyMiZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="412" id="flashObj" width="486"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=979494894001&playerID=19407224001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAETmrZQ~,EVFEM4AKJdQtJLv7zbMPiBGChHKnGYSG&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=979494894001&playerID=19407224001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAETmrZQ~,EVFEM4AKJdQtJLv7zbMPiBGChHKnGYSG&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object> </div><div class="imageCaption">Caught in the middle: Gennette Cordova was sent the now infamous crotch shot</div><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">He told reporters he sent the picture to her as a joke, something he is now ashamed of.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">‘I don’t know her, she was a follower, we had a cursory message exchange,' Weiner said today during the Manhattan press conference.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'I want to make it very clear that in the long list of people I have harmed here, she was one of them.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="relatedItemsTopBorder"></div><div class="relatedItems"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'I lied because I was embarrassed, and I didn’t want to get caught.’</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">But in confessing to having sent the picture, Weiner has exposed the girl as having lied when she has since jumped to his defence.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Cordova received the now infamous 'package picture' from the Democrat's Twitter account on May 27.</span><br />
<div class="clear"></div><div class="thinCenter"><img alt="Loyal: Cordova defended the congressman after the scandal broke" class="blkBorder" height="361" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/06/07/article-2000004-0C544E9E00000578-792_468x361.jpg" width="468" /> <br />
<div class="imageCaption">Loyal: Cordova defended the congressman after the scandal broke</div></div><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The picture </span><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">- a close-up of a bulge in a pair of man's grey boxer briefs -</span> <span style="font-size: 1.2em;">could be seen publicly by his 45,000 followers and after story broke, Weiner insisted his Twitter account had been hacked and denied the picture was of his crotch.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">It was a story Cordova stood by, releasing a statement two days later in which she said the account she had been sent the pictures from was one from a hacker she was familiar with who had been trying to 'defame' the congressman.</span><br />
<div class="thinFloatRHS"><div class="imageCaption">Infamous: The crotch shot Weiner sent to Cordova</div></div><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'The account that these tweets were sent from was familiar to me; this person had harassed me many times after the Congressman followed me on Twitter a month or so ago,' she said at the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">'Since I had dealt with this person and his cohorts before I assumed that the tweet and the picture were their latest attempts at defaming the Congressman and harassing his supporters.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">It is not clear whether she lied to protect her own involvement in the affair or whether she had felt under pressure not to cause a political storm.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">The 21-year-old Seattle college student has already said the episode has jeopardised her academic career, embarrassed her family and shattered her privacy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Many online messages have referred to Cordova as Mr Weiner's 'mistress' or 'self-proclaimed girlfriend', something they both deny.</span><br />
<div class="thinCenter"><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Topless: One of the images Weiner sent to younger women online" class="blkBorder" height="337" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/06/07/article-1395041-0C7004C400000578-652_468x337.jpg" width="468" /> </div><div class="imageCaption">Topless: One of the images Weiner sent to younger women online</div></div><br />
<div class="clear"></div><div class="clear"></div><div class="thinCenter"><div class="thinArtSplitter"><div class="splitLeft" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Anthony Weiner new images emerge" class="blkBorder" height="218" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/06/07/article-2000004-0C6FA8E200000578-479_224x218.jpg" width="224" /> </div><div class="splitRight" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Anthony Weiner picture scandal" class="blkBorder" height="218" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/06/07/article-2000004-0C7064E000000578-155_224x218.jpg" width="224" /> </div><div class="clear"></div></div><div class="imageCaption">Apology: Weiner said sorry for pictures, above, which he sent to women online</div></div><div class="clear"></div><span style="font-size: 1.2em;">And although during Weiner's confession he admitted to having had six inappropriate relationships with women online, Cordova maintains she is not one of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">This evening on Twitter she wrote: 'He has had six inappropriate relationships with women online in the last three years. If it wasn't clear, I was not one of them.'</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 1.2em;">Later, she added: 'Beginning to not feel like a deflated beach ball. Thank you to anyone who offered support. I'm so grateful.'</span><br />
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<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_66088" style="width: 495px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.uncoverage.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Megan-Broussard.jpg"><img alt="" class="size-large wp-image-66088" height="375" src="http://www.uncoverage.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Megan-Broussard-485x375.jpg" title="Megan Broussard" width="485" /></a></div><div class="wp-caption-text"><span style="font-size: large;">Megan Broussard went public today with 200 lewd photos and messages from Rep. Weiner. He admits at least 6 online affairs. How many more are there? How many were under-age? ummmmmmm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">NEW YORK — After days of denials, a choked-up Rep. Anthony Weiner confessed Monday that he tweeted a photo of his underpants to a young woman, and he also admitted to “inappropriate” exchanges with six women before and after marrying last year. He apologized for lying but said he would not resign. </span><br />
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"> How many more pictures of Anthony Weiner does Andrew Breitbart have? Or text messages or emails? Weiner needs to worry about that..and simply apologizing today won’t end this story…..</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="entry-content"> “This was me doing a dumb thing and doing it repeatedly and lying about it,” the 46-year-old New York Democrat said after a week of double-entendre headlines and late-night wisecracks full of Weiner jokes. <br />
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi immediately called for an ethics committee investigation into whether Weiner broke House rules. <br />
Weiner — who was widely expected to run for mayor of New York in 2013 — said at a half-hour news conference that he had never personally met any of the women he corresponded with online and sometimes via telephone over the past three years, and was not even sure of their ages. He also said he had never had sex outside of his marriage. <br />
He said he did not feel the scandal affected his work as a lawmaker but would understand if his constituents decided not to re-elect him. <br />
Weiner said he used his home computer and personal BlackBerry, not government computers, in his exchanges with the women. But that may not protect him from House rules that say a member “shall conduct himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.” <br />
On numerous occasions, the House ethics committee has cited that general rule in finding a representative violated standards of conduct. <br />
Weiner apologized repeatedly to his wife, Huma Abedin. <br />
“My wife is a remarkable woman. She’s not responsible for any of this,” he said. <br />
Abedin did not attend his news conference, but Weiner said they would not be separating. <br />
The scandal unfolded more than a week ago when a conservative website reported that a photo of a man’s crotch had been sent from Weiner’s Twitter account to a college student in Seattle. <br />
The scandal escalated Monday when the website, BigGovernment.com, run by conservative activist Andrew Breitbart, posted photos purportedly from a second woman who said she received shirtless shots of the congressman. <br />
At Monday’s news conference, Weiner said he sent the underpants photo as a joke. “I haven’t told the truth and have done things I deeply regret,” he said. <br />
ABC News said Monday it planned to air an interview with a Texas woman who claims to be one of the women who exchanged messages with Weiner. <br />
Weiner married Abedin, an aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton, last July, with former President Bill Clinton officiating.</span></span>When the wife's away, Weiner will play. <br />
Kinky Congressman Anthony Weiner conducted several of his steamy online sessions while his better half was out of the country, records show. <br />
As the "body woman" to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Huma Abedin is tasked with accompanying the former first lady on diplomatic globetrotting missions. <br />
Weiner, it seems, uses the timing of her foreign affairs to pursue domestic ones online. <br />
For instance, last month, while Abedin and Clinton were in Rome meeting with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Weiner was chatting up Texas nursing student Meagan Broussard. <br />
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<div class="intext_area" id="intext_area_middle"><div class="intext_object intext_photo"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="WEDDED DISS: Congressman Anthony Weiner marries Huma Abedin last July at the scenic Oheka Castle on Long Island." height="450" src="http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2011/06/07/news/web_photos/weiner--300x450.jpg" title="WEDDED DISS: Congressman Anthony Weiner marries Huma Abedin last July at the scenic Oheka Castle on Long Island." width="300" /></span></div><br />
<div class="photo_credit"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="caption"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>WEDDED DISS:</b> Congressman Anthony Weiner marries Huma Abedin last July at the scenic Oheka Castle on Long Island.</span></div></div><div class="block ad wrap quigo_intext"><div class="ad quigo_intext"></div></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> As Abedin aided Clinton during the two-day effort to talk strategy with international partners on how to protect civilians in Libya, Weiner sent Broussard photos of himself with two cats -- which he suggestively called "Me and the pussys" -- as well as one of him holding up a small sign that said "me." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> "I don't think he has any control over what he's doing in this area," Broussard told ABC. "I don't think someone can be that open in that amount of time." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It's no wonder that Weiner dedicated much of his public statement yesterday to apologizing to his wife. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> "My wife has known about some of these online relationships since before we were married, and we spoke frankly about them. But she didn't know until this morning that I had not been telling the truth about the Twitter picture I posted last week," Weiner said at his Midtown press conference. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> "I think it is more inappropriate -- the things that I've done since I've been married," he said of his online transgressions going back several years. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> "My primary sense of regret and my primary apology goes to my wife. I should not have done this, and I should not have done this particularly when I was married. That's why I make that distinction." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Abedin and Weiner were married last July by former President Bill Clinton, which may portend good things for their ability to stick together in light of his online infidelity. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Born in Kalamazoo, Mich., to Iranian and Pakistani parents, Abedin began working for the Clinton White House in 1996 as an aide to the first lady. The longtime Clinton aide -- who had her own photo spread in Vogue magazine -- was reportedly romanced by both George Clooney and John Cusack before hooking up with Weiner. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The political power couple met while Abedin was on the campaign trail during Clinton's 2008 White House bid. By 2009, they were engaged. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> They wed last July at Oheka Castle in Huntington, LI. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Abedin has put on a brave face throughout the ordeal of the Twitter scandal, but she did not show up at his press conference yesterday. Her job requires her to be out of the country the equivalent of every other week, which may explain why Weiner has had so much time to flirt on Facebook and Twitter. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> On March 16, while Nevada Democratic volunteer Lisa Weiss says he was sexting with her on Facebook, according to RadarOnline.com, Abedin was with Hillary Clinton visiting Egypt and Tunisia, federal records show. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> At each stop, while Weiner discussed whether Jewish women were adept at performing oral sex, Abedin helped Clinton consult with government officials and elements of civil society on recent events in the Middle East and the full range of regional and bilateral issues</span><br />
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Read more: <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/he_wife_worlds_apart_kVvpLJeulZ526Cv2W7Bf2O#ixzz1OZPvNmlQ" style="color: #003399;">http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/he_wife_worlds_apart_kVvpLJeulZ526Cv2W7Bf2O#ixzz1OZPvNmlQ</a></span><br />
<div class="clear"></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-31934669928977946712011-05-18T11:16:00.001-10:002011-06-06T21:19:25.941-10:00OBAMA'S OWN WORDS TRAP HIM:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://www.btlonline.org/2011/i/110520a-torture.jpg" height="321" src="http://www.btlonline.org/2011/i/110520a-torture.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="http://www.wired.com/underwire/wp-content/gallery/gallery_situation_room/situation02.jpg" height="265" src="http://www.wired.com/underwire/wp-content/gallery/gallery_situation_room/situation02.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2008: "Navy Seal Team 6 is Cheney's private assassination team."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2011: "I put together Seal Team 6 to take out Bin Laden." </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2008: "Bin Laden is innocent until proven guilty, and must be captured alive and given a fair trial."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2011: "I authorized Seal Team 6 to kill Bin Laden." </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2008: " Guantanamo is entirely unnecessary, and the detainees should not be interrogated."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">2011: "Vital intelligence was obtained from Guantanamo detainees that led to our locating Bin Laden."!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="posttitle" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><h2><span style="font-size: large;">JSOC and Seal Team 6: Liberals “Against It” Until They Were “For It”</span></h2><div class="post-info"><span style="font-size: large;">May 3, 2011 by <a href="http://mayrantandrave.com/author/mayrant/" title="Posts by mayrant">mayrant</a></span> </div></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span> <br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://mayrant.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/cheney-ran-secret-hit-squad-hersh.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15938" height="266" src="http://mayrant.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/cheney-ran-secret-hit-squad-hersh.jpg?w=240&h=160" title="cheney-ran-secret-hit-squad-hersh" width="400" /></a></span></span></h3><h3><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">‘Cheney’s assassination squad’ just killed bin Laden</span></span></h3></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">by <a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/05/cheneys-assasination-squad-just-killed-bin-laden#ixzz1LEYxY0CX">Mark Hemingway – Washington Examiner</a> – 05/02/2011</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s been reported that bin Laden was killed by SEAL Team Six, officially known as Naval Special Warfare Development Group or DevGru. Marc Ambinder has a good report that <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/the-secret-team-that-killed-bin-laden-20110502">fills in some of the particulars</a>:</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span> <br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">DevGru belongs to the Joint Special Operations Command, an extraordinary and unusual collection of classified standing task forces and special-missions units. They report to the president and operate worldwide based on the legal (or extra-legal) premises of classified presidential directives. Though the general public knows about the special SEALs and their brothers in Delta Force, most JSOC missions never leak. We only hear about JSOC when something goes bad (a British aid worker is accidentally killed) or when something really big happens (a merchant marine captain is rescued at sea), and even then, the military remains especially sensitive about their existence. Several dozen JSOC operatives have died in Pakistan over the past several years. Their names are released by the Defense Department in the usual manner, but with a cover story — generally, they were killed in training accidents in eastern Afghanistan. That’s the code.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Under Bush, JSOC was routinely smeared by the left and placed at the center of many Bush/Cheney conspiracy theories. Specifically, <i>New Yorker </i>reporter <a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/03/more_conspiracy_theories_from_1.asp">Seymour Hersh alleged it was Dick Cheney’s personal assassination squad</a>: </b></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“After 9/11, I haven’t written about this yet, but the Central Intelligence Agency was very deeply involved in domestic activities against people they thought to be enemies of the state. Without any legal authority for it. They haven’t been called on it yet.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Hersh then went on to describe a second area of extra-legal operations: the Joint Special Operations Command. “It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently,” he explained. “They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. … Congress has no oversight of it.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“It’s an executive assassination ring essentially, and it’s been going on and on and on,” Hersh stated. “Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving. That’s been going on, in the name of all of us.”</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now that a Democratic President has employed JSOC to take out Osama bin Laden, will the fever swamps of the Left continue to assert that it’s just a Bush/Cheney plot to run around unjustifiably killing people?</span></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-22614232500855362022011-05-15T20:59:00.000-10:002011-05-15T20:59:46.925-10:00Red Skelton's Pledge ofAllegiance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='545' height='366' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy10S1XQAfem4xTQPAutnDus1YYtaCVZDhfCfBuD9djTLbKoSValB7j9pDLP8cCDPkij9tZKwYfOmZq1RidpA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-44979520735602207832011-05-15T20:54:00.001-10:002011-05-15T21:31:46.637-10:00John Wayne and the Pledge of Allegiance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='545' height='366' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyzYuhBNrE_MpuACKgLB-_n90DjE-Q0RR3xZU64OXurCLxU3Oh07S3ObzRgqtjlN-bHgSoM9N34pVY-TVnnaQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-62964637779921725092011-05-13T16:56:00.000-10:002011-05-13T16:56:07.800-10:00The assassination of Bin Laden – Terrorism Get terrorism<table class="contentpaneopen"><tbody>
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</td> <td align="right" class="buttonheading" width="100%"> <a href="http://www.socialist.net/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4776&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=32" target="_blank" title="Print"> <img align="middle" alt="Print" border="0" name="Print" src="http://www.socialist.net/templates/rt_sporticus_v2/images/printButton.png" /></a> </td> <td align="right" class="buttonheading" width="100%"> <a href="http://www.socialist.net/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=4776&itemid=32" target="_blank" title="E-mail"> <img align="middle" alt="E-mail" border="0" name="E-mail" src="http://www.socialist.net/templates/rt_sporticus_v2/images/emailButton.png" /></a> </td> </tr>
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<tr> <td align="left" colspan="2" valign="top" width="70%"> <span style="font-size: large;"><span class="small"> By Alan Woods </span> </span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td class="createdate" colspan="2" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"> Wednesday, 04 May 2011 </span></td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="articletext"> <span style="font-size: large;"><span class="articletextblurb"> <span style="background-color: red; font-size: x-large;">“<em>A middle-aged nonentity, a political failure outstripped by history – by the millions of Arabs demanding freedom and democracy in the Middle East – died in Pakistan yesterday. And then the world went mad</em>.” </span>(Robert Fisk, 3 May, 2011) <br />
</span></span> <span style="font-size: large;"><span class="captioned_image_container" style="float: right; width: 254px;"><span class="captioned_image_border" style="width: 254px;"><span class="image_wrapper" style="height: 165px; width: 254px;"><a class="darkbox ageent-ru" href="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/afghanistan/Hamid_Mir_interviewing_Osama_bin_Laden_1998.jpg" target="_blank" title="1997, one of few photographs of Osama Bin Laden. Photo: Hamid Mir"><img alt="1997, one of few photographs of Osama Bin Laden. Photo: Hamid Mir" class="caption" height="161" src="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/thumbnails/10794_Hamid_Mir_interviewing_Osama_bin_Laden_1998.jpg" style="float: right;" width="250" /></a></span></span><em><span class="img_caption" style="display: block;">1997, one of few photographs of Osama Bin Laden. Photo: Hamid Mir</span></em></span>In the early hours of the morning of Monday 2 May, Osama Bin Laden was found and killed by US Special Forces. Bin Laden, 54, was the founder and leader of al-Qaeda. Bin Laden, his son Khalid, trusted personal courier Sheikh Abu Ahmed and the courier's brother were all killed, along with an unidentified woman. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Osama Bin Laden came to the world's attention on 11 September 2001, when the attacks on the United States left more than 3,000 people dead and hundreds more injured. For over a decade this man had been hunted by the forces of the US state in caves in remote areas of Afghanistan. In the end the dreaded leader of al-Qaeda met his end in a sleepy suburb of a peaceful hill resort of Abbottabad in north-west Pakistan. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Residents told the BBC they knew immediately that if any home in their midst was going to be the target of an attack, it would be the private, secure compound protected by barbed wire and whose furtive residents were rarely seen or heard. The security measures put in place at the compound were described by US spokespersons as “extraordinary”. It was about 3,000 sq yards [2500 square metres] in size and was surrounded by 14ft-high walls [4.2 metres], so nobody could see what was happening inside. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The large three-storey building at the centre of the compound was surrounded by high walls and barricades and had very few windows. There was a 7ft [2.1 metres] high privacy wall on the second floor. The walls were topped by barbed wire and contained cameras. There were no phone or internet lines running into the building. Its occupants were so concerned about security that they burned their rubbish rather than leave it out for collection. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Nobody seems to know when this compound was built, but the general view is that it was about 10 or 12 years old. According to the New York Times, US officials believed that the house was specially built in 2005. Intelligence officials in the US are quoted as saying that the house was custom-built to harbour a major terrorist figure. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> When it was first built, it was likely to have been quite isolated. But as more people moved in, its privacy was being compromised. The curiosity of neighbours was aroused by the absence of any sign of domestic activity or children playing, no trips to the market. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> People living nearby say they rarely saw more than two or three people around the house. From time to time, bullet-proof vehicles would enter and leave the compound. Gates would open and then shut immediately afterwards – there was no contact with the neighbours, who had no idea of who lived in the mysterious compound, but felt that house was a dangerous place and best avoided. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It seems that US intelligence agents had been following the footsteps of one of Bin Laden's couriers – a protégé of captured al-Qaeda commander Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The courier's pseudonym was reportedly given to US interrogators by detainees at Guantanamo Bay. He was one of the few couriers completely trusted by Osama Bin Laden, who helped keep the al-Qaeda leader in touch with the rest of the world. This allegedly led them to Bin Laden’s last hiding place. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> But former CIA field officer Bob Baer told the BBC that he was sceptical about the assertions that Bin Laden had been traced through a courier. “Intelligence agencies like the CIA and the US military will simply put out disinformation to protect the real sources, which could have been anything from intercepts to the Pakistani government itself,” he said. The extraordinary efforts of Washington to distance Zardari and his government from this action suggest that Baer may have a point. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="captioned_image_container" style="width: 484px;"><span class="captioned_image_border" style="width: 484px;"><span class="image_wrapper" style="height: 282px; width: 484px;"><a class="darkbox ageent-ru" href="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/asia/Osama_bin_Laden_hideout-United_States_Department_of_Defense.png" target="_blank" title="The compound. Illustration: US State Department"><img alt="The compound. Illustration: US State Department" class="caption" height="278" src="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/thumbnails/10794_Osama_bin_Laden_hideout-United_States_Department_of_Defense.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; vertical-align: middle;" width="480" /></a></span></span><em><span class="img_caption" style="display: block;">The compound. Illustration: US State Department</span></em></span></span> <br />
<h4><span style="font-size: large;">“A surgical raid”</span></h4><span style="font-size: large;"> The order to carry out the mission was finally given by President Obama last Friday, after he had held five National Security Council meetings in March and April. The attack was made in the dead of night, when US helicopters, flying low to avoid detection by Pakistani radar, burst into the heavily guarded compound. The first indication of the assault was a massive explosion: a huge flame leapt into the sky from the house, and then shortly afterwards it all appeared to be over. The swiftness of the attack, and its deadly outcome raises still more questions. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The operation, which began at about 22.30 (17.30 GMT) and lasted for only about 45 minutes, was conducted by a special team of between 20 and 25 US Navy Seals. Two or three helicopters were seen flying low over the area, causing panic among local residents. The helicopters, which had flown from </span><span style="font-size: large;">Afghanistan, landed outside the compound, and the commandos leaped out of them. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Shortly afterwards residents said they heard shots being fired and the sound of heavy firearms. At some point in the operation one of the helicopters crashed, either from technical failure or having been hit by gunfire from the ground. But it appears that no US commandos were injured. This suggests that the attackers had the advantage of surprise, and the defenders were taken completely off guard, probably lulled into a false sense of security by their seemingly invulnerable defences. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> But was there not another, more important reason for the feeble show of resistance? Was their carelessness not the result of the confidence that they felt as the result of protection by the Pakistan army and ISI? For years the latter had concealed and protected Bin Laden, like an over-protective mother jealously protecting her pampered offspring. If there were the slightest indication of danger from any quarter, they would have immediately warned their favourite Saudi ally and taken steps to remove him. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The reason why the Americans could not find Bin Laden was resistance by the intelligence arm of the Pakistan military, the Inter Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), which claimed it wanted to lead the operation. In reality it wanted to conceal the fact that it was protecting the leaders of al-Qaeda and the Taliban. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Eventually the Americans got tired of this game. “I'm not saying that they're at the highest levels, but I believe that somewhere in this government are people who know where Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda is,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in May 2010. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Andrew Card, President Bush's former chief-of-staff, told ABC News: “The intelligence would frequently tease us. We would think that we were close to getting him. A couple of times we thought we actually got him, but we didn't.” Even when a senior al-Qaeda figure was identified and located, it often took weeks to get approval from the Pakistani authorities for an air strike. That is precisely why the US kept the whole mission secret from the Pakistanis and it also explains why its success was so devastatingly complete, with not a single US combatant killed. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> US officials have described the operation as a “surgical raid”. They say that three adult males, including Bin Laden's son, were killed. But, they added that a woman, who was allegedly being used as a shield, was also killed. This is what is habitually referred to as “collateral damage”, as when a few days before, NATO bombed and killed Libyan rebel troops in Misrata. </span><br />
<h4><span style="font-size: large;">“Dead or alive”?</span></h4><span style="font-size: large;"> On 18 September 2001, George W Bush, who has obviously seen too many John Wayne cowboy films, famously stated that the long arm of the US would get Bin Laden “dead or alive.” That statement has proved at least 50% correct. It is very clear that the men sent to “get” their victim had no intention whatsoever of capturing him alive. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="captioned_image_container" style="float: right; width: 254px;"><span class="captioned_image_border" style="width: 254px;"></span></span>When US forces finally captured Saddam Hussein, they did not hesitate to put him on display like a caged beast, subjecting him to every conceivable humiliation, including having his teeth examined before the television cameras. They put him on trial, although the result was a foregone conclusion. This was regarded as a tremendous propaganda coup. So why did they not do likewise with Bin Laden? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> John Brennan told reporters that the commando team had been “able and prepared” to take Bin Laden alive “if he didn't present any threat”. It is alleged that the al-Qaeda leader refused to surrender and, therefore, was killed in an exchange of fire when he was shot twice in the head. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The leader of al-Qaeda was clearly made of sterner stuff than Saddam Hussein, and it is highly likely that he would refuse to surrender and fight to the end. What would he gain by surrendering himself to the same fate as Saddam? But if he was surprised in his bed in the middle of the night, was armed resistance possible? In any case, it is clear that his assailants gave him no opportunity to surrender. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Bin Laden was shot above his left eye, blowing away a section of his skull, and was also shot in the chest. His body was then flown to Afghanistan before being buried at sea “with religious rites according to the Islamic tradition”. US officials said this was to avoid his grave becoming a shrine. But the indecent haste with which they disposed of the body suggests a different motive. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> In a macabre development, it seems that the entire operation was watched in real time in the White House by Mr Obama and his national security team in what Brennan said was “probably one of the most anxiety-filled periods of time” in the lives of those watching. When the fatal shots were fired Obama said: “We got him”. This is the language of a small and not very educated child playing a computer game. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> “When we finally were informed that those individuals who were able to go in that compound and found an individual that they believed was Bin Laden, there was a tremendous sigh of relief,” he said. There is good reason why the death of one man should be the cause of so much relief. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The problem is easily stated: Bin Laden knew too much. If he were put on trial, he would undoubtedly have revealed the role of the CIA in promoting both al-Qaeda and the Taliban. It is an open secret that the US Central Intelligence Agency played an active role in arming and training the fundamentalists, including Bin Laden. He had to be silenced and he was silenced. </span><br />
<h4><span style="font-size: large;">Involvement of the ISI</span></h4><span style="font-size: large;"> The attack has finally torn away the curtain from the myth of “national sovereignty” It was made without the knowledge or consent of the Pakistan government. Both the Pakistanis and the US have said Pakistan was not warned of the raid in advance. John Brennan, President Barack Obama's counter-terrorism adviser, said it had been “designed to minimise chances of engagement with Pakistani forces”. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> In reality, they kept the Pakistanis in the dark because they knew that the information would instantly be passed on to Bin Laden via the ISI. After the US attack Pakistani troops arrived at the scene and secured the area in an attempt to prevent access to the compound and any awkward questions it might arouse. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The first question is: how was it possible for the most wanted man in the world to be living in a fortified compound on the outskirts of a town occupied by retired army officers and businessmen, right next to a Military Academy? The compound is in fact a few hundred metres from the Pakistan Military Academy, an elite military training centre, Pakistan's equivalent to Britain's Sandhurst or West Point in the USA. Pakistan's army chief is a regular visitor to the academy, where he attends graduation parades. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Moreover, the compound falls within Abbottabad's military cantonment, which is subject to tight controls by the army and Intelligence Services. Anyone who wishes to build or live in this area would have to undergo a series of checks by these state institutions. The whole area has a constant and significant military presence and checkpoints. It is unthinkable that Bin Laden and his armed supporters could occupy a residence in such an area without the knowledge and consent of the Pakistan military and Intelligence at the very highest levels. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> For decades the Pakistan army and state has been intriguing in Afghanistan, which they wish to bring under their control, in line with the so-called theory of “defence in depth”. They see India as the main enemy and are preparing for the next war with their powerful neighbour, which possesses a bigger population, a stronger industrial base and a much bigger territory. The idea is to bind Afghanistan to Pakistan, so that in the event of a war with India, it could provide a hinterland for Pakistan. This idea has become an obsession for the upper ranks of the Pakistan army and especially for the ISI. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> But there are even more substantial interests involved than military strategy or the Koran. The ISI is closely linked to the Afghan and Pakistani drug mafia, which presides over vast amounts of black money. These shadowy elements are in turn linked to the Taliban and its terrorist associates. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> It is perfectly clear now, if it was not before, that the Pakistan army was involved in this at a very high level, and particularly the notorious ISI, who for years have been pursuing their own agenda in Afghanistan and who operate like a state within the state. Through all-pervading and corrosive corruption and the lavish distribution of drug money, the tentacles of the ISI extend to every part of the state and government. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The discovery that Bin Laden had been living in a large, custom-built, walled compound in Abbottabad close to Pakistan's military academy – possibly from as early as 2005 – has confirmed the Americans’ suspicions that the ISI has been harbouring Bin Laden. The deafening silence from Pakistan's security service is a most eloquent testimony to its guilt. This will have serious implications for the future relations between the USA and Pakistan. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Yet despite everything, they are tied together like Siamese twins. Like the latter, the relationship is not very comfortable, but there is no alternative but to put up with it. This is why, despite the loud public outrage in the USA over Pakistan’s role, both sides are being very cautious about what they say about each other. The Americans need Pakistan in order to wage war in Afghanistan. And Zardari needs Washington to keep his economy (and his government) afloat. </span><br />
<h4><span style="font-size: large;">Effects in Pakistan</span></h4><span style="font-size: large;"> This is why the Americans are stressing so much that the Pakistanis were not involved, because they are worried about a militant backlash. But so far the response on the streets has been muted, with only a few scattered rallies by the fundamentalists. In Pakistan people are still stunned by the news of the attack. They find it hard to comprehend the fact that this man was living among them. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Conspiracy theories are naturally emerging on all sides, as they always do after such events. Some people even doubt whether the US has in fact succeeded in killing their arch-enemy. This is the result of the fact that they have already announced the death of Bin Laden on more than one occasion. The lack of a body only adds to the climate of suspicion. The US has said a video had been made of Bin Laden's burial but have not said yet whether it, or any photographs of Bin Laden's body, will be released. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Until they do so, all kinds of bizarre theories will continue to circulate. But there is no reason to believe that all this was just an elaborate piece of theatre cooked up in the Pentagon or the Oval Office. Washington had every reason to pursue its plans to assassinate Bin Laden to the end. It also had every reason to get rid of the body. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="captioned_image_container" style="float: left; width: 254px;"><span class="captioned_image_border" style="width: 254px;"><span class="image_wrapper" style="height: 172px; width: 254px;"><a class="darkbox ageent-ru" href="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/asia/latuff-obama_and_bin_ladin.png" target="_blank" title="Illustration: Latuff"><img alt="Illustration: Latuff" class="caption" height="168" src="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/thumbnails/10794_latuff-obama_and_bin_ladin.png" style="float: left;" width="250" /></a></span></span><em><span class="img_caption" style="display: block;">Illustration: Latuff</span></em></span>Zardari said that although the two countries had not worked together on the operation, “a decade of co-operation and partnership between the United States and Pakistan led up to the elimination of Osama Bin Laden as a continuing threat to the civilised world". But he gave no explanation as to how Bin Laden had been able to live in comfort in Pakistan. He said only he "was not anywhere we had anticipated he would be”. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The Pakistani government is now in a very difficult position. On the one hand, the public are angry at this blatant violation of national sovereignty. On the other hand, the US is even more arrogant than before, and is now demanding to know whether any other wanted figures have found sanctuary in Pakistani territory. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> These events have put Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari in a very difficult position. He has denied that the killing of Osama Bin Laden in his country is a sign of its failure to tackle terrorism. In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Mr Zardari said his country was “perhaps the world's greatest victim of terrorism”. But US officials have said Bin Laden must have had a support system in Pakistan. And even a blind man can see that this is the case. John Brennan said it was “inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system” in Pakistan. And we agree with him. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> In his article in the American press, Zardari said Pakistan had “never been and never will be the hotbed of fanaticism that is often described by the media”. For once, we can agree with him. The support for the fundamentalists in Pakistan has been greatly exaggerated in the western media, as pointed out by Lal Khan in his article <em>Religious Fundamentalism and imperialism: friends or foes:</em></span> <br />
<blockquote> <span style="font-size: large;"> “Their anti-American rhetoric has not been able to gather wide support amongst the workers and the poor masses. This is in spite of a seething hatred against imperialist aggression amongst the vast majority of the masses. Most of the youth brought to their demonstrations are from the madrassas and they don’t know much about what is really going on. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> “Electorally they have been a dismal failure. Only in 2002 did they manage to get 11% of the vote. But that was mainly due to rigging by the state agencies who wanted to use them in their own bargaining with imperialism. Even some of the terrorist attacks have been allegedly orchestrated for the same purpose.” </span><br />
</blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"> Zardari tells the Americans: “The war on terrorism is as much Pakistan's war as it is America's.” But the so-called war on terror has brought only misery and death to the people of Pakistan. “More of our soldiers have died than all of Nato's casualties combined. Two thousand police officers, as many as 30,000 innocent civilians and a generation of social progress for our people have been lost,” he writes. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The present government has displayed a slavish dependence on US imperialism that far exceeds anything seen in the past. Even Musharraf showed a greater degree of independence than Zardari and his clique. As a result, Pakistan has seen an increase in terror attacks, which are now greater than those in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. </span><br />
<h4><span style="font-size: large;">Effects in the USA</span></h4><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="captioned_image_container" style="float: right; width: 254px;"><span class="captioned_image_border" style="width: 254px;"></span></span>The immediate effect in the USA was euphoria. When the news was announced on Sunday night, there were jubilant scenes in Washington, New York and around the US. People came to Ground Zero to demonstrate their joy at the elimination of the man who is believed to have ordered the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001, as well as a number of other murderous bombings. One man said: “perhaps we can now have some closure and withdraw from Iraq.” Beneath the thin veneer of patriotic fervour these words betray an underlying dissatisfaction with US foreign adventures and a longing for peace. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The President praised the “heroes” who carried out the operations and, in a speech to congressional leaders, called for them to show “the same sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11”. But this is a vain wish. American society is more divided than at any time since the Civil War. In the short run, Obama will reap the benefit. It may even contribute to his re-election as “the man who ‘got’ Bin Laden.” But this is not certain. The euphoria over the death of Bin Laden will go away. The effects of the economic crisis will not. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The euphoria of the last 24 hours has no solid foundations. The explosive situation on a world scale was not created by Bin Laden and al-Qaeda. On the contrary, they are its reflection. Nor will the murder of one man change anything substantial. On the contrary, it will give rise to a desire for revenge that will be the starting point for new terrorist outrages. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Obama hailed the death of Bin Laden as "good day for America", and said the world was now a safer and a better place. This verdict is mistaken. In the very same speech he warned that the threat of terror attacks was not over. In the light of the possibility of reprisal attacks, security has been increased at embassies and airports. The US has closed its embassy and consulates in Pakistan. The world is now even less safe and more dangerous than it was two days ago. </span><br />
<h4><span style="font-size: large;">The true significance of al-Qaeda</span></h4><span style="font-size: large;"> In pursuance of its aims imperialism always needs to create a monster, a sinister enemy that it can demonise, exaggerating its crimes and atrocities in order to justify the perpetration of its own, even greater crimes. In the past it was the “Huns”, the “Yellow Peril”, “the Red peril”, lately it has been al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The names change but the essence of the matter remains the same. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> For the past decade the world’s media has systematically built up the image of a mythical Beast called al-Qaeda, an ultra-centralised and fanatically disciplined international organization dedicated to the destruction of western civilization. In reality, al-Qaeda was always a small organization with a marginal following in the Islamic world. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> After its one major stunt – the bombing of the World Trade Centre in New York – it has received blow after blow and has been declining ever since. If the centralised and disciplined terrorist organization ever existed, it has long since disappeared, to be replaced by a myriad of small groups in different countries, each pursing its own agenda. As for Bin Laden, he had long since disappeared from public view, confining his “activity” to the occasional badly recorded video. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> From the standpoint of imperialism, in a struggle against a group like al-Qaeda what is required was precisely the method of “surgical strikes”, that is to say, the combination of good intelligence and police work with selective and limited armed intervention. It is not necessary to send vast numbers of troops and tanks to batter down armies and occupy countries, as the Americans have done. Such tactics are worse than useless in combating terrorism. In fact, by blundering around the world like an elephant in a tea-shop, they provide it with considerable assistance. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="captioned_image_container" style="float: left; width: 254px;"><span class="captioned_image_border" style="width: 254px;"><span class="image_wrapper" style="height: 193px; width: 254px;"><a class="darkbox ageent-ru" href="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/asia/latuff-obama_bush_and_bin_ladin.png" target="_blank" title="Illustration: Latuff"><img alt="Illustration: Latuff" class="caption" height="189" src="http://www.marxist.com/images/stories/thumbnails/10794_latuff-obama_bush_and_bin_ladin.png" style="float: left;" width="250" /></a></span></span><span class="img_caption" style="display: block;">I<em>llustration: Latuff</em></span></span>The best ally of Bin Laden and so-called al-Qaeda was in fact US imperialism. The rape of Iraq and Afghanistan gave a fresh impetus to the dark forces of terrorism by enraging a whole generation of young Muslims. But the tide of Revolution sweeping through the Arab world has completely exposed the myth of al-Qaeda. The millions of workers, peasants and youth who poured onto the streets showed the way to conduct a real struggle against the imperialists and their local agents. And despite the lying propaganda of the imperialists, the Islamic fundamentalists played no significant role in this marvellous mass movement. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> State terror is far bloodier than the actions of any terrorist group. It is states that declare wars, drop atom bombs on towns like Hiroshima and Nagasaki, build concentration camps like the one in Guantanamo Bay, manipulate public opinion through the hired media. It is states that are cutting billions from health, education and pensions, while simultaneously handing billions to the bankers. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The state has refined its ability to kill people to a fine art. The latest “surgical strike” is a further demonstration of its murderous skills. We will shed no tears over a reactionary terrorist with the blood of thousands of people on his hands. But we condemn even more vehemently the crimes of imperialism, which is responsible for far more atrocities than Bin Laden and his crew were ever responsible for. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The fundamental flaw of all terrorism is the notion that small determined groups of armed men can overthrow the existing social order. This is an illusion. The state has sufficient resources to destroy any small armed group. The damage inflicted by terrorist actions is only superficial. It does not attack the foundations of the edifice. Such attacks actually serve to strengthen the existing regime, providing it with the excuses it needs to counterattack with devastating force. The events that followed the attack on the Twin Towers are a laboratory confirmation of this assertion. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> The only force that can bring about a fundamental change in the situation is the revolutionary action of the masses. The revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt are the most striking proof of that. The most penetrating comment on all this was by Robert Fisk in The Independent (<em>Tuesday, 3 May 2011):</em> <strong>“</strong>A middle-aged nonentity, a political failure outstripped by history – by the millions of Arabs demanding freedom and democracy in the Middle East – died in Pakistan yesterday. And then the world went mad.” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Referring to the danger of terrorist reprisals, and confirming our analysis, Fisk says: </span><br />
<blockquote> <span style="font-size: large;"> “Revenge attacks? Perhaps they will come, by the little groupuscules in the West, who have no direct contact with al-Qa'ida. Be sure, someone is already dreaming up a ‘Brigade of the Martyr Osama bin Laden’. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> “But the mass revolutions in the Arab world over the past four months mean that al-Qaeda was already politically dead. Bin Laden told the world – indeed, he told me personally – that he wanted to destroy the pro-Western regimes in the Arab world, the dictatorships of the Mubaraks and the Ben Alis. He wanted to create a new Islamic Caliphate. But these past few months, millions of Arab Muslims rose up and were prepared for their own martyrdom – not for Islam but for freedom and liberty and democracy. Bin Laden didn't get rid of the tyrants. The people did. And they didn't want a caliph.” </span><br />
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</tbody></table>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-56218678557725967812011-05-06T09:48:00.000-10:002011-05-06T09:48:44.739-10:00Senate to begin impeachment proceedings When!!!<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Barack Obama Jr. released his long form <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">birth certificate</span>, clearly proving he is NOT a natural born citizen. So, why has there been virtually no call in the Senate to begin impeachment proceedings? And why are so many news reporters acting as if all Obama needed to substantiate he was a Natural Born Citizen was to prove he was <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD9">born in</span> the U.S.A?<br />
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The U.S. Constitution and U.S. law, as of the time of Obama Junior’s birth, still required a President to have a father (pictured top left) who was a U.S. citizen. Clearly Obama’s father was a British citizen (since Kenya at the time was controlled by Great Britain), as clearly shown on the very document Obama released.<br />
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Still not convinced? Let’s take a refresher <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2">course</span> in U.S. history. Our founding fathers didn’t want any U.S. President to have mixed loyalties so they required that both parents of a President be U.S. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD7">citizens</span> in order to qualify their son or daughter to be a Natural Born U.S. Citizen. Period. Simple. Not complicated.<br />
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Here’s the exact language of the Naturalization Act of 1790, passed by the first U.S. Congress:<br />
“And the children of citizens of <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">the United States</span>, that may be born beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural born citizens: Provided, That the right of <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD6">citizenship</span> shall not descend to <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">persons</span> whose fathers have never been resident in the United States…”<br />
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And if you are still not absolutely convinced and you prefer to take Obama's word on this matter, then, please do. In 2008 when John McCain was running against Barack Obama for President, Democrats put McCain under the microscope for having been born in the Panama Canal Zone and not in the United States. After much discussion and debate to determine John McCain's eligibility, The U.S. Senate passed a Resolution defining the phrase "Natural Born Citizen" that validated McCain as a bona fide "Natural Born Citizen" who was eligible to run for President of The United States.<br />
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And guess who was a U.S. Senator--and a co-sponsor of this resolution that set forth the definition of a "Natural Born Citizen" and requiring that BOTH parents have to be U.S. citizens if their son or daughter was to become President of the United State? You guessed it: Barack Obama, Jr. But in classic Obama double <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD10">standard</span> fashion, he quickly breached his own resolution and brazening moved into the Oval Office as squatter-in-chief!<br />
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Our Viral Video that further elaborates on this topic: “Our Outlaw Presidency”</span> </span></div><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gD06Gc3J6xk" width="545"></iframe>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-41891331400507094312011-05-04T09:17:00.000-10:002011-05-04T09:17:57.314-10:00How long did Obama Know!!!!<div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306212" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did Pakistan's spy agency alert the CIA two years ago that there was something suspicious about the compound where Osama bin Laden was tracked down and killed? Was it intelligence from the Pakistan government that finally led the U.S. to Bin Laden?</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306211" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Related story on The Daily Beast: Audrey Tomason: Situation Room Mystery Woman</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306210" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Those were the claims of the Pakistani government today, fighting back against accusations that it ignored evidence of the presence of Bin Laden and his family – apparently for years – in a large home only a stone's throw from the military academy that is Pakistan's equivalent of West Point.</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306261" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gallery: Osama's Abbottabad Mansion</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306209" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a statement released to The Daily Beast by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, the government said that it had been sharing specific intelligence with the CIA about the compound since 2009 and that Abbottabad, the northern Pakistani city when Bin Laden was found, has been "under sharp focus of intelligence agencies since 2003" because of reports of the presence of Al Qaeda fighters.</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017304385" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "The fact is that this particular location was pointed out by our intelligence quite some time ago to the U.S. intelligence," the Pakistani Foreign Secretary said.</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306208" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "The intelligence flow indicating some foreigners in the surroundings of Abbottabad continued until mid-April 2011," the statement said. "It is important to highlight that taking advantage of much superior technological assets, CIA exploited the intelligence leads given by us to identify and reach Osama Bin Laden." </span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306207" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A CIA spokeswoman said she was aware of the Pakistani statement but had no immediate comment on it. A White House spokeswoman also had no comment. But U.S. government officials have long expressed skepticism about many of their Pakistani counterparts' claims of their cooperation in aiding America's efforts against al Qaeda.</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306206" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Foreign Ministry statement was released as the Pakistani Foreign Secretary, Salman Bashir, told the BBC that he was distressed by comments by CIA Director Leon Panetta that Pakistan could not be trusted with advance information about the U.S. attack that resulted in Bin Laden's death.</span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306205" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He said that the Pakistani ISI, the country's powerful military intelligence agency, had identified the Abbottabad complex as suspicious long ago – and urged the U.S. to use its sophisticated electronic monitoring talents to determine who was inside.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "The fact is that this particular location was pointed out by our intelligence quite some time ago to the U.S. intelligence," he said, noting that the U.S. had "much more sophisticated equipment to evaluate and to assess" what was going on in the sprawling compound where Bin Laden was eventually killed.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He said it was unfair to suggest that Pakistan would look the other way at Bin Laden's presence, given his government's central role in apprehending so many other senior al Qaeda members within Pakistan's borders, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the architect of the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington. "Most of these things that have happened in terms of combating global terror, Pakistan has played a pivotal role," he said.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In its statement, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry suggested that it was not surprising that the Bin Laden compound drew little attention from others in the neighborhood, noting that in the high-security area around Abbottabad and the Pakistani military academy, many houses have "high boundary walls, in line with their culture of privacy and security – houses with such layout and structural details are not a rarity." </span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Despite American suspicions that some leaders of the Pakistani military must have known and approved of granting sanctuary to Bin Laden, a former senior U.S. intelligence official tells The Daily Beast that it seems highly unlikely that Bin Laden's presence was known by more than a few people, if only because no one attempted to claim the State Department's $10 million reward for Bin Laden's head – a reward that had been widely publicized in the Pakistan media.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> "You'd have thought that over all these years, someone would drop a dime on him," the official said. "That's a lot of money for a single phone call or email. It's surprising that there wasn't a money-hungry general somewhere who wanted that money. Actually, it's amazing." </span></div><div align="LEFT" id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306264" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i id="yui_3_3_0_1_13045347017306263">Philip Shenon is an investigative reporter based in Washington D.C. Almost all of his career was spent at The New York Times, where he was a reporter from 1981 until 2008. He is the bestselling author of The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation. He has reported from several warzones and was one of two reporters from The Times embedded with American ground troops during the invasion of Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War.</i></span></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-34552417647446092202011-05-04T05:27:00.017-10:002011-05-04T05:47:47.498-10:00The killing of Osama bin Laden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUK4P9jUwtPXOLjw3XPVtLPwwD9rzY5TF5o_3tuai2s8xPEqZNhuGR33HvJICL7BZUtNxHNIS97b-wGWe8uWUAgggFXVRf8AR1jT-fz1z1LKr32IwEe13HLt0FTlNqMtTqtHmUsoI7OmA/s1600/www.reuters.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUK4P9jUwtPXOLjw3XPVtLPwwD9rzY5TF5o_3tuai2s8xPEqZNhuGR33HvJICL7BZUtNxHNIS97b-wGWe8uWUAgggFXVRf8AR1jT-fz1z1LKr32IwEe13HLt0FTlNqMtTqtHmUsoI7OmA/s400/www.reuters.com.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. Also pictured are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (2nd R) and Defense Secretary Robert Gates (R). Please note: A classified document seen in this photograph has been obscured at source.</span></div><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">By Erik Kirschbaum and Jonathan Thatcher</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">BERLIN/SINGAPORE | Wed May 4, 2011 10:09am EDT</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Reuters) - The killing of Osama bin Laden when he was unarmed has raised concerns the United States may have gone too far in acting as policeman, judge and executioner of the world's most wanted man.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But for several Muslim leaders, the more unsettling issue is whether the al Qaeda leader's burial at sea was contrary to Islamic practice.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The White House said on Tuesday that bin Laden had resisted the U.S. team which stormed his Pakistan hideout and that there had been concerns he would "oppose the capture operation".</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Spokesman Jay Carney declined to specify what sort of resistance bin Laden offered but added: "We expected a great deal of resistance and were met with a great deal of resistance. There were many other people who were armed ... in the compound."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt told German TV the operation could have incalculable consequences in the Arab world at a time of unrest there.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"It was quite clearly a violation of international law," .</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was a view echoed by high-profile Australian human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"It's not justice. It's a perversion of the term. Justice means taking someone to court, finding them guilty upon evidence and sentencing them," Robertson told Australian Broadcasting Corp television from London.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"This man has been subject to summary execution, and what is now appearing after a good deal of disinformation from the White House is it may well have been a cold-blooded assassination."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Robertson said bin Laden should have stood trial, just as World War Two Nazis were tried at Nuremburg or former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was put on trial at the war crimes tribunal in The Hague after his arrest in 2001.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"The last thing he wanted was to be put on trial, to be convicted and to end his life in a prison farm in upstate New York. What he wanted was exactly what he got - to be shot in mid-jihad and get a fast track to paradise and the Americans have given him that."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gert-Jan Knoops, a Dutch-based international law specialist, said bin Laden should have been arrested and extradited to the United States.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"The Americans say they are at war with terrorism and can take out their opponents on the battlefield," Knoops said. "But in a strictly formal sense, this argument does not stand up."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A senior Muslim cleric in New Delhi, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, said U.S. troops could have easily captured bin Laden.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"America is promoting jungle rule everywhere, whether in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan or Libya. People have remained silent for long but now it has crossed all limits."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">BURIAL AT SEA CONCERN</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Son Had, spokesman for Jema'ah Ansharut Tauhid, the Islamic group founded by Indonesian firebrand Abu Bakar Bashir, said it was clear that bin Laden had become a martyr.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"In Islam, a man who died....in fighting for sharia will earn the highest title for mankind other than a prophet, that is a martyr. Osama is a fighter for Islam, for sharia."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But for many Muslim leaders the greater concern was bin Laden's burial at sea, not land. His body was taken to an aircraft carrier where U.S. officials said it was buried at sea, according to Islamic rites.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I.A. Rehman, an official with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said it was more important than the issue of how bin Laden was killed.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"The fact that he was not armed is a smaller thing...There will be more focus on whether he was buried in an Islamic way. There has been reaction from Islamic clerics that he was not properly buried and this will be discussed for some time."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Saudi Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, an adviser to the Saudi Royal Court, was more direct.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"That is not the Islamic way. The Islamic way is to bury the person in land (if he has died on land) like all other people."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Amidhan, a member of Indonesia's Ulema Council (MUI), the highest Islamic authority in the world's biggest Muslim society, said he was more concerned about the burial that the killing.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Burying someone in the ocean needs extraordinary situation. Is there one?," he told Reuters.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"If the U.S. can't explain that, then it appears just like dumping an animal and that means there is no respect for the man ... and what they did can incite more resentment among Osama's supporters."</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Additional reporting by Jeff Mason in Washington, Michael Perry in Sydney, Alistair Scrutton in New Delhi, Rebecca Conway in Islamabad, Olivia Rondonwu in Jakarta, Aaron Gray-Block in Amsterdam; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)</span></div>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-18355400305423703362011-05-04T05:10:00.000-10:002011-05-04T05:10:16.951-10:00Osama bin Laden was unarmed when U.S. special forces shot and killed him<object data="http://www.reuters.com/resources_v2/flash/video_embed.swf?videoId=205845866" height="259" id="rcomVideo_205845866" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="460"> <param name='movie' value='http://www.reuters.com/resources_v2/flash/video_embed.swf?videoId=205845866'></param><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true'></param><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always'></param><param name='wmode' value='transparent'><embed src='http://www.reuters.com/resources_v2/flash/video_embed.swf?videoId=205845866' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' allowScriptAccess='always' width='460' height='259' wmode='transparent'></embed> </object><br />
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(Reuters) - Osama bin Laden was unarmed when U.S. special forces shot and killed him, the White House said, as it tried to establish whether its ally Pakistan had helped the al Qaeda leader elude a worldwide manhunt.<br />
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Pakistan faced national embarrassment, a leading Islamabad newspaper said, in how to explain that the world's most-wanted man was able to live for years in the military garrison town of Abbottabad, just north of the capital.<br />
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Islamabad vehemently denies it gave shelter to bin Laden.<br />
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"There is an intelligence failure of the whole world, not just Pakistan alone," Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani told reporters in Paris. "(If there are) ... lapses from the Pakistan side, that means there are lapses from the whole world."<br />
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The revelation that bin Laden was unarmed contradicted an earlier U.S. account that he had participated in a firefight with the helicopter-borne American commandos.<br />
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Al Arabiya television went further, suggesting the architect of the 9/11 attacks was first taken prisoner and then shot.<br />
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"A security source in the Pakistani security quoted the daughter of Osama bin Laden that the leader of al Qaeda was not killed inside his house, but had been arrested and was killed later," the Arabic television station said.<br />
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White House spokesman Jay Carney on Tuesday cited the "fog of war" -- a phrase suggested by a reporter -- as a reason for the initial misinformation.<br />
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Bin Laden's killing and the swift burial of his body at sea have produced some criticism in the Muslim world and accusations Washington acted outside international law.<br />
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"The Americans behaved in the same way as bin Laden: with treachery and baseness," Husayn al-Sawaf, 25-year-old playwright said in Cairo. "They should've tried him in a court. As for his burial, that's not Islamic. He should've been buried in soil."<br />
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But there has been no sign of mass protests or violent reaction on the streets in south Asia or the Middle East, where Islamist militancy appears to have been eclipsed by pro-democracy movements sweeping the region.<br />
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Washington will weigh sensitivities in the Muslim world when it decides whether to release photographs of bin Laden's body which could provide proof for skeptics of his death.<br />
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Bin Laden was shot in the head. "It's fair to say that it's a gruesome photograph," Carney said. "I'll be candid. There are sensitivities here in terms of the appropriateness of releasing photographs."<br />
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Pakistan has welcomed bin Laden's death, but its foreign ministry expressed deep concerns about the raid, which it called an "unauthorized unilateral action."<br />
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The CIA said it kept Pakistan out of the loop because it feared bin Laden would be tipped off, highlighting the depth of mistrust between the two supposed allies.<br />
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U.S. helicopters carrying the commandos used radar "blind spots" in the hilly terrain along the Afghan border to enter Pakistani airspace undetected in the early hours of Monday.<br />
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The Pakistani newspaper Dawn compared the latest humiliation with the admission in 2004 that one of the country's top scientists had sold its nuclear secrets. "Not since Abdul Qadeer Khan confessed to transferring nuclear technology to Iran and Libya has Pakistan suffered such an embarrassment," it said.<br />
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The streets around bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad remained sealed off on Wednesday, with police and soldiers allowing only residents to pass through.<br />
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"It's a crime but what choice are you left with if I'm not handing over your enemy who is hiding in my house?" said Hussain Khan, a retired government official living nearby, when asked about the apparent violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. "Obviously you will go and get him yourself."<br />
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UNARMED RESISTANCE<br />
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Carney insisted bin Laden resisted when U.S. forces stormed his compound in the 40-minute operation. He would not say how.<br />
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"There was concern that bin Laden would oppose the capture operation and, indeed, he resisted," Carney said. "A woman ... bin Laden's wife, rushed the U.S. assaulter and was shot in the leg but not killed. Bin Laden was then shot and killed. He was not armed."<br />
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White House counter-terrorism chief John Brennan, briefing reporters earlier this week, had indicated bin Laden was armed. "He was engaged in a firefight ... and whether or not he got off any rounds, I quite frankly don't know," he said.<br />
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The New York Times quoted officials as saying commandos did not know if bin Laden or others were wearing suicide belts.<br />
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The strike team opened fire in response to "threatening moves" as they reached the third-floor room where they found bin Laden, CIA Director Leon Panetta told PBS television.<br />
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"The authority here was to kill bin Laden," he said. "And obviously, under the rules of engagement, if he had in fact thrown up his hands, surrendered and didn't appear to be representing any kind of threat, then they were to capture him. But they had full authority to kill him."<br />
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A U.S. security official had told Reuters on Monday bin Laden would have been taken alive if he had surrendered, but otherwise the raid was a "kill operation."<br />
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U.S. officials have also backtracked on an earlier statement that bin Laden's wife had been used as a human shield.<br />
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UNLAWFUL KILLING?<br />
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U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder defended the action as lawful on Tuesday, but some in Europe said bin Laden should have been captured and put on trial.<br />
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"It was quite clearly a violation of international law," former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt told German TV. "The operation could also have incalculable consequences in the Arab world in light of all the unrest."<br />
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Geoffrey Robertson, a prominent London-based human rights lawyer, said the killing "may well have been a cold-blooded assassination" that risked making bin Laden a martyr.<br />
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Pakistan has come under intense international scrutiny since bin Laden's death, with questions on whether its security agencies were too incompetent to catch him or knew all along where he was hiding, and even whether they were complicit.<br />
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The compound where bin Laden had been hiding -- possibly for as long as five or six years -- was close to Pakistan's military academy in Abbottabad, about 40 miles from Islamabad.<br />
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"It would be premature to rule out the possibility that there were some individuals inside of Pakistan, including within the official Pakistani establishment, who might have been aware of this," Brennan said.<br />
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PAKISTAN UNDER PRESSURE<br />
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CIA Director Panetta, in an unusually blunt interview with Time magazine, explained why Islamabad was not informed of the raid until all the helicopters carrying the U.S. Navy SEALs -- and bin Laden's body -- were out of Pakistani airspace.<br />
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"It was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardize the mission: they might alert the targets," Panetta said.<br />
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Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari defended his government, which receives billions of dollars in U.S. aid, and blamed "baseless speculation" in the U.S. press.<br />
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Pakistan's foreign ministry said its Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency had been sharing information about the compound with the CIA and other friendly intelligence agencies since 2009 and had continued to do so until mid-April.<br />
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In Afghanistan, the Taliban, who harbored bin Laden until they were overthrown in late 2001, challenged the truth of his death, saying Washington had not provided "acceptable evidence to back up their claim" that he had been killed.<br />
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(Additional reporting by Reuters bureau worldwide; Writing by Alex Richardson and Nick Macfie; Editing by Dean Yates, John Chalmers and David Stamp)Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-30673932399095831462011-05-03T19:58:00.000-10:002011-05-03T19:58:59.301-10:00Waterspout HonoluluVideo captures a waterspout, a that forms a column of water, near Honolulu International Airport. <br />
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<iframe width="553" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LWHQ2ymELkg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Gary E. Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377770218616123191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3577423120646656936.post-71352936238025379872011-05-02T11:31:00.001-10:002011-05-02T12:05:56.220-10:00The operation that killed Osama bin Laden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-05/338146580-02082433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-05/338146580-02082433.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="toolSet" style="width: 335px;"> </span><br />
<div class="byline"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="byline">By Ken Dilanian, Washington Bureau</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="date" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="dateString">May 2, 2011</span><span class="dateTimeSeparator">, </span><span class="timeString">8:26 a.m.</span></span></div></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span> <br />
<div class="storyDateline" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reporting from Washington— </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR4WX3hrcXHhZPt5QJ5e3H2AGJBHMughD6P2OV7cKS_rzbgLrnABcmNmTvf2rlSltNmbkDL_F8vhVp05nxDEMlsEnxyEe7AFvcIXofRR9JAWSBGDR4YtpUx06nwh4gCULh-ZfGGZ5bWQ/s1600/Osama-bin-Laden-killed-in-raid-on-his-compound1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The operation that killed Osama bin Laden was led by the CIA, although most of those conducting the raid were military special operations troops, a U.S. official said today. CIA Director Leon Panetta gave the go-order about midday Sunday, after President Obama had signed off on it.<br />
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Panetta and other CIA officials monitored the raid via live video on the 7th floor of CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. When an operator was overheard confirming that bin Laden was killed, cheers erupted.<br />
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Bin Laden was shot while shooting back, the official reported. Contrary to some reports, the operation was intended to kill or capture bin Laden, although all involved thought capture was unlikely.<br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR4WX3hrcXHhZPt5QJ5e3H2AGJBHMughD6P2OV7cKS_rzbgLrnABcmNmTvf2rlSltNmbkDL_F8vhVp05nxDEMlsEnxyEe7AFvcIXofRR9JAWSBGDR4YtpUx06nwh4gCULh-ZfGGZ5bWQ/s1600/Osama-bin-Laden-killed-in-raid-on-his-compound1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicR4WX3hrcXHhZPt5QJ5e3H2AGJBHMughD6P2OV7cKS_rzbgLrnABcmNmTvf2rlSltNmbkDL_F8vhVp05nxDEMlsEnxyEe7AFvcIXofRR9JAWSBGDR4YtpUx06nwh4gCULh-ZfGGZ5bWQ/s400/Osama-bin-Laden-killed-in-raid-on-his-compound1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> "This wasn’t an execution," the official said."The assessment going in to it was that it’s highly unlikely that’s he’s going to be taken alive, but if he decided to lay down his arms, he would have been taken captive."<br />
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<span style="background-color: red;">Crucial information about the trusted courier who owned the compound came years ago from CIA interrogations of 9-11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohamed, the official said. This is significant, because the Al Qaeda mastermind was subject to <span style="font-size: x-large;">waterboarding</span> and other brutal interrogation methods.</span><br />
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<b>"We were able to get pieces of information from detainees," the official said. "That took years and these guys don’t give it up all willingly."<br />
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An option to bomb the compound was rejected in favor of a surgical raid, in part to make sure there was proof Bin Laden was there, and in part to spare the lives of more than a dozen non-combatants living in the compound.<br />
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The CIA and other agencies had been watching the compound since August, so they knew a lot about it, the official said. Mock-ups had been constructed and rehearsals of the raid held while senior officials watched.<br />
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The town is not in the area where U.S. Predator drones regularly fly over the tribal areas of Pakistan, so other methods had to be used to gather intelligence on the layout, the official said. The National Security Agency, which has satellites that can eavesdrop on conversations, and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, which can map buildings and terrain via satellite and other technology, were both involved. The technology is such that the CIA was aware of where people were in the compound during the early morning hours when the raid occurred, the official said.<br />
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A tense moment during the raid came when one of the helicopters malfunctioned, but no one was injured and the copter was destroyed.<br />
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The official would not say where the body was buried at sea, but said, "We treated him with more respect than he treated a lot of Americans."</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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