July 1, 2009 - 4:36am
Joint Chiefs Chairman U.S. Adm. Mike Mullen talks with WTOP's J.J. Green. WASHINGTON - A day after most U.S. troops have now left Iraq, the war in Afghanistan is the new principal focal point for the U.S. military.
WTOP asked Joint Chiefs Chairman U.S. Adm. Mike Mullen what it's going to take to win in Afghanistan:
"What it's going to take there to win is to provide security for the Afghan people, that would allow the Afghan people to develop confidence in their government, local government, provincial government, national government," Mullen says.
But winning also is going to require taking the fight to the Taliban.
"Clearly we're adding more troops there," Mullen acknowledges. "The fight is getting tougher. The Taliban is much more capable than they were last year and they've been evolving over the last three years, and that's one of the reasons we're putting the troops in."
Interestingly, Russia -- part of the Soviet Union that spent a decade trying to dominate Afghanistan -- is critical to U.S. plans to defeat the Taliban.
"Every Russian I've talked to does not want to see the Taliban return to running Afghanistan," Mullen says.
Mullen says part of the reason Russia does not want to see the Taliban return is the Afghan drug trade. It is dominated by the Taliban and runs right through Russia.
The U.S. and Russia have their differences, but Mullen says they have to put them aside to deal with common threats.
The U.S. and Russia have a had a few rough patches. In fact, Mullen's trip to Russia was planned with that in mind.
"In hopes that we can look to strengthen our relationship, which actually a year ago, or almost a year ago last August, you know fell on pretty hard times."
Mullen is referring to the Russian military dust-up with Georgia, which the U.S. supported.
One place where the U.S. and Russia are working together is off the coast of Africa.
"Facing this common challenge of piracy," Mullen says.
But right here in the U.S.'s own back yard, Russia has been very cozy with Venezuela, which by the declaration from its President Hugo Chavez, is no friend of the U.S. at this point.
"Every country gets to pick its relationships as they wish," Mullen says.
But when it comes to Russian relations in this hemisphere, Mullen pointed out, the Russians have been put on notice about U.S. concerns about certain Russian activities.
No doubt those activities have to do with U.S. enemies, such as Cuba, Venezuela and others.
http://wtop.com/?nid=778&sid=1706776
Harlem Transforms Into Neverland East
Eyes Of World On NYC As Fans Flock To Famous Harlem Theater For Public Remembrance, Thousands Line 125th St.
Fans from all over gathered to pay tribute to Michael Jackson at Harlem's historic Apollo Theater on Tuesday, where more than 40 years ago, the Jackson Five launched its career, and effectively, a new era in pop music with the introduction to Michael.
Thousands lined up along West 125th Street with many adorned in large black sunglasses and fedora hats, while dressed in multicolored sequined vests or Jackson's trademark sparkling white glove.
Tuesday's memorial, which began at 2 p.m., featured a eulogy by the Rev. Al Sharpton. A moment of silence was called at 5:26 p.m., the time East Coast fans learned that Jackson had died.
Sharpton told the crowd that Jackson "broke down race barriers." He and Director Spike Lee urged the audience to revel in Jackson accomplishments and disregard what they characterized as negative news coverage of the star.
"Michael made young men and women all over the world imitate us," Sharpton said. "Before Michael, we were limited and ghettoized. But Michael put on a colorful military outfit, he pulled his pants up, he put on the one glove, and he smashed the barriers of segregated music."
Sharpton then showed his own colorful dance moves to the crowd, dancing up a storm with Lee, DJ Chub Rock, and another woman while Jackson's music blared.
Shenia Rudolph, a fan from the Bronx, joined many who have been waiting for more than 12 hours outside the theater just to honor the King of Pop.
"He has made history. He is a legend in our own times," Rudolph says. "As from now, he is going to be remembered from here till tomorrow."
Many brought beloved scrapbooks and memorabilia while some were totally decked out just like Michael.
... (to continue reading go to the link)
http://wcbstv.com/cbs2crew/michael.jackson.apollo.2.1065167.html
Suspected NKorean ship changes course
By PAULINE JELINEK – 16 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials said Tuesday that a North Korean ship has turned around and is headed back toward the north where it came from, after being tracked for more than a week by American Navy vessels on suspicion of carrying illegal weapons.
The move keeps the U.S. and the rest of the international community guessing: Where is the Kang Nam going? Does its cargo include materials banned by a new U.N. anti-proliferation resolution?
The ship left a North Korean port of Nampo on June 17 and is the first vessel monitored under U.N. sanctions that ban the regime from selling arms and nuclear-related material.
The Navy has been watching it — at times following it from a distance. It traveled south and southwest for more than a week; then, on Sunday, it turned around and headed back north, two U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence.
Nearly two weeks after the ship left North Korea, officials said Tuesday they still don't know where it is going. But it was some 250 miles south of Hong Kong on Tuesday, one official said.
Though acknowledging all along that the Kang Nam's destination was unclear, some officials said last week that it could be going to Myanmar and that it was unclear whether it could reach there without stopping in another port to refuel.
The U.N. resolution allows the international community to ask for permission to board and search any suspect ship on the seas. If permission for inspection is refused, authorities can ask for an inspection in whichever nation where the ship pulls into port.
North Korea has said it would consider any interception of its ships a declaration of war.
Two officials had said earlier in the day Tuesday that the Kang Nam had been moving very slowly in recent days, something that could signal it was trying to conserve fuel.
They said they didn't know what the turnaround of the ship means, nor what prompted it.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said Sunday that Washington was "following the progress of that ship very closely," but she would not say whether the U.S. would confront the Kang Nam.
The sailing of the vessel — and efforts to track it — set up the first test of a new U.N. Security Council resolution that authorizes member states to inspect North Korean vessels. The sanctions are punishment for an underground nuclear test the North carried out in May in defiance of past resolutions.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, the Obama administration imposed financial sanctions on a company in Iran that is accused of involvement in North Korea's missile proliferation network.
In the latest move to keep pressure on Pyongyang and its nuclear ambitions, the Treasury Department moved against Hong Kong Electronics, a company located in Kish Island, Iran. The action means that any bank accounts or other financial assets found in the United States belonging to the company must be frozen. Americans also are prohibited from doing business with the firm.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gPE2T6srY36AqSumfp9KStLWUnAQD9956V482
Harrisburg chapter of NAACP urges martial law
The Harrisburg Chapter of the NAACP is calling on Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell to suspend some civil liberties and impose martial law in the city to halt the wave of recent lawlessness.
Chapter President Stanley Lawson also called on Rendell to bring in the state National Guard for at least 30 days and to impose a curfew. In June, there have been at least 12 shootings, many of them in the daytime, including a man killed Wednesday at a busy city intersection during the lunch hour.
"The Guard is for floods and natural disasters. I don't know any more of a natural disaster than of our young people being killed," he said at a general membership meeting of about 25 people at Capitol Presbyterian Church, 14th and Cumberland streets.
"It's time for some real action," he said. "Right now the important thing is to stop this madness."
"We're beyond what the Harrisburg police department can do. We need help," Lawson said.
Martial law is a system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice, normally in times of emergency.
At about the same time Lawson was speaking, Rendell was at another community meeting in Harrisburg where he promised to have state police patrol city streets to increase the presence of law enforcement.
Lawson noted that there was historical precedent for the Guard to step in, recalling the race riots in 1968 following the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King in Memphis, Tenn.
Lawson said that many reasons have been given for the wave of shootings, such as drugs, robberies and neighborhood turf wars. Fear is the bigger reason, he suggested.
"The young men, it's fear, it's just fear. They think: 'I'm going to get them before they get me,'" he said.
When one man noted the presence of the Guardian Angels from York coming to Harrisburg, Lawson responded: "I appreciate the Guardian Angels, but I see what's going on in York, Lancaster and Philadelphia. It's everywhere. I'm concerned about what is going on in Harrisburg."
Member and attorney Stanley Mitchell noted the civil rights organization is asking for a short suspension of some civil rights, but added: "We have the civil rights not to be shot."
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/06/harrisburg_chapter_of_naacp_ur.html
White House Reporters Grill Gibbs Over ‘Prepackaged’ Questions for Obama
Go to the site for the video, but if it upset Helen Thomas a self professed Liberal, then it must have real stunk the place up. Here is her quote
"The point is the control from here. We have never had that in the White House. And we have had some control but not this control. I mean I'm amazed, I'm amazed at you people who call for openness and transparency and have controlled..." veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas said Wednesday.
http://www.breitbart.tv/white-house-reporters-grill-gibbs-over-selected-questions-for-obama/
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