December 3, 2015


News Clips For The Day


SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/san-bernardino-shooting-suspects-syed-rizwan-farook-tashfeen-malik-home-raid/

More details revealed about San Bernardino shooting suspects
CBS NEWS
December 3, 2015

Photograph -- farook.jpg, An undated photo from an online dating website shows Syed Rizwan Farook, who has been identified to CBS News as one of the suspects in the Dec. 2, 2015 shooting at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernadino, Calif. CBS NEWS
Video -- Obama responds to San Bernardino shooting
Video -- Live coverage of San Bernardino shooting
Video -- Police: San Bernardino shooting suspects arrived prepared for deadly battle
Play VIDEO -- Suspect's brother-in-law: "Why would he do that?"


The FBI and police are searching the Redlands townhome tied to San Bernardino shooting suspect Syed Rizwan Farook. Late Wednesday night, police used a battering ram to enter the home and sent a robot in to sweep for possible explosives.

Police have identified Farook, a 28-year-old American citizen born in Chicago and employee with the San Bernardino County Department of Health, and Tashfeen Malik, a 27-year-old female who is Farook's wife, as the two suspects involved in the shooting.

Police said Farook was at a holiday banquet with coworkers before leaving abruptly and returning with his wife. Shortly after, shots were fired, reports CBS News' David Begnaud.

"I am in shock that something like this could happen," said Farook's brother-in-law, Farhan Khan.

Khan told CBS News that Farook and Malik were married for two years and had a 6-month-old child, who they left with Farook's mother.

Farook traveled to Saudi Arabia for two weeks in July 2014 to pick up his fiancee, Malik, who is Pakistani, a law enforcement source told CBS News. Malik received a K1 Visa, known as a fiance visa, a U.S. official told CBS News. It's unclear when the visa was issued.

A source told CBS News that they were looking at ISIS propaganda online.

At a press conference with local Muslim leaders, Khan offered his condolences to the families of the victims and expressed his disbelief.

"I have no idea why would he do that? Why would he do something like this. I have absolutely no idea," Khan said.

Farook and Malik were killed in the police pursuit that ended in a shootout.

A federal law enforcement official tells CBS News both were dressed in tactical clothing, armed with assault rifles, and each had multiple magazines of ammunition attached to their clothing. Police also discovered handguns in their SUV.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) confirmed all four guns used in the attack were traced and purchased legally, reports CBS News' Justice Department reporter Paula Reid. Two of the guns were purchased by an unnamed person known to the investigation, officials said. The other two were purchased by an unknown individual.

Law enforcement officials do not have a motive yet, but say they are not ruling out terrorism. Police say they are confident the two suspects killed were the only shooters involved.




“Late Wednesday night, police used a battering ram to enter the home and sent a robot in to sweep for possible explosives. Police have identified Farook, a 28-year-old American citizen born in Chicago and employee with the San Bernardino County Department of Health, and Tashfeen Malik, a 27-year-old female who is Farook's wife, as the two suspects involved in the shooting. …. Farook traveled to Saudi Arabia for two weeks in July 2014 to pick up his fiancee, Malik, who is Pakistani, a law enforcement source told CBS News. Malik received a K1 Visa, known as a fiance visa, a U.S. official told CBS News. It's unclear when the visa was issued. …. A source told CBS News that they were looking at ISIS propaganda online. At a press conference with local Muslim leaders, Khan offered his condolences to the families of the victims and expressed his disbelief. …. A federal law enforcement official tells CBS News both were dressed in tactical clothing, armed with assault rifles, and each had multiple magazines of ammunition attached to their clothing. …. Two of the guns were purchased by an unnamed person known to the investigation, officials said. The other two were purchased by an unknown individual.”


This is another case in which Federal officials had some knowledge of one or more parties involved. This article doesn’t say which “known individual” bought two of the four guns. The presence of the gun buyers in this situation seems to me to indicate a conspiracy, likewise the jihadist oriented Internet activity and the suspected manufacture of bombs. I suppose they want to detect and capture all related conspirators before they finally declare that this is a terrorism issue.

One witness did say that Farook seemed to have taken offense at something that happened while at the party, left angrily and then came back with his wife and the guns. Still, why did he have two automatic rifles and all the ammo etc. in his car as well at his apartment. It is my feeling that anyone who collects a large number of guns especially high powered automatic weapons should be watched by authorities and arrested if he is under the influence of violent web sites or has other suspicious activities, whether it is jihadist oriented or our own homegrown terrorist groups like the White Supremacists and religious or anti-government zealots. Several politicians have said that anyone who is on the No-Fly list should not be able to buy a gun. This story, however, will not be complete until the person who bought these particular weapons is identified and charged with conspiracy to commit a terroristic act.

Then, of course, there are the borderline insane with a gun fetish. I didn’t use that term by mistake. I think there are many men in this country for whom a gun gives them a greater feeling of masculine power. They’re all at least mentally unbalanced – sometimes psychotic and other times just fanatics, but they’re all dangerous.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/after-san-bernardino-shooting-prayers-from-congress-and-calls-for-action/

After San Bernardino shooting, prayers from Congress vs. calls for action
By STEPHANIE CONDON CBS NEWS
December 3, 2015


The knowledge that gun control legislation is a non-starter in the Capitol -- as CBS News' Nancy Cordes reported -- means every mass shooting in the U.S. leaves lawmakers with little to do but offer their thoughts and prayers.

Yet as those offers of sympathy stack up, as they have after Wednesday's massacre in San Bernardino, California, liberals in and out of office grow increasingly impatient. "It's not enough to keep lamenting these things. We have to take action," famously liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, told Cordes.

The partisan divide was clear Wednesday in the early public reactions from lawmakers to the San Bernardino shooting. Lawmakers from both political parties offered their condolences and prayers.

Twitter --

Linda T. Sánchez ✔ @RepLindaSanchez
We're all horrified to see another mass shooting. My thoughts and prayers are with all those injured in the #SanBernardino shooting.
3:11 PM - 2 Dec 2015

Rep. Chris Stewart ✔ @RepChrisStewart
Praying for those in #SanBerandino.
3:50 PM - 2 Dec 2015

John Lewis ✔ @repjohnlewis
How many more innocent people must be shot and killed by madmen before we do something about gun violence?
3:00 PM - 2 Dec 2015
682 682 Retweets 571 571 likes

Amy Klobuchar ✔ @amyklobuchar
I agree w/you Cari & voted for & will vote for background check bill. I also lead domestic violence&stalker gun bill https://twitter.com/nesralirac/status/672242881503977472 …
11:29 PM - 2 Dec 2015

Chris Murphy ✔ @ChrisMurphyCT
Your "thoughts" should be about steps to take to stop this carnage. Your "prayers" should be for forgiveness if you do nothing - again.
5:12 PM - 2 Dec 2015

igorvolsky ✔ @igorvolsky
Got $3,000 from NRA during the 2014 election cycle. Unlikely to address gun problem with anything other than prayer https://twitter.com/RepKenBuck/status/672179442563883014 …
8:20 PM - 2 Dec 2015

Daniel Schultz @pastordan
14. First that prayer is not a substitute for action doesn't mean it's worthless. It also doesn't mean that it's the *opposite* of action.
11:38 PM - 2 Dec 2015


"Obviously, our hearts go out to the victims and the families," President Obama said in an interview Wednesday with CBS News' Norah O'Donnell.

What's less obvious is what should come next. The early calls for congressional action on Wednesday -- some more specific than others -- largely came from Democrats. Mr. Obama and members of his party revived discussion of expanding background checks, using the terrorist watchlist to limit gun purchases, and other potential forms of gun control.

Some liberals charged that Republican offers of sympathy ring hollow without follow-up action -- and some suggested the GOP is offering nothing more than thoughts and prayers because the National Rifle Association has been bankrolling their campaigns.

This skepticism of prayer provoked a response from some political and religious thinkers. Pastor and liberal commentator Dan Schultz gave a lengthy reaction on Twitter, explaining why this liberal cynicism may be well-intentioned but unproductive.

"Rightly or wrongly, it sets many religious people's teeth on edge, even if we understand the sentiment behind it," he wrote. "That's particularly true when it's aimed at something as important as prayer. For some it's the only way to participate in their faith."

While gun control legislation seemingly remains a lost cause, lawmakers are at least attempting to work with each other on issues that have been factors in many mass shootings, like mental health. Members of both parties agree that shortcomings in the mental health system have led to some of the mass shootings.

Earlier this week, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, endorsed a bipartisan mental health bill that would, among other things, make it easier for courts to order outpatient treatment for some mentally ill patients. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tim Murthy, R-Pennsylvania, is advancing through the House Energy and Commerce.

At the moment, however, authorities are still trying to piece together the motive for the San Bernardino shooting. It's not yet known whether or not this particular shooting could have been prevented by improved mental health legislation, or even, perhaps by better gun safety laws.




“It's not enough to keep lamenting these things. We have to take action," famously liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, told Cordes. …. What's less obvious is what should come next. The early calls for congressional action on Wednesday -- some more specific than others -- largely came from Democrats. Mr. Obama and members of his party revived discussion of expanding background checks, using the terrorist watchlist to limit gun purchases, and other potential forms of gun control. …. While gun control legislation seemingly remains a lost cause, lawmakers are at least attempting to work with each other on issues that have been factors in many mass shootings, like mental health. Members of both parties agree that shortcomings in the mental health system have led to some of the mass shootings. Earlier this week, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, endorsed a bipartisan mental health bill that would, among other things, make it easier for courts to order outpatient treatment for some mentally ill patients. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tim Murthy, R-Pennsylvania, is advancing through the House Energy and Commerce.”


The bipartisan mental health bill allowing mandatory outpatient treatment would help, more asylums for the severely ill, and of course tighter gun control laws. Also the prohibition of known jihadists and other dangerous types buying a weapon should be done now. The twitter comment above by igorvolsky ✔ @igorvolsky tells it all, however: “Got $3,000 from NRA during the 2014 election cycle. Unlikely to address gun problem with anything other than prayer.”




http://www.cbsnews.com/news/san-bernardino-shooting-law-enforcement-re-evaluates-active-shooter-protocols/

What's the best way to react in active shooter situation?
CBS NEWS
December 3, 2015

Play VIDEO -- Police: San Bernardino shooting suspects arrived prepared for deadly battle
Photograph -- ap816667390208.jpg, A SWAT team arrives at the scene of a shooting in San Bernardino, California, Dec. 2, 2015. Police responded to reports of an active shooter at a social services facility. DOUG SAUNDERS/LOS ANGELES NEWS GROUP VIA AP
Photograph -- Authorities check bags as students and staff are moved off campus at Umpqua Community College after a shooting Oct. 1, 2015. MICHAEL SULLIVAN/THE NEWS REVIEW
Related article -- San Bernardino shooting "possibly" terrorist related, Obama says
Play VIDEO -- Active Shooter


Law enforcement has been re-evaluating active shooter protocols since the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, where two shooters killed 13 people, CBS News' Kris Van Cleave reports.

As active shooter drills become more common, police say the best way for non-law enforcement individuals to respond in these situations is to evacuate, hide out, or, in some cases, take action.

Dorothy Vong, an Inland Regional Center nurse, thought the heavily armed police storming the San Bernardino building were part of a drill. She told the LA Times that the San Bernardino facility practices active shooter situations "every month or so." Instead, the deadly attack by suspects Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people.

The frequency of active shooter incidents in the U.S. is rising, and police are adjusting their tactics.

"First responding patrol officers are expected to ... go in and find that threat and stop the killing," former FBI assistant director Ron Hosko said. "They are not waiting for a SWAT team that may be 15 minutes or an hour behind."

Between 2000 and 2013, the FBI reported there were 160 active shooter incidents in the U.S. Forty-five of them were between 2000 and 2006, but over the next seven years, that number more than doubled to 115. Sixty percent of the shootings ended before officers arrived.

Less than two weeks ago, the New York City Police Department held a three-hour active shooter drill in the city's subway system.

"These exercises are vitally necessary, particularly in light of all that's going on in the world at this particular point in time," NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said at the time.

In January, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department posted a video online with guidelines on how to survive a shooting of this kind.

Similar videos have been posted by other police departments and universities throughout the country.

The Ohio State University video advised people to lock or barricade the doors and avoid huddling together.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, active shooter incidents typically last between 10 and 15 minutes.

"I always say if you can get out, getting out is your first option, your best option," Washington, D.C., Police Chief Cathy Lanier told Anderson Cooper during a "60 Minutes" interview broadcast last month. "If you're in a position to try and take the gunman down, to take the gunman out, it's the best option for saving lives before police can get there. And that's kind of counterintuitive, what cops always tell people right? We always tell people don't, you know, don't take action, call 911. Don't intervene in the robbery. We've never told people, take action. It's a different--this is a different scenario."

"You're telling them that now though," Cooper said.

"We are," she said.

Police also advise people to be aware of their surroundings and to locate the two nearest exits in case they need to get out fast.




“Law enforcement has been re-evaluating active shooter protocols since the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, where two shooters killed 13 people, CBS News' Kris Van Cleave reports. As active shooter drills become more common, police say the best way for non-law enforcement individuals to respond in these situations is to evacuate, hide out, or, in some cases, take action. …. "First responding patrol officers are expected to ... go in and find that threat and stop the killing," former FBI assistant director Ron Hosko said. "They are not waiting for a SWAT team that may be 15 minutes or an hour behind." …. "These exercises are vitally necessary, particularly in light of all that's going on in the world at this particular point in time," NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said at the time. In January, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department posted a video online with guidelines on how to survive a shooting of this kind. …. The Ohio State University video advised people to lock or barricade the doors and avoid huddling together. …. And that's kind of counterintuitive, what cops always tell people right? We always tell people don't, you know, don't take action, call 911. Don't intervene in the robbery. We've never told people, take action. It's a different--this is a different scenario." …. Police also advise people to be aware of their surroundings and to locate the two nearest exits in case they need to get out fast.”


So, first when we go into a public venue we should locate the exits. I first heard that advice about going into a theater, because people who are trapped in fires and succumb are often confused and if they run, they go in the wrong direction. That would be true in any situation of fear and panic. And of course if you remember your fire drill instructions, you know not to run, but walk fast. Running causes trampling. I use the same method when I leave my car in a large parking lot – there are almost always signs posted identifying the exact location. I have twice forgotten where I put my car because I didn’t use that precaution, and had to go to the mall security guard to ride me around in his little golf cart thingy to find it. Embarrassing.

Second, do not huddle together. That gives a large number of humans for the villains to aim at which is exactly what they want – a high body count. Scattering will reduce that number.

Third, if we see that it’s impossible to get away try subterfuge such as “playing dead,” or if you can muster the courage, try to “take the man down.” A couple of years ago a high school assistant principle was in the news for stopping a shooting in progress by the simple expedient of a good old fashioned football tackle. As I remember it, he was killed, but he saved many lives. That shooting took place in a crowded area like the cafeteria where all the people there were defenseless. Believe me, the human race wouldn’t have prospered down through the several million years of our existence if we hadn’t been willing to fight back.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/paul-ryan-pushes-mental-health-bill-after-san-bernardino-shooting/

Paul Ryan pushes mental health bill after San Bernardino shooting
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
December 3, 2015

Play VIDEO -- President Obama: Mass shootings have become routine
Play VIDEO -- Speaker Paul Ryan calls for a moment of silence after shooting


Before his first major address in his new leadership role on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke with "CBS This Morning" about the Congressional response to mass shootings after Wednesday's deadly rampage in San Bernardino, California.

"What we have seen -- and a common theme among many of these mass shootings -- is a theme of mental illness," Ryan said early Thursday. "And we need to fix our mental illness laws, our policies. They're outdated. And that is something that we are working on right now."

The House speaker touted legislation introduced by Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pennsylvania, that would revamp the country's mental health systems. Among other steps, the measure would create an assistant secretary position in the Department of Health and Human Services to address mental illness and fix a shortage of beds in psychiatric hospitals.

"A lot of these people are getting guns who are mentally unstable, who should not be getting guns. And this is a gap in our laws that we feel needs to be filled," Ryan said.

This isn't the first time Ryan has pushed for a mental health care overhaul since taking over the House speakership.

On Tuesday, responding to last week's shooting at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood facility, Ryan called for Capitol Hill to move on Murphy's bill, which was the result of the Pennsylvania Republican's research after the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Despite multiple shootings in the last few years perpetrated by gunmen who suffered from mental illness, Congress has yet to pass any comprehensive legislation regarding mental health.

Though the motive for the attack on California's Inland Regional Center remains unclear, the Wisconsin Republican also cautioned against "homegrown jihadists" and ISIS-inspired attacks.

"If someone is suspected of terrorism -- if someone in this country is planning a terrorist attack, or we think they're planning a terrorist attack -- we should arrest them," Ryan said. "So this is something that should be dealt with by law enforcement in a more pronounced position."

Ryan responded to President Obama's call for stricter gun control measures after the shooting, pushing back against the president's proposals to restrict guns in a manner similar to government no-fly lists.

On Wednesday, Mr. Obama told CBS News: "For those who are concerned about terrorism, some may be aware of the fact that we have a no-fly list where people can't get on planes. But those same people who we don't allow to fly could go into a store right now in the United States and buy a firearm, and there's nothing we can do to stop them. That's a law that needs to be changed."

But Ryan argued that such keeping such a list for firearm purchases would infringe on citizens' rights.

"On this particular issue, we do have a Constitution," the newly minted speaker said. "Citizens have a due process right. And anyone can just be arbitrarily placed upon the no-fly list. In fact, that's happened quite a bit."

Of law-abiding citizens, Ryan said "we can't have some government official just arbitrarily put them on a list...we want to make sure that we don't violate a person's rights."




“The House speaker touted legislation introduced by Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pennsylvania, that would revamp the country's mental health systems. Among other steps, the measure would create an assistant secretary position in the Department of Health and Human Services to address mental illness and fix a shortage of beds in psychiatric hospitals. …. "If someone is suspected of terrorism -- if someone in this country is planning a terrorist attack, or we think they're planning a terrorist attack -- we should arrest them," Ryan said. "So this is something that should be dealt with by law enforcement in a more pronounced position." …. "On this particular issue, we do have a Constitution," the newly minted speaker said. "Citizens have a due process right. And anyone can just be arbitrarily placed upon the no-fly list. In fact, that's happened quite a bit."


Yes, Mr. Speaker, no one should be “arbitrarily” placed on such a list, but they shouldn’t be arbitrarily singled out for the No-fly list either. Fix both of them so that tangible proof is required. Likewise, police officers shouldn’t arrest the nearest black person when they hear that a robbery has been committed, either. That's just a lazy man's way to do police work.

When the FBI, CIA or others are watching a suspected would-be assassin/jihadi he should NOT be allowed to buy a gun. Sometimes they have let such people remain free because they are looking for bigger fish to catch, and the perp then takes action earlier than the agents expected, thus causing one of these spree killings. This may be one of those cases, because the couple in question in this last terrible incident didn’t buy their own guns, and two of the guns were purchased by someone who was known to authorities and whose apprehension could have prevented the incident. In other words, “connect the dots.”




MOVING ON



http://news.yahoo.com/nato-invites-montenegro-become-29th-member-alliance-073612102.html

NATO invites Montenegro to join alliance, defying Russia
By Robin Emmott and Sabine Siebold, Reuters
December 2, 2015

View gallery -- Kerry meets Luksic at the NATO ministerial meetings


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO invited tiny Montenegro on Wednesday to join the military alliance in its first expansion since 2009, defying Russian warnings that enlargement of the U.S.-led bloc further into the Balkans is "irresponsible" action that undermines trust.

In a scripted session at NATO's headquarters in Brussels, Montenegro's Foreign Minister Igor Luksic strode into the imposing conference hall to loud applause from his peers as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg declared: "This is the beginning of a very beautiful alliance."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the decision to invite Montenegro was not directed at Russia. "NATO is not a threat to anyone ... it is a defensive alliance, it is simply meant to provide security," Kerry told a news conference. "It is not focused on Russia or anyone else."

NATO diplomats said the decision sends a message to Moscow that it does not have a veto on the alliance's eastwards expansion, even if Georgia's membership bid has been complicated by its 2008 war with Russia.

Moscow opposes any NATO extension to former communist areas of eastern and southeastern Europe, part of an east-west struggle for influence over former Soviet satellites that is at the center of the crisis in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in September that any expansion of NATO was "a mistake, even a provocation". In comments to Russian media then, he said NATO's so-called open door policy was "an irresponsible policy that undermines the determination to build a system of equal and shared security in Europe."

RIA news agency cited a Russian senator as saying on Wednesday that Russia will end joint projects with Montenegro if the ex-Communist country joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The Adriatic state of 650,000 people is expected to become a member formally next year.

Viktor Ozerov, head of the Russian Federation Council's defense and safety committee, said the projects which could be axed included those in military areas, RIA reported.

NATO foreign ministers broke off practical cooperation with Russia in April last year after Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and sparked the conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 8,000 people. They can still talk to Russia through political and military channels, however.

Still, NATO allies are divided over what message to send to Georgia over its long-delayed membership bid, with some European capitals arguing the alliance would be unable to defend the ex-Soviet state in the event of a conflict with Russia.

Those difficulties were underlined by a foreign ministers' joint statement that provided little momentum in Georgia's membership talks.

Ministers repeated their long-held position that Tbilisi must continue to prepare for membership one day, calling for Russia's military to withdraw from Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Russia's continued presence there and agreements signed between Russia and the two regions "blatantly contradict the principles of international law," the statement said.

NATO's founding treaty deems an attack against one ally an attack against all, giving any member a guarantee of protection. But Georgia, which is a partner but not an ally, does not qualify for any such protection.

NATO membership is also dependent on a country settling any outstanding territorial disputes - another big hurdle for Georgia.

After Albania and Croatia joined NATO in 2009, only Serbia, Russia's closest ally in the Balkans, is the only Balkan country not actively pursuing membership of the alliance. Foreign ministers signaled support for Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but neither are expected to join soon.

Even though Montenegro has now been invited, it could take months for it formally to join. But Stoltenberg said he expected accession talks to go quickly, suggesting that the small Balkan state might become a member at the next summit of NATO leaders in July in Warsaw.

(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Richard Balmforth)



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montenegro

Montenegro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Montenegro (Listeni/ˌmɒntɨˈneɪɡroʊ/ MON-tən-AYG-roh or /ˌmɒntɨˈniːɡroʊ/ MON-tən-EEG-roh or /ˌmɒntɨˈnɛɡroʊ/ MON-tən-EG-roh; Montenegrin: Crna Gora / Црна Гора [t͡sr̩̂ːnaː ɡɔ̌ra] ( listen), meaning "Black Mountain") is a sovereign state in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the south-east. Its capital and largest city is Podgorica, while Cetinje is designated as the Prijestonica, meaning the former Royal Capital City.[7]

From 1918, it was a part of Yugoslavia. On the basis of an independence referendum held on 21 May 2006, Montenegro declared independence on 3 June of that year.

Classified by the World Bank as an upper middle-income country, Montenegro is a member of the UN, the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the Central European Free Trade Agreement and a founding member of the Union for the Mediterranean. Montenegro is also a candidate negotiating to join the European Union[9] and NATO.[10] On 2 December 2015 Montenegro received an official invitation to join NATO making it the 29th member country. This invitation was meant to start final accession talks.[11]




“NATO invited tiny Montenegro on Wednesday to join the military alliance in its first expansion since 2009, defying Russian warnings that enlargement of the U.S.-led bloc further into the Balkans is "irresponsible" action that undermines trust. …. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in September that any expansion of NATO was "a mistake, even a provocation". In comments to Russian media then, he said NATO's so-called open door policy was "an irresponsible policy that undermines the determination to build a system of equal and shared security in Europe." …. NATO foreign ministers broke off practical cooperation with Russia in April last year after Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and sparked the conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 8,000 people. They can still talk to Russia through political and military channels, however. …. But Georgia, which is a partner but not an ally, does not qualify for any such protection. NATO membership is also dependent on a country settling any outstanding territorial disputes - another big hurdle for Georgia. …. Serbia, Russia's closest ally in the Balkans, is the only Balkan country not actively pursuing membership of the alliance. Foreign ministers signaled support for Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but neither are expected to join soon.”


I imagine that it is not really feasible, or at any rate not easy, for a small country which is culturally and geographically too close to Russia to assert itself in such a way. That’s why Russia invaded Ukraine – Putin was happy enough when Ukraine’s Viktor Yanukovych sided with Russia and suspended plans for the country to join the EU. He was a good puppet ruler. When a sufficiently strong opposition to his undemocratic presidency arose, Russia “took off the gloves” and entered the war there. Putin has expressed anxiety about the potential encroachment by EU nations in the Balkan region. It’s similar to our Monroe Doctrine, of course, which we defend with pride. Russia has a recent tendency to try to regain the “cold war” balance of power – or imbalance – so it’s impossible to trust them now, even though we still cooperate in projects such as the space station and other exploration. I want cooperation between all major countries. We need it for the issues that affect the whole world, such as climate change, the ongoing gradual extinction of many, many animal species and now the rise of a really threatening Islamic expansion worldwide. We need their help on those things.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/defense-chief-announces-all-combat-roles-will-open-up-to-women/

Defense chief announces all combat roles will open up to women
By/ Rebecca Shabad/ CBS News/ December 3, 2015

Play Video -- First women to graduate from Army's Ranger School talk military milestone


The Pentagon will now open up all combat roles in the military to women, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on Thursday.

"This means that as long as they qualify and meet the standards, women will be able to contribute to our mission in ways they could not before," Carter said at the Pentagon's press briefing. "There will be no exceptions."

The historic decision comes nearly three years after then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta directed that all positions become open to women by January 1, 2016.

Less than one month before that deadline, Carter said he made the decision after receiving recommendations last month from the secretaries of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations Command, who agreed that all positions should be open to women.

"They'll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars and lead infantry soldiers into combat," Carter said. "They'll be able to serve as army rangers in green berets, navy seals, infantry, air force parajumpers and everything else that was previously open only to men."

Carter said the Marine Corps had asked for a partial exception, but he made the decision to override that request because he said, "We are a joint force."

Before the change, Carter said the military had only opened up 111,000 positions across the services to women. The announcement will open up the remaining 10 percent, or 220,000 positions, to women.

This comes after women have fought for decades to have a much more integrated and equal role in the military compared to their male counterparts. In 1975, the military service academies were opened up to women and in 1993, the military allowed women to begin flying fighter jets and serve on combat ships at sea.

"Our force of the future must continue to benefit from the best people America has to offer. In the 21st century, that requires drawing strength from the broadest possible pool of talent," Carter said. "This includes women because they make up over 50 percent of the American population."




"This means that as long as they qualify and meet the standards, women will be able to contribute to our mission in ways they could not before," Carter said at the Pentagon's press briefing. "There will be no exceptions." The historic decision comes nearly three years after then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta directed that all positions become open to women by January 1, 2016. …. "They'll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars and lead infantry soldiers into combat," Carter said. "They'll be able to serve as army rangers in green berets, navy seals, infantry, air force parajumpers and everything else that was previously open only to men." Carter said the Marine Corps had asked for a partial exception, but he made the decision to override that request because he said, "We are a joint force." …. The announcement will open up the remaining 10 percent, or 220,000 positions, to women. This comes after women have fought for decades to have a much more integrated and equal role in the military compared to their male counterparts. In 1975, the military service academies were opened up to women and in 1993, the military allowed women to begin flying fighter jets and serve on combat ships at sea.”


Women have been trying out for positions in the Navy Seals and Army Rangers in the last couple of years and with surprisingly good results. To me the trick is that only women of high caliber be admitted, and men shouldn’t ask any more than that. The old rule that the military, business management, sports, politics, college professorships and the science fields, may not include women has been largely replaced. IT departments are still not a fair playing field for women, and let’s face it, in nearly all environments women don’t make as much money while doing the same jobs as men. So it still sucks, but it’s better than when I was young. After all that was 1945 to 1970. Read The Feminine Mystique for more information.



http://news.yahoo.com/human-rights-watch-demands-u-criminal-probe-cia-143929937.html

Human Rights Watch demands U.S. criminal probe of CIA torture
Reuters By David Rohde
December 1, 2015

View gallery -- CIA flag is displayed on stage during a conference on national security …
View gallery FILE - In this June 27, 2006 file photo, reviewed by a U.S. Department of Defense official .…


(Reuters) - Human Rights Watch called on the Obama administration on Tuesday to investigate 21 former U.S. officials, including former President George W. Bush, for potential criminal misconduct for their roles in the CIA's torture of terrorism suspects in detention.

The other officials include former Vice President Dick Cheney, former CIA Director George Tenet, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

Human Rights Watch argued that details of the Central Intelligence Agency's interrogation program that were made public by a U.S. Senate committee in December 2014 provided enough evidence for the Obama administration to open an inquiry.

"It’s been a year since the Senate torture report, and still the Obama administration has not opened new criminal investigations into CIA torture," Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Without criminal investigations, which would remove torture as a policy option, Obama’s legacy will forever be poisoned."

Representatives for Bush and Tenet declined comment. Representatives for Cheney, Ashcroft and Rice could not immediately be reached for comment.

Former Bush administration officials and Republicans have argued that the CIA used "enhanced interrogation techniques" that did not constitute torture. They argue that the Senate report was biased.

"It's a bunch of hooey," James Mitchell, one of the architects of the interrogation program told Reuters nearly a year ago after the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee's findings. "Some of the things are just plain not true."

In a video released in conjunction with the report, "No More Excuses" "A Roadmap to Justice for CIA Torture," the president of the American Bar Association calls for a renewed investigation as well. In June, the ABA sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch also saying that the details disclosed in the Senate report merited an investigation.

"What we’ve asked the Justice Department to do is take a fresh look, a comprehensive look, into what has occurred to basically leave no stone unturned into investigating possible violations," said American Bar Association President Paulette Brown. "And if any are found to take the appropriate action as they would in any other matter."

CIA interrogators carried out the program on detainees who were captured around the world after the Sept. 11, 2001 hijacked plane attacks on the United States.

In 2008, the Bush administration opened a criminal inquiry into whether the CIA destroyed videotapes of interrogations. After taking office in 2009, the Obama administration expanded the inquiry to include whether the interrogation program’s activity involved criminal conduct.

In 2012, the Obama administration closed the criminal inquiry. Then Attorney General Eric Holder said that not enough evidence existed for criminal prosecution, including the death of two detainees.

Human Rights Watch argued that the Senate report contained new information that showed detainees were tortured in violation of U.S. and international law, including rectal feedings and unauthorized forms of "waterboarding," which makes the person feel as though they are drowning.

Laura Pitter, Human Rights Watch’s senior national security counsel and the lead author of the report, said that calls from some Republican Presidential candidates for the revival of the CIA interrogation techniques made the need for a renewed inquiry that much more important.

"Until the inherent criminality of these acts is made clear," she said, "there is a danger that future administrations will use the same tactics again."

(Reporting by David Rohde in New York; Editing by Grant McCool)



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Watch

Human Rights Watch
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. HRW headquarters are in New York City with offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Zurich.[1]

As of June 2011, the organization’s annual expenses totaled $50.6 million.[2]

History[edit]
Main article: Helsinki Watch
Human Rights Watch was founded as a private American NGO in 1978, under the name Helsinki Watch, to monitor the former Soviet Union's compliance with the Helsinki Accords.[3] Helsinki Watch adopted a practice of publicly "naming and shaming" abusive governments through media coverage and through direct exchanges with policymakers. By shining the international spotlight on human rights violations in the Soviet Union and its European partners, Helsinki Watch contributed to the democratic transformations of the region in the late 1980s.[3]

Americas Watch was founded in 1981 while bloody civil wars engulfed Central America. Relying on extensive on-the-ground fact-finding, Americas Watch not only addressed perceived abuses by government forces but also applied international humanitarian law to investigate and expose war crimes by rebel groups. In addition to raising its concerns in the affected countries, Americas Watch also examined the role played by foreign governments, particularly the United States government, in providing military and political support to abusive regimes.

Asia Watch (1985), Africa Watch (1988), and Middle East Watch (1989) were added to what was known as "The Watch Committees." In 1988, all of these committees were united under one umbrella to form Human Rights Watch.




“Former Bush administration officials and Republicans have argued that the CIA used "enhanced interrogation techniques" that did not constitute torture. They argue that the Senate report was biased. …. Human Rights Watch called on the Obama administration on Tuesday to investigate 21 former U.S. officials, including former President George W. Bush, for potential criminal misconduct for their roles in the CIA's torture of terrorism suspects in detention. The other officials include former Vice President Dick Cheney, former CIA Director George Tenet, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. Human Rights Watch argued that details of the Central Intelligence Agency's interrogation program that were made public by a U.S. Senate committee in December 2014 provided enough evidence for the Obama administration to open an inquiry. "It’s been a year since the Senate torture report, and still the Obama administration has not opened new criminal investigations into CIA torture," Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Without criminal investigations, which would remove torture as a policy option, Obama’s legacy will forever be poisoned." …. In 2008, the Bush administration opened a criminal inquiry into whether the CIA destroyed videotapes of interrogations. After taking office in 2009, the Obama administration expanded the inquiry to include whether the interrogation program’s activity involved criminal conduct. In 2012, the Obama administration closed the criminal inquiry. Then Attorney General Eric Holder said that not enough evidence existed for criminal prosecution, including the death of two detainees.”


“Laura Pitter, Human Rights Watch’s senior national security counsel and the lead author of the report, said that calls from some Republican Presidential candidates for the revival of the CIA interrogation techniques made the need for a renewed inquiry that much more important.” In a wild effort to outdo each other in being ultra, ultra conservative, the better to get the vote of our neo-fascist population here, this particular bunch of Republican candidates have said this and other really scary sounding proclamations.

In addition, in state houses of government around the country a wide range of things have been proposed since the Koch-sponsored group the Tea Party stuck it’s head up out of the muck. The worst I’ve heard is the lady mayor in some southern state who said that she has “wondered if we would be a more moral country if everyone were required to go to church.” Of course there are the states that are enacting laws that tend to apply criminal penalties to women who have a simple natural abortion, based on things like whether or not they used drugs. No, women shouldn’t use drugs from nicotine or alcohol to cocaine while pregnant, but it shouldn’t be a crime punishable by jail either. Of course if their baby has fetal alcohol syndrome or HIV/AIDS that’s a more serious and blameworthy case in my view.

I’m really glad that groups like Human Rights Watch, the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the NAACP, and other “watchdogs” for our freedoms exist. I will also include National Public Media groups NPR and PBS for making it a daily activity to spot areas that need to be examined and writing about them. Without those people we would be no better than Russia, given the trend in our political thought these days.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/chicago-top-cop-gone-activists-eye-mayor-emanuel/

With Chicago's top cop gone, activists eye mayor next
CBS/AP
December 2, 2015

Play VIDEO -- Two more views released of Chicago fatal police shooting
Play VIDEO -- Chicago's top cop dropped


CHICAGO - After Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired Garry McCarthy from his post as Chicago police chief amid the Laquan McDonald shooting fallout, protesters danced in the streets.

However, CBS Chicago reports that while the protesters had gotten their wish with McCarthy's ouster, they said they wanted more, and have set their sights on Mayor Emanuel and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez for their handling of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald by Police Officer Jason Van Dyke.

Van Dyke has been charged with murder for McDonald's death, and video of the shooting released last week shows him shooting McDonald 16 times on Oct. 20, 2014, as McDonald was walking away from police.

Protesters have expressed outrage that the video was released more than a year after the incident, and that what it shows contradicts the statements made by some Chicago police and officials, namely that McDonald had attacked police.

The anger towards Emanuel was also on display at the premiere of Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq" on Tuesday night.

Lee's satire is based on the ancient Greek play "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes. This modern adaptation is about the murder of a child hit by a stray bullet in Chicago's South Side, and the group of women that organize a unique way of dealing with the ongoing violence; they hold back sex.

Chicago actor John Cusack, who appears in the film, said the shootings and killings in Chicago each year are "unacceptable," and cited political motives.

He said the police officer involved in shooting the 17-year-old wasn't charged or the superintendent fired until the city's election had passed. Emanuel won a second term earlier this year. The shooting took place in 2014.

"It's very tragic that information was suppressed for an election cycle," Cusack said.

One of the organizers of the protests that followed McCarthy's fired echoed Cusack's concern.

Aislinn Sol told CBS Chicago: "We've been wanting McCarthy fired. We've been wanting Rahm to be fired. We've been wanting Anita Alvarez to be fired."

In an interview with Politico released Tuesday, Emanuel addressed and dismissed concerns about a cover-up. He repeated the claim Chicago officials have often made, namely that the controversial Laquan McDonald video was a primary piece of evidence in an ongoing and serious investigation, and that releasing it any earlier would have damaged official efforts.

"If you're worried about a cover up - the last person you should be worried about is me," Emanuel said. "All that information is with the FBI, when they conclude it, all of those things will be answered. If there's an action required after that, to hold people accountable, we will."



“He said the police officer involved in shooting the 17-year-old wasn't charged or the superintendent fired until the city's election had passed. Emanuel won a second term earlier this year. The shooting took place in 2014. "It's very tragic that information was suppressed for an election cycle," Cusack said. …. He said the police officer involved in shooting the 17-year-old wasn't charged or the superintendent fired until the city's election had passed. Emanuel won a second term earlier this year. The shooting took place in 2014. "It's very tragic that information was suppressed for an election cycle," Cusack said. …. "All that information is with the FBI, when they conclude it, all of those things will be answered. If there's an action required after that, to hold people accountable, we will."


I am sorry to see that a Democrat like Emanuel has been caught up in what does look suspiciously like a cover up, at a time when he should have prosecuted a rogue police officer without hesitation for murder. If, rather than mere cowardice, a corrupt attempt to win his election at all cost was involved, then he is no better than Richard Nixon. That, after all, was his crime. This video, after all, shows so clearly a case of police malfeasance that it should never have been suppressed. If the cities and police keep doing this kind of thing we will have no practical justice for the poor and minority groups at all in the USA. Our traditions are proud indeed, and we should uphold them on the basis of our honor alone. Besides, we could end up with so much interracial strife if this continues that we who were born before 2001 will not recognize the place.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/roddie-edmonds-american-wwii-vet-first-soldier-honored-for-saving-jews/

American WWII vet becomes first soldier honored for saving Jews
AP December 2, 2015

Photograph -- This undated photograph released by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial shows World War II, United States Army Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds. Courtesy of Yad Vashem via AP


JERUSALEM -- The Nazi soldiers made their orders very clear: Jewish American prisoners of war were to be separated from their fellow brothers in arms and sent to an uncertain fate.

But Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds would have none of that. As the highest-ranking noncommissioned officer held in the German POW camp, he ordered more than 1,000 Americans captives to step forward with him and brazenly pronounced: "We are all Jews here."

He would not waver, even with a pistol to his head, and his captors eventually backed down.

Seventy years later, the Knoxville, Tennessee, native is being posthumously recognized with Israel's highest honor for non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during World War II. He's the first American serviceman to earn the honor.

"Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds seemed like an ordinary American soldier, but he had an extraordinary sense of responsibility and dedication to his fellow human beings," said Avner Shalev, chairman of the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum and memorial. "The choices and actions of Master Sgt. Edmonds set an example for his fellow American soldiers as they stood united against the barbaric evil of the Nazis."

Portraits of Holocaust survivors

It's a story that remained untold for decades and one that his son, the Rev. Chris Edmonds, only discovered long after his father's death in 1985.

Edmonds was captured with thousands of others in the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 and spent 100 days in captivity. His son vaguely knew about his father's past from a pair of diaries Edmonds kept in captivity that included the names and addresses of his men and some of his daily thoughts.

But it was only while scouring the Internet a few years ago that he began to unravel the true drama that had unfolded - oddly enough, when he read a newspaper article about Richard Nixon's post-presidency search for a New York home. As it happened, Nixon purchased his exclusive upper East Side town house from Lester Tanner, a prominent New York lawyer who mentioned in passing how Edmonds had saved him and dozens of other Jews during the war.

That sparked a search for Tanner, who along with another Jewish POW, Paul Stern, told the younger Edmonds what they witnessed on Jan. 27, 1945, at the Stalag IXA POW camp near Ziegenhain, Germany.

The Wehrmacht had a strict anti-Jew policy and segregated Jewish POWs from non-Jews. On the eastern front, captured Jewish soldiers in the Russian army had been sent to extermination camps.

At the time of Edmonds' capture, the most infamous Nazi death camps were no longer fully operational, so Jewish American POWs were instead sent to slave labor camps where their chances of survival were low. U.S. soldiers had been warned that Jewish fighters among them would be in danger if captured and were told to destroy dog tags or any other evidence identifying them as Jewish.

So when the German camp commander, speaking in English, ordered the Jews to identify themselves, Edmonds knew what was at stake.

Turning to the rest of the POWs, he said: "We are not doing that, we are all falling out," recalled Chris Edmonds, who is currently in Israel participating in a seminar for Christian leaders at Yad Vashem's International School for Holocaust Studies.

With all the camp's inmates defiantly standing in front of their barracks, the German commander turned to Edmonds and said: "They cannot all be Jews." To which Edmonds replied: "We are all Jews here."

Then the Nazi officer pressed his pistol to Edmonds head and offered him one last chance. Edmonds merely gave him his name, rank and serial number as required by the Geneva Conventions.

"And then my dad said: 'If you are going to shoot, you are going to have to shoot all of us because we know who you are and you'll be tried for war crimes when we win this war,'" recalled Chris Edmonds, who estimates his father's actions saved the lives of more than 200 Jewish-American soldiers.

Witnesses to the exchange said the German officer then withdrew. Stern, who currently lives in Reston, Virginia, told Yad Vashem that even 70 years later he can "still hear the words."

About 6 million European Jews were killed by German Nazis and their collaborators during World War II. The names of those honored for risking their lives to protect Jews are engraved along an avenue of trees at the Jerusalem memorial.

More than 26,000 have been designated "Righteous Among the Nations," the most famous being Oskar Schindler, whose efforts to save more than 1,000 Jews were documented in Steven Spielberg's 1993 film "Schindler's List," and Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who is credited for having saved at least 20,000 Jews before mysteriously disappearing.

But prior to Edmonds, only four were Americans, who belonged to the clergy or volunteered for rescue groups. He's the first serviceman and the first whose actions saved the lives of fellow Americans. A ceremony for Edmonds is planned next year. And, thanks to his son's efforts, Edmonds is now also being considered for a Congressional Medal of Honor.

Irena Steinfeldt, the director of the Holocaust memorial's Righteous Among the Nations department, said all rescue stories were unique. She said Edmonds actions were reflective of those of a military man, who was prepared to take a quick, clear, moral decision.

"It's a matter of five minutes and that is it. When he tells the German, 'No,' that is something that can kill him," she explained. "It is something very dangerous that is happening in one moment. ... But it is very heroic."

Chris Edmonds, who leads a Baptist congregation in Maryville, Tennessee, said he believed his father had a "deep moral conviction" instilled in his faith that inspired his actions.

"All he had to fight with was his will power and his wits," he said. "I'm just glad he did the right thing."



“Jewish American prisoners of war were to be separated from their fellow brothers in arms and sent to an uncertain fate. But Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds would have none of that. As the highest-ranking noncommissioned officer held in the German POW camp, he ordered more than 1,000 Americans captives to step forward with him and brazenly pronounced: "We are all Jews here." He would not waver, even with a pistol to his head, and his captors eventually backed down. …. But it was only while scouring the Internet a few years ago that he began to unravel the true drama that had unfolded - oddly enough, when he read a newspaper article about Richard Nixon's post-presidency search for a New York home. As it happened, Nixon purchased his exclusive upper East Side town house from Lester Tanner, a prominent New York lawyer who mentioned in passing how Edmonds had saved him and dozens of other Jews during the war. That sparked a search for Tanner, who along with another Jewish POW, Paul Stern, told the younger Edmonds what they witnessed on Jan. 27, 1945, at the Stalag IXA POW camp near Ziegenhain, Germany. …. At the time of Edmonds' capture, the most infamous Nazi death camps were no longer fully operational, so Jewish American POWs were instead sent to slave labor camps where their chances of survival were low. U.S. soldiers had been warned that Jewish fighters among them would be in danger if captured and were told to destroy dog tags or any other evidence identifying them as Jewish. So when the German camp commander, speaking in English, ordered the Jews to identify themselves, Edmonds knew what was at stake. …. "And then my dad said: 'If you are going to shoot, you are going to have to shoot all of us because we know who you are and you'll be tried for war crimes when we win this war,'" recalled Chris Edmonds, who estimates his father's actions saved the lives of more than 200 Jewish-American soldiers. Witnesses to the exchange said the German officer then withdrew.”


I do find social and psychological heroism more admirable than mere feats of physical bravery. This is what needs to happen on the playground or on a dark street at night when a bully or mugger attacks. The man who steps forward and fights for a stranger is this sort of hero, and in a school when an intellectually challenged child is defended by a fellow child, and it does happen. Without this kind of courage, we won’t have a just society, after all. We won’t be the “city upon a hill” except in our patriotic daydreams. Patriotism is good, but virtue is better.