New York & Washington on High Alert

Posted by Sam in Travel

New York and Washington are on high alert this weekend as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches.

Security services have warned of a specific and credible threat as al-Qaeda look to cause another ‘spectacular’ on the anniversary of 9/11.

The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said that there was “a specific, credible but unconfirmed report that al-Qaeda, again, is seeking to harm Americans and in particular, to target New York and Washington.”

It is believed that they are hunting for 3 suspects, possibly including 2 US nationals, who travelled into the country last month. They say that New York or Washington DC are potential targets.

Although Osama Bin Laden was killed earlier this year the al-Qaeda organisation has always operated more as a franchise operation than an organisation with one chain of command.

Events in Afghanistan and Iraq have driven more disaffected people to their cause and their terrorist cells are capable of acting independently.

Security had been increased anyway as the 9/11 anniversary approached but President Obama has asked security chiefs to increase their efforts.

In New York the police presence has obviously and conspicuously been beefed up. Transport hubs such as airports and train stations have seen an increase in security personnel.

There is more tension in the air than usual this weekend. However, New Yorkers are just getting on with things. Checkpoints are a nuisance but they understand the necessity in keeping them safe.

If you are in New York or Washington this week let us know your thoughts and tell us about peoples spirit this weekend in the comments below.

Photo: Official US Nay Imagery

US Jobs Slump as Job Losses Cancel Out Job Gains

Posted by Clive in Politics

US jobs slump as the Department of Labor reported that there were no new jobs (net) created last month.

The US jobs news is alot worse than had been predicted by commentators although the official unemployment rate remained at 9.1%.

It is the first time that this has happened since 1945 and occurred because private sector jobs were cancelled out by public sector losses.

The news has brought more fears that the US is about to succumb to a double dip recession with growth still very fragile.

The Department of Labor also revised their numbers for US jobs created in June and July in a downwards direction.

Stock markets around the world fell on the news of the US jobs figures and all eyes are now on President Obama and his speech next week.

He will spell out a new strategy for job creation and economic recovery although most people are not too hopeful about what that might be.

With the economy in the shape it’s in, there are no easy fixes or shortcuts. More help for the economy from the Fed is looking even more likely.

The US jobs news comes at the same time that the US regulator announced plans to sue various banks including Goldmans Sachs, Bank of America and Deutsche Bank.

They say that the banks misrepresented the quality of the mortgage packages that they sold, a fundamental cause of the financial crisis.

The result were losses of $30 billion for Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac leading to a bail out by the taxpayer to the tune of something like $140 billion.

The banks are currently discussing a deal that would free them from any future litigation and expense.

Syria Pressure Mounts as World Leaders Call for Assad to go

Posted by Jeff in Politics

Syria is facing more calls today from leaders of Western nations for President Assad to step down.

The calls mark another increase in pressure on Syria since the Government started a brutal crackdown on it’s own people. They had been protesting in the streets following the Arab risings in other countries.

President Obama has called for Assad to step aside saying in a statement that “The future of Syria must be determined by it’s people, but President Bashar al-Assad is standing in their way. His calls for dialogue and reform have rung hollow while he is imprisoning, torturing, and slaughtering his own people.”

This is the first time that Obama has specifically called for Assad to step down.

He added that the US would be tightening it’s sanctions against Syria’s Government specifically targeting it’s finances. US citizens are now banned from dealing with operating, investing or dealing with Syria.

Members of the EU also issued statements at the same time with Catherine Ashton, the head of EU foreign policy, saying “The EU notes the complete loss of Bashar al-Assad’s legitimacy in the eyes of the Syrian people and the necessity for him to step aside.”

A joint statement from Germany, UK and France said that Assad should “Leave power in the greater interest of Syria and the unity of his people.”

It all comes after a UN investigation into the recent events in Syria concluded that the use of violence may amount to crimes against humanity. It recommended that the UN Security Council should consider referring Syria to the International Criminal Court.

Syria’s security forces have used tanks, helicopters, snipers and other artillery against protesters since the uprisings began. Human rights groups estimate over 2,000 people have been killed although these estimates are often under estimated.

Syria Controlled By Assad Family

The Assad family have now been running Syria for 40 years with Bashar al-Assad taking control 11 years ago. The family are part of the minority Alawite sect whereas most of the Syrian population are Sunni.

Assad still has the support of some sections of society such as minority sects and business leaders (he has done much to open up the economy over the last decade), but the overall majority want change.

Photo: watchsmart

US Special Forces Helicopter Downed in Afghanistan

Posted by Jeff in Politics

A US special forces helicopter has been downed in Afghanistan with up to 30 US troopers and around 8 Afghans on board.

It is thought that the US special forces were from the same unit which stormed Osama Bin Laden’s complex and killed him. It is unlikely that they were exactly the same personnel however.

The Afghan’s on board were likely to be interpreters and commandos.

The loss of the the Chinook helicopter, just west of Kabul, is the biggest single loss of life for the US in the Afghanistan campaign.

It’s not known if the Taliban claims of shooting down the Chinook are true or not, they often claim shootdowns that later turn out to have been caused by mechanical failure or something else.

However this time it looks more likely. The Taliban say that they shot down the helicopter with a rocket after troops attacked a house in Wardak where a meeting was taking place.

Troop carrying helicopters in hostile territory are a soft target with minimal protection from ground to air missiles. They fact that they carry large amounts of personnel and equipment also makes them a prime target.

The troops were obviously out on a mission but as with every special forces operation, official details are hard to come by. It is not known for instance, just how many personnel are in the special forces team, thought to be Navy Seal Team Six.

A NATO operation has been mounted to recover the helicopter and determine the cause of the crash.

President Obama made a statement paying tribute to the Americans who died in the crash. He said the incident was,

“A reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan. We will draw inspiration from their lives and continue the work of securing our country and standing up for the values that they embodied.”

He also mentioned the Afghans who also lost their lives,

“We also mourn the Afghans who died alongside our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful and hopeful future for their country.”

It comes over the weekend when President Obama is having to deal with the US dropping down the S&P credit score scale and it’s subsequent political and economical fallout.

Photo: David Forster

Nevermind Greece, the USA is Close to Defaulting on it’s Own Repayments

Posted by Clive in Politics

All the talk around the financial world of late has been the state of the Euro and particularly the problems in Greece, but the USA is now facing the same issue, defaulting on it’s repayments. Unable to pay it’s bills.

What should be an unthinkable state of affairs is getting closer to reality by the day as US politicians hold their economy to ransom as Republicans and Democrats refuse to strike a deal over raising the US debt limit.

Despite politicians constant reminders to the American people that they are facing economic armageddon, they seem to be incapable of fixing the situation.

The stark reality of the matter is that if the politicians don’t make an agreement to raise the US debt ceiling by Friday, the likelihood of there being enough time to get the legislation through Congress before the August 2nd deadline would be slim.

If the USA were to default then it would have enormous implications to the American economy, for example the cost of borrowing would become massively more expensive, mortgages, loans etc. Benefits might not be able to be paid by the Government.

Because the US economy is so heavily intertwined with the world’s economy, it could have a knock-on effect similar to the banking crisis just a couple of years ago.

The problem has arisen because of party politics. The two parties have become entrenched into their opposing positions with neither willing to back down. Political brinkmanship at its best? Or worst? Time will tell.

Republicans have entrenched themselves into the ‘give us big spending cuts’ before we agree to raise the limit, Democrats are then saying ‘we won’t agree unless we also raise taxes for the rich’, Republicans turn back and say ‘no we are not raising taxes’.

People are dismayed at the situation but have faith that when push comes to shove, a solution will be found even if it is last minute and even if it is some kind of ‘plan B’.

President Barack Obama Middle East Speech Breakdown

Posted by Jeff in Politics

We go over the main points of President Obama’s latest speech on the Middle East, the first since the so called ‘Arab Spring uprisings’.

President started to talk about the opportunity now facing America to show it backs democracy, saying it is the policy of the US to back reform.

With reference to the current problems in Syria, the President made it clear that his view is that President Assad needs to change the political system or leave.

President Obama promises the support of the US if the risk of change is undertaken.

Taking on the plight of women in the region he looks to encourage women to be more independent and to have equal rights.

Moving onto economics the President looks towards integrating those countries which have successfully moved towards reform into the global economy.

With regards to Egypt, he said that the US would write off $1 billion of debt and finance borrowing of $1 billion in order to support the democratic changes in the country.

He goes on to talk about a lasting peace in the Middle East, looking to Israel and the Palestinians to agree on some basic principles of territory and security before moving onto the more emotional topics.

Of course these views are purely America’s take on the world and there was an almost instant rebuttal from the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who insisted that the 1967 border lines were indefensible to his country.

Others said that the President missed the opportunity to say something different, that everything that was said has been said many times before and nothing has shifted.

Perhaps this is true but it seems that Obama is looking for new impetus and looking to keep the momentum of the ‘Arab Spring’ going.

Photo: Dana Beveridge

Osama Bin Laden Dead Says President Obama

Posted by Clive in Politics

President Obama has given a statement on TV that Osama Bin Laden is dead. Obama said that Bin Laden had been killed after a firefight with US forces in Pakistan, just outside Islamabad in a town called Abbottabad.

Osama Bin Laden had been top of the USA’s most wanted list for a decade after he was accused of masterminding the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 in which thousands of people lost their lives, Muslims and Christians alike. There was no discrimination of background, color, creed or religion by the people who hijacked the aircraft on that fateful day.

Obama said that they first received a credible lead about Bin Laden last August and that it had taken many months to run this thread to the ground. He added,

“I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located Bin Laden, hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorised an operation to get Osama Bin Laden and bring him to justice.”

“Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.”

“After a firefight, they killed Osama Bin Laden and took custody of his body.”

President Obama confirmed that no Americans were harmed although it is believed that a helicopter was lost “due to technical failure”.

President Obama Pleads for Unity

Posted by Sam in Politics

President Obama gave an impassioned speech at the memorial service to the victims of the shootings in Tucson, Arizona.

He called on the American people to honor the victims image of what America should be. Many were wondering if he would comment on the use of extreme language in American politcs today and how it influences people.

Many have pointed a finger at Sarah Palins use of a map with gun sights aimed at the location of any democrat politician who voted for Obama’s health care reforms. One of those ‘targeted’ was Gabrielle Giffords.

He choose to confront the issue head on saying people needed to “sharpen our instincts for empathy”  and

“At a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized, at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do, it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.”

While he didn’t point any fingers or accuse any Republicans of any sort of wrong doing he did say rather pointedly

“If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate, as it should, let’s make sure it’s worthy of those we have lost. Let’s make sure it’s not on the usual plane of politics and point scoring and pettiness that drifts away with the next news cycle.”

President Obama was speaking after visiting Gabrielle Giffords at the hospital where she is being treated. He mentioned that he was told by her husband, the astronaut Mark Kelly, that after he had left, Gabrielle had opened her eyes for the first time since the incident happened.

Photo: Dana Beveridge

2nd Gunmen Sought in Arizona as Senator is Shot

Posted by Sam in Politics

One man has been arrested for a shooting rampage that leaves 6 people dead, including a 9 year old girl, and 19 people injured.

US congresswomen, Gabrielle Giffords, is in serious condition after being shot in the head.

Democrat Gabrielle Giffords was attending a meeting in the area and it is not known at the moment if she was the intended target or if it was a purely random attack.

A congressional aide and Federal Judge, John Roll, was also one of those killed.

The gunmen went on a rampage, around 10:10 am, in a supermarket in the town of Tucson, Arizona for about 7 minutes before being tackled by two bystanders.

A second gunman is being sought after police said that the 22 year old man that they have in custody did not act alone.

Gabrielle Giffords has previously had problems on a few occasions, the windows of her office were smashed after she voted in favour of President Obama’s healthcare reforms. There was also an incident where a firearm fell out of a man’s trousers during a rally.

It has also been revealed that police are currently investigating a suspect package left at her office.

Photo: uscgpress