Tag Archives: u.s.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Iraq caves to U.S. pressure, might allow U.S. troops to stay beyond current withdraw date

June 30, Japan:  In an exclusive interview, NHK discovered that the Iraqi government might let U.S. troops stay.  For months U.S. officials have been pushing Iraq to ‘request’ that U.S. troops be kept past the current withdraw date.

Under the terms of the last agreement, the only way that U.S. forces would stay, is if the Iraqi government requested them to stay.  Officially Iraqi officials have stated that they want the U.S. out.

Iraqi government spokesperson, Ali al-Dabbagh, told NHK that some Iraqi officials now believe their troops need more U.S. training.  This is exactly the reasoning U.S. officials have been telling Iraqi officials to use.

The Iraqi Parliament is set to vote on the issue, it’ll take a majority of support for the request to become official.

Several militia groups, some very powerful, stated they will go on the war path if U.S. troops do not leave by the end of 2011.  Already attacks against U.S. troops have increased since Defense Secretary Robert Gates began pressuring the Iraqi government to let U.S. troops stay.  June, 2011, has become the deadliest month for U.S. forces since 2009.  Some economist say the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost the U.S. economy $3 trillion.

International, U.S.

Pakistan orders U.S. out, tired of drone attacks and claims the U.S. is not helping to pay for War on Terror

“We have told them (US officials) to leave the air base.”-Chaudhary Ahmed Mukhtar, Pakistan Defense Minister

June 29, Mukhtar orders the CIA to vacate the once secret Shamsi air base.  That’s where the Central Intelligence Agency has been launching drone attacks against supposed terrorists in Pakistan.  The reality is that many hundreds of civilians have been killed instead.

Another reason the Pakistan government wants the U.S. to get out; they claim the United States has not been forthcoming with promised payments from a War on Terror coalition fund.  Pakistani officials are now re-thinking their relationship with the U.S., in regards to the War on Terror.

In 2009, The times of London revealed that the CIA was using Shamis air base to launch drone attacks.  The Times used Google Earth to spot drones parked on the runway.

 

Fukushima

Government Incompetence: Nuclear agency spokesman fired for creating a sex scandal during Japan’s nuclear crisis

Nishiyama Hidehiko, spokesman for Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, has been removed from his job.  It turns out that while the Japanese people were looking to the government for information on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Nishiyama was having an affair with a young woman.

A Japanese magazine broke the story.  The woman said Nishiyama was worried about loosing his hair and thought “vigorous sex” would prevent it.  He apologized for the media finding out about his affar, and said: “I am sorry if this gave any misperceptions or concerns that I have been laying down on the job.”

I think he should have said something other than “…laying down on the job”.  Talk about ‘fiddling’ while Rome burns!

 

Fukushima

Radiation evacuations expanded!

About 90 households have been told they need to leave, because of increasing radiation levels.  The evacuation affects three districts in the city of Date.  The city is 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The Japanese government is trying to minimize mass evacuations by testing each residential property when radiation levels near unsafe limits.  The government explained the new evacuation determination to about 400 people in the affected districts.  If a residential property is determined unsafe then the people living there will evacuate, the government promises to provide support to them.

Most of the people at the meeting basically said they think they should just mass evacuate all the families, after all what if you live in a house next to another house that’s just been evacuated, but you’re told you’re going to stay?  The increasing, and spreading radiation levels shows that Fukushima Daiichi is still spewing radiation into the air.

Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? Idaho has record snowpack levels, and it’s summer! Guarantees more flooding

According to surveyors from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, June 1 had Idaho breaking record snowpack levels.   Normally most of Idaho’s mountain snowpack melts off by the end of May.  This year’s cold wet spring has delayed that, and actually added to some the mountain snowpacks.

In eastern Idaho, Two Ocean Plateau’s snowpack is at 113% of peak average, as of June 28.  What global warming?

The concern now is that temperatures are finally warming up to what is normal for the time of the year, which means all that snow is gonna melt and just continue the flooding that’s already taking place.

The same is true of snowpacks in the Rockies, and other western U.S. mountain ranges.  This is why officials have warned the flooding from the Missouri River could last through the month of August.

International

Iran launches ballistic missiles, reveals underground silos, admits targets are Israel and U.S. bases

“The silos are a part of the swift reaction unit of the [IRGC] missile brigade; missiles are stored vertically, ready to be launched against pre-determined targets.”-General Asghar Qelich-Khani

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officials revealed, on June 27, that not only does Iran have underground missile silos, but they’ve had underground silos for 15 years.

The “pre-determined” targets are Israel, and U.S. bases in the Middle East.  Iranian military officials say they have no reason to build missiles with longer range than being able to hit Israel.   Iran says the only countries that threaten them is Israel and the United States.  They don’t need ballistic missiles that can hit the U.S., because there are so many U.S. targets in the Middle East.

Iran also successfully launched 14 missiles on June 28, including long range ballistic missiles.

Video which starts out with missile launches, and then shows underground silos.

 

Fukushima

Radioactive Cesium still being found at Japanese waste incenerators!

A few months ago it was reported that waste incinerators (which is how Japan handles its trash) were finding high levels of radiation in the ash of the burned trash.  The disaster at Fukushima Daiichi was blamed.

Today, waste incinerators as far south as Tokyo are still emitting cesium through their exhaust stacks.  One incinerator in Edogawa ward registered 9,740 becquerels of cesium per kilogram!  The incinerator handles only household trash.  This is an indicator that cesium is still being spewed into the air, and it’s settling as far south as Tokyo.

Fukushima

Strontium 90 found in Pacific seabed!

For the first time strontium 89 and 90 have been found on the seabed near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Tokyo Electric Power Company tested the soil at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, on 02 and 03 June 2011, at locations 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the nuke plant.

While this is the first time strontium has been found in the seabed, it is not the first time it’s been found in the water.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. Postal Service slashes retirement for employees, on the verge of insolvency, Congress wants to slash & burn the USPS

The USPS is in real bad shape, much worse than its counterpart Canada Post.

The USPS stopped about $800 million in contributions to its employee retirement plan.  This is an effort to prevent becoming insolvent, over a $5.5 billion employee health plan payment.

Also, USPS Inspector General David Williams, claims they were overcharged $75 billion for the Federal Employees Retirement System plan, and they want Congress to give it back.

On top of that, a bill has been introduced in Congress that would cut billions of dollars from the postal service, by reducing employees (even more than they have) and reducing hours by going to a five day work week (instead of the current six).  The bill is called the Postal Reform Act.  It was introduced by Kalifornian (sic) Darrel Issa.

The USPS lost $8.5 billion in 2010.  The United States Postal Service does not make money off taxpayers, they are solely funded by the postage they charge.  The problem is that Congress controls the postage they are allowed to charge, and so far Congress has refused to allow postal rates to reflect the actual operating cost of the USPS.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

No Economic Recovery for the U.S.: Toyota launches new car in India

Toyota announced the premier of a new car, not in the United States, but India!

The new car is a small low priced car called the Etios Liva.  It’s smaller than most Toyota sedans.  The price is about U.S.$9,000.

Toyota also announced that India was becoming its fastest growing car market.  The number of Toyotas sold in India, last year, was double the number sold five years ago.